Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1667 - Finale · Shorebound Arc [10] · "Treading Upon Your Countless Endings and Bones.

Chapter 1667: Chapter Finale · Shorebound Arc [10] · "Treading Upon Your Countless Endings and Bones.

"Are you... alright?" Xi Li’s gentle hand wiped away the helpless tears.

Su Ming’an noticed he was shedding a strange liquid. He quickly wiped it away, calmly saying, "It’s nothing, we..."

This physiological change was caused by the soul’s limit, not weakness, he understood this clearly. His calmness was as steadfast as ever, always ready to pick up his pack and head to the next stop.

He picked up the dagger, blood dripping through his fingers, his expression once again becoming cold and hard.

However, he was embraced by a soft hug.

This embrace froze him entirely; he never expected such a hug. Helpless, strange, like opening a mystical box.

White hair slid down his back, the youth’s pupils flashing intensely.

The ripples in his eyes flickered, like stars repeatedly extinguishing and reigniting.

—Ah.

What is this, what does this mean.

He was already prepared to numb his heart once more, endure the endless disgust, accept the sacrifice, and continue to move forward.

At a time like this, to suddenly give him a soft hug, what does it mean?

The warm embrace wrapped around him, like a burning stove in winter, like not knowing what to do, a gentle voice came to his ear:

"It’s alright, it’s alright..."

A hand touched his head, gently stroking it,

"There will be no problem... nothing will be a problem..."

"You’ve worked very hard... it’s okay to be willful this time."

She kicked away the blood-stained dagger with a slight sound:

"If you don’t want to kill, then don’t..."

"You are strong and smart, you can think of a better method... you can always think of a better method..."

"Believe in yourself, you’ve come so far, definitely farther than any time before..."

"Take a break... don’t be afraid, don’t be sad... you’re already very impressive..."

"You have the right to loathe..."

Xi Li’s pupils were lifeless, like a delicate doll just waiting to be killed.

But at this moment, sensing his gloomy and lifeless emotions, she seemed filled with a desire to survive, gently comforting him, indicating he didn’t have to do it.

He had been under enormous pressure.

He didn’t choose to end the World Game steadily and methodically. Instead, he chose to turn forward, extending the battle line, only for a better golden road.

Numerous bullet comments in the live broadcast room discussed why he went to such lengths, wouldn’t it be better to just go home? Victory was obviously within reach, if humanity were destroyed because of his actions, who would bear that guilt?

Who should pay for his craving for exploration?

He once considered ending the game earlier, hadn’t it always been like this anyway? Even if it’s just destined to be buried sand, happiness is real.

Why is the "desire to win" so strong?

Why is the "sense of responsibility" so intense?

The secret of the Radiant Mother God, the secret of the Jellyfish Emperor, who is the Lord of Dreams, the image of the Supreme Lord... what do these have to do with humanity? Even if the universe would be destroyed, even if the fate of humanity is like marionettes, even if there are always eyes ruling over them, what does it matter?

Blind to the immediate surroundings, even ants can live well. Most people in this world don’t care about these things. Because they believe they all possess "free will," even if it’s limited freedom, or the freedom of being ruled.

At first, didn’t he think the same way? As long as he recognized having free will, even if someone behind the scenes was controlling him, he was still free.

Is it enormous "greed" that leaves him unsatisfied? He fears potential hidden dangers in the future, he fears efforts coming to naught, he fears that cycles will one day have an end. If the truth can’t be unlocked, they remain puppets on stage, players in cat boxes. Perhaps, long, long after this, at the end of time, a great wave would come, and everything would vanish without a trace.

Bearing enormous pressure from all sides, he decided to look back.

He couldn’t take care of every place, he ignored many clues, the universe was too large, the stage was terrifyingly high.

"This is not willful." He continued explaining, with no bullet comments, he didn’t know whom he was speaking to, maybe just himself, "According to Luowasha’s world structure, blindly following the routine won’t work, we are meant to break the story."

He continued analyzing problems with absolute rationality.

Yet inside him, a voice said — admit it, you indeed felt pain.

The traditional "Savior" image is often endowed with omniscience, omnipotence, and absolute rationality. Under this expectation, emotion, which is human emotion, empathy, and subjective experience, is seen as a flaw that might interfere with wisdom and fairness.

If viewed from a perfectionist perspective, any deviation from absolute rationality may be seen as a "dereliction of duty." If dereliction is understood as a deviation from perfect standards, then sensibility might be the Savior’s dereliction.

But real life is mostly filled with meaningless pain.

To feel pain for pointless pain... that’s humanity.

That’s human sensibility.

But the Savior shouldn’t be sensibly emotional, shouldn’t even have ripples of emotion, nor should he transfer control to anyone else, otherwise it is a sin.

Rebellion and deviation are often not seen as freedom. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Xi Li quietly accompanied him, seemingly waiting for all his hesitations, but in fact, it was only a short while, maybe just a few seconds, before he left that comfort, his gaze steady and rational again.

