Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1679: Final - · Crossing the Shore Arc [22] · "He Really Seems Unafraid of Anything Now.
Luowasha, Eastern District, Desert Highway.
An old and worn-out heavy pickup truck sped across the sandy ground, packed with a group of young people curiously looking around.
Cigarette ash occasionally drifted out of the window. The driver, a scar-faced man with a scraggly beard, held the steering wheel with one hand while smoking with the other resting outside the window.
"— What the hell? What’s happening? It’s daylight!"
A round brown head poked out, seeing the distant rising light and fire.
"Brother Wang, get your head back in! Don’t get hit!" Chen Yuhang quickly pulled the curious Wang Xingkong back into the car.
The escort team heading to the Central State had smoothly passed several teleportation formations and defenses on their way, only for the sky to darken while the sky grew brighter. Even from a distance from the city, Wang Xingkong spotted a giant eye.
Si Nian glanced over, lighting a cigarette languidly: "Why panic? When immortals fight, the fire won’t reach us."
Wang Xingkong immediately nodded.
In a chaotic and crumbling world, they owed their smooth passage thus far to Si Nian. Not long after leaving the battlefield, a group of emaciated refugees blocked the road, and it was Si Nian who coaxed them aside.
During this time, Si Nian fully demonstrated what it meant to have "survival wisdom." Bandits disguised as refugees, profiteering merchants, opportunistic extortionists, and ambiguous aid-seekers... each time, it was Si Nian’s unbelievable veteran survival methods that turned the tide.
Pretending, acting dumb, showing weakness, playing tricks, cheating and deceiving...
Others in the team, initially shocked, gradually became accustomed to it.
They were too high up, blinded by lofty words like "civilization," "gods," "destiny," "freedom," never imagining that the bottom layer of Luowasha would be like this.
Finally, the battered pickup reached the large city with a teleportation formation, and after teleporting, they arrived at a settlement near the Central State.
Here, they only needed to wait for Su Ming’an’s signal. Once Su Ming’an secured the Holy Sword, they would proceed for the handover.
"Why not go now?" Wang Xingkong asked foolishly.
"It’s chaotic over there, the entire area is filled with sacrifices. Are you sure you can survive it?" Hang Xin, with golden ponytail, exuding a lady-like demeanor, snorted, "We’re waiting for them to come out."
...Alright. Wang Xingkong surrendered.
The settlement was a small enclave outside the city, chaotic enough to facilitate hiding.
The team entered the settlement.
The towering World Lord’s Palace stood in the distance, occasionally emitting earthshaking sword light. The sky alternated between pale as day and dark as night, occasionally a hot wind mixed with burnt smell blew through. But the people in the settlement seemed used to it.
The narrow streets were muddy, flanked by rickety sheds, tents, and makeshift shelters. The air was laden with the smell of cheap alcohol, cheap spices, and food mixed together. The people bore a long-term malnourished look, their eyes filled with numb busying.
Chen Yuhang saw people exchanging moldy bread for necessities, others gathered noisily disputing over a small patch of clean ground. The sharp cries of children and the shrill curses of women were often heard.
"Sigh..."
He covered his ears.
Mo Yan frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the environment. Wang Zhenzhen hugged her book, casting a calm gaze around.
Chen Yuhang felt uneasy; this place was completely different from his imagined "Land of Heroic Descent."
"Why... when the fate of the entire world lies not far away..." he mused, "why does this place seem so... mundane."
He subconsciously touched his pocket. The note had burned, but Su Ming’an’s line "to kill the deity" weighed heavily on his mind. Waiting here for destiny’s call felt... exceptionally absurd.
Are heroes supposed to wait for a handover in such simple places?
Where’s the Holy Temple? The Underground Holy Hall? The cemetery filled with crosses? The Sky Island? Why does it feel nothing like the grand final scenes depicted in many games?
So this is what the bottom layer of Luowasha looks like... his mind began to see these colorful legends fade.
Suddenly, Xiao Xiao’s steps halted.
"Look over there..." he trembled, "isn’t that person..."
Their gaze fell on a three-story building, through the gap in the window curtains, warm light illuminated inside, where two people sat at a wooden table. A mother in her forties gently fed the girl across from her.
The girl, around her teens with braids, smiled brightly at her mother while eating, her eyes sparkling.
Simple food was placed on the table, with steam rising from bread and soup.
Peaceful, warm.
Enough to reveal how happy this mother and daughter were.
However, both Xiao Xiao and Wang Zhenzhen froze.
Others felt puzzled: "Who are they?"
Wang Zhenzhen covered her mouth, showing disbelief: "Xiao, Xiao Xiao brother... Isn’t that... Su Ming’an’s... mother?"
Chen Yuhang, standing close, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately focused his gaze. Su Ming’an’s mother, here?
