Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1300 - 1296: "He Suddenly Felt Very Cold.

"Boom——!"

The mechanical door was kicked flying, and a blonde-haired boy rushed out with a tattered mechanical man on his back, his face stained with burn marks.

"We... did we escape?" Lan Qie said haltingly.

"We escaped." Noel looked up.

Despite Lan Qie’s outdated temperature sensing system, he could still feel the moonlight pouring down on him, landing on his cold mechanical shell, bright and dazzling...

"Thank you..." he sincerely expressed his gratitude.

Puppet Threads shuttled between skyscrapers, and searchlights fell on them. Noel tugged on the Puppet Threads, swinging from one end of the building to the other, shaking off the pursuing troops.

As he passed by, he saw, through the light rail windows, office workers looking down at their phones, living withered and numb, forgetting how to look up at the sky. So, they didn’t notice a mechanical man breaking free from his shackles and a beautiful Phoenix hanging from threads flying through the night sky.

—Freedom.

Freedom in this city, in countless cities, seemed to have disappeared.

It was seen as something outside of the Rules, causing societal unrest, hence it was belittled, insulted, and forbidden.

But now, for Lan Qie, born on the assembly line, the first time he touched the wind in the air, he finally understood what it was.

Noel’s laughter floated in the wind: "Where to? My friend—do you want to see the blue sky, drink mechanical juice with a peach flavor, or wear a well-fitting suit? But there’s only three hours left before the Disciple Game starts, I can’t stay with you too long."

Lan Qie’s wishes, Noel remembered them all.

"Thank you, Phoenix. You leave me in the city, I’ll experience it myself." Lan Qie’s eyes shone with vitality.

Starting tomorrow, every day is a new beginning.

He can earn wealth with his own hands, rather than being exploited step by step. He can taste real food, rather than low-cost nutrient solution. He can freely manage his own time, to sing, to shop, to travel... instead of working 24 hours a day and being berated by the Mechanical Master, "Why don’t you work harder!"

Clearly, it was those advanced models of machines that monopolized the channels for promotion, taking away the vast majority of high-precision mechanical parts, yet arrogantly—demeaning his persona, his contributions, his dignity, blaming him for not doing well, causing him and those like him to toil relentlessly.

Now, he is finally free.

Noel placed Lan Qie in a bustling metropolis, filled with young people seeking opportunities, every corner a space for gold digging.

"Click." Moments later, the dressing room opened, and a young man with short blue hair, blue-green eyes, and dressed in a well-fitting suit came out, looking at his reflection in the mirror a little shyly.

—This is indeed a well-fitting suit.

"Phoenix, will I see you again?" Lan Qie asked with a hint of expectation.

Noel settled the bill for him and smiled: "I’m going to the Central State, if fate allows, we’ll meet again."

Then, like a Flying Bird, the boy disappeared into the city’s night sky. Feathers grew on his back. After flying a distance, he whispered to himself:

"Check what skills this Player has, and what else..."

...

"Tap, tap, tap."

The cold light illuminated Su Ming’an, as he walked with Li Mingyue in an exhibition hall.

One glass display case after another, not displaying jewelry, but book after book. Some thick, some thin, some old, some new.

"...Is Yuanyuan the librarian here?" Su Ming’an asked curiously, looking around.

Under the lights, the books lay quietly in the square glass cabinets. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

This is the World Master’s exclusive collection room. It seems the World Master is a person who loves books. Su Ming’an appreciated the World Master’s taste, wondering what kind of books such a Lord would like to read; probably something like "King’s Discourse," "Strategics," or "Historical Mirror"...

He took a closer look.

"I Was a King in Luowasha," "Reincarnated as an Elf Queen, I Became a Hit," "Disciple Game: The Domineering Evil God Fell in Love with Me," "The Level-Complete World Tree Rules the World," "Sique’s Scandal Anecdotes Collection"...

Su Ming’an withdrew his gaze, slightly altering his impression of the World Master: "Godfather, how far until we see her?"

"Soon."

Li Mingyue’s expression was solemn. It puzzled Su Ming’an, wondering why such gravity for just an exhibition hall of books.

