"If a trolley is about to speed past, the left track has your concerned teammates, and the right track has hundreds of millions of civilians. Su Ming’an, what will you decide?"
"I will destroy the trolley."
"What if the trolley is indestructible, what will you do then?"
"Stop it."
"The trolley weighs a thousand pounds and is unstoppable, you cannot stop it."
"There will always be a way, destroy the tracks, smash the wheels, stop the driver... there will always be a way."
"No. The trolley will run over them in the next second, you can’t do these things."
"Then there’s one more way."
"What?"
"I’ll go stop it."
"The trolley won’t care about your face, even if you wave your hand at it, it won’t stop."
"I an, I’ll go stop it. I’ll stand on the tracks. If it runs over , maybe it will be hard to move forward."
"..."
...
"Su Ming’an, you have to know, you are very important."
"I know."
"Since you’ve taken this position, you have to be prepared for balance. You must be decisive, not idealistic. So the correct answer is, when the trolley cos, whether you pull that lever or not—you are right."
"... Is that right? Whether running over the people on the left or the people on the right... am I right? Is this the answer to the question?"
"Yes. You must know that because of your existence, the tracks are divided into two ends, otherwise, if the trolley runs over, no one would survive. Your perspective should be ’I successfully saved the people on one end,’ rather than ’I killed the people on one end.’ This is the thinking of a Savior, otherwise, the number of such cruel choices will only increase, and you will be crushed by more and more guilt."
"..."
"Soone has to pull this lever, right?"
"..."
"Ignore those voices that criticize you, because whether you pull that lever or not, there will definitely be soone condemning your actions—ignore those voices. You have to know that only when you constantly, constantly, constantly pull that lever... will there be more and more ’people on the other end of the tracks’ saved by you."
"..."
"Do you understand?"
"Chao Yan. Actually, I’ve understood this truth for a long ti. From... when I killed other Players in competitive instances, there were many voices cursing . Saying I... deprived them of their future, relying on my power to judge others’ lives arbitrarily."
"Your weight is the highest, you have the highest success rate of wishing, and only wishing can save civilization, it’s only natural for you to do so."
"Chao Yan. Actually, I understand most of the principles you said. When the situation really happens, if I really can’t stop the trolley, I will definitely be the one to pull the lever. But I will think... is there another chance, is there a way for everyone to be saved. I have the ti authority of the Old God, so I can roll back the tiline. If I constantly roll back, find a way to stop the trolley, maybe... there won’t be a need to constantly, constantly pull that lever."
Chao Yan felt shocked.
In the teaching process with Su Ming’an, she gradually discovered that this nineteen-year-old Deity doesn’t understand nothing. In fact, his mindset is already very similar to the universally recognized Savior, no longer needing much of her teaching.
He understands choices, understands balance, and knows how to pull the lever to maximize benefits. When the trolley cos, he won’t miss the opportunity because of soft-heartedness, nor will he be at a loss because of foolish kindness; he will make decisions more resolutely than anyone else. It’s just that, different from others, in that short few seconds of thinking ti, he will constantly, constantly think if there are other ways.
In the black-and-white paint nad rationality, calmness, and indifference, he has a little extra color nad ’idealism,’ which does not affect others, only confronting this black-and-white world with a child’s innocence, seemingly fragile and helpless. Using a newly sprouting bud, trying to fend off the sky that’s about to collapse.
Just as he gave her a sowhat innocent and unexpected answer when making a decision—because I have ti authority, I don’t have to pull the lever, stacking my own corpse high enough can stop the trolley. Compared to others’ "I’ll kill the driver," "I’ll blow up the trolley," etc., his answer seems more naïve, but more feasible—because he can really do it.
Chao Yan thought, perhaps, she could preserve this innocence. This is what makes him particularly different from other leading personas.
This is precious and uniquely personal.
But Chao Yan still has to help him dispel so... softness that belongs to a nineteen-year-old youth. Because many tis, they don’t even have the chance to stand beside the trolley. If indulged in idealistic salvation, it will only burn themselves.
"... Hold this sword, it ans ’Judgnt’."
With slightly calloused fingers resting on the young man’s hand, she supported his hand.
In front of them, there was a man kneeling on the ground.
The man was a civilian, yet he incited others not to believe in the Deity. He was not bewildered by Dieying, nor was he deceived by anyone, it was just purely, obstinately believing there was a conspiracy behind the millennium plan. This mindset made Chao Yan feel puzzled—people like him always held conspiracy theories in anything, always thinking the worst of others.
Previously, the man could escape because the rumors he spread only affected civilians like him, and the dirty water couldn’t be cleaned, but this ti was different... he spread rumors about the God.
This was a public Judgnt held under the blazing sun.
A rough friction feeling ca from between the fingers, under the scorching sun, Chao Yan held Su Ming’an’s hand and raised the sword. A long diagonal shadow stretched behind, flapping, flapping, as if embodying mythology, you could really hear the sound of angel wings flapping.
Chao Yan’s duty is the right wing of the Old God, which is to judge good and evil.
The sword blade was raised—this sword was obtained by Chao Yan during the second World Ga, the wings on both ends of the hilt raised, the sword body intertwined with gold and white, capable of cutting through mountains and seas.
"——It’s all, all because of you! Because of you!" Perhaps because of facing certain death, the man raised his head, directly looking into Su Ming’an’s eyes, daring to et the Deity’s gaze head-on: "——it’s all because of you... I was separated from my family. All because you casually praised that the flowers at my house looked nice—I was forced to grow flowers, they did everything to please you! I was angry, I, what’s wrong with saying a few words... do I deserve to die!?"
