Chapter 84
The casual grading went on, and the table they were sitting at was filled with so many questions. Dane felt the need to share his exploits, as he wanted to gain some understanding of what changed in him as well; looking at him, he seems normal, but internally Dane was feeling a bit different, like he was entering a room filled with so many colors, and he can actually relate to these colors from an emotional perspective, and he liked it.
He never struggles, but he can understand certain issues when it comes to social interaction; he tends to drift away and just stay silent and never react because he really can process. He realized that this newfound emotional depth was making him more empathetic towards others, allowing him to connect with people on a deeper level. Despite his tendency to stay silent, Dane found solace in the fact that he was becoming more in tune with his emotions and the emotions of those around him.
In the past he would just go on with his daily activities and find comfort in routine and familiarity, but now he was learning to embrace vulnerability and express his emotions more openly. This shift in mindset not only improved his social interactions but also helped him grow as a person.
The feeling was more natural. The changes might not be huge for those around them, as they can't see any physical changes, but Dane could feel the difference in his own mental and emotional well-being. He was conversing with those who were around him.
The gathering was filled with all the staff members that swore loyalty to him; it was a surreal moment. Their loyalty might have started based on an employer and employee relationship, but it had evolved into something deeper and more meaningful. And he didn't question it because he felt it wasn't really that important to analyze the reasons behind their loyalty. The sense of unity and support from his team was invaluable to Dane, making him grateful for the strong bond they had formed.
The assessment skill Dane has scanned them, and he saw they were all truly happy seeing him. It was a weird feeling; Dane never expected that he could influence them that much. The old him would question this, as he is cautious and always sees things from a different angle and perspective. .
But this time he was having fun. Elaria Syrune came running, holding a small sealed bottle, and was happy to show her creation. She spent hours just to fulfill Dane's request. Her staff were tired and worn down as she insisted that they need to accomplish his request to prove they can be a huge help for him.
The moment they signed the contract with the Siglorr Bouldergrove, they were already connected with him, but when Siglorr Bouldergrove, the head proprietor of the loyalty contract, addressed Dane Lazarus as his clan's savior and benefactor, the loyalty contract upgraded based on the tower system rules concerning the contract scrolls.
No players have ever encountered a change in any of their own encounters on the first floor. They see the residents of the tower to be NPCs, and they are bound to the tower system. Those players who are narrow-minded and somewhat oblivious to the truth and acted on their own natural impulses to just earn gold and experience points to move up in their own personal lives, nothing more, a few got overwhelmed by the residents as they were breathing and living beings, as they also bleed and feel emotions to a level that they can't even explain.
The moment the players went in, they all found themselves with mixed emotions; others loved it so much they decided to live in the tower, some indulged themselves to feed their own interest and pleasure, whether it was good or bad, and others treated the residents as lower-class beings that were created to be the players playthings, and with their twisted minds and lack of empathy, they subjected the residents to cruel and inhumane treatment. This created a divide within the tower, with some players advocating for the rights and well-being of the residents while others continued to exploit and mistreat them.
That is why players were seen similarly to the noble and wealthy as they exploited the tower. That is why many players, large corporations, and government officials turned a blind eye to the suffering of the residents, prioritizing their own gain and power over basic human rights and dignity. The divide between those who sought to help and those who continued to harm only grew wider as the situation in the tower silently deteriorated behind the veil of the unseen.
The tower system's answer to these illegal and inhuman acts was the NPC itself, as they are given freedom to act accordingly to protect themselves from harm. Is this really what was happening in the tower, or is it just an illusion that everybody just accepted as the gods were playing with their choices as mere entertainment? Nobody could say otherwise, as everything seems to be flooded with so many questions, but one thing is sure.
The tower wasn't about to collapse concerning these insignificant matters. It will just adjust and go on as if these anomalies and erratic scenarios will continue to be played. Dane wasn't that stupid not to realize that people are born to feed their own greed and desires; that is why the seven strongest monsters were derived from the seven deadly sins, but the twist is these powerful monsters are not immune to change.
