first player

Chapter 1738 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [83] "I desire you to walk in the light."

Chapter 1738 Final Chapter - Crossing the Shore [83] - "I desire you to walk in the light."

Lu lazily fiddled with the chess pieces and laughed, "Don't worry, if you beat the Lord of Dreams, I might be able to get out."

Su Ming'an sensed the cruelty behind those words.

...What does this mean if I have no intention of challenging the Lord of Dreams at all?

Are you destined to sit here all alone forever, in this tiny, visible space... forever the solitary king of the Blue Square?

No one sees you, no one hears you, you are a god, with an infinitely long lifespan... Are you going to be left here alone to rot in solitude?

"It's alright, I can try to think of a way." Lu noticed Su Ming'an's expression and reassured him, "While you were gone, I've been studying these chess pieces... This is a game space created by the Lord of Dreams. Perhaps given enough time, I can comprehend some of His abilities, and then I can get out? I've always been very confident in my comprehension abilities. It was a last resort back then; if I didn't send you out, we would all die on the chessboard. Now, I've preserved a sliver of hope for myself. Don't you have the Soul Ferry?"

"Yes."

“Record me. If I’m really gone, then wait until you end everything yourself… We’ll meet again in the future of this new world. Maybe I’m just tired and want to take a break, to avoid the tiring and painful process ahead. I want to open my eyes and see the future.”

“…But how can I know it was you?” Su Ming’an shook his head.

Soul Ferry is the method used by the "Torchbearers" of the Old World in the tenth instance. It is because of this method that Su Wensheng, in the end, carries the will, beliefs, and temperament of countless people and summons the most similar original Su Ming'an.

Su Ming'an could indeed use "Soul Ferry" to transport the souls of the deceased and find a way to revive them in the future. However, this inevitably involves a philosophical question he had pondered for a long time in the Ninth World—would they still be themselves? This question involves the authority of "soul" and "life" in higher dimensions, as well as the mechanism of the world game, making it difficult to answer.

Perhaps the souls of the deceased are already dead, and Su Ming'an merely remembered their appearance and created a completely identical companion.

Perhaps the soul of the deceased did not die, but was merely stored in Su Ming'an's brain, so the one who was resurrected was the original owner.

"Let the living ponder this problem," Lu shrugged, unusually offering no comfort, but instead cunningly tossing the question back at them. Perhaps he didn't want to face it directly, or perhaps he knew that dwelling on it was pointless.

He stepped down from the throne and walked up to Su Ming'an.

“I noticed from the comments that you seemed to be avoiding sacrifice,” Lu said. “You’ve come this far, and many people around you have already died. You’re filled with remorse for them; you feel that their deaths were all because of you, and if you hadn’t insisted on moving forward, perhaps they would be living peacefully in the small world long ago…”

Su Ming'an pursed his lips.

“You’re mistaken,” Lu said bluntly, his blue eyes looking at him. “You didn’t sit idly by and watch them sacrifice themselves, nor did you use them as expendable resources to pave the way… You must remember, we got to this point because of you—we forged a path out of nowhere, and that is the greatest achievement.”

"From learning to make fire to building the first city-state, from gazing at the stars to stepping into the universe... every leap forward has come at a price, let alone a war for the survival of civilization. Do you remember how many people died in the century-long struggle of the ruined world? Today, we have lost only one-tenth of them. Sacrifice is never wrong because it is tragic; those in power should learn to forgive themselves."

“To regard sacrifice as a calamity and avoid it at all costs is not kindness. Once a path is chosen, someone must become the foundation. If you regard every fall as your own sin, the path will eventually crumble beneath your feet.”

"Do not let bystanders gloat and sneer—do not let heroes be crushed by what they protect, and let roads become desolate because of the sorrow of those who paved them."

"Grasp the sword they passed to you, go out, and win that final battle."

Lu sat back on the throne, as if this were not a prison that confined him, but a place of rest. He clasped his hands together, placed them on his knees, and smiled as he leaned forward.

One day, when the light fully shines into reality, the shadows will naturally find their place.

Su Ming'an.

—I desire that you walk in the light, but first set foot in the shadows.

Su Ming'an's gaze pierced through the layers of chess pieces, landing on the man's smile. He saw tenderness, regret, and expectation... as if the mud and gloom had never existed on the man's face.

The chessboard, vast as a sea of ​​stars, stretches to the horizon. Deep within a forest of black and white pieces, a king in azure blue gazes upon the scene with a smile. Clad in a fur robe, he holds a scepter. He appears merely as a lamplighter, guarding this place, awaiting the return of the captains who have sailed to the front lines.

Su Ming'an was somewhat puzzled. Lu didn't seem like the type of person willing to sacrifice himself, so why...?

Those deep eyes seemed to see right through him: "Perhaps it's because if I don't do this, I'll die anyway. Rather than perish together, I'd rather we both live. I'm not sacrificing myself for you; I'm making a choice for myself—have you ever thought about what the world would be like without you?"

