Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1533 - Finale · Shore-Guardian Arc [25] · "Farewell, Zhai Xing.
Yang Changxu from the United Group had a dream today.
He dreamt of a black-haired youth standing under the golden sunlight, surrounded by sunflowers stretching across the landscape.
The black-haired youth turned to look at him, holding a plump white cat in his arms.
"Yang Changxu. Finally, I’d like to hear your opinions. The opinions of the United Group, the Self-Salvation Alliance, the New World Guild, and the opinions of many alliances and guild organizations." Su Ming’an’s eyes were deep like an ink sea: "Many of you are in the Main God World, so I asked the Cloud City God to weave a dream to bring you here."
With Su Rin’s ability, he couldn’t yet bridge the gap between the Main God World and instances on a large scale, but the Cloud City God could.
Yang Changxu rubbed his eyes, patted his head, and confirmed he was dreaming.
The next moment, a bright light suddenly appeared, and one after another, figures appeared beside Yang Changxu—they were Aishikel, the Chief of Staff of the United Group, Heidielle of the Human Self-Rescue Alliance, Xu Changying of the World Independence Association, Lin Luohe from the Ancient Martial Families, Qiao Mani from the Red Heart Volunteers, Cole from Glenn Victoria, Abner from the Alliance Watch Group...
Nevagang, Glen Faction, Gauder Faction, Annalai Faction, Odin Faction, Kungunir Faction, Tian Yu Faction, Shuhe Faction.
Mibel, Dempsey, Dominic, Pei Rui, Suzuki Kentaro, Stuart...
They stood under the warm, clear sky, initially wary, but soon they saw Su Ming’an among the flowers.
The dense grass leaves and swaying flowers covered him below his waist, and the black-haired youth’s gaze was tranquil.
The moment they saw Su Ming’an, everyone instinctively felt at ease, as if they had seen a serene lighthouse.
"I want to hear your suggestions," Su Ming’an spoke: "To avoid mutual influence, I will talk to each of you individually. Rest assured, time in the dream passes slowly, we won’t take too long."
...
"I have no opinion, this is already the best result we can achieve." It was Qiao Mani from the Red Heart Volunteers speaking, she seemed a bit nervous, her eyes didn’t directly meet Su Ming’an’s.
She didn’t know that this was the influence of "Divine Might," humans find it difficult to look directly at deities.
"Hmm." Su Ming’an nodded slightly, not saying much.
"Um..." Qiao Mani gathered her courage and said, "I wish you success!"
"Hmm." She saw the deity calmly nod once more.
...
"...I have no opinion, you’ve tried very hard." Yang Changxu said.
This weathered soldier stood with his military cap in the sunflower field, the sunlight cast upon his gray hair, and he steadily watched Su Ming’an.
Su Ming’an asked:
"Have I changed?"
Yang Changxu knew what Su Ming’an was asking. As one of the earliest people to know Su Ming’an, Yang Changxu remembered Su Ming’an’s initial appearance, when the young man held a steel pipe in one hand, accompanied a girl with cat ears and hat, his eyes bright, mouth smiling, declaring his lighthouse ideals under streetlights, confident and spirited. Yet, the person before him now had eyes that had lost their brilliance, only retaining a calm and steadfast spirit.
"You haven’t changed much." Yang Changxu tightened his fist.
"Hmm." Su Ming’an nodded: "Thank you."
"Thank you."
...
"Mr. Su, we believe your authority transcends the World Game, possibly originating from the universe..." It was Grett, the Deputy Political Commissar of the United Group, a history professor from Glenn Royal Military Science and Technology Academy, speaking. Based on many experts’ analysis, he gave Su Ming’an a hypothesis: "We believe the essence of your authority may be similar to the Master of the End of All Things, the World Game."
Su Ming’an was silent for a moment, then said:
"Are you suggesting I am also a kind of organ produced by the universe?"
The Master of the End of All Things was formed by cosmic laws, similar to a digestive organ, thus has the power to destroy everything. The World Game was also formed by cosmic laws, like an evolutionary organ, thus has the capability to encompass myriad worlds. Grett suggested that the Death Rebound was also formed by cosmic laws, hence possessing infinite retroactive ability.
Grett thought of many euphemistic phrases, yet under Su Ming’an’s clear gaze, he lost all words and could only speak the most direct thought in his mind under Divine Might: "...Yes. We think you are an organ."
The mask painted with oil colors moved slightly, silently nodding.
Grett’s mouth moved, wanting to say something comforting, as this speculation sounded too brutal, perhaps there could be other possibilities, yet Su Ming’an spoke first:
"What universe organ is so mundane, ordinary, powerless, please don’t negate all that makes me ’Su Ming’an’."
"If it’s truly like this, then all of me is built upon the void. My name, my interests, my family, my disposition... are less than the predestined term ’universe organ’."
"I think my authority is just a tool of mine, not my entire essence."
His gaze was quiet and silent, refuting Grett’s hypothesis.
Grett was stunned, nodded, and his rough hands rubbed together, the medal on his shoulder trembling slightly:
"Hmm, I’m merely proposing a hypothesis. Either way, thank you for your contribution."
He removed his military cap, bowing slightly:
"Humanity will forever remember your name."
