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Chapter 1635 Final Chapter: Crossing the Sea [53] "The Great Sage Yang Mermaid and the Unsincerous People Arrive (21)"

Su Ming'an carried the thin, straw-like boy on his back, rising into the air. The spatial cross beam carried the two of them forward.

It swept across mountains and plains, across endless deserts and beaches, across a sky on the verge of collapse, across a land scarred by war, across the sun, moon and stars...

The heartbeat behind me grew fainter and fainter.

Warm blood flowed onto Su Ming'an's shoulder; the boy was bleeding. Su Ming'an knew that the death from genetic collapse would be terrifying: organ failure, cell death, systemic collapse, the whole body turning into a pulp, until not a single part of the body remained human.

My back became increasingly damp and warm, as if a small stove was burning behind me.

As if it were a final act of mercy from fate, or a casual joke after extreme cruelty, Su Ming'an looked up.

—Above the sky, the rising sun shines, illuminating the heavens and making the sunlight dazzling, so beautiful.

Grand, resilient, and all-encompassing. It paints the distant horizon in a hazy, shy warm orange, and then, like ink spreading out, colors flow—gold, crimson, soft pink, clear blue… countless hues flow among the clouds. It washes over shattered mountains and rivers, soothes the earth's wounds, and the whole world seems to awaken from a long and painful nightmare, bathed in a newfound tranquility.

Beyond the heavens, a colossal ark is slowly landing, and humanity, long adrift, is about to step into this world. Some weep, some laugh.

"A new world! Here we come!"

"I will definitely live a better life, and I will never let anyone bully me...!"

"Mom, this planet is so beautiful..."

Su Ming'an's black hair turned a warm color, gently enveloping the boy on his back who was silently crumbling.

"Give me a little more time..." he murmured through gritted teeth.

He wanted to take the young king out with him.

Look, the young king has dreamt of so many things about Rovasa; it will surely help him on his future journey. Besides, the young king has endured many experiments, experiences that, though painful, have also inspired him to help more people live. Therefore, taking him out with us is meaningful.

Moreover, the birthday cake that day was delicious, the fairy tale was very interesting, and they hadn't finished writing the final piece yet.

"Crack, crack, crack—" The cracks grew larger and larger, and the whole world was collapsing.

A faint voice came from behind:
"You can finally leave, Lighthouse Master. You shouldn't be imprisoned here."

"Give me a little more time..." Su Ming'an murmured.

"—After you get out, the Emperor Su Liujin, who truly had this dream, will also wake up. You will definitely find him, and you will definitely be able to transform into a sunfish with him and soar through the sky..."

"Give me a little more time..."

"You must keep your promise to me, make sure he's no longer cold, he won't be cold anymore..."

"I will definitely get you out of here..."

"The sun is so warm today..."

Su Ming'an stopped in his tracks.

Before me lies a fairytale kingdom flowing with honey and milk, sweet candy streets, laughing subjects, and an arrogant little king.

"Let's go! Holy Envoy, fly! Let's defeat them!" The bright red silk fluttered before his eyes, and the spirited and healthy young king waved his fist, took his hand, and laughed smugly.

【"boom!"】

The boy gestured with his fingers, pointing at the sunfish in the air, and made childish but earnest onomatopoeic sounds. Beneath his feet was a chocolate-coated stone path, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of icing sugar.

"Holy Envoy, look! It's a very auspicious fortune slip!"

Holding up the wooden skewer that would always bring "the best fortune," his smile was sweeter than ice cream, as he solemnly promised a false but beautiful future.

"Let's go, Holy Envoy! Let's defeat them!"

He pointed triumphantly to the distant candy castle, behind him were his chibi-style, flat subjects, and cheers roared like a tidal wave. Together they flew over cotton candy clouds, cleaving through chocolate rivers, like invincible warriors and kings, unstoppable in a world without pain.

"The sunfish won't come... because I can become the sunfish."

On the warm, sun-drenched eaves, the boy, his eyes crinkling with laughter, uttered the most rebellious vow. Clutching his hand tightly, he resolutely cast aside his crown and jewels, leaping from the highest peak of happiness, voluntarily ending his safe and beautiful dream, stepping out of the experimental jar, and sentencing himself to death.

It turns out that jellyfish really do have to pay the price of being burned by the sun if they want freedom.

Did Jin dream of being a fish? Or did the fish dream of being Jin? Did he transform into a butterfly in his dream, or did the butterfly dream of the Emperor?
The sunfish won't come, because he is a unique jellyfish. He will let everyone know that the sunfish doesn't need to devour jellyfish to grow wings.

