CHAPTER 1177: CHAPTER 1174: TE: I SEAL IT MYSELF (PART 13)

The necklace hadn’t spoken for a long time, unsure of how to comfort.

Until a few rays of dawn shone in from the window, the necklace said, "...When we get out, I’ll treat you to barbecue, lemon barbecue."

"I’ve never had that before, sounds intriguing." Chang Ge buried his head in his knees.

"It’s delicious."

...

By the time Chang Ge was released, most of the things in his room had already been taken away.

The badge, clothes, and accessories belonging to the Savior... all had been removed. Even that piano worth a thousand pieces of gold was gone. After all, a replica had no place playing a precious piano. In the empty room, he gazed at the dust left behind by the piano, momentarily unsure of who he was.

"Chang Ge." the necklace said, "Don’t be sad, you are the one and only Chang Ge."

Chang Ge didn’t mind his sadness, only apologized to the necklace: "Sorry, you taught me piano for so long... now I can’t play anymore."

"It’s okay, as long as you’re not sad," the necklace said.

...

The black-haired girl quickly took control of the world’s power.

Her method for continuing civilization was simple—plunder.

"Have you heard? The Savior intends to attack other civilizations." Chang Ge overheard a discussion in the corner of the cafeteria.

This was the central government, full of big shots, and Chang Ge was like an invisible person. But there were always a group of people willing to befriend him. Carrying his tray, he walked over, and this group of friends also smiled and let him sit down.

A middle-aged man with glasses, Xia Jiawu, said mysteriously, "I heard the Savior found the coordinates of an external civilization and plans to invade it to seize the World Origin."

Old man Cheng Lishan frowned: "Why would the Savior have such an idea? Clearly, she wasn’t like this a century ago. Why does she want to invade other civilizations as soon as she returns this time?"

Chang Ge chewed on tomato scrambled eggs, letting Brother Necklace’s chain dip into the purple seaweed egg soup.

"Can anyone persuade General Qin? We can’t become invaders," Su Meimei said timidly.

"But," soldier Dong Qi suddenly said, "isn’t there a possibility—they tried other methods, but ultimately, only this one remained."

The dining table fell silent.

...So, is plundering really the only way?

Chang Ge chewed on the braised ribs, feeling uneasy.

He returned to the signal transmission room again, intending to inquire about the voice from the universe claiming to be "Su Ming’an." But what he saw on the screen was the dialogue record between General Qin and that "Su Ming’an":

[(Initial message) I am Su Ming’an, I heard your call. I will come to help you soon.]

[General Qin: No, you’re not Su Ming’an, who are you!]

[The voice: Oh, it’s Mr. Qin. Well, I am indeed not Su Ming’an. It’s just that there’s a "Su Ming’an" next to me, so I heard your call to the universe.]

[General Qin: ...]

[The voice: Sweating all over, aren’t you? Unfortunately, your civilization’s coordinates have already been exposed to me. At most, in forty years, you will belong to me.]

[General Qin: You’re Mr. Nuo’s High-dimensional.]

[The voice: Yes. You may call me Dieying.]

[General Qin: Are you crazy! This is your homeland, you want to invade us?]

[The voice: So what? In the past, you almost killed my true friend. Alright, this conversation ends here.]

[General Qin: You... (the other party refused to receive messages)]

...

Chang Ge looked at this conversation record, his hands and feet icy cold.

...It was him.

It was his call that attracted the enemy!

No wonder General Qin has changed recently, he must have sensed the impending crisis...

After all, their time was only forty years!

Within forty years, with the civilization’s coordinates exposed, how could they fend off a powerful High-dimensional?

...They wouldn’t even have time to build a spaceship.

Chang Ge’s face was deathly pale, he forgot how he staggered back to his room, only feeling that the sky was about to collapse.

"...Brother Necklace, you are the true Savior, do you have any good ideas?" Chang Ge’s voice was extremely low, even with a hint of tears, "I really don’t know what to do... If I don’t call you back, the World Game happens again and again, there will always be a day when the game fails, and then everyone will be erased. But calling you back, instead, attracts an even more terrifying enemy."

