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Chapter 1583 Final Chapter: Guarding the Coastline: "OE: Die from the Ocean (10)"

On October 2nd, I discussed the connection between flesh and blood and energy with Su Liujin; his words were quite enlightening.

[October 9th, it turns out that animals really can become intelligent beings after drinking blood. I saw a kitten gradually turn into a cat-person... Wait, could this be the origin of the Rovasa race?]

On October 21st, in the initial clinical trial, my blood saved a woman on the verge of death. She was a teacher suffering from a terminal illness. After waking up, she was in good condition with no adverse symptoms. Seeing her smile after surviving such a close call, I breathed a sigh of relief.

[On October 29th, my experiments showed that the spiritual energy content in the air is increasing, a sign that this small world is about to be upgraded. Very good, we are moving towards becoming a world of medium magic and technology.]

On November 3rd, Lü Shu showed signs of ascending to the level of a second-tier god. He obtained a dark side godhood, which originally required killing to survive, but fortunately, he would no longer be tainted by the sins of killing.

[November 7th, I fainted once today, but I successfully made my blood sparkle, it looks beautiful! I'm thinking about whether it could be used as a "vaccine" to boost the immunity and potential of all humanity.]

[On November 13th, several terminally ill patients had been saved. Is this what Akto felt back then? Watching so many things gradually improve through your own hands... it's a really interesting process, like solving some difficult problems on the college entrance exam in high school, and feeling incredibly relieved afterward.]

[November 18th, I fainted several more times. Luckily, I was surrounded by androids. If it had been my colleagues, they probably would have forced me to stop the experiment, delaying the progress... Tomorrow I must see Yi Song to deepen my self-hypnosis and get through this period.]

[November 26th, today, Yamada-cho Ichiro came to see me. I told everyone I was in seclusion... Who told him I was here?]

……

"Su Ming'an." Yamada Machiichi, carrying a bouquet of white lilies, walked into the ice-blue room.

He had expected to smell the scent of flesh and blood, but he could only detect a faint fragrance, a scent of nature.

The white-haired youth sat in a chair, intently observing the glass slide under the microscope. He seemed to have some hearing impairment, and only slowly raised his head when Yamada approached.

"The flowers outside are in full bloom, I brought you a bouquet!" Yamada Machiichi placed the bouquet beside him and smiled. "By the way, didn't you dye your hair black? It's back to white now?"

"This is my real hair color now. If I don't dye it again, it will come back soon." Su Ming'an lowered his head again.

Upon hearing this, a flash of pain crossed Yamada's eyes.

"Would you like to try it too?" Su Ming'an picked up a bottle of crimson-gold liquid from the glass cabinet. It was like stardust, sparkling and exceptionally beautiful. "Lu Shu has tried it and now shows signs of ascending to a second-level god. I suspect it's a kind of catalyst or nutrient, a blessing from the 'world' to life. You've been unable to ascend to godhood, so accepting this should be beneficial to you."

Yamada Machi opened his mouth, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said:

"...You hypnotized yourself? Something's not right with you right now."

“Yes, Yi Song helped me.” Su Ming’an nodded directly: “I want to try whether the flesh and blood experiment path is feasible. If it is, I won’t need to repeatedly backtrack from now on. If it is not feasible, then I will backtrack and try to take other paths.”

He looked at his arms covered in wounds, his body like a broken doll: "Without some hypnotic suggestion, I might not be able to bear this pain. I'll get through it."

“I cannot selfishly order you to stop, because I also cannot know whether your current path is right, or whether it is the best direction for the benefit of mankind.” Yamada lowered his eyelids: “After all, I have indeed seen many people saved because of you, many people moving towards a new future… but.”

He gritted his teeth:
"From a friend's point of view, I don't want to see you do this."

"To be very selfish, I would rather you leave after the world game ends, or simply forget everything, than have you suffer like this now."

After he finished speaking, he quickly slapped himself and calmly said, "This is what I wanted to say. Whether you like it or not, Su Ming'an."

"I don't want to hear this," Su Ming'an stopped Yamada Machiichi. "And I don't want to see you hit yourself either."

“I know, so I’ll only say it once. After I’m done, I’ll move on to the next sentence—” Yamada Machi broke free from Su Ming’an’s hand, revealing a pale, forced smile: “Need any help? Savior.”

"it is good."

