My Notoriety Spreads Throughout the World

Chapter 745 - 655: Patriarch

"It’s raining," Sylvie said.

Bai Youyou was taken aback for a moment, then looked toward the car window. The words had vanished, as raindrops beat against the glass and slithered down.

Sylvie turned on the wipers, and the air conditioning inside the car automatically activated, blowing cold air from the vents with a buzzing sound.

In both appearance and facilities, this car resembled a ’vintage car,’ with a design reminiscent of vehicles from the early Silver Era, when industrial progress leapt forward several decades, weighed down by the dust of history.

Sylvie really liked this kind of car, but unfortunately, very few people in reality could get hold of such a car; the retro models launched by Cosmic Heavy Industries fell far short. This ’Old Ford GT-350’ was sculpted by her according to the design schematics on a one-to-one scale, which she appreciated about Oasis.

This was genuinely an art piece.

Sylvie stroked her beloved car, glancing at Bai Youyou through the rearview mirror.

"Miss Bai, I really envy you, being able to see a more real world."

"This is something many people can hardly ever achieve in their lifetime. People like me, who enjoy collecting vintage cars, can only indulge in the virtual world for their hobbies."

Sylvie leaned forward, adjusting the volume of the in-car radio.

It was a vintage car appraisal program. Although she couldn’t stand those suit-clad dogs pretending to be serious in their discussions, it was good enough to kill some time.

"Over time, reality and virtuality get inverted. As the boundary becomes increasingly blurred, the time spent in virtual reality surpasses that in actual reality, turning ’reality’ into ’virtuality’ instead."

"But I quite like this feeling. I don’t have any spiritual purity; I prefer the more interesting side."

"Sorry, the Order Court usually asks me to receive some old artifacts." Sylvie sat up.

"Unknowingly, I’ve said too much."

"An agent who only does things with a stern face would surely bore Miss Bai, right?"

Sylvie turned her head and blinked.

Seeing Bai Youyou appearing to be deep in thought, she didn’t push for more but continued to drive the vehicle.

The vehicle stably traveled a distance, entering the center of Oasis City. With the end of the league, the once vibrant Oasis City had become desolate, with hardly any figures visible along the way.

At the end of the FC Red and White Zone, the "No Entry for Visitors" line appeared in the air. Further ahead was the family boundary of the Order Court. From here, through the towering Mario statue, one could see the Spiral Court standing tall. Rumor has it that the EVA entity resides within that tower.

At this point, the vehicle slowly came to a stop.

Sylvie turned around, resting her arm on the seat, her playful eyes reflecting Bai Youyou’s figure.

"Miss Bai."

"Do you prefer reality or virtuality?"

Bai Youyou didn’t understand why she was suddenly asked this question.

She didn’t want to answer.

She even felt that this agent was too presumptuous; she was a member of the main family, the second lady of the Order Court. It was an overreach for an agent to privately approach a family member during their assignment.

But inexplicably, a feeling urged her to speak, to reveal the answer in her heart.

"I don’t know."

"Don’t know..."

Sylvie curved her eyes with a smile, placing her hand back on the steering wheel.

"That’s quite an interesting answer."

...

Step, step, step.

The sound of clear footsteps echoed in the hall. Pale cold hues of light spilled from the hall’s ceiling. Bai Youyou inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity with everything around her. Yet, prior to this, she had never been allowed to enter the Spiral Court. This was a forbidden area for the family, accessible only by certain elders.

Compared to the mysterious and ancient atmosphere Bai Youyou had imagined, the scenes inside the hall felt far more ordinary. Every few meters, there stood a service-oriented bionic, portraits of the family’s patriarchs framed in gilded golden-red borders, placed along the lengthy corridor, including the elderly man who nearly built the framework of this virtual world.

Manchester Order.

Bai Youyou stopped and looked up, the elderly man had gray hair at his temples and intelligent, deep-set eyes, yet he stuck out his tongue toward the camera, seeming out of place among the solemn and dignified patriarchs around him.

"Miss Bai, I have waited here for quite a while, your mother is right inside."

The slender and graceful Blade Dancer type bionic took a step forward to pay her respects, gently pushing open a nearby door.

The rustic crimson study room came into view, revealing the elegant female figure.

Bai Youyou lowered her gaze and walked into the study room. Sylvie passed by the Blade Dancer, tiptoed to take the Blade Dancer’s hat and placed it on her own head, bending her knees in a gesture of respect.

"Mother," Bai Youyou said.

The female figure slowly turned, revealing a noble and serene-looking bionic.

She had three heads and four arms, with expressions differing among the heads: compassion, gentleness, and indifference, respectively. The arms behind held up the codex and scales, as a sacred halo radiated behind her head.

"I still prefer that you call me Mom," the female said. "It makes the relationship closer."

"Back then, I was not very mature."

Seemingly recalling something, Bai Youyou paused, a bit embarrassed to speak.

"No matter, whether you call me Bai Wei’an or Omnia, I will respond to you, my child."

Bai Wei’an slowly closed the book in her hands, placing it back on the nearby shelf.

Looking at the decorations within the study, Bai Youyou quickly realized this was Manchester’s room during his lifetime.

Since his passing, most of the furnishings here hadn’t been changed. A photo of the man and his young wife was still on the desk.

The flame in the fireplace reflected off the droplets on the window; a quietly resting letter sealed in wax lay unopened on the desk, alongside a cold cup of coffee and a quill stained with ink.

"Open it," Bai Wei’an suggested. "This is a letter from the patriarch Manchester to his successors."

"Once the race for the Key ends, this letter will be opened by the one who inherits the position of Patriarch."

"To inherit... the position of Patriarch?"

Bai Youyou was stunned upon hearing Bai Wei’an’s words, gazing blankly.

She had thought today’s summon would relate to many matters—about the Key, about the seat within the family’s elder council, about family issues—but she had never imagined it would involve the position of Patriarch.

"Mother, such a rash decision..."

Bai Youyou’s throat tightened.

"Do the elders know?"

"Their opinions are irrelevant," Bai Wei’an said with a smile. "As long as I support you, that suffices, my child."

Seeing Bai Youyou’s disbelief, she waved her hand lightly.

"Just kidding, this has been discussed within the family long ago. After Manchester’s departure, regarding the next Patriarch, the elders deliberated many times. They finally unanimously agreed that if you can bring back the Key, you will succeed as the Patriarch, overseeing the family’s various affairs..."

"In such significant discussions, is it really okay for the person in question to be totally unaware?"

Bai Youyou said with a twitch of her lips.