novellk Chapter 1692 - 35: Is This the Farthest Lu?
Chapter 1692 - 35: Is This the Farthest Lu?
"Do you have a definite answer?" Su Ming’an looked at Alger.A one-quarter probability, without a definite answer, is no different from sending someone to death.
Alger gritted his teeth and shook his head. He was most afraid the answer would be D, which would shatter all his efforts.
Unexpectedly, someone suddenly strode forward and ran through the door marked "C".
"Su Ming’an is invincible, it must be C!" The man shouted and rushed over. It turned out to be a fervent admirer of Su Ming’an, he believed Su Ming’an was omnipotent, and the answer must be C! Even if it wasn’t C, his courageous act in front of everyone, could be seen by Su Ming’an; totally worth it!
As soon as he passed through the door, the other three paths collapsed completely. It seemed indeed to be the correct answer.
The enthusiast turned back, still wanting to boast to Su Ming’an, but he had already entered the doorway, his figure quickly disappeared.
"...Let’s go." Su Ming’an was quite helpless.
He could see that this "trial" was probably designed to admit very few people, thus set up the mechanism of "wrong answer results in death", yet there were tens of thousands here, even if one person per question, total annihilation was impossible... this type of game mode was directly overcome by a sea of people tactic.
The crowd passed through the door grandly, and subsequently, Su Ming’an saw two buttons again - [Forgiveness] and [Betrayal].
It seemed this Prisoner’s Dilemma checkpoint was a fixture.
He turned his head, looking at the person he matched with this time -
A man with red hair falling, holding a cigarette, with scars on his face, his hands in his pockets, clothes shabby, eyes gleaming with the wolf tribe’s eerie greenish glow.
"Oh, it’s you." Si Nian exhaled a circle of smoke, no surprise or tension on his face, "There’s no issue between us."
Familiar faces again, Su Ming’an estimated this mechanism should more easily match with familiar people.
"Alright, let’s both choose [Forgiveness]." Su Ming’an walked to the buttons.
He gazed at the buttons, as if trying to see a flower. Si Nian puffed on his cigarette, grayish white smoke circles floated out slowly. There was no concept of air here, the smoke did not irritate.
Time passed silently, no one spoke, the atmosphere somewhat awkward. If not by chance, there would have been no interaction between them, one from the splendid Morning Star of the universe, the other a soldier struggling and tumbling in the Luowasha swamp.
Until the veteran exhaled a smoke ring, clicked his tongue: "Have I seen you? Savior."
Red eyes looked over, reflecting Su Ming’an’s visage:
"—You’ve possessed that kid Chen Yuhang, haven’t you."
At these words, Su Ming’an’s pupils contracted.
"Seems like my useless sense of smell is somewhat useful after all." Si Nian was not very surprised, flicked off the cigarette ashes, "That kid Chen Yuhang’s personality changed too fast; he was so calm one second, then turned into a goofy simpleton the next. He often mused about ’heroes’ and ’keys’; I guess you two have connections."
"Very clever." Su Ming’an replied.
"Indeed... Just a mere soldier, yet able to see through the Savior’s disguise, truly incredible." Si Nian inhaled again, "My former comrades Sashari, Koleya, my beloved Chun Tang... they all possessed very unique traits, as if not meant to be buried in the vast crowd. Yet, a gust comes, and they disappear."
"Luowasha’s wind is too much, and too strong... the commencement of the Genesis Era was a gust, your arrival from another world was a gust, even a regular minor war could be a gust. As the wind passes, humans remain standing, while sand grains vanish..."
"Sashari was several years younger than me, from a border farm, messy curly hair, clumsy, often made errors in training. He always mused about his hometown vineyard, saying once the war ended, he would expand it larger, brew the sweetest wine. He always talked about a childhood friend waiting for him in the neighboring town."
Si Nian’s gaze cast towards far away streams,
"Koleya was one of the army’s medical officers. She was a very quiet woman, a hometown companion to Sashari. When there’s no battle, the three of us shared secretly hidden hard candies at the camp corner. Sashari talked about his vineyard and childhood sweetheart, Koleya spoke of the hills covered in lilacs back home during spring, all white, bittersweet in the wind..."
