Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1673: Finale: Crossing the Shore Arc [16] - "Even If I Must Forsake All That I Have Gained
Zhao Yuan’s brain buzzed and went completely blank.
Wha...what?
Evidence of guilt? Evidence he admitted to himself? Handed over voluntarily?
"These include secret agreements with some Abyssal powers and the sacrificial plans in the Holy Sword forging plan." Hui Chi’s tone was unchanging, "and some arrangements and observation records involving the World Master’s Heir."
Each word was like a heavy hammer on Zhao Yuan’s heart. She widened her eyes. This was not just "big news"; it was enough to create upheaval in Luowasha and enough to ruin Pope Hui Chi’s reputation instantly.
She sat dumbfounded in her chair, her gaze moving sluggishly.
Without waiting for Zhao Yuan to speak, Hui Chi stood up, his pure white robe flowing like water with his movements, as he walked towards the heavy door.
"Now, I will leave here." His back was straight, "For the next hour, no attendant or guard will enter this area. You have plenty of time."
"Plenty of time...to do what?" Zhao Yuan turned her head slightly, a bit stiffly.
Hui Chi placed his hand on the door handle and smiled slightly:
"Plenty of time to consider, Miss Zhao Yuan."
"Whether you want to make them public."
"Or, burn them."
"Click."
The door was gently opened and then gently closed.
In the study, Zhao Yuan was the only one left.
Outside the window, the dim sunlight was fluctuating, and the camera on her chest swayed slightly, its lens reflecting the dark surface of the box, showing the lady’s stunned face.
...
Holy temple, outer hall, between the Holy Seats.
"Tap tap tap——"
The soles of boots stepped over the cold, smooth obsidian floor, creating urgent echoes.
The black-haired Divine Son held the Holy Sword, striding through the corridor like a gust of wind; the candle flames swayed on both sides, and the heavy gilded door was ajar. He pushed the door open suddenly, and the surging sunlight made him squint his eyes slightly.
Before his eyes, it suddenly opened up.
This was a gigantic hall that could accommodate a thousand people. The towering dome connected to the sky, and the sunlight filtered through the stained glass became patches of mottled light waterfalls, cascading down.
Countless murals surrounded the walls, depicting the epic of Luowasha from the beginning of creation. The Goddess of Life sowing seeds, the God of Oblivion harvesting souls, gods and demons clashing on battlefields, mortals laboring and perishing under the gaze of deities... Vivid angelic sculptures quietly stood in niches, either bowing their heads in prayer or spreading their wings to fly, witnessing the cycle of destiny for thousands of years.
Between the Holy Seats, the most sacred and solemn place in Luowasha’s mortal world where the Pope prayed to the gods.
—Someone was lying beneath the wings.
At first glance, Su Ming’an almost had an illusion—as if he saw Hui Chi lying there. The same golden hair, but Hui Bi’s hair color was slightly lighter, slightly messy long hair draping over his shoulders, clinging to his pale forehead.
He wore exquisite crystal glasses, his eyes behind the lenses a nearly transparent lake green, the corners of his lips naturally curving slightly downward, often smiling in a way that felt "tea-flavored".
A luxurious dagger pierced through his chest.
The Emperor’s Master was pinned to the highest sanctuary by a murder weapon belonging to the Pope.
His eyes were still open but no longer breathing, his final expression calm.
No mortals were allowed inside the Holy Seats, even if the Emperor’s Master died in there. Except for Su Ming’an rushing inside, knights and priests could only stand outside the door and watch.
"Thud," without anyone pushing the door, as if blown by the wind, the door closed by itself. Constrained by the confinement of regulations, those outside knew there was a problem but dared not push the door open to rush in.
Within the giant hall, only Su Ming’an remained with Hui Bi’s corpse.
Su Ming’an looked up; at the end of the hall was a giant mural of the holy image of the Radiant Mother God Kritchens. Unlike the terrifying giant eye form outside, the mural depicted the Mother God in a "merciful" form familiar to millions of believers: a female figure with a blurred face, eyes slightly lowered, lips smiling, arms open as if to embrace the entire world. From any angle in the hall, it seemed as if she was gently watching you, offering unconditional acceptance and forgiveness.
Holy, dignified, solemn, not to be desecrated.
"Tock, tocktock..."
Like the sound of jade being struck.
