CHAPTER 977: CHAPTER 974: "SORRY FOR GIVING YOU A NIGHTMARE.

At this moment, I felt a chill down my spine.

Even though it was just a guess, this speculation was enough to unsettle me.

The deity grasped my hand and led me to the center of the chapel. The ritual began, and I felt heat spreading throughout my body.

I had never felt such nervousness before; it seemed as if this world was a trap set just for me.

"Whoosh—"

White, feather-like tendrils burst from my spine. I began to feel dizzy. The deity stood before me, steadying my shoulders.

"What exactly are you doing...?" I asked.

"Starting the ritual, of course. What else?" The deity replied, "I am bestowing upon you the power an angel should have; naturally, there will be some physical reactions."

But I could not be at ease.

I moved my right hand, and the Sword of Yarman appeared in my grasp, the sword’s tip pointing forward, aimed at the deity’s chest. The deity did not advance even a step, merely holding my shoulders. We maintained our confrontation stance.

I felt dizzy, and as the ritual continued, blood-red patterns gradually appeared on my pure white tendrils, like heavy chains.

"I have always been waiting for you... truly, I have been waiting for you to return..." During the ritual, the deity’s hand gripped my shoulder tightly, suddenly saying this.

"Wha... what?"

I could barely hear my own voice. My perception began to fade, and I could only vaguely see the deity’s mirror-like eyes under the vast expanse of white light.

From the beginning, I realized—the deity’s occasional nostalgic expression, the words spoken by the sea god tree when presenting me with the Eye of the Old Days—"a farewell gift from the deity to you"—told me that the role I was playing had crossed paths with the deity before.

Since Su Wensheng was not my original self, there should have been my original self in the past thousand years.

As expected, my origins were not fully clarified. The current situation was completely clear—I am the Savior summoned by fifty Fire Transmitters. But the situation a thousand years ago was completely untraceable. What kind of conflict did the role I played have with the deity a millennium ago?

The deity extended a hand, placing a silver-white ring on the thumb of my right hand, and with a "click" sound, the metal ring snugly fit against the base of my finger, like a seamless logical chain, or like a delicate lock.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Don’t take it off," the deity said.

I tightened my grip on the sword hilt and unhesitatingly thrust forward, eager to make a probing attack to see how the deity would respond.

But I had not expected—the tip of the Sword of Yarman pierced straight through the deity’s chest, protruding from the deity’s back, blood seeping out. Yet there was no pain on the deity’s face.

...

[You attacked (the deity).]

[Automatic BOSS battle mode activated.]

[BOSS (Deity), Combat Power: 4000+]

[Own Combat Power: 4200+]

[Current win probability comparison: 51.28%]

...

Seeing the system interface pop up, I was stunned.

...The deity only had 4000 combat power?

Before, the deity could quickly stop me from committing suicide and often teleported to my side instantly. I thought the deity was all-powerful, yet it only had 4000 points?

The deity fell backward, and I maintained my stance holding the sword, watching as the deity slowly withdrew from the sword tip, a long trail of blood flowing. This thrust pierced the heart.

The tiles were adorned with mythological tales praising the deity, and the deity’s blood dripped onto these stories. The stained glass sparkled faintly. It had witnessed long years and the vicissitudes of history, and now again, it bore witness to a significant event.

——slaying God.

I watched the deity fall in disbelief, the tendrils on my back unbearably heavy. I gasped, feeling my vision spinning, and the white tendrils behind me pooled on the ground, too much, too heavy, dragging my body as I stepped forward. The entire chapel shook.

Drip, drip.

Colorful light filtered through the stained glass onto the blood-soaked sword tip, casting a silent reflective glow. A young man slew God here, yet no one was present to witness this scene. Only the birds perched on the eaves outside the chapel sang, black crows crooned hoarsely.

I wanted to take a step closer to see if the deity was truly dead.

Dragging the white tendrils behind me with a rumble, I struggled forward half a step, crouched down, and touched the deity’s face.

