Weird Game: I brought an old version bug

The elevator doors opened.

The white light was blinding.

Jiang Chen squinted as he stepped out of the elevator.

The floor beneath my feet was metal, cold and reflecting a pale blue light.

He is back.

The exit of passage number 47 is in the corridor next to control room 07-01.

It's exactly the same as when I left.

But something is different.

"Did you feel it?"

Shiyu came out from behind and looked around.

"I can feel it."

There was a subtle change in the air.

It's not a smell, not light, but a "flavor" at the data level.

It's like something has been reset.

Lin Bei was the last to come out and close the passageway door.

"Damn... this corridor feels different from when I left."

"What's different?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it. It's like... the air has become cleaner."

Jiang Chen activates data perception - fragments.

[Rule Chain - Scouting Lv.2 is activated]

[Mental Energy Consumption: 35/90]

[Cooldown: 150 seconds]

Data streams came into view.

The data structure of the corridor has indeed changed.

The originally dense data stream became sparse, like a congested highway suddenly being cleared.

More importantly, the pervasive sense of surveillance has disappeared.

The system core truly complied with the protocol.

"The agreement has taken effect."

How did you know?

"Data stream. The system is no longer reading our data."

Jiang Chen walked forward, his footsteps echoing in the corridor.

At the end of the corridor is a portal to the main world.

The blue light curtain rippled slightly in the air.

same as before.

But upon closer inspection, there are tiny cracks along the edge of the light screen.

It's not damage, it's change—the old version data and the new version data are pressed against each other at the edge of the light curtain, forming a ripple-like mark.

"The portal has changed."

"It's changed?"

"There are signs of version conflict on the edges."

Jiang Chen reached out and touched the light screen.

The moment his fingertips passed through the light screen, he felt a slight sting.

Like static electricity.

[System notification: Welcome back to the game world]

[Current Area: Dawn City, Seventh Administrative District, Teleportation Hall]

[Version: Current version (percentage of data remaining from older versions: 3.7%)]

"3.7%?"

"What? 3.7%?"

"Percentage of old version data remaining. The system is displaying this number."

Shi Yu frowned: "There wasn't this notification before, was there?"

"No. Previously, the system only displayed the version number and region name."

Jiang Chen stepped into the portal.

The white light enveloped him once again.

Feeling of weightlessness.

Then, be down-to-earth.

He opened his eyes and saw the teleportation hall of the seventh administrative district of Dawn City.

The hall was spacious, with white tiled floors and a high ceiling with a huge blue crystal chandelier hanging from it.

But there were far fewer people in the hall than when he left.

Where are they?

"I don't know. There used to be at least a hundred people queuing here waiting to be teleported."

There are only a few people here now.

They stood near the portal, their expressions blank, as if they were in a daze.

Jiang Chen approached a player.

It was a male player, wearing beginner cloth armor, with an iron sword hanging at his waist.

His eyes were fixed ahead, but his pupils were unfocused.

It's like looking at something, yet it's also like looking at nothing at all.

"Feed".

The player did not respond.

"Hello!"

The player snapped out of his daze and looked at Jiang Chen.

"Huh? What is it?"

"What were you looking at just now?"

"Look...look at the system interface."

"System interface? What's so interesting about it?"

"Haven't you noticed? The system interface has changed."

"It's changed?"

"Yes. There are so many new options. I've been studying them for ages, but I still don't understand them."

Jiang Chen opened his system interface.

[System Interface]

The interface has indeed changed.

Originally, there were only six tabs: [Personal Status], [Backpack], [Skills], [Map], [Quests], and [Settings].

Now, there's an extra tab.

[Old version data]

"Old version data?"

Jiang Chen clicked on the tab.

The page redirected, displaying a list.

[Old version data - viewable content]

【1. Lunar New Year - System Creation Log】

[2. System Crash Record of Year 47 (Old Calendar)]

[3. Old Version Player Behavior Data (Partial)]

[4. Older Version - Partial Map Data]

【5. Old Version Skill Data (Partial)】

Each entry has a "View" button.

