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Chapter 1572 Final Chapter - Crossing the Sea [45] - "My hateful ideals."

Another person answered him:

"So if His authority is not creation, then what is it?"

The white-haired boy said:
“I don’t know, but if we’re going to challenge Him, I don’t think it’s enough right now.”

“Wuyi, Qizhou, Qianqin, Xili, I need your help.”

"Now, I have won the zeroth Disciple Game and am about to meet the Supreme Lord."

"But before I meet the Supreme Lord, I want to leave a contingency plan—I will most likely not be able to return safely, so I will leave behind a part of my consciousness and abilities for the first generation of the Disciple Game, the second generation of the Disciple Game... until I find someone who can reach a similar level as me."

"I've named this ability 'War God Dragon King Narration Voice'... cough, it will fall into the body of someone whose soul and temperament are similar to mine."

"Once our memories are erased, the War God Dragon King's narration will guide you to gather together and guide him to approach the six of you. One day, I believe he or she will be able to stand on the champion's throne again and see the truth further than I can see now."

He gave instructions to the four people, but notably omitted Hui Bi and Xiao Bai.

Hui Bi pushed up her glasses:
"Looks like I have no more missions?"

"Quite the opposite." The white-haired youth looked at him calmly: "What you need to do is the most important, because only you are good at drawing magic circles. I hope you will go deep into the Disciple Game and become a staff member. If my memories are really erased, I hope you can go deep inside, quietly find where my memories are hidden, and one day awaken my consciousness and memories through the recall magic circle. So that descendant can see me again."

“That’s no easy task,” Hui Bi said. “However, I’m very interested. By the way, what kind of meeting place would you like? I’m particularly good at painting.”

Su Liujin thought for a moment.

"I hope there is a boundless sea and a golden beach."

"I stand in the sea, waiting for future generations to arrive."

"If he/she chooses to come to me, the waves will surround him/her and welcome him/her."

If he/she chooses to retreat to the beach, the waves will bid him/her farewell and gently carry him/her away.

"Why the latter?" Wu Yi frowned. "We went to great lengths to win the championship and gained the opportunity to meet the Supreme Lord. When you return, we may all have our memories erased, be thrown back into the game without knowing anything, and become its puppets..."

"And all we have done is to see the Most High God, to know His image, and to seize control of Him."

"If you successfully met that descendant, it means that the descendant already possesses the strength to meet the Supreme Lord, and Hui Bi successfully infiltrated to the very end, activating the Spirit Summoning Array and allowing the descendant to see your consciousness. So, are you still going to give him the option to retreat?"

The white-haired youth said calmly, "Yes. This is our decision. As for that descendant, he/she does not belong to me, nor to us; his/her choice is free."

"Just because he/she resembles me does not mean that he/she must save the world, take over my responsibilities, and find the image of the Supreme Lord in my memories."

"So, he/she can move forward or backward, which is my original intention in setting up both waves and beach at the same time."

Hui Bi shrugged: "I don't care, it's quite interesting anyway."

Qianqin pursed her lips and said, "Let me do it. I also know a little about magic arrays. Let me replace Huibi and sneak into the apprentice game to work as a staff member."

Hui Bi said, "No, of the six of you, only I can do this."

He adjusted his glasses and pointed in each direction, his words sounding sarcastic yet calm:
"Wu Yi is too impulsive. He only cares about his sister. If the organizers tempt him with the promise of resurrecting his sister, he definitely won't be able to stick to it."

"Qi Zhou, you haven't even broken free from the shackles of your parents yet, so don't even think about doing something like enduring humiliation. Deal with Su Wenjun's matter first."

“Shirley, I do not discriminate against the disabled, but a person with no legs can certainly not be an executioner.”

"Qianqin, you are precisely the one among the six who should not go. Your heart is too noble, too pure, too righteous. Letting you infiltrate the killing game to execute those innocent players, letting you see those mountains of corpses and seas of blood, aiding and abetting evil, wouldn't that be the death of you?"

