Chapter 1728 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [73] "It's okay, it's all the same.&qu
Chapter 1728 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [73] "It's okay, it's all the same.&qu
Chapter 1728 Final Chapter: The Shore Crossing [73] "It's okay, it's all the same."
Higurashi was silent for a moment, then nodded. Agnes was right; she was very rational.
"After I go back and digest what I've learned, I'll become a level three god and be able to protect many people," said Rimu Sheng. "But dying here would be meaningless. Our group will return with our own gains, becoming an extremely powerful force for humanity."
Anchi hesitated as well, he was also thinking about going back. This place was too dangerous! All thirteen rounds of the game were over, and now they were no longer protected by the world game's mechanics. They could be annihilated at any moment, and they had to hurry back to the protection of the instance.
“How about this, half of you go back and preserve the spark. The other half will continue onward, searching for the Demon Mother Goddess and pursuing hope,” the wise Violet suggested.
Going back would mean all the sacrifices made so far would be in vain. Even if the Great Escape Plan for Zhai Xing were temporarily activated, it would be no different from the original 100 million displaced people, with heavy casualties. Escaping under the watchful eye of the Radiant Mother Goddess would inevitably result in being skinned alive.
If they advance, the probability of awakening the Demon Mother Goddess is extremely low; the Source Point is far too dangerous for beings of their level. If they are all wiped out, humanity would suffer an even greater loss by losing so many high-end combatants.
It would be better to turn back halfway and continue on with the other half. This is the most sensible decision.
The ten people looked at each other in bewilderment.
Black water churned and flowed over their shoes; everyone's face was pale. Fear, excitement, passion, hesitation...
Those who choose to turn back will return in glory. After all, they participated in the trial to save humanity, and now they return as victors. They will surely be at the top of the world, enjoying power, authority, and immortality.
Those who choose to move forward are most likely to die along the way, their abilities reduced to nothing. To call it a search for hope is really just a gamble on a miraculous stroke of luck, tantamount to suicide.
“I’m leaving,” Agnes said immediately.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go back too. I have many men under my command waiting for me,” Higurashi said.
“I want to go back. What I exchanged for is a healing power. I can save many people if I go back,” Anchi said.
“Um…I want to go back.” Leslie didn’t say anything more.
"I need to go back and see if Zhenzhen is still there. If she's gone, I must bring her back to life," Xiaoxiao said guiltily.
Seeing that people were turning back, the remaining people started walking.
Yang Changxu walked into the shadows, his tone extremely resolute, as if this were his responsibility: "I'll stay. I came here to get things done. If the people before me couldn't do it, I'll do it."
"Hehe... Alright, I'll stay too." Joey, leaning on his cane, said with a chuckle. "You're all young people, so let this old man try to move forward."
“I’ll stay,” Violet said calmly. “Since it was my suggestion, I’ll move forward.”
"..." Si Nian remained silent. His complexion was poor; it seemed his mood had been low ever since he exchanged the items. Seeing everyone looking at him, he slowly raised his eyelids, stroked the tattered doll in his arms, and whispered, "I'll stay."
"Huh? Brother Si Nian, aren't you going back to revive Chun Tang..." Xiao Xiao asked in surprise. He thought Si Nian would definitely go back.
“…” Si Nian didn’t say anything, just shook his head.
"Violet, aren't you going back?" Leslie asked. She had some dealings with Violet and didn't think Violet was the type to sacrifice herself, so why should she stay?
“Hehe…sometimes I’m proud of my own keen perception.” Violet brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her smile alluring. “I want to believe that person. I feel he has ulterior motives. This kind of death is too simple, unlike him. So, I will move forward. Actually, no matter who goes back or who moves forward…”
She glanced at the white beam of light that had emerged behind her, then looked at the bottomless darkness ahead:
"It's okay, it's all the same..."
As long as he is alive, there is hope no matter who moves forward.
……
The sea of consciousness, the nine netherworlds.
As their vision deepened, Su Ming'an drifted with Lu Shen towards an exceptionally dark, deep, and sinister area.
Finally, Lu Shen stopped:
"We've arrived. This place is called 'Nine Netherworlds,' the place where the Demon Mother Goddess sleeps."
Su Ming'an looked up.
...Nine Netherworlds.
Beautiful yet ferocious, bizarre yet sacred.
Unlike the previous times Su Ming'an had seen, this was the true form of the Demon Mother Goddess. What came into view was a deep and beautiful, pasty mass of purple, black, crimson, indigo, and dark gold. Countless tentacles, shimmering with iridescent colors and stardust, extended from the enormous outline. Above the "head"-like structure at the top of the outline were millions of opening and closing "eyes."
