first player

Chapter 1664 Final Chapter - The Shore Crossing [8] - "Please kill me."

The audience below the stage comprised members of diverse factions. From Admiral Talia of the Lodili Royal Family, Duke Vivian of the Taseia Empire, the Undead Bone Dragon Gumbnir, the Dragonborn Resley, to a powerful merchant from the Yellow Sand Plains… countless renowned figures took their seats in the square.

"Neither Pope Chich nor Imperial Tutor Bich appeared; they only allowed their sleeping son to complete the ceremony. Their power grab was truly aboveboard," Lubert murmured, gazing at the stage.

"Hui Chi pinned all the sins of the world on Su Wenli alone, using the overwhelming hatred of the world to forge the holy sword... What a clever scheme. Su Wenli, this poor scapegoat, has been thoroughly branded as 'Li Gou' (a derogatory term for Su Wenli). I wonder what changes will occur when he wakes up." Duke Vivian sighed, his gaze sweeping over all sides.

“Wake up? I think this prince will never wake up. Huichi won’t give him a chance.” Leslie shook her head.

“If the Holy Sword is completed, the one who wields it will be the next ruler of the world, possessing the power to determine the world order… What do you think Hui Chi is trying to do?” said the treant elder of the Preservation Forest.

"Is there any need to say more? It will definitely be about seizing the sword and killing. If he kills Su Wenli, Hui Chi will become the world's ruler."

"I never imagined that the mighty Lin clan would be reduced to a tool for power struggles. Every generation of them was once regarded as gods... but now they have fallen to the mortal realm."

"Sigh...times have changed..."

"It seems the rats from the 'nest' have infiltrated today... I'm afraid it won't end peacefully."

On the high platform, a black-haired youth lay asleep with his eyes closed. The silver embroidery flowed with a cold luster, making him look less like a living person and more like a carefully decorated statue.

The maids, expressionless, guided the sleeping son of the world king through a series of ancient rituals.

A maid pricked his fingertip with a silver needle, squeezed out a drop of blood, and dripped it into the suspended Holy Grail. Another maid brought a jade plate filled with seeds of various colors and gently pressed his hand into the plate.

Then, a maidservant unfurled a scroll inscribed with ancient contract text, and twelve high-ranking priests in white robes with gold trim surrounded the high platform, chanting in a low voice.

As the chanting began, the massive magic arrays engraved on the plaza floor lit up one by one, their light converging towards the central platform like blood vessels.

Throughout the entire process, "Su Ming'an" remained asleep.

Below the stage, players mingled among them.

Lü Shu and Lin Yin led the "Nest" advance team, disguised as members of a small merchant caravan, and dispersed in the back rows of the viewing area. Lü Shu kept a close eye on the platform, while Lin Yin used a micro-terminal to maintain contact, concealed by her sleeves.

“Zhao Yuan has sneaked in; she’s searching through the database,” Lin Yin said.

"Get ready to make your move." Lu Shu's gaze remained fixed on the young man on the stage.

“Su Ming’an has been asleep all this time. Is it because his soul is not here?” Lin Yin said.

“He must have two identities, but his other identity is currently occupied and he can’t switch over,” Lu Shu said. “It’s alright, we can handle things here.”

In a more secluded corner, Fang Yuanyi, who was remotely controlling the legion, yawned. Qiuqiu curled up like a lazy cat in the shadow of a secluded pillar, while Xining twirled a car key in his fingertips, looking around listlessly.

Suddenly, the air wing captain, Ellie with brown eyes, screamed:
"OH MY GOD!"

Those around him immediately looked over, wondering what he was yelling about, but soon, one scream after another rang out:

"My Maya!"

"Dude!"

"My God!"

They discovered that the live stream camera had somehow switched to them, and the chat was now filled with comments about them!

They already knew about the merged livestream rooms, but the camera had been focused on the World Tree, with the Holy Judgment of the Cross and the Wizard Alliance stealing the spotlight, which made the Sky Alliance team secretly unhappy—both are important battlefields, so why is the other side more important? This place is clearly more like the first battlefield! World Lord, Inheritance, Holy Sword, Demon, Angel, Pope, Imperial Tutor...aren't these more important than the chaotic battle of the Rin Clan on the World Tree side?

Thankfully, the camera is now on their side!
"Why did you suddenly turn around? Is the battle over at the World Tree over there over?" Yuwen, dressed like a flamboyant street performer, walked over. She had her white hair styled in spiky curls and was carrying an umbrella adorned with exaggerated feathers and jewels. "I remember the comments were talking about the three Rin clan members flying into the World Tree, and Phoenix and Chikonojo fighting fiercely... They shouldn't be done over there yet. Why did the camera suddenly move over here?"