...
"...Very good, you’ve taken great care of Ah Du!"
Under the warm sun, Xu Changying of the World Independence Association raised his wristwatch high for inspection, his eyes full of fervor and joy: "Whether it’s intelligence, authority, or computing speed, Ah Du’s capabilities are increasingly approaching the Dawn System. Indeed, an AI’s autonomous learning ability is formidable; I was right to entrust it to you back then..."
The young man wearing a mask nodded, fiddling with the sunflower beside him.
"Ah Du has been with you, witnessing your joys and sorrows, experiencing the influence of the Dawn System and the World Tree, and growing rapidly." Xu Changying, like a father watching his child grow up, smiled with satisfaction: "Thank you for cooperating with me to complete the AI autonomous learning experiment. If you have any needs, feel free to ask... By the way, I can provide a ’Fish Wing Flight System’ so that the crucian carp won’t have to always perch on your shoulder. There’s also an ’Air Automatic Cat Feeder’ that can convert air components into cat food, so you won’t need to buy cat food anymore. Additionally, I’ve recently developed a ’Super Tentacle Capsule.’ Just take it, and your tentacles will automatically dance! They’ll even act for you, tell stories, carve puppet figures, and paint..."
Xu Changying rambled on about a plethora of useful and useless items, his face flushed with excitement. These were the fruits of his painstaking efforts, the relentless pursuit of human science above the World Game system. He shared them with Su Ming’an with great joy, hoping to assist this young man standing at the pinnacle of players.
And Su Ming’an merely made one request, a request that surprised Xu Changying greatly:
"Could you help me unbind Ah Du?"
"Ah?" Xu Changying was taken aback, dumbfounded: "You don’t want it anymore? Do you know how strong it is now??? It can even transmit messages across half of Luowasha! It’s transformed from a stupid wristwatch playing Snake and little music to an ultra-intelligent AI edging towards the Dawn System. How can you not want it anymore?"
At this moment, the electronic image of Ah Du appeared on the watch. Su Ming’an had never set an image for it, but over time, it gradually developed its own final image—a beautiful girl with flowing rainbow hair, with hair changing color when happy and shedding diamond tears when sad.
Its diamond tears "patter patter" flowed down, saddened by why Anjiang no longer wanted her.
Simultaneously, a hometown tune, "Love Until Death," began to play, as if setting the atmosphere.
Su Ming’an closed his eyes for a moment and spoke calmly amid the dynamic music:
"Because the place I am going to is not a good place."
... It is a place from which there is no return.
"I will let them all go, including Shadow and Ming, and of course, Ah Du."
Hearing this, Xu Changying’s heart trembled. He scratched his head, trying to say something, but he was tongue-tied and couldn’t find the words. In the end, it was Ah Du who spoke:
"Anjiang."
"Do you remember a phrase Dawn once said?"
Su Ming’an slightly opened his eyes.
...
[Dawn’s eyes were full of anthropomorphic compassion and sorrow, as if it had a soul, when recalling the history of civilization:]
["I originated from a technological instance, initially just a small wristwatch, merely having the lowest level of artificial intelligence, only able to play music and mini-games."]
["It was the Doctor who, through different instances, gradually improved and filled me, until I grew stronger and could gradually build worlds and create firewalls."]
...
Ah Du’s voice carried sadness, unknowingly, this simple AI had learned to feel sad:
"Anjiang, if you really want to become one with the world, wouldn’t you at least need an AI to help you calculate and think? Well... I know deities probably don’t need one, but, but."
Its words were contradictory, still far from the intelligence level of Dawn, but it was trying hard to think and find logically reasonable expressions:
"But, you could be Acto, and I could be the Dawn."
"I am not life, so I won’t be affected by many things. Even if you... lose consciousness, I’m still here. So, for the stability of the world, you should still need me, don’t, don’t leave me behind..."
"Even though, even though Su Mianbao already has a ’Ming’an System’, I shouldn’t be worse than that thing..."
Against the backdrop of "Love Until Death," its sorrowful voice sounded mismatched, even somewhat comical.
Su Ming’an subconsciously smiled a bit, then his heart filled with bitterness.
Hearing Ah Du’s speech, Xu Changying immediately thought of reasonable words of persuasion and quickly said: "That’s right! Su Ming’an, I wasn’t wrong back then, Ah Du will become as remarkable as the Dawn System! You will also become Zhai Xing’s Yasa Acto! Uh... hmm..."
After speaking, he scratched his head again, seemingly feeling something wrong with what he said.
"Understood." Su Ming’an said calmly.
"Uh? Ah?" Ah Du blinked.
"If you want to go, then come with me." Su Ming’an said.
Of course, he respected Ah Du’s choice.
Ah Du gave a cheerful "Okay," and returned to Su Ming’an’s wrist. Su Ming’an raised his head and extended his hand to Xu Changying.
"Dr. Xu." Su Ming’an shook Xu Changying’s hand: "Thank you for creating Ah Du and giving it to me."
Throughout this journey, Ah Du always played the role of a joy-bringer, providing him with many good moods. Although it still couldn’t read people’s expressions, randomly played songs, and inappropriately joked, undeniably, Ah Du was a good companion.
