Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1676 - Finale: Across the Shore Arc [19] “‘God’ Is Dead.”
"Sizzle, sizzle."
The flame of the lighter flickered, and on the yellowed parchment, Zhao Yuan read through Pope Hui Chi’s diary, the magnificent and dignified handwriting reaching its conclusion:
[...Sophie and Albert discovered they are characters in a book. And we, are we living in a stranger, more brutal "game"?]
[Existentialist philosophy regarding the rebellion of "existence precedes essence" mentions: "Existence" is anchored by memory, emotion, and connections with others. I remember who I am, you remember who I am, what has happened between us...these bonds of information and relationships constitute the proof of "my existence."]
[A scenario kill dramatic enough, shocking enough, to leave an impression on the hearts of countless "players" is needed to expose the fictitious and manipulable nature of this world.]
[A plan becomes clear with awakening. Bei, my brother...will you understand and agree? Perhaps this is the only thing we can do...]
[I will no longer be merely "Pope Hui Chi." Tomorrow, between the Holy Seats, I will become the "out-of-control Divine Defiler Hui Chi," a massive bug in this game. I will use my actions and Bei’s sacrifice to demonstrate to all—rules can be touched.]
[In a fictional universe game, there is no path to "reality." Then with blood, betrayal, and resolute will, tread a path. Even if this path begins with the end of my character.]
[My confusion will unveil the heavenly light, my struggle will turn into a blade, my wisdom will build the stage for the Savior.]
[If this body can become a sharp blade piercing through illusion, then—]
[This is my "greatness."]
[—May those who come after reach the reality we were unable to witness.]
...
Su Ming’an knelt down, wiping the bloodstains off Hui Bei’s face, tidying his hair, smoothing the hem of his clothing, making the young man’s departure look less disgraceful.
...Hui Bei, you once risked your life to help me, hoping you would attain the truth. But why did your steps end here?
In the Disciple Game, as one of Su Liujin’s six companions, you sacrificed yourself to infiltrate the organizers, crafted an array to awaken Little Liujin, and harmed innocent people like Li Ziqi. I won’t forgive you on their behalf, but I won’t deny your dedicated pursuit of the truth.
Now come to think of it, all your actions left traces, all were to call back Su Liujin, a seed of hope. But, did you find your truth?
Dostoevsky once, through Ivan in The Brothers Karamazov, questioned: "If God does not exist, then is everything permitted?"
Su Ming’an looked up at the mural at the end between the Holy Seats, the face of the Radiant Mother God compassionate and gentle.
In his eyes, the "God" belonging to Luowasha is dead.
Hui Chi stepped to the center of the hall, crossing the smooth obsidian floor.
"In the unaltered version," Hui Chi said, where his fingers passed, the stone Code revealed an entirely different relief, "the first Chapter of Luowasha’s All Things Code records ’All things have spirit, all living beings are equal, responsibility is self-taken.’ This is the cornerstone of the original Three Gods Covenant."
But the next second, the relief was swiftly covered by another more oppressive pattern: a giant eye beaming light onto the beings below, alongside a new maxim:
[All things are blessed, light reigns supreme, authority is God-given.]
Hui Chi withdrew his hand, a trace of stone powder on his fingertip: "From ’self-taken’ to ’God-given,’ the foundation of civilization was replaced. A world that encouraged exploration and responsibility became a world awaiting endowment and obedience."
Su Ming’an spoke: "Hui Chi, you have already torn open the first gap for opening this path in the most extreme way. But you still have me trapped here, is there something left unsaid?"
The Imperial Master’s death, the Pope’s blade, a mad scene exceeding all "scripts"...is the most determined rebellion.
Su Ming’an already understood Hui Chi’s actions, but why does Hui Chi still not let him go?
Then, the golden Pope looked over, his red pupils like those of a wise serpent.
"There is one more thing," Hui Chi said.
"What is it?" Su Ming’an lifted his head.
"Kill the Creator of this game."
