Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1588: Final - : "OE: Perished by the Ocean (11)
"Once upon a time, there was a young man named Tatsumi, who with his friends upheld justice for their ideals."
"At that time, the world was controlled by cruel generals and ministers, nobles oppressed ordinary people at will, and the world was in chaos."
"Facing tyranny, Tatsumi and his friends united to defeat the evil generals and ministers. From then on, no one could separate them, and finally, Tatsumi and all his companions lived happily ever after..."
Su Ming’an leaned on the bed, gazing at the snow outside the window.
All year round, snow fluttered everywhere.
The window glass was already coated with a thin layer of mist. He extended his finger and cleared a small, clean patch on the glass, instantly letting the white world outside pour into his view.
An integrated, spider-web like transportation hub; high-speed shuttling of maglev carriages; delivery drones darting between buildings...
Suspended holographic billboards broadcast festive preview images, with the golden number "21" continually flickering and rotating.
At street corners and alleyways, various high-tech decorations had quietly debuted. A young girl paused and looked up, taking a photo of the changing blessing lights in the sky, a pure smile gracing her face. Inside a glass showcase, a giant virtual doll was dressed in festive attire, dancing against a backdrop of swirling snowflakes, attracting several tightly bundled children.
Su Ming’an quietly observed all this until Lin Yin finished reading the story by the bedside.
"...Is it truly such a story?" Su Ming’an murmured. It wasn’t like this in his memory.
"Yes, this is a story similar to ours." Lin Yin reassured him, picking up a bowl of brown liquid: "Alright, after hearing the story, it’s time to take your medicine."
"...You all really treat me like a child."
"Isn’t it because you’re disobedient? If it weren’t for Yamada Machiichi informing us, were you planning to bleed out all by yourself?"
"And you all?" Su Ming’an said, "You want to be the president of the Nurse Association, why get involved in politics you dislike?"
"..." Lin Yin was speechless, merely snorting heavily.
Actually, they were all the same; no one had the right to blame anyone.
"Come on, drink your medicine, open your mouth..." Lin Yin coaxed, holding the medicine bowl with a child-rearing demeanor.
"I can drink it myself." Su Ming’an took the bowl and finished it in one gulp, his expression fluctuating.
"Here, Lu brought you some candy." Lin Yin finally took out the candy: "If it’s bitter, just tell us and ask for some candy, don’t endure alone."
"How old are you?"
"Trying to press me with age? We’re all your older siblings now!" Lin Yin said with hands on hips: "You shuttle through time, which doesn’t allow normal age progression, you’ll only become younger than us!"
Su Ming’an was silent for a moment, the lemon candy’s sweetness dissolving in his mouth, suddenly turning hoarse:
"So, you’ll all gradually become older than me...will you."
As if touching upon some forbidden topic, Lin Yin’s expression changed.
She suddenly couldn’t breathe.
"You... you’ve taken your medicine, rest well, I’ll get back to work, Eleven will come to care for you soon..." Lin Yin hurriedly turned to leave, unwilling to face the topic.
They all would grow older.
And Su Ming’an... as the World Tree, his time had already been fixed.
A moment later, a black-haired woman pushed the door open, only to find Su Ming’an had already left the bed, sitting in that damn chair again, starting to draw blood.
Eleven’s eyes changed slightly, then silently walked to his side, watching him conduct experiments.
"Don’t urge me to rest, I’m aware of my own body, I’m sick right now, making it perfect for researching the data in a sick condition..." Su Ming’an exhaled warm air, observing the slides under the microscope.
"I’m not urging." Eleven calmly stated.
"Mm." Su Ming’an lowered his head and continued.
Half an hour later, he suddenly leaned over, about to fall to the ground, Eleven seemingly prepared beforehand, immediately extended a hand, effortlessly supporting him.
His body had become shockingly light, hollowed within just a few months, Eleven’s fingers touching solid bones, thinking she was holding a skeleton, easily supported by one hand.
She glanced down, taking out a pre-prepared towel, wiping the bloodstains from his lips, carrying him back to bed and laying him flat.
Since Su Ming’an fell unconscious that day, Yamada Machiichi, that big mouth, called everyone, who then formed an agreement at his bedside, taking turns to care for him.
...
[December 25th, they all came to feast, I have thoughts of reversing them all back, if I just stop Yamada Machiichi, won’t they discover I’m here?]
[December 26th, forget it, managed to get sick, if I reset, maybe I won’t fall sick anymore.]
