404 World: An AI Interactive Fiction Reader Whose Repo Is a Legacy Snapshot, Not the Live Service

The most useful detail in this repository is also its main caveat: the public code here is not the code behind the current 404 World service. The README states that 404 World was formerly known as VerseCraft, that this repository preserves source from an earlier public version, and that the live service runs on a separate codebase that is not published here. That distinction should shape any technical evaluation. What the README describes 404 World presents itself as a browser-based interactive fiction experience in Chinese, English, and Japanese. A reader picks a story, takes the protagonist role, and either selects a suggested next action or writes a custom action in their own words. The AI then continues the narrative. The same flow supports creation: a user sets up characters and an opening, writes an interactive story, and invites others to read it. Progress is saved to a bookshelf so a reader can resume later. Read: discover stories across genres on phone or desktop browsers. Play: choose an action or enter free-form input to steer the next scene. Create: define characters and an opening for a story others can enter. Continue: save progress and resume from a personal bookshelf. Access does not require registration to start, and the README mentions free daily Energy. It does not specify in the provided material how Energy is consumed, replenished beyond the daily allowance, or tied to AI calls. The interface language support is a concrete product detail, and it raises a practical implementation question for builders: whether prompts, story state, and moderation