Chapter 55: The Poor Rely on Mutation, the Rich Rely on Technology, and Luo Chen Relies on Cheating

Nick Fury finally began to understand the issue. He furrowed his brow and said, "But Luo Chen never explicitly mentioned any of this in the diary. Are you saying he’s been consciously controlling the information—either hiding certain things or deliberately misleading us because he knows we're watching?"

Tony Stark glanced at him and replied, "If that’s how you’re thinking, then you’re overcomplicating it. Honestly, who writes the truth in a diary? What decent person actually writes a diary properly, anyway?"

"Haven’t you noticed?" he continued. "His diary has no clear structure, no consistent rules. Half the time, it reads like he’s just checking in for the day—writing whatever pops into his head. And yet, he never misses a single entry. Even if it’s something trivial like the weather, or how he waited around for me to get kidnapped so he could cash in on it!"

Tony leaned back as he spoke, letting his thoughts flow freely.

"As for the diary itself—well, I don’t know how yours showed up, but mine just suddenly appeared one day. Material: unknown. Words: auto-generating. The whole thing? Weirdly simple. Which makes me think..."

He paused, then said flatly, "It’s a check-in system. That diary might be how he survives in this world. A kind of daily task mechanism. Maybe writing it is what keeps him here."

Nick Fury raised an eyebrow. "You think the diary’s some kind of life-support system—keeping him grounded in our reality?"

"It’s possible," Tony said with a shrug. "Otherwise, too much of this doesn’t add up. Think about it: from the very beginning, the timing of his entries was always… odd. Who wakes up at dawn just to write a diary entry? Sure, maybe it’s a habit from his world beyond the fourth wall, but even so—normal people don’t write this consistently unless something’s at stake."

"And he’s not just writing about epic battles or existential thoughts. Sometimes it’s literally just about the weather."

"He shows this almost obsessive dedication to keeping up the entries. Which is why I think the diary might be the reason he can remain here. If he ever stops writing… maybe he gets pulled back to his original world."

Tony folded his arms and added, "So, the real cheat isn’t Luo Chen. It’s the diary. That thing might be some divine relic, or something beyond comprehension. But honestly? At this point, nothing would surprise me."

Nick Fury’s expression darkened slightly. What Tony was saying wasn’t impossible—in fact, it explained several inconsistencies in Luo Chen’s behavior. Psychological profiling had shown that his habits were contradictory: extreme devotion to diary writing, yet often on mundane or nonsensical topics. This new interpretation… actually made sense.

"Later on, he clearly became more casual with his entries," Tony said, continuing the thread. "At first, he was writing in the early morning every single day. But as time went on, he started writing later and later, more randomly."

"That shift says something," he added. "It’s like he was adapting. At first, he was probably in a state of panic, trying to anchor himself. But gradually… he started getting used to it."

"A common psychological process," Nick Fury nodded. "People often go from fear and confusion to eventual adaptation when placed in unfamiliar environments."

"Exactly," Tony said. "From terrified to indifferent. And that adaptation might’ve coincided with his growing power."

"But how does that tie into his abilities?" Fury asked. "Where do you think his mutation comes from? Is it linked to his time travel?"

"Probably not," Tony replied. "If he’s really from the outside world—beyond the fourth wall—then by his own logic, this place we’re in is fictional. It could be a TV show, a comic, a movie… who knows. But in that context, it would follow classic narrative rules. Adventure arcs. Sudden power boosts. Heroic tropes."

He smirked. "Ever seen The Lord of the Rings? I used to fantasize about jumping into that world, stealing Gandalf’s staff, and getting a head start. I think that’s exactly what Luo Chen’s been doing—cutting in line for key opportunities."

"You mean he’s been taking other people’s chances for power?" Fury asked, catching on quickly.

"Exactly," Tony said. "Think about it: he has knowledge of future events. He knows who’s going to awaken powers, who’s going to stumble upon ancient artifacts, who’s going to inherit hidden legacies. He just gets there first."

"And that’s how he got so strong so fast."

Fury’s eyes narrowed. "So when he joked, ‘The rich rely on tech, the poor rely on mutation’… he was talking about himself."

Tony chuckled. "Exactly. Except in his case, it’s not just mutation. It’s cheating. Luo Chen isn’t playing by the rules—he’s rewriting the game."