In the sprawling, chrome-and-neon nightmare of Neo-Jiangnan, Su Yuan awakens, dead – trapped in the failing body of a destitute student. His neural implants are crumbling, his debts insurmountable, eviction a certainty. Then, a chilling, ancient interface flickers to life in his mind: the [SoulNet]. He is its 'Root Administrator,' but this mysterious system craves human souls as 'nodes' to unleash its power. And currently, his connection count is zero.
Desperate for survival, Su Yuan unlocks the SoulNet's 'Deduction' ability, transforming flawed public techniques into brutal, efficient martial arts. He shares them, weaving a web of influence through the forgotten slums, borrowing strength and skill from every connected soul. He becomes a phantom programmer, disrupting Neo-Jiangnan’s brutal hierarchy and drawing the ire of ruthless gangs.
But as his power swells, a dark truth emerges: the SoulNet is not merely a tool. Deep within its cold code, something ancient stirs. A red eye opens. Now, Su Yuan isn’t just controlling a network; he’s being watched by it. Can he deduce the SoulNet's true nature before its enigmatic 'Genesis Protocol' claims him and his burgeoning hive mind? Or is he merely a puppet, dancing on the strings of an unknowable entity?