Chapter 133: Oh My God, Playwright!

You pressed your palms together, adopting an expression of deep, solemn reverence as you bowed toward the Playwright. “Oh, Playwright, my dearest Playwright. Please weave us a grand script where a wealthy, beautiful girl falls from the heavens to sponsor our empty wallets!”

The Playwright offered a helpless, strained smile, adjusting his collar. “Doctor, reality is not quite so malleable. A script is not all-powerful. To manifest a wish out of thin air without any prior foreshadowing… such absolute authority could only belong to a literal god.”

“Ciallo~ Doctor! Aren’t you pleasantly surprised to see me playing the hero?”

A crisp, melodic voice cut through the street’s ambient noise. A light green figure waved vigorously from down the block, completely unbothered by the bewildered stares of the Lungmen pedestrians. Even bundled in a heavy protective suit, the bulky fabric did nothing to hide her slender, graceful silhouette.

Seeing that your group had finally halted, she closed the distance with light, skipping steps. Without missing a beat, she hoisted a large insulated bag and began pulling out steaming hot cream buns, distributing them to your stunned entourage with practiced ease.

“I am Muelsyse, Director of the Ecology Section at Rhine Lab, and a very good friend of the Doctor. Go on, try some! It is authentic Columbia-style handmade bread. The wheat is a brand-new variety we just cultivated in the Ecology Section.”

She flashed a brilliant smile. “Thank you all so much for taking such good care of the Doctor lately~”

By the time she finished, no one even registered the masterful linguistic artistry she had just deployed to seize control of the room’s pacing. Instead, every single pair of eyes slowly swiveled to lock onto the Playwright in sheer, unadulterated horror.

So, what he meant just a second ago was… he had already ascended to godhood?!

He was actually this overpowered?!

The Playwright, entirely unprepared for this catastrophic coincidence, frantically waved his hands. “It was not me! I have not even put pen to paper yet! I swear upon my life, this is merely a coincidence!”

Not a single soul believed him. The collective gaze pinned him down like a monster hiding his true power level behind a flimsy disguise.

Desperate, the Playwright yanked out his signature quill, rotating it to display every angle. “Look at the nib! There is absolutely no ink! It genuinely was not me!”

Mu Luo leaned over, casually nudging his colleague in the ribs. “Hey, if he is about to become the God of the New World, does he even need something as mundane as ink?”

You caught the cultural reference instantly, your head snapping back. ‘Kid, do you want a notebook of death to go with that ambition?’

Out of options and utterly incapable of defending his innocence, the Playwright pointed an accusatory finger at Muelsyse. “Ask her yourselves! This is definitely not a script of my making!”

Muelsyse blinked, her clear eyes wide with innocent confusion. “What script? Wasn’t it the Doctor who invited me to meet up here?”

The oppressive weight of the crowd’s stare immediately shifted back to you. You merely shrugged, your expression perfectly flat. “I didn’t exactly contact her.”

‘It was probably 0325 who sent the ping,’you thought to yourself.’I wonder if that little AI has already clocked out and gone into sleep mode…’

The rest of the group exchanged knowing glances. Understood. It was definitely the Playwright’s doing.

Mu Luo pressed the offensive. “As far as I know, inserting a non-existent cause and effect into reality is a classic trope used in the Crimson Troupe’s tragedy performances.”

The Playwright choked on his own breath. Before he could mount a final, desperate defense, you brought the gavel down, permanently pinning the blame to his chest.

“It is fine. There is no need to be so tense,” you said smoothly. “Rhodes Island operators are entitled to keep their own secrets. Everyone, let us drop the subject.”

‘No, do not drop it! Interrogate me!’The Playwright’s face turned a spectacular shade of purple as he practically suffocated on the injustice.’Sorry, little kitty,’you mused internally.’Rhodes Island doesn’t mind hoarding another god-tier entity, but the sudden resurrection of a roguelike male ghost is way too provocative for Kal’tsit’s highly sensitive nerves. Between two evils, I choose the lesser. Just take the fall for me now. I promise I won’t treat you badly once we officially board the landship!’

…Probably.

Muelsyse wisely ignored the chaotic undercurrents swirling between you and the theater phantom, stepping smoothly to your side. “Doctor, the things you talk about are always so complicated~ Are you hungry? Why don’t you come with me to find something good to eat?”

You watched her play dumb with quiet amusement. Rhine Lab was currently tearing itself apart with internal factional warfare. Until the Director’s overarching problem was resolved, Muelsyse only wanted to leech off Rhodes Island’s resources without getting dragged into any extra political crossfire.

‘How clever, Water Elf.’

