CHAPTER 1176: CHAPTER 1173: TE: I SEAL IT MYSELF (PART 12)

The Original,

at the very beginning and the initial place.

In the most distant and ancient times.

Floating amidst the vast universe, there is a small planet.

This planet is of moderate size, rich in texture, with a thick atmosphere. The newborn land and meandering rivers form the embryo of civilization, like a seed yet to awaken, sealed in primitive crevices.

Time passes; the stars revolve. One day, the chemistry and physics within the planet began a complex symphony — magma erupted into islands, rain fell for the first time, plankton in the seawater reproduced and evolved, and a green carpet of photosynthesis gradually spread across the land.

In an instant, the song of life resounded in the vast universe, a rhythm of emerging civilization, echoing in the DNA of every lifeform. As humans gradually appeared on this land, it also heralded the arrival of text and images.

As the planet’s years continued to grow, the resources of civilization gradually became scarce, and the planet headed towards the dusk of life.

Humans, who had developed for thousands of years, learned that the civilization they built was heading towards twilight.

Some wept in sorrow, some were filled with worry, some struggled in despair — saviorists exhausted metaphysics, religion, and theology, exploring the secrets of the Maya and pyramids day and night, trying to decipher the secret to saving civilization; environmentalists condemned human waste and pollution, calling for everyone to face the future naked; escapism builders created massive airships, urging people to board them and escape the planet, searching for the next new home in the vast universe; pessimists united hundreds of countries in the world to build a modern Noah’s Ark in the Arctic — a cold storage filled with seeds and knowledge. They believed that even if humans went extinct, perhaps in billions of years, new intelligent life would be born.

In people’s prayers and despair — the first World Game arrived without warning.

That year, a young man of only 19 emerged as the Number One Player in this World Game. The wish he made barely saved this civilization.

A hundred years later, General Qin was born. He came from a poor family and grew up to become a government official. Later, he came into contact with the upper class and became friends with this Savior.

But one day, the Savior disappeared.

Although civilization was no longer in a dangerous state, General Qin knew that the first World Game ultimately left a hidden danger. If the Savior was not present, problems would still arise behind civilization.

To find this Savior, General Qin entered the Arctic Cold Storage and retrieved the Savior’s bionic body.

The cold air shot out, the hatch opened, and the young man with black hair and eyes slowly opened his eyes, staring at General Qin outside the storage.

"General Qin, I’m back." The young man smiled.

"No. You’re not truly him, you’re just his bionic body. I hope you can have your own name and persona. You don’t have to imitate him." General Qin shook his head.

The young man showed a bewildered expression. He had the same appearance and body as that Savior; if he didn’t imitate the Savior, who could he become?

"Give yourself a name. Even if you’re a bionic body, you should have your own name." General Qin said.

"The Savior is called Su Ming’an." The young man said dejectedly, "But I don’t know what my name should be."

"Singing in praise, how splendid life is." General Qin smiled, "Chang Ge, how about that? A name that’s free and joyful."

The young man thought for a while and slowly nodded. He grasped General Qin’s hand; his palm was icy from long-term freezing, but General Qin’s hand was warm.

This was the first day of Chang Ge’s life.

Those who respected him opened the hatch of the cryogenic chamber for him, allowing him not to become the shadow of his predecessors and granting him an independent name.

Chang Ge would always remember this person, and this day.

Even though his emotional perception ability was still immature, at this moment, his heart was as joyful as setting off fireworks.

...

There wasn’t much for Chang Ge to do daily, except recording his voice and sending it to the universe.

[Savior, please come back.]

[Savior, can you hear my voice? Please come back.]

He didn’t need to worry that his voice would attract enemies; only that Savior, whose life was similar to his, could hear his voice in the vast universe. That was the reason General Qin awakened his bionic body.

"So, the Savior is floating in the universe?" Chang Ge asked. Why else would he call out to the universe?

"He disappeared." General Qin looked up at the starry sky: "The reliable speculation is... he ascended dimensions."

