Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1331 - 1324: Demon Line - "Stop Laughing, Stop Laughing.
——Su Ming’an is dead.
Everyone learned this news.
On the story leaderboard of the World Tree, his story disappeared.
Players, being in instances, are unable to view the player’s combat power ranking, and can only determine a person’s life or death by checking the story leaderboard. Thus, players from all over saw the changes in the leaderboard and spontaneously spread this news.
Fortunately, the Red Sun in the sky no longer descends. People speculate that perhaps the World Tree absorbed Su Ming’an, obtaining sufficient nourishment, and thus successfully delayed the Red Sun.
They have more time to build the Sanctuary.
After the Red Sun faded, it started to snow.
This is a normal snow.
White snow falls on the treetops, adorning the branches with silver bracelets. The ground covered in thick snow resembles a flawless white satin extending to the horizon.
The entire world is immersed in prolonged tranquility and purity.
The sunlight hangs low, and snowlight fills the sky.
...
Su Ming’an is dead.
This news flew into the ears of the players like a swift swallow.
At this moment, looking at the falling snow, people’s hearts were blank.
They didn’t know how to react or what to say. Perhaps they had experienced it once in the Tenth World, but after that, it made them even more unable to accept this concept.
They were already on guard, knowing that when they heard such news again, it must be Su Ming’an’s trick, and he would surely appear once again.
This trickster always liked to deceive others willingly, even about his own death.
However, in the eyes of the players, anyone can lie, except for the system—it wouldn’t. In their view, the World Tree’s story leaderboard is the system’s ranking. And Su Ming’an’s story disappeared, so he has...
So that person is gone.
He had stepped through countless hardships, turned himself into kindling, burning amidst them.
What doesn’t kill a person only makes them stronger. But nothing could kill him, so he was forced to become stronger again and again.
When he sat quietly on the Divine Position with no return, silently gazing at the ladder of corpses at the summit, unable to speak, unable to crumble, unable to express—countless people still reached out to him, pleading, please save me.
When was it exactly?
The flickering candlelight became eternal, unquenchable light.
Looking far ahead, the distant mountains, adorned by heavy snow, resembled a silver giant dragon, coiling between heaven and earth, quietly guarding the world.
The snowdrifts under the eaves looked like rows of cotton candy, fluffy and white.
...
Su Ming’an is dead.
"You’re joking, right..." Player Laine, upon learning this news, was full of shock, the cigarette in his fingers trembling, ashes falling softly: "I just thought of a follow-up story for the Mermaid and the Captain, ready to tell him..."
The only response he received was emptiness.
He looked at the silent sea, listened to the ship’s whistle, and smoked alone.
"...This is another one of that guy’s jokes, right?"
His cheeks faintly ached; he had been beaten up by Su Ming’an several times, and now, besides resentment, he actually felt a bit nostalgic. He began to wonder if he and Boris had the same quirk.
He saw the vast sea before him, a gaunt swallow skimming over the waves, flying high into the distance.
...
Su Ming’an is dead.
"Don’t make these inexplicable jokes." Upon hearing the news of death, Xiao Xiao and Wang Zhenzhen shook their heads; they were busy with small tasks like delivering messages, fighting tiny monsters, running errands. They, as ordinary players, mostly did these trivial tasks, like a drop of water in the world.
"Although he was a student just like me, he wouldn’t die." Wang Zhenzhen waved her little fist, recalling the composure of that person at the Mingxi campus. Despite the rumors and slanders, he never lost his way and would protect someone not much younger than herself.
They never thought there would be such a day.
So much so that Xiao Xiao scorned to open the leaderboard to confirm this answer. As if by not exposing it, it hadn’t happened.
They looked out the window; the river was no longer flowing beneath the snow cover, like a frozen band of crystal, shimmering faintly in the cold wind.
Outside the window, a swallow flew by, draped in the glow of dusk, slicing through the smoke from cooking stoves.
...
"...What? Did I see it wrong?" Mei Yani rubbed her eyes, bloodshot.
She opened the World Tree story leaderboard, surprisingly finding that the story ranked first had disappeared, now replaced by Noel’s story. She frantically searched dozens of pages, but couldn’t find Su Ming’an’s name.
