Faced with this situation, the previously rigid family system—now more aptly called the Ho System—offered no hints or guidance. Rhett was puzzled. Surely, it wasn't as simple as just thinking about it and suddenly claiming the world as his ho, right? He even tried it, ntally repeating the thought several tis, but nothing happened. Clearly, that idea was too naive.
After pondering for a mont, Rhett decided to return to the screen he had seen earlier.
[Family mber has ascended to the pinnacle of the world. Please choose how to handle the world.]
[1. Set as Ho]
[2. Devour]
[Note: Once a Ho is established, changing it will require the destruction of the original Ho.]
"Set as Ho..."
Rhett tentatively selected the first option, then waited quietly for the next developnt.
[Setting successful. Details available in the Ho interface.]
Rhett pondered this as he followed the instructions to return to the Ho panel. Upon doing so, he noticed that the panel twisted slightly before undergoing so changes.
[Family Head: Rhett Green]
[Second Generation mbers: Tucker Green, Reile Green, Tyrus Green]
[Third Generation mbers: Dick Green, Tricia Green, Kares Green, Kazena Green, Aileen Green, Abel Green]
[Ho: ?]
[Ho Core: Inactive]
[Text Simulation]
[Real Simulation]
[Fate Points: 4217]
[Ho Origin]
As Rhett scanned the panel from top to bottom, a feeling of surprise crept over him:
"It was that easy to set up? And there's a question mark? Hmm, could it be like when my daughters-in-law first gave birth? Do I need to na it for it to show up? Since it's a Ho, I'll na it after the family na..."
As soon as he made the decision, the question mark imdiately changed to [Ho: Green].
"Ho Core... what exactly is that, and what does it do?"
Rhett muttered to himself, intrigued by the new terms that had appeared. As he continued to scroll down, he was suddenly taken aback.
"Ho Origin? What does that an? Could it be about explaining the secrets of this system?"
With his mind racing, Rhett focused on the final section labeled [Ho Origin].
In an instant, the world around him spun.
Rhett felt as if the light screen before him had dissolved into smoke, and he lost all sense of the world around him. It was as if he had been transported into a pitch-black void, surrounded by an endless, empty space, without any concept of ti or distance.
Before he could ponder what was happening, a small point of light appeared in front of him, like a shining star, and within a mont, it was directly in front of him.
"Greetings, new heir of the Ho."
A voice, unfamiliar yet warm, echoed in Rhett's ears, making him instinctively wary. But the voice was gentle and deep, like that of a kind elderly man, with no trace of malice.
Rhett quickly composed himself, took in his surroundings of utter darkness, and cautiously asked the light before him:
"Who are you? Why are you here? What is your connection to the Ho?"
The light did not respond imdiately. Instead, it rapidly expanded and shifted in shape, soon forming a humanoid silhouette with a faintly discernible face.
Rhett blinked in surprise as he took in the sight before him. The figure's appearance was incredibly modern—wearing a senior's T-shirt, jeans, black sunglasses, and even a tal wristwatch...
The glowing figure, with its white hair and glowing form, looked Rhett in the eyes and shook his head with a smile:
"My na? I can't rember it anymore. I only know that I am a remnant of a spirit, retaining so of my forr consciousness and mories, but these have been fading with ti. I don't know how much remains now..."
"A remnant spirit?" Rhett blinked, asking in surprise.
"That's correct. To be honest with you, I am the previous owner of this Ho. I t with an unfortunate end and sealed part of my spirit here before I died."
Lacking evidence, Rhett was not inclined to believe this story right away. Instead, he probed further:
"Can you tell more about your past and give a detailed explanation of this Ho?"
The glowing figure seed to have anticipated Rhett's question, smiling knowingly as he replied:
"Of course, that's no problem. If I don't share this history with you, I doubt our conversation could proceed much further."
"I appreciate it. I'm all ears," Rhett responded, thanking the figure.