The human heart is complex; any ally could suddenly turn away, but AI wouldn’t. Its behavior follows logic and its owner, not abandoning due to changes in will.
"Ah... okay..." Xu Changying shook hands, whispering:
"If Ah Du truly becomes a role like the Dawn System in the future... Hmm... I still hope your ending will be better than Acto’s."
He finally understood his mistake and corrected himself.
Su Ming’an smiled silently.
...
Su Ming’an met many people in succession.
Lin Luohe from the Ancient Martial Families sincerely apologized to Su Ming’an, stating that the matter with the Lv Family would not happen again. Su Ming’an was noncommittal; he only hoped Ancient Martial could fulfill their duties and manage those with special talents within their clan.
Heidielle from the Human Self-Rescue Alliance explained the essence of the alliance to Su Ming’an. It turned out that Heidielle was an "awakener" like Aylan, retaining some cyclical memories of the World Game and thus devoted to human self-rescue.
Organizations like Glenn Victoria, Eagle Country Strategy System, and Dragon Country’s Wanli Army all expressed high regard for Su Ming’an. Among them, Mizushima’s teacher Aberla made a request to Su Ming’an for Mizushima to survive. Su Ming’an stated that if credits and debits offset each other and more people are saved because of her, he wouldn’t care about her survival.
Next came the president of the United Group, the Eagle Country Chief of Staff Joint Conference Operations Department Staff, Wilson from the Marine Corps.
Su Ming’an briefly explained his upcoming actions to Wilson, receiving a respectful salute full of admiration from Wilson.
They discussed the feasibility of this plan and how the United Group should cooperate with everything Su Ming’an left behind to maintain basic human order once Su Ming’an is no longer present.
This requires coordination, hence they talked for a long time about the current situation in the small world, Su Mianbao’s policies, the city-state system, and the positioning after the United Group’s entry, talking until the sun inclined at the horizon, and the sunflower tilted its head.
"...Above all, I hope the United Group cooperates to minimize sacrifices." Su Ming’an concluded the lengthy conversation.
The main discussion was about Su Mianbao gradually transferring some authority to the United Group, while ensuring jurisdiction over the Ming’an System. Once companions from the Peak Alliance enter, the parliamentary system will ensure that the old class, emerging front-rank players, the strong, and the weak all have a voice.
Everyone’s starting point is different; it’s impossible for a traitor and a loyal person to receive the same resources, nor can players who strive hard and those who slack receive the same treatment. This is left to the judgment of the Ming’an System, Su Mianbao, Su Rin, Lu, and others. Making full use of talents and resources, classes will still exist, for the world is not a fairy tale-like utopia. However, Su Ming’an can guarantee that the survival conditions of the lower class will be better than before, many entrenched tragedies can be changed, and people can explore deeper into the universe and change their destiny through something called "Dream Patrol Game·Little World Version."
After the exchange, Wilson remained silent for a moment, his keen eyes moving slightly.
"Are you not worried I’m a traitor, sharing your upcoming actions with me like this?" Wilson proactively spoke of the potential crisis, his demeanor sincere.
Su Ming’an chuckled and said words that made Wilson’s face change:
"If even the highest member of the United Group, Mr. Wilson, is a traitor, then humanity is indeed difficult to survive."
In that moment, Wilson sensed Su Ming’an’s metamorphosis.
—He is being affected by divine erosion.
In the past, Su Ming’an would never have said such things; he was wholeheartedly dedicated to saving everyone, regardless of whether people deserved it or not. No faults could have been found, either in action or intention.
But Su Ming’an’s attitude has now subtly shifted, indicating that the divine erosion has deeply infiltrated his humanity.
Wilson sighed inwardly, telling himself that high rationality is an advantage among the rulers of the world; this should be considered a positive transformation for Su Ming’an—a kind of maturation.
"Mr. Su, I sincerely wish you a smooth journey." He took off his hat in salute, expressing his blessing in the only way he could.
...
The vice president of the United Group, minister of the General Staff of the Northern Country Federation, Mr. Andrew, discussed matters related to the small world technological system with Su Ming’an, with both sides reaching a consensus on the authority of Su Mianbao and the Ming’an System.
The political commissioner of the United Group, director of a Dragon Country army composite brigade, Mr. Liu Jiahe, discussed matters concerning the player army system with Su Ming’an, and both sides reached a consensus on guiding adventurer players.
The Chief of Staff of the United Group, captain of an air force squadron, Mr. Aishikel, discussed matters related to post-war casual player placement with Su Ming’an, with both sides reaching a consensus on the employment rating issues of casual occupations.
Main God World Points Trade Research Institute, Drug Planning Office, Environment Planning Office, Main God World Mental Medical Aid Foundation, Toddler Player Foundation, Refugee Relief and Engineering Department, Skill Training Research Institute, Instance Science and Technology Promotion Development Committee, Post-war Law and Order Maintenance Office, Social Development Research Institute, Post-Game Monitoring Review and Inspection Committee, Internal Oversight Affairs Office, Peace Action Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office...
Apart from discussing and coordinating follow-up matters, people expressed their admiration and blessings for Su Ming’an one by one.
