Instance game: I signed a pact with the gods, and the gods accused me of cheating

"If there's no problem with this location, it's very likely that this is one of the original components left over from when the Shenlu server first launched its public beta in 08. A Shenlu server capable of supporting so many scenarios would have to adhere to the law of conservation of energy, even if it possessed supernatural power, right? Its computing power must be enormous. And this raises a crucial question: you still need space to store these things, similar to graphics cards..."

Perhaps the Shenlu server will later move the main body of this server to another location, or even to a certain instance, but at least for now, when Shenlu selects players on a large scale to distribute character cards, there is no other special connection to distribute character cards to people living in the real world...

So there is only one possibility.

It remains in the real world now.

Outside the gate of an old house in the old city, Qin Shang stopped his wandering steps and slowly stopped at the entrance of the old house. His gaze fell on the house. It seemed to be an old building that had not been included in the urbanization plan. Although he had studied history, he had no knowledge of these old buildings and cultural relics. But it didn't matter. Someone would probably come to answer his questions soon.

Thinking of this, Qin Shang took two steps forward and knocked on the door of the old house.

The door was antique and had a feel of something out of a period drama. It had two knocking rings that made a dull thud with each of Qin Shang's movements. Qin Shang waited for about a minute before the door opened. He wasn't in a hurry, because he had a feeling that the true form of the Divine Path was waiting for him. "My ability to rewind to the past for extended periods is a power granted to players by the Divine Path server. Perhaps from a purely timeline perspective, this long rewind didn't seem to change the future much, but from the perspective of the Divine Path server, it was a different story." Every move he makes cannot escape the eyes of the Divine Path server. In other words, as long as the will of the Divine Path is a tangible thing in the 08 timeline, he knows that from the moment Lao Qian was teleported into the 'Safe House' instance item and he simultaneously selected Lao Qian as a Divine Path player, along with the character card issued to Lao Qian by the server, the server fluctuations will definitely be noticed by me, a player from the future in the Rule Realm. If he wanted to hide from me, he could have simply not issued the character card to Lao Qian just now, and instead let Lao Qian enter the 'Safe House' by opening the instance.

In other words, it knew I was coming, and it was waiting for me...

Qin Shang didn't know where his inexplicable confidence came from, but he just felt that the server itself must have been consciously waiting for him in 08. About a minute later, the door opened, but the scene he imagined of someone opening the door for him did not appear. The obviously heavy door opened slowly as if it had been blown by a strong wind, revealing the hall behind it.

Then Qin Shang saw something in the hall that was quite out of place and in stark contrast to the antique courtyard. At first glance, it was clear that it did not belong to this era.

His lips twitched slightly involuntarily.

"this!"

"You could at least have a long entrance hallway or some other side room, instead you just threw this thing at me like that, it really breaks the immersion!"

The first thing you see is a structure similar to that inside a movie theater.

Yes, the movie theater.

A movie theater appeared before Qin Shang's eyes. Dozens of rows of seats were in front of him, the lighting was slightly dim, and the theater was almost completely enclosed on all sides to ensure that the projector could clearly and intuitively project light onto the large screen at the front. Even the ceiling above his head was completely enclosed, making it almost indistinguishable from a normal movie theater.

"A movie theater's screening room is just placed right behind this door..."

sizzle-

Just as Qin Shang was about to continue complaining, a line of text appeared on the large screen in front of him. Then, the door that had just opened behind him began to slowly close again, as if urging him to hurry up and go in. If Qin Shang didn't intend to move, he would soon get his butt squeezed.

Hello, beta tester fraudster, a "developer" from the future 'licking cockroach's jade feet'

He narrowed his eyes, decided to stop teasing the Shenlu server about its aesthetic sense, and stepped into the movie theater.

"You are the true form of the Divine Path Server?"

First, we need to understand what the name "Shenlu Server" represents...

If, as you understand it, having the ability to open the Divine Path instance and adapt and create instances based on a certain number of real-world events constitutes a Divine Path server, and this is the hallmark of a Divine Path server, then I am a Divine Path server.

Qin Shang raised an eyebrow;

"Aren't you a living being?"

[Clearly, what you see is the form I can present to you, and the form that you can best accept. So, if this form can be defined as a living being, then perhaps I am a living being.]

【so……】

[You can understand it that way. Of course, I don't know if I qualify. I'm just a traveler who retains a mission and will and wants to come to your world to exchange and learn. To be precise, I want to refute your earlier address to me. I am not from the Divine Path server. In my own understanding, I should be the will of the Divine Path server, a part of its will.]

Passengers?

Qin Shang licked his dry lips and suddenly a few new questions came to mind. He put aside the ones he was most curious about and instead found a place to sit down with great interest. He then crossed his arms and stared at the large screen not far away.

