94: Chapter 94 Hesitation is not a malfunction

"Don't let him choose for me again."

After the young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror finished this sentence, the entire Reading Room felt as if it had been split open by a clap of thunder.

Not thunder from reality.

It was a sound that had been cut away by the White Tower for twenty years, finally leaking out from the cracks.

The face of Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position suddenly turned pale.

He pressed his chest, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, as if something was tearing its way out from within him.

Three layers of dark blue Lockdown Role rings lit up simultaneously.

[ Observer Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue status abnormal ]

[ Old reconstruction residue resonance detected ]

[ observer position freeze suggestion: Initiated ]

Gu Changye's voice came from the external lockdown circle:

"Freeze the observer position?"

Everyone looked at Lin Jin.

Lin Jin did not answer immediately.

He looked at the cracked mirror, then at Zhou Heng.

"This time, you make the judgment."

Zhou Heng stared fixedly at the young man in the mirror.

That face was similar to Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's.

But the eyes were completely different.

The current Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue was calm, sharp, like a gun ground down to have no excess markings.

While the young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror was fearful, disheveled, hesitant, and even somewhat on the verge of collapse.

His Thunder Spear was broken in two, his hands were covered in blood, and his shoulders were still trembling.

If the White Tower had defined him as "unstable" back then, it seemed there was a reason for it.

Yet as Zhou Heng watched him, he inexplicably felt a tightness in his chest.

Because that was not trash.

That was the appearance of a person who, after being pushed to their limit, had not yet had the chance to learn how to be cold-blooded.

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror looked up at Zhou Heng, his voice trembling.

"Are you... a member of the Zhou Family?"

Zhou Heng did not answer immediately.

But Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position said coldly:

"Do not respond."

His voice was noticeably tighter than usual.

"That is just White Tower residue."

"It will use blood ties to lure you."

Hearing this voice, the young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror looked sharply toward the observer position.

His gaze was first bewildered, then turned to terror.

"Who are you?"

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's expression grew colder.

"I am the result you become later."

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue froze.

He looked at the mature, cold, and unhesitating version of himself at the observer position, his breathing becoming disordered bit by bit.

"No."

"I am not like this."

"I am not..."

The White Tower mirror surface began to vibrate.

[ Original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue hesitation residue denying current reconstruction result detected ]

[ Perform residue integration? ]

[ Hint: Integration can restore Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's integrity ]

Zhou Heng's expression changed.

"Integration?"

Chen Ye immediately said:

"Don't believe it!"

"That word doesn't sound like anything good!"

Shen Tingxue also spoke up:

"Residue is a clue, not a restoration plan."

Lin Jin nodded.

"Follow the reward isolation protocol."

"Reading does not equal a promise of fusion, restoration, replacement, or sealing."

Zhou Heng took a deep breath.

He walked to the mirror but did not touch the surface.

"I will read the coordinates and testimony."

"I am not requesting integration."

The White Tower lights flickered.

[ Residue emotional fluctuation is strong ]

[ If not integrated, coordinate stability will decrease ]

Zhou Heng sneered.

"Here we go again."

"Is this how you scared him twenty years ago too?"

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror lowered his head.

As if remembering something, he gripped his broken Thunder Spear even tighter.

"I didn't want to press it."

He said.

"I really didn't want to press it."

Zhou Heng's pupils constricted slightly.

"Press what?"

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's lips trembled.

"After the first layer ended, Lu Chengyuan said that Barrier Breaker Position reconstruction was the optimal plan."

"He said I hesitated for three seconds and nearly got everyone killed."

"He said my fear would kill the team in the second layer."

"He said... if I didn't reconstruct, Lin Shoushan would be forced to use the Maintenance Position to fill the gap in the Barrier Breaker Position for me."

The atmosphere in the Reading Room suddenly sank.

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue sat at the observer position and closed his eyes.

Clearly, he remembered this part too.

It was just that he remembered the result.

While the residue in the mirror remembered the fear before it was pressed.

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue continued:

"I said I could practice."

"I said I would be faster next time."

"Lu Chengyuan said the White Tower would not give me a next time."

"Then he pushed the confirmation form to me."

"I didn't want to sign it."

His voice grew lower and lower.

"But I saw they were all very tired."

"Shen Qingshuang was still locking down the cold wave."

"Lin Shoushan was repairing the return anchor."

"Teacher Xu Wenzhou was standing at the corroborating witness stand, his face whiter than paper."

"I thought... maybe it really was me dragging them down."

Zhou Heng's fingers clenched bit by bit.

