Welcome to Rewind World Game
Chapter 652 - 649 - "Do you want me to be Lin Guang or Lv Shu?

Chapter 652: Chapter 649 - "Do you want me to be Lin Guang or Lv Shu?

Su Ming’an’s gaze froze.

His finger rested on the trigger of the "Honor Hunter," but he couldn’t pull it.

... Lin Guang said, Lv Shu had died?

His vision was somewhat blurred.

Lv Shu was a "Follower"; although all mechanisms were similar to those of a Player, he wasn’t clear if Lv Shu, if died in an instance, would resurrect like a Player would.

... What if Lv Shu really had died?

... What if a Follower really couldn’t resurrect?

"I’m going to ask one more time," Su Ming’an spoke, "Lin Guang, are you actually Lv Shu or not? Don’t hide it from me, don’t lie to me. Even if a mission requires you to hide your identity to help me, just tell me. I don’t need that kind of help."

Given the experience of Lv Shu posing as a robed figure in the Eighth World Dome, he had to confirm this.

Hearing this, Lin Guang looked at him with a pale face, as if all his life force had been drained.

His mouth opened wide, his face showing a mix of complex emotions: confusion, sadness, tension, anger... and finally, confusion.

Despair filled his eyes; he hadn’t expected Su Ming’an to still ask this question.

"Who do you hope I am, Lin Guang or Lv Shu?" he eventually asked.

The continuous alert tone rang out, red lights flashing, the wristwatch’s receiving process had reached 30%. The core swelled continuously, like a heart absorbing essence.

"Of course, I hope you are Lv..." Su Ming’an paused, "It doesn’t matter."

Of course, he hoped that the person in front of him was Lv Shu.

If it was Lv Shu, at least it would confirm that Lv Shu was still alive, albeit turned brain-dead. If it was Lin Guang... then based on what Lin Guang had just said, Lv Shu was already dead.

He certainly found it hard to accept.

He thought of another possibility—maybe, in Caius Tower, Lv Shu and the other Players didn’t return to the same time point.

These people returned to 42 years after the Catastrophe, but what if Lv Shu returned to the 12th year, the 2nd year, or even earlier? Discovering that he alone returned to the 2nd year, to achieve his long-held goals, Lv Shu schemed, joined the villains, became a top leader, and thus turned into Lin Guang...

And in the process, lost himself.

"Lewis—!" Lin Guang, realizing his thoughts and suddenly bellowing:

"How arrogant you are—how utterly arrogant—too arrogant!"

His eyes were red with fury, faintly glistening with moisture:

"— Do you still think people like me are merely simulations created by the instance? I am a living person, Lewis! Do you still think only Lv Shu and other players are real, and I can’t be an equal? Only players are human, and we are just tools—you never saw me as a friend, only interacting with me because I was of use to you. If I weren’t like Lv Shu, you wouldn’t have shown me such patience..."

A thunderous crashing sound resounded.

As Lin Guang raged, the entire building seemed to shake; the blood-colored tubes behind him trembled wildly, emitting a strident metal clashing sound.

Meanwhile, Su Ming’an watched this scene coldly, his finger still on the trigger.

If Lv Shu had turned into what was before him now, it was indeed a tragedy.

He suddenly missed the tea Lv Shu had once brewed, with the azure tea leaves floating over the water in a porcelain white cup that radiated an antique vitality. The tea was fragrant and refreshing, unforgettable.

He recalled Lv Shu, dressed in Hanfu during normal days, wearing a Demon Fox mask during New Year, and the quiet yet fiercely supportive Lv Shu...

Just a few days ago, everything was still normal, so why after the opening of Caius Tower... with Noel missing, unable to enter the tower. Why had there even been news of Lv Shu’s death?

... Who else would he lose?

... Who else could he keep?

[Madness is the theme of humanity; we cannot help but be mad]—but if everyone lost themselves, how would he alone face this pervasive madness and [absence]?

"Lin Guang," he said, "look at the way you treat me. Are we truly friends on equal terms? — You’re merely cautiously trying to capture a bird that needs to be domesticated, a bird with black feathers and gray eyes. The moment I resist, you’d clip my wings and kill everyone around me to force me to stay. How can you claim ’equality’ with me? You even have the audacity to be angry at me?"

Lin Guang was stunned.

Unshed tears lingered at the corners of his eyes; he couldn’t understand what was wrong with his way of making friends, as no one had taught him how to do it.

