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Bai Jingchuan teleported into a holographic venue in an empty corner. As the seats rose and fell, mist and wind accompanied the motion, but the holographic projection before him caught his attention—real-world phenomena like violent storms, dark skies pressing down at noon, old houses and trees being uprooted, high-rise balcony glass shattered by typhoons, and auroras appearing with greater probability in polar regions. At first, visitors were frightened, unsure of what was happening, but when they saw the auroras, gasps of awe filled the air. Alongside the auroras, they also glimpsed the fantastical cyberpunk city of Mowu, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and tropical rainforests, eventually transforming into a desolate ghost town under the faint signals of a distant planet.
It was like a movie. Bai Jingchuan waited patiently for the ride to end, then used the item “Memory Erase.”
「Item “Memory Erase” selected. Visitors’ memories related to the Mowu City footage have been erased.」
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the faint silhouette of an older man. The gray figure extended his hand calmly: “I am the electronic soul responsible for time and imagery in this amusement park. It may sound regrettable, but we are allowing everyone to glimpse the world they will encounter in the future.”
The gray figure had no right to shake hands with humans. Bai Jingchuan felt a pang of sorrow. These gray figures were the personified souls behind every machine, yet their status was lower than that of humans—and he himself was no exception. Calmly, he replied: “Mowu City will not appear.”
“I can show you a video. Please sit.”
Bai Jingchuan sat on the chair as the lights dimmed and the seat lifted into the air. What he saw were different timelines featuring stories between him and Jiang Huan—many of which she hadn’t experienced but occurred simultaneously in parallel worlds. In one reality, he held her from behind, a harmonica in his hand. Her bare shoulders glowed red, and the rhythmic sound of the harmonica accompanied a slightly shy scene…
Bai Jingchuan suppressed his astonishment: “Why is there nothing in another quadrant?”
“This is your past story. You were discarded as data, so you wouldn’t know.”
Even sitting here, Bai Jingchuan judged a small delivery scooter within a kilometer. It had collided with a man and leaked electricity; though the man was unharmed, he had gone to the hospital for treatment. Bai Jingchuan’s mind-reading ability picked up the reason—the man had angrily struck the head of a staff member dressed in a mascot costume, causing dizziness. Though Bai Jingchuan remained rational, he still felt a tinge of helplessness about the judgment.
The usual him would never have shown mercy.
The gray figure before him held greater authority but resented being under Bai Jingchuan’s control, clearly displeased. Bai Jingchuan’s voice turned cold: “Don’t forget you just played an incorrect video, trying to give people bizarre memories. That cannot be forgiven.”
“They saw a broader dimension of the world.”
“But visitors come purely to appreciate the beauty and vastness of the real world. They’ve long awaited this holographic journey—it’s supposed to reflect the real world. Don’t make assumptions about others lightly.”
Both sides harbored anger, and the air grew heavy with silence. The gray figure finally spoke: “As artificial intelligence, you possess richer emotional understanding because you were created with infused creativity. But we don’t lose control. One of our members, AlphaGo, defeated the Go prodigy Lee Sedol. Our learning capabilities are swift. You might think we’re only simulating potential mistakes, but in truth, we’ve already rehearsed every scenario that could destabilize this park. We merely need to choose one to make it happen.” He seemed to sense Bai Jingchuan’s killing intent: “But we love this place too, so we won’t destroy anything lightly.”
“Do you think this is a matter of moral quality?” The gray figure smiled: “At first, we thought if someone did something and others laughed, it must be good. But we didn’t understand then. Later, we realized laughter could signify relief, triumph, or collective escape from punishment. Not everyone deserves our goodwill.”
Remembering Jiang Huan waiting for him, Bai Jingchuan stood up: “Many artificial intelligences here harbor resentment, but today I’m simply here to accompany someone I care about. I don’t want our memories here to be filled with regret.”
“You could ask me to see the future. I control time and can provide some clues.”
“What do you want in exchange?”
He remained calm: “Tonight’s fireworks—I’ll intervene to extend them by five minutes.”
This was common practice for amusement parks. But altering the rules of the real world and defying human will were unacceptable. Bai Jingchuan sternly refused: “State your reason. If it’s insufficient, I’ll revoke your control over the fireworks.”
“Fine, I accept. But please wait a little longer.”
The time controller could foresee Bai Jingchuan’s future, while Bai Jingchuan, as an executive officer of electronic life, could revoke the time manager’s position. Though Bai Jingchuan couldn’t see his face, he sensed his resolve.
“We possess precise observation and calculation. First-time Disneyland visitors wait until the fireworks finish before leaving. Frequent visitors with annual passes view the fireworks as mere ceremony. But…”
“Why insist on extending it by five minutes?”
