Chapter 13: Security Checks and Social Oblivion

Chapter 13: Security Checks and Social Oblivion

Within the Lord Civilization, all lords who have passed the trials must undergo security registration, and afterwards, experts from the Bureau of Education will conduct inspections and ratings of their territories. The first purpose is to provide newcomers with a rating, and the second is to examine whether these new lords’ territories are functioning properly.

After all, Lord Civilization is a brilliant entity, renowned across the Sea of Worlds, and every few years some unsavory elements attempt to infiltrate the civilization by exploiting new lords. Long queues formed at the inspection gates, and among the new lords, some acquaintances had begun exchanging quiet words. Smiles bloomed across their faces, though a few appeared subdued, perhaps dissatisfied with their own territories.

“Old Li, hey!” Hearing a familiar call, Li Hongshen looked up and saw someone waving to him from a neighboring line. “Brother Lei, long time no see!”

“Haha, it’s only been a day in the main world’s time—how is that a long time? Hahaha.” Indeed, a year within the lord trials equates to just a single day in the main world. The sparse crowd in the plaza was due to failed participants being sent back ahead of time. Those who failed might have already purchased tickets for world travel, arriving in another world, now sobbing in the arms of a cat-girl.

The man greeting Li Hongshen was named Fu Lei, whom he had met during the lord trial training; Fu Lei was his dormitory head, diligent and responsible, well-liked by all, and always looked after Li Hongshen.

“One day apart feels like a year—I missed you, my friend!”

“Ew, mushy much? I just saw you looking downcast; don’t tell me you still haven’t tossed out your little certificate! Hahaha, I knew it! You bragged before that with your girlfriend gone, you’d dare to do such things—but look at you now! Hahaha.”

True friends indeed—barely reunited and already trading barbs, Fu Lei’s teasing struck Li Hongshen hard. Li Hongshen didn’t bother explaining that his gloomy expression was simply because, upon checking in at the main world, he only got sixty source points; the system wouldn’t even grant him a hundred, which left him rather unhappy.

But seeing Fu Lei cheered him up, and soon he was making light of it, joking about the honor of holding onto his certificate, declaring himself a model man, saving it for his childhood sweetheart, and extolling his own virtue.

Though their banter was sharp, their smiles never faltered. Having survived the lord trials and returned to the main world to reunite with friends, their spirits were light and joyful.

The inspection moved quickly, and soon it was Li Hongshen’s turn. Five inspection channels stood at the entry, each equipped with a full suite of devices.

On the outside were security gates crafted from special metals and techniques; the gates gave a beep and flashed green as new lords passed through, checking for any forbidden items.

After the security gate, the new lord stood on a platform, surrounded by hovering machines that scanned his body for signs of corruption.

Further inside, he had to stare into a camera—this checked his mental state, though the process left his scalp tingling (quite literally).

These procedures weren’t only used in lord trials, but also at all customs checkpoints for world portals.

In essence, the purpose was to verify whether you truly belonged to this civilization. If there were issues, the authorities would investigate: if someone from an allied world tried to sneak in, they’d be sent back; if corrupted entities threatened the citizens, they’d be quarantined for treatment, and officials would trace the source to eliminate the threat.

Lord Civilization possessed systematic, in-depth research into world traversal; now, those who tried to sneak, climb over walls, or infiltrate were merely repeating old tricks the civilization had already mastered.

Once, Lord Civilization was known as Blue Star Civilization, its citizens free to roam the Sea of Worlds. At its peak, it was said that wherever there was a world, there would be a Blue Star citizen.

Yet, as lord technology rose and traversing activities became regulated, Blue Star faded from memory, and most now called it Lord Civilization.

…

Li Hongshen passed calmly through the security gate, submitted to body scans, and once again relived the memorable tingling sensation on his scalp.

This wasn’t his first security check. When he first crossed over and learned about this world, he made a major decision.

He went to the Time-Space Administration and turned himself in—not out of cowardice, but from a respect for law and order. Always a model citizen, he hoped they would send him back.

He approached the reception desk and said, “I’m a traveler from another world. I wish to surrender myself.”

The receptionist replied calmly, “Which world did you cross from?”

“Blue Star,” he answered.

“Oh, then you should go to office number five,” she said.

Li Hongshen hurried to the fifth office and declared, “I wish to surrender. I’m a traveler from Blue Star.”

The staff asked, “What was your original identity? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I was just an ordinary person. Now my heart is racing—I’d like some water.”

“We don’t have water here. Go across to office seven.”

He went to the office across the hall: “Hello, I wish to surrender. I’m a traveler from Blue Star, formerly an ordinary person, now feeling chest tightness. I need water.”

The staff there said, “Turn right as you leave, go to office ten.”

At office ten: “Hello, I wish to surrender. I’m a traveler from Blue Star, formerly an ordinary person, now feeling chest tightness and wanting water.”

The staff asked, “Do you have any cheats or special abilities?”

Li Hongshen glanced at the gray, full-screen system check-in interface floating before him. “Yes.”

“Go upstairs to office twenty!”

At office twenty: “Hello, I’m surrendering, from Blue Star, formerly an ordinary person, now feeling chest tightness, wanting water, and possessing a special ability.”

“Oh, come with me,” the man said.

At last, the uncle in office twenty gave him a cup of water and walked him through the security check process, which found nothing amiss.

Li Hongshen was unconvinced, insisting on several more checks. The uncle, smiling, accommodated him, letting him experience it repeatedly until his hair stood on end.

Then, with great patience, the uncle reassured him: “It’s alright. Everything will pass. Be strong and face life—you’re a brave young man.”

He personally drove Li Hongshen back to the Starting Point Orphanage. That evening, the incident made headline news; the broadcast featured a brief segment titled “Director of Pengcheng Time-Space Administration Comforts Martyr’s Orphan.”

The next morning, Li Hongshen received a push notification; opening it, he saw footage of himself running around the administration, along with commentary:

“A young child arrived at the Time-Space Administration to surrender himself. Staff responded with diligence, immediately checking his details. Records showed he was a martyr’s orphan, his parents recently sacrificed themselves for the civilization. Upon learning the specifics, staff made appropriate arrangements. Ultimately, Director Li Jiaqiang comforted him, gave him a tour, and let him try the latest customs equipment multiple times.”

Though Director Li Jiaqiang subjected him to a merciless social oblivion, Li Hongshen didn’t mind; he later found other ways to ‘get back’ at him.

(End of Chapter)