"Su Ming'an, have you heard of the concept of 'Word Spirit Transfer'?" General Qin asked.

"Yes. The Ascension of the Holy City is to transfer the Word Spirit of the Overlay to ten thousand eras, while the Holy City detaches itself."

"Correct. As long as the cost paid is high enough and it detaches from civilization, this effect can be achieved—using the detachment property of The Republic to shield others, changing the target of the Overlay's Word Spirit from all humankind to ten thousand eras."

"I understand. It's like ten beans on a table, covering nine with a hand, the Overlay can only take the last one."

General Qin nodded, suddenly looking out the window.

Su Ming'an also looked out with him.

At this moment, it was the countdown to the Ascension of the Holy City.

"Ten—"

"Nine—"

The height of the Holy City rose little by little, like a drop of water merging into the vast sky. People shouted the countdown, like the bell of the New Year about to ring.

"Three—"

"Two—"

"One—!"

With a soft sound, the height of the Holy City soared up, becoming a snow-white pearl on black velvet. Ten thousand threads of time separated from the Holy City, the threads connecting different eras broke one by one.

General Qin still refused to reveal his true appearance and name. He looked gently at Su Ming'an:

"My consciousness will wear down over a millennium, I will also become evil with the accumulation of negative emotions—A thousand years ago, I was my kindest self, and a thousand years later, I will become my most evil self. Then, please inherit all of me."

"...General Qin, I still do not know your true name." Su Ming'an said.

"No matter."

"I don't even know you very well..." Su Ming'an said.

"There is no need to remember my name, just consider me as one of the billions of people from the World of Old Days." General Qin waved his hand nonchalantly, "Death requires no thorough understanding, nor do I need anyone to remember my appearance and character. So, farewell, Su Ming'an."

His figure was gaunt from many trials. But his eyes gleamed brightly.

Behind him was the universe flickering with endless stars, perhaps a perfect full moon, perhaps a distant radiant sun, perhaps a beautiful azure planet.

In the next moment, Su Ming'an watched as a dark box "thumped" shut, the hero became a cat trapped between electronics.

...

"Before humans reach their life's end, they will pass on the authority they hold. Therefore, I materialized the authority of the strong in the world game and dispersed it throughout. Its name is 'Rune of Immortality (Authority)'."

"The Exotic Species King is a trigger-like program, input 'Rebirth Conditions' and 'Rebirth' will be output. If the Exotic Species King is a lock, a key is required to unlock it. I have programmatically output a sword, identical in essence to the Life Hard Drive, both are energy storages. When this sword is inserted into the Life Hard Drive, it's akin to a key being inserted into a lock, unlocking the thousand-year-old Exotic Species King, retrieving thousand-year-old emotional energy. Its name is 'Sword of Destiny (Energy)'."

"Moreover, I have one more thing to do."

The Deity spoke here, fingers digging into his eye socket, a white glowing eyeball lay in his palm:

"This is a part of my divinity consciousness. It will assist you a millennium later to unseal the Exotic Species King. I will place it in the deep sea unreachable by modern technology, and when the Old God awakens, it will automatically rise to the surface. Its name is 'Eye of the Past (Faith)'. Considering in simulation, the Eye of the Past was polluted by the Overlay, I will bury it even deeper this time."

"Su Ming'an, take these three components, and confront Him."

...

In the instant the Holy City ascended into the starry sky, the Overlay took action.

Under the blue-purple flowing light, the pollution at the edge of the Holy City expanded rapidly.

Su Ming'an stood on the mechanical wheel, ascending into the sky, nearly face to face with the Overlay. This time, Su Ming'an clearly saw the appearance of the Overlay—gold-black hair, deep blue eyes covered in brilliant starlight, unlike a human, devoid of any smile, no longer the gentleness of before.

It was only fitting for a Higher Dimensional Being to be this way. Su Ming'an never believed in the naive gentleness displayed by the Overlay.

"Higher Dimensional Beings overlook humankind like ants. I never believed you would show gentleness to ants." Su Ming'an said.

"No, you're different." The Overlay's eyes moved slightly.

