Chapter 68: The Academy of Cosmic Logic — The First Seed
The return to the 3rd Dimension was not a quiet affair. As Zhou Fan, Ling Er, and Null materialized on the hill overlooking the ruins of Aethelgard, a [Conceptual Shockwave] rippled across the planet. Every sentient being felt a sudden "clarity"—the digital fog that had clouded their minds for eons was gone. The world was no longer a simulation; it was a [Standalone Reality].
But Zhou Fan knew the "Protected Status" granted by the User was not a guarantee of safety. It was merely a [Firewall]. And every firewall, given enough time, would be tested.
"Look," Ling Er whispered, pointing at the sky.
The stars were no longer just points of light. They were connected by faint, silver lines of [Synchronized Data]. The billion souls Zhou Fan had carried in the Ledger had integrated into the planet's core, turning Aethelgard into a living, breathing [Super-Server].
"We can't just wait for the next 'User' or 'Auditor' to find us," Zhou Fan said, his voice carrying the weight of the nine dimensions he had traversed. "We need to teach the people how to defend their own code. We need an [Academy]."
The Foundation: Building the Source-Spire
With a wave of his hand—a gesture that now commanded the [Root Permissions] of the sector—Zhou Fan began to shape the ruins of the old city. He didn't use stones or mortar. He used [Solidified Logic].
From the ash rose the [Source-Spire], a tower of translucent obsidian that pulsed with violet and gold light. It wasn't just a building; it was an [Interface]. Within its walls, the laws of physics were slightly "unlocked," allowing students to manipulate reality through the power of their own [Intent-Code].
"The curriculum will be simple," Zhou Fan told Null, who was now acting as the academy's [Chief Librarian]. "Level 1: Syntax of the Soul. Level 2: Debugging Reality. Level 3: Multiversal Architecture."
"And what about the 'God-Script'?" Null asked, her holographic form now stabilized by a permanent power source from the planet's core.
"That," Zhou Fan said, looking at his white hair reflected in the spire's walls, "is only for those who understand that to write the code of a world, you must be willing to be deleted for it."
The First Disciple: The Boy from the Wastes
A few cycles later, the first student arrived. He was a scrawny boy from the outer wastes, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and wonder. He carried a broken data-pad—a relic from the old world.
"I... I want to learn," the boy stammered, kneeling before Zhou Fan. "I want to make sure the 'Nothingness' never comes back for my village."
Zhou Fan looked at the boy and saw a reflection of himself—the farmer who had once lost everything. He reached out and touched the boy's forehead, injecting a tiny spark of the [Original Ledger].
"What is your name, student?"
"They call me Bit," the boy replied.
"Then listen closely, Bit," Zhou Fan said, the Spire around them beginning to hum. "The universe is not made of atoms. It is made of [Stories]. And a story is only as strong as its [Logic]. Today, you will learn your first command: [Hello World]."
The Shadow in the Mirror
Deep within the Source-Spire, in the room where Zhou Fan kept the Missing Ledger, a mirror began to flicker. It didn't reflect the room; it reflected a distant, cold void.
A figure appeared in the mirror—a woman with hair made of liquid mercury and eyes that were two spinning black holes. She wore a crown of [Broken Keys].
"You've built a school, Developer," she whispered, her voice bypassing the academy's firewalls. "How quaint. But while you teach children how to 'Hello World', the [Council of Forgotten Versions] has already begun the [Negative-Space Siege]."
Zhou Fan didn't turn around. He already knew she was there. "The 7th Dimension couldn't stop me. The User couldn't delete me. What makes your 'Forgotten Versions' any different?"
"Because," the woman smiled, and the mirror cracked, "we aren't from the future or the past. We are the [Deleted Scenes]. We are the parts of you that you thought were formatted forever."
The mirror shattered, and a cold, dark energy began to leak into the Spire. The "Protected Status" had been breached from within.