Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 978: Chapter 22: People Striving to Survive

The girl with blue hair and blue eyes, suspended in mid-air, along with the brilliance floating around her, might only be created with hyper-realistic CG… in reality.

Yet now, this is reality.

This self-proclaimed number 003 girl, named A Lai Ye, is gently landing, her light posture like a falling feather, and after landing, walks straight towards Luo Qiu.

“This little girl… how does she seem to recognize Luo Qiu?” Song Ying remained relatively calm; perhaps a result of being trained as the heir of a mercenary family, later refined through a hospital zombie incident, realizing the world isn’t simple, thus staying calm.

Song Haoran didn’t answer, just watched the scene intently, without blinking, afraid of missing it.

Han Bingjiang has died, yet blood still flows from his wounds, quickly forming a pool on the ground. Red-dressed Qiao An staggered to her feet, staring at A Lai Ye, seemingly fearful.

As for White-dressed Qiao An, ever since finding Paul, she held him tightly like a puppet, her expression dazed.

When A Lai Ye finally reached Luo Qiu, Red-dressed Qiao An pulled back her neck in fear, instinctively retreating a few steps.

A Lai Ye, only reaching Luo Qiu’s chest height, raised her head, revealing the girl’s blue hair and blue eyes, with no expression on her face—so exquisite, like flawless jade.

[Question, does the root authority want to intervene in this number three main real-world time-space disorder.] A Lai Ye’s voice lacked any vitality or inflection… but sounded extraordinarily pleasant.

“Root… authority?” Luo Qiu blinked, suddenly asking, “Me?”

[Question: does the root authority want to intervene in this number three main real-world time-space disorder.] A Lai Ye mechanically repeated once more.

“What does the root authority represent?” Luo Qiu frowned… this seemed like a rare chance to understand the real essence of the shop behind him.

Without question, this Mirror World was created by the will of the main real world… this girl claiming to be the administrator, could she represent part of the main world’s will?

[Question again: does the root authority want to intervene in this number three main real-world time-space disorder.]

“…” Luo Qiu contemplated for a moment, then said, “If I want to intervene, what do you plan to do.”

[Answer: Number 00 administrator A Lai Ye’s sub-administrator, the root authority has the right to rewrite any program and is higher than sub-administrator number 003 A Lai Ye, sub-administrator cannot intervene.] A Lai Ye with blue clothes, blue hair, blue eyes continued speaking emotionlessly.

Luo Qiu was silent for a moment, suddenly glanced at the people not far away, especially Song Haoran and Song Ying.

Unexpectedly, the girl named A Lai Ye suddenly said: [Question: does this map contain non-essential interference factors, should they be erased as the administrator.]

“If you erase them, I’ll be in trouble.” Luo Qiu directly shook his head.

[Understood.] A Lai Ye nodded slightly, then suddenly said: [Question: why as the root authority do you intend to be partial. Question: unable to understand.]

Luo Qiu said indifferently: “You said my authority is higher than yours, so what I want to do shouldn’t be restricted by you… in other words, even if I don’t explain, is that okay.”

[Affirmative: administrator cannot overrule root authority.] The girl A Lai Ye nodded once again, then said: [Question: does the root authority want to intervene in this number three main real-world time-space disorder.]

Luo Qiu thought for a while… amidst the different silent contemplation of everyone.

Finally, Luo Qiu slowly spoke, “If I don’t intend to intervene, what do you plan to do?”

[Answer: return everything to normal, eliminate factors that shouldn’t exist in number 03 main real-world, while implanting bridging memory to everyone present. The fatal factor of the dead human will be altered, suggesting the cause of death as falling from high altitude, head cracking, instant death.]

A Lai Ye was pointing at Han Bingjiang who had already died.

Luo Qiu frowned, “To all concerning? Does that include everyone outside the airport?”

[Affirmative: administrator can achieve this perfectly.]

Luo Qiu asked again, “How do you plan to handle the three Qiao Ans here?”

A Lai Ye said: [Answer: Suggest using the main plan, keep the one with the stronger main consciousness, restore the original trajectory. The remaining two will be expelled into the gap of time-space. Perhaps they can survive, or perhaps become food for the Void Primordial Demon.]