Thousands of transparent threads suspended around Him, each extending to unseen distances—forests, rivers, wastelands, mountains, the Holy City, the starry sky... He tugged at these threads, a simple motion could overturn mountains and seas. He gazed at Su Ming'an, asking one last time:

"As you can see, I have been watching from above the starry sky for a long time, the Causal Line has penetrated to unimaginable depths. In this battle, it seems you've defended thoroughly, but I can make countless mistakes, while you cannot afford a single one."

"I ask you one last time, Su Ming'an. Will you ascend to the starry sky with me? If you come with me, I can abandon the World of Old Days. I've lingered in the starry sky for a millennium, not out of hatred for the World of Old Days, but because... I wanted to wait for you to arrive in this world."

"The purpose of my thousand-year vigil, from the beginning, was solely for you."

Because Su Ming'an saw through the Overlay's feigned gentleness, even when speaking such sincere words, the Overlay maintained an expressionless face, as cold as if discussing a transaction.

Su Ming'an laughed: "What am I? A coveted treasure? To keep me, the Deity would rather abandon the World Origin. The organizers can spare Zhai Xing. You can also spare the World of Old Days. I truly do not understand why I, an ordinary person, have become a prize you all compete for."

There was nothing reflected in the Overlay's pupils, no Star Sea, no flowing light.

"Because I have paid attention to you since long ago." The Overlay said.

"...So, who are you?" Su Ming'an asked.

The Overlay remained silent.

He gently twitched a thread, as if playing a silent piano: "I remind you one last time. There is a very frightening thing connected to one of the Causal Lines under my forefinger. If I press it down, you will regret this refusal."

Su Ming'an glanced down.

A mass of people gathered in the Holy City. He was their God, he could not show fear.

"I cannot agree with you." Su Ming'an said.

The Overlay let out a vague chuckle: "Are you not afraid of any consequences?"

"Afraid." Su Ming'an said: "But I have no way to turn back, so I must refuse you, it's that simple—Invader, listen well—I reject all your temptations, refuse all the benefits you offer. This answer, whether a thousand years or more, will never change."

Hearing this final ultimatum, there was a slight tremor in the Overlay's eyebrows. It was an answer with no room for turning back.

Between them, now finally lost that last bit of tugging, nothing feigned or pretended remained.

The air grew extremely cold in that moment.

"Then."

The Overlay's voice, too, turned icy and flat, the last trace of tenderness vanished.

His forefinger pressed down, that Causal Line began to sizzle and quake. Su Ming'an had no idea where this Causal Line led. A Higher Dimensional Being's hidden card, dormant for a thousand years, if never shown, humanity could never account for it. The Millennium Plan might be perfect, but it cannot consider the Overlay's never-revealed card.

Su Ming'an focused intently.

"By you... to inherit the sum of all my Causalities throughout the millennium. Su Ming'an." The Overlay said.

"I curse you—"

His voice became low, like a cold snake,

...yet it evoked the temperature of white phosphorous fire, or perhaps the last rays of the setting sun.

Su Ming'an's pupils contracted slightly, he suddenly realized something—

This was the culmination of the Overlay's millennium of accumulation, capable of granting the highest rank, broadest range, and strongest applicability Word Spirit, surpassing all others—

Long ago, Su Ming'an knew that a Word Spirit is a small Wishing Machine. As long as the positional rank is high enough, the cost paid is sufficient, regardless of the wish's content, target, method, duration... all would be elevated.

The Overlay lacked much energy, all was spent invading the World of Old Days, but His positional rank was high, if He focused His scarce energy to hurl a Word Spirit at one person—

This Word Spirit has the highest priority.

All or nothing.

He curses Su Ming'an—

He reveals a faint smile, akin to the last warmth before the sunset vanishes:

"I curse you—no pain, no sensation, undying."

"Su Ming'an. I curse you—no pain, no sensation, undying!!"

Click.

Click, click, click.

…As if something is making a sound.

Is it an invisible clock, or the hand of destiny?

The causal line, like a massive net, rushes towards Su Ming'an. He retreats, but the net follows him like a shadow.

…What is this?

…What a vicious curse.

Su Ming'an dares not accept this curse. To others, it seems like a blessing, but to him, it signifies the most desperate destruction.

