Chapter 924: Chapter 921 · [Millennial Myth of the Creator]
Su Rin carried the lamp and stepped forward.
In the past few days of seeking deities, he wandered around and accidentally discovered a relic filled with antiques. Among them was a stone tablet with a lot of information.
He looked up.
The stone tablet before him was engraved with dense small characters, carved by some predecessor from a hundred years ago:
[When the clock of destiny strikes its last bell, the myth descends, Penglai Fairy Island ascends to the celestial realm, the ideal nation is born, the good slay the evil, souls are completely liberated, shackles dissolve, the God’s word spirit of the world fractures, and the history of humanity is endless. If redemption is not resolved one day, the day of the collapse of ten thousand paths will surely arrive.]
[I am concerned with the return of an old acquaintance, confused and fearful that the transaction has been made, unable to reverse the course. I only wish the cause of obliteration to eliminate us, uphold the Eye of the Old Days, the Sword of Destiny, and the Immortal’s Talisman as gods, overturn the iceberg, and fulfill the millennium myth’s wish.]
[My soul and yours, fearfully cannot return to the mortal world in any form, but all of me will turn into spring breeze and rain, remaining forever, until the completion of the ninety-nine hundred and ninety-nine slashes.]
[—The creator of the millennium myth, He summoned you to this place. I am deeply apologetic, praying that on the day the highest word spirit is established, you remain safe and sound.]
[I bless you—May your life be filled with light, health, and everlasting peace. Life after life, eternity after eternity.]
Life after life, life after life.
Eternity after eternity, eternity after eternity.]
...
Su Rin finished reading and was silent for several seconds.
"What on earth is this."
Su Rin had spent decades as a riddler in Yun Shang City, tossing out high-end oracles every day. But he had never seen text written in such an enigmatic way.
Although this text might not intentionally be a riddle, merely a straightforward narration in ancient language made more cryptic due to system translation issues, Su Rin really couldn’t understand what it meant, just like modern people can’t understand classical Chinese.
He silently noted it down, planning to tell Su Ming’an sometime.
...
"Kill." Su Ping’s voice was very quiet.
In the extremely quiet examination room, only Xia Jiawen’s labored breathing could be heard, the ground stained red with blood.
The soldiers lit their torches, carrying swords, step by step approaching Xia Jiawen.
Inside the venue, it was very quiet, yet Su Ming’an felt his body becoming increasingly volatile, as if awakening something. His fingers began to tremble, his whole body reacting intensely, as if thousands of butterflies were pounding beneath his skin, trying to break through the thin layer.
"Su Ming’an, what’s wrong with you, are you okay..." Chang Ge’s voice was filled with concern.
His breathing became scorching, limbs started trembling, Su Ming’an suppressed the turmoil of his flesh, unclear why such a change occurred—upon seeing Xia Jiawen near death, a surge of empathic sadness overwhelmed him.
The flames burned fiercely, Xia Jiawen watched the approaching sword blades, and closed his eyes.
Until he heard someone exclaim.
"—Hey, what’s that!"
"—These... tentacles? Why are they white—"
Xia Jiawen opened his eyes.
Before him was a cloud of pure white—no, not just a pure white cloud, it more resembled layers upon layers of banded clouds, exuding an aura of pure sanctity.
Tentacles, pure white and covering the sky like layers of clouds, grew from Su Ming’an’s spine. Though they were tentacles, their pure white appearance made them resemble angel wings more.
The people were astonished by this sight. All along, tentacles were considered evil, black and purple, they had never seen pure white tentacles.
Su Ming’an took a step forward, the white tentacles on his back swayed slightly with his movements, as if breathing.
He didn’t know why he suddenly grew white tentacles; they appeared abruptly when his emotions surged. It reminded him of the Eldest Prince, who also grew tentacles when his negative emotions were at their peak. Only exotic species and people on the edge of metamorphosis grew tentacles incompatible with humans.
He walked forward, squatting down, extending his hand toward Xia Jiawen: "Teacher Xia."
—Did they grow because he saw a fellow suffer?
—A fellow.
"Su...student." Xia Jiawen murmured: "What are you doing."
...You clearly have a bright future, why come towards me.
Su Ping was stunned, he flipped through the documents in his hand to know who this student was: "Student Su Wensheng from Dao Ya City First High School, you... stand back first!"
