Chapter 169: The Story Editor Machine

Chapter 169: The Story Editor Machine

Due to the side effects of the "Inequality Lipstick," Security Department Chief Kelly Hopkins will experience a certain degree of loss of control over the next few days. Using sealed artifacts always comes with consequences and risks, an inevitable ironclad rule.

The specific manifestations of her loss of control include emotional instability, love-struck behavior, and double standards. Since these emotions are influenced by a higher level, the Sealed Artifact 3-11 "Calm Ring" she wears cannot provide immunity.

As a result, her work has shown some biases. She has become more focused on Wang Lang, the Chosen One, and has been neglecting her previously favored subordinate, Xue Pengkai. She has even started considering transferring the management rights of Derivative 3 to him.

Not only because Wang Lang is a fellow Chinese citizen and suitable for managing Derivative 3, but also to ensure he can smoothly take control of Derivative 3 and successfully advance to a Level 4 staff member, gaining the qualifications to access Level 0 sealed artifacts.

All of this is for the "Ultimate Engraving."

To uncover the reason for his father's imprisonment, Wang Lang has developed a strong interest in Derivative 3 and has proactively requested the management rights.

With this plan already in mind, Kelly summoned Xue Pengkai to transfer the work. At this moment, Wang Lang noticed the test drawings on the table. Kelly took the opportunity to test his resistance to the weakened Level 0-7-1 meme contamination.

This Chosen One, favored by the world, has the characteristic of being immune to mental pollution and possesses extremely deep information. Whether it's the "Inequality Lipstick" that can distort common sense, the "Pandora's Box" that triggers human curiosity to release disasters, or the "Unnamed Portrait" that can make one sink into it and be unable to extricate themselves, none of these have any effect on him.

The "Emotion Processor" that can cover emotions, the "Book of the Undead" that causes one to lose sanity upon reading, and the "Tree of Cibaddon" that induces a desire to kill—all sealed artifacts that can influence the mind are ineffective against him.

The same applies to the weakened Derivative 1 meme contamination.

Coincidentally, Xue Pengkai overheard Kelly's results of Wang Lang's mental test, which he himself had failed.

This sudden change greatly shook Xue Pengkai's inner world, especially when he heard that the Level 0 derivative he was supposed to manage was being transferred to a newcomer who had only been there for three days. This emotion was further amplified.

This world has always been one of survival of the fittest, where people are born to compete with each other. Xue Pengkai has always been a winner, but now he has finally tasted the bitter fruit of being a loser.

Lu Ke slowly retracted his hand, stopping the adjustment of the causal lines, and rubbed his temples, feeling a bit fatigued.

For him, adjusting the causal lines to benefit himself is like forcefully using a high-level skill, which consumes a significant amount of energy.

"Strumming the strings of causality, singing the song of destiny."

This is the ability he gained through shared knowledge from Loki, who taught it to Marvel's Loki.

Currently, the range and extent of his adjustments are limited. He can only exploit existing vulnerabilities, arrange some coincidences that are likely to happen, and provide some inducements, ensuring that everything is reasonable and justified.

Compared to the god of stories, who can create reality with a mere word, this is a far cry from that level.

But according to Loki, this is the true essence of storytelling. While forcibly twisting reality is convenient, it is the beautiful coincidences that make a story truly captivating.

"But I'm a pragmatist."

Lu Ke shook his head, closed his eyes, and rested for a moment. Once his energy was restored, he focused his gaze and extended his hand again, following the traces of his previous intervention in the protagonist's fate.

Eggs should not be placed in the same basket. He needed to add more insurance and not rely solely on one person's jealousy.

...

In a remote village in Florida, a white tower stood at the center of the village.

Four men wearing masks sat around a round table. Each mask was different, representing "Joy," "Anger," "Sorrow," and "Fear."

"Have you found the troublemaker from last time?"

"Anger" slammed his hand on the table, his temper rising. "It's a disgrace, the script of the Story Editor Department has been altered. I can't even remember the last time something like this happened."

"Stupid, the last time this happened was the last time."

"Joy" chuckled and clapped his hands. "Isn't this great? It's boring to always follow the script. How about we celebrate? How about a party? I can turn into a girl with the 'Forbidden Meat Block' and give everyone a good time?"

"Joy, don't joke like that. Last time, little Fear finally mustered up the courage to ask someone out as a virgin, and you played with him. He hasn't recovered yet."

"Sorrow" sighed, "Seriously, I used the 'Witch's Crystal Ball' to divine, but found no information. It's as if the person who acted doesn't exist in this world."

"Timid Fear" raised his claw, "I tried the 'Encyclopedia' too, but found no answers."

"Considering the number of sealed artifacts from other worlds, if the Encyclopedia can't find answers, only the Tree of Wisdom might be able to, but it's in the hands of the Future Foundation."