“Xiao Bai…you hardly ever speak. Although you are a genius, this kind of job that requires eloquence and a smiling face is not suitable for you. You bear the responsibility of being a guardian of order, and you must return safely.”

"As for Liujin, Liujin's most important task is to see the Supreme Lord and hide the image of the Supreme Lord before his memory is erased, waiting for me to awaken it for future generations. Therefore, Liujin is not an option either."

"So, it's settled then. I don't care if my hands are stained with blood. As a staff member, I can retain some of my current memories, which is already a great thing for my brain." Hui Bi pointed to her head: "I don't want all the knowledge I have so far to be wiped out with a wave of the Supreme Lord's hand. That would be worse than death."

After the resolution was passed, everyone went their separate ways.

Su Liujin walked up the steps to the sky, towards the heavens.

Xiaobai walks away from the game, towards nothingness.

Wu Yi, Qi Zhou, Qian Qin, and Xi Li, together with the power of the group, formed the "War God Dragon King Narration Voice".

Hui Bi walked into the shadows, into the darkness.

A crisp "click" sounded.

The videotape was torn to pieces, and the screen went dark.

After Su Ming'an finished watching it, no one else could watch it a second time. It's likely that this videotape was able to play only after detecting the presence of the host of "War God Dragon King's Narration Voice," and that's why it has been stored here until now.

"This videotape must have been... secretly hidden here by Hui Bi as a staff member." Su Ming'an realized this.

The truth behind the zeroth disciple game has now been completely pieced together.

—Su Liujin and his six friends, by pooling everyone's strength, created the "War God Dragon King Narration Voice." In order to obtain leverage over the Supreme Lord, Su Liujin, as the champion, went to see the Supreme Lord and hid the Supreme Lord's image before his memories were erased.

—Subsequently, Hui Biqian entered the apprentice game and became the executioner. With some memories preserved, she awaited the arrival of her successor and began creating the spirit-summoning array.

—Then, the first Disciple Game began, and the six who had no memory of the game participated again. Qi Zhou won the final championship, which further deepened his memory of the image of the Supreme Lord.

—Subsequently, the second Disciple Game began, and Su Ming'an and the others officially joined the instance. Upon entering the Disciple Game for the first time, Su Ming'an gained the ability of "War God Dragon King Narration Voice," which guided him to approach the six others. When the second Disciple Game entered its final stage, the Executioner Hui Bi decisively led Su Ming'an to the Summoning Array, allowing Su Ming'an to successfully see—the long-awaited, left-behind consciousness of Su Liujin, who had concealed the image of the Supreme Lord since the Zero Disciple Game and knew how to find the image of the Supreme Lord.

The Suri-jin in the sea.

He had been here for a very, very long time.

One side is ocean waves, the other side is a sandy beach.

……

— Su Ming'an walked forward.

"I'm glad you've chosen to move forward," the boy smiled. "Whether you go forward or backward, I'll wish you all the best. But undeniably, seeing you willingly walk this way makes me truly happy."

……

[Su Ming'an walked back.]

"Hmm, it's alright. Choose the path you think has the highest probability of success. You can turn around and leave, that's fine too." The boy smiled. "Forcibly binding you to my warship and demanding that you dig up my past was never necessary."

……

Su Liujin has the appearance of a supreme ruler, but no power.

Su Ming'an does not have the image of a supreme ruler, but he has power.

Therefore, Su Liujin chose to wait until someone like Su Ming'an came and helped him rediscover the image of the supreme ruler that had been hidden away.

……

Su Ming remained silent.

Su Liujin did something similar to what Huibai had done back then.

Divide yourself, one petal becoming a jellyfish that knows nothing and has lost its memory, the other petal becoming a sea emperor who retains its memory, waiting for future generations to arrive.

Therefore, the Su Liujin that Su Ming'an knew was exceptionally innocent and pure, because he was actually Su Liujin who had been separated from all the pain.

