CHAPTER 1292: CHAPTER 1288: "MAY ALL THAT THEY LOVE PERISH

Main God World, Area 12.

Su Ming’an strode forward, followed closely by Su Liujin.

In the distance, several people wearing United Group uniforms could be seen waiting in the square.

"I’m leaving," Lin Yin bid farewell to Su Ming’an.

Player death could mean real death—this is information not suitable for wide dissemination, otherwise it would cause widespread panic. Su Ming’an asked Lin Yin to inform the United Group, allowing their experienced experts to consider how to handle this.

"I have some bad news to tell you." At this moment, Starfire emerged from the shadows, moonlight flowing in its eyes: "I just tried it; your game IP has been occupied. Even if I can go back, I can’t take you back."

"...game IP? Such a gamified term." Su Ming’an looked up. It seemed the structure of the World Game truly was based on a game.

"There’s a way now. Kick the person occupying your game IP out, and you can go back," Starfire said.

"Can’t I create a new account?"

"There’s no such concept." Starfire frowned: "Sique knows the World Game better than I do, though he’s just a human, he managed to figure out a loophole. Players enter instances based on IP positioning, and he thought of blending in... "

"How do I kick him out then?"

"Kill him," Starfire said succinctly.

Su Ming’an’s pupils quivered slightly.

"His state is quite special, like that of a ghost... Don’t worry, even if you kill him, he won’t really die," Starfire said.

"...The problem is I’m currently in the Main God World," Su Ming’an said.

"Yes, correct," Starfire nodded.

"...I have to kill him to return to Luowasha."

"Yes, correct."

"But I must return to Luowasha first to find the opportunity to kill him."

"Yes, correct."

"So in conclusion, I have to return to Luowasha to kill him so I can return to Luowasha."

"Yes, correct."

The two stared at each other. At this moment, Starfire suddenly realized it seemed like a logic whirlpool. Its expression turned blank for a moment.

Nevertheless, Su Ming’an must go back. Sique kicked him out without any notice, this means Sique has given up the chance to communicate himself, and he can’t leave everything to Sique to handle, essentially entrusting his entire life to someone else.

"Starfire, can you go back and kick him out?"

"I can’t. I can’t interfere too much; talking to you is already the limit," Starfire said.

"To what extent can you achieve?"

"Let me think..." Starfire lowered its head and rubbed its chin: "At most, I can help deliver a message, within ten words, to anyone you recognize. The message can’t demand killing or harming; its weight can’t be too heavy."

"Indeed, you are prisoners of the World Game," Su Ming’an remarked.

Can’t do this, can’t do that, you’re less free than the players.

Can only deliver a message to a teammate, and it can’t involve killing... How can he convey his intention to kick out Sique within ten words?

Choosing which teammate is crucial; if that teammate has had their account stolen or can’t comprehend the situation, it’s fruitless.

He opened the clue tab, reviewing it from start to finish.

Then, he took out a small mirror from his pocket, carried at all times, since a keyword from Luowasha mentioned "look into mirrors often."

Staring at his reflection, suddenly, an inspiration hit him.

It seems... he’s thought of a possibility.

Starfire leaned over, Su Ming’an whispered: "..."

The voice was extremely low, barely audible.

Moments later, Starfire straightened up, full of surprise: "Can... can this message work?"

"Give it a try. I want to test a hypothesis. Even if I fail, it can’t be worse than now," Su Ming’an confirmed.

"Then I’m off. Be careful in the Main God World, don’t be deceived by strange people." It flickered and melted into the shadows.

Su Ming’an watched Starfire leave.

Why did Starfire say that upon departure? Could it be that strange people will come to deceive him...?

"Su Ming’an."

At this moment, a voice came from behind.

Su Ming’an turned back, seeing a multicolored smiley face, sticky paint trailing under its mask, appearing jelly-like in semi-fluid form.

"Hey, Kasadia, you’re here." Su Liujin waved.

...Amazing.