Chang Ge showed a surprised expression: "Since he’s abandoned the homeland and chose to ascend dimensions, why are we calling him back?"

This was the first time Chang Ge saw General Qin show an angry expression.

"He wouldn’t abandon us. Even if he chooses to ascend dimensions, it certainly wasn’t for profit." General Qin frowned: "He hasn’t returned for so long, he probably lost his way and couldn’t find the coordinates of our civilization. So we keep calling, keep calling... he will definitely come back."

The words sounded foolish.

Chang Ge already had completely independent thinking. He thought these words by General Qin were filled with blind trust. Instead of trusting in the old homeland sentiments, it’s better to believe in profit.

Until one day—

Chang Ge found a necklace in his room.

"Whose necklace is this? Why is it in my room..." He stroked the necklace.

The necklace spoke: "Hello."

Chang Ge was so frightened that he threw the necklace away, clinging to a pillow and trembling.

"Hello." The necklace lay on the ground, repeating very politely.

"Wh-what are you!?" Chang Ge screamed.

"Haven’t you been calling me from the universe? I’ve returned." The necklace laughed.

Chang Ge fell silent.

Raised his hand, straightened his waist, exerted strength—

"Snap."

The necklace was thrown into the sink by him.

"You claim to be that Savior, and I claim to be Edward." Chang Ge sneered.

"Glug glug glug..." The necklace slowly floated to the surface, sounding a bit helpless: "I can reveal any information about the Savior to prove that I am indeed that Savior."

Chang Ge heard this and asked a few questions, which the necklace answered all. Gradually, Chang Ge realized this necklace might really be the Savior.

"Weren’t you supposed to ascend dimensions? How did you come back as a necklace?" Chang Ge asked, holding the necklace as he walked back under the sunset.

"Encountered some unfortunate things... cough, cough, well, I’m back. Next, I’ll help you save civilization." The necklace said.

...

"Chang Ge, have you tried playing games?" the necklace asked.

"No. Every day I attend various meetings with General Qin. I only need to show my face." Chang Ge said.

"Then he’s using your presence to borrow the Savior’s name to command everyone."

"So, I haven’t decided whether to tell him about you. In case he has bad intentions, you’re just a necklace now and can’t resist him." Chang Ge lowered his eyelids.

"I didn’t expect you to care about me that much." The necklace remarked.

"..." Chang Ge was silent. How could he not care! This necklace was the legendary Savior!

"Want to play a game?" the necklace asked.

"I don’t know how."

"No problem, I can teach you."

"... (A burst of sharp sound from Chang Ge)"

"Green." An hour later, the necklace commented: "Being my bionic body, how can you be this bad."

...

That day, Chang Ge returned to the room spiritedly, pulling the necklace from his pocket and placing it on the game controller.

"Again!" he said, blushing.

"Oh? Feeling confident today?" the necklace replied lazily.

"I’ve read many game strategies, and today I will definitely beat you! I just don’t believe it, a necklace without hands can still beat me." Chang Ge said, standing tall.

"Heh, sure."

An hour later, Chang Ge uninstalled the game, no longer spirited or confident.

...

Chang Ge had been with the necklace for a long time.

At first, Chang Ge felt a bit inferior, after all, he was just the bionic body of the Savior. But the necklace rarely mentioned this, treating him as an equal friend.

Playing games, playing the piano, participating in role-playing games...

He was just a copy but gradually became complete and vibrant. Completing Qin General’s task was no longer his only goal; he began to look towards distant dreams—the sea, beaches, grasslands...

The voice of the necklace grew clearer by the day.

"Give me a little more time, and I’ll be able to appear before you in human form," the necklace said.

Chang Ge was looking forward to it.

If Qin General was the guide in his life, the necklace was his best friend.

When the necklace takes human form, even if they look and sound alike, they are bound to be good friends.

...

"Listen, this is... ’To Alice’."

Chang Ge sat on the piano bench, and the necklace taught him to play the piano. The necklace sang the melody, correcting his finger positions.

