It's yourself.
Li Ming stared at those words for a long time, so long the sun sank behind the mountains, leaving only dark red light in the valley. Wind was cold, blowing his clothes rustling like someone tugging at them. The five characters "Player 001's Tomb" on the stone tablet glowed eerily dark red in the dim light, like blood seeping from the stone.
"The administrator is myself..."
He murmured, voice echoing hollowly in the valley, sounding empty and unfamiliar.
What did it mean?
Kill himself? Then what meaning did clearing have? Kill himself, who would... complete the clearing?
"Damn."
He cursed again, voice hoarse, tucking the book into his robes. The book was thin, only a dozen or so pages, but felt heavy in hand—like it didn't contain paper but something heavier—fate perhaps?
"Must leave."
Chen Feng could catch up anytime. That array wouldn't trap him long—Layer Five against Layer Two, too big a gap. Chen Feng was an Executor, had system blessings, unlimited time to break the array.
Li Ming looked around. Mountains on all four sides of the valley, pitch black like a circle of walls. Only the passage he came from and...
"Over there."
He saw on the other side of the valley, a small path winding upward toward the mountaintop. Narrow, only room for one person, cliffs on both sides—fall and it's eternal damnation.
"Go there."
Li Ming began climbing toward the summit. The path was steep, loose stones sliding underfoot. He climbed slowly, hands grabbing roadside wild grass, sharp blades cutting his palms, blood seeping, sticky.
After roughly one incense stick's time, he reached the summit.
The summit was flat land, wind strong, nearly blowing him over. In the center of the flatland was... a stone platform?
The platform was circular, roughly three meters diameter, covered in runes. Those runes... code again?
Li Ming walked over, crouching to examine. Fingers touching those runes, feeling rough, like carved in haste.
```
[Teleport_Array.py]
def teleport():
# teleportation array
destination = "Library"
cost = "100 cultivation points"
status = "ACTIVE"
```
"Teleportation array..."
Li Ming's heart jumped.
Direct teleport to the library? Then that seven-day mission...
"But 100 cultivation points..."
He was only Layer Two now, 400 points total capacity. 100 points—a quarter. If used, his cultivation would go from 15/400 to 15/300, equal to... regressing?
"Worth it?"
He thought. Chen Feng pursuing, Law Enforcement Hall hunting, other players... If he could reach the library within seven days, could...
"Then what?"
Li Ming paused, staring at those runes.
Old Zhou said the library was safe, but the array failed after seven days. Chen Feng said the library had his informants. Wang Hu said to find other players. Lin Xue said to...
"Damn."
Another multiple choice, every option a trap, every option potentially a dead end.
He stood up, looking around. From the summit he could see Qingyun Sect's entire outer district, dense wooden huts like an ant colony. In the distance was the inner sect main hall, upturned eaves visible through mist and clouds, like an immortal's residence. Farther still, the main peak, thrusting into clouds, summit invisible.
"If I could go directly to the inner sect..."
But inner sect assessment was still nineteen days away. He was only Layer Two now, far from Layer Three. Normal cultivation needed at least two or three months. But he only had nineteen days.
"Must cultivate."
Li Ming sat beside the platform, legs crossed, eyes closed, beginning to circulate the technique.
But not the *Foundation Qi Circulation Technique*—his own written "repair technique."
Spiritual power flowed through his meridians, warm, slow. Each circulation, he could feel his foundation... stabilizing? That feeling was subtle, like something slowly healing.
[Status] Foundation unstable (collapse risk 29%)
"Dropped 1%..."
Li Ming laughed bitterly.
Too slow. Nineteen days, to drop from 30% to below safety line, needed at least 1.5% daily. But repair technique effects were diminishing—first day dropped 1%, second day might only be 0.5%, third day...
"Need another method."
He remembered that *Game Rules* book.
Pulled it out, opened to the second page.
Second page held a drawing.
A... tree diagram?
"Game structure diagram?"
Li Ming examined carefully, fingers tracing those lines, very detailed.
At the top was "Game Administrator," below was "Executor," below that "Players."
But between Executor and Players, a... two-way arrow?
"What does it mean?"
Players could become Executors, Executors could also... return to being Players?
He continued looking down.
Third page, only one line, neat handwriting like printing:
"Executors are transformed from Players."
"Transform..."
Li Ming remembered Chen Feng saying—he was the first defector.
"Then Old Zhou..."