"So of my mories tell that I was once just an ordinary college student. By chance, I obtained the Ho System and, through its simulations, rose to the peak of my life. Within a century, I beca the ruler of my world and used the simulation ability to break through one technological barrier after another. For instance, I unlocked the ultimate secrets of mitochondria, extending life indefinitely. I also developed generation after generation of starships, exploring the cosmos and colonizing countless star systems and planets. The high-tech advancents we made through simulations revolutionized our lives and our very existence..."
The glowing figure appeared to be lost in reminiscence, a look of wistful nostalgia on his face. But suddenly, he frowned and continued:
"However, I can't seem to recall the specifics of those scientific advancents. In short, I led the people of Hope Star to explore countless mysteries of the universe. With the simulations guiding us, we conquered nurous planets, amassing untold resources. Although we encountered alien lifeforms along the way, no alien civilization was ever a match for us. Even after exploring for thousands upon thousands of years, we never encountered a civilization more advanced than our own..."
As he listened to the figure's story, Rhett felt a sense of awe, as though he were experiencing it all firsthand. He found himself less skeptical about the truth of what was being said.
After all, he himself had benefited from the simulations. Although the power systems seed different from those in his world, following a different path, rising to greatness with a clear view of the future wasn't so far-fetched.
"So, what exactly happened to you? How did sothing go wrong, even with the simulations on your side?"
Rhett asked, curiosity piqued. He couldn't fathom how soone who had mastered the future and reached the pinnacle of the universe could have fallen...
The glowing figure fell silent for a mont before replying:
"Perhaps after millions of years of using simulations to our advantage, we had beco too accustod to smooth sailing in the universe. During one of our starship expeditions to colonize a planet, we encountered an unforeseen event that was beyond the simulations' predictions."
"Initially, everything was going according to the simulations, with our AI systems ensuring that every detail of our journey matched the predicted trajectory. But during the voyage, our star tracker recorded a rift opening in the fabric of space. A blinding white beam shot out, striking our ship with perfect accuracy and obliterating everything... including ."
"How could that be?" Rhett exclaid. "Did you see where the beam ca from? Is there a similar energy form in the universe? How could it have deviated from the simulation's forecast?"
"I have no idea," the glowing figure replied. "I believe that beam didn't belong to my universe. It must have transcended the Ho System's capabilities, making it impossible for the simulation to foresee. To put it in the terms of our world, it was perhaps... a higher-dinsional attack, like sothing out of a science fiction novel."
Rhett didn't rush to refute this. Instead, he fell into thoughtful silence, recognizing the plausibility of the figure's theory. If both [Real Simulation] and [Text Simulation] had failed to prevent an accident, it was likely due to interference from a more powerful force.
Rhett's expression grew somber as he carefully chose his words, saying, "It might have been a higher-dinsional force beyond the simulation's scope. After all, I'm certain that the universe and worlds are not unique—there are too many unknowns out there, and no place can be considered completely safe..."
"Indeed..." The glowing figure sighed deeply. "But the Ho is still your best tool for exploring the unknown. There's no doubt about that. It will allow you to gain even greater power."
Rhett didn't dispute this. He nodded slightly and said, "To be honest, I just unlocked the Ho and arrived here. Since you were the previous owner, you're technically my predecessor. Can you explain how to make the most of the Ho?"
"Certainly. Let think..." The glowing figure pondered for a mont before slowly continuing, "I rember that when I first activated the Ho, it was after I had unified the world and ascended to its pinnacle. Since you've done the sa, it ans you're also a peak figure in your world. How advanced is your world's technology?"
"Technology? Our world has no technology—only a system of extraordinary powers." Rhett briefly described the situation in his world before asking, "In your universe, did you ever visit Earth? Maybe this won't make sense to you, but the world I'm talking about has continents like Asia, Europe, and the Aricas..."
"Earth..." The glowing figure mused for a mont, then shook his head. "No, I've never heard of it, and there were no planets with an extraordinary power system like the one you described in my universe. It seems there are still many unknown civilizations out there. I used to think that conquering the entire universe was the limit, but it turns out I was just moving from one small cage to a larger one..."
