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Chapter 1638 Final Chapter: Guarding the Coastline: "OE: Die from the Ocean (23)"

"Regarding that barrier of civilization, I have thought of a method, which is also the only solution—creation."

"Within fifty years, humanity will be unable to find any new planets, while higher dimensions are eyeing us covetously. Therefore, we must break through that civilization barrier. That civilization barrier allows individuals to enter as visitors, but when an entire civilization attempts to flood in, it will instantly exceed the threshold and trigger a collapse."

"So, what if we don't use it in its actual form, but rather in its 'concept,' 'story,' or 'possibility'?" On camera, Su Ming'an's gaze swept across the room, his voice calm.

"To make a decision for now, I have decided to launch an unprecedented 'creation' project to select 'creators' on a large scale who possess imagination, conceptualization ability, and narrative talent. Such as screenwriters, poets, game designers... all those who are good at building worlds and souls."

"The coalition government will immediately incorporate 'creation' into the education system, establishing a dedicated fund and honors. A 'creation sequence' will be established at the World Hub, with senior members enjoying the same resources and status as scientists."

“We will select 100,000 of the most gifted creators, and each of them will receive a ‘Creation Pen’ provided by me—a miraculous power formed by the fusion of authority such as faith, life, and reincarnation, which will infuse the world rules, mountains and rivers, human history, and even every vivid character flowing from their pens into the tip of the pen! Infuse it into that planet.”

Su Ming'an's voice gradually rose, carrying a stirring fervor and hope:
"These 100,000 creators will write 100,000 different 'IF lines' for Earth!"

"Perhaps it's a Western fantasy journey where knights and kings sing epics; perhaps it's a Victorian misty city where steampunk and wizards dance together; perhaps it's a dreamlike era where you transform into a magical girl of light... Countless possibilities, countless directions."

"People can choose to live in any 'IF world' they desire, constructed by the Creators. There, you may experience completely different lives, or you may realize dreams that you haven't fulfilled in reality. This will be a grand, generative migration heading towards countless futures."

"Our ultimate goal is to merge the most prosperous, stable, and promising IF lines out of 100,000 into one. We will extract the essence, discard the dross, and integrate the two stars into a perfect 'ideal state'."

"We will use countless pens to jointly write a new era."

The whole world fell into a brief silence the moment they saw the live broadcast.

The priest seemed to see the possibility of writing about a sacred kingdom; the e-sports player imagined a world of competition for all; the little girl's eyes were filled with longing for magical girls...

“Lord of the Realm,” a scientist asked, “how do you ensure the stability of the worlds created by the Creator? And how do you coordinate the eventual unification of the ten thousand worlds? This…this is simply…”

Who could have imagined that in 2048, twenty-three years after the end of the world game, such a bombshell would be dropped.

How long did this realm lord think and plan before deciding to come up with this plan?

A young physicist couldn't help but raise his hand, his voice trembling: "Lord of the Realm, please forgive my bluntness... but, but how can a fictional world constructed by words truly break through the physical barrier and help us enter that planet? This... this sounds more like a philosophical or literary metaphor. What exactly is the 'conversion' mechanism involved...?"

“I swear by the World Tree.” Su Ming’an’s tone was resolute. “The mechanism is complex, involving high-dimensional information. The detailed plan will be issued immediately. Execute it.”

Lu Shu's empty eyes stared in Su Ming'an's direction, his lips barely moving. Su Lin let out a very soft, cold snort, crossed his arms, and turned to the side.

Meyani quickly took notes, and she caught the fleeting calm in Su Ming'an's eyes again. It was not the look of someone who had offered a way out; it was more like the look of a researcher watching the experiment proceed according to the predetermined steps.

……

Once the order was given, the entire machine of civilization began to operate with unprecedented efficiency.

The word "creation" instantly swept across every corner of the globe.

The plan is progressing at an astonishing pace.

"Creation" has become a trend of the times.

One hundred thousand creators will be selected. They are excited and proud, seeing themselves as firefighters for civilization. They desperately memorize various "settings," painstakingly build worlds, and firmly believe that their pens can open up the future.

As Su Ming'an walked through the Tower of Creation, he gazed at the young faces whose eyes burned with the flames of mission, his expression flickering in the shimmering light.

……

November 2048, 2

Standing beneath the white stupa, Gesang Gyatso felt like a husky that had wandered into a pack of wolves.