High school student Anjima Hanko, carrying a magic wand with a bird's head, blinked and realized: "This might mean... that a fight is about to break out on our side too."

On the other side, the casual players were whispering among themselves.

Krishi, a top-ranked player with gray-white curly hair and dark blue, cloudy eyes, coldly stared at the high platform: "The people from 'The Nest' are definitely nearby. Our primary task is to observe and protect ourselves. Acting blindly may disrupt 'The Nest's' plans and drag ourselves into unnecessary danger..."

Beside him stood a cold-looking red-haired woman with a fierce face, tall and muscular: "You're right, self-preservation is paramount."

On the other side, there was an elderly couple, the middle-aged man in a purple robe, his voice hoarse: "The stars are dim, the threads of fate are intertwined here. Bloodshed is inevitable..."

Jonathan, a boy of about ten years old, looked up at Barlow and asked, "Grandpa, do you mean he might wake up? What will happen when he wakes up?"

Before Barlow could answer, the cold-blooded mercenary Nicholas snorted, "Even if you wake up, you'll just be a target; you're useless."

The beautiful Daphne tossed her blonde hair and said disdainfully, "That's right, it's just a power game played by a bunch of barbarians."

Players had differing opinions. Some preferred to wait for an opportunity to profit from the chaos; others advocated for cautious observation to avoid being used as pawns. Those who had made it this far were all top-ranked players, each harboring their own pride.

The whispers in the stands grew louder, and greed, fear, and excitement flashed in many eyes. The phantom of the holy sword began to appear and disappear above the square.

"Using the hatred of all living beings and the reputation of an innocent person as fuel, forging a god-slaying sword... Your Holiness, we demons understand evil better than anyone else." The half-demon elder Tara sneered.

"The moment the Holy Sword is completed will be the biggest variable..." The ghostly flame beneath the cloak of the undead flickered as it gazed at the high platform.

Countless eyes were focused on this moment; too many people wanted to seize the Holy Sword. Some wanted to become "heroes who slay gods," while others wanted to take the Holy Sword and pledge allegiance to the Radiant Mother Goddess.

All eyes were fixed on the high platform. The ceremony was nearing its end; the next moment was for the "Lord of the World" to touch the holy sword, and for the sword to truly recognize its master.

The maids stepped back, and two priests stepped forward, took Su Ming'an's hand, and slowly touched the holy sword.

The atmosphere seemed to freeze instantly.

It sounded as if I could hear the clanging of weapons being drawn.

Lu Shu placed his hand on the hilt of the knife and straightened his back slightly.

……

"Ta, ta, ta..."

Inside the soft, crystalline World Tree cavity, Ashley slowly opened his eyes.

Just after the black-robed man revealed his true form, the temperature dropped rapidly. She hurriedly fled away from Tianyu's icy battlefield, but was still frozen unconscious in an inner cavity.

"Wake up, are you alright, Ashley?"

Until someone patted her face.

She opened her eyes and saw a young man with bloodshot eyes and a gloomy expression. The ends of his hair were tinged with an icy blue, and his earrings swayed. Even the opening and closing of his eyes was enough to make one lose their senses. His clothes were somewhat tattered, with icicles remaining on his chest and dried bloodstains on the hem.

Ashley paused for a moment, then smiled: "...Is it my turn?"

She could sense that Su Qi's life force had vanished. Su Ming'an wanted the key, and his next move was to kill her.

Su Ming stared at her silently for a few seconds, then shook off the icicles covering his body: "Seed, when did you become so harmless? Where did your yandere attitude go when you threatened me in the demon realm?"

Ashley was taken aback. She hadn't expected Su Ming'an's words to be so lively, which didn't match his gloomy expression. She shrugged helplessly: "That's just how I am. I entered the world as a seed, so I have to abide by the local rules."

"So, now you're going to follow the rules and die by my hand?" Su Ming'an said.

Ashley noticed Su Ming'an's emotional fluctuations, so she fell silent and pursed her lips.

Then she said, "I gazed at you... for a very long time."

"I know."

“Before I entered the world as a human being, as a seed, I have been watching you, watching this game, especially you.”

"I know."

“Many times, I wished I could be by your side, hug you, share your pain, and listen to your story. I wanted them to know that you were not a lackey of the organizers, that you had no ill intentions, and that people deserved it. More than four hundred million times… more than four hundred million times! I kept watching, and all I could do was watch.”

“I know,” Su Ming’an said. “So, you want to die by my hand now, to pave the way for me?”

Ashley wanted to nod, because that was what she thought too, but seeing Su Ming'an's sorrowful expression, she sensed his aversion to the words "paving the way".

"It's okay," she wanted to say.

—Because seeds have no color or shape, I simply took on human form.

I am nothing, and I can never be anyone.