Old Zhou said he cleared before, but kept his humanity, was stripped of privileges.
"So Old Zhou... was once an Administrator?"
The thought made him jump.
If Old Zhou was once an Administrator, then how much of what he said... was true? How much false? Was he helping players, or... using players?
"Trust no one. Including me."
That sentence surfaced again like a curse, spinning in his mind.
Li Ming gripped the book, knuckles white, veins bulging.
"Then is this book... real?"
He continued flipping.
Fourth page, fifth page, both empty, white glaring.
Sixth page, only one small line, red characters like written in blood:
"When you see this line, it means you have... awakened."
"Awakened?"
Li Ming frowned, brow knitting together.
"Awakened to what?"
He continued reading, holding his breath.
"Awakened Administrator privileges."
"But privileges are... sealed."
"Seal location: Qingyun Sect earth vein core."
"Unseal condition: Qi Refinement Layer Five, blood of five other... Players."
Li Ming's hands began trembling, book nearly falling.
"Blood?"
Kill other players? Five players' blood? To unseal privileges?
"Damn."
He threw the book to the ground, slap echoing jarringly loud on the silent summit.
What kind of game was this?
Kill players, take blood, unseal privileges, then... become Administrator?
"Then clearing..."
"Kill the game administrator."
"The administrator is myself."
"So..."
Li Ming fell silent, mind a tangled mess.
"So commit suicide?"
The thought made him laugh.
Laughing somewhat bitterly, somewhat hoarsely.
"Then what's the point of this game?"
He picked up the book, dusted it off, continued flipping.
Last page, only one line, golden characters glittering in dim light:
"Or... find the seventh player."
"Seventh player?"
Li Ming froze, mouth opening and closing.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Old Zhou said in this batch of players, seven total could see code. He was the last.
"Then the other six..."
"Two dead, three missing, and one... became an Executor."
Chen Feng.
"So the seventh player..."
"Who is it?"
No one answered. Valley wind grew colder, blowing his clothes rustling like ghosts calling.
Li Ming stood up, tucked the book into his robes against his chest, then walked toward the teleportation array.
"Go to the library."
He decided, drawing a deep breath.
Whether Old Zhou was real or fake, whether Chen Feng was enemy or ally, whether Wang Hu was lying, he had to go to the library. Because...
"Answers are there."
Li Ming stood at the platform center, closed his eyes, began circulating the technique.
Spiritual power surged from his dantian, flowing toward the platform. That feeling was strange, like extracting part of himself, but he had to do it.
The runes on the platform began glowing, pale blue, brighter and brighter, more and more glaring.
[Cultivation] Qi Refinement Layer Two 15/400 → 15/300
"Deducted 100 points..."
Li Ming's heart tightened, but teleportation had already begun, couldn't stop.
Surroundings began blurring, like... water spreading. He felt weightless, like falling into a bottomless pit, every cell in his body vibrating.
Then, darkness.
Eyes opening again, in a... room?
Very dark, can't see hand in front of face, air carrying faint ink and paper scent.
"Where is this?"
Li Ming stood up, groping forward.
Floor was wooden, creaking softly when stepped on, very light but clear in darkness. Walls were... bookshelves?
"Library?"
He continued forward, hand touching bookshelves. Shelves packed with books—paper books, jade slips, metal plates... each book emitting faint light, like something sealed inside.
"First floor? Second floor?"
He tried calling up the code view, but the system interface flickered several times, then displayed a notification:
[Current location] Library second floor
[Warning] Outer disciples prohibited entry
[Detection] Spiritual power fluctuation nearby
"Second floor..."
Li Ming's heart sank, like a stone dropping into his stomach.
Outer disciples could only enter first floor. Second floor... caught meant capital offense. Executed on the spot, no intact corpse left.
"Must find somewhere to hide."
He continued forward, found a corner, crouching. Many books in the corner could block him. He held his breath, hand reaching for the wooden sword at his waist.
Wooden sword still there, but... useful? Layer Two against Layer Five, wooden sword against spirit sword...
"Damn."
He cursed softly, voice barely audible.
Couldn't fight head-on.
"Need another way."
He looked around, many bookshelves, could...
"Hide?"
But hiding once doesn't hide forever. Library so large, they couldn't find him once, could find him again.
"Or..."
Li Ming paused, eyes sharpening.
"Take initiative?"
The thought made him jump.
