Chapter 21| Signs of the Space Loosening Again

The change didn't occur when he used the space.It happened when—he almost no longer relied on it.That evening, Li Xing finished work early.Only the lingering sounds of tools clattering remained in the courtyard; the setting sun cast long shadows on the walls.He sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and, as usual, entered the space.Low-privilege mode unfolded as usual.The area was still small, the interface still simple.There was no copy button, no skill bar.Everything looked exactly the same as a few days ago.But just as he was about to exit—the boundary of the space trembled slightly.It wasn't an illusion.Like a breeze rippling across water.Extremely subtle, yet undeniably real.Li Xing's breath caught in his throat for a moment.He didn't move.Never tried to touch it.He simply stood there, observing.The boundary neither expanded nor returned to its original state.It was as if it was "waiting."“…Interesting.”He murmured.The space didn't respond.But the amplified perception was more stable than before.Not stronger.It was more “fitting.”He exited the space, returning to reality.But that subtle feeling didn't disappear immediately.He walked into the yard and picked up an old wrench.The weight of the metal, its temperature, the degree of wear on the edges—this information was clearer than usual.But there was no sense of oppression.“It's not a perception upgrade.”Li Xing judged in his mind.“It's…the switching is smoother.”The next day, this change became even more obvious.While repairing an old car that morning, he didn't consciously activate his perception.But before tightening a certain nut, his fingers stopped prematurely.Not because he sensed danger.But rather—the judgment came before his consciousness.He paused for a moment.Then he checked.Sure enough, tightening it any further would be too much.This state was different from his previous low-privilege perception.Back then, it was "feel first, then judge."But now, it was more like—feeling and judgment were on the same line.At noon, he entered the space again.This time, the change was clearer.Below the low-privilege interface, there was a very faint line of text.So faint that it was easily overlooked if not carefully observed.【Status Synchronization Rate: Increasing】Li Xing's heart skipped a beat.There was no explanation.No clarification.But he immediately understood the danger.What did the increased synchronization rate mean?It meant that the boundary between the space and him was thinning.This wasn't necessarily a good thing.If the synchronized state was stable, it was an improvement;But if the synchronized state was fatigue, mistakes, or even emotions…That wasn't a reward.It was an amplifier.In the afternoon, he deliberately conducted a test.Entering the space in a slightly fatigued state. Low-level access remained enabled.But this time, along with the amplified perception—the fatigue was also amplified.It wasn't that his body was more tired.It was that his awareness of "tiredness" became unusually clear.He immediately logged out.He sat on the steps, recovering for a long time.A chill slowly crept up his back."The most dangerous thing is when the rules aren't clearly stated."He finally realized.The space hadn't announced any new rules.But it was already quietly testing new connection methods.This wasn't a simple loosening of restrictions.It was—testing how much "synchronization" he could withstand.At night, Li Xing reopened his planning notebook.On the last page, he wrote a new line:—Space change ≠ opportunity—The change itself should first be considered a risk.After writing this, he didn't close the notebook.Instead, he added:—During the synchronized upgrade period, use under emotional fluctuations is strictly prohibited.This was the first time he had included emotions in the risks of using the space.Because he vaguely sensed—the next problem might not be physical, nor judgment.but rather mindset.A night breeze began to rise outside the window.The shadows of the trees swayed.Li Xing lay on the kang (heated brick bed), not entering the space again.But he knew that the space was changing.Not immediately.But like the soft click of gears shifting.Danger and opportunity coexisted in that moment.And the only thing he was certain of was one thing—From now on, every time things "go more smoothly,"he had to first ask:What will the price be?