He possessed fins more beautiful than wings.

The desolate wilderness was bathed in the golden-red light of the rising sun, and the wind howled through the air, carrying the chilling breath of a newly born planet.

“…Tap.” Su Ming’an stopped in his tracks.

They stood on a pale wasteland, where white sand, like tiny bones, swirled in the gale, dust and pebbles flying everywhere.

This is the future location of the Red Pagoda. The Red Pagoda in its most pristine state, untouched by any modern civilization.

It is also the "location" of the Candy Kingdom in my dream.

Throughout, the weak boy remained huddled behind Su Ming'an. Just now, he had simply recounted in a soft, gentle voice how proud, arrogant, and passionate they had been on this land in their dream.

There was no warm breeze or honey, no ministers or common people, only a desolate and boundless wilderness, and a few ordinary insects that had not yet fully evolved.

Su Ming'an put the boy down from his back and let him lean against a weathered boulder. His movements were as gentle as if he were handling a fragile piece of glass.

finished.

He took him home. He took him back to the coordinates of "home" that only existed in his dreams.

...This is the boy's only home.

The morning sun shone down, illuminating the boy's pale face until it appeared almost transparent, his long, thick white eyelashes casting shadows beneath his eyelids.

He closed his eyes quietly, as if he were just falling into a deep sleep in this desolate sunlight, ready to be awakened at any moment by the words "The sunfish is here," and then jump up to brandish his harmless "finger gun."

“…I know.” The boy’s voice was as light as a feather brushing against sand. “…Time is running out.”

Su Ming'an remained silent, rummaging through the medical kit given to him by Hui Bai to find medicine and using his knowledge of the biological world of the ruins to analyze whether he could prolong Su Liujin's life.

“Vitamins… are useless. I can feel it…” Su Liujin blinked very slowly, her gaze seemingly unfocused, “Inside my body… it feels like something… is melting, breaking apart… first the bones, then the internal organs… and finally, it will probably… turn into a puddle… a very unsightly thing…”

His lips curved upwards with difficulty, attempting a self-deprecating smile:

“A few days ago… I sensed that I was losing strength, unable to walk, and that my life was coming to an end… I really hoped… the dream would continue… I wanted to live…”

“But I heard you say… those people outside… they’re still wailing…”

"How can we let our dignified little king continue to wail and suffer..."

"So I made a decision: you can't be trapped here... you have to go... to the more distant skies. You have to... stop those people from crying out."

He coughed violently, his body curling up slightly. Su Ming'an could feel the hand in his palm clench tightly, the nails almost digging into his skin, the touch sticky and warm.

"I often feel dizzy and faint... After waking up, I read like a madman... I crave to know more..."

"So many books... so many things I don't know... the world is so big... the stars and the sea... I don't want my life to end so shortly and barrenly. How I wish I could leave something behind like the great figures of history... And if I just read enough books, wouldn't that be enough?"

"I read desperately... thinking... even if I only live for a few days... as long as I read enough... could I... be like those... people who have left their mark on history... and not have... lived in vain?"

“…But I…can only make up…fairy tales about man-eating plants and heroes…” A tear slid down his cheek without warning, quickly disappearing into his temple. “I really want to know…what it’s really like to go to school…to really learn as an ordinary child…what it really is like…”

His golden pupils gradually began to dilate, but he still stubbornly stared in Su Ming'an's direction:

"Many times, I wished this was all a nightmare, and that I would be the one who woke up, the Emperor... that I could see you again... that we could fly together into the sky..."

“…But…” He closed his eyes and shook his head very gently, “…I can’t sit up…and I can’t fly anymore…”

"...You told me about...those people outside...they're still wailing..."

His voice lowered, almost becoming a whisper, yet it carried a strange, resolute calm.

"...You can't...stay here..."

"...Stay with me...this...jellyfish that's about to melt away..."

"...You deserve...a farther sky..."

He shouldn't be confined here.

He deserves better.

Su Ming'an found a medicine, adjusted the dosage, and said in order to keep Su Liujin conscious:

"Su Liujin, shall we continue the story? The Emperor and the Cult Leader weren't swallowed whole by the man-eating flowers; they journeyed into the universe..."

At that moment, he heard a very soft, yet clearly laughing, breathy sound coming from in front of him, as if all his burdens had been lifted:
"……OK."

"We...will finish telling the story..."