Take initiative? Layer Two fighting Layer Five? Wasn't that suicide?
"But..."
He remembered those codes on the cave wall. Player_001's defensive array.
"If the library also has similar arrays?"
The thought made his heart race—thump thump thump.
Library was Node 1, back mountain cliff was Node 2. Node 2 had arrays, then Node 1...
"Definitely has one too."
Li Ming concentrated, beginning to scan surrounding code. Fingers tracing through empty air, searching line by line.
Air before him rippled like disturbed water. Lines of code appeared, pale green, glittering in darkness:
```
[Library_Array.py]
def defense():
# library defensive array
status = "INACTIVE"
activation_key = "Librarian"
```
"Librarian..."
Li Ming frowned, brow knitting together.
"What is that?"
He continued scanning, checking line by line.
```
[Librarian_Info.py]
def info():
# librarian information
name = "???"
status = "MISSING"
last_seen = "10 years ago"
```
"Missing ten years ago..."
Li Ming's heart jumped—thump.
Ten years ago... Old Zhou said he transmigrated ten years ago.
"Then the librarian..."
"Is Old Zhou?"
The thought made him jump.
If Old Zhou was the librarian, then how much of what he said... was true? Was he helping players, or... guarding the library, preventing anyone from approaching truth?
"Must find him."
Li Ming stood up, preparing to continue scanning, search more carefully.
But the next second, a hand pressed on his shoulder.
Ice-cold, carrying killing intent.
"Found you."
Chen Feng's voice, speaking in his ear, low and cold.
Li Ming spun around, but Chen Feng's sword was already...
At his throat.
Blade pressed against skin, very thin, very sharp—slight movement would cut his throat.
"Don't move." Chen Feng said, voice devoid of emotion. "Move again, and I cut your throat."
Li Ming froze, holding his breath.
"You're clever." Chen Feng said, sword tip pressing slightly, leaving a blood mark. "Knew to use teleportation array, knew to hide here. But you..."
He paused, eyes turning playful.
"But you forgot, I'm an Executor." Chen Feng said. "Every corner of the library, I know."
"Then..."
"So you have no choice." Chen Feng said. "Come with me."
"Where?"
"To meet..." Chen Feng paused, sword tip lifting. "To meet the seventh player."
Li Ming's heart shook, like struck by lightning.
"Seventh player..."
"Yes." Chen Feng said. "You didn't know? The seventh player..."
"Is female."
That unfamiliar female voice said.
Li Ming turned, seeing the woman walk from shadows.
Wearing inner disciple robes, early twenties, appearance... very ordinary, but eyes very cold, like without temperature.
"Who are you?" Li Ming asked, voice somewhat trembling.
"Wang Xue." The woman said. "Player 089."
"89..."
"Yes." Wang Xue said. "I arrived two months before you."
"Then Chen Feng..."
"Chen Feng is my..." Wang Xue paused, eyes drifting to Chen Feng. "Superior."
"Superior?"
"Executors can..." Chen Feng finished. "Can recruit players, become... subordinates."
"Subordinates?"
"Yes." Chen Feng said. "Wang Xue is my subordinate. She helps me with tasks, I give her... protection."
"Then you..."
"We're not enemies." Chen Feng said. "At least not now."
"Then..."
"Come with us." Chen Feng said, sheathing his sword, moving fast. "To meet the seventh player."
"What if I don't go?"
"Then you die here." Chen Feng said, voice cold. "Library second floor, outer disciple trespassing, capital offense."
Li Ming fell silent.
A long time.
"Fine." He said, voice soft. "I'll go with you."
Chen Feng smiled, this smile carrying something... satisfied?
"Smart."
He sheathed his sword, then...
"But one condition." Li Ming said, staring into Chen Feng's eyes.
"What?"
"Tell me... who is the seventh player." Li Ming said. "I want to know now."
Chen Feng and Wang Xue exchanged glances, like communicating something.
"Fine." Chen Feng said. "But when you see her... you'll know."
Then he turned and left, footsteps soft.
Wang Xue followed behind, Li Ming...
Followed last.
Three people passed through the library, exiting through the side door to a secluded path. Narrow, only room for one person, walls on both sides, walls very high, couldn't see outside.
"Where?" Li Ming asked.
"Outer sect." Chen Feng said. "Seventh player... is in outer sect."
"Outer sect?"
"Yes." Chen Feng said. "She... hides very well."
