first player

Chapter 1606 Final Chapter: Guarding the Coastline: "OE: Die from the Ocean (18)"

"You're awake! You've been sleeping for so long, Su Ming'an!"

Su Ming'an opened his eyes and saw the Pearl Tower standing in the distance and the shimmering river.

As night fell, fireworks rose into the sky, and he sat on the high rooftop.

He looked to his left and saw a row of people sitting there.

"This is a candy jar that my sister picked out after a long time. It's for you," Lu said, handing over the gift.

"This is a book I've carefully selected... cough cough, an art collection." Yamada Machiichi coughed and handed over the colorful booklet.

"This is... a pillow... very comfortable to sleep on..." Bei Wang yawned and handed over a soft, fragrant pillow.

"Here, rose scent, it smells wonderful." Luna held up a glass bottle.

“I bought you a suit.” Isabella picked up a cloth bag.

Su Ming'an looked to his right and saw a row of people sitting to his right as well.

"Ta-da! Panda backpack!" Lin Yin picked up a small black and white bag.

“You gave me a book on the mysteries of fire before. This is a new set of my own techniques. Take it and enjoy it.” Aini pulled out a notebook.

“Father God, nothing is enough to show my piety; everything I have belongs to you.” Boris placed one hand on his chest.

"Here! These are the photos I took for everyone!" Zhao Yuan opened a thick photo album.

"What gift wouldn't be complete without flowers?" Eleven handed over the flowers.

Su Ming'an's arms were stuffed with all sorts of gifts.

Everyone's here, that's great.

Finally, it was Yi Song's turn to give a gift. He took out a bunch of bottles and jars, full of colorful capsules:
"Take your medicine, Su Ming'an."

Before Su Ming'an could react, Yamada Machi suddenly hugged him, and Lin Yin and Aini also joined in the fun. Su Ming'an felt a soreness from their arms.

My arms were held, and my embrace was full of warmth, like a little stove.

"Come give me a hug!" Lin Yin said with a smile.

"They say hugs make people feel happy, come on, give me a hug! Su Ming'an!"

"Take me one, take me one!"

"You guys need to eat more, you're so skinny, it's hurting my stomach..." Su Ming'an sighed helplessly as they pulled him along, feeling aches all over his body...

He suddenly opened his eyes.

The bright sun shone directly in his face, stinging his eyes. He pressed his chest against their silent tombstone, cradling stones and weeds in his arms.

The winter wind swept through the weeds, across his bruised forehead and arms. In the distance, the mountains rose and fell ruggedly, and the rising sun surged from behind them.

He sat there blankly for a while, gazing at the tombstones and the names on them, holding the stone in his arms, which seemed to feel warm to him.

It is said that hugs make people feel happy...

He lowered his head, resting his forehead on the tombstone, and gently embraced it.

The pine trees are vigorous and strong, and the mountains seem to rush forward.

It seems... I felt a tiny bit of happiness.

……

In early 2029, Su Ming'an caught a pregnant woman.

This woman has given birth to two hundred children and is behaving extremely abnormally. Su Ming'an pressed her for answers and received one: —The fate of this world is destined to slide into the abyss unless “they” are isolated.

But who are "they"?
where is it?
How to kill?

A frozen silence enveloped him, as if he were soaking in viscous water.

Was the conservative approach from the beginning a mistake?

He returned to his room and saw rows of black and white photographs on the table, and Lu Shu's eyes, which were dull and lifeless.

“Aini is dead,” Lu Shu said.

“Didn’t I bring him back to life?” Su Ming’an said.

“Again,” Lu Shu said.

After returning to her family, Aini ordered them not to cross the line and to stop participating in those sordid affairs, but this was met with a strong backlash, and she was assassinated one night.

"Who can kill him?" Su Ming'an said calmly.

Lu Shu handed him a photo.

In the photo, a bouquet of flowers is placed on a table splattered with blood, and the ribbon bears the words: [Hubert].

—Hubert.