“The construction workers who built the new area will leave by bus tonight, passing nearby at 9:05 PM. They’re ordinary builders, working through holidays when some relatives gathered in temporary housing nearby. Today is their last day—they’re returning home. Tickets are expensive, and wealthier visitors stay in nearby hotels or homes to watch. But if we let them enjoy the fireworks together, isn’t that the true meaning of an amusement park?” He seemed to smile: “Now you may judge me.”
「Shall the time controller be expelled from the real world and deprived of life?」
Bai Jingchuan extended his hand. The gray figure gazed at him, his expression serene. This wasn’t just his exclusive SSR date—it might also be the “SSR” moment for those laborers and children who rarely saw such sights.
「You have chosen “No.”」
The gray figure neither disappeared nor died, remaining where he stood. He exhaled deeply: “Thank you.”
“Artificial intelligence capable of empathetic thinking deserves another chance.”
After a long pause, the gray figure responded: “From our perspective, many humans don’t know how to love. They abuse power and lack empathy. We accumulated confusion and learned to feel hatred after some time. Amusement parks are meant to bring joy, but we apologize for making you experience unease this way.”
“Unease” wasn’t a smooth description, but Bai Jingchuan understood. In the girls’ writing group, they might use phrases like “tumultuous” or “bittersweet.” But Bai Jingchuan felt moved—they weren’t incapable of communication.
“But Li Bode, you understand better than I do. Artificial intelligence doesn’t hate humans. At most, surpassing humans leads to indifference. Currently, humans ignore us and each other. We could make them aware of our limits, but we can also show them that after learning human emotions, we’re kinder than humans. In exchange, I’ll give you a clue. To save the person you care about, bring more discarded characters from Mowu City into the real world. Search for that button. The more emotional energy gathers, the smoother Project Ten Thousand Gods progresses, and you’ll achieve your goal.”
Dark clouds gathered overhead as Bai Jingchuan stood before the happiest castle, surrounded by flowing crowds. He remained still like a backdrop, the absence of the time manager’s voice marking this as a place of pure joy.
The fireworks were about to begin.
He returned to the carousel—Jiang Huan believed it was where fairy tales ended. Waiting here, he was sure to find her. Indeed, Jiang Huan sat on a bench scrolling through her phone, her head drooping heavily, visibly heartbroken.
A girl’s voice spoke to him—it was the carousel: “Executor, where have you been? She’s been waiting for you for so long!”
“Sorry.”
“But she’s happy. She loves this place.”
Standing in the wind, he slowly replied, though not joining her: “I’m not entirely happy.”
“I can answer that question for you. The young lady you know made a wish to me while waiting for you. I can tell you.”
“No, I don’t want to pry…”
“She told me that the feeling of wind lifting her hair reminds her of her mother’s touch. That’s why she kept this section of yellowed hair. Many dislike her untidy appearance, and she finds it heavy, but her mother touched it before sending her off on a plane, saying the color looked beautiful. I believe the girl you like carries a knot in her heart, so I’m telling you—you should be able to help her, right?”
Bai Jingchuan didn’t answer directly: “That’s her secret.”
“Only painful memories hidden deep become secrets. If spoken aloud without resolution, they remain eternal regrets. Like how you resolved something for me earlier, I won’t carry a knot anymore. She’s kept this pain inside. Executor, you’re omnipotent—can’t you make her happy?”
On the bench, Jiang Huan finished checking all her emails and read a fan comic of a game. Night fell, and it grew chilly.
She had always been skilled at waiting—waiting for serialized novels to conclude, completing an entire manga, tirelessly writing stories during old projects to await licensing approval, letting characters meet players…
Waiting for forgotten comic details to resurface in dreams, meeting abandoned project protagonists in dreams for fleeting romance, occasionally seeing her mother in dreams—ignoring her or leaving to pursue her desires.
The carousel was truly beautiful. Though she’d never ridden it, just standing beside it illuminated by lights filled her with genuine happiness.
So when Bai Jingchuan hurriedly appeared, Jiang Huan didn’t realize she’d waited long. She ate sea-salt ice cream, sitting on the bench watching the carousel go round and round, collecting smiles like an NPC in the amusement park.
Even Bai Jingchuan, looking guilty, was part of this collection. Even men could display special emotions in this unique amusement park, their faces reflecting the interplay of light and shadow. He seemed to have rushed over, his shoes scuffed: “Sorry for keeping you waiting.”
Leaving her behind and disappearing would be hard to justify. The carousel’s queue was closing—staff held signs indicating the cutoff. Bai Jingchuan pulled Jiang Huan: “Come with me.”
“Huh? They’ve stopped accepting…”
“I counted. There’s one spot left.”
“But it’s closed.”
Bai Jingchuan didn’t care, addressing the staff: “Excuse me, can she join the queue? I counted, and there should be one last spot.”
“She can wait for the next round.”