"...Do you like reading books?" Li Mingyue suddenly asked.

"I do." Su Ming’an replied.

"After finishing a book, what do you do with it?"

"Put it on the shelf, maybe read it a second time later, but I prefer reading new books."

"Right." Li Mingyue said: "A book completes its mission after you’ve read it. When you open its first page, it’s your first encounter with it. As you read through, it’s like communicating with it. And when you close the final page, you part ways with it forever."

Li Mingyue paused.

He opened an ordinary glass display case, took out a thick book with a blue-pink gradient cover and a cat ear pendant hanging from it, very pretty.

He placed the book on the table.

"You must have heard of a concept." Li Mingyue said: "Pudding told you she views Luowasha as a book, she’s the Female Protagonist, you’re the Male Protagonist. She believes that if Luowasha were to have a book title or game name, it should be called ’Ring of Rosasha’."

Su Ming’an nodded. Pudding had indeed mentioned it.

"Although she said so much, essentially, her point is simple—" Li Mingyue said: "[The world’s structure and logical foundation of Luowasha can be likened to a book, or a game]."

"Yes." Su Ming’an had understood.

This is a worldview from a high-dimensional perspective. If civilization is likened to a book, then opening the first page is the birth of civilization. On the next page, civilization progresses, and humans start their rudimentary agricultural activities. Turning to the next page, primitive civilization evolves into agrarian civilization. On the next page, a dynasty is established...

Whatever happens is based on which page it’s on. The world progresses as pages are turned. Until the last page of the book is turned, civilization is destroyed, and everything becomes still. Only leaving behind a finished book.

Li Mingyue nodded: "Then, if the whole world can be likened to a book... what about people?"

Su Ming’an’s heart sank.

Watching Li Mingyue wipe the books, with his acuity, Su Ming’an quickly realized something. Soon after, a slight tremor appeared in his palm.

"...What." He was close to understanding Li Mingyue’s words.

"Have you ever seen the death of the Luowasha people?" Li Mingyue asked.

"I have. I’ve seen the deaths of Qi Jue and Fu En." Su Ming’an said.

"That doesn’t count, Qi Jue is a God, Fu En is a Player, neither are Luowasha people." Li Mingyue shook his head.

"Wait a minute." Su Ming’an interrupted: "Fu En had a royal father and mother, a native Luowasha, why do you say he’s a Player?"

"...A few days ago, he was not yet a Player." Li Mingyue said.

In that moment, Su Ming’an suddenly felt a cold chill.

"...A few days ago, Fu En was possessed by a Player, he used a Sleeping Spell Formation, making the Player fall asleep, and he seized the Player’s identity. And when Fu En sacrificed himself and died, the Player sleeping inside him also died. As you were moved by Fu En’s sacrifice, no one knew about the Player who perished along with him." Li Mingyue said.

...Is that so.

Su Ming’an remained silent. It turned out there was a Player sleeping inside Fu En... no one had noticed that.

Li Mingyue sighed, her gaze lingering on Su Ming’an, hesitating for a moment, as if she didn’t plan to continue speaking.

However, Su Ming’an’s gaze was distant and silent, waiting for him. Like a prisoner who knows the outcome yet insists on stretching his neck for slaughter. The silence between the two lasted for a while. After a moment, Su Ming’an spoke: "Godfather, continue speaking. You said the world can be likened to a book, then people..."

"People, it’s the same." Li Mingyue continued:

"After the Luo Washa people die... they transform into a book."

"The longer they live, the thicker the book. The shorter they live, the thinner the book. The book records their life’s experiences, joy, anger, sorrow, love, hate, desire, friends, mentors, lovers..."

"Just like a shell can nurture a pearl, and dust-covered grapes can brew wine, when humans finish their brief hundred years and reach the end of life, their time will ferment into books and poems."

"When Players die, a book will also appear, but it will take a while to manifest."

"Therefore, in Luo Washa, in people’s tombstones, besides ashes, there will be a book."

"The appearance of the book varies. Those who lived a flamboyant life will have books filled with Jianghu’s boldness. Those who were gentle and kind will leave behind books filled with warm and healing words. Those who held a youthful mindset will have books tinted with romantic pink and free green. Those who loved little cats and dogs will have books with paw prints, complete with bookmarks, pendants, small cards..."