Su Ming'an took a deep breath, facing the gentle sunrise that bathed everything in its soft glow, and in the calmest possible voice, continued writing the fairy tale that belonged only to them:

"The Emperor and the High Priest... were not devoured by the carnivorous plants. Their song... contained love and courage... The carnivorous plants had never heard such complex music before; they were defeated and transformed into a shimmering grassland, illuminating their path forward..."

He felt the boy move slightly, as if he were nodding, or perhaps it was just an unconscious spasm.

“They…continued onward…” Su Ming’an’s voice began to tremble uncontrollably, but he forced himself to continue, injecting the needle into Su Liujin’s arm, “They flew over…the tallest tower, and found no sleeping hero at the top…nor a trapped king…”

"...What's in there?" The voice trailed off weakly, filled with pure curiosity, as if the child were truly just listening to a story.

Su Ming'an's vision blurred. He put away the empty syringe, opened his eyes wide, and looked at the sea of ​​clouds in front of him, dyed golden red by the rising sun. He spoke earnestly, word by word:
"At the top of the tower... there's nothing there. Only a door... leading to the stars."

"So all the legends were meant to guide them... to this place."

The Emperor and the Cult Leader exchanged a glance, smiled, and held hands... together... pushed open the door—

He took a deep breath and grasped the boy's hand: "Behind the door lies a vast and beautiful sea of ​​stars, even more expansive and beautiful than what we see."

"Countless stars sparkle like diamonds... Nebulae are like the softest silk... They can... go anywhere they want to go, become anything they want to become... There are no more laboratories, no more syringes, no more cold glass jars...!"

"They...are free."

The story is over.

The world was completely silent, with only the sound of the wind rushing past my ears and the increasingly faint, almost imperceptible breathing ahead.

"very nice……"

After a long while, a very soft sigh was heard, filled with boundless satisfaction and longing.

"They...are free..."

Su Ming'an didn't look at Su Liujin's face. He kept his head down. He knew that Su Liujin looked like a bloody mess and extremely ferocious, just like those compatriots who were crushed into flesh and blood and thrown into recycling machines.

“Su Ming’an, leader of the Lighthouse Cult… At the end of the story, I will be waiting for you there.” The voice gradually became hoarse and indistinct, as if the vocal cords were melting and turning into a bloody mess.

"As long as you make it to the end, finish everything, and grow old happily with your friends, and live out your life... you will definitely see me again."

"There will be countless candies, a kingdom flowing with milk and honey, where I will wear the king's crown, hold the scepter, and wait for you in the endless spring breeze and warmth."

"You must..."

The young king instinctively reached out his hands, but they had already turned into a continuous mass of falling mud. His bones could not support his movements, and his whole body slid forward like liquid...

Su Ming'an instinctively caught a puff of liquid that was thrown at him, and his hands were sticky when he touched it.

He almost thought he was hugging a pool of blood and mud.

If even the bones and flesh have softened, how can it absorb any injections?

The pool of blood and mud was buried in Su Ming'an's arms, seemingly trying to cover his face, which had turned into mud, or perhaps trying to hold him tightly, not letting go.

"At the end of the road and the river... you will surely meet me..." Bloodsludge whispered.
"No pain, sorrow, loss, or sacrifice; no betrayal, deception, or madness. I'll be waiting for you at the end of that river where smiley flowers bloom."

"I'll stand there and ask you, how was your trip? Were you happy? Did you achieve your dreams? Was the journey enjoyable?"

"When you are old and gray, you will smile and answer me—yes, you have won, you have achieved your ideals, and you have been satisfied and happy along the way! Remember, you chose the path forward, and this path has never let you down, nor has it let anyone down. You have reversed your destined fate, you are the eternal victor, Su Ming'an!"

"In that case, I will smile happily."

"My journey ended before it even began, but yours is different."

"At the end of that flower-filled river, you must stand tall and proudly and joyfully say to me—"

"My King, I have never regretted knowing you! I have lived a joyful and happy life, I have achieved my ideals, everyone is proud of me, and I have walked hand in hand with my beloved companions who love me!"

“‘My King, I am blessed, for I have brought you good news!’”

The warmth dampened Su Ming'an's palms, and he tried to conceal his expression, not wanting to see Su Liujin's final appearance. The young king was too proud to allow it.

However, at this moment, a warm, almost melting hand bone slowly lifted his chin, allowing him to gaze at the bloody mud in his arms.

The little king's entire body had turned into flowing blood-red liquid, with only the outlines of his limbs and torso remaining. His head had almost collapsed, but still retained a pair of bloodstained eyes.

