novellk Chapter 1708 Final Chapter: She'an Chapter [52] "The Ease of Fate".
Chapter 1708 Final Chapter: She'an Chapter [52] "The Ease of Fate".
Chapter 1708 Final Chapter: The Shore Crossing [52]: "The Ease of Fate".
Su Ming'an used the combination of "Collective Consciousness - Intermediate" (action-based) and "Distance" (concept-based).
[Target: The inhabitants of Antitoria and the surrounding area within the Ark.]
[Concept: Strengthening the identification with order and seeking a sense of security.]
……
Instead of choosing to distance himself from the tragedy, Su Ming'an turned this crisis into an opportunity to rely on his leader.
Danger and panic can sometimes strengthen faith, the key is whether the guidance is correct.
……
[Everyone has completed their tasks.]
[The first round of calculations begins.]
……
Inside the Ark, due to the activation of Gray Mist Man 1's "Tragedy Factor" card, a child next to Antetoria suddenly turned purple, coughed violently, and fainted. The surrounding crowd instantly erupted in commotion.
All eyes turned to look at them, filled with terror.
"What's going on?!"
"Is it an infectious disease?!"
"Medical assistance! Call medical assistance immediately!"
"Stay away! Don't touch her!"
Antetolia quickly stepped forward to check on the situation and directed the medical personnel who had rushed to the scene to provide first aid.
Amid the commotion, some people whispered among themselves:
"Did you eat something you shouldn't have?"
"With medical resources so scarce, how much would be wasted saving just one of them?"
"It's really bad luck to get sick in this godforsaken place..."
"It's all the fault of the higher-ups for taking us out of the World Game. We never got sick before..."
However, another voice also spread, as if these thoughts had long been buried in their hearts. This was Su Ming'an's "collective consciousness" card taking effect.
"Stop guessing! Didn't you see that Lady Antetolia handled it personally?"
"What's the point of guessing now? Follow the rules and obey orders!"
"Oh, this child is pitiful, but who can guarantee they won't get sick themselves?"
"Say less, focus on your work, and don't cause trouble, that's helping."
The commotion didn't escalate, and the medical team took the girl away. Antetolia calmed the remaining children and briefly explained the situation to the surrounding crowd. The crowd gradually quieted down.
……
[Changes to your faction stats:]
[Faith Value: 41 → 44 (The crisis was handled well, strengthening the group's identification with order)]
[Kindness Value: 24 → 22 (A child suddenly fell ill, causing some concern)]
Danger level: 71 → 79 (Unexpected situations increase feelings of unease)
……
Su Ming'an nodded; the numerical changes were within an acceptable range. Most importantly, the "tragic factor" had been greatly weakened, preventing serious consequences. The crowd felt more inclined to distance themselves and empathize than to feel anger or indignation.
...collective unconscious.
...completely invisible group psychological suggestion.
This is truly...terrifying.
On the other side, Mo Yan's vision returned. He immediately checked his stats:
……
[Changes in Mo Yan's faction stats:]
[Faith Value: 63 → 62 (No significant impact)]
[Kindness Value: 55 → 54 (No significant impact)]
[Danger Level: 52 → 75 (The focus of the Abyss of Anger may have attracted the attention of certain beings, or exacerbated the chaos in the area, affecting itself)]
……
The danger level has risen, but Mo Yan is more concerned about his older brother's situation.
……
Gray Mist Man 1 (Igulaire) looks at the stats for his faction:
[Faith Value: 38 → 37]
[Kindness Value: 5 → 5] (No significant impact)
[Danger level: 42 → 53 (The implanted "tragic factor" has been interfered with, causing causal ripples and increasing the planet's level of chaos)]
……
"Failed?" Gray Mist Man 1 murmured. "'Tragic factor' was mostly neutralized. He did have a countermeasure."
In the next round, he must try a more direct attack.
“We can’t let them continue to cooperate,” said Gray Mist Man 2. “Although it’s difficult to directly motivate Si Que, I can try to use cards like ‘Narrative Transformation’ to establish a connection between him and key events. As long as the logic is established, given Si Que’s personality, he will act on his own once he sees something interesting.”
……
[Round Two Begins.]
……
Su Ming'an immediately looked at his cards.
……
【"Multi-pronged approach" (Action-oriented):】
[Original meaning of the term: To advance two or more plot lines simultaneously, expanding the narrative scope and tension.]
[Card Effect: After playing a card, it will forcibly connect several logical relationships, whether between your own side or the enemy's.]
……
【"Montage" (Action-based):】
[Original meaning of the word: to quickly piece together different scenes and images, creating meaning through juxtaposition.]