Then, an elegant and pleasant sound of a violin.
Someone emerged from behind a sculpture.
He leaned against the god’s sculpture, golden hair curling around the jade stone arm, stained with the fragrance of old paper, ink, and herbs, as if he had just walked from an ancient reading room.
He held a fruitwood-colored violin, drawing the strings, the music sweet and prolonged, the melody like the second movement concerto of Tchaikovsky with faint sorrow.
Their gazes met over the emperor’s blood-stained body.
The melody flowing gracefully between the stained glass of gods and the angel statues.
Then, the Pope set down the violin bow like a sharp sword, placing the violin aside solemnly, then leaned forward slowly, offering a ceremonial gesture.
"—We meet again, Wenli... no." Hui Chi smiled slightly, "Ming’an."
Su Ming’an gazed at the Pope before him; the times he had met Hui Chi did not exceed the fingers of one hand, and their conversations were few. Most of the time, Hui Chi was like a shadow standing behind the World Master Su Wenjun, inconspicuous, even having his advice ignored by the World Master. Only after the World Master’s disappearance did this man, believed to be "compassionate to the point of weakness, loyal to the point of tragedy," reveal a brilliance that made the world hold its breath.
Why?
Why was there such a huge contrast?
Could someone really undergo such a great change after the World Master’s death?
Compared to the familiar Hui Bai, the carded Hui Zi, the Hui Mo who spirited away Ming, the martyr Hui Bi whom he had talked to in the Disciple Game, the sacrificial Hui Cheng... Hui Chi before him seemed as distant as a godly statue, elusive as a mist, unattainable.
"I have inherited the Holy Sword; the final Key is also on the way." Su Ming’an said.
"Yes, you are an excellent Your Highness." Hui Chi smiled.
"When I awaken the Demon Mother Goddess, we will sever this long and enduring destiny, finding a method to end observation."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"—Then why do you still call me ’Your Highness’?"
Su Ming’an slightly wagged his head, the crystal crown lightly swaying.
Su Wenjun had left with a pat, and Su Ming’an never expected to gain the identity of "World Master’s Heir," a mess he created for himself, allowing Su Wenjun to benefit for nothing.
Hui Chi still maintained his smile, neither confirming nor denying.
He stood beside Hui Bi’s corpse, as if waiting for something.
Then, Su Ming’an said: "—Because there are not two ’Your Majesties’ in the world, right, Your Holiness Hui Chi."
The pair of red eyes revealed a smile.
At that moment, Su Ming’an vaguely sensed something.
It felt like a sudden beam of light shining on him.
Like countless pairs of eyes suddenly watching him.
Like he had suddenly become the center of the world.
This feeling was subtle, difficult for ordinary people to detect, but his soul’s positional rank was extremely high, allowing him to sense it instantly.
Soon, he discovered the source of the feeling.
——Bullet screen.
[Ahhhhhh! Su Ming’an! Ah! Su Ming’an!]
[Finally saw him!]
[After watching Hua De and the others brawl under the World Tree, and seeing the radiant protection site of Brother Lü, the camera is finally over here, finally seeing Su Ming’an!]
[What’s happening here? Why is Brother Bi lying on the ground?]
[Why did Hui Chi want to kill Hui Bi, aren’t they together? The most bizarre thing is they’ve been controlling Su Wenli’s body all along, yet no one cares when Su Wenli takes the Holy Sword. What does it mean?]
[Hui Chi looks like the ultimate boss, and here we are, between the Holy Seats, probably about to summon the Mother Goddess of Radiance to descend and seize the Holy Sword. Killing Hui Bi is to seize power, and from now on, Hui Chi will be the sole ruler in the mortal realm.]
[Completely logical.]
[If you can understand this, you must be the Number One Player.]
[Now Su Ming’an can’t defeat the Mother Goddess of Radiance, right? Still trapped inside, would turning around and running give him a chance?]
[Where was the key sent?]
[Even if the key was sent, it takes time to unlock the seal of the Demon Mother Goddess.]
[This is bad, isn’t it a dead end? The brave hero just got the best sword in the village and hasn’t gathered companions yet, but the boss is blocking the way.]
[Su Ming’an shouldn’t have rushed in alone, fell into a trap. Lü Shu and the others are still held back in the square.]