Those lips, whose shape was indistinct, slowly opened and closed, uttering almost silent words:
……

"They all teach me how to become good, great, and saintly, but you teach me how to be evil."

"So I learned to deceive, to hide my body, and to give you away."

“There’s a passage in my mind that I don’t remember why it exists, but I think it’s perfect to tell you.”

"When the story comes to an end, fate sounds the final charge, the ark reaches the other shore, and people are no longer isolated islands shrouded in mist... I hope that at that moment, you can take off the crown that has bound you for so long and walk towards true happiness."

"I hope...that those who secretly helped me, those innocent people...can all be happy."

"I hope to... break free from all cruelty, darkness, and pain."

"I hope... that you can realize your dream and fly into the sky."

At that moment, he raised his indistinct hand, the melting knuckles shifting slightly as if clenching three fingers, his thumb gently lifting.

A finger gun whose shape is almost indistinguishable.

—Did you know? Here, if you're the king and want to punish someone, you can do it like this.

"Bang." He aimed at Su Ming'an's forehead, who was inches away, and fired a shot silently.
"I want you to realize your mistakes... Your mistake was being too kind and too perfect. You always wanted to save people who couldn't be saved at all, and you were too hard on yourself to do things that were extremely difficult. When you couldn't do them, you took all the blame on yourself and felt that you had made the wrong choice... I want to punish you for this kind of thinking."

"I will punish you," his hand grew weaker, and his head drooped lower—

"Punish you by giving you all the love, punish you by making everyone around you like you, cherish you, and love you... punish you by making sure that after you achieve your dreams, you will never encounter anything that bothers you again..."

……

"boom."

"I will punish you, Su Ming'an,"

"May you live a life free from illness, pain, disease, and worry."

……

Those eyes, brimming with a golden luster, remained as passionate and innocent as a newborn infant in this world.

Life is too short; when he died, he was still as if he were being born for the first time.

The slightly childish voice of punishment was almost touching Su Ming'an's ear, and warm liquid flowed down his shoulder and neck, gently sliding down—

The sound grew fainter and fainter, like a candle flickering in the wind, as life irreversibly drained from his body.

"My favorite thing since I was born."

"...It's just playing the piano with you. That would be wonderful."

……

"You—I ask you—" the young king said arrogantly.

"Holy Envoy, are you my Servant?"

……

"Hmm. There's no harm or pain, but anyone who sees me fire like this will realize their mistake." Su Liujin gestured.

……

"See, it's a lucky draw, right? I'll definitely be able to get you out of here."

……

"I'm so cold... Master..."

"It won't be cold anymore."

"It will never be cold again, Your Majesty."

……

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are..."

"Hanging in the sky, shining brightly, like many tiny eyes..."

……

"The Emperor only needs to be the Emperor and enjoy a happy life. The World Tree loves him, the gods favor him, and we accompany him. His life is free from illness and worry, filled with joy and happiness."

"If he gets bored, he can listen to songs, and Huibai will take him out for a stroll. If he is lonely, Huizi and Huicheng will cheer him up. The people are overjoyed to see His Majesty, and it is common for his carriage to be filled with fruit. When His Majesty goes out, he always returns covered in flowers."

"In addition, His Majesty possesses an immortal body bestowed by the gods. We will forever protect his joy and well-being, and ensure he remains the eternal Empress of Rovasa."

……

"All he needs is to be happy."

……

Su Ming'an held the quiet boy in his arms.

A sound seemed to emanate from my ear, transforming into a long, monotonous "beep—"

If the boy never left that narrow nutrient tank before his death, all that would remain when he died would be the monotonous "beep" of the machine—no vivid images, no memories worth keeping.

But now, he can clearly recall the boy looking at his photo in the memorial hall, earnestly saying he wanted to remember what he looked like; he remembers the envy that flashed in his eyes as he listened to the sound of students reading in the school corridor, smiling as he said he would try to go to school like a normal child after waking up; he remembers the slight furrow in his brow when he heard the wailing outside the hospital wall; he remembers him playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" off-key, saying he would collect all the love in his pocket...

I remember the way the little king's eyes lit up when he played the piano; it was as if he had grasped something.

Playing the piano was the only thing the little king could do autonomously, that belonged to him alone, and that was not controlled by anyone else. Every key was pressed by the little king himself, and every hummed note was sung by the little king himself, with the pitch determined by him.

From birth, the young king was taught countless ironclad rules: First, he must not harm humans. Second, he must maintain a heart of kindness, compassion, and justice. Third, all his actions must be biased towards humanity, without considering personal desires or emotions. Fourth, he must not have blood on his hands, harm others, or be an evil person…

Countless ironclad rules, like chains, bound him tightly, preventing him from breaking free or escaping. But the young king shattered them all with a single tool—

"like".

