The Genius System-Chapter 68: Echoes of a Hidden Genius

Ethan was seated in a plush armchair, surrounded by a room that seemed like a dream come true for any book lover. The walls were lined with shelves stretching from floor to ceiling, overflowing with meticulously arranged books. Their spines formed a mosaic of colors—an eclectic mix of classics, scientific manuals, manga, and light novels. A large window let in a soft, golden light, seemingly calibrated to provide optimal visual comfort.

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He still couldn’t believe he was here, in the villa of Mr. X, a figure as enigmatic as he was intimidating. But what made the moment even more surreal was the man himself.

Lassen sat across from him in an identical armchair. Unlike the image of a stern technological genius the media had constructed, he was dressed simply: a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and dark pants. His legs were crossed, his back resting nonchalantly against the chair, and he held a cup of coffee between his fingers. At first glance, he appeared relaxed, almost indifferent, but his eyes—sharp, lively, and filled with mischief—betrayed a constantly active mind, as though he was analyzing everything, even the silences.

"So, Ethan" Lassen began in an almost friendly tone, setting his cup down on an elegant coffee table. "What’s your secret for staying awake during those twelve-hour streams? Do you live exclusively on energy drinks, or are you hooked up to caffeine IVs?"

Ethan let out a slightly nervous laugh, still surprised to hear this man speak so casually. "Uh... a mix of both, I guess" he replied with a shrug. "But I let myself take a nap now and then—when chat lets me."

Lassen smirked, an amused glint flashing in his eyes "Chat? You mean those anonymous spectators who encourage you to make questionable in-game decisions just for the joy of watching you fail?"

"Exactly!" Ethan replied, a wide grin spreading across his face "They love watching me struggle. It’s kind of twisted, but hey... it works."

Lassen nodded thoughtfully "Humans love watching others suffer, as long as they’re not the ones involved. It’s fascinating." He paused, intertwining his fingers as if reflecting aloud "By the way, how long have you been gaming?"

"Since I was a kid" Ethan replied, a hint of pride in his voice "But as a pro streamer, it’s been a few years. And you? Do you play often? I mean, you created Eternal Realm. You must be super good at it, right?"

Lassen raised an eyebrow, an amused smile tugging at his lips "Super good? Not really. Let’s just say I’m competent enough not to die immediately. But I rarely play to win. What interests me is seeing how the systems react, how players bend or break my rules."

Ethan nodded, visibly impressed "So you’re like... an observer in your own game?"

Lassen gave a slight shrug, his response carrying an almost arrogant undertone "I’m more of a passive god. I create the universe, watch mortals evolve in it, and occasionally judge them harshly from my armchair." He paused, his sharp eyes glinting with mischief as they fixed on Ethan "You, for example, seem to have a knack for completely absurd builds, don’t you?"

Ethan burst out laughing, sitting up straighter in his chair "Yeah, that’s my thing! But wait... you’ve watched my streams? Like, actually?"

Lassen tilted his head slightly, a sly smile playing on his lips "Of course. It’s a fascinating anthropological study. Your approach is... unique. I saw you spend five hours searching for a completely fictional treasure because a comment suggested it."

Ethan felt his cheeks grow warm, a mix of embarrassment and amusement washing over him "Ah... yeah. That was... a dark moment."

Lassen laughed as well, a genuine, hearty laugh that echoed through the room "It was entertaining, I’ll give you that. But rest assured, it’s moments like those that bring the game to life. It’s because of players like you that Eternal Realm is what it is."

Their conversation continued, oscillating between sarcasm, light humor, and genuine laughter. Lassen seemed to take great pleasure in surprising Ethan with improbable anecdotes, while Ethan felt increasingly at ease, though he remained thoroughly fascinated by his host.

"You know" Lassen began, sipping his coffee with an air of nonchalance "there’s another theory I came across on some obscure forum. According to them, Eternal Realm isn’t a game. It’s a portal to a parallel dimension I accidentally discovered and decided to monetize for... tax purposes."

