Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1520 - 19: " - One: Alauddin" (Written by Dara)
"My story is called ’New World Adventurer.’" On the high platform, Noel smiled as he looked around at the crowd, his voice gentle and calm:
"The style is light-hearted, joyful, leisurely. It tells the tale of a Strawberry Tribe youngster who travels to the distant New World. He has many friends: a steady Banana Clan youth, a courageous Qing Zhu Clan young man, a lively Butterfly Clan girl..."
"Ultimately, they all find happiness."
Su Ming’an was below the stage, his eyelids twitching.
What is this implying? Noel has even done the most decisive things, yet he’s still fantasizing about the future in his story?
The World Tree made a sound: "Phoenix, next I want to appreciate your story. Are you willing to let everyone experience it together?"
Noel glanced lightly at Su Ming’an: "Okay."
Su Ming’an’s expression slightly changed; what would be in Noel’s story?
The World Tree radiated brilliance, falling into the book held in Noel’s hand. Noel removed his hat and slightly bowed to the audience, as if welcoming everyone to read his story.
The next moment, Su Ming’an saw a blank space.
Endless white, with no text, no pictures, nothing at all.
A pair of eyes opened, focusing on Su Ming’an. Then, more and more eyes followed, all fixating on Su Ming’an. They stared at him uniformly, and for a moment, Su Ming’an felt as if he stood there naked, like an onion being peeled.
Instinctively repulsed, he stepped back, and then he heard many jarring voices.
"He’s just a puppet." "Why is he the only one?" "Is he the only one who realizes it?" "I don’t believe there’s such a Saint under the sky." "It’s too fake." "This persistence seems inexplicable..."
"Step."
Amidst the boundless white, the sound of high heel boots hitting the ground was heard, a blond-haired youth stood among countless eyes, bowing elegantly, holding the Blue Rose Scepter, the crimson gown slightly raising.
Then, those eyes shifted to stare at him, emitting harsh sounds:
"Why is he smarter than Su Ming’an?" "This is the true Number One Player, the former one was cheating." "So loyal before, now so rebellious, contradictory to death." "I hate his height." "Can’t Noel just die..."
"Step." The Blue Rose Scepter tapped the ground, silencing the sounds and the eyes disappeared.
Beneath the pure white, only Noel’s figure remained.
"...a trap?" Su Ming’an tried walking a few steps, as if unable to reach the edge. He couldn’t see the competition stage, nor could he see Su Liujin and Sique beside him.
"It’s more of a resting place." Noel tilted his head: "A heavy rain is about to fall. Rest here for a while before it arrives."
"You pretend to share a story, but actually conspire with the World Tree to prevent me from interfering with ’their’ arrival?" Su Ming’an’s back grew white tendrils, his left palm glowed with crimson claw tips: "And the omen of ’their’ arrival is a heavy rain."
"You have already seen ’them.’" Noel said.
"Those eyes?"
"And those harsh voices." Noel said: "That’s ’them.’
Su Ming’an was silent for a moment; he had vaguely guessed the nature of ’them.’
— Similar to ’watchers’ within the universe.
Noel took out a sealed gift box: "This is a gift ’they’ sent to you... Please wait until everything ends before opening it."
He stepped forward to place the gift box into Su Ming’an’s hand, but Su Ming’an retreated a few steps warily.
Seeing this, Noel said nothing, placing the gift box on the ground and retreating a few steps. Only then did Su Ming’an step forward and pick up the gift box.
"What’s happening outside?" Su Ming’an looked up at the blank space. Noel must have only pulled him in, while everyone else remained in place.
"An impending crimson downpour." Noel said calmly: "Wait until the rain stops, then go out."
"Do you desire ’their’ arrival so strongly?" Su Ming’an abruptly raised his right hand, aiming at Noel, as if his mind was suddenly struck by inspiration, and in a bizarre attempt, Su Ming’an activated the Ruler’s Skill.
...
[You are activating the Ruler’s Skill, please continue aiming at the target.]
[Increasing favorability: 75+5+5+5...]
...
Su Ming’an’s eyes widened.
The skill that could only be used on NPCs... worked on Noel?!
He even doubtingly checked his hand.
