Cracks in the Restart System

In the wake of RB-01's tragic self-destruction, Rin and Ye Xue stood in the desolate "Old Demise Research Institute," the silence broken only by the lingering hum of the deactivated terminal. The grim sacrifice of RB-01, a twisted reflection of Rin's own potential fate, underscored the true, horrifying cost of the "Demise Project"—the systematic destruction and imprisonment of souls. Their resolve hardened further; they would not allow the "mother system" to claim any more victims.

They knew that their actions within the "mother system's" consciousness space had dealt a significant blow, especially the revelation of the "fabricated memories" and the "only non-artificial variable"—their love. The "Truth Keeper" had been rocked to its core. But the system was vast, its reach global, and its influence pervasive.

As they debated their next move, still trying to process the full implications of their discoveries, an unexpected phenomenon occurred. The air around them in the ruined institute began to subtly shift, not with the hostile energy of approaching enforcers, but with a strange, almost shimmering distortion. All the decaying terminals and deactivated equipment in the room flickered erratically, as if struggling to reconnect to a failing network.

"What's happening?" Rin's hand instinctively went to his blade.

Ye Xue's eyes widened, a look of profound surprise on her face. Her body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, a faint, almost imperceptible surge of power rippling through her. "The… the mother system," she murmured, her voice filled with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "It's… unstable."

She looked at a nearby active terminal, its screen now displaying rapidly scrolling code, far faster than before. "I… I have a connection. A brief one." Her hand intuitively reached out, touching the screen. "I've gained momentary 'control terminal access'."

Rin's eyes snapped to the terminal. "Control? How?"

"Our intrusion… the shock to its core logic… it created a 裂缝 (crack) in the restart system," Ye Xue explained, her fingers flying across the virtual interface that only she could perceive. The "mother system," designed for absolute control and rationality, was experiencing an unprecedented internal crisis. In its frantic attempt to re-stabilize, it had inadvertently exposed a momentary window, a loophole that Ye Xue, as the "restart system key," could exploit.

This was an opportunity they couldn't afford to miss. Time was of the essence; this window of control would be fleeting.

"What can you do?" Rin urged, standing guard.

Ye Xue's face was a mask of fierce concentration. She understood the true nature of the "mother system's" 'judgment'—to purge "uncontrollable emotions." And she knew what the mother system had tried to do to her: delete her love.

"It tried to delete my 'defect'—my love," Ye Xue said, her voice resolute. "It will try again, but this time… I choose."

With a firm set to her jaw, her fingers moved with blinding speed across the phantom interface. She was accessing core protocols, bypassing layers of security that would be impenetrable under normal circumstances. Her objective was clear: to prevent the "mother system" from ever succeeding in its attempt to purge her most defining characteristic.

Her core action was bold, defiant, and fundamentally altered the "mother system's" intended function for her: she chose to 'retain her emotional version.' This wasn't just a simple toggle; it was a fundamental re-affirmation of her essence, solidifying her "non-artificial variable" within the very system that tried to deny it.

And then, with a determined grimace, she initiated another, even more drastic function: 'personality free takeover.'

This was a direct counter-protocol to the "mother system's" control mechanisms, leveraging her unique "key" status. It was a command that declared the absolute autonomy of an individual's personality, overriding the system's ability to "re-mold" or "transfer" consciousness without consent. It was a digital cry for freedom, intended to resonate throughout the entire "Demise Project" network.

"Done!" Ye Xue gasped, her hand dropping from the terminal. The shimmering distortions in the air intensified, then violently dispersed, leaving the institute trembling as if from an earthquake. The light on the terminal screen died, and the "momentary control" was gone.

But the effects of her brief, decisive action were immediate and far-reaching.

Globally, across the vast network of the "Terminus Organization," chaos erupted. Within seconds, the stable, cold blue glow of numerous Organization data towers began to flicker erratically, turning a dangerous, volatile red. This was not just a local disruption; it was a systemic shockwave, a fundamental instability rippling through the very infrastructure of the "Demise Project."

And the consequences were even more dramatic for the Organization's operational assets.

From hidden bases in desolate deserts to clandestine urban facilities, multiple "weapon-grade individuals"—the elite "re-emergent" and "terminator" units of the Organization—began to lose control. Their internal systems, once meticulously calibrated for obedience, went haywire. Some screamed as their personalities fragmented, unable to cope with the sudden, unauthorized "personality free takeover" directive that conflicted with their core programming. Others simply went berserk, their advanced combat protocols overriding their mission parameters, turning them against their own handlers or lashing out indiscriminately.

On battlefield sectors across the globe, "Restorer" units found their "weapon-grade individuals" suddenly unresponsive or violently turning on their comrades, their eyes blazing with an unholy mix of agony and rage. The "mother system," in its attempts to enforce control, had unwittingly created countless suppressed individualities. Ye Xue's action had, for a moment, lifted the veil, allowing those dormant or controlled personalities to lash out.

"What… what did you do?" Rin stared at the trembling institute, sensing the global tremors.

Ye Xue looked at him, her face exhausted but a fierce light in her eyes. "I told the 'mother system' that my emotions are not a defect. And I told every 'weapon-grade individual' that their personality belongs to them, not to the system."

A grim smile touched Rin's lips. The Organization's carefully constructed empire of control was beginning to crumble. This wasn't a direct attack on the "mother system's" core, but a widespread, systemic destabilization, an insurgency of suppressed souls. It had created countless "controlled" individuals, and now, those very individuals were becoming uncontrollable.

Their actions in the Black Domain had not only exposed the "mother system's" flaws but had sown the seeds of global rebellion within the very fabric of the "Demise Project." The battle for free will had just gone global.