But you hardly cared about her little parasitic tendencies. You were not in a miserable state like Tabo; you had no need to penny-pinch. You possessed more than enough capital to provide shelter and a little selfless backing to the operators you favored.

“Sure,” you replied, gesturing toward the familiar neon sign of the Green Spark. “Why don’t we head inside and chat?”

Standing behind the counter, Cheng Shan watched in absolute bewilderment. The exact same group that had just slinked out in embarrassment due to a lack of funds was now marching right back through his doors—this time towing a radiant, stunning girl who practically radiated old money.

Did they just walk outside and hypnotize a walking wallet?

First a stray cat, then a dog, and now a billionaire… Did this guy have a Poké Ball hidden in his coat? Did he just capture anyone he made eye contact with?!

Muelsyse casually slapped down a premium Columbia check to cover your previous tab, her eyes scanning the menu. “Bring us your most expensive dishes, and do not stop bringing them until I say so. You accept these, correct?”

Cheng Shan retreated to the kitchen in a complete daze. Meanwhile, Muelsyse handled the restaurant’s layout with practiced elegance, stopping at the premium wine cabinet. She selected a heavy, dust-frosted bottle covered in dense Victorian script.

Taking a seat opposite you as if she owned the establishment, she snapped her fingers. A subtle pulse of Originium Arts rippled through the air. The cork popped on its own, and the rich, crimson liquid elegantly arched through the air, pouring itself perfectly into two crystal glasses.

The elf raised her glass with one hand, tilting her head to deliver her signature, devastating wink. “A 1090 Romanée… The market price for vintages prior to 1093 has been skyrocketing lately. I cannot even buy this caliber of fine Victorian wine back in Columbia. Doctor, a good vintage is hard to come by. Keep me company for a drink.”

“No thanks. I am allergic to alcohol,” you replied, politely shutting down the invitation. “I can clink glasses with you using fruit juice, though.”

This Water Elf was physically incapable of getting drunk. She was absolutely plotting something nefarious by trying to lower your inhibitions.

Muelsyse did not look the least bit disappointed. She took a delicate sip of the ruby liquid, letting the silence stretch before pivoting straight to business.

“Doctor, aren’t we supposed to be in a partnership? Your subordinates, Saria and Silence, have not provided me with a single ounce of convenience. Especially Saria. She always keeps to herself whenever she returns to Rhine Lab, and now she actually expects me to assist her!”

Her clear, expressive eyes brimmed with accusation and grievance, painting you as a heartless scoundrel who only fed empty promises to his allies.

Faced with such a sorrowful, devastating gaze, your resolve remained absolute. You deliberately reached up, tugging the brim of your hood down slightly as your lead-gray eyes met hers with chilling calm.

“That is hardly fair to say, my dear Muelsyse,” you murmured. “You know perfectly well that the assistance I provide you goes far beyond such trivial matters. Isn’t Dorothy proving quite useful?”

Realizing her guilt trip had completely bounced off your armor, Muelsyse dropped the act with a soft sigh, nodding in concession. “She is indeed useful. So, what exactly did you write on those few pages you gave her? She chases me around the facility every single day now, begging for the rest of the manuscript.”

Dorothy was a fellow Director at Rhine Lab. Having the full, unbridled support of a colleague who cared absolutely nothing for internal factional struggles had genuinely made Muelsyse’s life significantly easier.

“You do not research that specific field, so you wouldn’t understand the mechanics even if I explained them.”

Dorothy’s research direction—her absolute obsession—was the creation of a simulated utopia connected entirely by neurotransmitters. In your own blunt terms: a brain in a vat.

From your perspective as a gamer, her grand vision was little more than a miniaturized Laterano mainframe mashed together with a super-miniature version of the Seaborn’s hive mind. Jotting down a few basic conceptual principles had been more than enough to trigger a massive scientific epiphany for the Jerboa.

“If you add Saria to the mix, Rhine Lab will truly become your own personal fiefdom,” Muelsyse pressed, leaning across the table. “The price you are paying and the help you are receiving are simply not equivalent.”

“Saria is my employee. You are merely my business partner. Are you not?”

You offered a faint, knowing smile, delivering a gentle but firm warning to the overly greedy Water Elf. Then, shifting the atmosphere entirely, you casually dropped the question you actually cared about.

“Now then… do you remember why I asked you to come here?”

[Rhodes’s Note: “God of the New World” is a famous line spoken by Light Yagami in the anime Death Note. The “roguelike male ghost” refers to the Playwright’s role as a secret boss in the Integrated Strategies game mode Phantom & Crimson Solitaire.]

[Rhodes’s Note:

Enjoying the operation so far, Doctor?

(This daily grind literally pays the landship’s rent! 🙇‍♂️):

Massive thanks for reading and supporting the operation!]