360: Take Su Qingying on a journey to the unknown universe

"Second-level experimental subject?"

Lu Chen chewed on those words, the sword edge in his hand not moving an inch.

On the contrary, the icy blade pressed down further, slicing open the collar of the engineer's gray uniform.

"A bit interesting."

Lu Chen's lips curled up, his eyes showing none of the fear one might expect from having the 'truth' shattered.

Instead, he looked like a veteran gamer who had just discovered a hidden Easter egg.

"So, we were fighting to the death inside while you guys watched the live broadcast outside?"

"This so-called 'Multiverse' is just a bunch of..."

Lu Chen surveyed the surroundings, looking at the densely packed server racks.

"Graphics cards?"

"Yes... yes."

The engineer held up both hands, cold sweat streaming down his temples and stinging his eyes.

"Don't kill me! I'm just an employee! This 'Brain in a Vat' system is company property, I don't have the authorization to shut it down!"

"Who asked you to shut it down?"

Lu Chen retracted his sword, then performed a casual flourish with the backhand, an utterly dashing move.

Even without the system's light effects, the imposing aura he had forged through mountains of corpses and seas of blood remained intensely oppressive in this 'real world' saturated with the smell of machine oil.

"Since it's the company..."

"Then take me to see it."

Lu Chen hauled the engineer up from his chair.

"Let me see what kind of boxed lunches you 'Creators' usually eat."

...The massive metal door hissed open with a 'chi' sound.

A blast of air mixed with machine oil, ozone, and the scent of some cheap synthetic food hit them head-on.

"Cough, cough..."

Wang Peng (Fatty) immediately started coughing hard as soon as he crossed the threshold.

"What is this smell? It's worse than that corner of the Abyss!"

"This is the real world? Air quality standards are not being met!"

Lu Chen and Su Qingying walked out side by side.

As they clearly saw the scene before them, the pupils of both contracted slightly.

This was not heaven.

Nor was it some high-tech utopia.

It was a... **Cyberpunk-style colossal metropolis**.

In the dim sky, countless airships flashing neon advertisements floated overhead.

Skyscrapers towering into the clouds formed a dense steel forest, with countless aerial tracks shuttling between them.

On the ground were crowded, damp streets filled with an air of decadence.

Pedestrians hurried along, and even from hundreds of meters away, one could see the numb expressions on their faces.

"This is... where God lives?"

Su Qingying looked at the tower in the distance flashing the holographic projection of the 'Metaverse Company,' her tone somewhat complex.

"It seems they aren't living very well either."

"Indeed."

Lu Chen nodded and patted his pocket.

He had intended to take out a cigarette, but found that the 'infinite cigarette' bug had vanished along with the system's deactivation.

His pockets were empty.

"Tsk."

Lu Chen clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"It looks like we have to start from scratch in this world too."

He turned his head to look at Su Qingying, who was closely following beside him.

She had shed her elaborate Queen of the Gods gown, replaced by a white trench coat that still looked fashionable in this world.

Cold and stunningly beautiful, she was completely out of place in this dirty and chaotic world.

"Do you regret it?"

Lu Chen asked softly.

"Giving up being the Mother of the Universe to wander this unknown 'trash heap'?"

Su Qingying turned to look at him.

Her eyes were bright, reflecting the city's neon lights, and also reflecting Lu Chen's face.

"In that 'box,' we already saw the end."

"Everything there was predetermined; even what we ate for dinner tonight was likely just a line of code."

Su Qingying reached out and took Lu Chen's hand.

Her palm was warm and incredibly real.

"But this place is different."

"The wind here is cold, the air is foul, and even you have become poor."

Su Qingying smiled, a rare sense of ease in her expression.

"But this is what it means... to be alive."

"As long as I'm with you, wherever we go is a journey."

"Even if it's hell?" Lu Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Even if it's hell," Su Qingying nodded.

"Hey, hey! Can you two stop being sentimental for a moment!"

Wang Peng's spoiling shout came from the side.

The fat man was squatting in front of a vending machine, drooling at the drinks inside.

"Can we skip the emotional part for now?"

"I just tried it; this stupid machine doesn't accept 'Earth Coins'! Nor does it accept 'Abyss Crystals'!"

"We are currently facing a very serious problem..."

Wang Peng turned around and patted his empty stomach with a look of grief and indignation.

"We're broke!"

"The former richest man in all the realms can't even afford a bottle of water now!"

Lu Chen and Su Qingying exchanged a look and burst out laughing simultaneously.

"Broke?"

Lu Chen walked over and kicked the vending machine.

"Clang!"

The machine shuddered violently, and two bottles of a drink called 'Synthetic Happy Water' fell out.

Lu Chen bent down, picked one up, handed a bottle to Su Qingying, and opened one for himself.

"Fatty, have you forgotten our old trade?"

"Old trade?" Wang Peng was stunned.

"What do we do?"

Lu Chen took a sip of the sugary-sweet water and found it incredibly satisfying.

"We're... cheaters?" Wang Peng asked tentatively.

"Wrong."

Lu Chen accurately tossed the empty bottle into a distant trash can.

He turned around, looking at this vast, cold, yet opportunity-filled unfamiliar city.

In his eyes, that familiar wildfire of wanting to conquer everything burned fiercely once more.

"We are..."

"Gods starting from scratch."

Lu Chen took Su Qingying's hand and strode toward the suspended train leading to the city center.

"Let's go!"

"I'll show you the sights of this 'second layer'."

"And while we're at it..."

Lu Chen looked back at the still trembling maintenance engineer.

"I'll go apply for the position of security captain at that 'Metaverse Company'."

"Since we're here..."

"If we don't track down this world's 'Administrator'..."

"Wouldn't this trip be too boring?"

Su Qingying followed closely beside him, and hearing his arrogant declaration, the smile in her eyes deepened.

This was Lu Chen.

No matter what world he was in, and whether he had a system or not.

He would always be the youth standing in the light.

"Lu Chen."

She suddenly called out to him.

"Hmm?"

"For this trip, I want to go somewhere farther."

"How far?"

"Until..."

Su Qingying pointed toward the end of this layer's world, toward the even darker unknown.

"Until we find..."

"True... reality."

Lu Chen squeezed her hand tightly.

"Okay."

"Then let's keep walking."

"Until..."

"There is no road left!"