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Chapter 1633 Final Chapter: Crossing the Sea [53] "The Great Sage Yang Mermaid and the Unsincerous People Arrive (19)"

“That’s right.” Blake said bluntly, “Ludwig spoke in roundabout ways, but I’ll just say it directly—you must sign a contract with us!”

"We will all be stripped of all memories of the old civilization and the Ark's voyage. In exchange, you must, in the name of the World Tree, establish an inviolable covenant of law, absolutely forbidding any form of guidance that leads the native races to harm or enslave humans from the Ark. From then on, there will be no more outsiders and natives, only the living beings who breathe together under this sky."

Igulaire's eyes flickered.

She was clearly shocked.

Before the eight arrived, she had imagined countless times what they would do: they might angrily declare war on her, they might recklessly burn down the World Tree, or they might even slaughter all life on the planet until both sides were severely injured.

However, the one thing she hadn't expected was that what they asked for was to never see each other again.

...It turned out that, abandoning all barriers and prejudices, they became completely identical lives, starting from scratch as blank slates.

Ultimately, the root of their conflict lies in the relationship between "indigenous people" and "outsiders." But if neither side remembers where they came from, then there will be no barriers.

These people have essentially abandoned their homeland and themselves...forgetting everything, they still want to live on with humanity.

After all, most people in this world just want to "live." Ideals and higher things are something that must be earned with blood and lives. They were considering the survival of the majority.

The departure of 100 million people was a last resort. They had tried their best to create a peaceful world and lead the story to a happy future. However, the environment was so cruel and development was not as expected. In the end, this was the only way for them to save the majority of people.

Locke's eyes remained calm: "Ordinary people are not at fault. When you and the World Tree decided to kill us, those life forms that had not yet completed their evolution were unaware of it."

“We know that this decision will be condemned, insulted, and shamed. Of course, there will also be many great people who would rather die than lose their memories. Unfortunately, we cannot ask for their opinions this time, otherwise, greater chaos will cause even more deaths.”

"Igulaire, guardian of the colorful planet, do you have the courage to share with us this sin that has caused the world to forget everything, and are you prepared to face the possible price?"

Iguler remained silent.

Hui Bai placed his hand on his chest and said calmly, "We forsake all the past glories and pains in exchange for a future that may even begin to sprout. We will bear all the humiliation brought about by this agreement—the infamy of weakness, cowardice, and even betrayal."

"Of the other five, Antetolia did not come, Edith went to find her, and both died. As for Su Ming... Su Qing will have a future much more distant than ours, waiting for him to write his own. He should not be confined here, nor will he stay here; he belongs to the sky."

After a long silence, Ijuril slowly said, "Stripping away your memories... means you will be born, grow old, get sick, and die like mortals, falling into the cycle of reincarnation in this world, no longer the transcendent players. You, Huibai, may fade into obscurity, living an unremembered life; you, Black, may possess the power of the dragon race, yet your mind regresses to ignorance, easily deceived even by a chattering bird; and you, Locke, may forget all your meticulousness and ingenuity, becoming a silent shadow behind some youth, groveling as a demon... Even knowing this is your end, are you willing?"

“Of course I’m unwilling!” Blake gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse. “But this is the only way to save more lives! Those frail people holding children, those elderly people with white hair, those children who know nothing… We can’t force them to pursue their ideals! Many of them just want to live!”

"Moreover, we have not betrayed our ideals. To reach this agreement, you must agree to one condition." Mu Changying stepped forward, the Dragon Kingdom woman displaying a heroic spirit as she raised her spear and declared proudly, "Memories can be sealed, but a key must be left behind! An opportunity that allows everyone to remember 'who we are' at some point in the future! Otherwise, I wouldn't mind letting you, you damned traitor, taste the spear!"

—The opportunity for everyone to awaken a memory is not, as Su Ming'an knows, a "merciful" gift from Iguler.

— Rather, it is an opportunity that humanity has earned by fighting for its own rights.

We can never expect mercy from our enemies; they must earn everything themselves.

Igully nodded slowly: "...Alright."