This was almost exactly the same as the White Tower's previous inducement to them.

Not strong enough.

Not fast enough.

Not stable enough.

So you should hand yourself over.

It was just that twenty years ago, the young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue did not wait for the Mutual Verification Contract.

Nor did anyone tell him in advance:

Being unstable does not equal being replaceable.

A person who is replaced does not equal a failed product.

Lin Jin looked at Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position.

"Who pressed confirmation later?"

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's voice was low.

"Lu Chengyuan."

The young residue, however, looked up sharply.

"Not just him!"

As soon as these words were out, Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position was also stunned.

The residue in the mirror seemed to have finally grasped something.

"I remember."

"I didn't press it."

"I pulled my hand back."

"When Lu Chengyuan pressed the confirmation board, the White Tower said it still needed the consent of the Barrier Breaker Position himself."

"He said I had already agreed."

"I said I hadn't."

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's eyes turned red bit by bit.

"Then... then someone said that agreement for me."

Everyone in the Reading Room tensed up.

Zhou Heng's voice was hoarse:

"Who?"

The mirror surface flashed crazily.

The White Tower seemed to want to suppress this memory back down.

[ Warning: Residue testimony is unstable ]

[ Suggest stopping reading ]

Lin Jin immediately said:

"Corroborating witness stand record."

Teacher Xu Wenzhou immediately pressed the armrest.

"Corroborating witness stand record: Original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue residue is providing testimony from before self-replacement; the White Tower is attempting to interrupt."

Chen Ye raised his shield to protect the perimeter of the mirror.

Shen Tingxue used frost to stabilize the cracks on the mirror surface.

Zhou Heng's thunder nail pinned the mirror frame to prevent the residue from being dragged back.

"Speak."

Zhou Heng stared at the young man in the mirror.

"Who said agreement for you?"

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue looked up, his eyes full of terror.

"It was the reconstruction model."

"The White Tower made that faster, more stable me appear for a split second."

"He said—I agree."

In the Reading Room, the air turned completely cold.

Chen Ye's face turned pale.

"That means..."

"The White Tower created a replacement first, then let the replacement agree on behalf of the person?"

Lin Jin's gaze was cold as iron.

"This is not self-replacement."

"This is the replacement model usurping the person's right to consent."

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position looked up sharply.

For the first time, obvious wavering appeared on his face.

"I... had agreed."

He seemed to be saying to himself.

"The record says I had agreed."

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror looked at him, his voice trembling, yet very clear.

"That was not me."

"That was the you it wanted."

Zhou Heng's Thunder Spear lit up bit by bit.

He looked at the two Deputy Director Zhou Chengyues.

One was the hesitation that had been cut away.

One was the efficiency after reconstruction.

For twenty years, the latter thought he was a successful result.

The former was left in a corner of the White Tower, holding the broken spear the whole time, remembering that refusal that was never truly spoken.

The White Tower displayed a new prompt at this moment.

[ Modify Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue self-reconstruction record? ]

[ Hint: After modification, the identity stability of supervisory Observer Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue will decrease ]

[ Hint: Original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue hesitation residue may reverse-contaminate the current Observer ]

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue immediately said:

"Do not modify."

Zhou Heng looked at him.

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's face was pale, but he still forced himself to remain calm.

"Modify now, and the observer position will lose control."

"The White Tower will use me."

Lin Jin also nodded.

"What he said is correct."

Zhou Heng's gaze was cold and heavy.

"Then we won't modify the person."

"Modify the record."

He looked up at the White Tower text.

"The record cannot continue to say he voluntarily agreed."

Lin Jin looked at Zhou Heng.

"You propose the chain of evidence."

Zhou Heng was silent for a second, then spoke:

"First, the original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue residue testimony shows the person had clearly refused or withdrawn confirmation."

"Second, the replacement reconstruction model appeared before confirmation was completed and spoke agreement on behalf of the person."

"Third, Lu Chengyuan, as the external confirmer, accepted the model's agreement, constituting confirmation overreach."

"Fourth, the current Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue was generated from this erroneous record; this does not mean he is without responsibility, but it does mean he is not a complete, voluntarily reconstructed result."

"Fifth, the current Zhou Heng will not inherit this erroneous Barrier Breaker Position route."

Lin Jin continued:

"Maintenance Position review."

"The object of modification is the note on the second item of the White Tower's first layer list."

"Do not integrate residue, do not rewrite current Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue's identity, do not trigger observer position reconstruction."

Shen Tingxue added:

"Lockdown Role confirmation: Residue is only for testimony and coordinate sealing."

