After sending Leonard away.
Zeig returned to Herta's office.
"Mr. Zeig, are you ready?" Screwllum asked.
After the two had left, he had been waiting here quietly the entire time.
The Simulated Universe generally did not allow outsiders to enter. Its regular users had basically always been Zeig.
If Leonard wanted to tag along, he could only watch from outside—monitoring data flows and such.
"I still have some questions."
"Mr. Zeig, please ask away. I welcome all curiosity and pursuit of knowledge."
Zeig stared at Screwllum and asked curiously:
"Are you really going to shut down the Simulated Universe after this?"
Without any hesitation, Screwllum gave his answer:
"Yes. In addition to the reasons mentioned earlier, there are some additional considerations."
"I believe the miracles within the Simulated Universe should have the right to grow and sprout on their own, rather than being interfered with by the will of others—just like the universe itself."
"The more exhaustively Herta pours her efforts into it, the further she drifts from the universe she hopes for. Conclusion: Day after day of iteration is steadily eroding her talent."
Zeig silently sized up Screwllum.
What he said earlier seemed to have no issues.
But that final evaluation of Herta caught Zeig somewhat off guard.
Was that really something a gentleman and friend should say?
After thinking for a long while, Zeig seemed to realize something. His gaze turned distant:
"This time it's really gonna cost extra money."
"…"
The gentleman silently observed Zeig for a moment, and in the end, surprisingly agreed without precedent.
"Of course, Mr. Zeig. I also feel deep regret regarding this incident."
"I merely hope to liberate my dear friend from this state. But I must also point out that these are all my personal opinions. As for Herta, you should form your own judgment."
Zeig waved his hand:
"Alright, save that speech for Leonard. Let's get going."
"Very well."
Screwllum smiled:
"I will use a method different from the usual to send you into the Simulated Universe. The sensation may differ somewhat from what you're accustomed to."
…
Not long after.
Zeig felt a ripple in his mind. A massive sense of weightlessness caused him to lose control of his limbs.
Amid the rippling characters and code, he suddenly awoke.
The scene before his eyes was completely different.
At this moment, Zeig was inside the Simulated Universe.
Looking around, the place seemed almost indistinguishable from Herta Space Station.
He was standing on a steel catwalk.
"Mr. Zeig, are you alright?" Screwllum's voice came through his ear.
"Still fine."
"Now, you are already within the data chain where the Ether Cassette resides. Try looking around and tell me what you discover."
"I don't see anything."
"…"
At this point, about one meter ahead of Zeig, Silver Wolf's phantom was silently standing there with her back to him.
"Mr. Zeig, please observe your surroundings more carefully. Is there really nothing unusual?"
Zeig turned a full circle and answered:
"Nope, nothing special."
Silver Wolf and Screwllum: "…"
"Then why don't you tell me—what's in front of you?" Screwllum said calmly.
Zeig's gaze passed over Silver Wolf's phantom as he answered seriously:
"It's a path."
"And what's on that path?"
"There's a blue elf."
…
Finally, Screwllum said urgently:
"It seems that's the holographic record generated by the Simulated Universe. Here, every variable is preserved in exhaustive detail—of course, including the footprints of intruders!"
Silver Wolf: "…"
"Mr. Zeig, you were correct. The enemy's intrusion has already spread deep into the Simulated Universe—mere millimeters away from the data chain where the Ether Cassette is located. What we're seeing is the footage from that moment." Screwllum praised timely.
"You could see it yourself, so why ask me?"
"Mr. Zeig, please stay where you are. Let me try to make use of this record."
"…"
Suddenly.
The Silver Wolf phantom in front of him seemed to come alive all at once.
She directly turned around and spoke to Zeig:
"Hey, why do you keep staring at me?"
"???"
Zeig's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Silver Wolf's phantom, then said to Screwllum:
"This holographic image is actually talking to me? And asking why I'm staring at her."
"Mr. Zeig, please don't worry. This is because…"
"Hey, of course it's because you're hot—that's why I'm staring!" Zeig answered Silver Wolf directly.
Screwllum: "…"
Silver Wolf: "…"
After a moment of silence, Screwllum explained:
"I advanced the Simulated Universe's timeline. She is not actually conversing with you—this is merely a past record."
"Please do not interrupt her for now. Listen carefully—we may gain more insights."
After Screwllum finished speaking, the Silver Wolf phantom in front said:
"First of all, I'm not obsessing over it. The story of that cassette is basically textbook material on Punklorde—something everyone knows. I've never been interested in that kind of thing."
Screwllum timely reminded:
"This is part of the conversation she was having with someone at the time."
Zeig pondered Silver Wolf's words.
She actually said she had no interest in that cassette? That completely contradicted all the clues Leonard had been following.
While Zeig was lost in thought, Silver Wolf continued:
"Second, it's not some game disc! It's an Ether Cassette—a hacker's second pair of eyes, second brain, second heart."
Here, Silver Wolf gave the Ether Cassette an extremely high evaluation, which seemed to somewhat contradict her earlier words.
Silver Wolf went on:
"You get it? With this cassette, you could even know what the fourth piece of mixed popcorn he ate at the movie premiere tasted like. That's how powerful it is."
"Finally, let me emphasize once more: I'm not obsessing over it. I said all this just to explain clearly to you exactly how amazing it is. Got it, Kafka?"
…
"Kafka?"
Zeig blinked, recalling Kafka's appearance in his mind.
Back when the Aeon of Destruction sent massive waves of Antimatter Legion to blot out the sky and come after him on the very day he arrived in this world.
It was Kafka who vetoed Silver Wolf's suggestion to retreat, and the two of them stayed behind to guard Zeig.
Though Stellaron Hunters were seen by everyone as no good guys.
They had never screwed Zeig over.
Silver Wolf continued:
"Alright, let's get moving. We need to be quick. This place isn't like the space station earlier—it's genuinely Genius Society territory."
Hearing this, Screwllum added:
"From this dialogue, it appears two people entered the Simulated Universe: Silver Wolf and a companion named Kafka."
Zeig blinked. Two people?
Then why was there only Silver Wolf's holographic image?
Screwllum continued:
"I have placed you in the perspective of the companion. Now, she will react to your actions accordingly."
"?" Zeig raised an eyebrow.
So in other words, his current identity was the "Kafka" Silver Wolf was talking to?
"Come on, what are you spacing out for?" Silver Wolf urged.
…
"I… I need to take a shit."
"Huh?"
…