novellk Chapter 1711 - 54: Life Is Just Life
Chapter 1711 - 54: Life Is Just Life
...Next, it’s Mo Yan.In the simulation just now, to protect Kasadia, Mo Yan controlled a Chess Piece and personally stepped in to block an attack, which was discovered by the original faction’s Lord of Dreams, leading to his execution in the next round.
During the round’s waiting period, Mo Yan stared blankly at the drifting stardust.
He had thought about death before, during the family trials and in the game instances, he had faced life and death directly.
But somehow, as he looked at those tiny, shimmering stardust, the first thought that came to his mind was not fear, but...
"It’s so beautiful, big brother."
Su Ming’an meant to say something, but he didn’t expect to hear such praise from Mo Yan.
The boy’s gaze was absent-minded, like a moth seeing the sky for the first time through a bush. He stretched out his hands, as if trying to reach the depths of the universe, even though this was just a false simulation.
"Big brother, I saw the bullet screen earlier, did you meet someone from a past cycle?" Mo Yan suddenly asked.
"Yes." Su Ming’an replied, "You don’t have to comfort me, I..."
"Big brother, I’m not comforting you, I’m just speaking the truth." Mo Yan held Su Ming’an’s shoulder, "No matter what’s forgotten or remembered—we just live this one life!"
"A person’s life happens only once, big brother!"
This statement struck like a thunderbolt, causing Su Ming’an’s pupils to tremble slightly.
"No matter about the universal cycles or the perfect freedom, I only remember meeting you at White Sand Paradise, I helped you, and you helped me. And I will end here, this is my all!" Mo Yan said excitedly, "I’m not going to carry the burden of any so-called past sins. I don’t think that after death there’s Heaven or Hell, or even reincarnation... My grandma said that’s just to fool children! Humans are just biochemical organisms, when the brain stops working, that’s it!"
"..." Su Ming’an was silent. If it had been before, this view wouldn’t have been a problem, but now it has been proven that the soul exists.
But Mo Yan was persistent: "When I practiced martial arts at home, I swung my knife at the wooden stake ten thousand times every day. The elder said this was Kung Fu. At that time, I felt life was like the wooden stake, circling forever, with no end in sight. I thought that was living."
"Then I entered the game, died and lived multiple times. But each time dying was really painful."
"I’ve died many times, and every time I felt scared, I felt that was true death—I never thought of death as false."
He smiled a bit, a foolish smile.
Then, he raised his thumb, pointing it at Su Ming’an:
"—Because I always believe, big brother is the only big brother!"
"The encounter between you and me... with Mo Yan, is unique in the world, irreplicable, and will not be mixed with anything else for any reason! It will never happen again!"
"A person’s life only happens once, big brother! I will remember it forever!"
He remembers the exhaustion and persistence of big brother, big brother’s loneliness and kindness, the endless striving of big brother in countless desperate situations, the light in big brother’s eyes when looking at companions, and the resoluteness to move forward carrying everything... all the beauty, warmth, trust, courage, and love.
Su Ming’an actually had many words stored up, such as "I will resurrect you again", or "If it doesn’t work this time, we’ll meet in the next cycle", or "Do not be afraid, your soul will not vanish"... But all words were in vain in front of the boy’s shining eyes.
Mo Yan firmly believed that life is life, without a redo or any messy rebirth. Birth is the only life, and death is death.
So... is this guy harboring the mentality of "death is true death", and deciding so optimistically to sacrifice himself to help big brother?
Su Ming’an had thought that Mo Yan would somewhat have the thought of "will be resurrected", "next time" and the like, but Mo Yan didn’t.
A person’s life... only happens once.
The myriad facets of life, the thoughts and reflections.
Should not be despised, should not be insulted, should not be trampled.
...
[The Fourth Round is about to begin.]
[Participants have already died, entering the final stage. From this round onward, card type usage is unrestricted.]
...
The only remaining Gray Mist Man 1 slowly stood up, his figure lonely, like starfire about to plunge into a prairie fire, seemingly inheriting the will of his companions, relentless till inextinguishable.