Ethan nearly spilled his coffee as he set his cup down on the table "No! Wait, they actually said that?"

"Absolutely" Lassen replied, a mocking smile on his lips "And they even had proof. Apparently, the game’s landscapes contain geometric patterns that are supposed to be messages from extra-dimensional entities. One user spent three hours explaining this in a YouTube video. Highly entertaining."

Ethan burst into laughter, practically collapsing into his chair "And... and you watched that?"

"Of course. Why wouldn’t I? It was hilarious. But it also gave me an interesting idea for an update. Maybe I should actually hide coded messages in the game, just to validate their theory."

Ethan shook his head, tears of laughter welling up in his eyes "You’re terrible. You know that would drive those theories into absolute overdrive, right?"

Lassen’s smirk widened "Exactly. Letting people speculate is the best marketing strategy. They do all the work for me."

Ethan shook his head, unable to contain his laughter "You’re absolutely terrible. You know that would make the theories even crazier, right?"

Lassen raised an eyebrow, his mischievous smile widening "Exactly. Letting people speculate is the best marketing strategy there is. They do all the work for me."

The conversation naturally shifted toward the players themselves and their boundless capacity for coming up with wild ideas. Every word Lassen spoke carried a truth that only someone who had closely observed human behavior could articulate.

"You know what’s fascinating?" Lassen asked, leaning back comfortably in his armchair, his gaze steady yet relaxed "Human imagination is such a powerful engine that it can transform the mundane into something extraordinary. A bug in the game? To them, it’s a sign. A misplaced shadow? It’s a conspiracy. Imagination is both their greatest strength and their worst enemy."

Ethan nodded, a thoughtful smile tugging at his lips "You’re not wrong. Sometimes players see things even we streamers don’t notice. I once got a message from someone claiming the color of the flowers in a field spelled out a binary code."

Lassen chuckled, his laughter light but genuine "And were they right?"

"Not even close!" Ethan said, shaking his head with a grin "It was just flowers. But I played along. I told them they’d probably uncovered something incredible."

Lassen tilted his head slightly, his expression one of impressed amusement "Ah, you’ve learned the golden rule: never break the illusion. Let them believe. It enhances their experience—and makes your job infinitely more entertaining."

Ethan nodded vigorously, still slightly flushed from his earlier laughter "It’s true. Sometimes they notice things that even we streamers wouldn’t have picked up on." He paused for a second, recalling a specific anecdote "I once got a message from a guy who swore that the color of the flowers in a field formed a binary code."

Lassen burst into laughter, a hearty and resonant sound that filled the room, making the atmosphere even more relaxed "And was he right?"

"Not even close!" Ethan replied, shaking his head and unable to suppress a grin "They were just flowers! But I played along. I told him he’d probably uncovered something incredible."

Lassen raised an eyebrow, visibly impressed "Ah, I see you’ve grasped the golden rule: never break the illusion. Let them believe. It makes their experience richer—and yours far more entertaining."

Ethan laughed again, but this time with a sense of pride. He had never thought about it that way, but Lassen was right. What mattered most wasn’t the truth—it was the experience.

The conversation shifted to an even more intriguing subject: the numerous theories surrounding Lassen himself. Driven by curiosity, Ethan decided to push a little further "But seriously, doesn’t it bother you? All those rumors about you, your past, your intentions?"

Lassen took a sip of his coffee, pausing briefly before replying "Not at all. In fact, it’s fascinating. People need mysteries. It gives them something to dream about, discuss, debate. If I became too... normal, it would almost disappoint them."

Ethan furrowed his brows slightly, intrigued by this perspective "So you play into it?"

"Absolutely" Lassen replied without hesitation, his tone direct and assured. "Look at me, minimal social media, no unnecessary public appearances, just projects and results. And yet, I’m a living legend. Why? Because I let people fill in the blanks with their own stories. The more mystery there is, the more captivated they become."