When a person separates themselves from their pain, misfortune, and sorrow, will he/she live as a happy person or a sad person?
At least, Su Ming'an himself was unwilling to erase his memories and enjoy simple happiness after everything was over. Su Liujin was also helpless in the same situation.

If Su Liujin possessed the power to contend with the gods, he wouldn't need to go through such roundabout and waiting times, but alas, he doesn't. Therefore, he needs Qianqin and the other three, he needs Huibi to endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens, he needs cunning and wisdom, he needs a long wait, and he needs a golden beach.

Those who came before us reached out their hands to those who came after us, pointing out the bright future.

Later generations reached out to their predecessors, leading them out of the damp, cold, and silent sea.

Su Ming'an,
The host of "War God Dragon King Narration".

People come to this golden beach and the waves.

The one who reaches the end of the discipleship game.

Those who walk with me.

To save a building from collapse.

A person from another world, a person who breaks the deadlock.

My long-awaited comrade-in-arms, friend.

"Will you keep me in your dreams?"

……

If I hadn't stayed in your dreams.

Can you take me away from here?

……

"Wow---"

In a daze, Su Ming'an, standing in this dark, cramped, and dry basement, seemed to hear the sound of moist ocean waves. He seemed to see once again the golden sea under the setting sun, and the white-haired boy in the sea.

The boy did not possess the power to change the world like Si Que, nor did he have Oliver's quill pen, nor the favor of the World Tree.

The boy had only a few dozen comrades who shared his glory and disgrace, who followed him across the Disciple Game, experiencing countless farewells and sorrows, until finally, only six remained.

The boy possessed only a flesh and blood body that brought calamity, yet this was also the weapon that allowed him and his companions to survive.

In the sea route that Su Ming'an had experienced, Su Liujin had cut off her own flesh and blood countless times to give to her companions, deceiving them by saying that it was "the blood of the gods" so that everyone would no longer be covered in wounds.

Apart from that, all the boy possessed was weak strength, average speed, and not particularly powerful arms.

Previously, Su Ming'an had never understood why Su Liujin had earned the trust of his six companions, but at this moment he understood that it didn't need many reasons, just like how Lu Shu and Yamada were willing to fight alongside him—it was the hope of victory, a well-thought-out plan, and an unyielding spirit.

Compared to the world-renowned Si Que, almost no one knows what Su Liujin did, and no one knows Su Liujin's name. However, Su Liujin did complete a world-saving plan that was almost as effective as Si Que's.

One is "creating the Garden of Eden with a pen," and the other is "obtaining the image of the Supreme Lord and, according to the Dark Forest Law, coercing the Supreme Lord to help Rovasa."

Su Ming'an was the one who combined these two plans, making them no longer just a pipe dream, and added a third plan—"to make the organizers our help" and "to explore the dream from the back to the front"—and was the one who finally settled things.

From points come lines, from lines come surfaces, and from surfaces come the world.

The two "primordial beings" who possessed him, one in light and one in darkness, one in brightness and one in shadow, one in front and one behind, their light and darkness intertwined, handed him the thread, which he then wove into this magnificent tapestry of rivers and mountains.

"..." In an instant, Su Ming'an understood why Hui Bi had turned back so resolutely. Because Hui Bi already knew that Su Ming'an would see this videotape.

Even though she lost all her memories, Qianqin remained a knight of light and justice, and despite being severely injured, she escorted Su Ming'an all the way here.

And the celebrities Zhou Sheng, the soldier Liu Chongping, Tian Ying, and even the long-deceased Li Ziqi...

Even though they knew nothing and were just ordinary people, they still participated in all of this.

……

Regardless of high or low status, beauty or ugliness, greatness or baseness.

This is "our" story.

……

"Before we part, may I ask you one question?" Hui Bi said, arms crossed. "You've always said you're a divine messenger, that you decided to save the world to fulfill a mission bestowed upon you by the gods. But I can tell that's a lie. Now only seven of us are left alive. Can you tell me why you're so determined, Little Jellyfish?"

Su Liujin remained silent for a moment, then slowly smiled.