Why?
Why is his mother raising another child, seemingly indifferent to his life or death? Even at such a time, feeding the child with soup?
Does she not love him?
"Shush..." Xiao Xiao reacted quickly, immediately pulling everyone away, "This isn’t our concern."
Their primary task is to remain low-key. Despite his own anger, wondering how a mother could be so biased, caring more for another world’s child than her own son, he knew it wasn’t his place to intervene. He only hoped Su Ming’an wouldn’t find out.
They lit a fire and waited for news.
The cold night deepened, and the rumbling in the direction of the distant palace seemed to temporarily subside.
"Eat, fill your stomachs a bit." Si Nian distributed food among everyone.
Wang Xingkong, starved, instantly devoured his share, incoherently speaking: "Si Nian bro... you’re amazing. If it were me, I wouldn’t even get moldy bread... How did you do it?"
Si Nian lifted his eyelids to glance at him: "Here, money doesn’t always work. You must understand the rules, know who you can interact with, who to avoid. I saw an old one-armed man, he used to be a kitchen helper, loved smoking; I traded half a pouch of tobacco for this can of soup."
Wang Xingkong listened in amazement. He always thought Si Nian was just a sly old soldier, but on this journey, he suddenly realized that in such extreme conditions, Si Nian’s seasoned survival wisdom was perhaps more practical than Mo Yan’s straightforward swordsmanship.
"Hey, did you really come out of the Mingxi campus instance?" Now, a curious Wang Zhenzhen couldn’t resist asking Wang Xingkong and Chen Yuhang.
Chen Yuhang opened his mouth, feeling himself coming from the instance, like an NPC in players’ eyes, seemingly inferior...
"Smack!" A sunny voice sounded, Wang Xingkong patted Chen Yuhang’s shoulder, "Yes! I’m Chen Yuhang’s good buddy! Living life by the book, schooling, exams, listening to parental nagging, it’s tedious. I thought life shouldn’t be predictable, so we came down here."
"It’s really Brother Wang!" Xiao Xiao also joined in, "We met in the third instance, remember me? I’m the caregiver, I found your skin. Zhenzhen is the student I rescued."
"Hahaha... Hahaha... Well..." Wang Xingkong scratched his face, "People actually say the Disciple Game is a fake version of the World Game. So, I’m probably, not the real deal..."
In his memory, there was no Xiao Xiao or Wang Zhenzhen. He knew he wasn’t the Wang Xingkong that players were familiar with.
He might just be... an imposter.
His parents were Zhai Star people, and his essence was npc, thus unable to recognize...
Seeing this, Mo Yan quickly intervened: "My turn, my turn. Well... Hello everyone, I practice swordsmanship, I’m fairly skilled, and hearing about the escort mission here, I came to help."
"I know! I know you!" Wang Zhenzhen suddenly overlooked Wang Xingkong’s awkwardness, "Sword Sect! Xiaoyao Zi!"
Mo Yan’s cheeks instantly turned bright red.
Before he could stop her, Wang Zhenzhen jumped up, picked up a wooden stick, and swung it vigorously, shouting powerfully:
"Youth fleeting in an instant. The Dao of Heaven ever constant, endlessly cycling—"
Ahhhhhhh—Mo Yan’s hands froze, his cheeks flushed red.
He waved his arms, wanting Wang Zhenzhen to stop performing, he didn’t want to see this!
"In the struggle of the Great Dao, how can we fear!" Wang Zhenzhen straightened a wooden stick as if piercing the sky, shouting loudly, "Disciple of Xiaoyao Zi from the Sword Sect, Mo Yan, challenge your skills!"
"Alright, alright, alright!" Mo Yan blushed red, quickly pulling Wang Zhenzhen to sit down, "Stop, stop, I’ll call you sis. Sis! Stop. It’s not suitable for every occasion, I only say this when I have absolute resolve. Only twice in total!"
"But Mo Yan brother survived, isn’t it more like a victory phrase!"
"Mmm... hmm..." Mo Yan felt somewhat proud yet blushed, "Yes, a victory phrase!"
If it weren’t for victory, he wouldn’t have come this far, maybe this is called survivor’s bias...
Master taught that in battle, one should be carefree, casting aside any concerns, focused solely on the sword. It is precisely this heart of the sword that enables him to face death without fear.
Nearby, mother and daughter Talia and Hang Xin listened, Talia looked at everyone and solemnly said, "I am immensely grateful for your arrival, warriors of the Otherworld. Please do not heed the words of some selfish individuals; as long as you can save this world, even if you take my life, it doesn’t matter."
"You are too kind, we are not as great as you imagine." Mo Yan quickly waved his hand, "Of course, my brother is very great!"
