Twenty-four loops had cycled since Chen Mu first awakened the system. His Physique hovered around 1.6, honed by relentless, reset-proof training. Mentality reached 1.5, his focus and processing speed noticeably enhanced. He possessed [Touch Typing (Proficient)], [Basic Programming Logic (Developing)], and an upgraded [Observation] skill. His System Points tally sat at a respectable 132. He was stronger, smarter, and more skilled than his eighteen-year-old self could have imagined just a few months ago (subjectively).
Yet, a sense of restless curiosity gnawed at him. He had optimized his self-improvement within the loop's confines, learned to acquire skills efficiently, even dipped his toes into exploiting foreknowledge for minor analytical gains. But he hadn't truly tested the simulation itself. What happened if he deliberately threw a wrench into the predictable clockwork of his repeating week? Not just minor social variations, but a significant deviation?
His confidence bolstered by consistent progress and the growing familiarity with the reset mechanic, Chen Mu decided it was time. He would sacrifice a day of his optimized routine for pure exploration and boundary testing.
He chose Day 3 of Loop 25. Normally a day packed with challenging Physics and Math classes followed by intense physical training. Instead, when his 6:00 AM internal alarm went off, he didn't jump into his running gear. He lay there for a moment, the simple act of not adhering to his schedule feeling strangely rebellious.
He skipped his run, had a leisurely breakfast (a deviation in itself), and instead of heading towards Haizhou No. 1 High School, he boarded a bus going in the opposite direction – towards the Old Port district. It was a part of the city he rarely visited, a maze of older buildings, bustling wholesale markets, and narrow, winding streets teeming with activity distinct from the more modern commercial and residential areas he frequented.
The feeling was liberating and slightly unnerving. He was off-script. No classes to attend, no assignments with known answers, no specific training regimen. He was simply an observer in an environment where his foreknowledge was minimal, limited to the general weather patterns and perhaps major news headlines he might have passively absorbed in previous loops.
He spent hours wandering. He watched dockworkers loading cargo, vendors hawking dried seafood, delivery scooters weaving precariously through pedestrians. He practiced using his [Observation (Minor Upgrade)], consciously trying to notice details – the faded signage on old warehouses, the specific routines of street food stall owners, the flow of traffic at chaotic intersections.
Around 10:20 AM, while observing a particularly busy crossroads near a fish market, a flicker of memory surfaced. It wasn't from this loop's deliberate observation, but a residual echo from Loop 19 or 20, when he'd been tracking various local logistics companies for his financial experiment. He recalled noticing, via a dashcam video briefly featured on a local news website recap (which he'd skimmed over in a previous loop), a near-miss at this very intersection. A red delivery scooter, belonging to 'Swift Current Couriers', had nearly collided with an elderly man pushing a cart laden with vegetables around this time on a Tuesday.
He glanced around. The intersection was just as chaotic now. Pedestrians jaywalked between slow-moving trucks. An elderly man matching his memory, pushing a cart piled high with cabbages, was indeed approaching the crossing. And from down the street, the distinctive buzz of an electric scooter grew louder – painted bright red, 'Swift Current Couriers' logo clearly visible on the side panel.
The scenario was playing out exactly as his fragmented memory suggested. The rider seemed distracted, perhaps looking at a delivery address on his phone mounted to the handlebars. The elderly man, focused on maneuvering his heavy cart, hadn't seen the approaching scooter.
Chen Mu felt a surge of adrenaline. This was it. A chance to intervene, to actively alter the predicted course of events within the simulation. He couldn't shout – that would draw too much attention. He couldn't physically intercept the scooter. He needed something subtle.
His eyes darted around. Beside him, near the curb, was a stack of flimsy, empty plastic fish crates awaiting collection. Perfect.
Timing it carefully, just as the scooter was about fifty meters away and the elderly man was entering the potential collision path, Chen Mu 'accidentally' stumbled, bumping the stack of crates with his leg. They weren't heavy, but they made a sudden, sharp clatter as they tumbled onto the pavement.
Clack-clatter-skitter!
The effect was immediate. The scooter rider's head snapped up from his phone, startled by the unexpected noise. His eyes widened as he registered the elderly man directly in his path. The rider braked hard, the scooter skidding slightly but stopping a clear meter away from the vegetable cart. The elderly man looked up, startled first by the crates, then by the scooter's abrupt stop, a flicker of fear crossing his face before being replaced by annoyance. The rider offered a quick, apologetic bow before carefully maneuvering around the cart and continuing on his way, visibly more cautious.
Chen Mu straightened up, mentally brushing himself off. No one paid him any particular attention; a clumsy pedestrian knocking over some trash was hardly noteworthy in the bustling market. But he knew. He had seen the potential incident, recalled it, and subtly intervened, preventing a near-accident with minimal fuss. A quiet sense of satisfaction, mixed with the profound strangeness of having altered a moment in time, settled over him.
He continued his exploration for the rest of the day, the earlier incident lending a new intensity to his observations. He returned home that evening, feeling mentally tired but strangely invigorated by the deviation.
The rest of Loop 25 proceeded normally, with Chen Mu slotting back into his routine, catching up on the missed day's practice through sheer efficiency. As midnight on April 19th arrived, he awaited the system notification with heightened anticipation.
[Loop Cycle 25 Completed.]
> Evaluation: Significant Deviation (Boundary Testing). Proactive Environmental Interaction Detected (Incident Prevention).
> Host Memory Retention: Confirmed.
> System Data Retention: Confirmed.
> Reward Calculation: Achievement Bonus Applied (Proactive Intervention).
[Reward Issued: +12 System Points]
[Reward Issued: Knowledge Fragment Acquired - [Advanced Driving Techniques (Partial - Hazard Perception Module)]]
Chen Mu stared at the last line. Not just points, but a Knowledge Fragment. He focused on it, and information flooded his mind – not just abstract concepts, but intuitive understanding. Principles of scanning patterns, identifying potential road hazards before they materialized, understanding vehicle dynamics under emergency braking, the importance of peripheral vision. It wasn't enough to make him an expert driver instantly (he didn't even have a license yet), but it was a distinct package of practical, specialized knowledge, seamlessly integrated into his understanding.
The implication was clear. The system didn't just reward passive self-improvement or analytical success. It rewarded active engagement with the simulated world, especially actions that seemed to involve foresight, problem-solving, or perhaps even a degree of positive influence (preventing harm).
This opened up entirely new avenues. The loop wasn't just a training ground; it was a dynamic environment he could potentially shape, explore, and interact with in more meaningful ways. The world outside his immediate goals wasn't just static background anymore. As Loop 26 began, Chen Mu felt like he'd unlocked a new dimension to the system, one filled with far more complex and potentially far more rewarding challenges.