"Because of two people in my life."

"One person taught me what evil is, and led me back to the deep sea, where I no longer fear the darkness."

"Another person taught me what goodness is, pulled me out of the deep sea, and let me see the light."

"I want to protect them."

"I want to see this light again."

……

"Ding dong!"

[Twelve Stories - "If I Had Never Seen the Light" Completion Rate: 75%]

……

"Ding dong!"

[You have triggered the tenth story, "The Turritopsis dohrnii and the Sunfish"]

[(This story will be officially unlocked after you jump to a specific point in time.)]

……

Su Ming'an stomped on the videotape to make sure it was irreparable, then got up.

There's another point of contention. For example, Su Liujin initially mentioned that "His authority is not creation," so who is He? He is clearly not the supreme ruler. But if it's Si Que, that doesn't quite add up.

And then there's the observer's memory... Su Liujin's story doesn't end there.

Su Ming'an temporarily put aside his doubts and, based on the red circle, found another videotape.

The white-haired boy in the picture walks across a lava pool on a tightrope, weaves through blades, and runs on a meat grinder...

He bled, had limbs severed, was skinned, and even dismembered...

He was weak and helpless, like a melting jellyfish, when faced with the difficult levels of the Disciple Game.

But soon after, he recovered completely and continued running with his body intact.

In another scene, workers are picking up the broken pieces of meat.

"It's that contestant's flesh and corpse again. The warehouse is piled high with them; it's practically a meat-making machine..." they whispered to each other.

"I feel like he's probably going to be the final champion. He just won't die, and his willpower is so strong."

"What use do you think the higher-ups have for collecting all this?"

"What use is a body that can continuously regenerate completely?"

"Oh...cloning, organ transplantation, suturing...it's a truly terrifying undertaking."

"I heard they've succeeded... Yesterday, I saw a white-haired boy who looked exactly like him!"

"what?"

"Yes, he called himself 'The World,' and he had a cold expression on his face, which scared me so much that I hid in the corner. But luckily, he didn't take me seriously and left quickly."

"What exactly are those people up there trying to do? Isn't the Disciple game a reality show designed to make money? Or is it...?"

"Heh... So many people die here every day. Tell me, what can these materials be used for? How many evil rituals in this world require human blood and lives?"

"Tsk, forget about it. Whatever big thing they're up to, it's none of our business..."

Another voice suddenly rang out: "...Hello? I need a donor, a healthy heart and stomach... 300,000 Rolls, is that enough?"

"Isn't it an honor for the poor to have their organs implanted in the bodies of the rich? If they didn't sell their organs, their entire lives wouldn't be worth as much as the organs inside their bodies, haha..."

The videotape ends here.

Just as Su Ming'an was about to listen to the last videotape, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.

……

Your "SR·Purple Emblem" card has been cancelled.

……

The card was cancelled... and the pink-haired guy caught up?

"Bam—!"

With a heavy thud, Qianqin rushed in, covered in blood, and grabbed Su Ming'an, running inside.

"Have you finished watching?!" she shouted.

"No." Su Ming'an gripped the videotape tightly.

“Keep watching! I’ll protect you—until the very last moment!” Her bloodshot eyes looked at him as she ran with him.

With a "click," Su Ming'an quickly operated the projector, starting the last videotape and continuing playback.

A man's voice rang out: "The heart and stomach of contestant number one have already been transplanted into the experimental subject. Next up are the liver and lungs, as well as the skin and facial features... What will he look like when the experiment is over? It's really something to look forward to."

"If an ordinary person's entire body were replaced with parts of an immortal jellyfish, would that ordinary person be themselves, or the new immortal jellyfish?"

"The Ship of Theseus... is that the concept? If all the parts of a ship have been replaced, is the ship still the original small ship, or a new large ship?"

"I'm really looking forward to it..."

"Whoosh—!" "Click—!"

The sound of Chiharu being pierced by the scythe and the sound of the videotape ending rang out at the same moment.