Dane listened, captivated, as the dwarves offered their perspectives. What began as a simple report on his findings had spiraled into something far more profound. He had expected grunts of agreement and practical advice on stone and steel but instead found himself in the midst of a philosophical and insightful discussion. The dwarves around the table, their faces etched with the heat of the forge and the wisdom of ages, debated the nature of creation, purpose, and the echoes of the past. They weren't just the master artisans and forgers of legend; they possessed an intelligence and a capacity for abstract thought that defied every stereotype Dane had ever known. They were not confined by their supposed roles but expanded beyond them with startling clarity.
Unbeknownst to Dane, this emergent complexity was the deliberate, almost spiritual, work of the world's architects. The character designers—Xiong Zhu, Michel Baudin, and Harly Shepard—had built the foundation for every NPC not on simple algorithms but on the Dane Ai program, a system designed to randomly generate personalities based on the intricate tapestry of the human psyche. Every randomly assigned trait, every behavioral tic, was a seed planted from the vast garden of mental processes that shape identity.
This foundation was then given a unique key by the lead developer, Damon L. Lazarus. He had incorporated a simple script, a catalyst that allowed an NPC to transcend its programmed boundaries if the conditions were right, if its patterns of thought and experience began to lead toward a state of enlightenment. It was a fusion of disparate genius: Xiong Zhu, a devout student of Buddhist scriptures, infused the system with concepts of consciousness and rebirth; Michel Baudin lent it the rigor of his secondary degree in philosophy; and Harly Shepard, an author of two books on the human mindset and its reluctance to change, layered in the psychological frameworks for profound personal growth.
Dane felt a shiver of awe as he looked at the vibrant, multifaceted residents of the tower. They had begun as digital code, mere form and structure given shape by their creators. Yet, with what felt like a wave of an old god's hand, they were now living, breathing beings, wrestling with the same questions that had haunted thinkers for millennia. The thought struck Dane with the force of a physical blow:
What if the entire multiverse originated from a single, creative mind? What if we all existed merely because we were conceived of? Pushing the thought aside for a moment, he shared the details of what he had witnessed at the gorge. A fire of excitement ignited in the dwarves' eyes, and they spoke eagerly of journeying there to see it for themselves. But Siglorr Bouldergrove raised a hand, his voice a low rumble that commanded respect. He reminded them they had a greater task to accomplish, one that aligned with the very establishment Dane hoped to build.
As the discussion wound down, the flow of food and drink never ceased. Across the table, Elaria Syrune finally succumbed to her exhaustion, her head drooping with a soft sigh of contentment. The first successful batch of the lotus potion was complete, and her relief was palpable. With a gentle motion, Dane rose and carefully lifted the young elf into his arms, carrying her to her room to rest. Wrenla Bouldergrove watched him with a grateful expression.
"You have a good heart, Dane," she said quietly upon his return.
"You honor us with your compassion. For that, I will ensure the path is opened. I will see to it that you have your audience with the Duchess, and in the proper manner."
The plan was set. All that remained was for Dane to be in the right place at the right time. The location was as unconventional as the Duchess herself, who was known to regularly visit the poorest district of the kingdom. There, without fanfare or ceremony, she personally fed the homeless and the starving, meeting her people not from a throne, but on the streets where they lived.
Dane smiled and thanked Wrenla Bouldergrove as he went toward his personal room; he admired the way they made sure to clean his sleeping quarters even if he was just their honorary guest. The serpent came out in its cute form and slithered around Dane's arm and dropped on the floor. The fox and horned owl soon followed. The three creatures were still cute as they enjoyed being played with by the young sons and daughters of the human personnel that joined them in the gathering hall. Wrenla Bouldergrove liked what her husband created; he never separated the humans from their dwarven race. They all ate at the same table and enjoyed the same food and treatment; nobody saw another person in a different light. It was a true display of unity and harmony between the two races, something Wrenla was proud to be a part of. The laughter and joy shared in that gathering hall was a testament to the power of acceptance and friendship.