Staring at the line of English, Su Ming'an lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

...Is that so? In the first instance, the king and the bishop, who were bound together by fate, and the bishop who had said "May you be victorious," ultimately met their end by drawing swords against each other. The perpetrator doesn't need to leave his name; Hubert was probably just a pawn.

Su Ming'an realized that he no longer cared about the power struggles behind it; they were nothing more than the greed and ugliness of human nature. All he felt was disappointment.

"Why haven't you completely lost hope in humanity yet?" Dieying's voice rang out, whispering in his ear:

"The people you care about are dying one after another, dying for your so-called ideal of universal harmony."

"Some of the people you saved have died, and some have turned their blades on you, their benefactor."

"When the Great Way prevails, the world belongs to all..."

"[Selecting the virtuous and capable, emphasizing trust and harmony, ensures that people not only care for their own parents and children, but also provide for the elderly until their end, the able-bodied find employment, the young are nurtured, and the widowed, orphaned, lonely, and disabled are all cared for...]"

Su Ming'an looked at the busy people. They moved among the traffic, their eyes focused on this month's salary, what to eat tonight, and what games to play tomorrow.

The welfare here is excellent; the elderly are cared for, orphans receive relief, and while there are many battles, peace prevails most of the time. Compared to the original Zhai Xing, this place truly feels like paradise.

Then how can it not be considered a golden age of harmony and prosperity?

But he saw the crisis beneath the magnificent scenery; if it weren't for Lu and Lü Shu's sacrifice, this place would no longer exist.

"Therefore, plots are kept secret and do not arise; theft and rebellion do not occur; thus, outer doors are not locked. This is called the Great Harmony..."

Su Ming'an closed his eyes.

“Most people don’t participate in those power struggles; they just want to survive. They shouldn’t become fuel for those in power, burned by power. I want to give them a tolerant and peaceful environment, but at the same time, I understand that some people really cannot control their own destiny and must rely on an unseen hand to achieve it,” he murmured.

A series of forked roads seemed to appear before my eyes, and the voice of Dieying echoed in my ears:

"What will you do next?"

— Repeatedly review and adjust for the future.

“No, you’ve already tried. If you encounter a higher dimension, the time authority won’t work and won’t solve the most critical problem. Backtracking can only help you fine-tune; it can’t change the overall situation,” Dieying said.

—Blood experiments elevate the world.

"Is that so? You've conducted many flesh and blood experiments. Those who obtain your flesh and blood are becoming stronger, and the concentration of spiritual energy in the world is also increasing, but the world's development speed is still too slow, not enough to withstand another high-dimensional attack," Dieying said.

—Using violence to suppress civilians.

“No, killing so many people is pointless. You know that better than anyone, don’t you? Human desires are endless. As long as there’s profit to be made, countless people will be willing to get involved in the train case,” Dieying said.

—So, what else can I do?

He looked up and saw countless forked golden roads gradually disappearing with the negation, leaving only a straight golden road.

All the options seemed to have been reduced to just one certain, fixed answer.

……

—I want to become a god.

—I want to become a god.

—I want to become a god.

……

With a "whoosh," his collarbone flashed with light, and the "faith" authority on the key pattern flickered for a moment.

His once white hair was instantly transformed into a vibrant color.

This scene resembled a magical girl's transformation, yet Lu Shu, who was watching from the sidelines, showed no joy whatsoever.

People believed that the gods had seven-colored hair, and the gods decided to fully accept these beliefs, transforming themselves into statues desired by all beings. This did not mean that the gods believed in human abilities; rather, it was a manifestation of the gods no longer trusting humanity.

—He no longer believes in human agency and cannot believe that humans can save themselves.

He wants to become a god who anchors everything, committing all good deeds and all evil deeds, becoming a saint and an evil spirit.

People fervently worship Him as a god, but what if the god becomes disappointed in humanity?
Lu Shu seemed to hear a black river surging in, engulfing countless gloomy forests. The death of Lu, the death of Yamada, the death of Aini, Luna's aging, Alger and Eland's actions, the passengers on the train... all fell like straws, silence pressing down.