"Sashari didn’t wait for the vineyard and sweetheart, nor did Koleya witness her hometown’s lilacs. Their deaths stemmed solely from a war initiated by Qianqin..."
Su Ming’an’s gaze shifted from the buttons, looking at the man sitting in the black water smoking.
"Qianqin?" Su Ming’an heard this name.
"Yes... it was a war of extermination. Knights often mistakenly injure as a matter of course, many large-scale racial spells can’t evade ordinary people, there will always be collateral..." Si Nian rummaged through his pockets, perhaps to pass time, he lit a second cigarette, "Savior, you should have met Qianqin and Wu Yi."
"...I have." Su Ming’an said.
"What kind of people are they?"
Su Ming’an recalled Qianqin, a righteous, kind, noble female knight, possessing broad shoulders and solid palms, she had protected him more than once in the past, deeply detested harming the innocent...
Such a person who unknowingly also once hurt the innocent.
While Wu Yi, a boy who pursued the shadow of an elder sister all his life, his sister harmed by a knight, and he also hurt others on his path of vengeance.
Chun Tang was collateral of Wu Yi, soldier Sashari and Koleya collateral of Qianqin, yet Wu Yi and Qianqin were once victims of collateral damage too. Where is the original head, when does it cease.
"...Why would such a knight implicate innocents; perhaps she was unaware of two longing children dying under her spell’s blast. Is such unknowing and unwilling a crime?" Si Nian hung his hand, reaching into his pocket, "Along this path for Chun Tang, did I implicate many innocents as well?"
Undoubtedly there were, seeking a path of rebirth, a low-level race can’t maintain pure goodness.
During the wait, Si Nian pulled out a blooming small white flower from his pocket, resembling a lilac. He seemed intent on tearing open to the Savior, intent on letting Su Ming’an hear something.
Do not forget them.
Do not forget these ephemeral people.
If such people truly cannot leave today, at least let these voices be heard above.
Su Ming’an sensed a herbal-like smell.
"This was crafted by Koleya little by little with discarded bandages." Si Nian looked at the small mock flower in his palm, "She said in Sashari’s hometown, these small white wild lilacs had another name, ’soldier’s solace’, bitter taste yet can calm."
Between his palm, the quiet mock white flower resembled a small moon.
"During the war, we always planned the ’after’..."
Si Nian’s voice abruptly halted.
He was silent for a while, as if even the black water was still. Eventually, he carefully rewrapped the mock white flower, pressing it against his chest.
"Later, the ’after’ never came."
The cigarette already burnt to the end, searing his fingers.
He crushed the cigarette butt and lifted his eerie green eyes, looking at the listening youth.
He pulled out a grin bordering on grotesque:
"So."
"I’m gonna find that high and mighty Deity, whatever master... make them piece back the ripped pages for me!!"
Countdown forty seconds.
Darkness gradually descended, isolating their sight, both placed hands on the buttons.
Silence from the other side for a while, the man spoke again: "I’m glad these voices, could finally be heard by you."
"I’ve always been listening." Su Ming’an said.
The frustrations of Ran Bo, the regrets of Lin Hejin, the light that Li Ziqi once saw, the hustle and bustle of the rabbits, the tears of Shi Ying... he was always listening, always remembering.
The eternal curse of Tian Yu, the self-exile of Su Qi, the overlapping confusion of the Little Prince, the long game of Hui Chi, the vast lies of Casadia...
Nameless, and named.
Therefore, as the person who writes the final sentence, as the one who receives and begins everything, he never forgets who he is and what his mission is.
"Your obsession is different from Alger’s," Su Ming’an observed. Alger fears death a lot; he would ensure his survival first before resurrecting his sister. Si Nian knows he is not a player favored by the world; he lacks strong confidence, yet he still charges into danger fearlessly.
Si Nian smiled silently and waved his hand: "I know my own weight. If I really can’t resurrect Chun Tang and fall here... Chun Tang probably wouldn’t blame me either."
"If I really die, please don’t remember me. Just remember the words I said; if they can slightly improve the living conditions for people like us, it would be enough."
"If in your struggle against the world with divine power, you can remember occasionally that there are still people walking on the ground and try not to let them get caught in the crossfire... that would be enough."
He did not have a strong obsession with resurrecting Chun Tang.
If it can be done, do it. If it can’t, then calmly accept the outcome.
