CHAPTER 1181: CHAPTER 1178: TE: I SEAL IT MYSELF (PART 17)

[I received the invitation to this world’s festival, my life has been blessed.]

[My eyes have seen beautiful scenes, my ears have heard intoxicating music.]

[At this banquet, my task was to play music, and I tried my best to perform.]

[Now, I ask, has the time finally come?]

[Can I go in to admire your visage and offer my silent salute?]

[——Tagore "Gitangali"]

...

["Fourth World Game Protocol":]

[I solemnly swear.]

[I firmly commit myself, voluntarily becoming the Guardian of humanity, maintaining enthusiasm for The World of Old Days, upholding loyalty to humanity, faithfully adhering to my missions!]

[I will obey all instructions of the Millennial Plan, follow the commands of the Deities and General Qin, adhere to my heart, neither covet the High Dimensions nor fear sacrifice, but bravely contribute!]

[I swear to uphold the following treaties:]

[1. If multiple people are selected for the World Game, choose the one who clears the highest difficulty in the first instance as the Number One Player.]

[2. If the primary Number One Player fails, immediately select the person who still achieves a Perfect Pass.]

[3. During the game, cooperate to establish human organizations such as Union Government, Self-Salvation Alliance, Guardian Department, and set up temporary laws. Prohibit conflicts between Adventurer Players and Casual Players.]

[4. During the final wish, discuss all wishes in advance. If conflicts arise, immediately eliminate the one causing the conflict.]

[5. During the game, do not question the "Number One Player’s" stance, identity, ability. Strictly manage public opinion’s impact on the Number One Player, ensuring the Number One Player’s completion status as the primary principle.]

[6. ...]

[Finally.]

[I swear, in the full plan spanning a millennium, no matter who, which position, or which part is missing. When the world needs me, I will promptly fill the vacancy, voluntarily sacrifice without complaint.]

[We do not have a truly perfect "Savior", nor a great pioneer grand enough to lead an entire civilization — thus, each and every one of us will become this "Savior."]

[We understand this is a task with an extremely high mortality rate, even if someone truly wins to the end, holding the authority, there’s an extremely high probability of dying due to soul erosion. Therefore, we promise that, no matter who achieves a Full Perfect Clear winning this World Game, and when their life cannot be saved——voluntarily transfer all resources to Su Ming’an bot, abandoning the honors and title of the "Old God."]

[——May the Millennial Plan achieve perfect success!]

[——May humanity win this millennium-long, spanning ten thousand timelines, trans-generational and inter-generational battle!]

[——May humanity’s history continue forever, may humanity’s future shine brilliantly!]

[To the Republic! To the future! To humanity!!!]

[Pledge takers: Chao Yan, Li Mingyue, Xiao Ying, Chang Ge, Xia Jiawen, Li Yuxuan... (a total of 253 people)]

[(Additionally, take the pioneer’s Name, as the shared codename for us 253 people, as——"Shan Changge.")]

...

Humanity did not just focus on "Su Ming’an", nor did they watch the pioneers’ efforts from the sidelines, comfortably reaping the benefits from behind.

The collective effort of civilization twisted into a single rope, firmly clasped in the hands of all "Original Preparers." They did not restrict themselves to identity, nor were they limited to numbers like "Nine Thrones", "Twelve Principals", but increased without limit.

Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand...

The Savior can be more than one person.

There are always more people like "Su Ming’an." They don’t necessarily resemble him, but some core spirits always align.

Brave and fearless police, firefighters, soldiers, even doctors who work days and nights without rest, teachers who eat bread and pickles while educating in rural areas, forest rangers who selflessly dedicate their lives, island guardians who keep watch day and night on solitary islands... they largely meet these conditions. They can wholly become this Original.

The salvation ideal from The World of Old Days—has always been "saturation rescue."

Replaced "Nine Thrones",

——by "Seven Billion Thrones."

Replaced "a 19-year-old student",

——by "countless doctors, teachers, firefighters, soldiers"... Likewise, subsequent millennial Ark crossings will include their reincarnated descendants.

Here, salvation is "everyone’s" responsibility, forming a complex yet complete salvation structure.

No one can be excluded.

Anyone can be excluded.

...

The Fourth World Game ends.

"Chang Ge" wins until the end, gaining the "Time" authority.

Since his essence is Su Ming’an bot, this ability of time retrospection he possesses is called "Little Su Rollback."

