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Chapter 1653 The Final Chapter IV "The Guiding Lighthouse in the OE Universe (9)"

Chapter 1653 The Endgame Part 4: "OE: The Guiding Lighthouse in the Universe (9)"

Six pairs of eyes turned toward them simultaneously.

Aelia, Spark, Lilia, Laplace, the Tenth Seat, Yueyue...

Su Ming'an merely raised his eyes slightly, and the entire space began to be reshaped as if responding to the monarch's will—the area after the chaos of the battle was quickly restored, the chaotic light flow was smoothed out, the black cracks were healed, and the polluted gray fog was diluted.

Soon, according to Su Ming'an's concept, the ground beneath his feet transformed into a plane composed of flowing light. In front of him was a transparent membrane that allowed him to survey the universe and the starry sea. The dome was impossibly high, filled with silver light, like the valves of an organ.

Such a scene is pleasing to the eye; the entire space is cold, magnificent, and full of life.

The higher dimensions were also more "concrete," though still beyond the comprehension of ordinary beings, resembling clumps of causal threads. They hovered in the distance, like silent stars in the background.

"I thought you were going to forget me." A figure uttered an extremely indistinct voice, making it difficult to discern whether it was Ming, Huimo, or the Eighth Seat.

Su Ming'an tilted his head slightly, and after a moment, his gaze focused: "Ming, I will find a way to separate you."

Gray Mist chuckled, "I... was able to maintain my sanity amidst countless consciousnesses only under Yueyue's protection... but after waking up this time... I can no longer fall asleep... my... and Huimo's consciousnesses... will soon disappear under the endless erosion..."

"You're such a gambler, Su Mingming."

“There was no other way. At that time… I only had two options. One was… to get into Hui Mo’s black car and gamble with them. The other was to be killed by them and return empty-handed… Anyway… I had nothing left to cherish, so I might as well use my own existence as a price… to help you.” Ming smiled. “How many years have passed outside? It should be over a hundred years… How is Ying doing? I think you should have kept your promise and set him free, but so what? He must feel lost in that unfamiliar world. Those people are not the companions he truly knows… Main Body, have you thought about how Ying and I should live in that distorted world? Our worldline has disappeared, and we can’t find our true homeland in this vast universe… We are the real… people without a home.”

Su Ming'an gently closed his eyes.

"However, my wish to return home will definitely be fulfilled by helping you... I would never choose betrayal. To achieve my ideals through betrayal is not what I would do... To realize my ideals while upholding my principles, that is what I... we would do..." He stated clearly.

"The word 'ideal'... I will not allow it to be tainted in the slightest..."

"So... I want to try... if I can... save you. This time there may be no chance, but if you survive and find more information, perhaps in the next cycle of reincarnation... you can break through all the predicaments, you can completely defeat 'them'..."

"My true self. I also want to... go home..."

Ming's voice gradually faded away.

Then, Huizhou Ink's voice came through:

"Ah, I thought that after waking up this time, I would have a chance to survive. I finally broke free from the fate of being a 'Rovasa NPC,' but is it all over now...?"

"You..." Su Ming'an was about to say something when Hui Mo suddenly burst into laughter.

The laughter was loud and unrestrained, as if mocking fate.

"So! Demon Lord, remember me! Remember my spectacular performance this time! Next time, don't forget—truly pull me out of this vortex of fate!"

"My protagonist! My savior! The swordsman who will one day shatter all shackles—next time, don't forget to take me with you!!!"

……

The fog dissipated, resembling a melted cream cake.

The figure of the Eighth Seat disappeared, and He entered a long period of self-repair, trying to sort out the chaotic consciousness and voice within His body.

Amidst the surging light, several high-dimensional beings silently watched their "new master."

"Human, you've won. Congratulations." The tenth seat's attitude was indifferent; He seemed to care about nothing and always had a spectator's attitude.

"Huh? You've really become my new master?" Fourth Seat Erya tilted her head.

"..." The Ninth Seat remained silent from beginning to end; He hadn't expected that Su Ming'an would be the one to win in the end.

Su Ming'an certainly wasn't so kind as to release them. He needed these high-dimensional beings who had chosen neutrality or hostility to stay and serve as henchmen in the world's games.

But some favors must be repaid.

One of them took off his hood, and a cascade of slightly curly purple hair cascaded down, tied into a single ponytail that fell over his shoulder. His golden eyes, like the melting moon, perfectly reflected Su Ming'an's appearance.

“Thank you, Mr. Xinghuo. I will release you. You can run towards freedom and no longer be imprisoned in the world game,” Su Ming’an said.

After ascending to a higher dimension, most emotions and humanity disappear. However, this common sense seems to be absent in Xinghuo. He still appears to be the purest human being, possessing water-like sensibility and spring-like warmth. His eyes are warm and can convey human emotions.