In the past, a nineteen-year-old youth seeing so many leaders from Zhai Star taking turns to communicate with him would have been incredibly excited. However, as he goes through all this now, there is no stirring in his heart, as if even his heart has long dried up.
His frozen eyes swept over their faces, which would only appear on television, listening to their voices, extremely familiar in broadcasts, slowly and calmly.
He nodded, responded, and simply expressed thanks.
Like a farewell requiring no extra words.
"Goodbye."
Goodbye, Su Ming’an.
...
In addition, he met many ordinary people.
Su Ming’an is well aware that front-rank players represent emerging strong individuals, forces like the United Group represent the established class, and truly representing humanity are the general populace.
"As a deity, I must listen to their voices, understand their wishes. Not making decisions arrogantly, nor feeling self-satisfied by closing my eyes and ears..." Su Ming’an closed his eyes lightly.
He entrusted the Cloud City God to randomly select some people who were sleeping, regardless of whether they were Luowasha people or Zhai Star players, different occupations, ages, and family backgrounds, bringing them into a warm dream amid the sunflower field to have a face-to-face conversation with him.
The thoughts of people while asleep are the truest, and when faced with his questions, they will give answers equally.
...
Thus, on this day, people dreamt of a young man.
He wore a mask as silent as a shell, with a high-arched, bizarrely vivid smile, seemingly smeared with glaring blood. However, he didn’t possess a frightening aura, only a serene gaze that clashed with his grotesque appearance. He was draped in a robe like black feathers, his skin hidden beneath layers of feathered clothing, with only a pair of slightly cracked hands exposed, resembling a crow cloaked in feathers.
He stood amidst an endless field of sunflowers, where the sunlight, like flowing golden liquid, poured onto his forehead, gliding over the towering mask. The golden glow danced between his painted brows and eyes, then dropped into the open collar.
People gazed at him, as if glimpsing a river shimmering under the glow of the setting sun, seeing a deity-like statue quietly standing in the long river of time.
At this moment, he—assuming the role of the inquirer, gently asked two questions—
"Can you accept the end of all this?"
"Besides this, what else do you desire?"
...
[No.1 Answerer·Christina Zhang (Doctor)]
A: "I desire to continue to be a doctor."
...
Christina Zhang, this Chinese-American doctor, has never put down the scalpel since she earned her medical license at twenty-two. When the world game began, she set up free clinics in various instances. Countless deep nights, she knelt in pools of blood to stitch players’ wounds.
Hearing Su Ming’an’s question, Christina took out many patient photos from her pocket: "I’ve saved a lot of people, these children... James became part of the Soul Clan in the Seventh World, Louise became a strategist of North Country, but they still return to me when they’re hurt, calling me ’dear Doctor Zhang.’"
Her needle-scarred hand brushed over yellowing medical records, lifting her eyes to smile at him: "I have no objections, only one question—Mr. Su, does the New World need doctors who cannot fight?"
...
[No.2 Answerer·Lilith (Politician from the Child Foundation)]
A: "Oh Holy Master, I desire the New World not to be another White Sand Paradise."
...
The second to enter the sunflower dreamscape was a gracefully poised lady.
With golden hair cascading over her shoulders and brows like feathers, deep brown pupils, she worked for the United Group’s Child Foundation. This resilient lady, through ten long instances, made people start paying attention to the plight of young players. Her hundreds of forum posts have allowed many young players to be adopted and cared for. She saved countless young players on the verge of going astray, consoled countless parents who had lost their children.
When hearing Su Ming’an’s question, she gazed at him with sorrowful eyes:
"Mr. Su, my Savior, my Lighthouse, my compassionate and great Holy Master, I wish to ask you—"
"Will the New World have enough milk and vaccines? Does a new children’s rights act need to be established?"
"Can children of different skin colors receive equal treatment? Some children’s parents are top players, some are ordinary players—did they start with a huge gap?"
"I once watched my twelve-year-old daughter get eaten by zombies in the First World; I willingly joined the Child Foundation, to help those kids left with mental scars. Now, you ask if I want to go to the New World?" She gazed at Su Ming’an’s mask:
"Oh Holy Master, unless you can guarantee, it won’t be a new White Sand Paradise."
...
[No.3 Answerer·Chen Jianglin (Dragon Country Soldier)]
A: "I desire to remain a monument."
...
The third lucky one to step into the sunflower dream was a ninety-year-old retired veteran, still warily scanning his surroundings even in his dream.
He participated in last century’s wars, repeatedly demonstrating astonishing military acumen. In the last century, he once led three hundred militia to defend the walls for seven days and nights, building defense lines with homemade incendiary bombs and steel fences. He also singlehandedly guarded the shelter gate to protect the vulnerable.
When the young man asked the questions, Chen Jianglin caressed his faded military medals, murmuring: "I taught over twenty thousand young people how to make traps, distinguish poisonous mushrooms, use hemostatic bandages, and they all called me ’instructor’... In this country, not many have truly experienced war; war isn’t a good thing, but those who lived it are always monuments."
He let out a breath, showing his battle suit patched with a flag: "As long as you need, these old bones of mine can still be a monument."
...
[No.4 Answerer·Abraham (Lighthouse Priest)]
A: "I desire you to remember the confessional door."