The vast and ancient aura evoked a primal sense of awe and reverence, transcending human comprehension. It reminded Su Ming'an of the magnificence of galaxy birth, the eeriness of deep-sea monsters, and the sticky, sweet-smelling scent of primordial life…
The mere act of "seeing" it sends a jolt through one's consciousness, as if bewitched by its beauty and danger.
(Ah...it's you.)
The voice resonated on the level of consciousness, carrying the languid joy of waking from a long dream. A tentacle, like a lover's fingertip, lightly reached out.
(I remember you... before, during the selection of the divine messengers, you killed Qi Jue... no, Lotasha. It left a deep impression on me.)
Su Ming'an grabbed the tentacle and flung it away, his expression unchanged.
(It's noisy outside, isn't it? That sparkly lady is determined to cause trouble.) The tentacles slowly rose, their tips blooming like flower buds. (She wants to turn Rovasa into a beautiful fairy tale…how annoying.)
“You’ve been asleep for too long. I’ve come to take you out,” Su Ming’an said.
The tentacles disobeyed and circled back, as if pouring out their hearts, spilling out words like flowing water: (Do you know? Becoming a higher dimension is a life sentence. You can see all lines, all colors, all joys and sorrows... but you are forever a ghost outside the play. You cannot become a knight to charge into battle, you cannot become a poet to sing, you cannot even become a speck of dust... You can only watch, eternally watch, beyond the planets, among the seas of stars, alone, wandering, silent.)
(So, I chose to remain asleep. Until I saw you. An interesting man who tried to jump out of his cat carrier and even demolish the platform.)
"You find everyone interesting?" Su Ming'an retorted.
(Hmm...not entirely. My standards are quite high; over time, there have only been a few.) The tentacles coiled around his hair a few times, playing with his sideburns.
(In the First Age, I was passionate about procreation, which led to the birth of so many lives and created the immortal epic known as the 'Chronicle of Heroes'... Ah, Salmus the Hero, he was such a good man, but alas, he died too young.)
(Bai Qiu, the founder of the Wheel of Fortune, my favorite follower... He had great potential, but unfortunately he was killed by the Awakened One. I haven't gotten my hands on him yet.)
(Su Wenjun, a rebellious little guy, is he Oliver's son? I only glanced at him briefly at the time, and was somewhat interested, but I never expected that he would be corrupted by me, go crazy, and become a tyrant... and then you erased his existence. How lucky he is to have disappeared in this long script.)
(Ah, my favorite is the doctor... Do you know my doctor? He's my most beloved little one, and he's mentioned you to me.)
(Now, you've come.) The tentacles nuzzled affectionately against Su Ming'an's shoulder, ruffling his stray hairs. (Is it to accept my conditions and become my lover?)
The massive silhouette drew closer, its gaze pressing in with oppressive force.
(I know you came with great difficulty to summon me to fight against the Radiant Mother Goddess. But I have been asleep for too long, while Kritsens has been collecting the faith of the world and has almost become the only sun. His power is already above mine... Why should I move for those 'right' or 'wrong' things that have nothing to do with me? What does it have to do with me that this world has become a puppet show fairy tale controlled by others?) Isabelle smiled faintly.
After listening, Su Ming'an immediately pulled out a prepared script and began to persuade him—
However, a tentacle instantly pressed against his face, silencing him.
(I know you're very talkative, but I don't want to listen. I'll leave, as long as...)
(...you became my lover.)
Strangely, this invitation contained no lust or possessiveness. It was more like an onlooker's curiosity about "forming deep bonds with others," something they could never experience firsthand. They wanted to taste the flavor of friendship and connection through Su Ming'an, even if it was distorted.
Su Ming'an immediately refused: "I—"
(This time, you have no choice but to accept.) Isabelle's voice instantly deepened, revealing the greed and gloom inherent in her divine nature. (You offered yourself up.)
"Shh-!"
Countless tentacles swept in.
Lu Shen immediately transformed into his fox form, fearing that Isabel would also see him as a "good man," and waved his hand, saying, "Su Ming'an, I've already taken a very high risk by bringing you here. I believe you can definitely do it next." He closed his claws, bowed to Su Ming'an, and then disappeared in a flash.
"Whoosh..."
Tentacles coiled around it, their purplish-black color like the darkness of night, as if a frozen star were embracing for the first time, clumsy yet greedy.