—A folklore observer for the World Hub's "Civilization Recording Division." This is his work.

“Hello! I’m the new recorder, Gesang Gyatso! Please take care of me!” He mustered his courage, bowed and greeted them, which drew the attention of several people.

A woman adjusted her glasses and quickly looked him over: "Oh, new colleague. Welcome. Report to the HR department on the 32nd floor, the elevator is over there."

"Hey! Okay, okay! Thank you!" Gesang Gyatso quickly thanked him.

Having passed thirty, he remained like the green grass of the field, untouched by any worldly slickness. He had finally fulfilled his childhood wish—

……

"We're particularly interested in the players. Although I missed the World Game, I want to record their stories, especially that World Lord's, from the perspective of a herdsman... That's what I want to do when I grow up!" Little Gesang said excitedly. "When I'm a little older, I'll go to the city to learn to read... I heard that World Lord is only about ten years older than me..."

……

During lunch, everyone discussed cutting-edge theories, but he couldn't join in and just listened quietly. When someone asked about life on the plateau, he talked about herding, horse racing, and butter tea, which drew good-natured laughter from everyone.

His main job is to visit ordinary people affected by the "Revitalization Project" and record local rumors and emotional changes.

……

【New Era Chronicle: The Era of Creation】

Lord Su Ming'an proposed a plan – the "Creation Plan".

……

[Year 1 of the Creation Era: 2048]

The first attempt to merge "Earth" and "Lost Pearl Star" failed. World Lord Su Ming'an delivered a "Creation Speech" at the World Hub, launching a civilization-level project—"Creation." The United Government issued the "Creation Declaration" and established the "Creation Strategy Committee."

……

[Genesis Era 2: 2049]

To address the long-term plan spanning multiple generations, the joint government established a "civilization gene bank" to preserve existing civilizational knowledge, biological genes, and cultural samples. The existing academic disciplines were restructured, with "creation-related" disciplines such as literature, art, philosophy, sociology, and history becoming key areas of focus.

……

Gesang Gyatso took his notebook and went to the mortal world.

He saw a mother pushing a stroller with a disabled little girl in the street, whispering to her child, "Baby, look how beautiful that world with flying ponies is... Mommy will definitely take you there to live, where there will be no more pain, and you can run and laugh all the time..."

Gesang quickly jotted it down: [Summer of the first year of the epoch, in the eastern part of the settlement, a young mother, Ms. Li, was filled with longing for a fantasy IF storyline, seeing it as the hope for her child's healthy growth.]

……

At the market, vendors seized the opportunity. Books like "An Introductory Guide to IF Line Setting," "How to Build a World in Three Days," and "One Hundred Classic Narratives Every Creator Should Read" sold like hotcakes. Gesang recorded the details:

The active commercial activities and the emergence of derivative cultural products reflect the public's high level of attention and enthusiasm for the project.

……

In a small tavern in the settlement, Gesang heard different voices.

"Nonsense! Utter nonsense! To entrust our fate to a bunch of story writers? Can those colorful worlds feed us? Can they withstand the firepower of higher dimensions?" An old engineer's words were echoed by several people around him.

A man in an old-fashioned military uniform suddenly spoke up: "The Lord of the Realm has his reasons for his decision. But we old bones are afraid we won't live to see that 'ideal country'."

Gesang listened silently, his pen scratching on the paper: "[There are still some people, especially older generations with backgrounds in science and the military, who have doubts about the feasibility of the plan.]"

……

Gesang also witnessed the selection of the first batch of creation candidates. The world lord set a time limit of "one generation" and selected 100,000 people within 30 years.

Inside the enormous examination hall, thousands of candidates wore neural sensing devices on their heads, and images and text rapidly appeared on the screens in front of them. Everyone was extremely focused.

He saw a young man trembling with excitement after deducing a brilliant social model, and another candidate falling into despair due to a breakdown in logic. Outside the examination hall, countless parents and media waited anxiously, creating an atmosphere even more intense than the college entrance examination of the old days.

This year, over ten million people applied globally. Below the screen is a densely packed list of admitted students, comparable to the admissions systems of the most prestigious universities of the past.

Gesang looked at a row of candidates resting in the distance. Their faces were flushed with exhaustion but also excitement as they discussed animatedly. Those were probably the promising candidates who had received an 'S-level' evaluation.