With the addition of Machiichi Yamada, the experiment accelerated once again.

Yamada-cho often felt that it was terribly cold here, and Su Ming-an also felt terribly cold, so cold that it felt unfamiliar.

At the end of each day's experiments, Yamada Machi would push Su Ming'an to the garden—perhaps because his body was too broken, Su Ming'an had given up on reviving his legs and was now in a wheelchair.

Su Ming'an always says that this is only temporary. Once the research is successful, he will be able to rewind time, and all the harm and pain will never have occurred. So, don't be sad, don't shed tears; this is just a gray period destined to be rewound.

but……

Machiichi Yamada clutched his heart, as if he could hear the pounding of the rain.

"Because everything is destined to be rewound, does that mean the time we are experiencing is no longer considered real?" he murmured.

This is the most rational way of thinking and the most reasonable action. Compared to the world at large, individual emotions and warmth are insignificant. Yamada Machiichi knew perfectly well that Su Ming'an was right.

If we abandon this research direction entirely because of a moment's hesitation, then after all is quiet, who will have time to restart this project?
His expression was cold, his actions were cold, but his heart was not cold. It was precisely because he didn't want them to die, didn't want the whole world's efforts to be in vain, that he was so cold.

"Perhaps this is why I can't be a savior... Even if it's a false time, I can't bring myself to do it..." Yamada Machiichi sighed inwardly.

Perhaps this is why Su Ming'an is Su Ming'an.

In the past, Su Ming'an had also thought that "the time that was reversed is not real," but Noel stopped Su Ming'an from thinking that way and made Su Ming'an regard every period of time as real. However, the situation is different now. Noel is gone, and many things are gone too.

This idea has become a necessity in a rational state of mind. Human time is limited, and regression is the best remedy.

All Yamada Machiichi can do is continue to be a cheerful and optimistic person.

He found it funny that before the game started, he was the one with the most severe depression among his companions, but now he was the most cheerful one, while his companions were getting worse and worse.

He was once trapped in a quagmire, but was rescued by Su Ming'an and gradually emerged from the shadows of the past.

Today, let him return to the mire, back to the river on his way home from school, and reach out his hand.

“Did you know? Zhao Yuan made a big joke again today, haha. It is said that a girl in the North dyed her hair red, stood on a high place and raised a camera. As a result, the warlord thought it was Zhao Yuan and was so scared that he retreated. Only after leaving did he realize that it was just an empty city ploy performed by an ordinary person. How wonderful!”

“Anger changed the doctrine. Now your hair isn’t a gradient of black, white, and purple anymore. It’s a gradient of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple… Uh, when we have some free time, we’ll have to get that little book of doctrines and make it proper. Otherwise, we might add some weird ears or tails to you again.”

"Guess what Lin Yin went to do? You'll never guess... Hahaha, she actually became the vice minister of the City Guardian Department... Ah, you might not know what the City Guardian Department is. It was established in the last six months and works to punish evil and promote good in the city. It's like a superhero."

"Where shall we go today? We've already simulated the gardens of Yu Kingdom, the cherry blossoms of Fusang, and the ice and snow of the Northern Kingdom. How about we check out the Singing Sand Dunes of Long Kingdom today? I'll go activate the simulation device now and take you for a ride!"

Yamada Machiichi maintained a smile throughout. Lu Shu was about to be promoted to a second-level god and had to go into seclusion, but Yamada Machiichi kept chattering to keep Su Ming'an company.

Sometimes, Su Ming'an found him noisy, and sometimes, Su Ming'an missed that chattering feeling.

This terrifyingly cold room was now filled with the sound of human voices and warmth.

On December 24, Su Ming'an collapsed.

Normally, the companions would get together on major holidays, such as New Year's Day, the Spring Equinox, and anniversaries. Today was Christmas Eve, and the Western companions attached great importance to it. However, Su Ming'an was unable to keep the appointment on time.

In the silent laboratory, Yamada Machi looked at the unconscious Su Ming'an and finally couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He picked up the communicator and was about to dial the phone of his companions.

However, cold gazes fell upon him.

"What are you doing! I'm going to notify the others, I can't hide this anymore!" Yamada Machiichi's communicator fell to the ground. He glared at the androids and broke free from their grasp.

He knew these androids were created by Su Ming'an and only obeyed Su Ming'an's orders, but he couldn't bear the pain in his heart any longer and roared in anger.