[Card Effect: After playing the card, several key scenarios will be quickly presented, and the timelines for these scenarios will be skipped to directly assemble a final logical result, halting any actions taken by other players before the event ends.]
……
[Interlude (Action-based):]
[Original meaning of the word: to insert a plot element.]
[Card Effect: After playing this card, you can interfere with existing pieces and insert a segment of the story.]
……
【"Concept: Curiosity" (Concept-based)】
……
Su Ming'an looked at the first card and saw the "logical relationship of forcibly connecting several lines".
He speculated that the effect would be something like this: Mo Yan's sober individuals are communicating with other sober individuals, which originally had nothing to do with the human side. But after Su Ming'an played this card, multiple lines of communication would work simultaneously, and Mo Yan's sober individuals would begin to pay attention to the situation on the human side, and would be able to make some interventions using their existing tools—mirrors.
In this way, several lines that should have been independent of each other were connected.
……
[Grey Mist Man 1 used "Unrestricted Combat" (Detention System).]
[In this round, cards will be exchanged in real-time and will not be settled together. All participants can see each other's card usage.]
……
In an instant, Su Ming'an stopped thinking. There was no time to ponder. Playing this card meant the opponent was about to launch a quick attack! Real-time combat is all about keeping the opponent on their toes.
……
The Grey Mist Man 2 features a "narrative shift."
[Target: Magpie]
[Link being established...]
……
Gray Mist Man 2 decides to establish a consciousness link with Si Que. This is his only chance to understand Si Que. Due to his extreme lack of understanding of Si Que's personality, this forced link is fraught with risk.
……
Su Ming'an adopted a "multi-pronged approach."
【Connection Line:】
[Line A (Ark - Outward Expedition): Outward expedition members are receiving safety training before departure.]
[Line B (Mirror of Creation - World Tree): Igul and the World Tree sensed an ark approaching.]
[Line C (Blackwater Dream - The Awake): The Awake begin to feel curious about humanity, and their gaze turns to this massive migration.]
[Line D (World Game - Si Que): Si Que noticed this migration and cast an interested glance.]
[You've employed a "multi-narrative approach." Four narrative threads are interconnected.]
From now on, the "Sober Ones" faction can interfere with your faction's actions.
……
Mo Yan can now officially assist me!
As Su Ming'an took action, Gray Fog Man 1 reacted immediately.
……
[Grey Mist Man 1 achieved the following ratings: "Action Description - Intermediate" and "Concept: Fear".]
[Target: One of the ship's crew members, Casadia.]
[Implantation Action: Casadia felt a strong palpitation and auditory hallucination, as if hearing whispers of temptation and destruction coming from a distant star system.]
……
Immediately afterwards, Gray Fog 1 played a new card, "Stream of Consciousness"!
……
[“Stream of Consciousness” (Retention System):]
[Original meaning of the word: To present a character's continuous inner thoughts, feelings, and sensory impressions.]
[Card Effect: After playing this card, you need to designate a target faction or piece, temporarily distorting the target's focus of consciousness.]
……
[Grey Mist Man 1 played with a "stream of consciousness" style]
[Target: The Gray Mist Man 2 who is currently performing a "narrative shift."]
……
This is a brilliant combination of punches.
The depiction of Casadia's actions in Gray Fog 1 caused Casadia significant psychological stress. Casadia was the most crucial figure in Su Ming'an's faction; his premature death would be tantamount to the destruction of Su Ming'an's faction.
—The Gray Mist people want to instill fear in Casadia about the future, so that they will not dare to rush towards the World Tree, or even withdraw from the expedition!
The second card played by Gray Mist Man 1 caused Gray Mist Man 2 to fall into a state of mental confusion. This seemed like an attack on a teammate, but it was actually a cover. Because Gray Mist Man 2 didn't know enough about Si Que, forcibly linking with him would easily lead to mistakes. Using "stream of consciousness" to interfere with Gray Mist Man 2 actually reduced the probability of Si Que immediately becoming alert and rejecting him.
Of course, this was extremely risky, based on a high degree of understanding and trust between the two.
Gray Mist Man 2 shuddered, his thoughts instantly pulled into a vortex of his own perception. He struggled to maintain the "narrative shift" operation, like a chaotic shockwave of information surging towards Si Que.
Seeing this, Mo Yan, though not understanding the complex intentions of Gray Mist Man 1, knew he had to protect his elder brother!
……
[“Unreliable Narratives” (Action-Based):]
[Original meaning of the term: Due to the narrator's limited knowledge, bias, or lying, there is a gap between the narration and the truth, creating suspense and depth.]