At this moment, the real Su Ming’an is currently possessing "Chang Ge", experiencing the Fourth World Game. When Su Ming’an starts vacationing, leaving the Holy City, "Chang Ge" regains his body’s control ability.

"Has he already left?" Chang Ge opens his eyes, inquiring the Deity.

"Yes. He switched to a bionic body to vacation. Now he should be a captain in the Age of Steam." The Deity closes the poetry book in his hand.

Chang Ge silently nods.

He went to the cemetery.

The garden blooms facing the wind. He places bunches of Blue Roses before people’s graves, then fetches lotus flowers and music scores, standing for a long while.

The brutality of this world game exceeded imagination, over two hundred "Shan Changge" sequentially endured the "Time" authority, yet all failed. Eventually, pooling their resources on Chang Ge, allowing him to inherit the time authority.

Out of a billion people, only a handful survived.

The sunset atop his brow, it’s the last time Chang Ge will see the sun of the Holy City.

After this, he sealed his consciousness, deprived of his senses, sank into the deep sea, silenced for a millennium of waiting—Only through this self-sealed way can he withstand time authority.

Occasionally waking up, he would silently watch Su Ming’an’s vacation. When Su Ming’an freely sails at sea, Chang Ge endures the long and distant solitude. When Su Ming’an dances holding hands with Yuanyuan, Chang Ge repeatedly reminisces the names of the fallen. When Su Ming’an sits on the eaves watching fireworks, or enjoys snow with Alice, Chang Ge carves the faces of departed friends with a knife, reminding himself not to forget, not to forget.

Do not forget.

In the silent darkness, there is no light, only endless solitude and stillness, as if he is a cat locked in a narrow suffocating box. And such waiting, continued for a millennium.

"The earthly world floats beyond, blessed scenery to the dawn..."

"The earthly world floats beyond, blessed scenery to the dawn♪"

Repeatedly singing this song, with a gentle and sincere tone, reminiscing the eyes of departed friends over and over.

Otherwise, he would start to forget—who he truly is, where he comes from, what he is waiting for.

He knows his ultimate destiny is unchangeable death. The end of the road only leads to death, he’s merely waiting for the moment to shield Su Ming’an from the sword, without any possibility of happiness. But even if all the waiting is for that "death"—so what?

Death to him, is just going to meet Chang Ge.

Chang Ge left a millennium earlier, he’s finally about to meet him.

Then, let’s see how much that guy’s game skills have honed, he should be a bit more impressive now, right?

He laughs, silently waiting, repeatedly continuing to sculpt the faces and names of the fallen.

——until the day when dawn rises.

Wearing the "Wooden Wings" once crafted by the boy, he lifts his head, looking towards the crooked, no longer towering "Tower of Babel."

Takes a deep breath,

Passion as wings, promise as wind.

Head held high, chest forward, leap—

...

——"Chang Ge" finally flies towards the ideal.

...

Held that person’s hand, that person’s sword, saw that person’s similar yet different black eyes, the bright color in the depths.

As if looking into a mirror, yet also seeing the already-gone True Friend. His heart beats rapidly, his gaze is clear and bright.

"Wonderful, I’m finally going to meet him." He smiles.

"A thousand years have passed, he should finally..."

"Have won my game."

...

Su Ming’an caught Chang Ge.

White tendrils like angel wings gently embraced the lamp keeper who had waited a thousand years.

Due to the inertia from the impact, they spun in the air for a moment before stabilizing.

Why did Chang Ge command wars, why did he play the piano, why did his thoughts always align with Su Ming’an’s... It seemed in an instant there was an answer.

At the story’s end, Chang Ge received a hug from his own self. Although everything about him came from this person, his appearance was that person’s, his voice was that person’s, his past was also that person’s, but when they made eye contact, the differences were clear.

Before dawn had risen, they met.

At this moment, people screamed, pointing to the sky, because they witnessed an incredible scene.

"Look quickly—"

People saw— even though it wasn’t clearly displayed. But the other 9999 timelines were surprisingly showcasing similar events.

—In every timeline, there was a person like a deity ascending to the sky, lifting up The Republic. Their appearances were different, their ages varied, yet their actions were akin to Su Ming’an’s.

"This is..." Su Ming’an hadn’t expected that the other 9999 timelines were echoing the same event. Even though those 9999 hadn’t become gods, they were pooling their strength to assist Su Ming’an’s primary timeline in establishing The Republic.