"Since fine-tuning is no longer possible, we might as well take a tougher approach—"

Su Ming'an opened his golden eyes.

"Only one path remains—"

He smiled at fate.

He became a god.

He gathered the remaining surviving, more trusted top players—Meyani, Joey, Zhaoyuan, Moyan, Yisong, Lü Shu, Lin Jiang, Su Lin, Violet, Lin Yin, Yamada Machiichi, and Beiwang.

Including himself, there were thirteen people in total.

"The man is gone, but we are the new 'Peak League'."

He told them his thoughts.

—He will create a clone that He controls, which will become the "righteous clone" and continue to lead the people as the world's ruler. What the gods cannot do, He will do as the "evil" part, using harsh methods to punish those who cross the line.

The righteous being is responsible for using faith to inspire people's positive emotions toward goodness and justice, making them believe in the existence of God.

The evil Him will be the final "evil dragon".

Finally, a divine sacrifice was held to kill the evil dragon.

Yes, He wants to emulate the old world and use the "Song of Good" to slay the "Song of Evil," thereby obtaining the purest and most powerful power of faith.

However, in the old world, there were 9,999 mutual killings, but in this world, only one person is killed.

He is the first spark and the last abyss.

He began the plan of "mutual punishment of good and evil." He punished those who aided the train, used time jumps to capture those who would commit crimes in the future, tried them, and bloodily suppressed them.

The kind-hearted "Lord of the Realm" is as compassionate as a god, with long, seven-colored hair, and listens to the prayers of all living beings.

The evil "dragon" is ruthless, with black hair and a mask covering its face.

Screams, curses, insults… each time the executioner's blade fell, He listened silently to the vicious cries of the dying, His vision turning crimson. To prevent further deaths, He began to sacrifice a few.

The experiments with flesh and blood continued, and His body grew weaker and weaker, but His eyes grew brighter and brighter—for He knew that there was an ivory-white ideal land, with fluttering wings and blooming flowers, descending upon this fertile land.

One day, He heard the news of Mayani's death. It turned out that Mayani had discovered "their" eyes while exploring the cosmos, and she died suddenly right after reporting it. Joey, who regarded her as a daughter, followed her with knives and guns, his fate unknown.

—It seems that "they" are getting closer, Su Ming'an thought more and more clearly.

His actions became increasingly decisive, and his experiments increasingly ruthless, to the point that even Su Liujin often looked at him with worry.

He wants to protect them.

He will protect them.

Human sins are so stark: He kills betraying players, He burns down luxurious palaces, He punishes prisoners who cross the line, and listens to their dying curses and wails—killing to protect life. He is no longer a holy and dignified white stone statue, no longer a gentle and soft white camellia.

Instead, it was a blood-red scale.

……

At the end of 2029, Su Ming'an encountered an assassin.

At that time, He had just finished the flesh and blood experiment and was lying weakly in the hibernation pod when the pod door was suddenly opened and a dagger was thrust in.

At the critical moment, He grasped the dagger, His divine power surged and he instantly subdued His opponent.

“You thought I would be killed when I was weak… Unfortunately, I anticipated human nature. Even lying in the hibernation pod, I never let my guard down or closed my eyes.” Su Ming’an activated his divine power and saw a familiar face.

...Zhaoyuan?

He no longer sensed disappointment, only understanding.

“It’s not just me…” Zhao Yuan’s cheek cracked, revealing the insectoid tentacles: “Many of us… want to kill you… How many people have you killed? How many wars have you controlled? You clearly said that this world has no need for the gods of Cloud City…”

“Because the gods of Cloud City welcomed Su Ming’an with roses, even if the gods of Cloud City fall, Praya will not be destroyed.” Su Ming’an said calmly, “And I will not meet another Su Ming’an. Without me, the small world will not survive for long.”

“Many people are waiting for you in hell,” Zhao Yuan said.

“There’s no fairy tale where everyone can be happy without having to draw a knife,” Su Ming’an said.

He touched Zhao Yuan's cheek... So that's how it is. She was invaded by the Zerg a long time ago, probably during the time of Rovasa, which is why she suddenly tried to assassinate him.

