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Chapter 1584 Final Chapter: Crossing the Sea [50] "Who Killed the Mockingbird (4)"

"Once upon a time, there was a young man named Su Youcheng. He and his friends fought for their ideals and upheld justice."

"At that time, the world was controlled by a cold and cruel emperor. The noble class lived in extravagance and debauchery, and the people with abilities oppressed ordinary people at will. Society was extremely unjust and the people were living in misery."

"Faced with tyranny, Su Youcheng and his friends united, constantly losing members and saying goodbye, building a tower with their lives and love. After paying the price of almost everyone, including his best friend, they finally killed the emperor."

"As one of the remaining survivors, carrying the will and pain of all his companions, he chose self-exile and embarked on a journey of wandering."

"A group of pioneers who fought for light in the abyss, constantly building towers with their lives. And those who survived in the end were also scarred."

"Where is this story from?" Su Ming'an asked, chiseling at the stone as he listened to Shi Ying tell the story.

(A story circulating in Rovasa about the god to whom Huanjiala is loyal. Perhaps there are elements of artistic embellishment.) Shi Ying gasped for breath, clutching her wound.

"The story of the Fifth Starfire..." Su Ming'an pondered, "Does this mean that all saviors in the world end up with tragic fates?"

(Because you... loved the wrong thing.) Shi Ying's heartfelt words stumbled: (How can one receive love and its ultimate meaning when one falls in love with an undefined ideal? In fact, Xinghuo could have stopped when his companions began to die. He had already gained enough freedom and happiness. However, it was his and his companions' pursuit that gradually caused them to lose, to suffer, and to turn into towering structures...)
Are you saying I'm greedy?

(Heh... I rarely misjudge people; you're clearly the perfectionist type.) Shi Ying's eyes darted around: (Otherwise, why would you come back?)

Su Ming'an looked at her in surprise; she had actually realized that he came from the future.

He suddenly felt dizzy and held his forehead.

The colors before his eyes transformed into a torrent, a bizarre and colorful flow through his vision.

(Can't hold on any longer? How long has it been since you slept? It's finally safe here, no enemies can find us, lie down and rest for a while.) Shi Ying said.

Su Ming'an wanted to refute this, saying that he had slept in Noel's dream, but that didn't really count as sleeping; in fact, it made him even more tired than when he was awake.

“Your…leg…” He tried to see Shi Ying’s injury clearly, but all he could see was the silent face of the pink-haired woman.

(Sleep, sleep.) Two hands supported him.

Her hands, unlike the nightingale's icy touch, were warm; she gently wrapped them around him.

(If you can misjudge someone, it means you've reached your limit. Take a break so you can better save us.)
Fluorescent light shone all around.

Su Ming'an was astonished to see that, in the glow of fireflies, the girl's legs gradually healed and regained their smooth, white appearance.

(The Nightingale Clan's secret technique, isn't it amazing?) Shi Ying laughed, pointing to her throat: (We can heal a certain degree of trauma in exchange for our voices. We just can't sing or speak for a while, but at least you can hear my thoughts.)
(Ahem...!) A hint of embarrassment flashed across her face: (Right! Don't listen to any strange inner thoughts! I can't control myself.)
Su Ming'an rubbed his eyes; he could barely see anything.

Only in these helpless moments can he lie down.

The more a person fears something, the more likely they are to think about it. Soon, Su Ming'an heard strange thoughts:

(He looks even better when he's lying down, not just physically, but inexplicably so. Does this guy have some kind of charm-enhancing ability?)

(White hair... He used to have black hair, right? I remember when I first met him, he had purple hair. Did his hair actually change color?)
(He does seem nice, someone I could be friends with... Wait, stop thinking about it, he heard everything!)

Shi Ying's expression kept changing, and Su Ming'an was also a little embarrassed, so he simply closed his eyes.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he heard even more of his inner voice:

(It's even quieter when I close my eyes, like my pet Snowy, a snow-white owl.)
(His white hair is so fluffy, I really want to touch it... It's snow-white, can I call him Little Bamboo from now on?)

(How old is he this year? I used to look up to him and always felt he was unapproachable, but upon closer inspection, I realized he's still just a child. He's much younger than me.)
(Her eyelashes fluttered...)
(Why is he blushing? Can he hear my thoughts even with his eyes closed? No way! Ah! Help! Is it too late to roll around on the ground in embarrassment?)

Su Ming'an gradually fell asleep.

My breath became hot, and everything in my dream was bizarre and fantastical.

Even when he was asleep, he did not find complete peace.

He dreamed of a blood-red abyss, of figures disappearing one by one, of him slipping off a cliff, of him being trapped in the river of time, of a dark and desolate universe...

He felt as if countless hands were binding his neck, his throat emitting indistinct gasps, his consciousness like a tattered tent, filled with scalding wind.

Some shadows glided past in front of me, clearly familiar outlines, but when I reached out, they were just a viscous void, dissipating petal by petal.

"dad……?"

In his dream, he saw a blurry figure.