Su Ping did not act against Su Ming’an. Upon seeing these white tentacles, he felt a sacred sensation, devoid of the disgust, madness, and dizziness associated with exotic tentacles. It was as if... witnessing the descent of a legendary deity. He dared not make a move.
Shao Feng, however, shouted: "Capture this Su Wensheng first! No matter what color they are, tentacles are tentacles, bring this person back to the Church!"
"No." Su Ping reacted: "Bring him to the military! The military has the most advanced detection technology, which can confirm his physical condition immediately. These white tentacles are unprecedented, we need to examine them."
"Bring him to the Church!" Shao Feng said: "The Church has a deity-blessed array, which can also analyze his condition. Maybe he’s a new kind of exotic species!"
The two argued over whether to use technology or magic, already considering Su Ming’an as their possession.
Su Ming’an turned his head, glancing at them.
In the next moment, the white tentacles behind him sprang out like springs, attacking Su Ping and Shao Feng, and with two loud bangs, they were pinned to the wall by the tentacles.
Su Ming’an controlled the tentacles as if they were his limbs, each one immensely flexible, reminding him of when he became Bai Shen in Qiongdi.
The soldiers and priests attempted to attack him but were swatted away like mosquitoes by Su Ming’an, the white tentacles spreading like daffodil petals.
"Teacher Xia, I’ll take you away." Su Ming’an pulled at the puppet threads, dragging Xia Jiawen upwards.
"Where... where can we go." Xia Jiawen chuckled bitterly: "Student Su, let me go. You can have a brilliant future, I watched your actual combat exam, you can score full marks, North Qing University’s doors are open to you. A blood test cannot detect your exotic identity; you were supposed to have a life I envy."
"Or you could go back with the Church. Although the military despises exotics, some in the Church believe exotics are descendants of deities, especially since your tentacles are such a pure white, maybe you won’t die, but instead become a member of the Church, and in that way, your future is also bright."
Xia Jiawen extended his hand, clutching Su Ming’an’s hand, the frame of his golden glasses already shattered, reflecting his bloodshot eyes:
"My life has come to an end, your sun has just begun to rise, go back. Don’t walk into... don’t walk into the long night of being an exotic."
Su Ming’an glanced at the soldiers below, their faces filled with fear, and calmly said:
"I’m not interested in becoming a member of the Church."
"North Qing University, I’m not interested either."
"A smooth life’s journey, a peaceful happiness, repeating day by day until growing old... that has nothing to do with me."
"Teacher Xia, if I remain a bystander, watching the white snow falling in the city, always listening to the cries of the people... I won’t end well in the end."
"I’m not here to blend into this world."
Su Ming’an grasped his blood-covered hand, recalling the cries of countless people in the abandoned city beneath the white snow:
"...I am here to change this world."
If it weren’t for the main quest’s requirements, all the wealth, glory, and happiness in this world wouldn’t matter to him.
The third ring of the main quest was already completed, and he had no more scruples—no need to restrain his pace.
...
"Ding Dong!"
[Perfect Clearance Task · Third Ring: "Study Hard, Improve Every Day" completed.]
[ (True) Perfect Completion Progress: 25%]
...
"Ding Dong!"
[Perfect Clearance Task · Fourth Ring: "Participate in the City Guardian Department Internship"
Task Requirement: Complete at least two tasks of the City Guardian Department (0/2)
Task Reward: 10% Perfect Completion Progress
Task Note: In the fourth step, you need to participate in the City Guardian Department internship to understand the bright side of this world.]
...
"Ding Dong!"
[Perfect Clearance Task · Fifth Ring: "Join the Old Day Church"
Task Requirement: After joining the Old Day Church, come into contact with the "Prophecy Stone Wall" of the Old Day Church and discover your destiny.
Task Reward: 10% Perfect Completion Progress
Task Note: In the fifth step, you need to join the Old Day Church to understand the dark side of this world. My dear Wensheng. From this step onward, you can no longer turn back—turning around now to spend twenty peaceful days in the small town is your last chance.]
...
After completing the third ring’s college entrance exam task, the fourth and fifth ring tasks arrived simultaneously.
The deities seemed to want him to stay in his small town forever, including this task prompt. But the more it was like this, the less he could go along with it.
"Who—who exactly are you! Su Wensheng!" Su Ping shouted to the sky. He couldn’t understand why someone would grow white tentacles.