This analogy was quite interesting, and Rhett nodded in agreent. Now, he knew that his world was not unique. But what kind of universe did his world belong to? He was very curious, though he was certain that this world's civilization differed significantly from the starry universe he had known in his previous life...
"Hmm... since your world isn't a technological one, my experience may only be partly useful to you," the glowing figure said. "First, after the Ho System is activated, the first step is to claim a planet. The thod is simple: once you choose to set it as your Ho, the system will take root in the world, rging with it. As the host, you'll be able to sense the presence of the world's will through the system, allowing you to claim it. After that, you can imprint all your knowledge and insights onto the world's will. From then on, any descendants born into your family in this world will be geniuses in the field of research..."
The glowing figure chuckled. "In my world, every child born was a prodigy, with learning abilities that were off the charts. It was thanks to their help, along with the simulation ability, that our technological level advanced so rapidly!"
"The world's will? Is it similar to a world origin? But if I’ve already set it as my Ho, why haven't I sensed anything?"
Rhett was full of questions. He voiced his confusion to the figure.
"You haven't sensed the world's will?" The glowing figure's tone rose in surprise. After a mont's pause, he said regretfully, "I don't know. I never encountered such a situation. Perhaps there's a significant difference between our worlds and universes. Maybe your world simply doesn't have a will..."
Hearing this, Rhett's heart sank. The figure's point was valid—different world systems might indeed an there was no such thing as a world's will...
But then, he recalled his earlier conversation with the King of Milan, where the king ntioned sothing about the world's imprint being tainted by the orcs, causing the world to be on the brink of collapse...
The thought made Rhett break out in a cold sweat. Perhaps there was a will in this world, but after millennia of invasions by orcs and other forces, it had fallen into a deep slumber, making it impossible for the Ho to communicate with or awaken it.
"Maybe, if I purge the orcs, the world will clear up, and its will might awaken. Whether that's the case or not, it's the only option I can try!"
Rhett took a deep breath, his resolve growing stronger. He had to rid the world of the orcs! He was eager to see what changes the Ho would bring once the world’s origin was claid...
"Thank you for your explanation. I'll go back and think of another way. But before I go, how were you able to leave a [Ho Origin] entry on the panel? Why can't I make any modifications to the Ho panel?"
This question had been on Rhett's mind since he first saw the entry. However, he had prioritized it based on its importance, so he only now brought it up.
"Actually, the answer is simple—it has to do with the Ho itself. Once you claim a world and bind it to the Ho, the system is no longer rigid. It becos infused with vitality. I suspect this is because the world contains countless humans, full of life, and it already harbors endless mysteries and energy. Once the Ho rges with it, it naturally becos more dynamic."
"I see..." Rhett was suddenly enlightened, and his excitent grew. It turned out that only after claiming a world would the Ho be fully activated. Before that, it was like a neutered and rigid program. Only with a world as its foundation would it reveal its true capabilities!
"How did you manage to survive in this form after your death?" Rhett asked again.
"Hehe, it was a bit of a coincidence. When the destruction beam hit, I used the Ho's host privileges and a technique called light-speed brain segntation to preserve part of my spirit within the Ho. Normally, nothing external can be transferred into the Ho, but since the spirit was part of , it was possible," the glowing figure explained with a sigh. "In fact, if the technology had been more advanced, it might have been possible to completely separate the spirit from the body, achieving a different form of eternal life. Unfortunately, even with simulation help, that technology never fully matured, even after thousands of years."
The glowing figure fell silent for a mont before sighing again. "But let's not dwell on that. I don't have much ti left. If you have any more questions, ask them quickly."
"Is there any way to replenish your energy?"
"In my world, with the help of top-tier technology, I could have survived. But I don't know enough about your world to say whether it's possible," the glowing figure replied after a mont of silence.
Rhett's brow furrowed slightly. The world he lived in, though filled with mysterious powers, seed to lack the ans to resurrect the dead or separate and preserve a person's spirit intact. Perhaps only the Underworld, with its deeper understanding of souls, could provide the help the figure needed.
