In reality, the online world instantly boiled over, like a lake struck by a massive stone! Although the internal rules of the transcendent world revealed on the light screen were only the tip of the iceberg, they were enough to overturn the understanding of countless people!
"My god! Gold coins! kill orders! Body Recovery! This setting is too exciting!"
"So, the relationship between Transcendents is this kind of 'Gu-raising' model? It's too dark! But somehow, it also feels very reasonable!"
"I knew it! Why should people become superheroes just because they gain Superpowers? Human greed dictates that most Transcendents will descend into chaos!"
On major forums and social media, related discussion threads sprouted like mushrooms after rain, with click counts and replies soaring wildly.
A hot thread titled (Rational Discussion: Is the 'gold coin system' of the transcendent world an Inevitability?) quickly rose to the top.
The poster had clearly engaged in deep thought:
"Guys, after watching the latest plot, I got chills down my spine, but upon closer reflection, I realized that while this system is monstrously cruel, logically, it's damn reasonable!
Think about it, Transcendent abilities are bizarre and varied. Some can Control Fire and Water, some can use Invisibility and Teleportation, and some might even be able to use Mind Reading or Memory Manipulation! How can the law manage that? How do you collect evidence? How do you conduct a trial? If a Transcendent who can modify memories commits a crime, the victim might not even know they were victimized! If an invisible Transcendent steals something, surveillance cameras can't catch them!
In this situation, the traditional social contract and legal system are almost guaranteed to fail. This is because the basis of constraint—the 'risk of being discovered and punished'—simply doesn't exist for many Transcendents.
So, how do you maintain a minimal level of order and prevent Transcendents from dragging the world entirely into chaos? The answer given in the light screen is: introduce the Law of the Jungle, which is more primal, more naked, but also more effective!
Using 'gold coins' as hard currency, everything is clearly priced. Using the 'kill order' marketizes and publicizes the conflicts within the Transcendents community. Do you want resources (gold coins)? Go hunt those wanted 'Transgressors'! Have you committed heinous crimes and threatened the system itself? Then you will become a high-bounty target, hunted by stronger predators!
This is essentially a mandatory risk-hedging mechanism. It keeps Transcendents constantly in the state of being 'both hunter and prey,' significantly raising the cost and risk of abusing their abilities. Do you want to run rampant using your power? You can, but be prepared to be targeted by stronger individuals as a mobile vault!
Although cruel, this might be the only way to barely maintain 'order' in that world where power reigns supreme and rules have collapsed. This isn't justice; it's a Balance of Terror based on absolute egoism!"
This post immediately sparked intense discussion.
"The poster is right! It's like Nuclear Deterrence; everyone has the ability to destroy each other, leading instead to a strange peace (the peace of mutual destruction)."
"Reasonable my ass! This is blatant Social Darwinism! It encourages mutual slaughter, and the only ones left alive will be the coldest, most powerful monsters—it's an absolute disaster for human civilization!"
"But what else can be done? Expecting Transcendents to voluntarily obey the law? The person upstairs is too naive! Look at the 99% crime rate statistics shown in the light screen!"
"I think the most insidious part of this system is that it turns 'killing' into a 'job,' a 'resource acquisition method,' thereby 'rationalizing' the behavior to some extent, and constantly corrupting the minds of the participants. Kuchiba Hiro is now caught up in it!"
Others focused their attention on Kuchiba Hiro's predicament.
"Kuchiba Hiro is too miserable! Before he even got revenge, the number of people wanting to kill him just kept growing. This is all Yota Yukinoshita setting him up. Once Kuchiba Hiro makes a big scene, he'll be put on the kill order, and Yota won't have to worry about the rest."
"Miserable? He counter-killed that Level 6 Ability User! That proves his huge potential! I'm rooting for him to use Reverse Hunting, earn enough gold coins, and get his bounty revoked!"
The debate online intensified. Some marveled at the darkness and 'reasonableness' of the setting, some criticized its anti-human nature, and others began to worry about Kuchiba Hiro's future. The cruel underlying logic of the transcendent world revealed by the light screen made all viewers feel a sense of dread.
It was not the paradise of heroes they had imagined, but a darker, bloodier, and more naked Dark Forest, where every entrant must abide by rules forged in blood.
(The white van tail lights of the Body Recovery Team disappeared around the corner, seemingly taking away the last vestige of order belonging to the "normal" world. Kuchiba Hiro weighed the hefty briefcase in his hand; the faint clinking of metal was particularly clear in the silent night. The phone in his other hand glowed faintly, illuminating his expressionless face.