A pink-haired woman, as beautiful as a flower and as fair as the moon, stood at the doorway, like the Grim Reaper descending upon the land.

At the critical moment, Qianqin tumbled through an iron gate with Su Ming'an in her arms.

"Thump—!" A loud noise rang out as Qianqin and Su Ming'an tumbled downwards.

"Maybe we're really going to die here. We've come all this way, but it's all for nothing..." Qianqin gasped for breath, her chest and abdominal wounds were finally giving way, and her organs were spilling out.

“It wasn’t all for nothing.” Su Ming’an smashed the last videotape. “It wasn’t all for nothing.”

"What? Could it be that you... can... travel through time... and change all of this?"

"Maybe, Doraemon."

After he finished speaking, Qianqin's expression went blank for a brief moment.

Weak and with a furrowed brow of confusion, she asked a question she had asked before.

"Have we met somewhere before?"

……

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" The kind person asked, sounding like they were joking, but their tone was quite serious.

"I believe you," Su Ming'an said.

"Do you believe that we've come this far at the cost of countless deaths?" the good man asked.

"I believe it." No one believed this more than Su Ming'an.

The kind person clasped their hands together and smiled slightly: "Yes. Just like when I asked you if we had met before, and you answered—"

"Perhaps, it's another life."

……

"Perhaps," the person in his arms replied to the wounded and valiant knight.

"It is another life."

Another life, a life I have never looked back on, a life I have never changed.

We've seen it before.

In that lifetime—you rescued me, a complete stranger, from the clutches of the nightingale without hesitation.

……

From the depths of the dense poisonous gas, a strong hand reached out, swiftly gripping Su Ming'an's wrist and forcibly pulling him away from Tianying.

"Who...are you?" Su Ming'an asked.

After a long silence, the other person said, "Have we... met somewhere before?"

……

Even though you've lost all your memories, you'll still weep for the wingless skeleton that died. Because he was once your comrade-in-arms, and he didn't make it to the second Disciple Game.

……

The kind man silently knelt down and helped him bury the remains.

As he buried it, Su Ming'an felt a warmth on the back of his hand. He touched it and found a drop of liquid.

"...Are you crying?"

The kind person paused, then touched their eye socket: "Ah, yes, that's strange."

……

—And you, even though you've lost your memory, your heart still beats wildly and passionately.

……

"Seeing you today, that feeling was even stronger. I almost rushed at you without thinking, and before I could even see your face clearly, I fired at Tianying." Good Man looked at Su Ming'an with a bewildered expression.

"You touched my heart."

"His heart was pounding wildly."

"It's so hot. The moment you rushed over, I felt like my whole body was on fire. I even had a sense of destiny—like, it was meant for me to come and save you."

"You make me feel very hot."

……

"So hot."

Qianqin touched her chest like this.

Su Ming'an's blood and her blood mingled together, staining their clothes and the knight's silver armor red as they ran.

She still couldn't remember anything, but even so, she decided to save "Li Ziqi," a complete stranger, no matter what.

She protected Su Ming'an without even knowing that it was related to Su Liujin's plan.

This has nothing to do with her past, nor with those complex and grand plans for saving the world.

Simply because she is Qianqin. Even if it's "Wang Xingkong", even if it's "Li Ziqi", even if it's someone she doesn't know well, she will rush to her aid.

She stopped in her tracks; ahead lay a dead end. The dark walls seemed to have extinguished all hope of life.

Footsteps came from behind, neither hurried nor slow.

"It seems... this is the end." Qianqin collapsed to the ground, her strength gone, the two penetrating wounds on her chest a horrifying sight. She pulled out a black capsule and handed it to Su Ming'an: "This is... a poison we knights prepared for ourselves to avoid humiliation..."

"I... I'll give you one. Take it, and death won't be too painful, so you won't suffer too much when you're pierced by a blade..."

She clutched the huge wound on her chest and abdomen, gasping for breath.