"Because, in such a world..."
Through the heavy black veil, Su Ming’an seemed to hear his tears.
...
"... Even if Chun Tang came back to life... she would only continue to suffer..."
...
... A gentle white light simultaneously lit up from two buttons.
[Both parties choose: Forgiveness.]
[Checkpoint passed.]
The black water began to recede, revealing a portal leading to the next area ahead.
Si Nian waved his hand without saying much, nor did he kneel to beg Su Ming’an to save Chun Tang, but casually passed through the portal.
When they gathered again, the number had significantly decreased, leaving only around three to four hundred thousand people.
Suddenly, on the Blue Whale, a tall figure quickly fell, blood splattering instantly, and at the same time, Najasha also slowly knelt, a deep wound visible to the bone on her abdomen.
Su Ming’an immediately realized that they had been [betrayed]!
Najasha clutched her stomach, smiling as she looked at Perlo. He paired with Perlo, and both chose [betrayal], so both were severely injured.
Su Ming’an opened his hand, as if grabbing a toy, and pulled someone from the crowd.
"Oh my! Su Ming’an! We’ll talk, we’ll talk, don’t just yank me like this!" Xiao Xiao, flustered, quickly held on to her Priest’s Staff.
"I’ll transfer divine power to you, and you heal the two of them." Su Ming’an pointed to the injured pair. Xiao Xiao was one of the few healers he knew, so he grabbed her conveniently. To prevent Xiao Xiao from worrying, Su Ming’an also pulled Wang Zhenzhen along.
Xiao Xiao immediately pulled out her Priest’s Staff to treat Perlo’s wounds. Fortunately, Xiao Xiao’s skills have improved significantly, just barely managing to stabilize Perlo’s severe bleeding.
The third question then appeared—
...
[Color’s Question · Third Question]
[Question: What is the significance of the plush bear with bullet holes that Lu has always cherished?]
[A · White Gate: It’s the most cherished toy his mother left him, and at a critical moment, the iron piece inside the bear blocked a bullet for him when he was young.]
[B · Stone Gate: It’s a gift from his best friend, the bullet marks were made by the friend, and they faced difficulties together until Lu gradually gained a foothold in Italy.]
[C · Gray Gate: The bear has no special significance, just a remembrance of his childhood amidst gunfire and bullets, with the bullet holes made by himself as a reminder to never forget hatred.]
[D · Mirror Gate: Other reasons.]
[Please walk towards the door representing your answer.]
...
Seeing this question, there was a buzz in the crowd, with countless eyes falling on Lu.
"It seems these questions are all related to high combat power players like us... Oh dear," Lu shook his head with a wry smile, "I thought the question about me would be something serious... but it’s just this."
... Do you have more serious problems? Su Ming’an glanced sideways.
"No need to trouble everyone, it’s a simple question, I’ll answer it myself." Lu nodded, walking through the D door.
They soon faced the next question.
...
[Color’s Question · Fourth Question]
[Question: Up till now, is this the farthest road Su Ming’an has traveled?]
[A · White Gate: Yes]
[B · Stone Gate: No]
...
As soon as the question was asked, everyone went silent.
Even the bullet screen paused in confusion for a moment, with many people unable to comprehend the meaning of the question. What does "road" signify? Clearance progress? Strength? Or perhaps a pun on the name of a certain man?
But Su Ming’an understood that this was asking him if this was the farthest he’d gone across all universal reincarnations, the closest to a blank future.
He pressed his lips together, about to make a decision when a fool rushed into the A door.
"This is definitely the furthest! Su Ming’an is invincible!" the young man shouted loudly.
The door shimmered with a bright red light instantly.
Wrong.
Su Ming’an’s pupils contracted.
Since this kind of question appeared at the "Source Point," it shows that he must have reached the "Source Point" before. This isn’t the farthest he has gone. But in a sense, the amount of information he currently understands may be the most, as evident from Noel and Atlanda’s attitudes.
In an instant, the young man’s figure vanished, likely cast into an extremely difficult level... whether he can survive is unknown.
"...Not the farthest yet," Su Ming’an said, "It’s both a good thing and a bad thing..."
He walked through another door, with a vast wave of people following behind, like chasing a vessel navigating the deep sea.