The world within the bronze gate was like the grandest, most absurd, and ineffable dream.
Almost all elements were mixed within it, and almost everything imaginable intertwined. An elephant might melt and burn into a bird in the next second, while a bird, in the span of a single wingbeat, would be swallowed by distorted hieroglyphs, transforming into dripping melodies.
Familiar things, fantastical beings, even demons, gods, and spirits from legends all resided there, floating with every wisp of energy.
This was the nexus of all thoughts in the world, the materialization of the bronze gate's wish-granting ability.
Even the most ordinary person's fleeting fantasy on an unremarkable day could manifest here. The emergence of these forbidden lands was merely a consequence of the increasingly chaotic outpouring of the bronze gate's power.
Or rather, what caused humanity's disasters was precisely humanity's own thoughts.
And amidst this extreme chaos, the worldlines, like intricate, intertwined roots, quietly spread across the entire field of vision.
Whether time truly existed was proven most profoundly here.
Past, present, and future; people from different eras and locations appeared in the same place, as if performing a silent comedy.
A person's past was already set, but their future could not be changed. Forcibly altering a branch of their future would only lead to more dire destruction.
…In other words, it was like an irreversible fate.
[Host detected entering the Bronze Gate]
[Seal initiated, acquired 3568 ounces of energy from the current world consciousness (ally)]
The previously silent and inoperable [Warehouse 1] on the screen finally opened, and a ghost seal slowly emerged.
The first ghost seal, sealed by the system for a long time, now appeared and instantly merged with the second ghost seal, condensing into a massive light screen that surged towards the colorful light ahead.
Black was often depicted as a force of evil in various legends, but at this moment, it served as a shield, firmly blocking the erosion from the bronze gate.
…These two ghost seals were, in fact, the sharp blades condensed by this world's consciousness to forcefully open the bronze gate and attack its core, for self-preservation.
Zhang Qiling stood within, witnessing the interplay of colorful and black light before him, like dragons and phoenixes battling, each gaining and losing ground.
The bronze gate's seal ultimately fought against the system and this world's consciousness.
And his purpose for being here…
Beneath Zhang Qiling's feet, an extremely bright thread of fate, like a world-shattering blade cleaving through the primordial chaos, plunged directly into the very center of the worldlines, standing like a divine needle, making the black light even more potent.
[Fate lines cannot be shaken, just as machinery must operate according to fixed programs]
The system's mechanical voice sounded, but it no longer appeared in his mind; instead, it circled around him like glowing dots.
[“Zhang Qiling” guards the Bronze Gate, blocking the invasion of anomalies, a fixed fate line in countless worlds where the Bronze Gate exists]
[Like a targeted antivirus program, without his presence, no matter how powerful the world consciousness machine is, it cannot eliminate the virus]
“…Where did he go.”
Zhang Qiling gazed blankly at the ethereal beams of light for a moment, then spoke softly.
[Due to the intense conflict between the Bronze Gate and the world consciousness in this world, the Zhang Qiling that should have existed did not appear normally]
[However, in the host's original world, the Bronze Gate does not exist at all]
[Recombination, this is the optimal solution calculated by the system based on data]
[The host is not a replacement, but has returned to the fate line that rightfully belongs to you]
Within the Bronze Gate, the system seemed to have gained more emotional fluctuations. Although its voice remained rigid, the meaning in its words was no longer purely business-like.
Perhaps it was the indulgence of the world consciousness that allowed it to operate more boldly, or perhaps this was simply the more refined program execution granted by extremely advanced technology to artificial intelligence.
But soon, the system proved with its new statement that it was, after all, merely an intelligent creation with precise calculation capabilities.
[Only when the host fully integrates with this world can the fate line belonging to “Zhang Qiling” be truly illuminated, filling the world's deficiencies and assisting the world consciousness in clearing the Bronze Gate]
[The Bronze Gate intended to guide the Zhang family through subtle influence, using malice to make the host lose his sense of belonging to this world, but the kindness of other carbon-based life forms ultimately turned its ambitions into foam]
[The host was previously confused about his own existence, so after the host's first entry into the Bronze Gate, the system cleared the host's memories, attempting to make the host view the surrounding carbon-based life forms with a new perspective]
[The host should now understand that everything around you is because of you, not because of some role-playing]
[But why has the host's integration level still not reached one hundred percent]
The integration progress bar now appeared to be stuck at 90%, showing no movement.
As a result, the bottom of the fate line beneath Zhang Qiling's feet still had a faint, illusory trace, as elusive as a mirage.
The system did not understand, for it was ultimately an unfeeling object. Its calculations, no matter how precise, could not account for the human heart.
But Zhang Qiling, at this moment, felt as if a mist had cleared before his eyes, and he suddenly saw everything clearly.
The familiar inscription on Xie Lianhuan's coffin seemed to appear before him, and Hei眼鏡's inexplicably familiar attitude also became clear.
…So that's how it is.
The illusory fate line at the bottom almost laid the answer bare—
How could a rootless duckweed become a weary bird returning to its nest?
The struggle before him intensified. The black light dimmed considerably, while the colorful light grew more ferocious. Zhang Qiling seemed to hear faint, glass-shattering sounds by his ears.
“…Can you send me back to the past.”
This sentence should have been a question, but Zhang Qiling's tone was filled with certainty.
He knew the system could do it.
[With the world consciousness's permission, it is possible, but this would require consuming the energy the host accumulated in their original world]
[The emergence of one fate line inevitably consumes another. If the host wishes to take root in this world, even if the Bronze Gate dissipates later, you will not be able to return]
[And if you fail to reach 100% integration by the end of shaping the new fate line, you will be deemed to have failed, and your current self will be erased]
…The current self being erased, not the entire existence being erased?
Zhang Qiling could not guess whether he had succeeded from those past traces, but somehow, he felt a sliver of joy.
…At least, even if he failed, they wouldn't forget him.
The system issued the final confirmation:
[Do you confirm to begin?]
…This was a truly meaningless confirmation. Zhang Qiling's decision had long since reached him, washed by the tides of time, demonstrating his unwavering resolve.
At the very end, he had only one question:
“If I succeed.”
Zhang Qiling lowered his gaze, his tone laced with a hint of worry:
“…How long will they have to wait.”
[Two years] the system's voice was calm and unwavering. [It will take two years for the world consciousness to clear the Bronze Gate, and this is the shortest possible timeframe]
Zhang Qiling said no more.
A door like a bubble appeared before him, and without the slightest hesitation, he walked straight through.
His soul condensed into a bright pearl, flying through the endless river of time.
Before he fell into unconsciousness, he heard the system's rigid voice.
[The current physical body cannot withstand the soul's power. The host's soul will be sealed, and standby mode will be activated for sixteen years]
[Wishing the host success]