In a daze, he felt someone touching his head, just like his parents' hands when he was a child. They were comforting him, telling him that he had nothing to be afraid of.

"Ming'an will be alright, she'll be alright soon..."

"Ming'an will defeat all the bad guys. Don't be afraid of the bitterness. Drink these superhero revival potions. Mom and Dad are waiting for you, waiting for you to wake up..."

"Ming An fears neither heaven nor earth, nothing can frighten you..."

In a hazy, dreamlike state, Su Ming'an glimpsed two unfamiliar figures… Unfamiliar? Without realizing it, he had come to feel a sense of estrangement from those figures he knew so well…

“But,” he explained vaguely, reaching out his hand in vain in his dream:
"Dad, Mom, I can't find a way to have the best of both worlds..."

Some words can only be spoken in dreams, some pain can only be expressed in dreams. He felt himself irresistibly sliding down into a deep valley where no one would respond.

"I saw some comments saying I didn't need to go back at all, that I should just end it. They said if I failed, I would be a sinner against all humanity... Some people comforted me, saying they believed in me..."

"I'm afraid of their trust, I'm afraid of betraying those I know, I'm afraid that in the end it will all be despair, I'm afraid that the golden forest doesn't even exist, I'm afraid the fox has escaped, I'm afraid it's all just wishful thinking..."

“I don’t know if I’m right or wrong. My condition seems to be getting worse and worse… I face the world’s crises again and again, as if there’s no end in sight. I solve one, but the next one is more painful and more unsolvable than the last… I can’t reach the other side. I want to take them to the other side…”

"But, of all people, only I am able to make these choices, only I can hold the helm of the ark..."

"What should I do to achieve the best possible outcome?"

"Dad, before you rushed out to save that person... did you think that much about it...? Or did you just rush out without thinking...?"

"So, should I... continue... without thinking...?"

The fire in the music still burns within me, unable to burn away the heavy, oppressive darkness, unable to burn away the aches and pains emanating from my bones, unable to burn away the soul suspended between scorching heat and icy cold.

The world seemed to have degenerated into blurry patches of light, and no one responded to him; he felt as if he were standing on a dark, ocean floor.

Suddenly, someone grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it.

A soft voice sounded in my ear:

"The snow will stop, and everything will turn into spring."

"You are already walking in spring. Don't be afraid. No matter what you encounter next, don't doubt yourself."

“You are the one who needs to be steadfast the most. If you feel afraid, imagine tomorrow... We will see many flowers in full bloom, and you will stand on the hillside, watching the spirits of plants that have endured the long frost and snow, as they sprout tender shoots from the soil.”

"Imagine... roots sucking in water, frozen soil cracking into mud, insects quietly turning over in the darkness, countless delicate stamens breaking through hard sepals, butterflies fluttering in the air..."

“I’m not advising you to give up all of this, because I know that taking me home and taking them home is something you can definitely do.”

The wind disrupted his breathing, and he suddenly heard a "rustling" sound.

It sounded like a scraping sound, like a soft sigh.

He felt a touch on his scalp, and looking up through his blurry vision, he saw a mask carved with flowers and a mahogany comb with curled tail feathers.

—It was Shi Ying who held his hand and whispered her heartfelt answer in his ear.

His first reaction was to check the live stream, but fortunately, due to the time jump and the different flow of time inside and outside, the live stream had automatically shut down. His second reaction was to check if he had said anything strange, but he was suddenly struck by the silent eyes behind her mask.

Thank goodness those weak words didn't reach the audience's ears.

(You can take me, take us home.) Those eyes gazed at him: (Because it's something you can definitely do.)
She didn't try to persuade him to give up; she simply made him believe in her conviction.

Su Ming'an stared vaguely at the narrow space, a ringing in his ears: "There's no spring breeze here..."

Only dust.

Her eyes opened and closed slightly: (Then close your eyes, and you'll see it when you wake up.)
(I used to think, "I wish I were dead. All those trolls online would die, and all those people who look down on me and criticize me would die too. If I had a red button, I'd press it to commit suicide.")
(I just can't stand those bad guys, I can't stand the world's view of good and evil. It's like villains can be forgiven by everyone as long as they're whitewashed, while heroes are condemned mercilessly if they deviate even slightly. Hypocritical, selfish, arrogant, immature, self-delusional... they put all sorts of labels on good people like you. It's like you deserve to be condemned if you're not 100% perfect.)
(The altar was essentially just a sacrificial altar.)
(As for me, I am someone who has always lived in the mud. I have seen through the hypocrisy of those good names. I just don't want to forgive those bad people, and I just don't want to blame those good people. Even if the flames of condemnation burn my vocal cords, I will still sing the tunes I love.)
(So ​​I want to tell you—you did nothing wrong.)
(Even if everyone says you're wrong, that you should end this world game quickly, I will still say—you did nothing wrong.)
(So ​​what if your desire to make everything better is arrogant? You're not wrong.)
(—In this bright and clear world, under the clear blue sky, must we only be allowed to walk on broad and bright roads?)