...
[Favorability of (Noel Agnini): 100 points (friendship line)]
[Current favorability evaluation: true friend in soul]
...
"What are you doing? You’re discarding your player identity? Have you... completely left humanity?" Su Ming’an lowered his palm.
"Just a small cost." Noel smiled. Even with his favorability maxed out, he seemed unchanged; perhaps his ideal favorability rate was also 100 points.
He removed his hat, his right hand brushed to his left chest, bowing gently:
"Guest, please await the magician’s performance."
"—Wait a second." Su Ming’an was silent for three seconds before speaking up: "Your current favorability is 100 points, my Ruler’s Skill can take you away. You still have the chance to turn back now; if you’re already trapped in the vortex of struggle among the Master of the End of All Things, Seventh Thrones Yuritilola, and the God of Chaos, and cannot save yourself. Just nod, and you can regain your player identity as Noel Agnini, embark on the new world’s ark with me, away from all that."
"In the Tenth World, the deity gave me a dream, it was a happy ending... but Noel Agnini didn’t survive. God Ming’an also gave me multiple-choice questions about your outcome... none were good endings."
"If your goal is to set sail, that’s fine. Once we board the small world, I’ll toss the World Master position to someone else, and you can journey as a deity; if you tire, you can return anytime."
He was not indecisive.
Rather, aware that the use of the Ruler’s Skill on Noel, he attempted to turn foe to friend, and recover sunk costs.
"Come with me, Noel Agnini." Su Ming’an extended his hand.
...
"Ding dong!"
[Trigger Ruler’s "Follower" Skill: You can recruit NPCs with full favorability as "Followers" (this action requires the other’s consent).]
...
Noel adjusted his hat.
He waved his index finger lightly, seemingly expressing refusal, then calmly turned around as the sound of his high-heeled boots went "tap, tap, tap," gradually moving away.
He did not look back, as he fumbled with the mirror hung on his chest.
Only a pair of eyes opened again, staring at Su Ming’an.
...It appears Noel’s mind is set.
Su Ming’an hesitated for a moment whether to archive, but after careful consideration, given that his enemies are all high-dimensional, the Ruler’s skill is practically useless and it might be beneficial to use it on Noel.
Leave this place.
"Splat!!" Su Ming’an swung his tendrils, hitting the vast expanse of white. He slapped hard, and the surroundings gradually shattered like glass. He leaped towards the cracked direction, and the vista restored color before him. Looking down, he found himself jumping out from a piece of white paper.
...Where did he come if not back to the competition arena?
Before his eyes were the ochre-colored eaves, filthy rivers flowing outside the window, and a rudimentary dwelling. The air was humid, with a relatively high temperature, as women dressed in saris walked past, their metal accessories jingling.
...Does Luowasha have such a place? Su Ming’an hesitated for a moment.
A man with extremely short hair, dark skin, and wearing a blue shirt was writing with a pen. Upon seeing Su Ming’an suddenly jump out from the white paper, he was startled.
"Ahhhhhh——!!!" The man exclaimed, dropping the pen in his hand: "Why did someone jump out from under the paper! No, no, your face is Asian, I’ve never conceptualized a story about Asian people..."
Su Ming’an’s thoughts paused briefly as he grabbed the man’s collar: "Where is this place? Who are you?"
"Th-this is Meng Qili. I am Dara...." The man rubbed his nose and stealthily took out a slingshot and a mango pit from his pants pocket: "Let go of me, or I’ll shoot you... huh?"
The man blinked, seemingly recognizing something, and exclaimed in surprise: "Wait, I recognize you—you’re the protagonist from the current hottest joint story ’Welcome to the World Game!’ Your characteristics match, black hair and eyes, white tendrils... Oh God, you’re Su Ming’an! The most popular Su Ming’an!"
Su Ming’an froze for a moment and immediately pursued the inquiry.
Through the questioning, he learned that Dara is a "Dream Patrol Family," which means "them." Dara is a normal civilian living a normal life, occasionally using a slingshot to fight for justice, tapping the heads of "Iron Hat Officers" who bully civilians. He possesses no extraordinary power, just good physical fitness at most.