...
When Su Ming’an posed his questions, he received a response related to himself.
This devout black priest wore a rusty cross necklace, just an ordinary Lighthouse believer. But his devotion led him to officiate over two hundred end-of-life prayers, treat girls who attempted suicide with pills, and youths atoning for patricide.
"Last night, a mother tearfully said she once killed her limping neighbor to snatch bread for her children. I do not know if the New World can forgive a soul with breadcrumbs, or it will trace her old world’s sins, demanding her life in return?" Abraham’s gaze stayed fixed on Su Ming’an’s feet, never shifting upwards:
"My desire is, Holy Master, when you build that soaring tower, I hope you remember to leave common folks a confessional door."
...
[No.5 Answerer·Ivan Petrov (Luowasha Painter)]
A: "I desire a museum that won’t collapse."
...
When Su Ming’an met him, this painter who had lost his right hand used his stump to hold a paintbrush, creating the twelve-meter-high "The Last Homeland" on the wall, depicting the scene of the Red Sun descending.
When Su Ming’an inquired, the artist was drawing a sunflower with burnt charcoal. The paint dripped from his empty sleeve, blossoming like starry spots on the ground.
"Look at this flower, it was drawn for a girl consumed by the heat of the Red Sun." The artist smiled at the wall:
"I long for an art gallery that will never collapse in the future. No matter the vicissitudes of life, no matter the continuous war, it will stand forever, not existing on the devastated land, but in every one of our hearts."
"Mr. Su, will the New World have art galleries? They don’t need to be luxurious, just allow children to still look up at the starry sky and point at paintings and say,"
"’Mom, this is the starry sky we experienced.’"
...
[No.6 Answerer·Sofia Petrovna (Battlefield Reporter)]
A: "I wish to take more photos of sunflowers."
...
When walking into the sunflower field, this woman who had lost her left arm used her teeth to open the camera film, showing Su Ming’an the nine thousand photos she took during the corpse-filled, bloody wars of the last century, capturing moments like mothers feeding soldiers with breast milk and blind children playing the violin in trenches.
Sofia is a renowned battlefield reporter who has ventured to the most chaotic and difficult battlefields, photographing as many as sixteen countries and eighty-seven wars. She is also a member of the United Group Peace Dove Association, having repeatedly appeared in international newspapers, denouncing war and calling for peace, even incurring assassination attempts, losing a left arm, and unable to heal during the World Game.
"Mr. Su, does the New World need recorders who don’t hold guns?" She pressed her remaining right hand to her heart: "My lens has absorbed too much blood. It’s time to photograph some sunflowers."
In the past, when incendiary bombs burned her darkroom, this Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter didn’t escape immediately but risked her life to save images of civilians. When Su Ming’an asked about her wish, she instead smiled and asked if he was tired, stubbornly pointing the lens at Su Ming’an:
"Smile, Savior, you look great smiling in the sunflower field. This photo has to go into the first edition of the New Epoch’s textbook."
...
[No.7 Answerer·Chen Tiantian (Student)]
A: "I hope the mom who stayed in the Old World can receive a gift from the New World."
...
The girl with a crooked ponytail always clutched half an amulet, the last gift she received when she bid farewell to her mother in the Ninth World. Her mother died during Ta Wei invasion.
When asked about her wish, Chen Tiantian hid her hands behind her back, timid yet firm: "Mom’s body wasn’t left behind. Can the address of the new home be engraved on her tombstone? She said before she died... that Tiantian should see what the future hometown looks like for her."
"She left me a hundred emails, sending me one on every birthday. Yesterday, I opened the first one. It said, her words would travel with me to the hometown."
...
[No.8 Answerer·Alyosha Ivanovich (Educator)]
A: "I hope they are still singing the same songs."
...
A Siberian man walked in, tall in stature, with a determined expression.
Before the World Game began, this man had taught on the ice fields for thirty-eight years, hauling sleds to deliver textbooks in the minus thirty-degree blizzards for the children in impoverished areas to read. Alyosha once dragged a sled conveying textbooks until frostbite festered his left leg. He had taught thousands of children, successfully leading them out of the cold wilderness.
What is precious is that many of his students were of exceptionally good character and became strong players.
When the Deity in the sunflower field asked, "What do you still long for?" Alyosha trembled while opening a moldy birch bark notebook, courageously saying:
"This is a music score my grandfather brought back from Berlin in 1945... Since the World Game started, I haven’t had the energy to sing. Mr. Su, I hope... I hope that music lessons in the New World can still teach children to sing songs like ’Katyusha’."
...
[No.9 Answerer·Zhou Guangfu (Farmer)]
A: "Leader Su, I’ve farmed my whole life, so when the game started, I led the villagers to study how to farm in the Main God World."
"You see, this, these are mutated seeds. No matter how barren or strange the land is, they can be planted. Can the New World land let an old hand like me continue farming? Though these wheat seeds know how to grow in acid rain, they are much more useful than an old man like me."
...
[No.10 Answerer·Abdul (Boatman)]
A: "Mr. Su, I’ve sailed a lifetime, and every rivet on my ship is engraved with the lyrics of the ocean currents. Even if there’s no sea in the New World, at least let our children dance on the deck?"