"Moreover, if I hadn’t possessed Acto, would you feel close to me? When we first met in the garden villa of Zone Eleven, if I hadn’t had black hair and gray eyes, would you have spared me?" Su Ming’an said coldly, "You place yourself high above, never seeing humans as equals, slaughtering them like livestock and slaves — how am I to respect you?"

"I didn’t..." Lin Guang was flustered, "Even if you hadn’t possessed Acto, to me, it would have been all the same; I only value you as a person..."

" — How do I make friends with you?" Su Ming’an interrupted, "We are mortal enemies, Lin Guang."

If Lin Guang had killed Lu Shu, then Lin Guang would be his sworn enemy.

Looking at Su Ming’an’s cold expression, Lin Guang felt somewhat at a loss. He had never seen Lewis this angry before, and he vaguely felt that he had made an irreversible mistake.

At that moment, a tightly wound string in his mind snapped.

As if forgoing all dignity, Lin Guang’s expression nearly collapsed as he almost roared out:

"But I look so much like him — you can treat me as him! As long as he is dead, you can treat me as a ’friend’ substitute..."

He had always been high above, the first lucky one to make contact with "Ta Wei," possessing the most powerful strength of the Source; no one could defy his commands.

He looked down on this human world like a deity, never imagining that one day he would be as lowly as a rat in the gutter.

He never understood what "friend" meant or what "loneliness" was; all he could perceive was despair and numbness. Yet, when he finally sensed a hint of happiness, he desperately wanted to hold onto it.

However, for some reason, he would always walk down the wrong path, never finding the right way, unable to turn back, stubbornly making mistake after mistake... until the chasm was no longer crossable.

Su Ming’an was taken aback upon hearing Lin Guang’s words.

...

[As long as Lu Shu is dead, you can finally treat me as a friend’s substitute...]

...

Could Lin Guang really say such a thing?

To voluntarily become someone’s [Substitute]?

Just for such a pitiful and ridiculous reason, he would kill Lu Shu?

"It’s hard for me to imagine..." Su Ming’an slowly said, "that the strongest human, the ruler of humans... would be someone like you."

This truly was the apocalypse.

The most powerful person determining human fate, was such a preposterous figure — how could such a world possibly have a future?

"Humans had already lost — Lewis, we had already lost!" Lin Guang ground out through clenched teeth, "Your resistance is meaningless, nothing but a farce. Those humans jumping around, resisting, they should all die too! Everyone deserves to die — they’re all a menace — they should all die! Humanity should be extinguished—"

"Smack".

A crisp sound.

Lin Guang was stunned.

On his pale, colorless face was a pale red palm mark; he stared at Su Ming’an, who was pulling his hand back, his fingertips trembling.

It was as if an invisible cross had pierced his spine, pinning him to the spot; he couldn’t move.

The palm of Su Ming’an’s hand throbbed slightly, and he couldn’t help but clench his fist, easing the pain. Lin Guang’s defensive strength was indeed formidable, his skin so thick. He had slapped him, and yet it was his own hand that hurt.

He stared at Lin Guang, who seemed almost frozen in place, and said word by word:

"Humanity is ashamed of you."

...

[Doomsday City]

Outside Doomsday City, the army was ready to deploy.

Tretiya, Xia Sheng, Rong Yuan, and Xi, aware that Acto had awakened, gathered on the city tower, gazing at the sand and dirt tinted with blood under the distant sunset.

Su Ming’an’s AI Yeah had already contacted them remotely to notify them to launch the war. The technology left by Acto ten years ago had been almost fully assimilated, making it the perfect time to siege and conquer.

By now, the information panels of domains like Doomsday City had undergone revolutionary changes.

...

[Dominion Name: Freedom Faction (You have received the honor of the highest leader of the Freedom Faction)

Current Level: Level 6

Members: 1,432,513 (Combat Personnel 862,435, Logistics 283,754)

Generals:

Noah (Combat Power 3700 points)

Tretiya (Combat Power 3100 points)

Xia Sheng (Combat Power 2600 points)

Lu (Combat Power 2600 points)

Lu Sa (Combat Power 2350 points)

Rong Yuan (Combat Power 2200 points)

Xi (Combat Power 2000 points)

Che Kylstia (Combat Power 2000 points)

Luo Kylstia (Combat Power 2000 points)

Cheng Luohe (Combat Power 2000 points)

Generals’ Combined Combat Rating: Level 6

Members’ Combined Combat Rating: Level 5

Economy: Level 5

Military: Level 6

Public Sentiment: Level 8 (Highest Level)

Resource Reserves Overall Rating: High Level

Overall Score: 6831 points]

...