"You just said it wasn't all for naught, I don't understand why you said that, but..." She slowly revealed a pure, magnolia-like smile:

“I know you… are not Li Ziqi… You have a magical card, and you also know… many special things…”

"I think……"

"You're special...you can make things turn out better..."

“Once upon a time, I had a friend… We were both chosen for the Disciple Game. In my eyes, he was like a white iris, untouched by any filth.”

"He has many wonderful ideas... while my mind is full of swords and spears... so I thought, he should just focus on romance and nature. And I will become the sword that protects him before he grows up, always standing in front of him."

"One day... he died."

“We saved so many people… but some people are ungrateful and betrayed us… exposing our location to the enemy.”

"I couldn't protect him; he died before my eyes... At that moment, I wondered, what exactly did I save?"

"Saving people... is actually a form of evil."

"Later I started to fear saving people... but even so, I still couldn't control my hands."

She raised her bloodied hands:
“I cannot bear to see a life slip away before my eyes, I cannot bear to watch blood spurt from their throats, I cannot bear to see the killers laughing with impunity… So, I continue to lend a helping hand, even if it is thankless and exhausting.”

“They called me an evil knight, a killing knight, and said I was all talk and no action but was killing people.”

“Killing... is for the purpose of protecting life.”

"If only I could kill the pink-haired man..."

She smiled, her heart pounding wildly and intensely.

"Will... that allow me to protect you...?"

"Clap."

The knight, bleeding profusely, slowly collapsed into Su Ming'an's arms.

A scythe pierced through her, and her heart rolled out, landing in Su Ming'an's hand, burning hot.

Su Ming'an slowly raised her head, her smile still lingering in her iris.

After a thousand years of loneliness and guilt, she finally left that sacred mountain and entered the mortal world, finally understanding what her master meant by "true freedom".

She wasn't as famous as her senior brother Si Que, but she left the sacred mountain and forged her own path.

The light she brought illuminated countless "Li Ziqi"s.

She was never in the dark.

She herself is light.

……

"Tap, tap."

The pink-haired man approached silently, raised his pink-blue scythe, and pointed it at Su Ming'an.

The blood on the sickle was left by Fu Wenwen. Now, Su Ming'an has finally become the only survivor.

Su Ming'an swallowed Qianqin's poison.

Before the drug took effect, he stood up and threw a punch at the pink-haired man.

……

You can choose to "punch". Please roll the dice.

[Required points: 20 (Points > 20, punch successful. Points < 20, punch fails.)]

[Your throw is 3 points!]

……

"Pfft!"

The pink-haired man swung his scythe, slicing it into Su Ming'an's collarbone and severing his left arm. His fist was limp and powerless.

He deftly dodged the attack with his arm, and then threw another punch!
……

"If, if I had never opened that online chat room, if I had never sent that first emoji to her gentle girl..." Zhou Sheng's voice echoed in my ears.

……

You can choose to "punch". Please roll the dice.

[Required points: 20 (Points > 20, punch successful. Points < 20, punch fails.)]

[Your throw is 7 points!]

……

"Shh!"

The sickle slashed into Su Ming'an's chest and abdomen, and blood flowed freely.

He withdrew his powerless fist, stepped to the right, seemingly ignoring the pain, and threw another punch!
……

"If I hadn't missed Tao'er's death, if I hadn't missed the chance to wield my sword for her..." Hui Zi's voice.

……

You can choose to "punch". Please roll the dice.

[Required points: 20 (Points > 20, punch successful. Points < 20, punch fails.)]

[Your throw is 12 points!]

……

"Shh!"

The scythe grazed Su Ming'an's shoulder and cheek, leaving a deep cut that almost sliced ​​off half of his ear.

He leaned back, rolled diagonally on the ground, and threw another punch at the pink-haired man's leg!
……

"If I had never joined the army, never become a soldier who could not forget the hatred..." Liu Chongping's voice.

……

You can choose to "punch". Please roll the dice.

[Required points: 20 (Points > 20, punch successful. Points < 20, punch fails.)]

[Your throw is 5 points!]