Ethan stayed thoughtful for a moment, observing his host. Finally, he smirked "You know" he said mischievously "you’re a bit like a light novel character, the overpowered but mysterious hero who stays in the shadows."

Lassen smiled, clearly entertained by the remark "That’s a nice compliment. But do you know what separates a light novel character from me?"

"What?" Ethan asked, intrigued.

"They have redemption arcs, moments of doubt, where they question themselves. Me? I’ve never doubted myself." He let out a laugh, full of mischief but with an underlying depth that hinted at layers Ethan couldn’t quite grasp.

Ethan shrugged, chuckling softly "Well, in that case, I’d say you’re the unrivaled main character. That works too."

Lassen laughed lightly, the sound resonating in the quiet, comfortable atmosphere of the room "It’s a nice compliment. But honestly, I prefer being the antagonist. They’re always more interesting. More freedom, fewer rules, and best of all... they don’t need to be loved to be memorable."

Ethan let out a small laugh, but he couldn’t help sensing the truth buried in Lassen’s words. Encouraged by the relaxed atmosphere and this rare moment of vulnerability, he dared to ask a more personal question. His tone carried a genuine hesitation "But what if it all gets to be too much? I mean, the pressure, the expectations... even for you, it must weigh on you sometimes, right?"

For the first time in their conversation, Lassen paused slightly, as if Ethan’s words had struck a chord. His usual sly smile faded, replaced by a calm, almost pensive expression. He looked up at Ethan, and though his gaze remained intense, it lacked the usual mischief "There are days when it’s exhausting, yes" he admitted at last, his voice softer, as though he were choosing his words carefully "And do you know what helps me relax?"

Ethan instinctively leaned forward, captivated by the subtle shift in tone "What?" he asked, his genuine curiosity lighting up his face.

Lassen set his cup down slowly on the coffee table, his fingers brushing the rim absentmindedly, as though the motion helped him gather his thoughts "Books, games, stories" he said softly, almost as if confessing "They remind me why I do what I do. It’s not for the wild theories, or the fame, or to fuel absurd conspiracies. It’s to create worlds,worlds where people can escape, dream, and imagine things better than reality."

He paused, lowering his gaze to the cup as if it held answers he hadn’t yet spoken aloud "And sometimes, those worlds... they save me just as much as they save others."

An unusual silence settled between them, heavy with meaning but strangely comforting. Ethan, caught off guard by this unexpected confession, hesitated to respond. He didn’t want to shatter the moment. For the first time, he saw Lassen as more than just an elusive and enigmatic genius: he was a man with flaws, strengths, and his own ways of coping.

After a moment, Lassen lifted his head, and the familiar twinkle of mischief returned to his eyes "Well, enough of the philosophical talk. You’re going to start thinking I’m sentimental. And trust me, that would be a terrible mistake."

In his mind, the system, ever cheeky, chimed in immediately

[Wanna bet? I’m recording all of this to save for later. Maybe for a birthday speech.]

Lassen rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath "I knew you’d say that" Then, turning to Ethan with a lighter smile, he shifted the conversation, his tone almost casual "It’s getting dark. Let’s grab something to eat and get ready for your stream. Sound good?"

Ethan started, caught off guard by the abrupt change, but his excitement quickly surged. He nodded eagerly, unable to contain his enthusiasm "Yes! Of course! I even put together a little program for what we could do... if that’s okay with you."

Lassen smiled, amused by Ethan’s fervor. Rising slowly, he adjusted his shirt with perfect nonchalance "Don’t worry about that. Let’s eat first. The big revolution can wait a little while. After all, who’s in a hurry, right?"

Ethan stood as well, his heart pounding in his chest. It all felt surreal: sharing a meal with Mr. X, then streaming live from his villa. He couldn’t help but grin as he followed Lassen toward the kitchen, his mind swirling with a thousand thoughts, each one more thrilling than the last.