He really didn’t know what to do. It seemed like their lifespan ended here, whether moving forward or backward, there was no way out.

But he really wanted to live.

Clearly, he only just finished composing his piano piece.

The necklace was very quiet.

"Let me..." the necklace softly said, "think a little..."

...

Chang Ge didn’t know what he could do.

He was too insignificant.

It seemed that only by following the black-haired girl’s intention—plundering the World Origin from other civilizations, could there be a chance. Their civilization could no longer solve this problem and could only start with other civilizations. There would always be... civilizations smaller than them.

The central government held a public opinion vote. They did not disclose the current situation, only asking the public’s opinion in a hypothetical way:

[Suppose one day our civilization faced a crisis, with only one way to survive—would you be willing to extend our civilization by plundering other civilizations?]

The final result showed a ratio of "willing" to "unwilling" as 58% to 42%. The central government did not set a neutral answer, because there were only two extreme endings—live or die.

During the vote, Chang Ge pressed "unwilling" on the screen without hesitation. He even mobilized his friends to all vote "unwilling".

Yes. After long consideration, Chang Ge’s thought was—he was unwilling.

Unwilling to survive on the bones of other civilizations.

Unwilling to let the unfortunate fate spread.

Although the continuation of civilization is above all else—he really couldn’t betray his conscience.

He didn’t want the victim to become the perpetrator.

He didn’t want the kind Savior to lose his ideal, to become the one he hated the most—a cruel executioner.

He didn’t want to open the Pandora’s Box of evil.

"Once this door is opened, there will be a second, a third time. Dieying is always watching us. Once we start plundering, the civilizations that fall under us will indeed not be just one." Taking advantage of a high-level meeting, Chang Ge mustered the courage, stumbled and rushed up, standing under the spotlight, tearing off his human skin mask, facing thousands of high-level leaders and shouting:

"—Don’t let civilization become executioners from now on! There will always be another way—I believe in front of the trolley, both sides can survive!"

"The true Savior created miracles a century ago, why do you bow your heads this time! Has your bloodiness been worn away? Do you want your descendants to be born among the corpses of other civilizations?"

"It’s like drinking poison to quench thirst! Once we embark on the path of plunder, it will surely be a dead end, ultimately provoking an unbeatable enemy. But as long as we find other methods, the coordinates will not be further exposed, and the sustained time will be far longer than plundering!"

"——Why don’t you understand! Please believe in the Millennium Plan! Please believe in the Millennium Plan!"

He shouted hoarsely, his words were awkward and sharp, driven by a young man’s fervor, tightly grasping the necklace that gave him courage.

People actually understood his words. But they preferred to choose plundering, leaving the consequences to future generations, rather than believe that the seemingly fanciful "Millennium Plan" could be realized.

Chang Ge really put everything on the line.

He was a useless copy. But at this moment, standing under the lights—he felt his heart pounding, his eyes shining, something burning in his chest, igniting him.

[You are the free and independent Chang Ge.]

Brother Necklace’s words echoed in his heart.

He clearly knew what his actions would lead to. He openly contradicted the black-haired girl, some wished to skin him alive, no one would protect him.

He truly charged "naked" into Hell, solely to awaken some people’s consciences, burning himself like kindling.

Listening to his words, some council members were moved, some showed a reluctant expression, some remained indifferent, some showed worry—humanity’s myriad expressions unfolded before Chang Ge’s eyes. In that instant, he clearly realized—

Ah.

...

So humans are such complicated creatures.

Faced with the same words, different people could display so many expressions.

...

"Chang Ge! Come down!" Cheng Lishan’s face turned ashen with fear.

"Chang Ge..." Su Meimei covered her eyes.

"This kid, really..." Dong Qi lit a cigarette: "Can’t help but admire... exactly like the Savior a hundred years ago, with the same temperament. Unfortunately..."

Unfortunately, the world least tolerates idealism.