[December 27th, although my companions’ concern is considerate, it brings plenty of trouble... they always urge me to take medicine. Thankfully, if I have a strong attitude, they can’t do much about it. Lin Yin is the most troublesome, very assertive, Eleven’s the best, silently watching, never intervening.]
[December 28th, snow has fallen, rarely seen in the south, but ever since the World Game began, it has been seen over and over again...]
[Fortunately, this time, it won’t be cold again.]
[December 29th, every time I take medicine, I always gaze out the window, lately it seems livelier outside? Right, I seem to have another birthday approaching. My companions tell me people have already treated the "World Master’s birthday" as a major celebration akin to a "human anniversary festival," as lively as the New Year... never mind, we’ll keep it simple, after all, I haven’t celebrated each of their birthdays, it’s a bit guilty to receive without giving.]
...
"I’m here, big brother!" In the evening, Mo Yan eagerly arrived.
With Mo Yan’s arrival, the room seemed to brighten up.
"Big brother, our university is super far from here, luckily I can use the teleportation formation, just a swoosh and I’m here, it’s amazing!" Mo Yan suddenly touched his head: "Ah... Big brother, you’re doing experiments, so I’ll keep quiet."
Su Ming’an nodded without turning back.
Mo Yan helped Su Ming’an with everything, whatever Su Ming’an needed, Mo Yan would eagerly fetch, dutifully and tirelessly.
"Cough... cough cough cough!"
Suddenly, Su Ming’an began coughing violently, bright red blood splattering across the experiment table.
Mo Yan’s face turned pale instantly, rushing over like a little train.
"Big brother! Big brother, let me help you to the medical cabin!"
"First..." Su Ming’an pushed Mo Yan away, gesturing toward the experiment table while bleeding: "First get those glass bottles down, don’t let them get contaminated...! Cough, cough cough cough...!"
The glass bottles lay in a pool of blood, as if shining.
Mo Yan, without hesitation, grabbed the glass bottles, placing his big brother on a wheelchair, swiftly pushing him to the medical cabin.
The glass closed, gazing at his brother’s pale face, Mo Yan still wore a smile:
"Big brother, rest well, press the button to call me if you need to come out!"
"No... need. Do what you need... there’re plenty of... Mechanical Men to assist me..." Su Ming’an shook his head, these companions always wanted to do extra things.
"Big brother, remember to press the button!" Mo Yan repeated as if not hearing him, waving his hand, placing the glass bottles in the freezer, walking out in a lively manner.
Reaching the corner, out of sight, he suddenly smashed all the empty glass bottles on the table beside him, hitting the wall heavily with a fist.
He lowered his head, akin to a dejected eagle, remained silent for a long time.
Tears suddenly broke free uncontrollably, he hadn’t cried in a long time, not even when lying in the pouring rain at the White Sand Paradise, but now he cried like a child who’d lost his candy, wiping tears, unable to stop.
Slumped on the ground, fists repeatedly pounding the wall, unlike a successful hero, more like a gambler who’s lost everything.
In the midst of crying, he suddenly saw at the end of the corridor, Yamada Machiichi crouched there.
Today wasn’t Yamada Machiichi’s turn to care for him, yet Yamada had come.
"Why are you here? Trying to steal my caregiving time?" Mo Yan wiped his face and walked over, intentionally saying this.
Unexpectedly, when Yamada Machiichi turned around, his face was also full of tears. His eyes blankly looked at Mo Yan, and his mouth twitched painfully.
Mo Yan opened his mouth, squatted down, and stopped joking: "...Why are you hiding here, Yamada, aren’t you going in?"
"If he sees me like this... he’ll be sad." Yamada Machiichi took a deep breath and smiled, "You go back; I’m fine."
He wiped away his tears and turned to leave.
...
[December 30th, tonight, all my companions came. I’m sorry I couldn’t get up to greet them.]
...
The twenty-first birthday.
Although for Su Ming’an, such numbers had long since lost their meaning.
This was the first time since his birth that he spent his birthday lying in a medical chamber.
And also the first time he looked distantly through the glass at the companions celebrating his birthday.
Since the medical chamber couldn’t be moved, they activated the virtual scene system, transforming the cold laboratory into the warm appearance of a villa, decorated with balloons, flowers, and ribbons.
Fearing that Su Ming’an couldn’t see the fireworks celebrating him from outside the window, they specifically set up several large screens displaying the mountains, rivers, and bustling traffic outside.