"Like a piece of art."

"Those who treated stories and words with care, even after death, their souls won’t be alone."

"Discussing love and death, weaving stories into their own lives."

"Waiting to be read, to be appreciated, to be shared, or perhaps, as their final testament."

"—In life, they record words. In death, words record them."

"This is the story people write with their own life."

"It is the book of a lifetime."

...

The death memorials for the Luo Washa people are no longer just rotting corpses, but a book that has written out a life. When people face unavoidable death, they know their story won’t be buried and can be distributed by family or friends, to be remembered always.

If their life was interesting enough, even after a thousand, ten thousand years, even when their eyes are long closed, perhaps someone will still read their life.

"So..." Li Mingyue’s fingers brushed off the dust on the book, making it as clean as new, gently placing it in front of Su Ming’an:

"This is... a book someone left for you."

The cat ear pendant hanging on the book swung, like a gentle dandelion.

At this moment, Su Ming’an’s pupils dilated.

His lips trembled, staring at Li Mingyue in disbelief.

"Ding—ding—!"

A very beautiful book.

A gradient of pink and blue, with a pure and clear color.

The cover had cat paw imprints, the edges had some chocolate patterns, and the bookmark was a small silver sword. The cat ear pendant had a crystal-like texture, swaying with a crisp sound, like her clear black eyes.

And Su Ming’an was not ready to know all this.

Yet everything had already happened.

Li Mingyue’s silent and sad gaze answered his unspoken question — the answer was obvious, why was he still hesitating?

"Tick tock, tick tock."

At this moment, the sound of the clock on the wall was like thunder, and his ears buzzed, almost hearing nothing. He felt like he was standing in a desert of nothing but wind and sand, a traveler dying in thirst.

His pupils slightly dilated, like hearing an absurd joke.

His heart opened a small hole, with cold wind sweeping through. He even felt like he was still dreaming.

"I... wait... no..."

...maybe his hands were trembling.

He couldn’t feel if he was standing.

"No..."

His gaze was blank, reaching out to take this thick book, almost wanting to tear it apart, to tear away the undeniable truth, but his fingers ultimately stopped rationally.

His gaze fell on the short book title.

Only two words, piercing into his eyes.

At this moment, his heart was numb, his eyes turned red, and it seemed he fell into those inescapable nightmares again.

Long before, during vacation, he had a premonition that above her head, there was a Damocles sword destined to fall, named soul lifespan. So they laughed, joked, danced, sang, went to all the places they were supposed to, the little boat crossed the Milky Way, the wooden oars stirred the waves, and the girl’s figure danced lightly at the bow...

But what did Dawn promise him, wasn’t it?

After a long silence, he saw a peach blossom gently fall outside the window, in the peach blossom forest. He remembered, when they stood in the peach blossom forest of Louyue, she lay on a recliner reading comics, her shoulders also covered with peach blossoms.

He told her not to be lazy, and she laughed, saying living long just meant lying there, but after a while, she craved for children’s candied hawthorn.

He told her to read some new comics, and she childishly retorted, saying the old ones were better and had to be savored.

He brought her sweet biscuits from the Capital City, she ate one and wanted more. So they set rules, to protect her teeth, she could only eat three a day... they also agreed, to watch the Northern fireworks together...

He seemed unable to understand everything in front of him, his gaze just dazedly lingering. Then, his fingers began to trace that short book title.

...

—"Yuanyuan"

...

The short book title, a book that belonged to her.

The blue and pink gradient cover, playful yet solemn, cute yet elegant. Stroking the white pages, one after another, so light and thin, yet so thick when closed... as if her slender figure was right before his eyes, word by word, forming her dark and clear eyes.

Those eyes were speaking, words from childhood: Ming’an, you can treat me as family, I will protect you with a sword... never separate again.

—How did she become a cold book?

At this moment, he suddenly missed her a lot.

From the moment she left half a year ago... no, from her time scale... thousands of years ago.

He has always missed her.

...

Tao’er said he gained two more family members.

No.

He only gained one.

...

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