This indistinguishable face fell into tranquility, a few white locks draped over the forehead, its eyelids closed, the skin having the human touch, very soft, but extremely cold, causing my fingers to recoil, thinking I had touched ice.

I brushed aside the white hair to feel the pulse in the deity’s neck; there was no sensation of beating. I continued down to touch the deity’s chest, slicing open the fabric with the long sword.

This body belonged to the deity. It had been a god for a millennia in this world, standing at the pinnacle, seemingly all-knowing and all-powerful in the eyes of people. It bore all people’s aspirations and prayers. Yet now it lay quietly on the cold ground, in a chapel filled with stories praising it. Touching the skin, I found its body no different from a human’s.

No heartbeat.

I pressed my ear to the chest, hearing no heartbeat.

... Could it be that I had really killed the deity?

"Divine Son."

A cool voice came from behind.

I quickly turned around, and out of the chapel door walked—the deity.

It still retained its original appearance, with white hair and a white long robe. There was not a hint of anger on its face, only calmness.

I turned back; the body was still on the ground. It seemed the deity had switched bodies; indeed, killing it would be difficult.

"How many times do I have to kill you before you die?" I asked.

"You seem so concerned about me; I almost thought you wanted to keep me around." The deity replied.

"Quite the opposite," I said.

The deity stood before me, and the ritual continued, causing dizziness once more. Most of the tendrils were already stained with blood.

"I have observed many vast worlds and witnessed their prosperity and destruction. The fate of a world has a set course," the deity said.

I looked up.

The deity said, "Zhai Xing is just a little boat sailing in darkness; it is a narrow skiff, traveling alone in the long night. Lighting a torch easily leads to destruction. It is too insignificant and unworthy of salvation. You should have left it long ago."

"A stable, strong, mature civilization should possess ample survival resources and a stable social structure. It should calculate its possibilities and future development directions, including variables, sensibility, and the unknown, all of which should be controllable. Civilization should operate in a certain deterministic order."

"I am measuring and determining this stable pattern, excluding development directions that might lead to destruction—this should be the healthiest development trend for a civilization. And you, as one capable of creating miracles, can help me stabilize civilization and create variables to destroy it. I need you. Now that you have become my angel, I am sharing this information with you."

"I told you... I can’t do it," I denied vehemently.

I would not affirm the deity’s words; every word from it was pushing me into a pit of fire.

"Are you willing to become an ordinary person? Are you willing?" The deity laughed: "You have witnessed such a vast world, touched the immense universe, and even communicated directly with higher-dimensional beings. You walked alongside deities, fought against the Ta Wei, battled for civilization, and touched the mysteries of space-time in the universe. Yet in the end, you willingly choose to become an ordinary person on Zhai Xing, living and dying a mundane life, confined to a little civilization—I just crafted a nightmare for you like that, don’t you find it terrifying?"

Su Ming’an gazed at the deity.

He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak. His spine felt as if it had been fitted with a heavy lock; he felt a great weight on his back. The blood-red had spread to three-quarters of the tendrils. Once it completely covers them, the ritual would be complete.

He didn’t think this was a good thing. Why would a ritual to become an angel require the pure white tendrils to turn all red?

He felt a heavy sensation coming from his right thumb, as if the silver-white ring that the deity put on him was a symbol of an angel, engraved with intricate carvings.

"Sorry for giving you a nightmare," the deity said:

"Zhai Xing shouldn’t hold you back."

"...You should have given up long ago."

...

"Ding dong!"

[The deity is inviting you to become an Ascender.]

[Do you accept the deity’s invitation to become an Ascender? (Ascenders exist independently of Player status and do not return to the Main God Space. You can stay in this world, and you are no longer bound by the "Player" identity. The deity will help you seek the path of ascension.)]

...

Su Ming’an couldn’t deny that the deity’s words indeed moved him.

Zhai Xing was too small. Compared to the vast universe, it was just a weak civilization, yet it was his everything. In fact, ever since he gained the Death Rebound, he couldn’t be considered a mere human. After all—he could even turn back the organizers’ time and could seize control over high-dimensional beings, imprisoning them and himself forever in a fixed timeframe.