Seeing Rhett lost in thought, the glowing figure's eyes flashed with a curious light. "Did you think of a way?"
"Well... it's not a solution, just a possibility—there's a slight chance I could save you, provided you can last long enough," Rhett said seriously, explaining his thoughts on the world’s power system and the Underworld's potential to the figure.
"Interesting..." The glowing figure's eyes glead with curiosity. He nodded. "In that case, let be frank. Saving would also benefit you. Once the Ho is fully activated, I can guarantee that my presence here will grant you extraordinary advantages!"
"Advantages? What do you an by that?" Rhett thought the figure might be trying to convince him to help, but he didn't dismiss the idea. He decided to listen patiently.
"As you may have sensed, once you fully activate the Ho, you could control my spirit here. A single thought could banish . But I urge you not to do that. My presence here is entirely due to my forr status as the Ho's owner. Even as the current host, you wouldn't be able to bring an external spirit into this place."
Rhett's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced around the dark void. "Is there sothing special about this place? I can't feel anything..."
"Haha." The glowing figure chuckled. "The secrets of this place will only be revealed once you claim a world and fully activate the Ho. I can only tell you that at that point, you'll be able to create a simulated small world based on the world bound to the Ho. You'll be able to anchor or trace a specific point in the world's tiline, consuming Fate Points to simulate countless possibilities and outcos. You can then reap certain benefits based on those outcos. It’s far more useful than [Text Simulation] and [Real Simulation]."
"And if I survive here, I can play an incredibly important role in that simulated small world as an outsider. As for what exactly I can do, you'll have to wait until the simulated small world appears for to show you. Just know that with here, you'll have soone who isn't limited by Fate Points, capable of accomplishing many things..."
Rhett's eyes flickered. Although he couldn't fully grasp what the figure ant, it seed that if the figure could survive, it would indeed bring great benefits. Most importantly, as the figure had pointed out, allowing him to live posed no threat to Rhett—so, of course, he would try to keep him around.
Rhett nodded seriously. "How long can you hold on? Give a specific tifra."
"You should know better than I do. I’m just a spirit, but as the master here, you should be able to sense how quickly I'm fading..."
At the figure's prompting, Rhett closed his eyes and concentrated. Sure enough, he sensed a peculiar presence in the Ho, a spirit slowly dissipating, bit by bit.
"Hmm... the rate isn't too fast. You could last a century without much trouble..." Rhett opened his eyes, feeling a bit strange as he shared his observation. He had been worried for nothing, thinking the figure would vanish in a matter of minutes...
The glowing figure looked slightly embarrassed. "Ahem, to think I could last that long..."
Rhett’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t dwell on it. "In that case, I'll be honest. I've thought of a way to clear out the orcs, which might help awaken the 'world's will' you ntioned. At this point, it's the only thing I can try."
"Based on your description, I agree. If you can restore the world to its original state, there's a good chance it will work! In my world, severe environntal pollution was a serious issue at first, but once we cut off the source, the world began to heal itself." The glowing figure's voice carried a hint of hope. Knowing that there was a chance to live on, and to witness a new world, filled him with anticipation for the future.
After all, who wants to die when they can live?
Rhett nodded. "That makes sense. I'll leave you here for now. There's an urgent matter I need to take care of."
"I'll be waiting for your good news! Oh, by the way, I never asked your na."
"Rhett Green."
After introducing himself, Rhett willed himself out of the still-empty simulated space.
Back in the real world, basking in the endless light around him, Rhett closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This ti, the Ho System in his mind was much clearer, like a glowing sphere subrged deep in the ocean of his mind, ready to be accessed at any mont.
Recalling everything he had learned from the glowing figure in the simulated space, Rhett felt a surge of mixed emotions. Now, he was about ninety percent convinced of the figure's words. After all, the figure was just a spirit—Rhett could erase him with a single thought. There was no reason for him to lie. Besides, most of what the figure had said had already been confird, except for claiming the world's will.
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