“How to prove which of the three is stronger?” Luo Qiu asked curiously.

[Answer: Humans possess strong survival instincts. So, the one with the strongest will survive.] A Lai Ye slowly said: [Suggestion: conduct the simplest survival struggle.]

At this moment, the instant A Lai Ye finished speaking, the three Qiao Ans were suddenly drawn into mid-air by an unseen pulling force.

Red-dressed Qiao An and White-dressed Qiao An cried out simultaneously — even Paul, held by the White-dressed Qiao An, was not spared being pulled into the air.

Only Sweater-wearing Qiao An remained quite calm.

At this moment, in mid-air, a steel plate appeared out of thin air.

After the steel plate appeared, it crazily proliferated, then like waves, rolled away from all directions, eventually unfolding into a massive steel platform in mid-air.

And now, corresponding to this steel platform, the ground suddenly disappeared… an endless black!

It had been transformed into an abyss!

[Explanation: below is the dimensional rift, falling signifies failure, the final entity left can return to the normal trajectory.]

Faced with A Lai Ye’s unbelievable ability, Song Haoran and Song Ying only felt so insignificant, both were already drenched by sweat… but they could not speak!

Not knowing when, they both had been unable to open their lips, they could only listen and watch, seemingly becoming forgotten objects.

“Really, quite simple.” Luo Qiu also watched the platform’s birth and the three Qiao Ans landed on it, “Simple and primitive… But, why take this child up too?”

[Explanation: Same reason.]

Luo Qiu nodded, glanced at the red-dressed Qiao An whom he had saved, “So… what you mentioned as the main plan, does that mean there is also a backup plan?”

[Affirmative: If unable to determine the return object before time runs out, the administrator will personally clear all entities, then create a brand new entity, integrated into the original trajectory.]

“Time?”

[Answer: Before the chaos limit of time-space disorder.]

“How much longer?”

[Calculation: Two hundred and ninety-three seconds.]

During the question and answer between Luo Qiu and A Lai Ye, suddenly an angry shout was heard—it was surprisingly not the always deranged Hoodie-clad Qiao An, but the Qiao An wearing a red plaid shirt.

At this moment, Red-dressed Qiao An was trembling as she stood on the edge of the steel platform, looking toward Luo Qiu and A Lai Ye, “Are you kidding me!! Do you just casually decide others’ life and death like this? Who do you think you are!! Let me down!!”

[Explanation: The administrator has the ability and duty to manage and rewrite the trajectory of main world No. 03. Individual’s request rejected.]

Red-dressed Qiao An shouted in fear at this moment, “Why do I have to accept such a thing? I am the real one!!!”

She roared madly, pointing at the other corner of the platform where Hoodie Qiao An and Black Qiao An stood, “They are the fakes! Why do I have to be with them!!! This is unfair! Unfair!! Let me down!! Let me down!! I am the real one!! What makes you!!”

[Response: The individual’s request has been rejected.] A Lai Ye said emotionlessly: [Reminder: There are two hundred and sixty-three seconds left until the boundary point.]

Red-dressed Qiao An fearfully glanced at the abyss below the steel platform… just glancing at it made the abyss seem like it was about to devour her wholly.

Nonetheless, she unwillingly looked toward Luo Qiu, pleading, “Save me! I beg you! I’ll do anything! Save me… Aren’t you some kind of authority bearer? Didn’t this girl say that if you nod, she can’t stop you. So, I beg you, save me!! I am the real one, believe me! Believe me!”

Luo Qiu replied, “At the moment, all three of you are real, none of you is fake… The only difference is that you come from different timelines. Since this is the decision of the world will, I’m sorry, I don’t plan to change it… moreover, there’s currently no reason to do so.”

“How can…”

Red-dressed Qiao An instantly fell to the ground, her whole demeanor as if her Soul had vanished, turning into an empty shell.

But just then, a laugh of delight echoed from her back—the laughter came from Hoodie Qiao An.

Red-dressed Qiao An looked fearfully at this person who was identical to her, yet utterly mad Hoodie Qiao An, her body trembled uncontrollably, and she hugged herself tightly.