Over these ten years, the Freedom Faction had progressed exponentially, just one level behind the Holy Tribunal of Lin Guang.

While the number of generals had increased, the skill level of the military personnel had also improved significantly, enough to sweep across certain cities.

Tretiya held up the flag high. With a "clack", she planted it atop the city wall. The flag fluttered in the blood-colored sunlight.

In the distance, the pale barrier slowly rose, and the army, like dense black ants, streamed out, the clash of metal resonating endlessly.

Under the iron-gray Corridor Bridge, by the city-spanning skywalk, people in armored vehicles listened to the words broadcasted.

Tretiya took a deep breath, her voice emanating from the speakers, reaching every corner of the city-state:

"In the 42nd year of the Catastrophe, marking the tenth year of the Dawn War—Doomsday City has decided to lift the wartime blockade."

"City residents do not need to notify in advance and may enter or exit Doomsday City freely; exotic beasts within the nearby domains have been cleared."

"The population movement blockade is lifted. Doomsday City will no longer refuse outsiders for non-wartime reasons. We welcome all to join the Freedom Faction and contribute their strength to Doomsday City."

"As of today, Doomsday City, under the leadership of the city lord, the Sect Hierarch of the Lighthouse Church—human hero Yasa Acto, is declaring full-scale war on the Deity Faction."

"Under the leadership of Acto, we will fight for humanity’s freedom and honor."

People shouldered their guns, their barrels glowing with an icy blue light. Compared to ten years ago, the weapons of the Freedom Faction had been completely renewed.

Over a million people moved near the city area, walking at their own life’s pace—reminiscent of the thriving and orderly city from 102 years after the Catastrophe.

Amidst the brilliant lights, the night’s cold was repelled, and the entire city shimmered like a resplendent glass lamp.

The 42nd year of the Catastrophe, the Dawn War fully ignited.

Doomsday City and its hundred affiliated gathering spots, leading a million people—against the cruel and merciless heavens’ deities, raised the fire of war declaration.

...

[City of Gods]

At the entrance of the topmost room, a "clack" sounded as Violet barged in:

"My lord, the Freedom Faction has just decided to wage full-scale war. We—"

Her words abruptly stopped.

Seeing the palm print on Lin Guang’s face, Violet looked terrified—as if she had stumbled upon something unimaginable.

"Get out—!" Lin Guang growled, and Violet immediately rolled out onto the floor.

Once Violet left, Lin Guang raised his head, spoke something to the device by his ear, and then turned towards Su Ming’an.

"You can go," Lin Guang said. "The next time we meet, it will be on the battlefield."

Su Ming’an’s wristwatch showed a capture progress of 65%, and he had already gathered 20,000 Contribution Points, enough to exchange for a floater cannon.

He temporarily could not kill Lin Guang; if Lin Guang did indeed kill Lv Shu, that vengeance would only be served on the battlefield.

He passed by Lin Guang, walking away from him.

As the sunset shone on the icy white floor, he stepped on the gradually dimming bloodlight, heading towards the brilliantly lit path outside the main gate.

"After you finish all this, the people of the city-state will not tolerate you," Lin Guang’s calm voice came from behind:

"If you do not suppress them, rule over them like I do, if you give them space to survive and build a city-state for them to live and work in peace and happiness, they will turn against you—they will kill you."

"The desires of mankind are endless; you can never satisfy them."

"You are destined for tragedy; death is your inevitable outcome."

"Sooner or later, you will..."

"Head towards a demise for the sake of civilization."

These almost curse-like words eerily echoed behind him, like a prophecy or a warning.

And Su Ming’an had already left the pure white City of Gods.

He never looked back once.

...

[Time consists of countless series: diverging, merging, and parallel times woven into an ever-growing, complex web.]

[In most of these times, we do not exist, in some there is you but not me, in others me but not you, and in yet others both you and I exist.]

[At this moment, by chance, you visit my room; at another, you walk through the garden to find that I am gone; at yet another, I speak the words I am now, but I am a mistake, a ghost.]

[Because time forever branches, leading to countless futures. In a future moment, I could become your enemy.]

[— Borges]