Gesang silently opened his notebook, but his pen remained motionless for a long time. He had originally intended to record the cold, hard numbers such as the exam subjects, duration, and acceptance rate.

But in the end, what he wrote was:

[June 28, 2049, in the examination hall.]

I saw thousands of young eyes, locked in battle.

The tide of time took a turn here, and the old belief that "mastering math, physics, and chemistry will take you anywhere in the world" was replaced by a new creed—"Build a world, and that will be your ticket to a new era."

Some were overjoyed, others were heartbroken. Outside the tower, their destinies would be rewritten by this test. Inside, they would learn how to write the destinies of others.

I don't know if this is the only path, but it is the most magnificent expedition undertaken by an entire civilization, with the wisdom and passion of a generation. And I am merely a fortunate shepherd who has been able to witness and record it.

……

No matter where you are, the person people talk about most is still that realm master—Su Ming'an.

To most people, he is a god who brings hope, an embodiment of wisdom and strength, and a beacon guiding civilization. Gesang heard countless praises, expressions of gratitude, and expressions of trust in him.

But Gesang also caught some subtle whispers. Occasionally, extremely brief news snippets would surface, such as the Realm Lord inspecting the construction progress of the Tower of Creation, or attending a high-level meeting. Gesang would observe the person on the screen with exceptional care.

—He had actually recognized that person long ago.

That person's appearance has never changed, except that his white hair has turned into colorful hair.

However, he did not try to establish a connection with them; he simply observed them as an ordinary person.

He noticed that the Lord of the Realm always had a calm, even indifferent, expression. In the depths of those eyes, he saw neither the fervor or anticipation of the common people, nor the solemnity typically found in leaders; it was as if a bottomless ocean lay hidden within. When the crowd cheered for each step forward in the plan, the camera would occasionally pan to him, but the corners of his mouth never seemed to truly turn up in a smile.

This involuntarily reminded Gesang of a white-haired youth many years ago, standing at the foot of a cliff on the plateau, his eyes broken and his body covered in blood. The two figures occasionally overlapped in his mind, bringing an indescribable sense of unease and... unease.

He remembered that the realm lord had once told him, "I am just an ordinary person."

He also remembered the Realm Lord's resolute and unquestionable "Execute it" when he announced the plan.

Gesang shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions. The Lord of the Realm must have been thinking deeply, bearing unimaginable pressure. How could he presume to know? He was merely a recorder.

Therefore, in his records about the Realm Lord, he ultimately only wrote down objective observations:

……

Lord Su Ming'an, the Realm Lord, has demonstrated composure and decisiveness in public, earning him high trust and expectations from the people.

……

Time flies.

Gesang Gyatso meticulously recorded everything. He met a middle-aged man with a stubble beard named Xiao Xiao, who was his senior. It was said that Xiao Xiao used to work at the Central White Pagoda, but after the pagoda collapsed, he became despondent and was demoted to the Civilization Department.

Gesang Gyatso often saw this man in his forties drunk and crying in his office while holding a photo. His colleagues said that this guy was very decadent, but he hadn't done anything wrong, so they couldn't fire him and just let him go crazy.

Only Gesang Gyatso felt sorry for him. He often came to the man's office and talked about the scenery of the grassland and his mother's butter tea.

At these times, the drunken man would quiet down, muttering, "If only I could go with her, it must be so beautiful there," then suddenly lower his head, clutch his head, and shout, "I shouldn't have worked overtime that day, I shouldn't have taken her, it's all my fault." Gradually, the man showed Gesang Gyatso some photos. The girl in the photos was about twenty years old, youthful and beautiful, a stark contrast to the unshaven man before him. But Gesang Gyatso felt that if the girl hadn't died, they would have been very happy.

The true feelings that emerged from the hardships of the game world—the man was willing to stand up to the BOSS for the girl, and the girl was willing to die for the man—what a pity...what a pity.

The man recounted the history of the World Game, and only then did Gesang learn that the World Lord had once been lively and humorous. However, this less-than-solemn history no longer exists in textbooks. The World Lord in the minds of the new generation of children is only the sacred, noble, and dignified figure on the screen, like a deity.

Only then did Gesang vaguely remember that when the World Lord saved this world... he was only nineteen years old, much younger than himself...

People should imagine that Su Ming'an is happy.