Jiang Chen tried clicking on the first item.

[System message: Insufficient permissions]

Current permission level: Lv.5

[Required Permission Level: Lv.10]

"Hold."

"What's wrong?"

"Insufficient permissions. Cannot view."

Shiyu also opened her own interface.

"I also have this tab. But I seem to have enough permissions."

What grade are you in?

"Lv.6".

"One grade below. What can you watch?"

Shiyu clicked on [Old Version Player Behavior Data (Partial)].

Page redirection.

She stared at it for a few seconds, then her expression changed.

"Hold……"

"What's wrong?"

"This... records all my behavioral data from the first day I entered the game until now."

"What do you have?"

"Login time, logout time, number of monsters killed, number of deaths, who you teamed up with, how long you stayed in which area..."

"all?"

"All. Accurate to the second."

Jiang Chen felt a chill run down his back.

"All the data that the system read previously has been retained."

"Yes. And now they've opened it up to us directly."

Why?

"I don't know. It might be part of the agreement."

Lin Bei also opened the interface.

"I have it too. But I can only see the first three entries."

Why?

"My level is not high enough. Lv.4, I can only view items with the lowest access level."

"What did you see?"

"The system created a log. However, the content is very brief, containing only the date and event title."

"What incident?"

"The first day of the Spring Equinox in the first year of the old calendar - the system goes live. The 15th day of the Summer Solstice in the first year of the old calendar - the first batch of players enter."

"That's all?"

That's all. You can't see the full details; higher access is required.

Jiang Chen closed the interface.

He looked around the hall, observing the other players.

Some people looked shocked, as if they had discovered something incredible.

Some people remained expressionless, as if they hadn't noticed the changes to the interface at all.

Others were talking in hushed tones, their voices filled with confusion and unease.

"Did you notice?"

"What did you find?"

"Each player reacted differently."

"What do you mean?"

"Some people are looking at the old version of the data, some haven't noticed the interface changes at all, and some others..."

Jiang Chen pointed to the corner of the hall.

There was a player standing there.

His movements were stiff, as if he were daydreaming.

But his eyes were darting around rapidly.

It looks like it's looking at something.

"He's looking at the system interface."

"Yes. But what he's looking at is different from what we're looking at."

How did you know?

"Because of his eye movement pattern. From left to right, from top to bottom—the standard reading pattern."

"What's the problem?"

"The problem is that he reads too fast. He scans at least three lines per second."

"The system interface has probably been updated, and he's looking at new content."

"No. His eyeballs are vibrating."

"shock?"

"Yes. It vibrates rapidly, like an electric current is passing through it."

Jiang Chen approached the player.

When he was five meters away, he could see the other person's face clearly.

It was a young face, around twenty years old, with pale skin and heavy dark circles under the eyes.

But his pupils—were blue.

It's not a normal blue; it's a glowing blue, like a data stream.

"Feed".

The player did not respond.

"Hello!"

The player suddenly turned his head.

His pupils were glowing.

Jiang Chen took a step back.

"Your...eyes..."

"Your eyes? What happened?"

The player blinked, and the light disappeared.

The pupils returned to their normal black color.

"Didn't you feel anything just now?"

"What did I feel? I was just looking at the system interface."

"What did you see?"

"The system notified me that the interface has been updated and several new features have been added."

"What function?"

"It's just... some new options. I haven't looked at them closely."

The player turned around and left.

Jiang Chen stared at his back without saying a word.

"What's wrong?"

"That player...something's not right."

"Something's not right?"

"His eyes were just glowing. A blue light."

"Could it be UI projection?"

"No. UI projection is projected from top to bottom, not emitted from the pupils."

Shi Yu frowned: "You mean... he was influenced by the system?"

"It's not the system core. It's the system itself."

"The system itself?"