……

"Shh!"

The sickle fell from the sky and pierced Su Ming'an's back, causing blood to splatter.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his chest and abdomen pierced, yet he still raised his head and threw the next punch, even though he was in excruciating pain, he was giving it his all—gambling on that one "great success"!
Forward, throw a punch!
……

"If I hadn't agreed to Liu Jin's plan to save the world, if I hadn't endured humiliation for you..." Hui Bi's voice.

……

[Your throw is 11 points!]

"Shh!"

The flesh fell to the ground.

……

"If I had never felt my heart burning with passion, if I had never risked everything to protect you..." Qianqin's voice.

……

[Your throw is 7 points!]

"Shh!"

The bone broke and fractured.

……

"If I had never looked back at Little Lemon, never touched this mistaken and scarce warmth..." Tianying's voice.

……

[Your throw is 14 points!]

"Shh!"

His clothes were stained bright red.

……

It was as if this place was not just where Su Ming'an was throwing punches at the pink-haired man.

It's more like the Li Ziqi of the past, using this soft fist to punch an unjust fate and an insurmountable enemy.

Even though Su Ming'an used all his combat experience to dodge left and right, the stamina brought by the adrenaline was gradually fading.

He threw a punch one last time.

This was not his anger towards the pink-haired person, nor was it a meaningless venting.

Rather, it was a final test of the pink-haired man, given that he was certain of his own death.

The Emperor's voice resounded in my ears:

"...The reason for the name 'God of War Dragon King' is that when the hot-blooded male protagonist is filled with passion, he can unleash unparalleled power...that is the meaning behind my naming of him."

"Go! The final blow! Su Ming'an."

"boom!!!"

There was a muffled sound.

Su Ming'an's fist struck the pink-haired man's mask.

A heavy thud echoed through the dark room.

"puff."

He vomited black blood.

—But it wasn't the pink-haired man who vomited blood, it was Su Ming'an who vomited a mouthful of black blood, the poison having penetrated deep into his lungs.

The final die was clearly visible:
……

[Your throw is 19 points!]

……

The last, cold die remained at nineteen. The twentieth side always fell short by a hair's breadth.

It was as if there was a vast chasm between fates.

Su Ming'an was no longer able to throw a punch.

……

"If I..." Finally, it was Li Ziqi's voice.

Her voice held laughter and tears, as if it contained both pain and relief.

She was sobbing, yet smiling:
"If I had never seen that dashing knight in the wheat field, if I had never stepped into this game, if I had decided to submit before Mr. Mask..."

"If I were to remain a swaying reed my whole life, if I were to always fawn over powerful figures, conforming to their corrupt ways..."

"Mom, what if I had never seen the light..."

……

—So, so.

How dark, despicable, cowardly, and weak we must be standing here?
How do we stand up to power?

How can we grow towards the heights of the mountains?

……

How can we become the ideal person that we can be proud of?
……

"Drip, drip, drip..."

Su Ming'an's arm hung limply, his fist broken and covered in blood.

His back was pierced by a penetrating wound that went through his chest and abdomen, his face bore deep cuts, and even his right ear was no longer intact.

The pink-haired person was unharmed and moved freely.

Reality is not a thrilling story.

It's impossible for him to have the expectations of countless people behind him and suddenly unleash a burst of passion, throwing out a 20-point critical hit at the last moment to decisively defeat the pink-haired man.

As an ordinary person, he was powerless to throw a punch, but he did not give up. Instead, he used his last strength—Li Ziqi's ability to "create fruit".

A bright red, beautiful apple appeared at the feet of the pink-haired person.

With a "bang" sound!
The apple flew upwards and hit the pink-haired person's chin, causing him/her to tilt his/her head back slightly.

It seemed like Li Ziqi's final, bitter blow. She had no sword, no gun, only an apple.

"Bang--!"

The pink-haired man sheathed his scythe and did not continue the pursuit, calmly gazing at Su Ming'an, who was slumped on the ground.