This time, under Casadia, who had transformed into the World Tree, and witnessed by the Second Seat, they signed an unbreakable contract.

Ludwig sighed softly, Ran Bo's eyes gleamed with the focus of a scientist, Mao Lian's face was as solemn as a weathered rock, Hui Bai's lips curled into a slight smile, Mu Changying let out a long sigh, and Locke's eyes were as calm as a deep pool.

The promised path to happiness ultimately failed to lead to a candy house, a secluded forest, or a peach blossom valley.

Behind them lies the ancient ark that has sunk into the deep sea, and before them lies a new era shrouded in mist.

The outline of the new ark, bearing the fate of all of them, appears in the faint light of dawn—all the laughter, tears, and promises will be washed away and eroded by the torrent of time.

They were about to head to the "Ink Sea" on the cliff, where the seawater would be enough to wash away all impurities.

The old chapters and memories will be sealed away forever, and a new story is finally about to begin.

Ludwig raised his head:
"Hopefully, our decision wasn't a mistake."

"Waiting for the moment when 'we' meet 'them'."

……

this moment.

At that very moment.

Two figures appeared in everyone's sight.

—The black-haired youth, holding the white-haired boy's hand, descended from the small spaceship floating in the air. The cross-shaped light shone like feathers as they gently landed beneath the World Tree.

……

Half an hour ago.

Using hacking skills, Su Ming'an stole a small spaceship and flew into space with Su Liujin.

Outside the porthole, distant nebulae resembled an overturned palette, splashing endless deep purple and sea blue.

"Master, look!" Su Liujin's face was pale, but she kept her face pressed against the porthole. "That blue star looks like the frosting on the cake we ate yesterday."

Su Ming'an stood beside him, watching the starlight flow across the boy's slender neck and delicate shoulders, and seeing the undying curiosity and longing in his eyes.

In truth, Su Liujin isn't a particularly naive person. On the contrary, he's intelligent and calm, able to find his place in any situation. In the laboratory, he maintains the image of a proud and unrestrained little king, while in front of Su Ming'an, he appears simple and innocent. This isn't deliberate affectation, but rather a natural protective shell. He's accustomed to showing his most harmless self in different situations to ensure his survival, and even in front of Su Ming'an, where it's unnecessary, he subconsciously does so.

After all, this is the survival rule of a boy who is not treated kindly by two worlds, a boy who faces omnipresent malice, and a "primordial" who is in the most dangerous and targeted situation.

Innocence and naivety are real. So are intelligence and complexity.

He is like a multifaceted prism splashed with various colors of paint, yet possessing his own unique structure. Everyone who sees this dazzling gem will perceive different hues. He is never a thin sheet of paper with fixed symbols.

“I’ve been flipping through some books these past few days… books by Zhai Xing,” Su Liujin said softly. “There’s one called ‘High School Biology,’ which I find quite interesting.”

High school biology?

Su Ming'an tilted his head. Compared to high school physics and chemistry, high school biology was indeed the most interesting.

"You saw the jellyfish in the picture in the biology book?" Su Ming'an said.

“I saw a case in the textbook.” Su Liujin looked up. “A couple used in-vitro fertilization to have another child in order to save their first child. This child was genetically engineered, and his blood type, kidneys, liver, and even heart… all matched the physiological characteristics of the couple’s first child. In other words, the second child was created to provide a backup for the first child, allowing the first sick child to survive…”

“I haven’t seen this case before,” Su Ming’an said after thinking for a moment.

“I’ve been reading a lot these past few days,” Su Liujin said, looking over. “I’ve been thinking, what is the meaning of the birth of a second child? If the first child hadn’t been sick, he wouldn’t have been born at all. He was born because his parents needed him to give their blood and organs…”

“I think,” Su Ming’an said, “it’s because of 'love'.”

“‘Love’.” Su Liujin pondered the word. “Was his birth truly out of love?”

“Not all parents in this world are good parents,” Su Ming’an said. “Even if the initial purpose is to be a tool, once life is born, its meaning transcends its use. Just like a piece of ore is mined to build a city wall, it can also be sculpted into a work of art. Its very existence is already participating in and shaping this world.”