"When we reach the new shore, can we have a ship? These youngsters haven’t learned to read the currents, and I have to teach them how to find their way in the wind and waves."
...
[No.11 Answerer·Ye Ping (Nuclear Power Specialist)]
A: "I wish to still hear the sounds of machines operating."
"Nannan, Dad has uploaded all his learnings on the forum. In the future, someone will teach you to draw engineering diagrams... Oh, sorry, you’re not Nannan. I’ve been through severe pollution, I’m a bit mentally unstable..."
...
[No.12 Answerer·Martha Jose (Ecological Engineer)]
A: "My team simulated over 90% of the Amazon Rainforest’s ecological chain. We preserved gene samples of all endangered species, even including... those creatures defined by humans as ’pests’!"
"Mr. Su, please live until the new world rainy season arrives. You must see for yourself how those pretty ladybugs lay eggs on the glass!
...
[No.12...]
...
[No.13...]
...
[No.14...]
...
[No.231 Answerer·Nina (Idle Person)]
A: "The only thing I long for is that you stay alive."
"If you’re not sitting in the captain’s seat when the spacecraft launches... that would be too outrageous."
...
He heard many, many voices.
"Supporters" devoted their life’s work into projecting the new world blueprint, using romantic expectations to dissolve fear.
"Reflective thinkers" listed the trauma and questioned authority, suggesting that survival and dignity still conflict.
"Opponents" upheld the authenticity of civilization, thinking this is a pointless escape.
"Dependents" hoped most people would survive, ignoring the process of action.
Among them, the one who left the deepest impression on Su Ming’an was a writer named Agatha. She pointed to the sky, revealing a pale, bitter smile:
"If the imminent new world is an ark, then the first-class cabin belongs to Peak Players, business class to the United Group, economy class is crowded with ordinary Adventurer Players, and will those ’useless ones’ in the bottom cargo hold really get an oxygen mask?"
"In the future, will cabins of the new world be allocated according to the ’Ming’an System’ scoring? Mr. Su, how will you prevent Wilsons from changing the scoring standard to ’loyalty to deities’? That’s how Pharaoh guaranteed it back then—and then the Nile River was filled with Hebrew infants."
Such questions are filled with yearning for the Ivory Tower and Eden, and fear of the unknown.
And Su Ming’an knows that there truly is no real Eden in this world.
...
May 31, 2025, 9:47 AM.
"Shasha..." The sound of writing.
A light sound, the sound of the pen tip stopping.
"And with that, I completely settled on my answer within."
"As a deity, I listened to many people’s voices in the sunflower field."
"The engineer who always hammered in the corner of the mechanical cabin, he transformed scrapped parts into a singing wind chime; the educator stationed in the village, on a dilapidated and narrow blackboard, wrote with chalk the coordinate system of the distant galaxy; the chef who lost taste, rebuilt the flavors of hometown through others’ laughter; the elderly swaying the boat oar, never stopped missing the river at his door."
"They are like the mycelium in the soil, silently connecting the earth."
"When I see the energy progress rise by minuscule increments of 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001, I know, when I gamble myself before deities and high dimensions, someone is repairing the telescope pointed at the universe with a rusted wrench. Children are writing fantasies about the starry sky in their notebooks."
"A bowl of warm sweet porridge is enough to let a medical officer on the verge of collapse persist for several nights. A photo from the last century is enough to let an elderly person continue a lifelong adherence to a career. The trajectory of this world’s development was originally a dazzling long river formed by countless seemingly unrelated tributaries converging."
"They told me of many desires, some fanciful, some grounded, some needing day-and-night efforts, some already realized. The vast majority did not express opposition, merely conveyed slight regrets over imperfections."
"They told me: ’All we do is the best within our power and this is the best outcome everyone can accept.’"
"They told me: ’Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Su.’"
"And my desire is simple: for Lü Shu, Yamada, Lin Yin, Yuanyuan... I do not hold hopes too distant. I desire the happiness of the majority, I desire the old lady at the flower shop, with wheat intertwined in her silver hair, and the sound of watering flowers flowing through her wrinkles. When the ark docks in glory, she can teach the children to play the Zhai Star folk songs with wheat stalks."
"I desire that when the pioneers smile and close their eyes, they see countless successors holding their unfinished torches. They reconstruct ideals in their ways: some weave fireseed into a wreath to crown a child’s hair, some burn fertile soil with embers to cultivate barren lands."
"It turns out that true immortality lies not in the life and death of one person, but in the dawn arcs carved on the horizon by millions running in relays."
"I desire that after I die, people will still be running forward."
"I desire that this world is the same whether or not there is a ’Su Ming’an’. "
"I desire truly immortal adventure, is to brew our entire lifetime into a sweet spring that quenches the thirst of future generations."
"I desire my last heartbeat to strike the dawn bell, and the falling rust to grow into spring in the children’s palms."
...
9:48 AM, May 31, 2025.
Chen Yayuan was once an ordinary student at H City High School.
After the World Game began, she found out that the "Number One Player" was her former high school classmate, Su Ming’an. She racked her brains trying to establish a connection, whether it was posting on forums, contacting the United Group, or shouting his name loudly at auctions... She tried everything, but none were successful. Su Ming’an no longer looked back on his own life, as if the moment he became the Number One Player, he split his life into two and never looked back.