The sound of the wind in the bamboo forest rose again.
The figure of the lady in the black dress quietly appeared, her moonlight-like eyes scanning over the remaining three "Gods".
"[Fourth Round]——"
"Begin drawing cards."
...
[Su Ming’an Faction:]
[Faith Value: 68]
[Goodness Value: 18]
[Danger Value: 96! (Dual-star fusion, human chaos, many human mutant races unable to adapt and die, they need healing and protection!)]
...
[Mo Yan Faction:]
[Faith Value: 21]
[Goodness Value: 79]
[Danger Value: 95! (The Lord of Black Water Dream has discovered your defiance, He will execute you!)]
...
[Gray Mist Man 1 Faction:]
[Faith Value: 8]
[Goodness Value: 3]
[Danger Value: 90! (The block by the Awakener put you in rebound, the World Tree doubts your identity, the planet will attack you!)]
...
Su Ming’an quickly redirected his attention to the Ark—the biggest issue he faced now was on this side of the Ark. When two planets collided, fusion began immediately.
"Fusion is irreversible! Attention! Life form transformation is imminent!" Within the Ark, a cold prompt sounded.
In an instant, an energy wave swept across the entire Ark, passing through every person’s body.
"Ah..."
"My body..."
"What is this feeling?!"
Exclamations rose from various parts of the Ark.
Race transformation—based on the Rules of the Mirror of Creation, everyone was endowed with a new race identity at this moment. Elves, Beastmen, Demons, Angels, Dragon Descendants, Sea Clan...
"My hand! My hand turned into claws! How do I operate instruments now?!"
"Low-level races can’t resist high-class races at all, I’ve transformed into an ordinary Rabbit-man, I’m doomed!"
Next in history would be Kasadia, conjuring the Radiant Mother God through lies, the Radiant Mother God appearing as a benevolent Righteous God figure, announcing the concept of "Genesis" to calm the chaos.
However, as Su Ming’an shifted perspective, he found Kasadia still unconscious, unable to act. Apparently, the previous maneuver by the Gray Mist Man seriously damaged Kasadia’s spirit, Kasadia hadn’t managed to recover in time, let alone fabricate the Radiant Mother God. Continuing this way would plunge humans into extreme chaos.
Su Ming immediately looked at his hand of cards—
...
["Strangification" (Action Series):]
[Original Meaning: Describe mundane things in an unconventional way, making them feel strange and new.]
[Card Effect: Upon playing the card, reset a particular concept. For instance, strawberries originally grow in the ground, making the concept of "strawberry field" turn into "strawberry tree."]
...
["Flashback" (Action Series):]
[Original Meaning: Inserted plot.]
[Card Effect: Upon playing the card, you can intervene in existing pieces, inserting a piece of plot.]
...
["Clue" (Action Series):]
[Original Meaning: Lay down special content.]
[Card Effect: Upon playing the card, you lay down some special content, if it can connect the causality forward and backward, this will become a later stage maneuver for change or even reversal. If unable to connect, this maneuver is useless.]
...
["Perspective Shift" (Retention System):]
[Original Meaning: Assemble the same event from multiple characters’ perspectives.]
[Card Effect: Upon playing the card, it allows your piece and other pieces to share movements for a period.]
...
["Concept: Tenacity" (Conceptual Series)]
...
["Concept: Positive" (Conceptual Series)]
...
As Su Ming’an looked at the cards, out of the corner of his eye he suddenly noticed, at some point... Antetolia and Edith stood in front of Kasadia. Kasadia had turned into a mass of seven-colored liquid, curled under the World Tree, still struggling in pain.
Su Ming’an was very confused watching them—The Ark was suffering chaos and riots, as the power holders of the Ark, why would they come here?
In memory, when Hui Bai and others jumped off the cliff together, it was Hui Bai, Ludwig, Mu Changying, Blake, Ran Bo, Rock, and Mao Lian. At that time Su Ming’an found it a little odd, where did Antetolia go, it seemed she got into trouble here.
