Baixiaosheng of the Metaverse

The boy was speechless.

Then why did someone throw you away?

Then the boy smiled. "Come to think of it, we're in pretty much the same boat. I'm a Castoff, and you're abandoned."

"Whatever happened before, we're partners now. From now on, we'll explore the Experimental Zone together!"

"Also, your name is too long. I'll just call you God's Abandoned!"

The sphere gave no response.

Patiently, the boy asked, "Could you explain what that ability field of mine actually means now?"

"Because I'm badass, my battery is low now."

With that, God's Abandoned seemed to enter sleep mode.

"..."

The boy pursed his lips. "This digital assistant... oh well, better than nothing."

Just then.

Baixiaosheng of the Metaverse strolled back, his expression grave.

The boy asked, "That fast? What did you find out?"

Baixiaosheng seemed preoccupied. "The new city is called Baofan City... you're better off not knowing the details. In short, big changes are coming."

A faint sense of foreboding stirred in the boy.

Then Baixiaosheng suddenly looked at the boy's shoulder. "Huh? You got yourself a portable AI already? Let me see. It even has a nickname... God's Abandoned?"

Baixiaosheng clicked his tongue. "You kids always like naming your AIs. Little Red, Little Blue, Demon Child, things like that."

The boy froze.

God's Abandoned's panel didn't have a nickname field.

Demon Child... that name sounds cool and imposing.

Mine does nothing but brag about being badass and having a low battery.

What a difference.

Then.

The boy nodded. "Mr. Baixiaosheng, I have a question..."

"Stop right there."

Baixiaosheng held up a palm to stop him. "As I already told you when I introduced myself, I make my living selling information. You can't keep asking me one question after another like this."

"Any more questions will cost you."

"General knowledge questions, 80 yuan."

"Specialist questions, 180."

"Questions involving minor secrets, 500."

Then Baixiaosheng added, "Don't worry. I run an honest business, and I know my stuff. Across the entire Experimental Zone, I've got operating manuals, combat rankings, and steamy secrets all on file. Judging by your capabilities, kid, if there's a question you can ask that I can't answer, I'll stand on my head and eat shit."

The boy thought to himself.

Even secrets only cost 500. I can afford that.

Besides, my questions are probably all general knowledge.

God's Abandoned isn't reliable, but at least there's Baixiaosheng.

Then.

The boy asked, "Do you know what a 'consciousness matrix' is?"

Baixiaosheng hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised his head. "Young man, please don't make up terms to fool me."

"..."

The boy composed himself and asked again, "Then do you know of a situation where someone... can turn mental illnesses into abilities, with a development level measured as a percentage?"

"I think you're sick."

Baixiaosheng glared at him. "Making up another concept to fool me?"

"Sorry."

The boy continued, "Then, since you're so knowledgeable, have you ever heard of someone who can log into the Metaverse without any equipment?"

"I'll smack you!"

"Kid, I've got a bad temper."

Baixiaosheng bristled and glared, even raising his hand!

The boy smiled helplessly.

He had established one thing: he was an extremely unusual existence!

"Then Mr. Baixiaosheng must be able to answer this question."

The boy looked at the watch on his wrist. "Why are my savings steadily dropping? Minus 20, minus 20. Twenty every second?"

At last, Baixiaosheng's expression softened.

The AI on his shoulder rotated slightly and scanned God's Abandoned.

A window immediately popped up in Qin Yiguan's view-Baixiaosheng requested a transaction, charging 80.

Another 80...

The boy accepted.

Baixiaosheng pointed at the ground beneath their feet. "This is no longer the Snow City of Heavenly Light. It's the brand-new Baofan City. Once you enter, you have to pay the city lord, much like taxes in the old days."

The boy was startled. "That's a thing?"

Baixiaosheng sighed. "City lords like Light Emperor, who open their cities for free, are rare these days."

The boy had only one thought.

Get out of here as soon as possible, or I'll be bankrupt in 400 seconds.

The boy hurriedly asked, "Do you know the Geometry Design Group?"

Baixiaosheng collected another 80 and answered, "Yes."

The boy asked, "Address?"

Minus 80.

"To the east, sector B5, coordinates 704/509. A friendly reminder: it's 12,000 kilometers from here."

The boy froze. "12,000 kilometers?"

"Don't worry."

Baixiaosheng's AI rotated again.

Minus 80.

"You can take public transportation. It's just outside the city."

"There's a bus? Thank goodness!"

The boy waved and backed away. "Goodbye, Mr. Baixiaosheng."

Fifteen minutes later.

The boy sat in a pristine white cabin. This bus looked like a bullet-shaped... train?

But as far as he could see, there were no tracks ahead.

A distance of 12,000 kilometers was staggering, roughly equal to the diameter of the physical Earth!

Still, within the vast Metaverse, it wasn't much.

One thing was certain: this journey would probably take a long time.

The next instant.

The train slowly started moving. A strange device unfolded from its front, releasing a rippling force field that directly compressed the space ahead of the train.

Then another device unfolded from the rear, causing the space behind the train to expand.

This produced an utterly mind-boggling phenomenon.

Ahead was a "spatial vacuum," while behind was "spatial expansion."

That differential immediately became tremendous thrust.

The next instant, the entire train suddenly accelerated, as though riding a "giant wave" of space.

"A Curvature Engine?"

The boy stared in a daze. "This is public transportation in the Experimental Zone?"

One second later.

An explosive force slammed him back into his seat.

Then the boy stared wide-eyed, gripping the armrests as he watched the speed display inside the carriage.

299,792,458 meters per second!

Light speed in an instant!

No wonder. The train's propulsion worked on the same principle as the expansion of the universe!

Then.

The train became a streak of light and vanished.

"This is insane!"

The boy held his body rigid, pressed tightly against the seat back, and silently recited as though praying, This is the Experimental Zone. Teacher Qing said the sole purpose of universal gravitation here is to keep Newton's coffin lid shut!

"???"

"!!!"

The boy caught sight of his watch.

Minus 1,200.

Minus 1,200.

Minus 1,200 every second?

Public transportation is this expensive!

Fortunately, in the brief moment he spent stunned, the train came to an abrupt stop.

He had arrived.