However, at night, Dara dreams of a pitch-black space where "Dream Patrol Families" gather.
There is a "Lord of Dreams" who has gathered all the "Dream Patrol Family." It gave everyone a mirror. With this mirror, they can observe the stories of other planets in real-time and even possess others.
"Just like Isabella and the others speculated!" Su Ming’an mused internally: "’Dream Patrol Families’ are all ordinary people living on their respective planets, who are lucky enough to gain the ability to peep into other worlds. They gather together in their dreams to communicate..."
So the pair of eyes he just saw was "them" watching him. The piercing evaluations he heard were "their" comments about him.
Just as Hui Mo said—eyes and mouths everywhere.
"Have you heard of Bai Chun?" Su Ming’an described the woman’s actions.
Dara nodded.
He has heard of this woman; they had briefly exchanged words in dreams. "Bai Chun" lives on another planet and is an ordinary city white-collar worker. Usually, she works hard in the group, sending countless "Receipts" to earn a meager salary, and at night she shuttles to Luowasha through the mirror, enjoying the romantic experiences surrounded by handsome men and beautiful women, treating the characters in her strategies inhumanely and bursting into curses when things deviate slightly from expectations.
Su Ming’an couldn’t help feeling his scalp tingle; this way, he has completely transcended the bounds of Luowasha.
This is no longer Luowasha!
This is a distant unknown planet in the universe!
Noel sent him here to show him how vast the universe is, not to bind his vision to the fate of one world... Indeed, if Noel had seen such a wide world, it wouldn’t be surprising at all for him to want to fly far away...
"The world game is truly astonishing..." Su Ming’an thought fervently.
The past world game was confined to the model that one instance equaled one world, following the usual procedure of "entering a world - solving problems - leaving the world." Players would never exceed the world’s range. But now, he has somehow jumped outside this procedure and appeared on other planets.
Thinking about the always mysterious Noel and the clone Min being out of touch soon after the instance... Su Ming’an suddenly realized where they went.
...
[Su Ming’an immediately tried to summon the clone.]
[System prompt popped up:]
[Summoning the clone Min failed, currently in a location where feedback cannot be received.]
[Since Su Ming’an sent clone Min to the Hand of Destiny, Min has not returned, nor is there any news of where he went. Normally, as long as in Luowasha, commands can be received. Could he have ventured into the universe?]
...
...Yes, he has indeed ventured into the universe.
The Hand of Destiny is precisely a formed organization to punish "them," Min might have been taken to some planet shortly after arriving there.
"I’ve always known the universe is huge, the galaxy vast, with many planets existing. But I thought in the end, I could only be tethered to an instance chosen by the world game; unexpectedly, under Noel Agnini’s manipulation, I encountered new planets..." Su Ming’an marveled at the world game’s formidable prowess: "This suggests I must hide it from Little A’ba. If Dieying knew these planets’ coordinates, they would be in grave danger..."
But he could also use this as a threat to force the "Dream Patrol Family" on these planets to help him.
However, undeniably, he cannot bring himself to do such a thing; after all, many people on the planet are innocent. Why should they become sacrifices just to uphold Luowasha? What differentiates him from invaders then?
He looked up to see only a bright sky lit by a lone sun, with scant spiritual energy in the air, indicating this is a planet without extraordinary power.
Deliberating briefly, he directed his gaze to the dark-skinned Dara and asked:
"The ’Welcome to the World Game’ you mentioned just now is...?"
Dara rubbed his head, looking excitedly at Su Ming’an. His demeanor was completely like a little fan meeting a big star. He swallowed and explained:
"We ’Dream Patrol Family’ are lucky ones on various planets; originally ordinary people who unexpectedly dream of each other and can observe stories on other planets through ’mirrors.’
"In addition to observing, we can also write... through the resonance of inspiration, allowing events happening on some planets to reflect in our minds, appear in our writing, and be recorded by us.
"And the story I am writing is an unpopular story, not much watched by people.
"My story is called ’Alauddin’s Sky,’ which tells the story of a poor man named Alauddin who undergoes oppression, becoming estranged from his wife and kids, and eventually getting selected into the world game, becoming one of the top players."