Perhaps moved by the last apple, the pink-haired man uttered an androgynous voice: "Fine, since you are so tenacious, I will give you a quick death."

He pulled a gun from his pocket, aimed it at Su Ming'an's chest, and fired a shot with a "bang," then turned and left. He hadn't intended to waste bullets, but now things were different.

The room was dark and silent.

It was as if everything had stopped, as if everything had ended.

Qianqin's body was cold, lying next to Su Ming'an, who had been shot, their blood flowing down like a river.

"clusters..."

A moment later, there was a sound, and the "girl" slowly got up, as if she were an immortal soul.

Su Ming'an slowly got up, clutching his aching chest, and pulled a gold pendant from under his neck. A bullet was embedded in the cheap metal piece.

The cracks completely obscured the words "Mom's proudest star, Ziqi".

"...You saved me once..." he said hoarsely, clutching the broken pendant.
“Li Ziqi…”

He dragged his dying body to the spot where the pink-haired man had just left. There were a few pieces of cloth left there, which he had torn off during his attack, and that was his real purpose.

Now that he is going to die, there is no need to worry about the higher dimensions anymore.

He clutched the pink-haired man's cloth, activating the "blood of the heart" effect to trace back history.

……

Before them lay a deep, purplish-red fog, and a girl with long, flowing pink hair, wearing a short skirt, possessing an elegant and beautiful air.

This pink-haired person... comes from a dream, and is Pudding's person.

In other words, even Hui Bi is a pawn abandoned by Pudding?
……

The effects of "blood of the heart" quickly wore off. The dream's defenses were very strong, making it impossible to trace much back, but fortunately, the information was crucial.

Su Ming'an opened his eyes again, slowly leaned against the dead Qianqin, and closed his eyes.

……it's over.

Blood was everywhere, and corpses littered the ground.

Before he arrived at this point in time, he never imagined that he would experience such a past.

He leaned against Qianqin, whose body had already lost its warmth, and in a daze, it was as if he had returned to his weakest moment, to the basement of the First World, where he had also been quietly waiting for death in the darkness.

However, waiting for death does not mean they have lost.

Despite being an ordinary person, he was brought here by many, many people, brought to the truth, and learned about Su Liujin's scheme and the background of the pink-haired man.

He stood at the highest point for far too long, basking in the light for far too long.

This was something he hadn't felt for a long time—the preciousness of the "light" from people.

……

If "we" had never seen the light.

How could they possibly dream of breaking free from the darkness?

Regardless of high or low status, beauty or ugliness, greatness or baseness.

This is the story of the "reeds".

This is "our" story.

So tragic, so painful, rivers of blood flowing—my "hateful" ideals...

……

In Plato's Allegory of the Cave, the prisoner who emerged from the cave to see the truth of light was regarded as a madman upon his return. Humanity's pursuit of truth, beauty, and light is often accompanied by worldly concerns, mediocrity, and even suffering.

The light reveals the imperfections of the world and the limitations of human nature; this clarity itself is a heavy burden.

Those who have never seen the light, limited by their environment and cognition, may fall into a kind of "comfortable sense of being decided," denigrating the abnormal and denigrating ideals.

However, *The Myth of Sisyphus* celebrates the hero who relentlessly pushes the boulder uphill amidst absurdity, choosing meaningful action even after recognizing the meaninglessness of the world and the absurdity and predicament of existence.

Such people are the highest form of respect for the fact that they have "seen the light".

……

"..." Her breathing gradually weakened, her heartbeat slowed, and the chill of death crept in.

The pendant was cool to the touch, and the tin heart and origami stars on my chest slept peacefully.

The nineteen-year-old, covered in blood, stared at the dark ceiling, curled his lips into a smile, closed his eyes, spread his arms, and sank completely into the tranquility of death.

……

"Ding dong!"

[Twelve Stories - "If I Had Never Seen the Light" Completion Rate: 100%]

……

A bright red apple lay quietly on the ceiling.

They had no swords, no guns.

In their hands, there was only one flying apple.

……