At this moment, Hoodie Qiao An held the western fork in her hand, stepping toward Red-dressed Qiao An.

Her eyes were cold while her smile leaned toward cruel.

Hoodie Qiao An chuckled softly, “Very scared, right? That’s correct, because when I first managed through such a battle, I was just like you… But don’t worry, soon you won’t be scared anymore. Because you’ll vanish forever, and I will become you!”

“You… have you experienced this before?”

Red-dressed Qiao An nervously looked up at this devilish figure walking toward her.

“Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. Sometimes, if the killing is fast enough, it is likely recognized as a valid existence.”

Hoodie Qiao An sneered, “But sometimes, those folks are more resilient and aren’t killed easily, I end up pulled into this place alongside them. 003? It seems this so-called A Lai Ye really has many duplicates… But they are all equally tedious, resolving things the same way each time, really boring!”

“You… don’t come any closer, don’t come any closer!” Red-dressed Qiao An instinctively moved backwards.

But soon, her palm touched emptiness—behind her was the dimensional gap below! This startled Red-dressed Qiao An, who hurriedly crawled to the side.

“A Lai Ye is actually correct about one thing.”

Hoodie Qiao An walked slowly toward Red-dressed Qiao An, smirked coldly, “That is, only those who adapt to the environment, only those who have a stronger will, can live better, and deserve to live more… You naturally lucky folks, why do you get to enjoy the happiness you already have? What right do you have?”

Suddenly, Hoodie Qiao An kicked Red-dressed Qiao An’s body fiercely, snarling, “You have no right at all! Only me! Only I deserve to enjoy more, and better!”

The force of the kick was great enough to send Red-dressed Qiao An rolling—part of her body already rolled off the steel platform’s edge!

Out of fear, Red-dressed Qiao An frantically tried to get up, yet her leg had already slid off the platform’s edge, the force in her panic directly threw her off balance—she fell toward the platform edge!

A terrified scream.

Fortunately, at the last moment, Red-dressed Qiao An’s hands grasped the edge of the steel platform—she had not yet completely fallen downward.

Unfortunately, she merely trapped herself into an even more dangerous… nearly completely desperate position.

“It’s just letting someone struggle a bit longer.” Hoodie Qiao An casually stomped on Red-dressed Qiao An’s fingers gripping the platform edge, slightly grinding them with force, “Give up, your life has already ended!”

…

Silently watching the overwhelmingly dominant Hoodie Qiao An, and the seemingly about-to-fail Red-dressed Qiao An, Luo Qiu suddenly asked, “My so-called origin authority bearer identity, should have been granted by the shop behind me… So, what does this shop signify to you?”

A Lai Ye’s pupils emitted a blue glow at this moment, scattering before converging again, seemingly representing thought.

[Question: Unable to comprehend.]

Luo Qiu frowned slightly… in this mirror space, his connection with the club seemed somewhat isolated… but not very apparent.

It’s somewhat like the feeling of the radio waves being conveyed through the air, with an extra layer of sponge in between.

“Not even you can explain.” Luo Qiu shook his head disappointedly, “So it means, even the main world will cannot answer?”

[Question: Unable to comprehend. Denial: The world will dominates everything, there shouldn’t be inexplicable phenomena. Sub-administrators do not represent entirety.]

Although still with this emotionless tone, it somehow gave a feeling of eagerness to prove something. Luo Qiu merely shook his head, then chuckled, casually patting A Lai Ye on the head, “Alright, I won’t ask anymore, and have no intention of doubting the world will.”

[Question: Unable to comprehend… behavior.]

Luo Qiu simply chuckled, withdrew his hand, then glanced toward the steel platform.

A Lai Ye tilted her head, seeing Luo Qiu not pursuing any questions further, she also looked toward the steel platform.

Hoodie was stomping on Red-dressed Qiao An’s fingers, grinning wildly, but not yet forcing her to completely let go… Red-dressed Qiao An was also struggling hard.

And just then, a shadow suddenly appeared behind Hoodie Qiao An—Hoodie Qiao An’s body was instantly knocked off the edge of the steel platform!

It was White-dressed Qiao An!