"Rustle."
A hardcover notebook was opened.
The writing inside was densely packed. The early entries were neat and clear, but as it progressed, the content became increasingly disorganized, and the handwriting grew more careless.
It seemed the author's mental state was deteriorating.
Meng Yuan looked at the first page.
"Notes of the Order Restorer"
"The true nature of this world is not as kind, warm, or beautiful as it appears.
"Since ancient times, humans and demons have been locked in a brutal war. Although humanity emerged victorious, the demons were not completely eradicated.
"They are hidden in the depths of time, ready to make a comeback at any moment!
"They will try every possible way to distort people's memories of history, and once the time is ripe, they will use specific historical fragments as a springboard to invade our world.
"As the Order Restorer, I must do everything in my power to stop this from happening!"
After reading the first page, Meng Yuan commented sympathetically, "I think I have an idea of how the previous owner met their end.
"Living in such severe delusion for so long, it must have been hard to maintain a healthy mental state.
"Rest easy, brother. I'll live the rest of your life for you. I can't promise wealth and success, but I'll at least try to end up in a good place."
Indeed, Meng Yuan was a transmigrator. He had just reluctantly said goodbye to his previous life and come to terms with the fact that he had crossed over.
Since arriving, Meng Yuan had learned a bit about his current situation.
This world looked very similar to his former one, but its history was entirely different. Dynasties, historical figures, major events – everything felt vaguely familiar yet off.
Upon discovering this, Meng Yuan attempted to learn some of this world's history, but quickly gave up after a brief attempt.
He consoled himself, thinking that not knowing this world's history was no big deal – he'd just come across as illiterate now and then.
Besides, this world's virtual reality technology had advanced rapidly, with VR systems reaching around 50% realism. This was fantastic news for Meng Yuan, a game enthusiast. However, the original owner hadn't owned any VR equipment, so Meng Yuan hadn't had a chance to try it yet.
Meng Yuan found it odd – given the previous owner's decent financial situation, why hadn't he bought a VR headset for entertainment?
Meng Yuan hadn't inherited the original owner's memories, but it wasn't a big issue.
The previous owner had been a loner, living alone, without family or friends, and almost no social connections. He had died in his home and went unnoticed for a whole day.
Fortunately, Meng Yuan had transmigrated just in time, or else the body would have started to rot.
From the notebook, it seemed the previous owner suffered from severe delusions, so suicide didn't seem surprising.
Meng Yuan turned to the last page.
The handwriting here was chaotic, only parts of it were legible.
"As the Order Restorer, I am still too weak on my own...
"The demons have become entirely different from before...
"... The situation is already critical, and I must let everyone know!
"Using the Order Restorer's power, tomorrow I will post the notebook's contents on the front pages of every global news and social media site...
"I don't know if this will help... but it seems there is no other choice..."
The notebook ended there, as if the previous owner's mind was on the verge of collapse.
Meng Yuan closed the notebook and put it back in its original place.
He didn't take it seriously. The contents were too bizarre, resembling the hallucinations of someone mentally ill.
But just then, his phone dinged – a news notification.
Meng Yuan glanced at it, appearing to be a short message.
"Hmm?"
Initially, he ignored it, but when he opened it to check, his expression froze.
Because it was the exact content from the first page of the Order Restorer's Notes!
Except now, this content was posted on the front page of the largest news app in the country, Tomorrow's Headlines, with a notification sent to all users!
Meng Yuan was stunned, even wondering if he, too, was losing his mind like the previous owner.
It wasn't unlikely – after all, he was in the same body as the previous owner, and if there was a brain disorder, a relapse was very possible.
He opened other news sites and social platforms.
Weibo, Zhihu, Tieba, Zhongdian…
This entry was trending as the top search on every major site!
Meng Yuan refreshed the page in a daze, and comments started flooding in rapidly!
The overwhelming popularity from super-wide-channel recommendations on all major sites brought an extraordinary amount of attention.
"What the heck, is this a system bug? Why is this nonsense trending as number one?"
"Order Restorer Notes? This setup would flop even in the trashiest web novel."