"I know." Su Ming’an gripped the Holy Sword in his hand, "Soon, I will face the Radiant Mother God."
But quickly, with a strong sense of acuity, he squinted his eyes slightly, as if sensing something, looking toward Hui Chi.
Then, a suspicion slowly rose from his heart.
Ah.
This Pope...has really offered him too many surprises.
...
Many years ago.
Before Su Ming’an and other players had descended.
Luowasha, Central State, the back courtyard of the Holy Temple.
"The Demon Lord will appear in the future..." From the main hall came Su Wenjun’s voice discussing state affairs, interspersed with reports from subjects and various factions. As the most powerful force on the surface, World Master Su Wenjun was bustling like a spinning top.
Most of the time, Su Wenjun was soaked in the council chamber and memorials, with only a few moments resting against the White Jade God Statue, soon startled awake again. His childhood crawling and struggling in the mud had left a deep shadow, closing his eyes always brought nightmares of freezing to death in slums, frequently causing panic attacks, suspecting everyone around him of planning to assassinate him, or suspecting the wine was poisoned to seal the throat.
The first time Su Ming’an saw Su Wenjun, the seemingly leisurely Su Wenjun was deliberately showcasing relaxation to the Savior’s grace.
Pope Hui Chi is the one who understands Su Wenjun the most. The former values the latter’s ruthlessness and potential, while the latter needs the former’s wisdom and experience. Hui Chi knows that the seemingly omnipotent World Master actually has nightmares of losing everything day and night—terror, mania, depression, tears... All the vulnerabilities that are not suitable to be shown to the world, the World Master resolves by himself next to the goddess statue, while Hui Chi often observes from afar.
Hui Chi admits that Su Wenjun is the most ruthless, smartest, and unscrupulous person he has ever seen—willing to do anything for the desire for power, attempting to grasp everything in the world. In his youth, Su Wenjun must have had an extreme lack of security and perhaps never experienced love from his parents, which is why he so desires to seize everything.
Yet one day, Hui Chi sensed something was off track.
—Ambitious Su Wenjun, Your Majesty, began to cast his gaze beyond the world.
His desire for power within the world had reached its peak, so he began to trace his own origin.
This is the beginning of destruction.
"I want to find the one who created me initially and question why they created me only to cast me aside like an old shoe. I don’t want to carry his appearance, his voice; I want to break away from everything he imposed on me!" Faced with the Godfather’s concern, the proud Ruler answered forcefully, "This has been my ultimate goal along the way, and for this, I can burn everything I have! I want to kill him with my own hands! My ’father’."
So proud, so dazzling, the World Master Su Wenjun, Your Majesty, who rose from obscurity to the highest halls, was as radiant as Luowasha’s sun, burning like flames.
Yet Hui Chi saw destruction in those golden eyes.
...This is a path destined for destruction. How can a chess piece inside the cat box resist the Deity outside the box?
Hui Chi does not wish to follow Su Wenjun down the road to destruction; actually, he feels a secret delight.
—Su Wenjun has finally headed towards self-destruction.
The Narrative Anchor Point’s lens is always mischievous, falling on different people at different times, but without exception, every Protagonist is the most dazzling person of their era. Su Wenjun, seemingly without a doubt, is the Protagonist of this era. With the right time, place, and harmony of people, he is the brightest star of the time, even the Emperor has to shy away from him.
No matter how wise Hui Chi is, no matter how he delivers one world-shaking speech after another, or proposes one sensational suggestion after another for Luowasha... people will never see him.
It’s like there’s an invisible veil shielding him. As long as he stands beside Su Wenjun, even if Su Wenjun does nothing, Hui Chi will always be dim. Even if someone notices this wise Godfather, they will quickly forget, leaving only the vague impression of "the World Master’s Godfather."
Hui Chi knows that this is no longer a fact that human power can shake; the rules of this world are just like this. One person shines, and all others are shadows. Just like in the Creation era of Sique in the Second Epoch, people only remembered the name of Olivius, while the other Creators perished in the Long River of history.