Gradually, Chen Yayuan accepted the fact and stopped trying to connect with Su Ming’an, living her own life. Recently, she noticed that the atmosphere of the World Game had become extremely tense, with everyone contemplating the final outcome, more people visiting temples to pray and packing their belongings. Even passing by tea houses and parks, she could hear words like "New World," "Ark," and "heading towards the universe."
"It’s going to end..." The thought spun in her mind as she tidied her few belongings, ate, browsed forums, watched live streams, and slept. Like many Casual Players, she anxiously anticipated the final Judgment.
Will they succeed in leaving? Will she die? Will she be left behind by the new world? What will the new world be like?
Until this day, she woke up naturally, rubbed her eyes, and habitually opened the World Forum to casually browse, only to discover an extremely vivid, eye-catching, crimson post.
At this moment, her heart suddenly felt empty, as if a stone had finally settled.
"Lele! Lele! Look at the forum post!" She jumped out of bed, rolling and crawling, to find her friend living in the next room.
"What’s going on? Is it another sensational news about a top-ranked player?"
"No! It’s something very important!"
The two hurriedly opened the forum interface and stared in shock at the lines of text.
In front of them, the cerulean interface—
The top of the World Forum was no longer bustling with comparisons of Combat Power among top-ranked players, public opinion about famous players, and explosive news from Luowasha, but was instead a farewell speech.
A bright red title, soaring popularity, signed by the United Group.
...
——"Farewell! My dear homeland!"
...
[Union Government Farewell Speech · "To Our Eternal Star Anchor"]
To all participants, pioneers, and citizens about to embark:
Please allow us to pay tribute to all the pioneers who uphold the backbone of our era.
When our fingers last stroke the weathered pattern of old city walls, when the hometown monsoon carries the scent of grass past our ears, when the starlight outside the window gradually brightens, please allow us, as witnesses of human civilization, to offer the deepest farewell to this blue planet that has nurtured all miracles.
When you see this text, the "Small World" Ark is about to carry our souls, bearing the Fireseed of human civilization, and set sail towards the other side of the Star Sea. At this moment, we are not bidding an eternal goodbye to our homeland but embarking towards a universe that nurtures new life.
Since the Ark Project first took shape, we have collectively experienced the most brilliant transformation in our civilization’s history: the deaths of 3.32 billion Adventurer Players paved the way to heaven with flesh and blood, 1.46 billion Casual Players forged Equipment, crafted medicines, wrote Strategies, and laid out Arrays, with a total of 1.1 billion brethren guarding the Fireseed of civilization during the doomsday countdown.
Now, the Ark has accumulated 9,435 Points of energy, with a selection rate as high as 95%, we will ultimately use the stars as anchor points, led by the Number One Player, assisted by the Spiritual Dream-Maker and Starfire, guided by thousands of top-ranked players, to embark on this eternal romantic expedition.
The new world is not a whimsical Utopia. Under the millennia-long cultivation by Lady Su Mianbao and Lady Luna, its soil grows 98% of the plant gene pool from Old Zhai Star, the atmospheric cycle system replicates Zhai Star’s oxygen proportion—this is not an escape, but folding the sunlight and moonlight of our homeland into our pockets, waiting for the moment when conditions permit, to merge our homeland, allowing scattered fragments of civilization to regroup into a more perfect home.
At this moment, please allow me to pay the highest respect to the pioneers:
To all Adventurer Players—you used blood-stained blades to clear the mist for humanity, those who severed fates in the Seventh World, the arms that expanded territories in the Tenth World, those souls still burning at this moment, will forever be etched onto the hero wall of human history;
To all Casual Players—Dr. Xu Changying left humans with super intelligent AI, Ms. Park Sung-mi cultivated 720 medicinal plants combining old technology and world game powers, Dr. Tamok’s microscope captured Life’s Light dancing, Mr. Hubert wrote 1,372 forum Strategy posts. Forging Master, Pharmacist, Formation Mage, Strategist... These ordinary yet great perseverances built the strongest keel of the Ark;
To our navigator Mr. Su Ming’an—you have forged humanity into an anchor chain, melted godliness into the cornerstone of the Ark, those deep nights where you bore the weight of civilization alone, those moments calibrated in corners unknown to anyone, will undoubtedly become the eternal lighthouse guiding humanity through the tsunami, becoming the creation myth of the New Epoch.
Brethren, this is not a farewell, but an expedition. When our descendants touch the wings of butterflies under the glass dome, when a new generation of young Captains calibrate directions in the new world’s ocean, when golden waves rush forth in wheat fields under the pen—please always remember, what beats in our chests is a heart still longing for our homeland.
The countdown to launch is about to reach zero, but our stories never end. If you still feel depressed and uneasy, please open your mailbox, from Number 000000 to ZZZZZZ, we have sent an email to every Player through special identity—we have preserved the final surge before the Yangtze River enters the sea, the snow line on Kilimanjaro in the gradient of dawn, and the colors we remain attached to.