This Kasadia truly is a peculiar person. When Sique wasn’t around, Kasadia searched frantically like a soul lost. When Sique appeared, Kasadia ended up showing up by himself.

"I’m here to take Liujin back," Kasadia said with a grin.

"...Did Sique arrange for you to come?" Su Ming’an asked.

Kasadia’s smiley mask tilted slightly, neither affirming nor denying.

"Su Ming’an, come back with us. Starfire can’t take you back, maybe Kasadia can, he’s more proficient in space authority," Su Liujin extended an invitation.

"You want to go back?" Kasadia circled around Su Ming’an: "This will require a price... Let me think, this time it’s a not-so-funny joke, tell me when you get back."

"Sure," Su Ming’an also smiled, masking his inner thoughts.

The three walked forward, leaving a trail of multicolored paint.

...

"In the past, the anchor points of stories fell upon you."

"Each world prepared the most suitable identities for you, nurturing those similar to you, waiting for you to take over these unfortunate lives."

"Players are favored by the world. As long as you arrive, exciting stories unfold, epic tales soon commence, you’ll gain joy and tears through adventures, and leave with a heart weighted with satisfaction, as if you witnessed an epic movie."

"And what of those left behind? Only ordinary lives, money, involution, poverty... As everything grand concludes, what remains for them is still a dull life. They might have experienced pivotal moments of world change, contributed as part of all beings, but so what?"

"The story ends, ’they’ remain ’they,’ ’all’ remain ’all.’ In the Ruined World, seventy billion people, only a double-digit number of lucky ones leave names, that can be observed and remembered, while those as ordinary as Little Mei are even fewer."

"You probably don’t have such confusion, the main character forever under the story’s anchor point."

"The stage always has you."

"But some no longer wish to serve you."

...

Sique opened his eyes.

Some auditory illusions from the long years echoed repeatedly in his ears.

He lay in the ink-black water. Everywhere in sight were rows of bookshelves floating on the ink, each shelf filled with a variety of books, and above was an endless starry sky.

Here it is again.

Every time he fell asleep, he would come here. A place of emptiness where only he existed. Blue sky, black water, endless scrolls.

He rose from the water, a rushing sound coming from all over his body, perhaps the sound of internal organs flowing to the ground. His form here was always incomplete, with devoured holes and depressions all over his body, like a stuffed doll full of stitches.

He walked between the rows of bookshelves, taking out a book, reading it carefully, then putting it back, before taking out the next one.

Books after books flashed before his eyes, each of which he had already read countless times, his fingertips sliding over the rough spines, book titles flashing before his eyes... "Selections of Plants and Flowers," "How to Make a Mechanical Little Dog," "The Impact of World Game Battles," "The Transmission History of Mr. Qin and the Life Hard Drive," "Rebirth of the War God Dragon King: I Am the Authority Holder," "I Really Don’t Want to Save The World of Old Days," "Infinite: Infinite Evolution from Birth"...

Then his fingers paused as the auditory illusions caught up with him once more, voices both male and female, young and old.

"—I don’t want to, Sique! The time you will spend is too long, we are all ordinary people, we can’t wait!"

"—I’m sorry, Sique... compared to achieving grand ideals, I’m more concerned whether I can have a full stomach tomorrow morning, I can’t participate in your plan, I’m leaving, just pretend we were never friends..."

"—Professor Ran left too, Sique... should we really keep writing..."

"—Yes! Sique! You are the creator overflowing with spiritual energy, the world favors you, spiritual energy surrounds you. You have enough capital to be arrogant, and you have enough time to squander because you are always so dazzling and brilliant! But have you thought about Wu Yi? Thought about Holma? Thought about Qiao?"

"—Sorry, Sique, I’m just an insignificant person, your ideas are too grand, I can’t persist..."

"—Don’t be afraid, child. You can wield your feather pen to your heart’s content... add success to success, sing virtues for virtues, build nests for the kingfisher, embroider flowers for the nightingale. I believe you can do it..."

Sique closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The auditory illusions finally disappeared.