So, knowing that Su Wenjun actively moves towards "self-destruction," Hui Chi feels a secret delight in his heart.
But soon, he feels ashamed of this delight. Su Wenjun dares to leap beyond the chessboard, to fly outside the box, even if it means destruction, he is more noble than himself.
"..."
"...Why not give it a try." Thus, the Pope whispers.
He joined Su Wenjun’s path, searching in the fragments of ancient texts for the oldest truths of Luowasha, in prayers inquiring about the appearance of the world beyond the Mother Goddess, what "High Dimensions" are, what "cosmic organs" are, whether there is other civilizations beyond the planet of Luowasha... Together with Su Wenjun, they piece together the image of the universe, like two frogs trapped at the bottom of a well, desperately jumping to leave this little well.
They were born trapped in this civilization, the lid of the planet firmly shut, unable to see the appearance of the universe.
Until one day, he met a white-haired Immortal, that person had the scent of peach blossoms, resembling moonlight, and claimed to be a "Godfather" like him. After their conversation, Hui Chi slowly discovered one thing—
According to the Oracle, in the Fourth Epoch, the Demon Lord will descend. The Demon Lord will bring many demons and seize the bodies of the native people of Luowasha, replacing their lives.
However, the white-haired Immortal said: "This is merely a statement exaggerated by the Gods due to fear, the Demon Lord is not a desperately wicked person, he is just a kind and gentle child. They are called ’Players,’ and while their seizing of your bodies does affect your lives, it is primarily to save this world."
Hui Chi was moved in his heart.
That day, Su Ming’an, the Savior from the Otherworld, came to visit.
Hui Chi stood in the rear hall, secretly observing the young man called the "Demon Lord" by the Gods. The young man was neither haughty nor humble, appearing youthful yet unfazed. While ordinary people would tremble after speaking with Su Wenjun for just a moment, the young man was at ease, as if he had seen many grand scenes.
Hui Chi sensed the undercurrent between Su Ming’an and Su Wenjun. They seemed to have reached a tacit agreement without words, isolating others in this undercurrent, so much so that even he couldn’t intervene.
This is the atmosphere between Protagonists... ah. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
Hui Chi knew that even if he stepped forward to interject at this moment, he would not be able to meld between the two. He was not a Protagonist favored by the world; all he could do was observe.
Observe until... until Su Wenjun died.
With a heart of flames, the World Master Su Wenjun, Your Majesty, as wished, touched the truth—a truth most profound and terrifying. His ideals were wrong from the start, there were always more boxes beyond the box. In the end, at least he got to choose his own ending—complete vanishment, absolute death.
...
["The universe I admire is a vast and unknown realm. Everything is chaotic. You don’t know when Halley’s Comet will fall, you don’t know from which angle a Black Hole will form, you don’t know how many cheers and laughter are in the deep of the azure violet nebulae, you also don’t know how many intelligent lifeforms of him magnitude are singing in this dark world..." Su Wenjun says, ]
["Once perfect, then? Everything becomes fixed... Is such a universe a ’perfect’ universe, or a universe like still water?"]
["Imperfection is also a kind of beauty, and we’ve long forgotten it..."]
...
Later, Hui Chi learned of this segment of Su Wenjun’s last words. After hearing them, he stood still for a long time, unable to walk away.
He does not envy Su Wenjun; on the contrary, he holds strong respect and admiration. Su Wenjun was able to remain dedicated to his ideals, even with all the world’s power in his hands, decisively burning everything to question the truth, and upon knowing the truth, decisively ending himself, leaving not a trace of ashes.
So proud it inspires awe, so decisive it commands amazement.
Because he’s too clear-headed, he bears the Fate of countless trials yet inescapable—freedom.
Whether triggering the Luowasha Reset, triggering the World Game reset, or triggering the Universe Panggala Return... Su Wenjun hoped that a world on the brink of the Abyss would constantly restart, believing that this way, it would never end.
However, the Protagonist Su Ming’an, pursuing perfection, forever stands on his opposite side.