"Does keeping it from everyone make them happy?! What arrogance are you displaying, Su Ming'an! I've had enough of watching you draw your own blood and cut your own flesh every day! I'm terrified that if I ever show any sign that I don't want you to do this, you'll immediately rewind, cutting off any possibility of me discovering you, preventing me from finding this place in the first place! I'm scared, so scared! I'm afraid you'll go back to this icy cave alone again, so I've always kept smiling by your side! Only when I'm all smiles like a fool will you allow me to stay here! Only when I tell those ridiculous jokes will you show a genuine smile! I know why you kept it from your companions—because you're afraid that in the end you'll find out you're wrong, and everyone will share the blame, so you decided to do it alone! If you're wrong, you'll rewind and start over! I'm truly heartbroken, truly terrified, but I also know that my heartache is just a foolish sentimentality, you're right—you're damn right!!!"

These words almost unleashed all his bitterness and tears. He tried to show anger, but the smile on his face seemed frozen for too long, becoming a mask covering his features. Even as he roared, a smile remained on his face.

He's gone mad too.

The world has driven each of them to madness.

Fate is a piece of shit.

"..."

The young man in the wheelchair did not hear his roar and explanation; he simply fell asleep, peacefully asleep.

He was more peaceful when he was asleep than when he was awake. His closed eyelids were shrouded in soft light like two white butterflies. The lines of his neck appeared exceptionally soft due to his limpness. The bone outline that might have been clearly visible during the day was now covered by a profound tranquility, blurring the boundaries.

He was asleep, nestled in the wide back of his wheelchair. The metal frame supported him, as if cradling a fragile dream.

That young face, in its slumber, had lost all traces of struggle, its stubbornness from when it was awake gone, almost melting into the night.

Su Ming'an felt like he had a fever.

Perhaps it was due to the sheer number of experiments; even something as powerful as the "world" itself would weaken from overexertion, just as a person gets sick from being too tired... This is something to remember...

He felt a strange sensation as his breath became scalding hot, and his whole body lost its strength, just like when he was sick as a child. His immune system was expelling the virus, and his body was repairing itself... Once this illness was over, he would be fine and could continue his experiments...

In a hazy state, he felt someone lying next to him, crying incessantly.

That voice belongs to... Yamada Machiichi?

This guy kept laughing, but now he's crying... Stop crying, you're not dead yet...

“Write it down…” Su Ming’an reached out to the side, wanting to write down the various data about his “illness”, but his hand was grabbed by someone.

"Fool."

Who spoke in a very soft voice.

"Fool."

It was Yueyue's voice.

Perhaps it was because he was caught between lucidity and dreams that he heard her voice.

"I told you, when you're sad, come and have sweet dreams. I prepared ten thousand sweet dreams for you. How many have you used so far?"

“Ming’an, I know that to make a world break through its limits, you have to use things that are beyond the world’s specifications, such as the player items you brought back, or your own divine body. So, your experiment is correct... but can’t you slow it down a bit? You’re even hallucinating now, you’re so stupid.”

...I'm not stupid, I'm just afraid that if time drags on too long, I won't be able to go back... Su Ming'an's consciousness was hazy, but he still subconsciously retorted.

“Humans aren’t that fragile,” Yueyue’s voice said. “You’re just… too scared.”

Su Ming'an knew that the risks hadn't completely disappeared, such as the presence of some strange people who had smuggled themselves in. How could he give up until these dangers were completely eradicated?

What's the point of being irrational now, and then becoming cold and rational when everything is beyond repair?

—Does he still remember Noel's last look, which indicated that this road is not safe now and that they must prepare for the future?

"And... I'll be called an idiot by you guys..." Perhaps because of his illness, he felt a little wronged, an extremely rare emotion. But soon, he realized that he had indeed neglected Yamada Machiichi and the others.

After I wake up... I need to comfort them... but I can't stop myself yet.

"You've been making great progress. You're completely exhausted now, and all you can do is rest." Yueyue's voice said, "Rest well, and you can continue once you've recovered."

Before going to sleep, Su Ming'an finally saw the person standing by the bed.

Yamada, Isabella, Lin Yin, Aini, Yi Song, Mo Yan... They stared at themselves, their mouths moving as they spoke.

Why are they all here...? Did Yamada Machiichi invite them to the feast...?

He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

……