"Joy" thought for a moment, "I remember this script was mostly handled by little Anger. Little Anger, who's the final boss in our script?"

"The old data from the 'Ultimate Engraving.' When the old data from the Ultimate Engraving is released, if it can't be eliminated within the specified time, it will grow into a Data God, and the information flow of the entire world will be altered. Most sealing measures will fail, leading to the largest sealed artifact out of control event in history."

”

Sorrow sighed, "You’re really playing with real flowers, aren’t you? Not afraid of death at all?"

Fear frantically raised his hand, "I am afraid, I am afraid, Sister Sorrow! Please persuade them, they’ve gone crazy writing scripts!"

Joy snickered, "Don’t be silly, the one who goes the craziest with scripts is her. Last time, she even made the Star Devourer, a derivative of the second number, fall in love with a woman, and then they went on a cosmic journey together. It was an insane script, and she used up decades’ worth of ink in one go."

"That’s the power of great love!"

"Cut the crap, why don’t you try dating a cell yourself? Isn’t it all about the story editor machine altering minds? This time, we can’t just use up the ink we’ve saved up. Be more careful."

Sorrow wasn’t convinced, "At least I completed a story and saved the Earth. This time, it’s Nu’s script. If Wang Lang makes a single mistake, the Data God and the berserk story editor machine will make the Earth surrender."

"That won’t happen, the Earth’s life force is quite resilient."

Joy thought for a moment, "But old data isn’t suitable as the final boss. It’s inherently dangerous, and if it causes the seals around the world to fail, it would be catastrophic. Little Nu, you should change it."

Nu grumbled, "I knew you’d say that. I’ve already prepared a backup plan."

"Which one?"

"Derivative One!"

"Damn, isn’t that the same? The moment that thing appears, the Earth will be gone!"

"Afraid of death? If you’re afraid of death, why write novels? You might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes."

Nu spread his hands in a helpless gesture, "I can’t help it. The only ones who can be the final boss and have a connection to Wang Lang are these two. Any lower, and they either lack the connection or the qualifications."

Level Zero Seal, Story Editor Machine

Description 1: This is an old-fashioned inkjet typewriter, showing signs of wear and tear. The number "2" is engraved on its body.

Description 2: The typewriter needs to complete a story every eighteen years. If it doesn’t start a new story within the specified time, the number on its body decreases by one.

Description 3: The typewriter records everything that happens around the protagonist, and it can consume ink to modify the plot. The modified plot becomes reality, and the more unrealistic the plot, the more ink it consumes. Until the period is typed, everything is undecided.

Description 4: The protagonist needs to have a mysterious background, a golden finger that aids them, and a bizarre experience. The final boss must have a connection to the protagonist, be powerful, and stand against humanity.

Supplementary Note: The story is considered complete when the crisis is resolved, and the final boss is sealed, banished, or exiled.

Description 5: If the story ends but the event isn’t resolved, the typewriter’s color will turn red, and it will enter a berserk mode, strengthening the boss. At this point, the typewriter can’t be stopped manually and will only stop when all the ink is used up.

Warning! Warning! Do not let the number on the typewriter’s body reach zero.

"Think about it more carefully. The Future Foundation has the most sealed objects among the major organizations. There must be a suitable one for the final boss."

Joy walked up to the typewriter, browsed through its contents, and stroked his chin.

The typewriter faithfully recorded the story’s development: Wang Lang’s application, Kelly’s test, the jealousy of Xue Pengkai...

A particular word caught his attention.

"What do you think about Derivative Three?"

"That Level Zero derivative? The records show he’s been locked up all this time and hasn’t displayed any special traits."

"Anything summoned by the Doomsday Horn must have the power to end the world, no doubt about it."

Joy pondered for a moment, his eyes lighting up, "He’s just hiding his true abilities, waiting for an opportunity, a chance to break free!"

Sorrow hesitated, "What if he doesn’t meet the boss’s evaluation criteria?"

"Let’s see if he can break free. If he qualifies as the boss, we’ll finalize it. If not, we have the Ultimate Engraving as a backup."

"Alright."

Sorrow sighed, taking out a crystal ball that showed a blurry hotel suite and a young, slender face.

"A human-type sealed derivative, what a pitiful child. So young and he hasn’t even had a chance to fall in love, and now Joy is using him as a tool."

"Don’t be too sympathetic. What’s it to you?"

"How can it not be? We’re both summoned by the Doomsday Horn. Derivative Two is like his older brother. Since my protagonist and Derivative Two are together, he should call me Auntie, right?"

"I’ve never heard of that kind of family connection. Just get to work!"

...

"Tool, huh?"

Lu Ke put down the book, his lips curling into a smile, "Not bad. Let’s use each other, then."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end