(You must have had thoughts of death more than once, wanting to sleep in death, to get complete rest, to end everything and die, to die under the dawn, no longer struggling and in pain...)
(However, I've heard you players say something...)
Her innermost thoughts, like feathers, brushed against his ear:

(A person who talks about death all the time isn't looking forward to it; they're longing for love.)
(You are longing for love, Little Bamboo.)
Su Ming'an's pupils suddenly widened.

...I'm not expecting to die.

Or is it a longing for love?

She picked up the comb, as if to comb out all the injustices of the world, all the imperfections, and all the vicissitudes of life filled with tears.

The wind disrupted her breathing and also disturbed the flickering flame in her eyes.

(My mom, though a bit of a rascal, still taught me how to comb my hair. It's a unique sleep-inducing technique of our Nightingale tribe, so you can sleep soundly now.) She gazed at him:
(You're confused... so am I...)
(We are all confused at the crossroads of fate, not knowing which way to go.)
(I've heard about your predicament. You have two paths: one is to fly into the universe and live an endless life, the other is to stay in your homeland and cut off your future. Your choices are far richer and far greater than mine. Whatever you choose, you are 'noble'.)
(If perfection is the only way to save the world—then let the world be destroyed! We are only human; we must allow for some imperfections.)
Her eyes shone like a raging fire, her gaze intense and unwavering.

“I want to…” After a moment, Su Ming’an said hoarsely, “I want to be the number one player again, not a god…”

"If it's only a hundred years..." He paused, as if swallowing a bloody stone.

"Then let it be a hundred years."

(Perhaps, you should have lived for thousands or tens of thousands of years...) Shi Ying looked at him.

“Living the same lifespan as my companions is not bad either.” Su Ming’an closed his eyes: “Maybe I really will choose to live for thousands or tens of thousands of years, or even eat everyone… But now, I want to stay by their side, I want to protect those smiles, I want to save them from their sorrow.”

"God..." His voice seemed to come from a very, very far place, and it seemed to be getting farther and farther away.

Can I have a moment of hesitation and weakness?
After my weakness, may I be allowed to reach an ending that is as I envision it? No lingering pain, no enduring sorrow…

Don't wait until another day comes.

Don't drown in the ocean.

……

After Su Ming'an fell asleep, Shi Ying gazed at his face for a long time. Suddenly, she touched her heart and realized that the connection between her and Bai Shitou was becoming stronger.

After closing her eyes for a moment, she transformed into a staggering nightingale, struggling to move small stones, bleeding as she desperately squeezed out of the crack, nearly breaking her own wings.

(...a white stone?) She saw a white stone roll down beside her.

……

Siber soon ran into someone she knew.

Kelna pointed at her arrogantly and said, "Little cultist, where have you been? The Mother Goddess is summoning us! Come with me!"

...Mother Goddess?
Siber quickly realized that this place was similar to the Dome, yet it was not. There were black walls, familiar forests, but also the "Mother Goddess" and some people she didn't recognize at all.

"This is still Rovasa, but it feels so much like the Dome of the Earth. Why?" Siber quickly realized something: "Is this... 'fan fiction'?"

—This is a fan fiction written by Rovasa, imitating the style of The Dome.

Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to call it a “pilot project at the Rovassa dome”.

A mother goddess created this place to be exactly like the Vault, and arranged for many Vault characters to appear, hoping to see if the stories of other civilizations could be reproduced in Rovasa.

After arriving here, Siber was automatically assigned the role of "Sisi" and was to go with her people to pay homage to the Mother Goddess.

"Is it not enough for this Mother Goddess to just read about the original civilization? Does she have to get involved herself and have some fun?" Siber frowned. "No, it can't be that simple... She probably wants to experiment with something. After all, there are many theories about the Vault worth learning, as well as its unique world system... Since she is called the 'Mother Goddess,' she should be a first-level god. So, by creating this place, is she trying to find a way to break through the limitations of a first-level god...?"

She suddenly stopped breathing.

What lies beyond a first-level god?
This seems to be an unsolved problem.

She arrived at an altar where hundreds of tribesmen were already kneeling. Above the altar was the illusory image of a god, shining brightly.

The Mother Goddess of Light, Krichens...

“Among you, there is a precious white stone hidden.” Klitschko’s voice was cold: “You have one day to hand it over, or your entire tribe will be wiped out.”

People were terrified, while Siber seemed lost in thought.

Suddenly, she spotted a black and white figure.

A white-haired figure wearing a sacrificial crown, a black robe, and wooden clogs.

The moment she saw him, tears welled up in her eyes. She opened her mouth and watched the young man walk toward the platform.

"Mother Goddess, we will give you a satisfactory answer within a day," the young clan leader replied respectfully, bowing with his hands clasped.

The Mother Goddess's figure disappeared, and the young clan leader turned around.

Those eyes, as vast as the sky and the sea, met Siber's eyes, as deep as the ocean.

……