CHAPTER 1022: CHAPTER 1019: THIRTIETH DAY

"Chao... Yan...?"

Su Ming’an stumbled over his words.

He was like a blind man groping in the darkness, fumbling as he uttered this name. He shouldn’t have known this name, for Chao Yan had never mentioned it in this timeline, but somehow he inexplicably knew—she seemed to be called "Chao Yan."

The name of a short-lived flower.

"...Hmm." She held his hand tightly, her smile like the rising morning sun.

The flickering light of the distant train outlined her frail back, her hair blocking the flickering light behind her. And under this blazing light—

Her entire body began to shatter.

It was indeed shattering.

From top to bottom, from head to toe, from chest to limbs—she turned into tiny, dancing specks of powder, breaking apart, and flying away.

Like a multitude of little butterflies separating and flying from her body.

Su Ming’an immediately reached out, but could only grasp one particle after another. Her eyes reflected him, and those jade-colored eyes began to shatter too.

"You finally... called out my name."

—Chao Yan had mentioned the "World Reset" incident, and thus, she was erased.

There was reluctance in her eyes, knowing this might be the final timeline. Since Su Ming’an knew about it, he wouldn’t reach the prophecy stone wall, and she wouldn’t wake again.

But if... she really would not wake again. It indicated the world would not reset anymore, finally achieving her goal.

That would be... good.

The torrential rain covered Su Ming’an’s vision, and his hand grasped nothing—the strange, unfamiliar girl talking to herself had vanished. Only the heavy rain remained.

"...Chao Yan?"

Before him, there was nothing, only the lights of the late-night train whizzing past. Through the thin glass of the train, people were still engrossed in watching short videos, unaware of what had happened here.

Among the sounds of wind, rain, and train—he seemed to hear someone calling his name. In countless moments of déjà vu, he had smelled the scent of lemons. A girl approached him again and again, staring at him with eyes seemingly veiled in white. She might be wearing sportswear, perhaps the attire of a village girl, or perhaps a white gown studded with crystals—but she would walk up to him, take his hand, and lead him beneath the starry sky.

Then, among those vast starlights—she would look back, writing her name in his palm.

[Chao Yan]

[Su Ming’an]

He would also grasp her hand, writing the name she already knew. Then the girl would reveal a mysterious smile, as if her heart was filled with endless, bittersweet, nostalgic memories.

"Su... Ming... an."

She would savor this name with reminiscence, closing his hand, and show him that—bitter, almost tearful smile.

Now that smile was gone, that girl too was no longer there.

The Star Sea above the sky had long been obscured by clouds and mist, and even if he raised his head to the heavens, he couldn’t see the superimposed shadows above the stars. In this timeline, no one retraced history, so Dieying, as the Exotic Species King, would not be awakened.

The world seemed peaceful, the tower would not activate, people lived under stable social order—like the "Tides Rising at Sea" ending in Fate Simulator. But... what Su Ming’an perceived was filled with numbing, oppressive, hollow feelings.

—Is this the ending of never awakening history?

Looking at the masses of people on the ground, he momentarily thought "this doesn’t look so bad," but he quickly dismissed the thought—No, you know it leads to destruction. If you don’t become a god, the deity will still destroy this world; now it’s just a false calm.

"...Su Ming’an." A voice came from behind.

Su Ming’an turned, amidst the rain, a crimson umbrella was held in the deity’s hand, and her pure white robes had not a trace of rain.

They looked at each other through the thin rain, their gazes similarly calm.

"It seems like you recalled memories of many timelines," the deity said. "But it doesn’t matter; you’ll forget again."

"Now is the ending you wanted—are you still planning to start the next timeline?" Su Ming’an said.

His possibility of becoming a god was now almost zero. The progress of the tower and dream tour game were both at zero, which was too advantageous for the deity. There was no need to start the next timeline.