"You're very strong too," Starfire sincerely praised. If Su Ming'an hadn't been capable, it wouldn't have been able to help him.

"Please have a drink." At this moment, He raised a glass.

"What is this?" Su Ming'an asked, puzzled.

"lemonade."

Su Ming'an's eyes flickered several times before he finally confirmed that it was indeed just a glass of ordinary lemonade.

A high-dimensional being expresses gratitude by offering lemon water...

After the veil of mystery is lifted, among this group of inhuman high-dimensional beings, Xinghuo remains as warm and innocent as a campfire, and his ways of making friends are even laughable.

"Thank you." Su Ming'an took a sip; it was sweet and sour, quite delicious. He could taste the raw, unripe flavor—it was handmade with lemons. He hadn't tasted such a simple, rustic beverage in a very, very long time. His tongue was so numb it seemed to only remember the taste of nutrient solution and blood.

We may have shed our human identity, but there are many things we cannot shed.

Just like even if you become a higher dimension, you must still retain something like "lemonade" in your heart.

Xinghuo's gaze remained fixed on Su Ming'an's eyes, gazing into those dark pupils and at the gleaming glass reflected within. A moment later, as the glass emptied, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Is it good?"

"Delicious."

"Great, I've been practicing for a long time, and it's finally become very delicious..." Xinghuo murmured very softly, closing his palms.

"Is this your farewell gift?" Su Ming'an asked.

"Well, I must continue... to find my old friend." Xinghuo put her hood back on, waved, and walked towards the path in the distance. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Su Ming'an. Goodbye."

He is going home too.

Miracles do happen in this world; even the dead can be resurrected. So, if He reaches the pinnacle of the universe, if He strives even harder, could He also…?

The water shimmered, and the silhouette of Xinghuo disappeared.

Su Ming'an looked around and found that the eleventh seat was gone.

Upon first meeting the eleventh seat, Su Ming'an sensed an unparalleled harmony, as if two hearts were intertwined. But after the battle, He simply departed. "The Unseen Lord," true to his name, refused to reveal himself until the very end. Who exactly is He?

Unfortunately, Su Ming'an could no longer find His trace; He was no longer within the scope of the world game, like a grain of sand that had vanished.

At this moment, as several high-dimensional beings left, only the girl Su Ming'an knew best remained beneath the silent starry sea.

Su Ming'an finally turned his gaze to her.

It wasn't because he didn't value her; on the contrary, he valued her very much... He hoped to have a quiet farewell with her and have a proper talk with her about her long journey.

"Let's go." Su Ming'an reached out his hand to her. "I have a lot to tell you."

……

Search for the location of the next civilization, set your course, and start the world game...

Su Ming'an intentionally slowed down, making this farewell more gradual.

She was a free traveler, and of course she wouldn't linger in this desolate cosmic organ. He was prepared to send her off, just as he had for Su Lin, Bei Wang, and Yi Song.

This was a true reunion after a long separation. After millions of years of separation, they thought they would talk about the past, but instead they were talking about other things.

"There are still mysteries surrounding Boss Rabbit." Walking on the bizarre and fantastical tracks, Su Ming'an pondered, "I remember that according to Hui Bai's information, the reason why the humans in the first World Game were able to hold off the World Game was because they found a USB drive in the Arctic. And that USB drive was most likely dropped by Boss Rabbit, because only it had such a high degree of freedom to come to Zhai Star in advance to scout the location."

“Hmm… what was it thinking…” Yueyue said, “The boss rabbit’s final self-destruction… is still somewhat ambiguous. Senior Chen Qingguang, was his final choice based on his self-destruction mechanism before he was distorted, or on the lingering illusion of home in his heart? He probably couldn’t even tell himself anymore.”

Su Ming'an did not respond immediately. He stared at the cold passage in front of him, a thought stirring in his mind.

"Hula-"

The next moment, the warm asphalt road beneath my feet replaced the shadows on the ground. The overhead projection faded into a clear, azure sky, while in the distance, it transformed into the dark silhouettes of distant mountains and a blurred horizon.

Ahead lay no longer a suspended cosmic orbit, but a paved path slightly warmed by the afternoon sun. Dense green foliage intertwined, cicadas chirped, their calls carrying the heat and languor of summer. The air was filled with the scent of dust, grass, and the wafting fragrance of gardenias. At the end of the path, the silhouettes of familiar residential buildings came into view, their red brick walls gleaming warmly in the sunlight.

This is the entrance to their "home," a road they've walked countless times.

The beam of light pierced through the gaps in the leaves, casting shimmering spots of light on the ground, where tiny dust particles danced and twirled.

Perhaps out of some tender emotion, Su Ming'an changed the appearance of this cold journey.