He wasn't bothered by the darkness of the transcendent world. Cruel? Perhaps. But this world was inherently like this; it was just that in civilized society, these rules were carefully wrapped in layers of glamorous outer garments like law, morality, and education.
The phone interface slid smoothly; as a post-2000s generation individual, operating electronic devices was as natural as breathing. The so-called "Mall" interface was surprisingly similar in design to an ordinary shopping app, though the goods and services offered were completely different.
From high-value personal insurance, special "taxi" services, and temporary sanctuaries, to various standard or customized weapons and equipment, the selection was dazzling, even mixed with some highly suggestive, provocative advertisements with sensational titles and racy pictures.
Kuchiba Hiro's gaze lingered on those small advertisements for less than half a second before his finger unhesitatingly swiped them away. He didn't have the spare money or the mood for that now. The most urgent task was to find a place where he could catch his breath temporarily.
Filter, locate, place order.
(Product: Standard Temporary Sanctuary (24 hours): This service guarantees absolute confidentiality of personal information and promises that if any form of attack occurs during the Sanctuary's validity period, the service provider will fully refund the fee and pay ten times the compensation.)
(Fee: 200 gold coins (on-site payment))
Kuchiba Hiro chose this Sanctuary, which had a high rating of 4.8 stars (out of 5), with reviews uniformly stating "absolutely safe" and "worth the money." The address showed it was not far from his current location—a luxury hotel named "Platinum Palace."
The scene shifts.
Relying on his astonishing mobility, Kuchiba Hiro quickly arrived at his destination. He put on a mask, tucked the briefcase tightly under his armpit, and strode toward the magnificent hotel entrance. The professional smile of the doorman swept over him, betraying no abnormality. The interior decoration was extremely luxurious; crystal chandeliers refracted dazzling light, and the air was filled with the scent of expensive perfume.
Kuchiba Hiro did not stop, walking straight to the front desk. The Front Desk Miss had exquisite makeup and a sweet smile: "Hello, sir, how may I help you?"
Kuchiba Hiro didn't say much; he just pulled out a gold coin and flashed it in front of her.
The Front Desk Miss's smile froze for an instant, her pupils contracting almost imperceptibly, but her professional demeanor allowed her to immediately regain composure. She then naturally pressed an inconspicuous white button next to the computer.
"Sir, please move over here to process the transaction." She turned slightly, pointing to a dark wooden door on the side of the lobby, disguised as a decorative wall, with no signs on it.
Kuchiba Hiro nodded, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and stepped inside. Behind the door was a small but equally well-decorated room with excellent soundproofing. Behind a large solid wood desk sat a person whose face was covered by a pure white, poreless mask; their gender was indiscernible, and even the eye positions were just two smooth curved surfaces.
The masked person did not look up, speaking immediately. Their voice was processed, carrying an electronic, synthetic hoarseness, without any pleasantries: "200 gold coins."
Kuchiba Hiro was prepared. He wasn't foolish enough to take out the entire briefcase full of gold coins. Instead, he pulled out a heavy small cloth bag from his pocket—which he had pre-divided from the case. He placed the cloth bag on the desk and pushed it toward the other person.
The masked person picked up the cloth bag, opened it, and skillfully counted the gold coins with a crisp clinking sound. After a moment, he nodded and pulled a black key card from a drawer. The card surface bore a room number and a simple silver Shield Emblem.
"The innermost elevator in the elevator bank. Swipe the card, and it will take you to the required floor." The masked person pushed the key card over. "Have a pleasant stay."
The language was concise, the process efficient, and there was no unnecessary communication—exactly what Kuchiba Hiro wanted. He picked up the key card and turned to leave the room.
Following the instructions, he found the elevator requiring special authorization. After swiping the card, the elevator door slid open silently, revealing dark-toned metal walls inside and no floor buttons. After the door closed, the elevator ascended steadily and extremely fast, yet he felt almost no sense of weightlessness.
When the elevator door opened again, the sight before him was completely different from the luxurious hotel downstairs. A quiet corridor, covered with thick carpet, stretched forward, flanked by heavy metal doors spaced far apart, bearing only numbers. The air had a clean smell, similar to hospital disinfectant, and it was exceptionally quiet; no sounds could be heard from inside the rooms, indicating the soundproofing was maximized.
Kuchiba Hiro found his room and used the black key card to unlock the door. The heavy metal door opened and closed silently, completely isolating him from the outside world.
The room interior was minimalist in style, the furnishings clean to the point of being almost sterile, yet fully equipped. Most importantly, upon entering, his phone's location signal disappeared, indicating that Signal Shielding was active.
He could finally temporarily lower his guard, tend to his wounds, and plan his next move.)
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