At this time, it was just evening.
Snowflakes like countless dazzling stars fell lightly, as if the Milky Way in the sky had poured down, enveloping the world in a white dream.
She sat blankly, the full perfect pass pattern mark on the back of her hand burning hot:
"...I previously said I had to prove myself to be a Lighthouse in front of him. But why did he..."
She was an ambitionless full perfect clear completer, whose only wish was to be praised by Su Ming’an in person. Because she had personally experienced it, she knew better than most how difficult it was for Su Ming’an.
But, why?
The willow catkins beside her fluttered, and a swallow skimmed over her head.
...
In the bustling city, on the rooftop of a high building, a black-haired girl stood solitary. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
She held a completed painting. On it was a black and white Su Ming’an, sitting amidst fireworks, and beneath the brilliant colors of the fireworks, only he was in silent monochrome.
Step by step, she moved forward.
The painting of Su Ming’an she made in the Seventh World was complete, just waiting to be given to him.
She never regretted the explosion she caused in the Main God World, nor cared about others’ criticisms. She only wanted to deliver this painting, to put a period on her absurd life.
The misunderstanding parents, the scolding audience, his indifference... all made her realize her own poverty.
"I thought that in this Eleventh World, I could meet you once, enough to end my absurdity. I know, I’ve always been a clown, so I don’t intend to take off the clown’s mask."
"I misunderstood your Lighthouse theory, and did something self-destructive... Even though it was something I always wanted to do, I raised your banner, thinking my selfish desires were for your good."
"I just, for myself, created an ’ideal you’ in my head to whom I obsessively clung, entertained myself, and did not regret it."
"From birth to death, it should end."
She took out a mental diagnosis, tore it to pieces, letting it flutter like snowflakes through the high-rise, and then—
Embracing the completed painting.
Leaning forward, she fell.
A swallow soared above her head as if it were another fallen soul.
Amidst the heavy snow, it seemed everything between heaven and earth was cleansed, fresh and pure, like a long deep breath from nature, bringing all clamor to tranquility.
...
Su Ming’an died.
The news spread widely because the disappearance of the rankings was undeniable.
The teammates sat quietly around the table, as if sharing a meal without food.
Outside the window, the snowflakes fell thicker, insisting on turning the world upside down. The bright white hue covered the mountains and rivers, and scratched the glass warmed by heating.
After the red sun retreated, the scorching heat that burned everything disappeared, replaced by an evening snow.
The view was left with nothing but pale.
The snow of the first half of the night was always long and silent.
Under the warm yellow light, Luna was wearing a scarf embroidered with the moon, Yamada Machiichi’s anime book lay on the table, Lu wore black gloves, and Lin Yin had a bamboo flute hanging at her waist.
They sat in silence, as if they had made numerous efforts, yet stopped at an unchangeable outcome.
After a long silence, Lu broke it:
"When Su Ming’an gave me the black gloves, I was puzzled, wondering if he misunderstood my past... because most of the time, my hands never get stained with blood. He probably thought I was a killer." Lu looked at the black gloves: "However, I forgot to explain that to him."
Lin Yin also said: "And I don’t like playing the flute, the one he gave me is too long. I must find a way to tell him I like a leaf whistle instead, and make him come back to find me promptly..."
But there was no chance anymore.
What was the point of saying such things?
"I still remember when Su Ming’an and Eni exchanged gifts, each understanding the flame occupation..." Luna gave a wry smile and glanced at the empty seats of Su Ming’an and Eni.
But now, both of them are gone.
The fragrance of tea silently lingered on the table, with the scarf, black gloves, bamboo flute, and comic book all from Su Ming’an, yet no one occupied the seats.
This vividly reminded them that someone once left so many traces.
Isabella adjusted her glasses and calmly said: "The number of remaining teammates displayed is 11/15. Yamada Machiichi, Eni, Lunxue, and Qin Si have been confirmed dead, but according to Noel’s information, they should have fallen into the hands of the Master of the End of All Things without having their power wiped out, which is a relief."
She glanced around, receiving the mournful and confused gazes of several teammates.
Who could have imagined that within a mere six days, their number of teammates would shrink by a third? This was extremely rare among players on the leaderboard.