Su Ming’an tugged at the puppet threads, white tentacles spilling like angel wings behind him. He lowered his head and calmly said, "Dao Ya City First High School, Su Wensheng—a bottom-of-the-class trash student who can’t even grasp the morning’s cultural exam."
"No, you can’t be just an ordinary student..." Su Ping shook his head desperately. "Exotic species—right, just an exotic species with different colored tentacles. Since you refuse to be captured, we cannot let you escape! You can’t be just an ordinary student!"
Su Ping wanted to attack, but Su Ming’an just tugged on the puppet threads, soaring straight up like a kite, gliding across the sky with Xia Jiawen—it was impossible for people to catch him.
The sunlight was too dazzling.
Su Ping couldn’t see the expression on Su Ming’an’s face clearly; he was in the sunlight.
...
"Boom!!"
Mizushima Kawa Sora’s hair had been dyed a bright golden color. She held a long sword, intending to deliver the final blow to Shadow, but Shadow’s sudden spatial displacement kicked her in the face, sending her flying.
She crashed through the crucifix, with a heavy rumbling sound.
"So satisfying!" Shadow kicked and laughed loudly. His entire body was covered in blood, countless wounds corroded by potent holy energy, screaming with pain. But he still laughed out loud: "Hahahaha—That kick was satisfying! I should be going now!"
Shadow stepped onto the mechanical wheel, countless talismans bombarded his back. People were afraid to kill the first Dream Patrol family member and held back, so they couldn’t stop him.
Mizushima Kawa Sora crawled out of the rubble, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth.
Yamada Machiichi and the others had already escaped amidst the chaos. Shadow’s uproar had not only slapped her in the face but also trampled on the Union Government’s dignity. Yet her expression was calm, merely instructing people to clean up the remaining site.
"Mizushima Kawa, are you okay?" Miao Bu asked with concern. She was a player under Mizushima Kawa Sora’s command.
"I’m fine," Mizushima Kawa Sora said calmly.
"His mana points must be depleted, and his injuries are severe. If we pursue him, we can kill him," said a man with a red ponytail.
"No need, my purpose has already been achieved," Mizushima Kawa Sora said.
"What exactly are you thinking? No matter how you look at it, we lost again, getting our faces slapped and our venue smashed." Miao Bu said.
"You don’t need to worry; I have a sense of proportion in my actions, and every step I take won’t be wrong," Mizushima Kawa Sora laughed, the golden ring around her neck fluttering in the wind. She lifted her head and muttered to herself:
"I, I am favored by the deities."
People couldn’t understand these words of hers, exchanging glances, only believing that the deities gave Mizushima Kawa Sora such confidence.
...
Shadow flew through the sky on the mechanical wheel, his blood flow increasing with every moment, his dangerously low health points dropping bit by bit, the pain from his body’s wounds roaring.
The blood seeped down, nearly drowning the mechanical wheel. He braced himself on the wheel, refusing to fall, blood trickling drop by drop from his forehead, his eyes barely open.
...Hold on a little longer, hold on a little longer.
...At least, at least bring the mechanical wheel back—this is Red Level equipment. It can’t be buried with him on the road. Hold on a little longer...
"Sigh, where did that crazy woman get such powerful strength, given by the deities?" Shadow coughed up blood. "The injuries are so severe, this will be very painful for the main body too... There’s no way around it."
Hold on a little longer, at least bring the mechanical wheel back before dying...
With these thoughts, the health points dropped to the limit, and his eyes uncontrollably closed. Blood dyed the mechanical wheel red, the wheel’s lights flickered a few times, then extinguished, like a powerless bird, he plummeted downwards.
"Boom!!!"
The wheel crashed onto the ground, the impact flinging Shadow away, smashing him onto the grass.
He strained to keep his eyes open. In the distance, village smoke curled, hinting at wheat fields and oxen. He lay on the plains, his body embedded in mud and grass, spring rain drizzling from the sky, splashing on his face and clothes.
...Still going to die on the roadside, die in an unknown suburb.
Shadow’s vision began to blur.
A sound of footsteps approached, tentatively coming closer to him.
The corner of a flower-patterned skirt appeared at the edge of his vision, embroidered plum blossoms at the hem, revealing a pair of small cloth shoes—seemingly a girl from the village.
"Are you okay? Are you still alive..." Her voice was as clear as a bubbling stream.
Shadow let out a breath, his vision blackened, and he fainted.