"Is this your trump card?" Su Ming'an says.

It at most seals his remaining three-day backup, not an insurmountable barrier. In this millennia-long plan, even without Su Ming'an, humanity wouldn't lose entirely.

Dieying simply smiles, choosing not to reply.

Layer upon layer of Lamb Barriers rise in succession. Spatial Vibration, Judgment, Gravity Suppression, Floating Cannon… earth-shattering attacks are thrown by Su Ming'an. If the enemy was a player, they'd be riddled with wounds, but the enemy is Dieying, and all attacks pass through like starlight, traversing the layer where He resides.

Su Ming'an dodges the net but soon hears an explosion.

"Boom—boom—!"

The intense bang sounds near his ear, scorching heat burns his side ear.

His ears nearly go deaf.

…Why the explosion? Where did it explode?

As he struggles to dodge the net—

His pupils constrict sharply.

On the ground, he sees hell.

Fierce flames burn upwards like a gigantic beast blotting out the sky and the sun, engulfing the white jade bricks, all palace pillars collapse. The intense firelight, blessed by a certain authority, covers the entire Old Divine Palace.

People gaze shockingly in the direction of the Old Divine Palace, but all they can see is billowing smoke and black-red flames, even the sky is burned red.

…The Old Divine Palace, exploded.

Su Ming'an stares blankly at the rising blaze below, pristine bricks splattering outward, beautiful glazed roof shattered by the shock wave.

Lv Shu, Noel, Lu Meng, Li Yuxuan, Yi Zhongyu… all were inside, crafting the life hard drive for General Qin.

The Old Divine Palace, the most heavily-guarded place in the Holy City. Dieying couldn't interfere with the Old Divine Palace. The only ones able to destroy it are the Holy City people.

He sees a figure.

A black figure.

The person's face is expressionless, surrounded by Perfect Pass pattern marks—besides Chao Yan, only one person has such marks.

The flowing cloud jade pendant on that person's waist lightly sways, glances at Su Ming'an briefly, then quickly averts their gaze as if not daring to face Su Ming'an.

"…Sorry." The person says quietly.

Su Ming'an suddenly understands Dieying's means.

This isn't a killing move aimed at ending Su Ming'an's life. It's merely sealing his backup, then… sending Xiao Ying to kill his companions.

Even the explosives Xiao Ying used have traces—millennia later, when Hei Que bombed the Holy City, they used the same explosives. Turns out, these explosives were Dieying's all along.

Dieying understands him too well.

…If Su Ming'an ignores this explosion and keeps moving forward orderly, humanity can undoubtedly win.

…But if Su Ming'an wants to save his companions, his own death is sealed, so he can only use the Old God's time authority to try to save the people in the Old Divine Palace.

The human time will linger at this time node, repeatedly again and again.

And the most crucial point—

…

[Authority · Time Line Leap. (Limited to the World of Old Days)]

…

Dieying doesn't belong to the World of Old Days.

Time authority can limit humans but not Dieying. As long as Su Ming'an retries repeatedly, Dieying will eventually breach the defenses, while humanity cannot reinforce them.

The tug-of-war will be broken.

As long as Su Ming'an dares to linger at this time node—

The balance in the tug-of-war between humanity and Dieying will tilt.

"Now." Dieying softly says:

"Su Ming'an."

"—you've become the chains binding the entire human civilization."

"Is it to move forward and embrace victory."

"Or… keep looking back? Making human civilization, with your backward step, more fragile?"

"But you won't give up, will you? Even if it's once, once, again…and countless times…"

"This is what you said with your own mouth. You will block the chariot over and over, stopping it with your bones. So… go ahead."

"I'll watch with my own eyes."

"I'm waiting… for the moment when the tug-of-war's balance is broken. One end of the balance is the World of Old Days, the other is everyone in the Old Divine Palace."

"The chariot rod is right in front of you."

"Can you still… hear their faint…cry, Deity?"

…

In the distance, gold-red fireworks explode, marking the arrival of the New Year.

Su Ming'an slices his wrist, silently watching.

The wrist doesn't bleed any fresh blood.

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