His authority seemed to be controlled, but in reality, it was terrifying. Death was something all creatures always feared, high-dimensional beings included. Yet he could ignore it.

[However, in the end, you willingly choose to become an ordinary person on Zhai Xing, living and dying a mundane life—aren’t you afraid?]

...

[If you choose to redeem the world, regardless of whether you can retain your power after the game ends, humanity would never allow your existence.]

["If you’ve wished to protect your homeland, without wishing to dominate Zhai Xing—then you’re insufficient to suppress the other humans after the game ends. Guess what they’ll do to you?"]

[Aren’t you afraid?]

...

[Su Ming’an! What exactly are you believing in?]

[Su Ming’an, you don’t have to be the Savior.]

[Su Ming’an, there are countless people now elevating you to the altar, and following that, countless will want you dead, as if numerous people are saying to you—please save me.]

[When did death become your best ending?]

[Are you willing?]

[Aren’t you afraid?]

...

The blood-red lines spread over the tendrils, and Su Ming’an’s five senses were already very faint. With a clang, the Sword of Yarman fell to the ground.

Zhai Xing was just a large ship sailing in darkness, a narrow punt amid the evolution of various civilizations. It was too small and held no value worth saving.

You should have left it long ago.

Have you not left it long ago?

Su Ming’an took a step forward.

—But what if, what if you move forward with it?

What if, amidst the vast sea, you move forward together with this tiny vessel? Wouldn’t it avoid being obliterated in an endless storm?

The deity thought it was a burden, a weight slowing his steps. With it, he couldn’t set sail. Yet clearly, all his meaning was born here; there was obviously another possibility—to set sail with it.

"I..." Su Ming’an forcibly made a short sound, unable to make more sound or move anymore.

The deity’s eyes showed a kind of madness and satisfaction, as if once Su Ming’an became an angel, it would complete some desire.

And indeed, Su Ming’an couldn’t break free. He couldn’t even commit suicide.

At the last moment when the tendrils were about to be fully dyed red—suddenly, he noticed a burning sensation coming from his cuffs. Looking down—he realized it was the peach blossom cufflinks sent to him earlier by Xiao Jingsan, shining brightly.

In his pocket, a burning sensation also arose—it was the candy Chao Yan once gave him, glowing now.

Meanwhile, he felt the cross silver chain hanging on his neck begin to heat up—it was the cross given to him by Li Mingyue when he distributed relief as a clergy member. At the time, he had removed the clergy robe but forgot to take it off.

These three items simultaneously emitted scorching heat and dazzling light at this moment, as if guarding him. They guarded his stance, humanity, and true heart.

They firmly protected his being, preventing the last trace of blood-red from spreading.

The deity showed an astonished expression, unexpectedly witnessing this scene.

"Xiao Ying, Chao Yan, Li Mingyue..."

Su Ming’an opened his eyes.

—Did these three anticipate this moment and thus sent these things to protect him?

...

"Ding dong!"

[The pre-set guardian mechanisms left by Xiao Ying, Chao Yan, and Li Mingyue have been triggered. They have already understood your situation.]

[Touching any one of these items will trigger a teleport mechanism, allowing you to enter that person’s personal path and temporarily escape peril.]

[Please note, these three are not in the same faction; their ultimate ideals vary greatly, even diametrically opposed. Please choose cautiously.]

...

Prompted by the system, Su Ming’an felt an odd illusion as if he was playing a galgame, and now he had to choose among the storylines of these three.

Looking up, he saw the deity’s confused expression. The deity had already discerned Su Ming’an’s intentions.

"Even them you can trust, and you want to choose one among them," the deity’s voice was somewhat hoarse:

"...Why can’t you choose me?"

The deity’s expression was extremely confused, the light in its eyes dimming little by little. But Su Ming’an knew, the deity’s path was not viable.

—Sorry, because there’s no storyline for you in the system prompt.

Choosing one of three, Su Ming’an’s hand reached towards one of the items.