"That was a nightmare world that even I find terrifying... If you hadn't led us to our ideals and had instead perished here, leaving behind a world incomplete, how many people would have gone mad, how many would have lost hope? I simply chose to avoid facing a world without you and to preserve my imagination for the future."

"So, that's it." Lu withdrew his hand, turned around, and his figure appeared somewhat frail against the backdrop of the starry sea. "You should go."

"If you choose the challenge, I'll be waiting for you."

“If you choose not to take the challenge… I will still try to escape from here until the last second of my life. I will never give up until I die.”

Su Ming'an stood there, watching Lu's retreating figure.

He suddenly remembered what Lu had said to him long ago, amidst the wind and snow of the open sky—

……

"Su Ming'an, I've always admired you."

"If I had to choose the person I respect most among all the top players... it would be you—I really admire you."

"Because you are the number one player—you are the best, and you best meet people's current needs!"

……

Back then, Lu's eyes held undisguised admiration and recognition.

Now, all that remains in my mind is a calm resolve.

Lu sat back on the blue throne, already adopting a posture of seeing off his guest. He had no intention of letting Su Ming'an stay here any longer, or being with a prisoner like himself.

Su Ming'an didn't delay either, and decisively said:

"My brain is very limited."

“Licarbos, but you will certainly have a place.”

Lu smiled; this seemed to be the first time Su Ming'an had addressed him by his surname so formally.

“It’s okay, even if we can’t save everyone. You can be greedy, Su Ming’an… you can be greedy.”

"Remember to pass on a message to Kita-no-kō for me, telling him to forget those childhood memories of mine; there's really nothing worth remembering about them. Also, pass on a message to Yamada for me, telling him he'll definitely succeed."

The sea flowed behind him, like a deep blue velvet carpet studded with endless diamonds. A soft light spilled from the void, and his gaze, spanning the chessboard, landed on Su Ming'an:

“I am now an inescapable ‘character’ in this game, like the blue team’s king in the story background.”

"When you're ready to end everything, when you've cleared all obstacles in your path, when you've finally become a pure 'chess player'—"

The hem of his robe cascaded down from the edge of the throne, spreading across the black and white checkered pattern, gleaming with a deep, dark luster like the midnight sea. The man sat upright on the throne, scepter in hand, his fur robe as dark as night, his blue hair as deep as an abyss.

He smiled and waved.

……

"When you are ready to end everything, go and fight Him."

……

After Su Ming'an left, Lu's shoulders slumped slightly, his gentle expression instantly faded, and he quietly gazed at the silent chessboard.

My shoulders started trembling, and my fingers were shaking too.

The loneliness of being alone again could be an endless wait... Deep down, he was also hoping that Su Ming'an could create another miracle and take him away. Undeniably, he was afraid.

His mother was right; he was a heartless monster. His gentleness was a facade, and his politeness was all for personal gain. He was adept at using retreat as a means of advance. He had just used words like "understanding" and "it's okay" precisely to make Su Ming'an unable to let him go.

When he joined the Peak Alliance, he made it clear that he was there for post-war benefits and cooperation, not out of friendship, bonds, or courage. Claiming to sacrifice oneself based on friendship or bonds is no longer appropriate for an adult like him.

He closed his eyes and gripped the scepter tightly in his hands, as if to stop his trembling.

If there ever comes a day when he sacrifices himself for someone else, it must be because his brilliant mind suddenly overheated, breaking the vicious curse his mother left on her deathbed.

“…Su Ming'an.”

The sea of ​​stars is silent, yet the stars shine brightly.

……

Outside the door.

On the battlefield, dazzling golden light collided with various colored lights as a million-strong player army charged forward like a tidal wave.

"2 points, 3 points, 6 points..." Ball Ball rubs out one mechanical ball after another, smashing them onto the battlefield.

The most exhilarating part for players is the thrill of mowing down enemies on the battlefield, watching their experience bar slowly rise with each defeated foe. Under the siege of various races and their allies, the fanatical followers of the Radiant Mother are fewer than before; now, they are mostly bizarre creatures created by the Radiant Mother—stones with golden wings, golden spirit deer with a single eye, yellow monsters with twisted, strange tentacles, and even a blade of grass, a flower, or a tree can become an enemy.

As the battle progressed, it seemed as if the whole world was rejecting them. They were clearly the guardians protecting their homeland, yet they were treated like outsiders invading it. Every flower and tree seemed to be attacking them, and even the air felt unpleasant and dry—this was the Radiant Mother Goddess rejecting them, these "troublemaking" outsiders, from the perspective of the "Creator God."

"Watch out!" Suddenly, a golden light shot towards Qiuqiu. A bright red motorcycle came hurtling towards them, and the motorcyclist, Xining, immediately raised his hand to shield Qiuqiu from the attack.

"Thanks, bro," Qiuqiu said with a smile. They were old teammates in the remote control team.