"Is there a way to wake him up?" Antetolia quickly looked at Edith.
"Our ’Number One Potion’ might be worth a try." Edith took out a vial of golden potion from her bag.
——This is a new type of serum refined in her laboratory, capable of stimulating the Spirit and even influencing Spiritual Bodies. At the level of human scientific research, such a serum can only be developed through long and brutal experiments.
Antetolia closed her eyes; now this serum has become the last hope, almost like a mockery.
...
[Fourth round, real-time confrontation, start!]
...
Su Ming’an takes the lead!
He must follow the original history, let Kasadia conceive the idea to shape a Righteous God out of deception, thus drawing Faith to quell the chaos within humanity!
...
"Ding dong!"
[Su Ming’an plays "Flashback" (Action Series) + "Concept: Tenacity" (Conceptual Series!)]
[Effect: Antetolia seems to have witnessed a scene, a vague fragment of Kasadia pacifying the chaotic world in the name of a certain Righteous God... an epiphany strikes her mind, and she reaches a conclusion—she must immediately shape a "Righteous God" that can unite all newborn races, providing Spiritual Protection and Strength guidance!]
...
Gray Mist People simultaneously play cards, the gray mist surges violently like the final burst of a dying Constant Star.
...
"Ding dong!"
[Gray Mist Man 1 (Yijulai’er camp) plays "Face Jump Kill" (Action Series) + "Tragic Factor" (Conceptual Series)!]
[Effect: Creates a Face Jump Kill, at a crucial moment where Antetolia and Kasadia are ready to act, they are interfered by something, perhaps even resulting in Death!]
[Gray Mist Man 1 camp Danger Value: 90→ 99! (Forcibly interfering, you’ve been discovered!)]
...
"Ding dong!"
Another sound!
Mo Yan has realized he can’t survive this round, so his Strategy becomes simple and brutal, quickly playing his hand.
"You’re not going to succeed...!" he shouted, feeling like a Knight drawing his sword.
...
["Cause and Effect Reversal": after playing a card, secretly interferes with Causal Line, changing already determined Causality.]
...
[Mo Yan (Awakener camp) plays "Causal Transfer" (Action Series) + "Concept: Enemy"!]
[Effect: Reverses the source of the damage that Antetolia and Kasadia are about to receive, turning the source of the damage onto Gray Mist People!]
[Mo Yan camp Danger Value: 95→ 99! (This move nearly provokes the judgment of High Dimensions, backlash intensifies!)]
...
"...!" Gray Mist Man 1 grits his teeth, letting out a muffled groan. He is backlashed by the Face Jump Kill illusion he played and the Tragic Factor’s polluting reverse flow, his consciousness plunging into a backlash instantly.
...
"Ding dong!"
[Su Ming’an plays "Strangification" (Action Series) + [Concept: Positive] (Conceptual Series).]
[Target: Antetolia and Edith’s serum!]
[Effect: Solidifies their god-creating idea, conceals serum under High-dimensional vision!]
...
The chessboard seemed to freeze in Time.
Antetolia held Edith’s trembling hand, firmly saying: "Trust me, trust him too. We need a ’God’, and he is the only one who can create a God now. Inject it!"
Edith glanced at the reagent in her hand, the terrifying imagination of "pollution" suddenly blurred in her mind, replaced by courage and expectation. She hesitated no more and accurately injected the serum into Kasadia’s jugular vein.
Almost simultaneously, the terrifying Face Jump Kill, before reaching them, was deflected by a suddenly appearing transparent mirror surface into the void, bounced by Mo Yan’s card onto Gray Mist People.
"Argh——!!" Kasadia’s body arched suddenly, eyes snapped open, the pupils alternating between purple-gold light and dark red frenzy!
The serum catalyzed his will, but the spiritual damage he received in the previous two rounds was too severe, he still couldn’t recover!
At this moment,
Su Ming’an unhesitatingly played the last action card—[Clue] (Action Series)!
...
[Su Ming’an played "Clue" (Action Series).]
[Target: Trigger all clues buried in the first, second, and third rounds!]