He looked at Su Liujin: "That child, he can refuse, or he can accept it and find other meanings for his own life. Donating blood or organs can be a part of his life, but it shouldn't be the whole of it. He can become a painter, a teacher, a farmer... anyone he wants to be. His meaning is written by every choice he makes afterward, not just by the purpose of his birth."

Su Liujin listened quietly, his eyes flickering. After a long while, he finally spoke softly:
“You’re right. Meaning needs to be found by oneself. Even if it comes from the most utilitarian ‘design’ field, even if it was initially defined as a ‘tool’ or ‘container’…”

“In your past civilization, I heard that ‘gene editing’ was a taboo topic that was prohibited by law and involved ethics. However, now it has become a way to save your world—that’s why I was born.”

"I've also heard that you can now customize a baby's hair color, eye color, skin color, height, brain size through genetic screening... In this way, every child can win at the starting line."

"But, have you thought of any related concepts?"

Upon hearing this, Su Ming'an blurted out, "Creation..."

What is the difference between using scientific genetic screening to customize a baby's hair color, eye color, skin color, etc. before birth and setting the OC before birth?
Humanity has finally reached a convergence of paths. The creation of the newborn OC is determined by words and ink. The creation of the newborn infant is determined by scientific gene selection.

—A predetermined life, a predetermined appearance, predetermined emotional intelligence and IQ—what is the difference between "pre-set" and "genetic selection"?
Su Liujin's life is limited; he is firmly set up. He and Qi Zhou, who is controlled by the Lord of the World, are similar in some ways, even though they come from the science of humankind on Zhai Star and the creation of Rovasa, respectively.

The world of "Gemini" is ironic in some ways.

“I know my birth was not anticipated. What they expected was an outcome, a perfect ‘finished product,’ a ‘realm master’ who could carry the future of civilization. My thoughts, my preferences, and my personality were all carefully selected.”

Su Liujin looked at her pale fingers: "These hands can play the piano because they need to test my fine motor skills and emotional resonance; I like reading fairy tales, perhaps because the simple narrative structure is more conducive to personality stability."

“But they gave me a dream in which I became a ‘little king’. I learned to use a finger gun to uphold my ‘rules’, I drew the best fortune and firmly believed it would bring good luck, I felt the cold, and I remembered your promise that ‘it will never be cold again’. You and I are here, discussing a case from a textbook on another planet—aren’t these moments also real and uniquely mine?”

“You can’t choose the purpose of your birth, but how you interpret life is up to you.” Su Ming’an affirmed his idea. “You’re not the child in the case study; you started thinking about this much earlier than him. That’s proof that you transcend design.”

Upon hearing this, Su Liujin gave a faint smile.

"Yes, I have surpassed their 'design'."

He murmured to himself, as if he were hiding something.

"I didn't lose..."

“I’ve lost many times, but this is the only battle I haven’t lost to… their ‘design’!”

Looking up at the starry sky, the boy swayed almost imperceptibly, gripping Su Ming'an's sleeve tightly. Su Ming'an returned the grip and took his hand; the temperature of his palm was chillingly low.

"Are you cold?" Su Ming'an asked.

Su Liujin nodded: "The universe is indeed colder than the Ark..."

He quieted down and gazed greedily out the window.

"That's wonderful..." he sighed very softly, a smile playing on his lips, as if he had drawn a "lucky draw" that foretelled everything going smoothly.
"To see such a view... to be able to go on such an adventure with you..."

"This is simply... the best dream ever..."

The spaceship sailed smoothly toward the colorful planet, its stern shimmering with a deep blue flame, like wings dancing in the air.

They are flying hand in hand toward the end.

……

Su Ming'an landed with Su Liujin and saw Hui Bai and the others with Ijulair.

Su Ming'an immediately raised his knife and pointed it at one of the men dressed as a detective:

“Perlo”.

"As your master, I force you to tell the truth—are you the one who created this dream?"

He used his identity as "Su Wenli" to his advantage, as he had a demonic master-servant contract with Perlo. He stared intently into Locke's eyes, trying to discern the slightest change in his expression.