"She..."
"You'll know when we arrive." Chen Feng said, no more.
Three continued forward, footsteps echoing on the path.
When reaching outer sect district, sky was already dark. Moon had risen, white and round, hanging on tree branches, illuminating the ground pale white.
Chen Feng stopped before a wooden hut.
"Here."
"This..."
Li Ming looked at that wooden hut.
Very ordinary, same as other outer disciple rooms. Dilapidated wood, peeling plaster, crooked door frame. But...
"Someone inside."
"Yes." Chen Feng said. "Seventh player."
"Then..."
"Go in." Chen Feng pushed open the door, door squealing like protesting.
Li Ming entered.
Room was very dark, only one oil lamp, swaying at bedside, flame very small, like about to extinguish.
Someone sat on the bed.
A female, sixteen or seventeen, wearing outer disciple robes, hair...
White?
"You..."
Li Ming froze, mouth opening and closing.
"Hello." The girl said, voice very soft, very gentle. "I'm... the seventh player."
"What's your name?"
"Lin Xue." The girl said. "Player 007."
"007..."
Li Ming's heart shook, like struck by a hammer.
"You're... the second player?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said, smiling, smile very innocent. "I... transmigrated two years ago."
"Then..."
"I know what you want to ask." Lin Xue said. "About clearing, about administrator, about..."
She paused, smile vanishing.
"About blood."
Li Ming clenched his fist, palm bleeding.
"That book... you've read it?"
"Read it." Lin Xue said. "Every player who can see code... will see it."
"Then..."
"But I don't plan to..." Lin Xue said. "use blood to unseal."
"Why?"
"Because..." Lin Xue paused, eyes turning sad. "Because... I don't want to kill."
Li Ming froze.
"Then..."
"Is there another way?" Lin Xue asked, like asking him, like asking herself.
"What way?"
"Find..." Lin Xue said. "game vulnerabilities."
"Vulnerabilities?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "Every system... has vulnerabilities. No perfect system, always bugs."
"Then..."
"You have them too." Lin Xue said. "Your foundation... is a vulnerability."
Li Ming froze, mind buzzing.
"What do you mean?"
"Your foundation damaged, collapse risk 30%." Lin Xue said. "But... that's also your..."
"Advantage."
"Advantage?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "Because damaged foundation... can..."
"Bypass system detection."
Li Ming's heart shook, like something exploding.
"You mean..."
"You can do things we can't." Lin Xue said, eyes brightening. "Because the system... can't detect you. Your status is abnormal, system will... ignore you."
"Then..."
"So we need you." Lin Xue said. "Together... find the vulnerability."
"Together?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "Seven players... together."
"But..."
"Two dead, three missing." Chen Feng finished, voice cold. "I know."
"Then..."
"The three missing..." Lin Xue said. "Still alive."
"How do you know?"
"Because..." Lin Xue paused, closing her eyes. "I can... sense them."
"Sense?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "My ability... is sensing other players. Like... there's a thread between us, connecting."
"Then..."
"They're still in Qingyun Sect." Lin Xue said. "Just... hiding."
"Hiding..."
"Because afraid." Lin Xue said. "Afraid of being found by Cleaners, afraid of..."
"Executors." Chen Feng finished. "We're also players, but we became Executors, system will send other players to kill us. Us living means... hunting targets."
Air solidified for a moment.
"So..."
"So we must..." Lin Xue said. "find them."
"How to find?"
"Use your..." Lin Xue said. "code view."
"Me?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "You can see code... can see..."
"Traces they left."
Li Ming fell silent.
A long time.
"Fine." He said, voice soft. "I'll try."
Lin Xue smiled, this smile very innocent, like a little girl.
"Thank you."
"But..." Li Ming paused. "One condition."
"What?"
"Tell me... the truth." Li Ming said, staring into Lin Xue's eyes. "The real... clearing condition."
Lin Xue fell silent.
A long time.
Room was terrifyingly quiet, only oil lamp flame jumping.
"Clearing..." She finally said, voice soft. "isn't killing the administrator."
"Then what?"
"It's..." Lin Xue paused, like hard to say. "It's..."
"Reset the game."
Chen Feng finished.
Li Ming froze, like struck by lightning.
"Reset?"
"Yes." Chen Feng said. "Let all players... start over. Return to the world before transmigration, like nothing ever happened."
"Then..."
"But need..." Lin Xue said. "Seven players... together."