But her assassination also illustrates a point—many people now wish for His death. They wish for the death of "Evil Dragon Su Qing," not "Lord Su Ming'an."

Su Ming'an named this evil clone of himself "Su Qing".

“I always thought…you were a kind and gentle person…” Zhao Yuan said softly, “The you I see now is so unfamiliar to me…”

“I have always been, and I never have been,” Su Ming’an said.

"I don't understand why you've become like this..."

"Because this is the only way."

"I don't understand why you love them, yet you want to kill them."

"Killing because of love."

Zhao Yuan seemed to have lost her mind. The insectoid tentacles broke through her cheeks, and she cried for help one moment and begged for death the next.

Su Ming'an could indeed save her, but what if she tried to assassinate him again? What if she still couldn't control herself? She already harbored rebellious intentions and might become part of a new train incident. He couldn't afford to make a mistake even once more.

"Sorry." Su Ming'an raised his hand.

In that instant, the fireworks, smiles, flowering trees... all suddenly seemed very far away from him.

After a sigh, everything fell silent.

In the laboratory, the perpetrators of the train crime from years ago, used as experimental subjects, wailed and screamed, cursing Him with the most vicious words. But His expression remained calm and unmoved—curse, hate, even if someone veered into error in a single moment, does that absolve them of guilt? Who can bring back the fate of the train? Who can bring back the lives of countless elites within the White Tower?
He stood up, walked to the rooftop, and suddenly began to laugh, even to the point of hysteria.

A moment later, He suddenly calmed down, murmured a few words, "Who am I?", and turned back.

……

The time that followed seemed to cease to be counted in years. The gods traveled through different points in time, foreseeing criminals and anticipating crises in advance, leading people with their "good self" and wielding the butcher's knife with their "evil self."

In people's eyes, the statue of the god grew taller and taller, as if touching the heavens and valleys, sacred and inviolable.

In people's eyes, the dragon became increasingly ugly and deserving to be banished to the underworld for committing countless crimes.

Su Ming'an no longer remembered the exact year, but each time he returned, Lu Shu's appearance would change slightly.

"You're finally back." Lu Shu had made lemon tea, which tasted sweet and sour. "Did you find anything?"

"A natural disaster will strike in ten years. It's alright, I'll step in then, and the reconstruction of the world hub will also activate the disaster relief plan." Su Ming'an looked into his eyes: "Still can't see?"

“Even though I can’t see it, some things are clearer.” Lu Shu skillfully brewed tea. His movements were not stiff at all, and he knew the exact location of every step, as if he had done it a million times.

"Will I still be here ten years from now?" After a moment's hesitation, Lü Shu asked.

"exist."

"Will we be better ten years from now, or will we be better now?"

“There’s no precise standard for judgment,” Su Ming’an said. “I only know that I feel at ease every time I see you all.”

...They let Him know that He was neither a god nor a dragon, but Su Ming'an.

“It’s been two years since you last came back,” Lu Shu suddenly said.

"...Two years?" Su Ming'an looked at the calendar in surprise, only to realize that it was already 2030. In his sense, it was just a fleeting moment, yet it had already been so long. Just as a thousand years is but a short distance for Dieying, time is completely different for gods and humans.

So, will he one day completely lose his sense of time, and when he looks back, find nothing behind him?
Lu Shu said, "We've been waiting for the past two years, as if a void has appeared in the past... You're like a bird, sometimes appearing under the clouds, sometimes disappearing. I'm a little afraid... that you will disappear."

"No," Su Ming'an said.

“I’m afraid you’ll get lost years, decades, or even centuries from now,” Lü Shu said.

“It is precisely because I fear you will get lost in this vast universe…” Su Ming’an said, “that I must leave you in order to see you at all times.”

He got up, went outside, and saw a bustling scene of cars and people, a peaceful and serene world.

Like a morning star, He flies to the distance.

2031 years, 2032 years, 2033 years...

Time flows by like water.

But in the context of the universe and higher dimensions, a mere instant is insignificant.

……