Millions of eyes were half-open and half-closed, their outlines carrying a chill, like paintbrushes attempting to depict an unfamiliar shape. Su Ming'an's vision was instantly filled with colorful rainbows, his body stiffened, and a vast, ancient, and chaotic consciousness invaded.
Su Ming'an could no longer tolerate it. Since the other party wouldn't listen to reason, he decided to use his own martial arts skills.
His left palm instantly erupted with a ferocious purplish-black light as he slammed it down!
"...!!!"
The tentacles tightly wrapped around Su Ming'an instantly convulsed, twitching wildly as if they had touched a scorching hot iron. Then came an overwhelming force of resistance. He was violently "sprung" away, his consciousness churning in chaos.
Looking up, Isabel's indescribably magnificent body was trembling violently, like the surface of a lake tossed with a boulder, twisting and boiling. Thousands of eyes stared wide-eyed in horror, intently "staring" at the inside of her own body.
What seemed to make the Demon Mother scream was not his palm strike, but rather...
Within its outline, a point of gray, chaotic light suddenly lit up without warning, quickly spreading and emitting a hissing sound wherever it passed.
—It is the eighth seat, the God of Chaos!
……
[Beware of the Eighth Seat that hasn't left you yet; it's a ticking time bomb. Once you lose the World Tree Seed in your heart, you might be instantly assimilated.]
……
The World Tree Seed within Su Ming'an's heart weakened after Lu Licarpos's stab, instantly reducing its suppressive power over the Eighth Seat. As the Demon Mother attempted to "devour" Su Ming'an, the Eighth Seat's consciousness seized the opportunity to burst forth, attempting to swallow the Demon Mother's consciousness from within his body.
The timing of the Eighth Seat's move was too precise, and its destructive power from the inside out was immense. In addition, Isabel was in a weakened state at the time, so it was very likely that He would succeed.
The struggle of the Demon Mother Goddess caused the entire deep sea to boil, and countless fragments of consciousness were violently swept up.
At the same time, the gray, chaotic consciousness also rushed towards Su Ming'an!
"Whoosh!" A white light flashed, and the "Faith" authority flashed. Floating cannons, like jellyfish, instantly appeared behind Su Ming'an and blasted out fiercely!
Despite losing his physical body, Su Ming'an's strength did not diminish. His defenses did weaken, but the imaginary power of his "faith" authority was stronger than ever before in this state! Pure ideology enhanced Su Ming'an's thinking ability, and any concept he imagined could quickly become reality.
Having come this far through hardship, he is stronger than anyone could imagine in every aspect, and can surprise his enemies with a single misstep.
"Boom boom boom—!!" The power of the floating cannon was even greater than that of a real floating cannon. The intense light and heat blasted at the incoming gray mist, causing it to shatter and fly everywhere.
Su Ming'an raised his hand, and a platinum-colored Excalibur took shape.
...Wait a minute, what sword?
The power of "faith" is indeed mysterious and unpredictable. Human thought is something difficult to control; even fleeting random thoughts can easily turn into reality...
Su Ming'an decisively picked up the Sword of Oath of Victory and slashed down. The blazing white light seemed to split the heavens and the earth, spreading all the way, and in an instant, the scene before his eyes was as bright as day!
A thought flashed through his mind: he wanted to don armor to enhance his defenses. The next moment, he found himself seated in a mecha...
As expected, the attack methods of the two-dimensional world are all similar. Casadia's power of painting is like this, and so is my own power of imagination... No, I am not from the two-dimensional world.
"BOOM—!!!"
The mech's pupils glowed with an icy blue light. Where the sword pointed, incandescent light cleaved through the air currents, and the onrushing gray chaos rapidly evaporated. Azure particle streams erupted from the mech's joints, propelling the steel giant to nimbly slash. The sword light flashed like silver snakes, dancing absurdly in the abstract realm of consciousness.
The authority of "faith" flowed freely. With a slight thought, Su Ming'an's mecha deployed honeycomb-like launch ports on its shoulders, unleashing hundreds of beams. The chaotic consciousness of the Eighth Seat shrieked, blasted into a cloud of swirling mist!
Just then, a small ball rolled down to the feet of the mech.
Su Ming'an lightly flicked the tip of his sword, catching the small ball in the mecha's palm.
“…Ming’an! Can you hear me!” Wang Xingkong’s voice rang out, “Agnes, Rimusheng, Anchi, Leslie, and Xiaoxiao have left the source point…and returned to Rovasa…Chen Yuhang, Yang Changxu, Violet, Joey, and Sinian haven’t left…they are heading in your direction…to find you and the Demon Mother! Ming’an…I know you’ll be alright, I’ll keep sending messages for you from outside…!”
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