Before this blade called "love," all world rules and destiny will retreat. All impossible miracles will occur.

No one taught him this most important and eternal weapon; he found it himself in his long dreams and his interactions with his friends.

He shattered his own oxygen tank, constantly pushing Su Ming'an out of the dream world—it was his unwavering insistence on wielding the blade of love.

On the desolate wilderness, Su Ming'an reached out his hand one last time, wanting to grasp Su Liujin's shattered hand.

However, the blood and mud surrounding the young king suddenly paused—

"Crack-!"

Su Ming'an closed his eyes, his eyelids splattered with blood and mud. The body in his arms exploded in an instant, vanishing in a flash. Countless cracks spread from his body, and the world instantly turned into nothingness.

He stood still for a moment.

A gentle breeze whispers in my ear.

It was as if I could hear the innocent laughter of youth.

—My Lord, the Emperor has gone to the end of the river where flowers bloom. When you are old and gray, you must come to see me there!

Su Ming'an covered his face, bent over, his shoulders trembling, tears streaming down his face.

Laughter echoed across the desolate wilderness, growing sharper and sharper until it became hoarse, mingling with the howling wind.

Is he laughing at the rising sun, behind which lies a young man deceiving the world? Or is he laughing at the boy who, until the very end, uses that naive yet cruel method to "punish" him, forcing him to be happy?

—None of them.

He was happy for the young king.

Warm liquid spilled from between his fingers, running down his blood-stained cheeks.

—Little King, you've won!
The young king did not lose to the scientists who shaped his life.

Because his final cause of death was not genetic breakdown, but... the moment his dream collapsed.

In the last second before Su Liujin breathed her last, the dream completely collapsed. A spatial rift tore apart Su Liujin's last body. At the very last moment, her heart was still beating stubbornly.

He defied scientists' definition of his final lifespan, clinging to life with a will to live that sustained him through "love," and forcibly extended his life by one day. It was also he who assisted Su Ming'an in overcoming all obstacles and swiftly shattering this dream, ensuring that the dream shattered before his genes collapsed and he died.

All of this was driven by his "active" efforts, rather than by his "passive" waiting.

He no longer waited, no longer stood still, no longer waited for the sunfish to take him away—it was he himself who took him away and flew to the end of the river.

Su Ming'an lowered his head, his black hair obscuring his expression, and the slight trembling of his shoulders and back revealed the overwhelming sorrow that almost drowned him.

"Hahaha, hahahaha...!"

However, this manic laughter did not last long.

As if having burned out their last bit of strength, the laughter abruptly stopped, like a snapped string on a musical instrument.

He slowly straightened up, wiped away the messy tears and bloodstains on his face, and calmly raised his eyes.

He wanted to end this absurd story.

The young king always believed he was all-powerful and capable of anything. He wouldn't let the young king down... He would end it all. This was something only he could do.

The Mother Goddess of Light, Krichens.

You wait.

The wind seemed to still be blowing, whipping up pale sand that lashed against his calm face. The wilderness was silent, as if the distant rumble of an ark landing could be faintly heard, foreshadowing the clamor of a new era that would soon engulf the stillness and ignite the fireworks of a new world.

The dream collapsed, and he stood in a pure white space, with nothing around him.

At this moment, the true history silently completed the final Möbius strip—why did the future "Su Liujin" have no attachment to the Ark, why did he only have eyes for the vast sea of ​​Rovasa, and why did he never remember his time with Su Ming'an on the Ark?

For the "complete" Su Liujin, this ark and this brief, warm encounter were nothing more than a forgotten old dream.

wake up.

Its daybreak.

It was as if a sunfish was flying towards the sky with its fins, as bright as golden threads and as warm as the morning sun, soaring high toward the end of the river and the spring breeze.

At that moment, the sun shone brightly, and the radiant little king finally became the sun that illuminated the world for Rovasa.

2021年9月30日，晨间8点21分。

The young king's life came to an end at that moment.

……

Suddenly, in the blank space, Su Ming'an heard a maniacal and shrill laugh.

"Hahahahahahahahaha—!"

He silently raised his head, his body covered in blood and mud, his face stained with black blood.

He already knew who the visitor would be.

—A masked, multicolored demon, resembling painted paint, arrived at this moment. A constant, shrill laugh echoed around him, as if countless other voices were joining in the revelry.