Since cooking appliances couldn’t be brought into the lab, they prepared food outside and brought it in. But once the food was ready, no one ate it; it was just displayed there.
"Three—two—one—"
"Make a wish, Su Ming’an!"
The candle-blowing was done through the ventilation system of the medical chamber. Su Ming’an lightly blew through a tube, and the candle on the cake on the other side went out as if on cue.
Everyone knew that such a distant breath through such a long pipe couldn’t possibly extinguish the candles, but the candle did extinguish. Who cared how it happened?
The moment the candle went out, his eyes gently opened—he hadn’t made any wishes, because he had already decided last year that he could only be weak before God once. From now on, he had to realize his wishes on his own.
"Pop!"
Fireworks danced, ribbons filled the sky.
They deliberately kept the experimental equipment apart. Yi Song summoned a wall of wind, so the ribbons fell onto the circular glass in front of Su Ming’an.
Su Ming’an gently pressed his fingers against the glass, as if touching something soft.
His consciousness gradually became hazy as the medical chamber administered the recovery agent. He felt as if he had a fever, his face flushed, watching everyone happily celebrate. Unknowingly, someone’s hand pressed against the glass, mirroring his own.
He barely opened his eyes—it was Yamada Machiichi.
This guy’s hand was very pale, the tips bearing minor cuts, and pressed tightly against his through the glass.
Next time he blinked, the hand mirrored against his was Lin Yin’s hand.
Lin Yin’s wrist had a red string, swaying slightly outside the glass.
Another blink, and it was Isabella’s calloused hand against the glass.
Another blink, it was Eni’s hand with slight burn marks.
Another blink, it was Zhao Yuan’s hand, a bit roughened by years of traversing battlefields.
Another blink, it was Yi Song’s hand adorned with colorful bracelets.
Another blink, it was Eleven’s hand with a silver ring.
Another blink, it was Mo Yan’s hand carrying a sword cocoon.
Another blink...
Their palms pressed against his one by one, as if high-fiving him through the glass, their faces passing by with each unique sparkle in their eyes.
"Ming’an, with mom and dad holding your hand, hang in there, you’ll make it through..."
Su Ming’an closed his eyes, and the surface his hand touched seemed no longer a cold glass but a warm embrace.
When he was young, he feared being ill, thinking sickness was dreadful, but gradually, he started anticipating being ill.
Because only when he was sick would his mother let him off, not hit him, not press piano boards on his fingers, not slap him harshly. Even a small mistake would be forgiven.
She would suddenly become gentle and considerate, like the mother in his dreams, softly asking what he wanted to eat or drink, coaxing him to eat candy and take his medicine, gently stroking his head, and falling asleep beside his bed. Every time he opened his eyes and saw her serene face, counting the wrinkles on her face, he felt like it was a dream.
He wished he could be sick a little longer, a little more; that way, would she remain this gentle forever?
—Why, when he fell ill, did his mother become his mother.
It turned out she could realize he was a child who could get sick.
"Mom..."
He reached out with blurred consciousness.
At this moment, he recalled Lin Yin’s lost look; she feared they would grow older while he remained eternal.
In fact, there was no need to worry.
...
["By the way," He suddenly said, "You should have a Divinity of the Shitposter Demon on your hand. Your compatibility is too low; don’t use it, otherwise, even if you persist to the end, your soul’s collapse is almost certain."]
...
He deceived everyone.
It wasn’t a survival without cost.
What maintained his humanity now was the consumption of his own soul. He had two choices—first, continue maintaining his strength and perception at their peak state, continuing to shuttle time recklessly, and keep consuming himself. With this, he might have a century, maybe even less. Second, ignore everything, live like a tree, maintaining only minimal functionality, in which case he indeed had a millennium or more.
He hypnotized himself; during experiments, he redefined pain as pleasure, so he wouldn’t be afraid.
"M... ultimately... a matter of time...?" he wasn’t sure who he was talking to:
"If only a century..."
His fingers gently curled, the imagined mother vanished, replaced by the smiling faces of his companions.
"Then..."
His eyes slowly closed.
"A century..."
...
"Su Ming’an." In a daze, he heard Su Rin’s voice:
"Good news to share with you—they found Zhai Xing."
"The real Zhai Xing."
"Considering the increased speed of small world navigation you’ve enabled, maybe soon, you can go home."
...