This word, when spoken, would make those accustomed to numbness laugh. In an adult’s world, there’s no need for dreams or fairy tales; those are things only children believe in.

A hundred years ago, their ancestors believed in fairy tales and ideals because the Savior was willing to believe. But now, the Savior has become realistic. In the "post-truth" era, "non-realistic" and "immature" things are thrown into the trash heap.

Security rushed up and pinned down the powerless Chang Ge. Chang Ge, like Su Wensheng back then, was full of ideals but couldn’t even fight off bandits.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

To express loyalty, the security used all their strength to beat this copy. The crowd below mostly remained silent; the fact that they were sitting here meant that they supported the faction of the black-haired girl from the start and wouldn’t be persuaded.

But what does the youth know about politics?

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh was piercing.

Fists heavily slammed into the youth’s shoulders, stomach, spine... producing a dull sound. He fell to the ground, his forehead covered in fresh blood.

The youth didn’t understand politics, only truth and ideals.

Council members might understand politics, might understand truth and ideals.

But regarding the former, they pretended to understand; regarding the latter, even if understood, they feigned ignorance.

"Bang!"

Blood spread, the youth was covered in wounds, yet he gritted his teeth, firmly protecting the necklace in his arms, keeping it untouched by blood.

He was already deeply mired in filth, beyond saving, but the necklace could not be—it’s the world’s last spark of idealism, the last flicker of light in his heart, the final hope preventing this civilization from falling into the mire.

It must not be extinguished.

Cannot be.

"Bang! Bang! Bang—"

...

After the meeting, Chang Ge was sentenced to death.

...

If Chang Ge were the Savior himself, his speech wouldn’t be considered a crime, it might even make people immediately change sides, embracing his idealism.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t, so everything he said became "crimes."

The day before execution, General Qin came to see him. Chang Ge lay in the cell, still holding the necklace.

He had nothing left, no piano, no love. Everything was taken away, yet he never let go of the necklace.

His bruised, blood-soaked face, inflamed and swollen wounds, he looked like a corpse that only breathed, but the necklace in his hand remained clean.

"...Do you really believe she will bring you hope?" Chang Ge’s throat was torn apart, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. Clearly named "Chang Ge," yet now he could no longer sing.

He looked at General Qin, General Qin’s eyes remained silent.

The distance between them seemed truly vast.

As close as it was when General Qin opened the hatch for him, granting him independence. After that, an infinite chasm opened.

Chang Ge smiled, coughing blood as he laughed:

"What exactly did she promise you, to make you abandon your ideals, become her sycophant."

"Now... you truly are second to none, above thousands. Mr. Qin. The taste of power is very delicious. When I die, once you seize the necklace, no one will know who the real Savior is."

"By plundering a few more civilizations, you will become the master of civilization. Congratulations."

General Qin did not deny, his silent eyes focused on Chang Ge.

Not until General Qin turned to leave did he speak:

"I will set a fire for you."

"From now on, you are the free Chang Ge."

"Stay away from us, kid."

Chang Ge didn’t understand what it meant, but he just closed his eyes waiting for tomorrow’s execution.

Until the cell was engulfed in flames, Cheng Lishan suddenly appeared, dragging Chang Ge out amidst the chaos, escaping through a secret passage, Chang Ge only then realized something.

"Leave quickly, Chang Ge, go far away." Cheng Lishan pushed him outside: "You are a good child, too pure, too good, this whirlpool at the center of power is not for you. Child, go where you wish, wear the mask forever, don’t ever return."

"I..." Chang Ge looked back in confusion—the sunlight gilded the ice-white buildings of the central government, spreading a sharp metallic cold light, skyscrapers piercing the sky like swords, towering and awe-inspiring.

Turns out, this is not home.

It’s the place where ideals die, where man-eating occurs, where the destiny of civilization is decided—Hell.

He didn’t stop, stumbling as he fled. He feared that if he died, Brother Necklace would fall into the wrong hands. He had to live... until Brother Necklace transformed into human form, changing everything.

So what if it’s dirty here?

He will eventually clean it up.

...