So, whether she was bullied by the princess, had Phoenix pointing his finger at her neck, or was used as expendable material or a treasure chest... she remained silent and did not resist.

Seeds are inherently silent; it is a miracle that they can take root and sprout in the shape of a human. Seeds have neither love nor hate, neither desire nor expectation.

A dagger was handed to Su Ming'an.

She slowly pressed the cold tip of the blade against her own heart.

Su Ming'an's pupils contracted.

"Please." The girl slowly raised her head, her lips parting slightly.

……

"Kill me."

……

I heard countless gunshots piercing hearts.

……

Rovasa, beneath the World Tree.

The battle between Phoenix's faction and Chiharu's faction has reached a fever pitch.

When all sacrifices become calculable bargaining chips, people fight only for the "future" they firmly believe in.

"boom--!"

The silver-armored knight's sword strikes grew increasingly heavy, severing Phoenix's flames that consumed everything.

The sea of ​​fire was raging, and countless fireballs fell from the sky, resembling a fiery hell.

"Phoenix!!!" Qianqin's voice came through the mask, hoarse and sorrowful, "How many people will you kill just to lift a lid!"

The proud phoenix coldly responded to her—

"Even so, it doesn't matter. Even if everything becomes broken, it doesn't matter. Let all this absurdity lead to its end!!!"

"Come on, come on, let's see what this so-called all-powerful observer really looks like!"

……

The sound of swordsmanship has stirred my blood.

……

On the ground, the players moved about like water thrown into a boiling oil pan.

"Team A, hold the left flank! Team B, flank and cut through! Mage squad, bombard the enemy! Don't let them gather and charge!"

Wang Li's roar tore a hole in the clamor. His burly body stood like a reef, blocking the way. With a sweep of his giant spear, he smashed three charging magma warriors away at the waist.

He groaned, and blood splattered from his back. At the critical moment, a barrier of holy light descended just in time.

"Thanks, Ron!"

"Concentrate!" Ron's face was pale as he rapidly turned the pages of the holy book, precisely casting buffs, healing spells, and shields on his companions.

"Aaaaaah—!"

Wang Chaoze was already in a killing frenzy. He roared like a savage beast, wielding his greatsword and unleashing his self-created "Mad Dog Sword Technique," carving bloody furrows in the enemy ranks. He cleaved a half-demon commander in two, man and sword.

Assassin Liz moved like a ghost at the edge of the battlefield, her cards flying out and each one precisely embedding itself in the gaps of the enemy's armor.

Her twin guards, Eve and Edith, one with her left eye open and the other with her right, used spatial powers to clear away the stray arrows and energy around them. Guardian Coral wielded an exaggerated giant axe, standing guard beside them, and any enemy who tried to approach was shredded by the ferocious axe shadows.

"Shh! Shh! Shh!"

Allen's rapier was elegant yet deadly; his points, thrusts, parries, and slashes all pierced the joints of the armor with precision, as if he were performing a death waltz.

Andrew roared, grabbed a flying mount that pounced on him with his bare hands, and slammed it into the abyss beast, disrupting its spellcasting.

"For points! For contribution points! For... to survive!" he shouted.

……

Everyone is fighting for the predetermined "key," from life to death. Ward fights to protect his men, Wang Chaoze wields his sword to safeguard his comrades, Ron casts a spell for post-war peace… Qianqin fights for salvation, Phoenix for the truth she seeks, Ming for power and ambition… The ferocious superior races, the numb and fearful refugees…

—In this web called fate, we are all cats in a cat carrier, our fates unknown.

Who can escape? Who can open the box?

……

The white-haired girl looked sadly at Su Ming'an, and grasped the dagger in his hand:

"Your actions will ultimately threaten the world game... and Xiao Na, she can possess me and use me as a backup plan. If you don't kill me, I'm afraid I'll become your enemy."

"Kill me to get the [key], eliminate the threat, and it's all in the right place."

“I’ve been watching you for a very long time. You’ve always been this kind of person. For a higher chance of winning, you can give up a lot and sacrifice a lot… You’ve witnessed many people die: Sheng Qi, Xie Lude, Naraku, Feng Chang, Noah, Sen, Yao Wen, Su Wensheng… Many times, you clearly had the opportunity to save them, but you chose to stand by because of the potential traps that might lie behind them. I understand you. At this moment, you would not hesitate at all.”

She gazed into his eyes:

"When did you start to soften? When did you start to hesitate?"

"In the initial post-apocalyptic instance, didn't you appear to have a very hard heart? Didn't the numerous sacrifices and deaths numb you, instead making you reluctant to let go?"

"Or perhaps..."

Her palm pressed against his knuckles, her eyes reflecting his deep image:
"Are you... bored?"