"Don’t haunt me again," he murmured to himself.

"Don’t... haunt me again."

The myriad of books quietly slept around him. Countless bone claws extended from the black water, grabbing his ankles and calves, wailing as if manifesting countless resentful souls.

He returned the books to their original places and closed his eyes.

When he reopened them, he had left the heavy dreamscape, and before him was the tangible reality.

The night was deep, the campfire leaping.

He stood on the land of the Undead Territory, crowned above, innumerable shadows beneath his feet. People summoned by him.

The new lord ascends, the masses prostrate.

... Right, he was about to give a speech, maybe he was too tired, and after sitting for a moment, he fell into a dream. Luckily, he woke up quickly.

"—Everyone." Sique stepped forward half a step.

The crowd looked up at him.

"I am Sique, the Great Creator of Luowasha, and I think you have heard my name, some call me ’Pioneer’."

"A pioneer always leads the trend, meaning ’the one who walks ahead’."

"In the First Epoch, the pioneer was called a scientist. In the Second Epoch, the pioneer was called the three initial Gods. In the Third Epoch, the pioneer was called the Rin Clan."

"However, science is dead, the prophecies of the Dawn Goddess have repeatedly been shattered, and the Rin Clan remains buried beneath the trees. No one truly enters this so-called temple of creation and future."

"In this world themed with art and romance, our hands should touch feather pens, paints, piano keys, and engraving knives to craft blueprints for our Republic. Emotions and spiritual energy flow in our veins, also shackling us with pain. Because we believe, yet not entirely, we have, yet not fully, we are wise, but not perfectly."

"And now—I am willing to be this pioneer."

"I will bestow upon you emotion, spiritual energy, and truth. To resist the frivolousness and absurdity of the World Tree, expose the desires and cruelty of the Master of the End of All Things, see through the indifference and arrogance of the Supreme Lord."

"I grant you the ’New World’."

"Or, I would rather call it—’Eden’."

"Under the protection of ’Eden,’ we need not worry about the selection day five days later, where you can choose new lives, new paths, to paint blueprints for yourselves until you tire."

"The pitiful yet respectable lambs may surrender to Eden, and read the World Book."

As his words fell, people kneeled on the ground. His name was too illustrious, even a mere smile could cause a ripple.

"Everyone, please raise your right hand, place it over your left chest, and follow me to swear." Sique placed his right hand over his left chest.

Uniformly, the crowded mass below did the same action.

"[I surrender to Eden, follow Olivius, no longer listen to the sound of the World Tree, no longer worship the Twenty-seven Gods, no longer praise the Supreme Lord.]"

As he spoke, the masses echoed.

"[May all they revere be destroyed.]"

As he lightly struck his left chest, the masses struck their left chests.

"[May all they praise perish.]"

As he closed his eyes in recitation, the masses closed their eyes.

"[May all their ideals be shattered.]"

"[May all they love die.]"

"[Until—]"

As he lowered his hand, the masses bowed their heads.

"[Until—Luowasha turns the tables on the World Game.]"

"[Until—Number One Player completely perishes.]"

...

[World Game·Current Players: 298,982,918]

...

Edge of the Main God World.

Su Ming’an had never been to such a place; to his knowledge, the edge of the Main God World was an impassable shield, like a blank map in an unrendered game area.

But now, Kasadia brought him here.

"We’ll walk from here," Kasadia said with a grin, pointing at the blank space.

"Here... can we walk?" Su Ming’an asked, puzzled.

"Couldn’t before, but now you can, of course, with my protection," Kasadia said, smiling: "If you’re not assured... Su Liujin, you go first."

"Boink." Su Liujin immediately turned into a jellyfish, lying on the ground, tentacles limp, silently expressing the unwillingness to pave the way.

Then, Kasadia seized the opportunity to kick it.

The jellyfish bounced thrice like a rubber ball, dived into the white, and disappeared, gone decisively.

"Please?" Kasadia extended one hand, gesturing to Su Ming’an.