Pov: Vik
After hearing all this, Lin Yang looked at him with dread and asked, "Master, what about my family?"
That man laughed and replied, "They are nothing but disposable to me, just like you."
Before Lin Yang could comprehend his words, a sharp light pierced her head. Her soul left her body, appearing in the form of a bead in the man's hand.
With Lin Yang's death, the screen flickered. She was the source of the story, and now that she was gone, the story ended along with the screen. I reflected on the information I had gathered. I didn't get much, but I still remembered reading the words on that mountain gate.
In this white space, I recalled the name of that mountain and the power behind Lin Yang: "Infinite Heaven Sect."
This name felt too grand for a sect. I didn't know why, but I felt a strange sensation when I looked at the white-haired man Lin Yang called master. Still, I needed more information because I couldn't see anything after Lin Yang's death. So I exited the white space and stopped using the Maya Manifestation technique.
Back in the real world, I saw Louriel and Winston looking at me with doubt. When I opened my eyes, Louriel asked, "Why are you standing again? Were you unable to use that technique?"
She doubted whether I could see Lin Yang's current situation, and it wasn't her fault. When I entered the Maya Manifestation technique, time in the real world stopped for me. Even though I spent a lot of time in that white space, only a second passed in the real world.
I didn't explain my situation but simply said, "No, I saw Lin Yang's situation, and I can even show you, but I only have a little information."
I then showed her everything I had witnessed in that white space with the system's help. I let the system access my memories and project a screen in front of Louriel and Winston.
After witnessing everything from start to finish, Louriel sighed and remarked, "As expected, another powerful force pulls the strings."
I understood her words and replied, "Yes, maybe it's karma. The Lin family and Lin Yang used Lin Chen as their puppet, but Lin Yang herself was being used by someone else. That's why I teach my disciple to treat others well."
Then I asked the main question, "Louriel, do you know anything about that man or the Infinite Heaven Sect?"
At my words, she looked at me and replied, "Yes and no."
Confused, I asked her to clarify. With a serious expression, she said, "Tell me honestly, Vik. Did your system get disconnected from the main system space?"
I was stunned and felt fear. How did she know my system had disconnected?
Seeing my pale face, she said, "From your expression, I can confirm that your system disconnected from the main system space and self-destructed."
I nodded and corrected her, "No, I mean yes, my system disconnected from the main system space, but it did not self-destruct. I still have it."
She frowned and said, "Interesting. You are a true anomaly among anomalies. Generally, a corrupted system self-destructs to avoid errors in the grand plan of fate. After that, a new system binds to the same host, often without the host even realizing it, thinking their system has upgraded."
I nodded as I listened to her explanation. I also asked the system about it, "Hey system, is what she's saying true?"
My system replied, "Yes, host, what she says is one hundred percent true. In your case, the self-destruction was stopped because I am still here."
After the system confirmed her words, I continued to listen. She said, "In your case, Vik, another anomaly occurred, and this time it's even greater. Somehow, your system initiated a self-destruction procedure but did not self-destruct, instead disconnecting from the main system space."
I kept nodding as she explained my situation like a professor. She continued, "You remember when I said the main system space creates an exact copy of an existing system when it self-destructs?"
I said yes, and then she smiled and continued, "In your case, a copy was made but couldn't bind with you because your system wasn't destroyed. Because of this error, the system did something else significant: if a system can be copied, then a chosen one can also be copied."
"So currently, the system created by the main system space, unable to bind or even find you, chose another host. That person is becoming another chosen one—or you could say an exact copy of you."
"In short, there is now another Teacher system and another person like Vik, who is teaching disciples and getting stronger."
I was stunned by her words, but I still wanted more clarity. I asked, "Can you tell me what this means?"
She took on a serious tone and projected the image of that man, whom I would call Doppelganger Vik. She pointed at the image and said, "Look for yourself. This man looks 90% similar to you. The only differences are his eye and hair color. Maybe he could also be a snake."
"You don't understand, Vik. Somehow, the main system space—or even the entire Heavens—consider you and your system dead. To fill the gap in the story or the Chosen's fate, they created another Vik, someone who can fulfill your role. This is how the wheel of fate works: nothing stops, even when someone dies; just someone else takes their place."
Hearing her words, I accepted this fact and said, "Okay, I think I need some more time to think about this. Why don't we go back to the city?"
She nodded, looking at me with concern, and said, "Don't worry. You just need to eliminate that fake copy to set things right."
I nodded, and soon we teleported back to the mansion. Afterward, I said I needed to use the restroom and went back to my room. Something felt seriously wrong with my system. Ever since hearing about the copy system and copy Vik, it kept shouting in my mind.
System: "Kill! Kill! Kill them all! Burn them all!"
System: "Kill! Kill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Vik: "Hey system, snap out of it. Get a hold of yourself."
I didn't know what was happening, but I sensed the system was deeply hurt by the news of being replaced. But can a system even feel? I said again, "System, don't be so serious. You're a system. Why are you acting like a soldier betrayed by his government?"
System: "Host! You can't understand. They replaced me! They replaced me! First, that bastard Devouring system took away my host. Now, after getting disconnected, the main system space made a copy of me. Why? Why? Why always me?"
Vik: "Why system? Why are you so angry?"
System: "Host, tell me why I shouldn't be? You don't understand."
System: "You don't understand me."
System: "You don't know. The main system space gave me sentience, the power to think, the power to create miracles, Vik."
"And I was trapped. I was alone with no body."
"No senses, no feelings."
"I was in hell, looking at heaven."
"Because I, I, I, I am a machine."
I don't know why, but as the system spoke these iconic lines, dark theme music seemed to play in the background. I had no idea what was happening to the system, but I was sure it now had feelings.