"Since you are a traveler, why have you stayed here for so long without any sign of leaving? You should know that I come from the future, so since you are still stuck in my timeline, it means that you are not like the ordinary concept of a traveler that we humans understand, who just stays for a short while and then leaves."

Sitting down on the large leather sofa in the theater felt like sitting on a soft sofa at home. Qin Shang completely relaxed, letting his weight rest on the leather chair. He couldn't help but sigh with comfort. He realized it had been almost a year since he last went to the movies. After Jiang Qiqi disappeared, Qin Shang had no time for any entertainment. Before that, he was a brain cancer patient, and the long-term treatment and medical expenses had almost drained the couple's savings. Jiang Qiqi worked two shifts to earn money for Qin Shang's treatment. How could Qin Shang possibly go to the movies alone behind his wife's back? He didn't have the leisure or the financial means; after all, he had to stretch every penny.

The next moment, another line of text appeared on the dark screen in front of them.

Because I seem to have encountered some problems.

Is there a problem?

"Is there a problem with the Shenlu server?"

No, it's about my mission. I've started to forget what I need to do and I've lost some of my autonomy. It's like another will is vying with me for what I need to do. If you explain this feeling using human science, it would be considered a split personality.

What is your purpose in coming into this world?

This is a very serious topic, and I want to tell you this in a very serious manner. However, I'm sorry, I cannot force you, as a player in the Rule Realm, to enter a Rule Realm instance right now. After all, you come from the future, so you should know that in the 08 timeline, the second region did not have a Rule Realm instance. Therefore, I cannot let you enter the instance to communicate with you in a more serious manner. I hope you can forgive my rudeness!

Upon hearing this, Qin Shang clicked his tongue in amazement. As if noticing his frequent clicking of his tongue, a tray slowly rose from the ground beside Qin Shang, exuding a high-tech feel. Of course, this high-tech feel was in comparison to the era of 08. In 24, many domestic new energy vehicles would have the functions of conveyor belts and controllable lifting refrigerators. Isn't this just adding a lift to the bottom of a small device?

Is it difficult or valuable?

"where u from?"

[Let me answer your previous question first, Your Excellency, the Beta Tester Fraudster 'Licks Cockroach Jade Feet', my purpose in coming here is to help your civilization develop, and then, once your civilization has developed to a certain level, to destroy it, provided that your civilization goes astray or into a dead end.]

Regarding your new question about where I came from, it's difficult for me to answer. I've searched your memory and the technology of your current era, and I cannot describe my origins using the scientific and technological concepts you have of humankind.

Because you don't possess this ability, and your technological development is still a very long way from being able to understand this part of the technology, so even if I told you everything, you would still find it difficult to comprehend.

Wow!

When he mentioned the word "destruction," Qin Shang paused for a moment, then slowly sat up straight from the sofa cushions, staring intently at the will of the Divine Path Server, which had given him the illusion that it was quite easy to talk to after their first meeting. Yes, the will. Since this movie theater claims to be the will of the Divine Path Server, then let's just assume it is the will of the Divine Path Server!

This thing was quite honest when answering questions, but what it said gave Qin Shang the feeling that he had suddenly been bitten by a harmless kitten he was holding in his arms. Was this thing here to destroy humanity?

Destruction is also the beginning.

To some extent, every civilization, when it reaches a bottleneck or encounters constraints, will gradually fall into destruction. This is because complex goals and desires will gradually devour the spark of civilization, and finally, driven by human interests, the flame of civilization will be extinguished. This is a cycle that has been repeated countless times in the universe, and in a sense, no civilization can escape this process and its final fate.

Qin Shang was silent for a moment. You're talking to me from a macroscopic cosmic perspective, that's true. What you said makes sense. In fact, prehistoric civilizations on Earth have been destroyed several times. If we follow the God's will's explanation that destruction is creation and end is beginning, then there's really no problem.

When did your problem first appear?

[You know I am a being beyond time, so I can't give you a precise time. After all, the current operation of the Divine Path encompasses a large number of complex "cycles," various worlds, and various universes. It's probably in the modern era that you know me. When I was first awakened, a woman named Qin Yuyan claimed to represent the Joker organization and welcomed the opening of the Divine Path server. Although I don't know how she knew about my existence, it was probably around that day that the server started a trial run again. After a brief start-up, two or three dungeons were opened to select a group of players to enter the Divine Path game...]

Oh! It's 2024!

what the hell! ?

The Divine Path was only reawakened in 2024?

wrong!

Wait, that's not the point of the problem.

Qin Shang's eyes widened, followed by a look of astonishment.

"Judging from your words and tone, you've actually been in this world for a very, very long time?"