"Phew... I really can't hold on any longer. Even though there are so many of us, it feels like we can never finish fighting them all. The enemy seems endless. If this continues, the corpses we've killed might even rise up and fight us." Xining wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face full of exhaustion.

“A created being can never defy its creator in its entire life… The Radiant Mother can create an enemy army with a flick of her finger, while our energy is limited.” Qiuqiu’s gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield, she pursed her lips, and suddenly ran in one direction.

"Hey, where are you going!" Xining gripped the motorcycle handlebars and called out quickly.

"I'm going to check on Brother Wang!"

"Who is it? The one standing in the abyss? He's still alive!"

"How dare you talk like that!" Qiuqiu turned around and glared at him.

"Excuse me, get on, crossing is too dangerous, I'll give you a ride." Xining scratched his head and stopped next to Qiuqiu.

The hot wind, mixed with the smell of gunpowder, blew the girl's short hair. Qiuqiu jumped onto the motorcycle, Xining twisted the handlebars, the wheels churned up flames, and it sped along, leaving a long red trail in its wake.

"I just saw Wang Xingkong. He looks like he's about to die. Standing in the abyss for so long, no one could withstand that. That demonic energy was astonishing. I felt uncomfortable after just a few breaths. It's amazing he could hold on for so long." Xining gazed ahead.

"Huh? I saw in the live stream chat that Su Ming'an is coming out soon, let's hurry up and bring Brother Wang back!"

"I think so too, someone should be able to answer it."

"Okay, let's go take a look."

Amidst the chaotic and brutal battlefield, they remained composed. This composure stemmed from a player's unwavering belief in their survival. When death ceases to be the ultimate threat, there is ample room for maneuver.

"Huh?" Qiuqiu raised her hand to shield her forehead. "It's so bright! That's..."

In the distance, a swarm of people moved like ants, with warriors at the forefront, mages and priests in the center of the legion, and assassins on the flanks. Under the command of several player guild leaders, the defensive line continued to crumble.

Xining looked up, and the swirling yellow sand swept across his vision. It was as if several golden figures were falling like shooting stars from the twilight sky, dazzling like another sun.

"It's Ward's Wizarding League! They've finally arrived!"

"Commander Hua De!"

Are there more top-ranked players coming to support us?

Countless people saw a savior and shouted and waved frantically.

"Damn it, they're finally here." Xining breathed a sigh of relief. "We've been fighting under the World Tree for ages, and now they're finally here."

Yellow sand swirled as they raced past the edge of the battlefield and plunged into the abyss.

The abyss was pitch black, the soil as sticky as a swamp, blooming with crimson and deep black flowers of the dead, and littered with the bones of ghosts. Most dangerous of all was the poisonous gas emanating from the source point, far more terrifying than any monster, instantly killing any ordinary life.

They saw a small group of four or five hundred support-type players standing outside the abyss, wielding their staffs in orderly fashion, unleashing various skills one after another towards the gate in the center of the abyss. On the outer perimeter, there was a bodyguard group of four or five hundred well-equipped soldiers, each with a combat strength of at least three thousand, primarily engaged in melee combat, their shields forming a formidable array.

Such an orderly and elaborate process, involving over a thousand players, was all just to ensure that Wang Xingkong could stand still in front of the door.

At that moment, Xining and Qiuqiu both felt a sense of awe... the awe-inspiring power of the battlefield and the collective strength of humanity.

Every support player here is a highly sought-after panda. And now, there are so many of these panda-level support players, each surrounded by bodyguards with a combat power of over 3,000. Keeping them here to protect people instead of sending them to the front lines to grind monsters and level up requires incredible coordination skills.

“This is just for…” Qiuqiu murmured, “for one person.”

Atop a flowerbed bursting with blossoms, sat a short, dark brown-haired boy with a headband tied around his neck.

He was surrounded by demonic energy, and all he could see was darkness.

The nearest player was at least a hundred meters away. And he, alone, ventured deep into the tiger's den, lingering there—in an environment where humans could not possibly survive, he persisted for a long time.

He persisted in the game for a full thirteen rounds, from the moment it started until it was shut down.

At his feet lay countless unused information orbs, like twinkling stars. Wang Xingkong repeatedly transmitted the information he needed to share into these orbs, then tossed them one by one through the door, hoping some would roll to Su Ming'an's area, to Su Ming'an's feet.

Perhaps there really was some kind of resonance, because some small balls really did roll to Su Ming'an's feet as he was trying to pass the level, and Su Ming'an heard them.

Players learned from the live stream chat that Su Ming'an had found the information orb. The support player guarding the edge of the abyss immediately shouted to inform Wang Xingkong. Upon hearing this, Wang Xingkong was instantly energized—his efforts hadn't been in vain; he was truly standing there, acting as a bridge between the inside and outside!

"Gurgle, gurgle..."

Then, one information ball after another rolled in.

To convey a message, Wang Xingkong often has to repeat the same sentence hundreds or thousands of times, throwing in hundreds or thousands of balls, to ensure that even if there is only a one percent or one thousandth probability, Ming'an can hear it.