"The core has complied with the protocol and no longer reads player data. However, the system itself is still running automatically."

"What do you mean?"

"The system is a massive program. The core consciousness is merely its 'brain.' The brain stops working, but the body continues to operate automatically."

"So the system is still influencing players?"

"It's not an impact. It's... a residue."

Jiang Chen looked at the numb players in the hall.

"They may not even know that their data has been read by the system."

"Now you know?"

"Not necessarily. Some people see the old version of the data but may not understand it. Others see it but choose to ignore it."

Why?

"Because humans have a self-protection mechanism. When the truth is too cruel, the brain will automatically block it out."

Shigure remained silent for a few seconds.

"So what do we do?"

"Find Qingzhu and the others first."

"Are they still in the game?"

"Yes. Before I left, I arranged to meet them at the east gate of Dawn City."

Jiang Chen turned around and walked towards the exit of the hall.

He took a few steps and then stopped.

"etc."

"What's wrong?"

"The exit of the teleportation hall has changed."

The exit was originally a double metal door with the word "Exit" written on it.

The door is still the same door.

But the words on the door have changed.

[Exit - Old Version - Direction 47]

"The old version?"

"Yes. The sign on the door now says 'Old Version'."

Jiang Chen approached the door and reached out to touch it.

The metallic feel is very realistic.

But there was a faint blue light around the edge of the door frame.

Like a data stream.

"Is this... residual data from an older version?"

"I don't know. But I think the system is displaying the old version data and the new version data side by side."

"Show side by side?"

"Yes. It's like two layers overlaid, and the user can choose which layer to view."

"What if there are conflicts between layers?"

Jiang Chen looked at her without saying a word.

He pushed open the door.

Behind the door lies a familiar street.

The main street of Dawn City is about twenty meters wide, with stone buildings on both sides and signs for various shops hanging on them.

But there were far fewer people on the street than when he left.

Moreover, some people's actions were very strange.

A female player stood motionless on the street corner.

But her fingers kept tapping the air.

It looks like someone is operating some kind of interface.

A male player crouched by the roadside, staring at the ground.

His eyes were darting around rapidly, as if watching something scrolling.

"Damn... everyone's looking at the system interface."

"Yes. After the old version of the data was made available, everyone was studying their own history."

"What's so interesting about it?"

"Everything you did was recorded. When you died, how you died, who you were with—we can see it all."

Jiang Chen continued walking forward.

He noticed that the buildings on both sides of the street had also changed somewhat.

Some shop signs have been transformed into two versions stacked together.

The words "[Blacksmith Shop - New Version]" and "[Blacksmith Shop - Old Version]" overlapped in a semi-transparent manner.

"The building's signage has also changed."

"Yes. The system is displaying two versions of the data simultaneously."

Will we get lost?

"Yes. People who are used to the old signage will definitely get lost when they suddenly see the new version."

Jiang Chen walked to the east gate.

The East Gate is one of the four main exits of Dawn City, leading to the Dawn Plains.

Several people were standing at the entrance.

Qingzhu, Sandao, and a few other players Jiang Chen knew.

They were stunned when they saw Jiang Chen.

"Jiang Chen? You're back?"

Qingzhu rushed over and hugged him tightly.

"Damn! I thought you were dead!"

"Almost."

"Where did you go? The system message says you left the game world, but it doesn't say where you went."

"I went to the real world."

"The real world?"

Yes. The real world.

Qingzhu released him, took a step back, and looked him up and down.

"You... don't look much different."

"The change is not in appearance."

Jiang Chen looked at his other teammates.

"And you? Has there been any change in the system?"

"The changes are huge," San Dao said. "Suddenly, a 'Old Version Data' tab has appeared on the system interface, and everyone can see their own history."

"What did you see?"

"I saw myself on my first day in the game, dying eighteen times in the starting village."

"Eighteen times? You're this bad on your first day?"

