Lin Xiao's curiosity got the better of him as he approached the projection of the blonde lady at the reception desk. "Can I see my own profile?" he asked.
The holographic woman nodded and replied, "Yes, of course." With a gesture, the profile he had glimpsed earlier reappeared before him, displaying detailed information about his life.
Lin Xiao read through the profile carefully this time. It listed personal details that were strikingly accurate, from his father's name to his mother's. Then he reached the short description:
Profile Summary:
Name: Lin Xiao
Affiliation: Member of the Heretic Supernatural Association
Notable Actions: Joined the Golden Palace (known as Dream Desire Palace at that time), became a low-level officer of the palace, and died in the Holy War.
Level of Contribution to Human Race: Level-2
Lin Xiao was taken aback. "Heretic Supernatural Association? Golden Palace?" he muttered to himself. "What the heck is this?"
The description left him reeling. He couldn't believe that in this future—or what claimed to be the future—supernatural associations were considered heretic, and something called the Golden Palace seemed to be an evolution of the Dream Desire Palace. The fact that he supposedly died in a "Holy War" was even more baffling.
His mind whirled with questions. Was this some elaborate trap, or was this truly the future? And if it was, why did it label the Supernatural Association as heretic?
Lin Xiao decided to ask more questions. "What is the Heretic Supernatural Association?" he inquired, hoping the projection could shed some light on this confusing information.
The projection responded promptly, "The Heretic Supernatural Association was a group of individuals who possessed supernatural abilities and opposed the ruling powers of the Golden Palace. They were labeled as heretics due to their rebellion against the established order."
"And the Golden Palace?" Lin Xiao pressed.
"The Golden Palace, formerly known as the Dream Desire Palace, became the central governing body after the God-King rose to power. It enforced strict control over supernatural abilities, deeming any unregulated use of such powers as heretical. Due to the efforts of the Golden Palace and the God-King, the human race became one of the strongest races in the universe"
Lin Xiao's thoughts raced. This revelation was both alarming and intriguing.
"Tell me about the Holy War," he asked, trying to piece together the puzzle.
"The Holy War," the projection explained, "was a conflict between the forces of the Golden Palace and various rebellious factions, including the Heretic Supernatural Association. It was a battle for control and power, ultimately leading to significant changes in the global structure of governance and the regulation of supernatural abilities."
Lin Xiao's mind was now a whirlpool of confusion and fear. If this future was real, it meant that everything he knew and fought for could lead to a devastating war. But if it was a trap, someone went to great lengths to deceive him.
to uncover more, Lin Xiao decided to check his family's profiles. He clicked on his mother's profile, but an error message flashed: "Not enough Authority." Shocked, he tried accessing his sister's and father's profiles, only to see the same message each time.
"What do you mean, I don't have enough authority to check my family's profile? They are just normal people," Lin Xiao muttered in frustration. His confusion deepened as he tried asking questions to the projection, only to be met with the same response: "Not enough authority."
Wanting to find more information, Lin Xiao decided to re-examine his own profile. As he scrutinized the details, something he hadn't noticed before caught his eye. In the superpower section, it listed only one ability: memory manipulation.
"Why only one?" Lin Xiao wondered aloud. Then, a thought struck him—what if this future version of himself had lost his system? The idea seemed plausible. He decided to ask the system directly.
"System," he inquired, "could this be a future where I lost you?"
A moment later, the system responded with its familiar tone:
[Ding!]
[System is unique in all space and time; there can only be one system]
Then it went silent.
Lin Xiao felt a chill run down his spine. If this really was the future and he no longer had his system, it meant he had lost a crucial part of himself.
Lin Xiao approached the shelves filled with books, looking for anything that could provide more context about the events leading up to this strange reality.
As he walked among the rows of books, he noticed titles like "The Rise of the God-King," "The Fall of the Supernatural Orders," and "Chronicles of the Holy War."
He pulled out a few volumes, hoping they would offer insights into the turbulent history he seemed destined to face.
Sitting down at one of the floating tables, Lin Xiao began to read.
The text in the books was vague, painting the God-King as a divine figure who, along with his 12 apostles, eradicated the heretic supernatural association and repelled a monstrous invasion, elevating humanity to one of the strongest races in the universe.
However, much of the text was redacted, marked with the phrase "Not enough authority."
Lin Xiao's confusion grew with every page he turned. "What is this? Is this really the future?" he muttered to himself. "Why am I here? Why does this man-made dungeon lead to the future?"
The vague descriptions and redactions left him with more questions than answers.
Feeling a growing sense of urgency, Lin Xiao knew he needed to uncover the truth.
He put the books back on the shelves and paced around the library, thinking about his next move.
The eerie silence of the library, combined with the metallic sheen of its fixtures and the floating furniture, only heightened his sense of unease.
He decided to try the reception desk projection again. Approaching it, he asked, "Why am I here? What is the purpose of this place?"
The blonde projection smiled and replied, "Welcome to the Human Federation Library. Please drop your blood here to register or show your library card to access the books."
Frustrated, Lin Xiao tried another approach. "What is the God-King's true identity?" he asked.
The projection remained silent, then repeated, "Not enough authority."