In a mont of such agonizing indecision, Qin Xin stepped forward once again.
With a broad sweep of his hand, he "wiped away" everyone's gloom and spoke with utmost gravity:
"We cannot chain the world's survival to a single person. That is not what Cheng Shi wants, not what we want, and not what the world wants. All of this is the Outer God's doing!
So why not turn the spear toward the Outer God?
No deity is invincible. They too are rely variables within the Creator's experint. Even if the Outer God has stolen Deceit's authority and wields power far surpassing all other gods, I refuse to believe that power is limitless!
Once it's worn down to nothing, He'll be just another 'ordinary' deity.
When that happens, perhaps we won't have to choose between Cheng Shi and the world at all. We'll only need to repel the Outer God, and everything that remains will be 'family business' under this starry sky—won't it?"
Everyone knew this was also a viable approach. The question was: if any god in the universe could challenge the Outer God, the situation would never have gotten this dire.
"Which deity can still stand against Him right now?" Long Jing racked his brain.
"Order—who, for the sake of a universe in order, would never bow to an Outer God. And also...
!"
The instant the words left his mouth, a blazing inferno erupted across Qin Xin's body. The shockwave of heat swept through the hall, shoving everyone back.
Feeling that pressure—terrifying as a god's—Long Jing stood dumbstruck: "This is..."
"How does one seek survival!
With blood—and fire!"
Qin Xin stood with bow drawn. His hair of fla danced without wind. Stray sparks drifted past those eyes of blood and fire, reflecting the fierce battle-lust within.
"Now the fla of war is lit. All that's missing is unyielding blood. And every last drop my body holds is written with defiance.
I'm willing to stake it all. Even if I burn to my final drop of blood, I will fight for this world's future!"
War's surging heatwave set every soul ablaze. Everyone felt Qin Xin's resolve—even found themselves infected by his battle-spirit, beginning to believe that perhaps the world wasn't hopeless after all.
But the Fla of Hope knew: hot-blooded courage alone might carry the faintest chance of thwarting the Outer God's sche. But what then?
Once the Outer God retreated and only "family business" remained, the impossible choice between the "fixed" and the world would replay all over again.
He knew Qin Xin wasn't blind to this. The Torchbearer simply refused to keep retreating. He was numbing himself, deliberately ignoring the hardest decision, trying to postpone it forever—or perhaps hoping to die before it ca.
This was no act of cowardice. The courage to declare war on a god was, for a re mortal, the greatest bravery imaginable!
But the curtain call would co eventually.
The Fla of Hope fell silent. Faced with nothing but fractured futures, He had no standing nor reason to pour cold water on Qin Xin's decision—much less refuse to support this will of resistance, born from the most marginalized few.
And so the Torchbearers' will was decided: Qin Xin would seek an audience with Order in his capacity as War's envoy, form an alliance, and confront the Outer God—making a final stand for this world and its "fixed."
Ti waited for no one.
The mont the plan was set, Qin Xin left the Fire Passing Hall to find a way to seek Order's audience. The others dispersed. Long Jing had expected The Prisoner to stick to him like glue and follow him back into the Outer God's trial to find his brother-in-law. Instead, The Prisoner silently vanished before his eyes.
Seeing that flash of resolve on the man's face, Long Jing suddenly guessed where The Prisoner had gone.
...
The Void. Before the Leaking World Silent Puppet.
"Silence, are You complicit in the Outer God's plan to plunder the fixed!?"
The Leaking World Silent Puppet gave no response—didn't even spare a glance at the follower before Him. He floated soundlessly in the Void, embodying silence to its absolute perfection.
"Why? When the 'fixed' leaves this world—when the experint loses its answer—can You survive alone?
Such a simple question. I refuse to believe the gods can't see it! So what are You all doing this for!?"
Silence remained silent. The Prisoner clenched his fists.
"Granny was right. The good ones... aren't here."
...
The Void. The Fishbone Hall.
The colossal skull sat upon the Bone Throne, watching the small skull ascend the fishbone staircase to seek an audience. Green fla flickered in his eye sockets:
"You've. Co. To the wrong. Place."
"I haven't co to the wrong place. It's You I've co to find, my Lord." The small skull spoke calmly.