[Card Effect: After playing this card, the actions of certain pieces will be hidden, preventing others from seeing or interfering.]
……
Mo Yan has labeled his narratives as "unreliable."
[Target: Su Ming'an.]
……
Now it's Su Ming'an's turn to deal with the attack from Gray Mist Man 1. He still has "Montage", "Interlude", and "Concept: Curiosity" in his possession.
"Montage" can skip events, but it skips several key scenes, so it may not be very effective for "Casadia's persistent palpitations and auditory hallucinations".
Su Ming'an pondered for a moment and then played a card.
……
Su Ming'an used the combination of "flashback" and "concept: curiosity" to his argument.
[Target: Casarte]
……
Su Ming'an devised a "flashback" element: when Casadia briefly loses focus due to auditory hallucinations and palpitations, a flashback to his childhood memories—an experience where Casadia overcame immense fear—is inserted. Combined with the "concept: curiosity," this auditory hallucination and palpitations can be transformed in Casadia's subconscious into curiosity and a desire to explore an unknown planet.
...That's terrifying.
While performing these actions, Su Ming'an was trembling slightly, not out of fear, but as if he were seeing a pale plain.
He couldn't imagine how long the world had been dominated by these unseen forces.
It turns out that manipulating fate is so "easy".
Moreover, this was something he had to do—he had to manipulate Casadia's consciousness, implant memories, confuse cause and effect, and alter consciousness, like manipulating a puppet. All to steer history in the "correct" direction.
Meanwhile, at higher dimensions.
Influenced by the combined effects of "narrative shift," "multiple storylines," and "stream of consciousness," Si Que lazily raised her eyelids.
He sensed some noise, and perceived a tragic story of a low-dimensional civilization's escape (multi-line parallelism A), the call of a planet (multi-line parallelism B), some eyes in the dark (multi-line parallelism C), and a consciousness trying to call upon Him (narrative shift).
Normally, He would have been displeased by such a rude inquiry. But at this moment, perhaps because He was in a good mood, He found it slightly amusing.
His gaze swept briefly toward Casadia, the man at the heart of all this.
That was all; He withdrew his gaze and made no other move.
……
[Second round of operations completed.]
……
[Su Ming'an's Faction:]
After experiencing brief palpitations and auditory hallucinations, Casadia quickly regained his composure thanks to the anchoring effect of the "interlude" in his memory and the concept of "curiosity." He attributed part of his discomfort and panic to tension and anticipation about arriving on the unknown planet, and did not choose to run away.
[Faith Value: 44→72 (Multiple paths are pursued simultaneously, strengthening the Ark's commitment to exploration)]
[Kindness Value: 22 → 21]
Danger level: 79→61
……
[Mo Yan's camp:]
Due to the "unreliable narrative" effect, the pieces' movements are concealed, and their stats remain largely unchanged.
……
[Grey Mist People 1 Faction:]
[Faith Value: 37→22 (Continuous interference with the outside world caused chaos in the Mirror of Creation, shaking the local faith)]
Danger level: 45→58
[Kindness Value: 5→22 (Healing teammates caused causal reactions)]
……
[Grey Mist People 2 Faction:]
The "narrative shift" was severely disrupted by the "stream of consciousness," which, by a twist of fate, sparked a latent interest in Si Que.
Faith Points: 13 → 44
Danger level: 52 → 97! (He has found you)
[Kindness Value: 34 → 33]
……
The third round is about to begin.
……
Gray Mist Man 2 turned pale.
He knew he had made a mistake; he shouldn't have tried to contact Si Que... He had played the wrong card. Si Que, the second-ranked player, had noticed him and was displeased.
The danger level spiked, and he felt as if he had suddenly stepped onto the edge of a cliff.
……
[Someone's stats have been detected approaching the critical threshold. This round will now enter "Execution Time."]
From now on, card battles will be conducted in real-time, and all participants can see each other's card usage.
Participants can now interact with each other and no longer hide their identities.
……
In an instant, the four figures saw each other.
“…Big Brother!” Mo Yan looked at Su Ming’an nervously.
"Well done." Su Ming'an nodded. Mo Yan's moves were indeed excellent and impeccable.
Mo Yan scratched his head somewhat shyly, looking completely unafraid, his eyes sparkling instead.
"The one on the other side." Suddenly, Gray Mist Man 2 spoke up.
"Hmm?" Su Ming'an looked up. He realized that he could now understand what these people were saying, which must be due to the "Slaying Time".