The music flowed like moonlight.

Chang Ge tried composing many pieces, wanting to give them to the necklace once it took human form.

"Even though I’m just your bionic substitute," Chang Ge murmured while holding the sheet music, "I also have creativity no less than yours. I am... the free Chang Ge."

I am your equal true friend, Su Ming’an—I’m incredibly grateful my name doesn’t originate from you; it has cultivated my independence and autonomy.

I’m so glad to be your friend.

...

That day, Chang Ge walked into the signal transmission room, discovering unexpectedly that there was a reply on the screen!

—Has a reply finally come from the depths of the distant universe!

He immediately looked over, finding a line of words: [I am Su Ming’an, I’ve heard your voice calling me. Soon, I will come to help you.]

Chang Ge immediately looked at the necklace.

The necklace looked innocent: "It wasn’t me. Who is it then?"

Chang Ge was confused.

For a moment, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, feeling chill all over.

The voice he sent to the universe should only have been heard by the Savior.

—If this wasn’t the Savior’s reply, then who could it be?

Unless the necklace was deceiving him, the necklace was not the Savior, and the responder was the true Savior.

"I really am. The responder is not," the necklace said.

"Hmm, I believe you," Chang Ge nodded.

...

Later, the second World Game took place.

After this World Game occurred, everyone was in panic—who could have expected that 140 years after the first World Game, a second would occur!

Qin General’s foresight became evident—now everyone wanted that Savior to return and prevent a third World Game from happening. People tried every means, calling out to the universe, attempting to retrieve that Savior.

Chang Ge thought, he could no longer keep the necklace’s matters hidden.

He took the necklace to the meeting room, where a black-haired, green-eyed young girl sat.

"Hello, I’m looking for Qin General," Chang Ge said gently.

"He’ll be here soon (chewing chewing)," the girl was chewing lemon candy.

"Did you participate in the second World Game?" Chang Ge, not chosen for this World Game, curiously asked the girl, "May I ask who the Number One Player is this time? Can this Number One Player take on the responsibility of the Savior?"

He thought that since this World Game also produced a Number One Player, perhaps there was no need for Brother Necklace.

"This time’s Number One Player huh (chewing chewing)," the green-eyed girl pointed behind Chang Ge, "She’s right behind you."

Chang Ge turned around in surprise.

A short black-haired girl stood quietly behind him.

At this moment, Qin General came in to introduce the girl: "Let me introduce, this is the Savior who disappeared a century ago. Decades ago, I found a necklace, and later the necklace took human form, and that is her. She also participated in this World Game."

Chang Ge felt cold sweat sliding down slowly—so Qin General also found a necklace!?

He thought he was unique, but it turned out Qin General experienced the same thing—finding a necklace claiming to be the Savior and keeping it secret until today.

"But Qin General, the Savior is male," Chang Ge pointed at the girl, "This is a girl, and her face doesn’t match."

The necklace made a sharp explosive noise: "Yes, I’m male! Under no circumstances can it change, there’s no possibility at all!"

Qin General said: "Maybe after the Savior’s Dimensional Ascension, they had other ideas. Gender is not important in higher dimensions. She has proven to me that she is indeed the Savior from a century ago."

... No, "I" definitely wouldn’t be like this.

Chang Ge just felt something was off.

He sensed that a massive net seemed to be opening behind him.

—Whose necklace is the one he has?

—Who is the necklace Qin General found?

—Whose voice was it that responded from the universe?

"No, you’re fake! You can’t be that Savior! My Brother Necklace is!" Chang Ge couldn’t believe his necklace of many years would deceive him. He thought the girl was definitely wearing a human skin mask, and he lunged at her: "Let me see what face you have underneath!"

"Swish!"

Sailing threads instantly hoisted him up.

The black-haired girl looked at him indifferently, manipulating the puppet threads, binding him in mid-air.

"Clunk."

The necklace slipped from Chang Ge’s arms and fell to the ground.