The operational rules of the New World are quite simple.
Here, everyone is ranked into various tiers, from first to second to third and so on, with the Sect Hierarch being the highest thirteenth-tier new human.
Outsiders are divided into three categories: Believers, Laborers, and Participants.
Believers need not be elaborated on; they are like the ’producers’ of the New World, responsible for maintaining its operations and working in various service sectors. As participants increase in number, Believers also grow exponentially, so conventional recruitment methods don’t work. High-efficiency brainwashing is needed to absorb Believers in batches.
Laborers are divided into two types: Special Consultants, like A Seven in technical positions, not only include designers but also biology experts, all high-talent individuals. Previously, Aum Truth Sect absorbed them, attempting to research large-scale biochemical weapons, though this plan was shelved for various reasons.
The other type is construction workers, responsible for laying bricks, digging, and stacking materials. Of course, there’s no salary. Aum Truth Sect doesn’t even bother with brainwashing, grabbing black laborers and dumping them in construction zones, forcing them to work to avoid starvation.
Finally, there are Participants, also divided into two categories:
One category is special invited members who bring their own chips, starting as fifth-tier participants, and can choose whether to participate in trials.
Upon reaching the sixth tier, they will have bodyguards accompanying them; at the seventh tier, they have exemption opportunities where traps won’t trigger... and so on, the higher the tier, the higher the permissions.
Until participants pass all trials and reach the thirteenth tier, like the Sect Hierarch, becoming new humans, they will have the opportunity to make a wish.
Even at the first tier, participants, in theory, can ascend using wisdom and strength.
Aum Truth Sect calls this transformation, but in truth, it’s a process of alienation.
For invited participants, this is a tense and exciting game, and precisely because of its difficulty, the ultimate "reward" is valuable for pursuit and boasting—it’s like wealthy people hiring Sherpas to carry them up to Mount Everest.
In contrast, ordinary participants excitedly buy an admission ticket, thinking they can flip their fortunes, only to end up either dying on the spot or becoming overwhelmed by a huge bonus, choosing to stay in the chaotic scene, attempting to leap like carp over the dragon gate, becoming a fifth-tier upper class like the invited ones...
From the designers’ perspective, this trial mechanism is unbalanced.
For instance, the privileges for invitees originally didn’t exist; the division from first to thirteenth tier completely goes against the designers’ original intent.
But under Master Asahara’s demands, they had no choice but to execute what was called an "optimization."
The designers felt that if a game is to be played, everyone should be treated equally, with all players starting on the same footing, creating a fair and interesting gaming environment.
The people capable of designing a new world couldn’t possibly be normal humans.
They were purer than Aum Truth Sect, believing that life is a game, and everyone is gambling at the crossroads of destiny.
Even the mundane acts of eating, drinking, and watching TV are continuous bets, depleting one’s original chips, making one’s life better or worse.
And the New World is a colossal gamble to restart life.
Such a groundbreaking creation being reduced to a tool of vampirism by a cult couldn’t be tolerated by the designers.
Even destroying the New World was better than letting it become garbage.
Moreover, a burning Kinkaku Temple is more beautiful than Kinkaku Temple itself.
A Seven wanted to bring down Master Asahara too.
This wasn’t just his idea; it was the collective thought of all the designers.
In his view, the chief designer was the true genius, a hero worth following for a lifetime.
And Asahara Shoko was merely a fraudulent imposter.
Now, he finally found an opportunity, relentlessly persuading Moriyama Yasurou, as if a demon alluring a mortal to sign a contract:
"Are you really going to slink away quietly? Don’t you want to make those who kidnapped you pay the price? Why not stay, ascend step by step, and finally face Master Asahara in a head-on confrontation at the thirteenth tier..."
Moriyama Yasurou immediately refused; she felt no reality to such sudden wealth and understood that a gamble is fair only when both parties can reclaim their chips.
She didn’t want to be anyone’s pawn.
"Then how about we make a bet," A Seven glanced at his watch, "on whether Miss Yu Zi will choose to stay."
Upon hearing this, Moriyama Yasurou instinctively looked up.
She saw two Believers approaching, escorting Minamoto Tamako from left and right, leading her across the red carpet, behind the red curtain, and out of the Seven Sins Temple.
"If no one stops her, she will certainly choose to leave," Moriyama Yasurou said confidently.
"Then I bet she’ll stay," A Seven took out a blueprint and placed it on the electronic screen, "If I win, you have to stay; if I lose, you can take the map and the electronic screen... Without the map, you can’t escape."
Moriyama Yasurou initially wanted to refuse. She had no interest in such meaningless gambling.
However, A Seven tapped the electronic screen on his lap, indicating Moriyama Yasurou had no choice.
Meanwhile, Minamoto Tamako clenched her small fists, feeling nervous, as she left the square with the two Believers.
They led her into a lavishly decorated reception room, indicating she should sit and wait for a while, as exchanging chips for cash would take some time.
Furthermore, Master Asahara would personally meet her to congratulate her on successfully ascending.
Minamoto Tamako sat on the leather sofa, her body covered in bloodstains, leaving an imprint as she sat, yet she felt no shame in dirtying the sofa.
What filled her heart was fury; she was finally about to meet the cult leader, and she can’t appear weak; she must loudly denounce the other’s evil deeds!
Brazenly disregarding the law, organizing such inhumane trials, completely treating morality, law, and government like nothing!
In her mind, she kept rehearsing her speech, imagining the dialogue during the meeting, fantasizing about her righteous rebuttal, determined to render the evil Sect Hierarch speechless, disgraced, disheartened, and shattered...
Four or five minutes later, the two Believers returned, carrying two boxes of cash. Minamoto Tamako didn’t even glance at them, finding them filled with blood, feeling even a touch was filthy.
Seeing her unmoved, the two Believers exchanged a look and then invited Master Asahara. He wore a long purple robe, with a round face, small eyes, long hair, and a full beard; seeing him, Minamoto Tamako felt he was quite lame, wondering how he became the Sect Hierarch.
"Miss Yu Zi, it’s an honor..."
Asahara Shoko engaged in some pleasantries, and before Minamoto Tamako could reply, he bluntly said, "Our sect once sent an Invitation Letter to your mother, but unfortunately, she refused..."
He paused for a moment and then added, "The Kujo Family is unpopular, and everyone is dissatisfied."