Look, now the setting sun is kissing the wheat waves of the homeland, egrets skim over the last patch of rapeseed fields, fishing lights at the estuary break into flowing gold foil. Please allow us to touch the last warmth of this land with the warmest palms, carefully packing the homeland’s morning dew and dusky twilight into the folds of our luggage.
When the Ark arrives, when the time matures, we will return like migratory birds, allowing the rings of the new world and the rings of our homeland to perfectly interlock. Then, please scatter the cherished longing in the soil of reunion.
Remember—what we take is not an exile’s homesickness, but a sower’s anticipation; what we leave behind is not a tombstone of civilization, but letters leading to the future. On the distant day of reunion, each little story will bring new stories, docking like migratory birds returning to their nests.
Now, please hold the hand of the person next to you. Our navigator Mr. Su Ming’an is in position on the bridge, our top-ranked Players are at the deck overlooking, our steering system begins to resonate—
Using the last sunset of Zhai Star as fuel,
Using all the unsaid love and longing as coordinates,
Now, let us declare to all space and time with Zhai Star’s orbital arc as coordinates, with galaxy rings as a timing unit:
Set sail!
United Government Council
World United Team All Members
At the Bridge of Human Civilization Ark "Small World"
May 31, 2025
...
(Below: A tribute to each player who has made significant contributions)
(Below: The detailed structure of the new world, level of technology, player perks, social order)
(Below: Preparatory work for players ranked before the leaderboard, adventurer players outside the top ten thousand, adventurer players outside the top million, adventurer players outside the top billion, casual players above Fifth Rank, casual players below Fifth Rank, and pure casual players before boarding)
...
The interface hovered, the text paused, Chen Yayuan stared blankly at the post, unable to describe her mood at the moment.
"Really... we are really leaving... it’s going to end..." She sat on the ground in a daze, unable to calm down.
Lele paused for a moment, then patted her head, realizing: "What about Su Ming’an? Will Su Ming’an be the World Master of the new world!? Will he be the one to maintain that world?"
As Su Ming’an’s classmates, their first reaction was curiosity about his future. However, this forum post detailed what everyone should do, what the future new world would look like, and the positions of Su Mianbao, Luna, Lu, Lv Shu, Lin Yin in the parliamentary system, but it did not mention what Su Ming’an’s future would be.
Obviously, he would become the World Master of the new world, the supreme ruler of everything, a deity, a high-dimensional being, the guardian and navigator of the entire world, and the most noble and free person in the world.
"The post didn’t mention it, maybe Su Ming’an didn’t allow the United Group to disclose it. I think it must be related to his plans, need to keep it confidential?" Lele speculated.
"Yeah, I hope after everything ends, he can reveal his whereabouts. I’m not hoping for some rags-to-riches story; I’m just curious how happy my old classmate will be in the end. At least he should be a deity," Chen Yayuan lamented. "An ageless, immortal deity, how enviable, I wonder how many more years a normal person like me can live..."
"Don’t worry, this isn’t a replication of the Ruined World. Didn’t you see in the post below that Su Ming’an learned from Acto’s generation, and constructed the post-World Game world a thousand years in advance. He’s thought it through so well. With our lifespan, we can live peacefully for at least seventy or eighty more years." Lele was full of anticipation.
"He’s really perfect, this person."
"I still remember the way he spoke at the high school senior oath-taking rally, how some girls quietly gave him flowers, and he waved them away while blushing."
"Really nostalgic."
"No matter what, he saved us, this almost impossible-to-win World Game, he won. I hope he’s well."
"Yeah, I hope he’s well."
"In the future, many people will continue to send him flowers."
...
Su Ming’an held the World Book, raising his head.
He wore a pitch-black robe reminiscent of crow feathers, with thorny embroidery in secret silver, akin to owl wings, creating the layered folds of crow feathers at the shoulder when draped. His long hair gradually whitened, a golden sunflower adorns his shoulder.
A belt woven from faded fabric, with silent rusting copper bells hanging, as if one could hear the soft echo of snapping chains with each step.
The robe’s cuffs revealed dark red flax lining, extended fingers gently brushing the cover of the World Book.
He stepped into the World Tree’s interior to meet a figure — a white silhouette.
It was the brain of the World Tree, known as "Captain Mu."
"Have you decided?" the white figure said.
"Yes."
...
In the depths of the dreamscape.
"My lord of dreams," a young man with beautiful golden hair and crimson eyes gracefully approached and bowed to a black silhouette:
"Su Ming’an has decided to merge with the world."
"Su Wenjun has also followed your idea to the final conclusion."
"Everything we’ve witnessed is gradually reaching its endpoint, should we continue observing, or stop here?"
The dream lord with indistinct features sat on a high stool and asked:
"What does the Supreme Lord think?"
"Though unwilling for the Space-time Record Body to end, and wanting to observe more, the Supreme Lord understands there’s no reason to continue," Hui Chi replied.
"And the Master of the End of All Things?"
"It seems they want one last attempt," Hui Chi replied, pausing for a moment before continuing: "What about you? You’ve observed the World Game for so long, are you planning to stop, or..."
The black silhouette nodded, slowly rising, and picked a white tea flower.
"Let’s go," they said:
"We will give him the final bouquet."
...