The great skull fell silent. After a mont, He sighed:
"I. Know your. Purpose. But this matter. I cannot. Intervene."
"You've known all along that Deceit was an Outer God! Haven't You!?" The small skull looked up, her tone still level despite the accusation: "You sheltered Cheng Shi so thoroughly—was it just so he'd believe the Outer God? This is Your world. It's our world too. Why would You help an Outer God drive the world into a future-less abyss?
Is universal annihilation truly what You want?
But that's Oblivion—not Death!"
In any context, that would be the gravest possible blasphemy against Death. And they were in the Fishbone Hall itself.
A terrifying wave of Death's essence exploded from beneath the Bone Throne. The entire Fishbone Hall shook and trembled. Countless bones surged upward like an inverted flood, encircling and encasing the whole hall.
In that instant, Death's shadow utterly swallowed the staircase. The small skull could no longer see the throne before her.
But she remained calm. After all, she'd never been able to see clearly to begin with.
Yes—she wasn't he. She was An Mingyu. The prophet abandoned by Fate. The Bell Ringer who'd converted to Death.
The small skull still gazed upward—not at the Bone Throne, but at the Void obscured by the bone-white flood.
She feared none of this. Because she knew the true terror wasn't here.
The colossal skull didn't punish further. Feeling His follower's unyielding resolve, He sighed wearily:
"I. Too. Only recently. Learned. His identity.
But. The gods. Also have. Matters. Hard to speak of.
Fate's. Fixed destiny. If it. Truly were. The world's. Answer. Then His. World. Would not have. Suffered. One failure.
He once. Spoke to. Us. That only. After failure. Can one. Glimpse. Origin's true intent.
He already has. A plan. That cannot fail. But still. Lacks. One chance. To attempt it.
If. This world's. Fixed. Can serve. As His answer. Perhaps. Both worlds. May yet. Survive!
Therefore..."
At those words, the small skull froze. Then laughed softly.
It was a quiet laugh—like an involuntary slip, or a scoff born of disbelief.
"You believed Him?"
"..."
The green flas in the great skull's sockets wavered. He looked upon His follower. He sensed sothing different about this usually ek believer today—she had more backbone, more confidence.
But the question was: in a situation like this, where did that confidence co from?
"Whether I. Believe or not. Is My. Concern. You. Coming here. Is aningless. Leave."
Before the words faded, the bone-white flood swirling around the hall surged toward the small skull. But just as she was about to be swallowed by the torrent, she spoke:
"My Lord. The Outer God's promises are nothing but lies. I believe You must have been deceived.
I beg You to see through to the truth. To help us. Help Cheng Shi. Help the world.
Otherwise..."
The endless bones froze inches from the small skull's face. A dense wall of skulls severed her "line of sight" entirely.
The colossal skull rumbled:
"Otherwise. What?"
The small skull suddenly released over a dozen dice from her mouth. Her voice was calm:
"Otherwise, your humble follower will personally toll the death bell for You.
I will, right here, atop Your very hall, attempt once more to behold Origin's countenance..."
"!!!"
...
The Void.
On his way to seek an audience with Order, Qin Xin encountered an unexpected figure.
He was still wreathed in fla, every hair ablaze—the very picture of War.
The person who intercepted him studied his new "skin" with great interest, nodded, and smiled:
"As I thought—you were the greatest beneficiary of the Real Universe expedition.
But before you go to Order, I can offer you a small piece of advice."
Qin Xin's pupils shrank: "Who told you where I was?"
"You've already guessed, haven't you?"
"..." Qin Xin's brow furrowed. Then, eyes closed, he sighed: "Sun Miao."
"Smart.
But also foolish.
As an envoy who's shed his mortal identity, you have far more convenient ways to save Yu Xi. Yet you chose to fight head-on.
Does postponing a foolish act produce answers?
Since it doesn't, why not decide the ending from the start?
I can make Void's finale begin right now. Are you willing to cooperate, Qin Xin?"
"What are you doing this for, Wei Mu?"
Indeed—the newcor was Wei Mu.
The puppet smiled, gazing aningfully into the distance: "To verify whether this universe is one grand foolish act."
...
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