"Theoretically, this is already a very good ending, even irreplicable. Because once the next timeline starts, Chao Yan won’t let you fall into this slumber again," the deity slowly said. "But, it’s not enough."

"Not enough...?" Su Ming’an said.

The deity took a step closer, and Su Ming’an stepped back, his boots wavering slightly, now almost standing at the edge of the roof.

"I want something even better," the deity said. "There is still a better... possibility."

Su Ming’an’s mind wavered, and he instantly felt—at this moment, in this "game" with the world as its backdrop, the deity had become the "player," constantly starting new timelines, fine-tuning game strategies, aiming for the most satisfying ending for themselves. While he became an "NPC" in this game, without external influence, he’d forever exhibit the same behavioral patterns.

The positions of both sides completely reversed, all "players" of the World Game were fixed "NPCs" in the deity’s eyes.

As long as there were enough timelines, anyone’s reaction to a certain topic, words, actions, preferences, dislikes, even quirks, any dialogue, expression, and movement of any person. The deity would know, everyone in their eyes—was no different from game NPCs with fixed response patterns.

How much affection would you invest in an NPC in the game?

Perhaps some would regard NPCs as friends or even lovers, but mostly they are just diversions in life. Because you know all their plots and responses.

"Do you know? When you face me like this, the same scene, the same response... I’ve seen it at least three times already." The deity stared at Su Ming’an’s expression, holding the umbrella, "Every time... your expression is exactly the same, I can even guess what you’re going to say next—"

Su Ming’an furrowed his brow slightly, looking directly at the deity, he said coldly:

"—Don’t joke around."

"—Don’t joke around."

The two voices sounded simultaneously, almost a second apart.

The deity smiled slightly, Su Ming’an clenched his lips tightly.

He felt the violent rain, the gales pounding his ears, the sounds piercing. It felt as if a terrifying hole had opened in his chest, with endless cold pouring in, making his whole body tremble.

"You see, it’s exactly the same," the deity seemed to laugh.

Breathing the sticky, wet, cold air, Su Ming’an clenched his fist, then slowly released his hand. He felt an icy chill all over, sharp pain spreading within his heart.

...How can he win?

...How does he even manage to win against such a terrifying enemy.

Once the situation deviates from the Deity’s control, the Deity will lead him to the Prophecy Stone Wall, initiate a major rewind, and he would have to start over. The Deity can effortlessly keep control between cycles, erasing any unforeseen variables, guiding the world down the path He desires from beginning to end.

"This is... the enemy who holds the Rewind Authority." Su Ming’an suddenly laughed. He felt a sense of irony.

...So this is,

So this is—

—what Mizushima Haru felt when she faced him back then.

No matter how much scheming, no matter how many plans, even on the brink of victory, she’d be wiped clean of her memories and returned to the beginning. The enemy can preemptively block the path he wants to take based on the previous cycle’s information.

With more cycles, his paths are prematurely barricaded one after another, leaving him fewer and tougher routes, until he’s entirely cornered.

—Mizushima Haru was so desperate, because she thought she simply missed a move, accidentally losing to Su Ming’an.

However, Su Ming’an knew that Mizushima Haru never had a chance of winning from the start. What she thought was a "missed move" was actually a dead end Su Ming’an had blocked long ago. She had lost even before the "current cycle began".

And now, he had his paths blocked eight times, and next time he would forget again. How many more cycles until he’s cornered right at the start?

"I wonder what you’re thinking now..." The Deity’s finger tapped his chin: "You’re thinking that opposing me is incredibly difficult. This isn’t a difficulty normal people can overcome, you hardly see any hope of defeating me."

"..." Su Ming’an said nothing.

"Therefore, you can stand by my side, always do as I say." The Deity told him: "See... I was always doing it for your good, I said from the beginning that staying with me would be the easiest. Because you’re treading a path normal players shouldn’t walk. Those who always listen to me, pass easily."

Su Ming’an extended his hand, staring at the lines in his palm. Raindrops fell on his palm lines, blurring his vision quickly, he stared again at the palm lines flowing like the rain.