[First round’s "Clue": sudden illness and suffering of children. Antetolia saw this scene, and her heart was resolute—must protect the children, protect this civilization at all costs, even sacrifice oneself.]
[Second round’s "Clue": Kasadia’s memory flashback of "overcoming fear", he developed curiosity about the Universe, also solidified his will.]
[Third round’s "Perspective Shift" and "Hope".]
[Fourth round’s "Flashback" future scene, "Strangification" positive guidance...]
...
Su Ming’an forcibly connected all previously buried Causal lines with a "Clue" card! All pointing towards the same core—strengthening Kasadia’s survival will!
At this moment, he felt like an emotionless and desireless Game God, in order to win this shattered game, he changed others’ desires, strengthened others’ will, committing all sorts of evils, utterly despicable.
"Ding!"
Kasadia’s scattered pupils gradually returned.
At this instant, it was as if a hand of God gently touched his skull, softly comforting him: Please stand up, do not be afraid.
In the endless chaotic turmoil... Kasadia saw.
He saw Antetolia gently stroking the children.
He saw countless people’s smiles flashing in his mind.
He saw the scene of himself protecting his friends.
Indeed, he must protect them, although he is a selfish guy, only wanting to live in disgrace, leaving heroic matters to Hui Bai. But, given this situation.
Then... try not to give up.
Open your eyes, stand up, protect them.
At this moment, he "saw" a vague yet hopeful "future scene"—an image of a radiant deity, mercifully sheltering all beings, quelling the chaotic world, bringing order.
All sounds are gone.
All pain is swept away.
Only a heavy thought remains, enough to make souls tremble.
"This chaotic world... needs... a ’God’."
He croaked, already resolute.
It seems, this has already become the product of his "free will" thinking.
"A... a benevolent, compassionate, kind, and bright Righteous God they can believe in... that can keep them alive. He will represent Radiance, like the blazing sun, eternally unfallen, never extinguished at night."
He slowly opened his eyes, murmuring his idea:
"He must declare to people, tell them not to be afraid, not to descend into chaos."
"He must tell people—"
"With your will as fire! With your Faith as an anvil! With your unyielding Soul as a hammer!"
"Hold the ’pen’ in your hands—whether it’s a tree branch, a stone, or a broken blade! Imagine it becoming a sharp sword and a solid shield!"
"Do not indulge in the dream of bloodline superiority and inferiority! Do not yield to the lies predetermined by birth!"
"You must remember—’Genesis’, is wielding the pen as a sword! It’s a path even mortals can use to slay dragons!"
"When the believers finally reach the entire world, when their thoughts converge as one—"
"One day, the concept of ’Genesis’ will fully manifest in this realm! On that day, you can all wield the pen as a sword, sketching the strength that belongs to yourselves!"
Kasadia shakily stood up, the still lingering purple-gold high-dimensional energy and World Tree Source’s strength, following his will, slowly converging.
He gazed at Antetolia and Edith next to him, showing a fatigued yet gentle smile:
"I am willing to create a God."
"Will you... accompany me?"
...
The subsequent scene fell into conceptual chaos, unable to be seen clearly.
When seen clearly again, Antetolia and Edith were no longer there, only the sorrowful Kasadia remained. He knelt beside the silent roots of the World Tree, his head hanging low like a colorless sculpture. Beside him, no one, only a remnant piece of Antetolia’s skirt blowing against the ground.
...Is she, dead? To contribute strength for creating a God for Kasadia.
Su Ming’an doesn’t know what happened during this time; some power blocked this segment of events. Even though simulating, he couldn’t see the events of this time. Judging by the outcome, Antetolia sacrificed herself.
Kasadia successfully shaped a Righteous God using deception as per history, gaining Energy and further delving into the World Tree, gradually alleviating people’s rejection reactions.
Gray Mist People realized the tide was doomed, his attack was intercepted by Su Ming’an and Mo Yan together. Due to multiple failed attacks, he was about to be suspected and executed by Planet consciousness and World Tree.
He looked at Su Ming’an, Su Ming’an also looked at him.