As Dane sat on the chair near the window, the three summoned joined him; the serpent nested on his right shoulder, while the horde owl stood watch on the window, while the fox sat on his lap as Dane fell asleep suddenly.…
"ATTENTION TO ALL RESIDENTS OF THE FIRST FLOOR: WE ARE WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT THE INQUIRY INTO THE ANOMALY CONCERNING THE GORGE HAS NOW REACHED A CRUCIAL CONCLUSION."
"RECENT ASSESSMENTS CONDUCTED BY THE TOWER'S MAIN SYSTEM HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE PECULIAR CREATURES MANIFESTING ON THE GORGE FLOOR ARE INDEED A RESULT OF A SYSTEM ERROR THAT NECESSITATES IMMEDIATE CORRECTION."
"THE GATEKEEPER'S INVESTIGATION HAS UNCOVERED MULTIPLE INACCURACIES REGARDING THE PRESENCE OF THESE ENTITIES, WHICH DO NOT ALIGN WITH OUR ESTABLISHED PARAMETERS OF EXISTENCE."
"IN LIGHT OF THESE FINDINGS, AND FOLLOWING THOROUGH DELIBERATIONS BY THE TOWER ADMINISTRATION, A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT HAND. THE SUDDEN ACTIVATION OF THESE SECONDARY CHARACTERS POSES POTENTIAL RISKS TO THE STABILITY AND ORDER WITHIN OUR ENVIRONMENT."
"THEREFORE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THESE ENTITIES ARE REMOVED PROMPTLY TO RESTORE BOTH EQUILIBRIUM AND THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE GORGE AREA. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION AS WE WORK TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL RESIDENTS."
"FURTHER UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER."
Those who were awake were shocked to hear the voice of the world; the information they heard was terrifying. The velvet knights were awakened by their leader, Jin Xifeng, who could not believe what they were hearing. This was the second time they heard this from the tower; the first was related to an anomaly that bypassed the scenario within the cursed forest.
But the response to that error was mild, as the culprit was removed from the floor for 24 hours, and the hacker status level was restricted to zero until certain security measures were put in place. However, this time the threat seemed much more serious and urgent, causing Jin Xifeng and the Velvet Knights to awaken and see how the gatekeepers respond based on the tower administrator's order.
They were thousands of miles from the gorge, and they were scared that the gatekeepers might have identified them as the ones who illegally entered the gorge. They have no idea this is in relation to what happened on the gorge floor.
The horned owl woke up Dane; he heard the announcement and knew this was about the secondary characters that were placed in the gorge as a temporary character patch by the tower system. It was an impulsive response by one tower administrator hoping to balance out the sudden changes of the difficulty level of the scenario, but it seems the majority of the tower administrators refuse these random changes and see the character's sudden appearance cause the system to question the administrator's decision to do this, as they don't have any scenario related to the area.
Thus the gatekeepers were sent back to the gorge to correct this mistake. Dane stood up and wanted to make sure Melgil and a few on the Grey Ogre were able to leave the place. Siglorr Bouldergrove came rushing toward Dane's room and was about to inform him when he saw Dane was already up and preparing to leave, Siglorr Bouldergrove told Dane to never face the gatekeeper. Dane knew about the gatekeepers power and authority in the tower; they might not be great warriors, but their authority to restrict a player is absolute.
He knows this well because he programmed them to be so. He was hoping when the old gods copied the virtual game, they somewhat altered their code to be more reasonable, but it wasn't the case. The old gods were too lazy and stubborn to do anything on their own.
He was about to leave when a light flashed from the massive gate entrance, and the beam flew across the sky and landed on the gorge. It was so fast Dane could not even react; the beam exploded, and a massive shockwave rippled through the air, knocking him and Siglorr Bouldergrove off their feet. And stumble backwards as they both struggled to regain their balance.
Dane realized that the old gods were not as lazy as he had thought—they were simply waiting for the right moment to show they were watching silently..