"...I just want to ask, today is... which day of the instance activation?"

"First cycle lasted two days, second cycle four days, third cycle five days, fourth cycle four days, fifth cycle three days, sixth cycle two days, seventh cycle three days, eighth cycle lasted more than a day..." The Deity thought and said: "Today should be... the thirtieth day."

Su Ming’an’s heel wavered slightly, he almost stumbled backward.

The late-night train roared past on the winding track, its window panes cutting off people’s view. No one would notice the two, capable of changing the world, confronting on the dark high-rise.

"Train arriving... Xindu Station. Passengers bound to disembark, please take care of your personal items and disembark in an orderly manner..."

Su Ming’an turned, gazing at the cityscape. People bustling like ants, scattered amidst the night lights. He saw couples kissing, flowing scarves, the rising white mist from chestnuts and hot porridge. He saw white doves, night lamps, and crows.

Girls selling flowers walked between alleys, families strolled in the park, library lights illuminated students burning the midnight oil—it looked no different from Zhai Xing.

No one sees its hidden darkness, no one sees what lies beyond the black mist, no one sees the existence of worlds beyond the world.

This world is hard to save.

—He cannot change the established fate because he forgets.

—Even if he suicides to trigger a Death Rebound, he remains in slumber, unable to control himself. Unless he luckily awakens before slumber, but even then...

Suddenly, there was a quiet overhead, a crimson umbrella shielded him from the heavy raindrops.

The Deity stood nearly adjacent, almost on the rooftop edge with him, His snow-white hair had an almost transparent texture, like white flames burning in the rain.

Su Ming’an should have drawn his sword, but he did nothing. He knew it was useless, what difference would it make to kill the Deity, there were so many bionic bodies.

So, the two remained silent, merely gazing at the city.

For a moment, they seemed not to be standing in the rain but gazing into an endless wilderness, distant rivers rolled from the horizon, azure star trails suspended across the sky, and again concealed in the heavy rain curtain.

Distant, the ancient bell tolled, clang—clang—clang—

Then, the Deity’s voice sounded: "...Although I’m quite satisfied with this ending, I still feel... it’s lacking a bit. So, I still intend to lead you to the Prophecy Stone Wall, initiate the next cycle."

Su Ming’an understood the Deity’s mindset.

The Deity knew he would forget everything, so He confidently guided him toward a more satisfactory direction. Even if the Deity missteps, He can start over. The Deity resembles a... Player longing for a perfect ending.

Rewinding repeatedly, just for the most satisfactory conclusion.

—He and the Deity’s mindset are almost the same.

Only, his rewind is triggered by painful and collapse-inducing death, the Deity does not need such. Thus, he seems not so lucky.

"I guess you’re also dissatisfied with this cycle’s ending, let’s go together." The Deity said.

Su Ming’an was not supposed to refuse, he indeed should initiate the next cycle.

However.

He suddenly turned, raised his foot, and—"bang"!

A shoe sole imprinted harshly on the Deity’s back, the Deity expressionlessly kicked out, since they were on the rooftop edge, His figure dropped straight, falling toward the railway.

"..." The Deity said nothing, He gazed blankly at Su Ming’an growing distant. In His view, Su Ming’an’s resistance was merely venting anger, serving no purpose. He ultimately still had to start the next cycle.

Su Ming’an’s face was equally devoid of expression, only streaked with rain. Even at this moment, he remained calm, not truly angry, only in pursuit of... one last attempt.

He wiped away the rain from his face, deeply inhaling. The moist air entered his lungs, trembling as he exhaled.

The situation was already as it was.

Life was already like this.

He raised his hand, pressing fingers to his temples.

Then slowly revealed a look seemingly crying, or laughing—

At least... retain a bit... unyielding courage.

Even if hope is faint. At least... attempt to rewind once.

Chao Yan...

...

"Clustering."

...