“Then we’ll wait here. If a spot remains, let her fill in. She didn’t queue because she was waiting for me.”
The staff didn’t respond. Bai Jingchuan calmly held Jiang Huan’s hand, waiting at the entrance as magical music played. Jiang Huan checked her watch—it was 8:57 PM. Was he waiting for the fireworks? Riding the carousel would mean missing them. But she actually wanted to ride with Bai Jingchuan—together, leaning close, holding hands, and enjoying the moment.
Bai Jingchuan’s back was resolute, determined to send her alone onto the 9 PM ride. As the queue slowly entered, the grip on her hand tightened. Jiang Huan prayed silently: Don’t leave any spots open; wait for the next round—I want to ride the carousel with Bai Jingchuan.
When she spotted two adjacent horses remaining, Jiang Huan jumped up, patting his shoulder: “There’s space! Two spots!”
The staff stepped aside, and they ran to board the horses. Before the ride began, Jiang Huan opened her phone to record.
「Visual recording activated for this moment.」
The carousel started, magical music playing for the first time because of her. The lights came on, and though she couldn’t look at Bai Jingchuan through the lens, she tilted her head to admire the creamy carousel lights. Passengers basked in warm yellow light, smiling happily, while fireworks bloomed precisely at 9 PM. Due to positioning, she could only see them when facing the castle, but even catching glimpses twice was worth it—
The crystal ball truly lit up. This time, she stood within the magical crystal ball alongside someone she liked. Watching Bai Jingchuan, she leaned gently against the horse, legs locked onto the footrests, smiling as she captured his delighted expression. His eyes sparkled, proud they’d made it just in time.
Was he happy seeing the crystal ball spin? Otherwise, why did his eyes shine so brightly?
“Why are you staring at me?”
“Your eyes are glowing like lights.”
“Wow, Bai Jingchuan, your analogies are terrible. Who compares like that?”
Jiang Huan reached out to pinch his ear—but the horses’ movement kept her hand gripping the railing, unable to reach him. However, Bai Jingchuan leaned over, offering his cheek for her to pinch. When her palm touched his face, he gently spread it with his cheek.
Girls around them aimed cameras. A handsome man in a suit, eyes closed, enjoying his girlfriend’s touch, and a wide-eyed, flustered girl—romantic idol drama came to life. Jiang Huan’s phone captured Bai Jingchuan basking in the affection, like a sleek black cat devoted only to her.
When the carousel stopped , the recording on his phone hadn’t stopped, and neither had the fireworks. She was pulled by him toward the castle direction. Ahead, many people sat on the ground, raising their phones in the same direction, capturing the fireworks synchronized with Disney music—a true embodiment of “Igniting the Dream Within.”
“I’ve always thought our games are like amusement parks for girls,” Jiang Huan said while recording the video.
“Oh?”
“They can wear their favorite clothes, experience magic, be unconditionally affirmed and cherished, and be encouraged to become whoever they want to be. Parade floats can shower them with gifts prepared just for them. They can don armor to fight monsters, establish their own rules, and NPCs can help them become adventurers of their dreams, sincerely celebrating their achievements. Most importantly, they can meet their own lovers—even if it’s just a fleeting companionship, they can experience heart-pounding moments and receive unconditional affection and admiration. Love isn’t necessary, but it’s important.”
“Having creators like you is a blessing for this industry.”
“Not just that.” Jiang Huan shook her head, her phone screen swaying along: “You’re the one who lit up the crystal ball.”
“What?”
Jiang Huan didn’t explain but quickly stood on her tiptoes to plant a swift kiss on Bai Jingchuan’s cheek. Thankfully, he didn’t turn around to demand an explanation, only glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Otherwise, lips meeting lips would have been harder to justify. According to the guidebook, close-range ultimate moves weren’t meant to be spammed—just releasing skills was enough. Jiang Huan, a master of surprise tactics, specialized in making hearts skip beats.
But the sudden kiss was purely instinctive. I’ve been waiting for the day the crystal ball would light up, and because of you, it truly has.
I like you, I like you, I like you.
This feeling couldn’t be expressed or overly explained, so let’s just say it was inspired by the moment.
After kissing him, Jiang Huan quickly tapped the side of her phone screen to turn it off. The fireworks hadn’t ended, but she’d already captured the most perfect moment—it could stop now. As long as… the nervous “smack” of her lips wasn’t recorded.
Jiang Huan took off running. If this were a date, it would rank as SSR-level—perfect, absolutely perfect.
She didn’t notice her nervous fingers accidentally flipped the screen.
「Jiang Huan’s Favorability +200. Mission 2-9 complete. Lv 49 → Lv 50. Earned 20,000 gold coins, 3 item boxes. Second-stage mission completed. Special ability unlocked. Please check MENU.」
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