"Thus, I can’t comprehend..." Talia held her daughter’s hand tightly, "How could a mother... treat her own child like that? He is not an evil child, so why?"
Silence persisted for a while.
No one could answer, perhaps only Lin Wang’an understood in his heart.
"What about you two, you haven’t said anything yet?" To break the silence, Wang Xingkong targeted Xiao Xiao and Wang Zhenzhen.
The young couple exchanged glances and laughed.
"Zhenzhen and I are just ordinary players." Xiao Xiao rested his arm on Wang Zhenzhen’s shoulder, "No earth-shattering stories, no epic tales of love and hate. Like most players, adventuring peacefully, living peacefully, today’s escort counts as the most remarkable event we’ve participated in so far; in the future, talking to neighbors and relatives, will give us face."
"Hee hee, we came to save points for buying a house in the future." Wang Zhenzhen said with a smile, "If you want to live well in the future, you need to gather more points, adventure a little, then adventure a little."
"I will protect Zhenzhen." The babysitter solemnly patted his chest, "Even if high dimensions stand in front of me, even if the world collapses!"
Wang Zhenzhen laughed and patted his shoulder, "If the heavens really fall, you must lift them immediately!"
"From now on, I will ensure Zhenzhen is unharmed!" Xiao Xiao raised his hand to swear.
His solemn oath made the group burst into laughter, the campfire crackled, every face appeared rosy.
Different worlds, different origins, different reasons, a group gathered here.
An escapist heart of adventurous awe, the chivalrous sentiment of repaying kindness, the heavy responsibility entrusted by friends, the sweet love longing for happiness... a group of companions gathered here for their own goals, sharing food, warmth, and love.
By the small campfire, Chen Yuhang quietly listened, feeling an unfamiliar warmth flow inside.
He came from an ordinary high school classroom, without players traversing the world witnessing countless tragic epics, lacking the strength and legacy of Luowasha locals. He is just an ordinary teenager unexpectedly caught up.
Fortunately, Brother Wang is still by his side.
Sitting here, listening to these people chatting from all over, the teenager gradually understood why adults enjoy gathering during the New Year, chatting about the sky and the earth. Under the boundless sky, regardless of distant storms, the world seemed to shrink into a small point, only the simplest words, gently lifting countless pains, persistence, cares, attachments, wishes, ideals...
Indeed, even if it is but a fleeting moment, even though humans compared to the vast universe truly only have such fleeting moments... it is not without meaning.
Even if predestined to be buried in the Sand Sea, even if footprints will not remain, the warmth and emotion at this time... are also meaningful.
That Savior, Su Ming’an, he also holds similar thoughts and aspirations, therefore never gives up, right?
They just want to do something for this world, even if there’s risk, even if they’re just a child shallow in thought, so what.
He does not regret coming here. Wang Xingkong, this good buddy, is still beside him making noise, and he can safely deliver the "key" entrusted by Su Ming’an, as long as he can walk this path with these real, lovable people...
He seems, to truly fear nothing.
Saints are high, sinners are distant.
They are a group of ordinary people seeking happiness, smiling.
...
Luowasha, Central State, Holy Temple Square.
"Boom—!"
The grand Holy Temple supporting countless eras collapsed in a long rumbling sound. Painted glass turned to powder, raising dust and golden light obscuring the sky.
The dust had not yet dispersed, a figure stepped over the ruins and emerged.
He trod over broken grape flowers and remnants of holy statues, with echoes as if lingering behind him.
The crown atop his head had long shattered, the intricate Holy Robe transformed into a tattered cloak, white and gold light glowed behind him.
"Hu—"
The light sound of wings expanding.
A pair of white, large, luminescent tentacles elegantly unfolded behind him, gently closing, sheltering him in the center.
When he slowly raised the Holy Sword in his hand, breaking through the first ray of daylight in the dust—
All eyes converged here.
Players who fought hard until scarred looked up; spectators from afar held their breath.
In the perception of external time, he entered "Between the Holy Seats" for but a moment. As he stepped out again, it signified the entire Holy Temple, the core of old era faith, completely collapsed behind him, like a glorious and heavy era concluding in his wake.
Su Ming’an lightly tapped the debris with his toes, his figure shot upwards like an arrow.
Following him was a figure with black wings flapping, white hair stained with not-yet-dry blood, flying backward in the strong wind.
"...It’s Su Ming’an."
"It’s Su Ming’an and Lü Shu."
"They came out, seems they’re safe."
"What’s the situation with Hui Chi killing Hui Bei? What conspiracy and plot?"
"Luckily Su Ming’an is alright."
Amidst the ruins, whispers transmitted with the wind. Seeing Su Ming’an in that instant, nearly every player relaxed, as if seeing a reassuring savior.
Su Ming’an stabilized his form in the air, looking up.
He saw that figure.