"It's not April Fool's Day, so why are all the websites pulling this prank on the entire nation?"
"It's not just nationwide; it's worldwide. I checked, and major foreign websites have posted it too! They're translating it since foreigners can't read Chinese."
"Which bored hacker did this? This is insane!"
Many people were already speculating about the author's identity and intentions.
But the Order Restorer's Notes only revealed the first page, with no name or personal details, so there was no way to investigate.
Most people thought it was the work of a hacker and didn't believe the notebook's claims.
"Great, I've just crossed over, and you're already gifting me with social death? Will people think I wrote this notebook?
"No, wait, social death is the least of my worries.
"Am I really in serious trouble?"
After calming down, Meng Yuan realized that the notebook's contents might not just be delusions or hallucinations.
They seemed real.
Forcing every major site to change their trending lists and headlines, and keeping it up for some time – even the world's top hacker might not pull that off.
After all, these top sites all had cybersecurity teams. What level of hacker could single-handedly fight against the world's top security experts, and for what amusement?
Yet, it had happened, and other than mysterious powers, there seemed no explanation.
"If the notebook's contents are real, and this 'Order Restorer's power' can quietly alter the headlines on all sites, then… have I inherited the Order Restorer's powers and duties?
"If I really inherited them, how do I use them?"
As this thought crossed Meng Yuan's mind, he suddenly felt dizzy, and his consciousness grew blurry.
...
Moments later, Meng Yuan found himself no longer in the messy apartment, but in a special space.
It was a heavenly palace floating in the air, surrounded by mist, like an immortal's residence.
Massive white stone pillars stretched into the clouds, seemingly eternal.
Yet, the place seemed rather desolate, as there was only one person.
A little girl, about five or six, dressed in traditional attire.
The moment Meng Yuan appeared, she seemed to sense it and quickly ran over on her little legs.
"Meng Yuan, you're alive!
"No, you're not him… You're a completely unfamiliar soul…
"A transmigrator drawn by some temporal turbulence?"
A hint of disappointment flashed in the little girl's eyes.
Meng Yuan asked, "Who are you?"
The little girl's expression grew serious. "I am Can Shang, the guide for the current Order Restorer."
Meng Yuan was silent for a moment, then, after processing all the information he had encountered, he asked, "So, the content in the Order Restorer's Notes is real, right?"
Can Shang nodded. "Yes."
Meng Yuan fell silent.
His feelings were complicated. He hadn't expected to shoulder such a heavy responsibility right after transmigrating. He had many questions.
But he knew to prioritize, asking the important ones first.
"How did the previous owner die?"
Can Shang replied, "He fought demons in historical fragments, and the accumulated injuries severely damaged his mind in reality.
"That's why, before his death, he entrusted me to make the world aware of demons and the Order Restorer, hoping to warn humanity early and find a new solution to the demon threat."
Meng Yuan said, "But no one believes it's real right now. Everyone thinks it's a hacker's prank."
Can Shang nodded naturally. "Humans haven't seen demons since ancient times, so disbelief is normal.
"But in seven days, a historical fragment infested with demons will briefly overlap with reality, and demons will reappear.
"At that point, humanity will have no choice but to believe."
Meng Yuan was shocked. "Demons will appear in reality?
"Didn't you say they were hidden in historical fragments?"
Can Shang explained, "Originally, demons were confined to historical fragments and couldn't interfere with reality, but over time, their power has grown, and the situation is changing.
"You can think of history as a river connecting ancient times to the present. Demons occupy fragments from ancient times, constantly seeping into the present.
"The longer the history, the fainter people's memories of the past, making it easier for demons to infiltrate.
"When demons reach a historical fragment near the present and alter it, they can temporarily overlap with reality and invade.
"Like waves splashing over a riverbank, they might spill onto the shore."
Meng Yuan felt a headache coming on.
"Do modern weapons harm demons?"
Can Shang nodded. "Modern weapons can harm demons, and early warnings will reduce casualties. But if historical fragments overlap with reality, demons might appear anywhere globally, like in the busy areas of a city with millions.
"So, avoiding civilian casualties is difficult.
"Moreover, demons also possess mental attacks.