Even more, no one expected he would leave just like that.
Now, Luowasha brutally told them that in this high civilization of deity and World Tree, one wrong step leads to the abyss.
"According to the number of remaining teammates, Su Ming’an should not be dead." Lin Yin raised her voice.
She had hitched a ride back to the Main God World with Kasadia, retaining all her power, still qualified to continue the pass; upon hearing about Su Ming’an’s incident, she immediately traversed the gap between worlds to return.
But it was already too late, he had disappeared under the layers of the World Tree.
Even if she had made it in time, there seemed to be nothing she could do.
"But a body, drained of its soul, is also considered ’alive.’ We couldn’t bring him out from inside the World Tree... that’s a fact." Shiyi’s voice was heavy.
"Additionally, as a Nine Tails with high spiritual knowledge, I can perceive..." Yi Song softly said, "The life aura inside the World Tree has vanished. This indicates that he has already..."
He was already dead.
"Damn it!" Luna rarely swore, her fist pounded against the wall, oozing blood: "Again... again..."
Why can’t people ever keep up with him!
He was always charging ahead, too fast, too far, and just like that, he disappeared with a slight lapse.
Her eyes were red, she thought she could start anew and catch up with her teammates, but even after catching up, Su Ming’an’s figure was still out of sight.
He was a good child, good children should have good endings—she said this before the Eleventh World began, but why did everything turn out against their wishes? What was destiny tormenting him for?
Outside, the birds chirped hoarsely, carrying the scent of sea breeze, smoke, grass, and snowflakes.
A black and white swallow sang of the spring that was already past.
Oh believer without god, what are they exactly hoping for? Is it mourning? Or a subconscious belief that he hadn’t left, thinking that as long as they talked about the past, he would leap out from it?
He had already hit the southern wall and wouldn’t turn back.
"How’s Lv Shu... doing." Lin Yin said at this moment.
Everything that happened today... Lv Shu was the most heavily injured, having paid an unimaginable price.
"He... should still be alone by himself..." Isabella slowly said.
They did indeed place love and support on Su Ming’an, but it was not a single-minded commitment; there were more and broader things that supported them.
But for Lv Shu... that was scarce.
From the moment he swallowed the Kasadia divinity, the white-haired youth unhesitatingly crashed into a ’southern wall’ similar to Su Ming’an’s.
...
Lv Shu stared at a small metal ginkgo bookmark in his hand, his gaze unfocused.
His hair was withered and white, unlike before, like a patient at the end of his wits.
Soon, with a heavy "thud," Lv Shu’s head hit the wall, bright red blood flowed down his forehead, he panted heavily, clenching his teeth tightly, as if nailed fiercely to a plank, every muscle trembling.
His entire body was wrapped in heavy chains, blood pooled on the ground, tugging tightly at his madness.
His face was pale as paper, cold sweat continually seeping from his forehead.
Endless laughter echoed in his ears:
"Hee-hee!—Ha-ha-ha!—Ha-ha-ha-ha!—!"
Seven-colored light roamed around him, coalescing into countless phantom faces laughing along, each sound inciting fierce turmoil within him.
Having swallowed divinity far beyond his self-capacity, the ultimate ending—soul annihilation, with no chance of rebirth.
He had persisted for an entire afternoon, every time hearing this sound, he would rely on self-harm to regain clarity, to strive to survive.
Just to remind himself... of what happened today.
"Stop laughing!" He banged his head against the wall, yet another wound appeared on his forehead.
Under the impact, his body curled into a ball, like a wounded little beast desperately resisting an assault, groans emanated from the depths of his throat, but he forcibly repressed them, like charcoal burning in a fierce fire giving out weak whimpers.
"Stop laughing—!!" His emerald eyes were filled with bloodshot lines.
The laughter pierced through at every turn. Pain wrapped around him like a venomous snake, fangs digging into his marrow with every heartbeat.
"Stop laughing—stop laughing—stop laughing—" He couldn’t utter words of begging, merely torturing himself incessantly, as if destroying himself could bring him some momentary peace.
Finally, when his consciousness was about to fade, he pulled a gun out from his pocket and aimed at himself, setting it off with a "bang."
As the blood flowed, a peculiar sense of joy emerged.
