46: Li Bai, the Azure Lotus Sword Immortal, boasts a million emotional points.

A week passed.

The aftermath of the "Yuzhang First Snow" incident, far from subsiding, only grew more intense.

This "unbelievable phenomenon," which occurred openly under the lens of a global live broadcast, completely shattered the scientific consensus that modern society had relied on for centuries.

The field of physics fell into an unprecedented great schism.

The "Confessionals," led by Nobel laureate Robert Wilson, publicly admitted that current physical theories have massive blind spots and called on the academic community to face this "new phenomenon" of unknown origin with humility.

Meanwhile, the more stubborn "Defenders" insisted that it must be an unprecedented global hoax utilizing unknown technology; they frantically searched for flaws in every frame of video footage, attempting to prove the snow was some kind of polymer or simply a holographic projection.

This top-level academic infighting quickly spread to the general public.

On Twitter, users under the hashtags #ScienceIsDead and #BelieveInScience engaged in daily attacks with an intensity comparable to war.

Countless people began to spontaneously study all of Jiang Ming's past live broadcasts.

From "raven ring sky" to "Hundred Cats Disco," then to "Dead Wood Meets Spring," and finally the recent "Yuzhang First Snow"... Villa No. 7, Xishan Nursing Center.

Jiang Ming sat quietly in a rattan chair on the terrace, a tablet in front of him silently playing a CNN special debate program on "Field Theory."

He wasn't watching the program's content, but staring blankly at the distant sky.

In his mind, the numbers on the system panel finally slowed to a stop.

[emotion points Balance: 1,250,545]

From the 450,000 after "Yuzhang First Snow" ended, in just one week, through subsequent fermentation, it had surged back to 1.25 million.

This wave of "passive income" left Jiang Ming very satisfied.

It was time.

Jiang Ming turned off the tablet, stood up from the rattan chair, and walked back inside.

Over the past few days, his parents had gradually accepted the reality; they were currently downstairs watching TV and did not disturb him.

Jiang Ming entered his bedroom and locked the door behind him.

"System."

Jiang Ming called out in his mind.

"Activate [Mirror Puppet] ability."

[Mirror Puppet ability activated. Please set the creation template and emotion points investment.]

"Template: myself."

Jiang Ming stood before a full-length mirror, quietly observing his reflection.

"Abilities: None."

"Invest 10,000 emotion points points."

[Confirm consumption of 10,000 emotion points points to create a 'normal person' mirror with the host as the template?]

"Confirm."

[emotion points Balance: 1,240,545]

The moment the command was given...

The air in front of Jiang Ming began to distort slightly, and tiny specks of light converged out of thin air. Following a mysterious set of rules, they rapidly outlined human bone, muscle, and skin... the entire process took less than ten seconds.

A "person" identical to Jiang Ming appeared naked in the center of the room.

He had the exact same height, build, and features as Jiang Ming—even the number of hair strands was identical.

A moment later, that "Jiang Ming" slowly opened his eyes.

There was no newborn confusion in his gaze; instead, it held a perfectly measured sense of relaxation, as if he had just woken up.

He looked at his own body, then at the original Jiang Ming standing opposite him, a familiar, slightly self-deprecating smile appearing on his face.

"So this is me?"

"Or rather, I am you?"

This newborn "Jiang Ming" spoke; his tone and cadence were indistinguishable from Jiang Ming's own.

He possessed all of Jiang Ming's behavioral patterns and memory copies revealed to the public up to this point.

He knew how to interact with the parents, how to handle Zhao Lin's business inquiries, and what attitude to use when dealing with Chen Jianguo.

A perfect double.

An absolutely reliable "alibi."

Jiang Ming took a set of loungewear from the closet and tossed it over.

"From now on, you are Jiang Ming."

"Stay here, accompany my parents, and maintain my persona of 'being on vacation and searching for inspiration'."

"Periodically use my phone to maintain online contact with Zhao Lin and Chen Jianguo. Remember, non-essential and non-urgent contact only."

"Don't expose any abnormalities. Can you do that?"

The Mirror Puppet caught the clothes and skillfully put them on, his movements as natural as if he had worn them countless times.

He waved lazily at the original Jiang Ming.

"Don't worry, acting is what I do best."

"After all, I am you."

Looking at this perfect duplicate, Jiang Ming nodded and opened the system again.

"Continue creating."

"Template: still myself."

"Ability: [Mass Optical Camouflage]."

"Invest 50,000 emotion points points."

[Confirm consumption of 50,000 emotion points points to create a Mirror Puppet with special abilities?]

"Confirm."

[emotion points Balance: 1,190,545]

Once again, light converged.

A second identical "Jiang Ming" appeared in the room.

This new puppet did not speak; he simply watched the original Jiang Ming with a gaze of absolute obedience, like a most loyal soldier.

With a thought, Jiang Ming commanded:

"Activate ability. Targets: yourself and that chair next to you."

Puppet No. 2 nodded.

The next second, his body and the wooden single chair beside him vanished into thin air.

Jiang Ming reached out; he could still feel the cold physical form of the chair and hear Puppet No. 2's steady breathing.

He was completely invisible, both to the naked eye and to thermal imaging.

"Deactivate."

The outlines of the man and the chair reappeared.

Preparations complete.

Late that night.

After confirming his parents were fast asleep, the original Jiang Ming and the invisible Puppet No. 2 left the villa silently.

Puppet No. 2 activated [Mass Optical Camouflage], completely hiding both of their forms.

Like two ghosts, they easily bypassed the layers of surveillance and sentries, both visible and hidden, that the Ninth Bureau had deployed around the perimeter of the Xishan Nursing Center.

Without alerting anyone... A few days later.

Jiang Ming and Puppet No. 2 arrived in China's other truly international megacity, Magic City.

Amidst the cluster of skyscrapers in Lujiazui, Jiang Ming selected a top-tier apartment building that had just been completed and was not yet fully open for occupancy.

The latest phase of "Tomson Riviera."

Puppet No. 2 activated his ability again, leading the original Jiang Ming past all security and surveillance, entering as if the place were deserted, and slipped directly into the largest duplex sky villa on the top floor.

Standing in the spacious living room covered in a thin layer of dust, the glittering night view of the entire Bund was visible through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.

This would be the control room for the Holy Grail War.

Jiang Ming delayed no further.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the living room and opened the system panel in his mind.

The first step of the Holy Grail War.

Creating the first "Servant."

In Jiang Ming's mind, countless heroic figures from myths, legends, and historical texts flashed by.

Finally, he locked onto a name.

A name with incomparable fame throughout China and even the entire East Asian cultural sphere.

Azure Lotus Sword Immortal, Li Bai.

He was a poet, a swordsman, and a banished immortal.

He embodied the most romantic, free-spirited, and heroic collective subconscious of Chinese civilization.

Using him as the first "actor" to debut was perfect.

[Template selected: Azure Lotus Sword Immortal · Li Bai.]

[Template sources: Historical texts, folklore, Three Hundred Tang Poems, collective subconscious impressions...]

[System Prompt: This template is a high-spec conceptual aggregate. Constructing this mirror requires a massive amount of emotion points. The more emotion points invested, the higher the strength, spirituality, and template fidelity of the mirror. Please choose carefully, Host.]

Jiang Ming looked at the brightly lit night view of Magic City outside the window, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

He calmly gave the final command to the system in his mind.

"Invest one million emotion points points."

"Create Saber—Li Bai."