[Is there still an opportunity to replay the World Game? Haven’t some top players revealed it’s happened many times already? We’re already targeted by some Dream Lord, Master of the End of All Things, Supreme Voyeur Lord, Seventh Thrones... Can we really restart?]
[I want to restart! I want to play for another year!]
[A bunch of madmen, if you want to stay, stay yourselves!!!]
[Is restarting without memories truly life?]
...
However, unlike the frantic bullet screen, Su Ming’an was exceptionally calm.
He squatted down and pulled out the dagger from Hui Bi’s corpse.
...
[(Murderous Dagger): This dagger bears traces of demonization.]
...
Then, he reached out to open Hui Bi’s mouth and examined the chest wound.
Hui Chi remained quietly watching him.
The crystal shook, and Su Ming’an tossed the cumbersome crown on his head aside with a heavy noise.
"Hui Bi committed suicide." Su Ming’an flicked his finger, tapping the dagger lightly, "Hui Bi was also killed by you."
His answer stunned everyone.
Hui Chi merely curled his lips slightly and uttered an "Oh?"
"World Master, Pope, Council, three divided." Su Ming’an said, "You killed Hui Bi for me."
"Why?"
"The traces of demonization on this dagger." Su Ming’an tossed the dagger, "This can’t be contaminated by brief contact, it’s more like traces left by some desecration ceremony. Any experienced cleric or judge could easily recognize it."
He pointed to the wound on Hui Bi’s chest: "The angle is straight, pierced from the front, depth consistent, no deviation caused by struggle. This means the stabbed either completely trusted the killer and was unguarded. Or... moved forward on their own."
Hui Chi quietly listened.
"In this case, the autopsy report would show: [Beloved Pope Hui Chi, suspected long-term contact with abyssal demonization power, suddenly lost control between the Holy Seats, assassinated the unguarded Emperor’s Master Hui Bi. Subsequently, Hui Chi sealed the hall, intending harm to the intruding World Master’s Heir Su Wenli.] Su Ming’an stated,
"Faith is the sharpest weapon for the Church to govern Luowasha. The Pope is the Mother Goddess’ only spokesperson in the mortal realm. If the Pope is in trouble, the Tribunal will point fingers at the Church’s inner workings, especially the upper echelons of the Cardinal Group and the Holy Temple Knight Order. To prove their innocence, an intense and brutal internal purge and self-check storm is inevitable. Until the turmoil ends, the Church will be powerless to issue any orders, let alone interfere with the legitimacy of the World Master’s Heir."
"The murder of Council Chief Hui Bi is equivalent to a political signal, enough to unite the entire council temporarily, put aside internal conflicts, and unanimously question the Church’s ruling qualifications. But this is just the first layer."
"Since Hui Bi’s death was voluntary, given his wisdom, he must have arranged posthumous plans. I guess, while he was ’murdered’, he meticulously gathered evidence of multiple powerful corrupt figures within the council, which would be appropriately presented to their political enemies. The excuse of the chief being silenced for investigating internal corruption—once established, everyone in the council would hurriedly clear themselves, attack opponents, and compete for positions during a power vacuum, resulting in inner conflict."
"Hui Bi’s death simultaneously undermined the legitimacy of both the Church and the council. The two forces most likely to obstruct me fell into paralysis due to their respective original sins and scandals. You’ve sacrificed loyalty, honor, and life to pave a relatively smooth road for me."
Hui Chi stood quietly in place, with the sunlight filtering through the stained glass, casting changing spots of light on his face.
"Very correct, Your Highness." He slightly bowed, a graceful gesture: "Only by the most extreme means can the shackles of faith be temporarily broken."
Between the Holy Seats returned to silence, the mural of the Mother Goddess altered to scarlet eyes, still gazing compassionately below.
The bullet screen swept in after a brief pause——
[...Wow.]
[So Brother Bi committed suicide? To pave the way for Su Ming’an?]
[Not just suicide, but cooperated with Hui Chi to perform a play!]
[This plan is too ruthless. Ruthless to oneself and to companions.]
[One is the highest leader of the Church, another is council chief, one killed the other, both sides are in chaos.]
[Just what terrifying future did they foresee that required such measures?]
...
As people sighed, Su Ming’an spoke——
"If I truly thought this, then I’ve fallen completely into your trap."
"Everything I said above, is what you want me to think."
