Chapter 227-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
[This is an experimental project called "New World." It has gone through several name changes and employed various methods over a span of hundreds of years, and only in the last decade has a true breakthrough been found.]
[Where should I begin telling you... Our world has a well-known story: a fisherman stumbles into a dreamlike village, and upon leaving discovers the village seems to not exist at all, as if he had wandered into another world—for my ancestor, this was no legend. He had a similar experience.]
[From then on, my family launched a plan to seek out new worlds, and they discovered that other worlds truly exist in different dimensions.]
Ye Zheng held a pen in one hand, listening to Lin Zhixing's account while jotting down key terms on a blank sheet of paper, like a diligent and focused student.
Noticing a pause in Lin Zhixing's speech, she asked at the right moment, "How did you discover those worlds?"
[Every world has a unique consciousness frequency. When someone in this world has a consciousness frequency that happens to resemble a particular world's frequency, that person will perceive that world through "dreams," "inspiration," "premonition," and other such means, forming a unique link with it.]
[Consciousness frequency represents the frequency of an individual's thought patterns. Once two consciousness frequencies link, their energy fields interact, influencing both sides.]
Lin Zhixing spoke at an even pace with clear enunciation. Ye Zheng's grip on the pen was nearly frozen, as if her entire body had shut down except for her brain, which was processing every familiar or unfamiliar term.
"I understand now."
Suddenly, a look of realization dawned on Ye Zheng's face.
In the other world, Lin Zhixing, standing before the large screen, wore a surprised and puzzled expression. She hadn't even finished—what had Ye Zheng understood?
"The creator of King of the Demonic Domain is precisely someone whose consciousness frequency resonated with the world I inhabit. His consciousness linked to this world, and his thoughts influenced it—that's why the original plot that hindered me existed."
The consciousness link gave the Creator "inspiration." Through his observation of the other world, he drew the story of King of the Demonic Domain—that comic manuscript that contained the original plot.
The creation of King of the Demonic Domain, in turn, influenced Ye Zheng's world in return.
"Given all this, why could the popularity from readers be converted into action points that helped me break through the original plot's restrictions?"
"It's because... my consciousness frequency linked with more and more readers who resonated at the same frequency."
"The influence I brought to both worlds gradually offset—even devoured—the Creator's influence, which is why the plot restrictions grew weaker and weaker, until killing Sykes cost only a thousand action points."
As she spoke, her pen tip scratched softly against the paper. Ye Zheng suddenly smiled, paused her pen, and shifted the topic.
"When the consciousness frequencies of two worlds become more and more similar—similar enough—some wondrous things must happen, right..."
"Your goal—is to truly connect the two worlds."
Like how the Demonic Domain had descended upon her world. At this thought, Ye Zheng's smile slowly faded.
On the other side of the screen, Lin Zhixing was in awe. She was privately relieved she had chosen to lay her cards on the table with Ye Zheng directly, rather than treating her like a tool—a paper character—the way those old and young fools in her family still believed everything was under control.
Lin Zhixing cleared her throat and continued without betraying any surprise:
[Ye Zheng, your analysis is correct.]
[So-called popularity, the love of readers and audiences—all of it serves to bring the consciousness frequencies of the two worlds closer together, until the day they truly connect.]
Ye Zheng nodded, then a trace of doubt flickered in her eyes. "But I don't understand—why did you choose me?"
"In the original story of King of the Demonic Domain, I was the person least likely to win readers' affection and resonance."
Hearing Ye Zheng's question, Lin Zhixing fell silent for a moment, her voice growing imperceptibly softer.
[I'm the one who chose you.]
Ye Zheng was surprised. From the clues scattered throughout the original plot of King of the Demonic Domain, one could deduce that even without System, "Ye Zheng" would not have let the Creator's consciousness push her around. Yet the person she was today had undeniably been shaped by the help of System and the readers.
"Thank you... thank you all."
Specks of light like stars surfaced in Ye Zheng's dark eyes. She pressed curiously, "Then why did you choose me?"
[...]
[Because I was being willful. For fun.]
"Hm?"
An answer Ye Zheng had never anticipated.
[The Creator's consciousness link with your world ran very deep, but from observing the future trajectory of King of the Demonic Domain, it was clear that such a garbage plot would have a hard time getting popular—nowhere near enough to achieve the project's goal. So this unremarkable little project fell to me.]
[I didn't like this experimental project, and I didn't like working with that guy either—he'd nitpick over the tiniest design choices... So I chose you.]
[The most obedient, most pure-hearted saintess in the entire comic—also that guy's ideal female archetype. The reason I chose to let you alter the plot wasn't because you had potential as a popular character. My gut told me you could make him—that pretentious Old Uncle—completely lose it.]
Lin Zhixing felt a twinge of guilt mixed with a dash of satisfaction.
[Looking at the results, my instincts were pretty spot-on.]
Ye Zheng slowly tilted her head, letting out a delayed "Ah." The origin story of this whole saga was really quite... casual.
Before long, Ye Zheng brushed it off with a carefree smile. "Alright, I now understand the full picture."
"Tell me then, Ms. Lin—what exactly does this collaboration entail?"
From the attitude Lin Zhixing had let slip between the lines, she was opposed to the family's New World Project, but her position was too low to do anything more than express her meager resistance through passive work.
[They've already noticed you. They believe you're the next breakthrough for the New World Project—and I think so too.]
[But I don't want this project to succeed. Ye Zheng, you should understand, right? Your world is riddled with wounds; every day, other worlds come knocking. I can't imagine my world turning into that.]
[My clearance level isn't high, but I'll do everything within my power to help you achieve your goals.]
[To stop my family's insane plan, I need you to—kill the Creator. He is the origin of contact between the two worlds. Eliminate him, and perhaps it can be stopped...]
"Since they see me as the breakthrough, why not just try to eliminate me?"
"After all, my influence on both worlds seems even greater now."
Ye Zheng's leisurely tone carried a touch of playful cunning.
She heard Lin Zhixing seem to take a deep breath.
[...Because I'm also one of Zhengzheng's mom fans, alright?]
This answer actually caught Ye Zheng a bit off guard—it was like being ambushed by an unexpected kiss.
[Just kidding. I just really wouldn't want to be your enemy.]
The last man who'd tried to get rid of Ye Zheng to prop up a new character was already buried. She'd nearly burst out laughing at his funeral.
[Also, I genuinely like you, Ye Zheng.]
Lin Zhixing said earnestly.
[There's one thing you got wrong. The original plot's influence isn't weakening because your consciousness frequency linked with more and more readers who share the same resonance. It's that more and more readers developed similar consciousness frequencies because of you.]
"...So that's how it is."
Ye Zheng chuckled softly, then extended her right hand toward the empty air in a handshake gesture.
"I agree to collaborate. I will prevent the link between the two worlds. Before that, please assist me in returning to five hundred years ago."
[Deal!]
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