Chen Ye immediately said:

"Protection Role confirmation: Do not let the White Tower use this to bind Zhou Heng and Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue together."

Teacher Xu Wenzhou's corroborating witness stand lit up.

"Corroborating witness stand record: Chain of evidence established."

The second item on the list lit up again.

Beneath the original text, a gray-gold note began to emerge.

[ Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue self-reconstruction: Significant definition dispute exists ]

[ "Person agreed" record suspected to have been acted on behalf by the White Tower reconstruction model ]

[ External confirmer Lu Chengyuan accepted model agreement, confirmation overreach exists ]

[ Original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue hesitation residue coordinates: Confirmed ]

[ Status: Not integrated, not restored, not sealed/destroyed for now ]

[ Current handling: Testimony sealing ]

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue in the mirror seemed to have finally let out a sigh of relief.

He looked at Zhou Heng.

"You are not me."

Zhou Heng said coldly:

"No kidding."

The young Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue was stunned for a moment, then surprisingly smiled.

That smile was very short and also very bitter.

"That's good."

"Don't become me."

Zhou Heng gripped his Thunder Spear.

"I won't become him either."

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position looked at his young self in the mirror, his Adam's apple moving slightly.

He seemed to want to say something.

But in the end, he only said one sentence:

"Coordinate sealing."

"Do not integrate."

The young residue looked at him.

"Are you afraid of me coming back?"

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue was silent.

This time, he did not deny it.

The young residue said in a low voice:

"I'm afraid too."

"I'm afraid that after I come back, I'll find that I haven't been living my own life for twenty years."

This sentence made everyone silent.

Lin Jin looked at the third sealing box.

"Coordinate team sealing."

"Like Lin Shoushan's right to return home, it cannot be kept by a single person."

Zhou Heng looked up.

"I agree."

Chen Ye and Shen Tingxue also nodded at the same time.

Four badges lit up.

The third sealing box closed, and the mirror fragments were enveloped by gray-gold light.

[ Original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue hesitation residue coordinates: Registered ]

[ Current status: Team sealing ]

[ Single-person reading prohibited ]

[ Forced integration with Observer Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue prohibited ]

[ Use for defining Zhou Heng prohibited ]

In the Reading Room, all three sealing boxes finally completed preliminary processing.

The first one, the list.

The second one, Lin Shoushan's supplementary clauses and right of recourse for the right to return home.

The third one, the original Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue hesitation residue coordinates.

Chen Ye slumped onto the joint verification reading seat.

"Reading a file for the first layer reward is more tiring than clearing ten dungeons."

Zhou Heng did not speak.

He looked at Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue at the observer position and suddenly said:

"Did you hear it?"

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue raised his eyes.

Zhou Heng's voice was very cold and very hard.

"That you said, don't let me become you."

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue was silent for a moment.

"I heard it."

"Then you'd better remember it too."

Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue looked at him and finally nodded slightly.

Just at this moment, the lights of the White Tower's first layer suddenly dimmed.

The three sealing boxes sank into the ground.

At the end of the Reading Room, a door leading to the upper layer appeared.

On the door was written:

[ First layer real reward reading completed ]

[ Teammate replacement right: Abandoned ]

[ Hidden reward: Sealed ]

[ First layer passed ]

Chen Ye looked up sharply.

"Passed?"

As soon as he finished speaking, new words appeared on the door.

[ Enter the second layer? ]

[ Hint: Second layer theme—Who will bear the cost. ]

[ Countdown: Ten seconds. ]

Lin Jin's expression turned cold suddenly.

"Refuse."

Shen Tingxue, Chen Ye, and Zhou Heng spoke at the same time:

"Refuse!"

The Mutual Verification Contract lit up.

[ Squad refuses to continue entering the second layer ]

[ According to White Tower first layer rules, the squad can carry the real rewards and withdraw ]

The countdown on the door stopped.

But behind them, on the other side of the Reading Room, a familiar voice suddenly sounded.

Not Lin Shoushan.

Not Shen Qingshuang.

Not Deputy Director Zhou Chengyue.

It was Lu Chengyuan's voice.

"What a pity."

"You cleared the first layer too completely."

"So completely that I cannot let you leave now."

The Reading Room wall split open suddenly.

A silver confirmation chain stabbed in from the outside, directly pinning toward the three sealed reward boxes.

[ Warning: External final confirmation right residue forcibly accessing ]

[ Target: Real reward sealing result ]

[ Rewrite request: Withdrawal qualification suspended ]