They seemed to be just two kids on summer vacation, walking along this familiar path on a boring summer afternoon.

A dream about "going home".

From beginning to end, what a long road it is...

"Ming'an, is the path you're on now the one you wanted to take in the first place?" Her voice came from beside me.

Su Ming'an turned his head to look at the girl beside him.

She remains the same as I remember, yet her eyes hold the weight of history, the rise and fall of civilizations. The tranquility and vastness of a traveler have long surpassed that of the girl she once was. But as she walks this "road," the shadows of trees and sunlight reflected in her eyes are faint silhouettes of bygone days.

"What I wanted at the beginning..." Su Ming'an said slowly, "Initially, I just wanted to survive and protect the people around me. Later... after learning more about the truth, I wanted to go further, to leave deeper footprints on the beach of each cycle of reincarnation, and to reach the shore."

His voice was exceptionally clear amidst the cicadas' chirping in the summer.

“Now, I’ve gone further in some ways, perhaps further than ever before. I can see the secrets of the deeper reaches of the universe. But the price is that I can’t go back.” He raised his hand, and a sycamore leaf twirled down. “I’ve created the most realistic illusion of a home for myself.”

Yueyue listened quietly and nodded in understanding.

"And you?" Su Ming'an asked, "Having traversed countless worlds over millions of years, have you found what you were looking for?"

The girl slowed her pace slightly, looking up at the light filtering through the leaves, a serene and peaceful expression on her face.

“It’s hard to explain in a single sentence.” She pondered, as if recounting an ancient and beautiful story, “I’ve seen the most brilliant mechanical civilization destroyed by a tiny mistake, and the grandest library collapse in a sea of ​​fire. I’ve seen islands destroyed by tsunamis, and skyscrapers crumble from their foundations. I’ve seen countless, countless vast and expansive civilizations…”

“Life takes many forms, and definitions of existence and value can vary drastically. But what’s amazing is that the yearning for beauty, the cherishing of bonds, the curiosity about the unknown, and even the fear of ending are all similar. I have never lost my resonance as a human being.”

"Just like the stars we used to look at together after school. Back then, we didn't know how far away they were, we just thought they were beautiful. Now I know the stories of some of the stars, some magnificent, some cruel."

“Of course,” she smiled, “I’ve also encountered many dangers, and many times I almost really reached the end of my journey. I’ve learned to protect myself with the rules of different worlds, and I’ve also learned to be more cunning than the most dangerous ‘monsters.’ So, you can see me here as the twelfth seat.”

Su Ming'an smiled too, a genuine smile.

For her growth, for her vastness, for her freedom.

For her vastness and boundlessness.

“I know,” he said. “You’ve already gone somewhere I can’t see you.”

Before me lies a familiar intersection, next to which lies the phantom of an old street park, where a rusty swing hangs silently, covered in rust.

"Where are you going next?" he asked, his tone as if he were asking her whether she was going to the bookstore or going home after school.

“Let’s continue our journey,” Yueyue said matter-of-factly. She stopped and turned to face Su Ming’an. Summer sunlight danced in the girl’s hair, and molten gold settled into a warm hue in her dark eyes.

"There are so many corners of the universe that I haven't been to, so many stories that I haven't heard. I want to go and see them."

She spoke casually, but Su Ming'an could hear the determination in her voice.

“It would be very dangerous,” he stated the fact.

“But I’m not afraid.” She blinked. “And if one day I discover legends in some distant civilization about ‘how to grant the world’s game ruler a vacation’ or ‘how to safely uninstall the cosmic organ administrator privileges’… I’ll find a way to bring the news back.”

Her words contained no sentimental promises, only the relaxed yet earnest agreement of a traveler.

In her dark eyes, there was a starry sea, a gentle breeze, and an inextinguishable curiosity and courage, but no sorrow for his predicament. She bid farewell to her old friend with an attitude of equality, complete understanding, and respect for his choices.

This is exactly what he wanted.

No need for pity, no need for wailing; she made it here safely, and so did he, and that's enough.

"Okay." He nodded, all his unspoken words condensed into a single syllable.

He raised his hand, as if to make a simple gesture between friends—to pat her shoulder, ruffle her hair, or conjure up a monkey head mushroom cookie and hand it to her, like before. But his hand hesitated in mid-air, and in the end, he just waved it lightly.

"Bon Voyage."

You've grown up completely, Yueyue.

I wish you a safe journey, and may your journey be boundless.

The girl took a step back, her figure beginning to become transparent, as if she were about to blend into the halo of the summer afternoon light. A tender longing flashed in her eyes, followed by a bright and radiant anticipation.

“I really like this beautiful road,” she said. “See you next time, Ming’an.”