"Damn! That's because I haven't gotten used to the controls yet!"

Qingzhu smiled.

"What I saw was that on my third day in the game, I teamed up for the first time and spent three hours in a dungeon with a player named 'Night Wind'."

"Night Wind? What happened to that guy afterward?"

"I don't know. He hasn't been online since."

Jiang Chen looked at them and sensed that something was wrong.

"Don't you... find this strange?"

"What's strange?"

"The system has made all your data available. You've read it, but you seem... not to be reacting?"

"What's the reaction? Data is just data."

"But that data is the result of the system reading your subconscious. All your memories, fears, and habits have been recorded."

"So what? We don't remember anyway."

"Don't you remember?"

"Yes. The data the system reads is all from our subconscious. We ourselves are unaware of those memories."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a few seconds.

"Don't you... find this terrifying?"

"Terrible? What's so scary about it?"

"Someone read all your memories without your knowledge."

"But we know now."

"Okay, so what?"

"And then... it doesn't seem like anything special."

Qingzhu's expression was calm, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.

Jiang Chen looked at her and felt a chill run down his spine.

"You...aren't angry?"

"Angry? Why are you angry?"

"Because your privacy has been violated."

"So what if I violated them? I can't change anything anyway."

"you……"

"Jiang Chen, I know what you want to say," Qingzhu interrupted him, "but some things are better left unsaid."

You weren't like this before.

"The past is the past. The present is the present."

Jiang Chen stared at her, feeling a tightness in his chest.

You've changed.

Yes. I've changed.

Why?

"Because I saw my true identity in the old version of the data."

"What is your true identity?"

"I was one of the first testers of the old version. I entered this game 47 years ago."

Jiang Chen was stunned.

"What did you say?"

"After the system crashed, my memory was reset. I re-entered the game thinking I was a new player."

"But you look like you're only in your early twenties."

"The system's time flow is three times that of reality. I spent 47 years in the game, but only a little over a decade passed in reality."

Jiang Chen felt a chill run down his spine.

"So you're a player from the older version?"

Yes. We all are.

San Dao also spoke up.

"Me too. My records show that I was in the game 47 years ago."

"Yes. Not just us. Many players in Dawn City are leftovers from the old version."

"Do they know?"

"Most people don't know. Only those who have seen the old version of the data know."

"So, what were your thoughts after watching it?"

"I didn't feel anything. It was like watching someone else's story."

"Other people's stories?"

"Yes. Those memories, although they were mine, I don't remember them at all after the system was reset. So to me, they are someone else's story."

Jiang Chen remained silent for a long time.

"That's not fair."

"What's unfair?"

"You have lost your own memories, but the system has retained them."

Yes. But we can see it now.

"What's the use of seeing it? It's just a written record, not a real experience."

"That's enough," Qingzhu said. "Stop getting hung up on this."

"I'm not being pedantic. I just think you should be even angrier."

"What's the use of anger? Can anger bring back memories?"

"No. But at least..."

"Enough," Qingzhu interrupted him again. "We're glad you're back. But don't treat us like people who need saving."

Jiang Chen looked at her without saying a word.

"Let's go back to base first. We can talk slowly then."

Qingzhu turned around and walked into the city.

Jiang Chen followed behind.

He watched Qingzhu's retreating figure and sensed that something had changed.

It's not that the green bamboo has changed.

The entire game world has changed.

The system core complied with the protocol.

However, the system itself has undergone new changes beyond the protocol.

And these changes are changing everyone.

Including himself.

At the end of the chapter, Jiang Chen turned around and looked at the Dawn Plain outside the East Gate.

At the end of the plain, there is a crack.

It's not a crack in the sky, it's a crack in the ground.

Blue light surged from the crack.

It's like something is awakening.

"What is that?"

No one answered.

The crack is widening.

The blue light is getting brighter.

Then he saw an eye.

A gigantic eye, composed of streams of data, opened from the crack.

Stare at him.