The seed starts without a shape, everything about it is false, appearance, voice, height, identity... all are forged, all are false, yet only one thing is true.

In endless years, in prolonged waiting. It had observed this game for a long time.

Thus, she was always good at waiting, also good at providing the most appropriate warmth, for she had seen it countless times. Her coming to this world was precisely to avoid being helpless again.

Therefore, she doesn’t care about life, nor does she care about death.

Doesn’t care about good, nor does she care about evil.

"Alright." Slowly, Xi Li looked up, gazing at him, "Let’s think about it, if you don’t kill me, how will you deal with Xiao Na? How will you restrain this body of mine?"

Su Ming’an contained his emotions, not answering immediately.

He closed his eyes, a moment later reopened them, already calm.

He remembered a scene.

—After the Third World ended, in the main hall smelling of burned joss paper, a pair of cat ears.

...

[The white light of transmission gradually rose, completely enveloping the returning Su Ming’an.]

[He initially thought he would return to the imprisoned room, yet as he opened his eyes again, what he saw was a main hall surrounded by deep red, viscous colors.]

[The air was filled with the scent of burnt joss paper, he looked up, seeing at the highest seat, a shadow dark and deep.]

[The surrounding tones were dark, even the crimson carpet beneath carried a scent of blood, he saw... those cat ears rising through the shadow on the highest seat.]

...

Things that shouldn’t be remembered gradually surged out.

Once Su Ming’an delved deep into recalling this image, like a chain activation, he saw a lonely figure deep in the universe, sitting alone on a majestic throne, surrounded by innumerable greedy, cold eyes.

At its side, was the navigating first officer, and the Guardian with a sword.

Raising the sails, as lights stayed ever bright.

That lonely figure on the throne, bearing cat ears.

It looked at him, seemingly saying:

—Don’t be afraid.

—You’ve been working hard for this, for a very long, long time.

—The countless imprints you desperately left on the sandy beach will become the last ubiquitous... groundwork, clues, blade, and shield for your last reincarnation.

—Therefore, maybe you really can possess the right to greed. You are no longer the child with nothing. What you have, what you’ve strived for, what you’ve given, is far more than you imagine. Merely because you temporarily forgot them, doesn’t mean they never happened.

Go do it, there will be traces of countless previous ’you’s left behind, helping you—to

pierce through the night, cut through thorns and thickets.

There’s no need to be afraid.

Tread upon your countless conclusions and bones...

Forward, forward.

...

Cloud Relics, "Nest" temporary base.

Inside a wooden house, the room was filled with the smell of engine oil, and the lights swayed left and right.

"Click, click." The sound of chess pieces falling.

Outside the window, under the sunlight, the black and white chess pieces gleamed with gold edges.

Lu Likalpos wore a well-tailored deep black double-breasted long coat, adorned with a tie pin encrusted with deep blue gemstones, and a silk scarf of the same color smoothly draped downwards. He picked up a jet-black "Bishop," his deep eyes lowered in the dim light, resembling a calm blue sea.

Across from him, the dazzling pure white fabric covered a human form. Under the heavy scent of medicine, a hand wrapped in white cloth extended from a wide sleeve, its joints faintly visible beneath the fabric.

——This person was the legendary "Nest Master."

The Nest Master was a legendary figure of countless "sparks" raised under the pervasive surveillance of sectarian forces like the Radiant Mother God, in an extremely harsh and suffocating environment. He was a true soul beacon, a spiritual flag. The world knew of his name, but had never truly seen his visage.

The Nest Master had previously suffered an assassination attempt, his body weakened and difficult to move, passing command to Lu. However, Lu had not seen the appearance beneath the white robe.

Through the dazzling sunlight, Lu looked at the decayed, petite body of the person across, regardless of the stature or voice, this famed and ambitious Nest Master was an elderly person. Yet the smooth jawline appeared youthful.

Lu’s interaction with the Nest Master was only two or three days long, both were wise and savvy old foxes, the Nest Master needed the strength of players behind Lu, Lu needed the Nest’s legion support.

Lu always felt that this unseen elder harbored deep thoughts, ulterior motives, and immense ambition.

Seemingly sensing Lu’s scrutiny, the white robe slightly raised its head, a line of sunlight swept across the white dazzling cloth, piercing Lu’s eyes.

A sharp pain.

"Nest Master, the World Master’s succession ceremony has begun." Lu withdrew his gaze, as if the previous scrutiny had never happened, "Almost all forces are crowded in the central square. Our people have infiltrated, the opportunity is only once—when the ceremony ends, the Holy Sword manifests, seize the Holy Sword."

"Have you considered interference from the High Dimensions?"

"Considered."

"What do you think? Mr. Likalpos."

"’They’ will certainly come to hinder us, in ways we cannot counter in a straightforward manner," Lu said.

"Have you thought about how to respond?"

"Sorry, I know almost nothing about them."

"Plink."

The wooden chess piece settled.