The next moment, her figure vanished like a dandelion seed dissolving in the wind.

The traveler departed silently, just as she had arrived.

she left.

Su Ming'an stood alone on the asphalt road, under the dappled shadows of the trees, in the bright summer afternoon.

The cicadas are still chirping.

The sun is still shining.

The fragrance of gardenias remains.

He stood quietly for a long time, so long that even the sun in his illusion seemed to be setting slightly in the west.

Then, he gently closed his eyes.

The cicadas' chirping has ceased.

The sunlight faded.

The fragrance dissipated.

Asphalt roads, sycamore trees, distant mountains, sky... all the summer scenes recede like the tide, revealing the original cold, magnificent, and orderly internal landscape of the universe—flowing geometric planes, surging rules, suspended interfaces and nodes, and endless silvery-white light.

There is no warmth here, only the cruelest cold.

The world game has set sail and is currently on its journey.

His cat ears twitched, and a flash of crimson light appeared in his eyes, like an indicator light signifying system stability.

He turned and stepped toward the pristine white door.

His steps were steady, and his back was straight.

She is whole, and so is he.

Next, he would be alone, maneuvering this vast and boundless cosmic organ, venturing deep into the universe, reaching the stars, and exploring the most profound and dangerous mysteries. It would be an extremely lonely, long, tedious, and solitary future... He would be rooted here, never to return home, his former companions all gone.

No one stood beside him, called his name, held his hand, or told him that he was not alone.

The universe is deep and eternally lonely.

However, when he entered the system's control room, he discovered an unexpected figure—

"Swish—"

It was the sound of a food packaging bag being gently torn open, and the aroma of cocoa butter, a blend of sweet and bitter.

"Click-click-click..."

The crisp sound of biting into a snack.

Then came the sound of rummaging through the bag for snacks.

A young girl sat in the passenger seat, swinging her legs gently, a chocolate bar in her mouth, gazing at the vast star map before her, chewing like a hamster.

Noticing his gaze, Yueyue turned her head and gave him a natural and joyful smile.

"So, have you finalized your flight itinerary?" she asked, her tone as casual as if she were asking about a weekend trip.

Su Ming'an was stunned. For a few seconds, his mind went blank.

"...Didn't you leave?" He finally found his voice and spoke hoarsely.

“Yes, we’re leaving.” She nodded earnestly. “Leaving our previous location and heading towards our next destination. Exploring the destinies of civilizations, participating in grand games that span the stars…isn’t this the best, most unprecedented journey ever?”

—You said you wanted to become the rule, the lighthouse, and navigating the sea alone.

But how does this conflict with my journey?

—You'll be in charge of navigating the course. I'll become the coordinator, delving deep into the 'game,' assisting in its completion as an 'NPC' or even a 'player.' For me, this remains a journey into the depths of civilizations. I might even be able to genuinely help those civilizations on the verge of extinction, saving lives in dire straits.

Su Ming'an opened her mouth, but all her words melted away in her calm gaze.

"Lonely vigil and warm companionship, cold duty and vibrant emotions... it's not a matter of choosing one over the other." She bit into a chocolate bar, her eyes shining.

"The universe is vast, and its rules can be complex. But sometimes, the answer can be very simple—"

"We can have both."

Freedom is not about where you are, but about where you want to be.

To wander alone among the vast galaxy is freedom, but to delve into the stories of countless civilizations alongside your most important friends and truly save those lives—that too is freedom, perhaps even a more profound kind of "freedom."

Starlight cast shimmering dappled shadows on her shoulders; the "traveling girl," after millennia of exploration and arduous searching, had finally found her complete meaning.

She is more indestructible than the hardest diamond.

It is more solid and substantial than the tallest mountain.

It is more vast and boundless than the deepest sky.

She rode in on horseback, sword in hand, her shoulders bathed in the morning sun.

The heart beats in the chest cavity, and blood flows in the blood vessels.

Su Ming'an's eyes flickered as he turned to face the star map.

“Well then,” he began, his voice regaining its steady tone, like a young captain about to raise his sails, speaking to his first mate, “our next destination, coordinator—First Mate Yueyue, do you have any suggestions for this voyage?”

First Mate Yueyue leaned closer to the star map, her fingertips tracing the marked points of civilization. She raised her hand, placed it on her forehead, and gave a light, playful salute.

"Captain, all is well. Set sail without fear toward the countless civilizations on the verge of extinction! And take our few crew members who are willing to join us!"

The cold cosmic organ, the silent silver cabin, the lonely, boundless universe, floats with the rich, silky aroma of chocolate.

"Om-!"

It sounded like the billowing of sails, like the sound of steam jets.

A guiding lighthouse in the universe, led by the captain and first mate—setting sail and igniting the helm.

……

They set off.

……

……