"Su Ming’an, in the face of the end, I will explain three things to you. This is the first thing," Chang Ge said:

"In truth, even if your timeline fails, other timelines will soon take the lead. Remember? The deities told you that even if you squandered twenty days with ease, ’old gods’ would assume your duty and do the same thing."

"And when the deities mentioned ’old gods,’ they weren’t referring to a single person."

"But—"

Chang Ge’s finger pointed to the figures on those 9999 timelines:

"It’s them."

Su Ming’an’s pupils suddenly expanded.

"They are people like you. Maybe they aren’t called ’Su Ming’an,’ maybe their ages and hair color differ. Their professions encompass a wide range, from soldiers, farmers, accountants, to doctors, from elderly septuagenarians to teenagers. You can’t even name them all individually, only calling them by the unified code in the millennial plan—’Shan Changge,’" Chang Ge said:

"The first batch of ’Shan Changge’ only had 253 people, now there are 9999."

"They possess personalities and wills similar to yours. They are the most suitable people in their timelines."

"If you fail, the energy accumulated by The World of Old Days, the authority you left behind, and the faith gathered by the whole world can still forge the next ’old god.’

"If that ’old god’ fails too, among the remaining 9998 people, a person will soon step out as the third order for ’old god.’ If it fails again, there will still be 9997, as fourth, fifth, sixth, even up to the ten-thousandth order.

"One after another, someone will eventually succeed in uplifting The Republic."

"— Who cares if they perish one after another?"

"We have 10,000 timelines, so we have 10,000 chances."

"The ancestors from the initial Heavenly Era have already died, but as long as the life hard drive remains, the immortal will shall continue through thousands or even tens of thousands of years of rotation—"

Chang Ge smiled broadly and proudly:

"Eternal for ten thousand generations."

...

Steam Age

[Name: Morgan Maxey]

[Age: 94]

[Identity: Royal City Knight]

[Death outcome: The Republic]

["People shouldn’t lose their homeland, so this old man had to do something."]

...

Louyue Era

[Name: Hou Xianglian]

[Age: 32]

[Identity: Owner of Fortune Bank]

[Death outcome: The Republic]

["Willing to act for Your Highness, the Eldest Prince."]

...

Mechanical Armor Age

[Name: Deng Pu]

[Age: 14]

[Identity: Son of a Union General]

[Death outcome: The Republic]

["I came because I don’t want the stars to disappear."]

...

Near Modern Era

[Name: Ji Puyu]

[Age: 28]

[Identity: City Guardian Elder]

[Death outcome: The Republic]

["Winter isn’t eternal, the cracks on the wall will fill, and people will love amidst flames and shouts. For this spring, I willingly take the vow to become Shan Changge."]

...

When Su Ming’an looked at them, the information panel silently emerged, and most of their death outcomes— were The Republic.

When Su Ming’an raised his sword, the remaining 9999 almost simultaneously raised their swords.

When Su Ming’an moved forward, the remaining 9999 almost simultaneously moved forward.

All the "heirs" followed the "deity," all the "Shan Changge" cooperated with "Su Ming’an," all the "seeds" yearned to become "fully blossomed flowers."

It was like the credits of a movie, with each name silently glowing on the screen. You can’t even see who they are, but you know that this film exists because of those indistinguishable names.

—Even if it’s not "Su Ming’an" who becomes the old god, there will be another from the 9999 with slightly lower compatibility to take up his great task. Like Chao Yan, Li Mingyue, Yi Zhongyu, and others. The success rate would, of course, be much lower, and more people would die, but it’s not as if without Su Ming’an everything would be lost.

—Even if not "Su Ming’an" becoming the first player, others will take on this mission. Like Noel, or Bei Wang, or any heart filled with the passion for a perfect pass-completion. Perhaps they wouldn’t do as well, but they wouldn’t just concede outright.

—But Su Ming’an stepped out of the small town, declaring himself the "old god."

—But Su Ming’an stepped onto the stage, accepting himself as the "Number One Player."

Just to maximize compatibility and success rate, simply because he could do it best himself.

Other "Shan Changge" like Li Mingyue, Chao Yan, and others will still support him, completing his mistakes, filling in his gaps.

—Until the clock of fate tolls the end of a thousand years.

—All the stars converge at a point, forming an expansive, endless, vast and long galaxy—

...

Winter chill dissipates.

The path ahead is bright.

...

[TE: "Sealed by Me" Perfect Completion Progress: -90%]

...