"Together?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "At seven nodes... simultaneously..."
"Activate arrays."
Li Ming clenched his fist, palm bleeding.
"Then..."
"So we..." Lin Xue said. "Need time."
"How much?"
"Nineteen days." Lin Xue said. "Inner sect assessment day."
"Nineteen days..."
Li Ming calculated.
Foundation collapse, nineteen days later.
Inner sect assessment, nineteen days later.
Seven nodes activation, nineteen days later.
Everything converging nineteen days later.
"Damn."
He cursed again, voice carrying resignation.
"So..."
"So you have no choice." Chen Feng said. "Either... come with us."
"Or..."
"Die."
Li Ming fell silent.
A long time.
"Fine." He said, drawing a deep breath. "I'm in."
Lin Xue smiled, this smile very warm.
"Welcome."
"But..." Li Ming paused. "One more question."
"What?"
"Old Zhou..." Li Ming said. "He..."
"Old Zhou..." Lin Xue fell silent, expression growing complex. "He is..."
"The first Administrator."
Chen Feng finished.
Li Ming's heart shook, like struck by a hammer.
"Administrator..."
"Yes." Chen Feng said. "He cleared before, became Administrator."
"Then..."
"But he..." Lin Xue said. "refused."
"Refused?"
"Yes." Lin Xue said. "He... kept his humanity."
"So..."
"So he was..." Chen Feng said. "stripped of privileges."
"Then now..."
"He now..." Lin Xue said. "is helping players."
"Why?"
"Because..." Lin Xue paused. "He... regrets."
"Regrets..."
Li Ming fell silent.
"So..."
"So we are..." Lin Xue said. "allies."
"Allies..."
Li Ming clenched his fist, palm bleeding.
"Fine." He said. "Then..."
"Start tomorrow." Lin Xue said. "Find the other three players."
"How to find?"
"Use your..." Lin Xue said. "code view."
"Then..."
"This is..." Lin Xue pulled a small booklet from her robes, handing to Li Ming. "The other three players'..."
"Last known locations."
Li Ming took the booklet, opened it.
First page held a map.
Qingyun Sect map.
Three red dots on it.
Beside each red dot, a line of small text:
"Player 034: Law Enforcement Hall"
"Player 056: Back Mountain Dense Forest"
"Player 078:..."
Third one covered by ink, unreadable.
"This is..."
"Where they last appeared." Lin Xue said. "But..."
"May have already..."
"Moved."
Li Ming gripped the booklet, knuckles white.
"Then..."
"Start tomorrow." Lin Xue said. "One by one... find them."
"Fine."
Li Ming stood up, preparing to leave.
"Then..."
"You go back first." Chen Feng said. "Tonight... too dangerous."
"Then..."
"Tomorrow at dawn." Lin Xue said. "Library entrance."
"Fine."
Li Ming turned to leave.
Reaching the door, he heard—
"Do you trust him?"
Wang Xue's voice, very soft, but clear in the quiet room.
"No." Chen Feng said, no hesitation. "But..."
"We need him."
Li Ming stopped at the door, hand on the knob.
"Then..."
"If he..." Wang Xue said. "betrays?"
"Then..."
"Kill him."
Chen Feng said, voice cold, no hesitation.
Li Ming clenched his fist, nails digging into flesh, palm bleeding.
Then he pushed open the door, vanished into the night.
Behind him, in the room, three people...
watched the direction he left.
"Can he... be trusted?" Wang Xue asked, voice soft.
"Don't know." Lin Xue said, sighing. "But..."
"We have no choice."
Chen Feng fell silent.
A long time.
Room was terrifyingly quiet, only oil lamp flame jumping.
"Then..."
"Nineteen days later." Lin Xue said. "See the outcome."
And in a place Li Ming couldn't see, the system interface automatically appeared before him, new code being written, red, glaring in darkness:
```
[Li_Ming_Status.py]
def alliance():
status = "JOINED" # joined
members = 4 # current members 4
trust_level = 0.1 # trust level 10%
betrayal_risk = 0.9 # betrayal risk 90%
```
Nineteen days.
Four players.
Seven nodes.
One...
impossible plan.
Li Ming walked on the way back, moonlight falling on him, stretching his shadow long. He didn't know what awaited ahead.
But he knew one thing—
Nineteen days later, everything would be revealed.
Either reset the game, or... die.
No other choice.
