Su Yun: Sleep What, Get High

The system Su Yun designed is capable of observing favorability.

However, the real world is not a game, and human emotions cannot be expressed by a mere number.

One's opinion of a person might be full of affection one second, only to turn into a desire to kill them the next.

This is humanity—a species whose emotions cannot be quantified by digits.

Therefore, Su Yun uses colors to confirm how others feel about him.

Hostility is red, neutral is yellow, friendliness is green, and affection is blue.

The "affection" here is not merely the kind of bias one has for an idol; in fact, that level of favorability only reaches green in Su Yun's settings.

To be judged as blue, one must have had genuine contact and interaction with him, becoming friends long before it can transform into that shade.

Currently, the only one at the blue level is Artoria.

As for Tokisaki Kurumi, likely due to the "broken engagement" start, the girl's initial favorability toward Su Yun was at the level of red hostility.

Su Yun had even prepared himself for it to remain red forever.

However, it didn't take long for Tokisaki Kurumi's favorability to turn yellow, and it remained in that state, with her occasionally taking the initiative to approach him, speaking words that were polite yet laced with thorns. Both parties were quite "aboveboard," making no secret of their mutual dislike.

Until today—perhaps because Artoria was absent, perhaps due to the stimulation from the Light Screen, or perhaps because what Su Yun said today pleased her—her favorability turned green, specifically a deep green representing a high level of friendliness.

This is also the baseline condition Su Yun set for recruiting someone as an Operator.

Although Tokisaki Kurumi's feelings toward him are extremely complex, and she does harbor dangerous, yandere-like thoughts of capturing him to play a game of confinement—this young lady of the Tokisaki Conglomerate is not as harmless as she appears.

Of course, Su Yun is not afraid of this, because even if Tokisaki Kurumi gains extraordinary power, she will still be crushed when facing him, her benefactor. Thus, he can safely and boldly grant her an extraordinary template.

However, granting it directly is inappropriate; it would be too abrupt, and things obtained too easily are rarely cherished. Therefore, he must find a suitable opportunity to bestow the template.

Regarding this, Su Yun has actually had a plan for a long time, but implementing it requires some preparation.

And for now...

The school day is over, time to go home and rest!

Corpses, distortions, tentacles, the dead.

The dark red and pitch-black sky twists madly, the earth being eroded.

Crying, howling, sorrow, despair.

Everything is so vivid, like a tongue licking Su Yun's face, tearing his skin, kneading his muscles, stinging his nerves.

A scene of ultimate despair that humans cannot comprehend manifests where Su Yun is, eroding his five senses and twisting his soul.

It is as if the world's greatest evil, greatest anomaly, and greatest madness are all shrouded here.

Facing such a scene, an ordinary person would fall into complete madness after just a few seconds, their will, thoughts, and even soul twisted.

But Su Yun will not.

Because the World Consciousness is with him; as long as the world does not perish, he will not collapse.

However...

"This dream again... How troublesome. Having such dreams every day would be distressing even for me; it really ruins my sleep."

Su Yun scratched his head, slapped away a tentacle trying to get close, kicked away a corpse's hand clutching his ankles, and let out a helpless grumble.

After all, when it happens every day, every time, experiencing it daily, anyone would adapt.

Of course, adapting does not mean getting used to it.

It is impossible to ever get used to this situation.

It is just that compared to the early days, when he was on the verge of collapse, filled with despair and fear, and wishing he could die on the spot, the current Su Yun is much better.

The World Consciousness does not understand the human heart!

Its intentions are good, its nature is kind, treating Su Yun with unadorned truth.

But this absolute reality is too heavy for a human like Su Yun; it is more like a terrifying curse.

If not for the protection and blessing of the World Consciousness, he would have been driven mad by these nightly nightmares long ago, either dying in his sleep or choosing suicide.

Yet even so, the mental impact cannot be healed by blessings alone. As Su Yun himself said, he doesn't even know if he is crazy anymore.

Therefore, a persona is necessary.

Because having a persona means he is still himself.

"My name is Su Yun, 16 years old. I live in a high-end apartment in the northeastern part of Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. I am a student, have no girlfriend, attend school normally, and return home on time every day after school. I don't smoke, and I only drink a little soda. I go to bed at 1:00 AM and get less than 6 hours of sleep a day."

"Before sleeping, I always think about many problems and do many things through the system. Once in bed, I can't fall asleep for a long time, leading to severe sleep deprivation. But my body, blessed by the World Consciousness, never carries fatigue or stress over to the next day. Doctors all say I am very abnormal and suggest I receive psychological counseling at least twice a week."

After saying this, he paused, then added a supplementary explanation.

"Currently, four psychologists have been so tormented by my condition that they have started having nightmares themselves, their mental states deteriorating; one is even seeing a therapist of their own. So, I don't think I should bother those poor, weak, and helpless psychologists anymore."

"I regret that people who should not have suffered have endured pain and even death, and I am very sorry for it, but I do not regret my actions, because what I bear does not allow for regret."

"Just like what Luo Ji did as a Wallfacer in the story of Three-Body Problem, I am not as great as him, nor do I possess his wisdom. I am simply doing what I want to do, and what I must do."

"Right? Mystery?"

Looking up at the crazed, twisted, and collapsing scene before him, Su Yun narrowed his eyes into a smile—the classic smile of a monster hiding behind slitted eyes.

This nightmare was what the World Consciousness had revealed to him: the manifestation of the Mystery invasion currently ravaging the world, a collection of the despair, agony, and madness of countless humans, representing the most hopeless and darkest entity in existence.

It represented...

Everything negative in this world!

Only by completely ending the erosion of this world by the Mystery would this nightmare finally come to an end.

Then, this madness, despair, and distortion, accompanied by the wailing and weeping of countless dead, surged toward Su Yun like a tidal wave, drowning him completely.

Opening his eyes, Su Yun sat up in bed. The twisted, maddening spectacle was gone, for he had awakened.

With bloodshot eyes, Su Yun habitually grabbed his pillow and quilt, climbed out of bed, and headed to the bathroom. He tossed the items into the bathtub and curled up inside.

The position was uncomfortable, but sleeping this way meant he wouldn't have to endure any more nightmares for the rest of the night.

Su Yun's nightlife was just that simple, unadorned, and dull.

However, just then, Su Yun heard a crisp system notification and immediately sat up in the tub.

Opening the system, he discovered that the Fantasy Crystal fragments had finally accumulated enough to form a complete one.

He smiled: "That was fast. In that case, I won't need to sleep anymore. So, my dear Lia, you shall stay awake with me!"