On the chessboard, black and white forces intertwined, resembling a serrated situation. Lu’s black pieces advanced cautiously, seemingly trapping the white’s main strength. But upon closer inspection, a few seemingly isolated "soldiers" neatly blocked the black pieces’ throats.

"Mr. Likalpos, do you know how to deal with someone beyond the mirror?" the Nest Master asked.

"Break it?" Lu guessed.

The Nest Master shook his head: "Reflect."

"Click," another white piece fell.

The Nest Master said: "I ask you, how does one make external spectators exit a theatrical play? When actors cannot attack the audience?"

The question was not difficult, Lu quickly came up with the answer: "Make the outsiders lose interest."

"Correct." The Nest Master nodded with satisfaction, "To be precise, it is a violent, aesthetically brutal performance that completely diverges from the majority of ’their’ expected plot interest."

"Like using a reflection to influence those outside the mirror?"

"When the reflection is impactful enough, even ’bad taste’ enough to make most of ’them’ dissatisfied, the collective disturbance acts like a tsunami across ’their’ unified observation. Then, ’they’ will have to expend enormous efforts to handle, block, or debate this ’plot’. Direct interference with our real world will enter a brief vacuum," the Nest Master stated.

The room was quiet for a moment, Lu remained still for a while.

Sunlight shone into his eyes, his eyes flashed with intense shock.

In other words,

——Use "poison points" to drive them back?

He was shocked by the Nest Master’s approach; the best way to drive back the Observers was poison points, to make them "give up observation." Truly... very logical. But no player really thought of it, nor did anyone dare to do it.

"It’s your turn." The Nest Master tilted a single hand, reminding the other.

Lu placed down his piece: "But it’s very risky. If ’their’ reaction is not attracted or disgusted away, but provoked instead..."

The Nest Master raised his eyes, "Thus, the person executing this poison point task is best a key role in which ’they’ have invested emotional anticipation for a long time. Using their cherished ’chess piece’ to play the most unbearable step, creating a poison point would cause the greatest disturbance. Additionally, not a ’Protagonist’, the ’Protagonist’ has more important matters."

After speaking, the Nest Master moved the previously untouched King piece sideways one square—"Kingside castling." In chess, it meant transferring the King to a comparatively safe flank while activating the corner-standing Chariot.

The room fell silent, only Lu’s slightly heavy breathing. Deep within the sea-blue eyes seemed to surge beneath the ice.

After struggling for a while, Lu slowly opened his mouth: "I can..." I can be the sacrificial offering to divert ’their’ attention.

A calculation flashed in the blue eyes, Lu intentionally paused, not finishing.

The Nest Master laughed: "Hehe... Very self-aware, but you are not suitable. Your strength is formidable, best used in head-on confrontation rather than for this task."

"Click."

The white robe moved, placing a piece, a piece representing a "soldier" crossed the midline of the chessboard, reaching the baseline edge.

Lu stared at this seemingly ordinary piece, moments later, inspiration struck his mind:

"Right, we have two battlefields..."

"Exactly." The dialogue between the wise was concise and convenient, the Nest Master joined his hands together, placed under his chin, laughing lowly, "The play to divert ’them’ can’t be performed here. Because here lies the same ideology as the Radiant Mother God, regardless of how absurd or bizarre, it wouldn’t be surprising. Hence, it must be performed on the normal timeline."

"And on the normal timeline—there’s just a perfect stage for the play." Lu connected.

The two simultaneously exchanged glances, speaking in unison:

"Creator Conference."

Previously, the Creator Conference progressed fervently, but encountered a red rainfall, subsequently, Su Ming’an began a backward journey. Originally Lü Shu and other players waited for Su Ming’an’s return on the normal timeline, but found the opportunity to collectively reach Su Ming’an’s timeline.

This task to create poison points had to be handed to the players remaining on the original timeline. As for Lu, as a Second-level God, his high combat power best remained by Su Ming’an’s side.

The sunlight gently, green leaves swayed brightly.

The Nest Master played quickly and without thought.

The sunlight shifted, the two seemed genuinely invested in the chess game, evenly matched.

"Click."

"Click."

"Click."

A bout of violent coughing, the white robe heaved intensely.

A piece fell, the Nest Master physically incapable, forced to halt the game.

"Looks like... today ends here." The Nest Master wiped away blood from his corner lips, "Playing chess with you... was very enjoyable. Mr. Likalpos."

Lu looked at the soldier that crossed the river, slowly stood, his coat skimmed the wooden chair.

He paused momentarily, pushed open the door:

"I’m off, take care, Nest Master."

The Nest Master did not respond.

Outside the door was a concrete staircase extending upward, Lu walked step by step as if casting some darkness behind him.

At the end of the stairs, exposed steel like the ribs of a giant beast pierced the sky, he climbed upwards.

The sky dim, clouds hung low.

——Yamada Machiichi stood under the pink and white sky, with his head raised, drinking hot milk tea, gazing at the sky.