The dust of the era, falling on everyone, is a mountain.
A casual glance from the Deity landed on everyone, becoming a blazing fire.
Su Ming’an casually praised the flowers, seen by the Generals as a holy decree, to make him happy, without his command, it was deed natural that the person who cultivated such beautiful flowers must devote their life to flowers, just to cultivate flowers even more pleasing to the Deity, demonstrating the locals’ compliance with the Deity.
The man was forced to beco a gardener. He didn’t dare to oppose and did sothing even more wrong—he was always accustod to spreading rumors, so saying a few things about the Deity shouldn’t matter. He couldn’t control his mouth and began pouring out his misery and malice on those around him. Who would have thought that, in exchange for greater achievents, soone would report his rumors upward?
Everyone hadn’t committed a very grave mistake. Su Ming’an’s praise wasn’t wrong, the locals’ arranged work was wrong, the man’s private rumors were wrong, but they weren’t deadly mistakes. But once they were put on the table—they beca fatal errors that had to be judged.
One must not slander the Deity.
One must not incite the masses.
One must not disdain the law.
If let off—everyone in the future could fabricate rumors about the Deity for personal reasons.
Thus, the angels spread their pure white wings. Flap, flap. Like the most sacred, most just, most representative of peace doves, rising high to the flawless sky—
The Holy Sword was swung down.
"Swish!"
The crowd’s eyes brimd with a fervor unfamiliar to Su Ming’an; they cheered for this judgnt. It was a kind of zeal that revered justice, openly expressing one’s ardent self within a group, spreading like a disease. People who were once boasting were now crawling like ants on the stage, kneeling and begging for rcy. This stark contrast was enough to let onlookers derive pleasure.
The cycle of judgnt and hatred, unending.
Under Chao Yan’s guidance, Su Ming’an swung one sword after another. Most of these sinners were guilty of incitent. Most deserved to die, a few didn’t deserve death, but in such a special environnt where the Ark had just set sail—not a hint of internal incitent could be tolerated, and everything was punished severely.
"God!" "God!" "God!"
He heard the cheers.
Everyone was intently watching the judgnt, anticipating the arrival of absolute reason. Chao Yan remained expressionless, guiding his hand without the slightest hint of rcy or hesitation, towards sinners who were angry, sad, desperate, or loudly claiming they still had a few children—cutting them down.
Regardless of age, gender, or identity.
This was different from Su Ming’an judging alone.
When judging alone, he could slowly consider whether these people deserved death, whether the punishnt could be reduced accordingly. But now it was different; Chao Yan led him, needing neither his thoughts nor his deliberation. He seed to beco nothing more than a cold, hard sword, a statue representing the Old God, matching each charge, continuously and continuously... striking down.
The last sinner, he recognized.
When Xin Yue walked onto the stage, everyone fell silent—who could have thought a Principal could also beco a sinner on trial?
The woman with rose-red hair smiled, her fingers curling the stray strands, her hands delicately painted with red enal. She wasn’t forced to kneel nor did she plead or cry, just stood quietly... like a stone pillar.
The angel pronounced the sentence on her:
"—Eighth Principal Xin Yue. During a crossing, you accidentally regained your mory. You deliberately approached the high-dinsional Dieying and conspired with It for a long ti. Do you have any rebuttal to this matter?"
For a Principal, Chao Yan would ask an additional question about their intentions.
Xin Yue’s gaze lingered on Su Ming’an. With platform shoes on, Chao Yan was slightly taller than him, her arm resting on his arm as if embracing him from behind to hold the sword.
"...I have no rebuttal. Nothing to defend." Xin Yue smiled:
"At that ti, I was tired, I didn’t want to obey destiny anymore, so I veered off the fixed path. It was indeed my mistake, I have nothing to say. Do it."
Chao Yan’s finger bones slightly bent, and Su Ming’an felt his hand bones being tightened.
Though she said nothing, he seed to understand, the sword blade lifted slightly.
"We can’t be certain if you’ve been bewitched by Dieying. In light of your past achievents, you are given two choices." Chao Yan said, "First, death, but before that, I will help you store your life hard drive, ensuring a smooth reincarnation. Second, stay in the Holy City for the rest of your life, not intervening in anything."
"Is there another choice?" Xin Yue suddenly laughed, a relieved expression on her face: "Let ... not reincarnate anymore, not... live anymore."
She was tired.
Lifetis, reincarnation... Said to be a blessing, but what isn’t a curse too? A curse that... even death can’t free her from. She had no grudges against anyone, only that she was tired of living, so she committed the act deliberately.
Normal people commit suicide, and death suffices. For soone like her, even the soul must be obliterated to achieve it.
This is the curse that follows them eternally—[Responsibility].
Chao Yan didn’t speak.
The Holy Sword descended, Su Ming’an closed his eyes. He suddenly understood why a thousand years later, Xin Yue would be controlled by the Deity, like the controlled fake Noel, the fake Su Rin... because they were created by the Deity, fabricated products, not reincarnations from a thousand years ago.
"Swish!"
Flap, flap.
The sound of the angels’ wings seed louder.
He closed his eyes, not looking, but a silent light point appeared in his mind. He would not put Xin Yue into reincarnation, deciding to set her free.
At this mont, he suddenly felt like he truly beca a God, able to control others’ life and death cycles.
Back in the room, Chao Yan’s hand lightly pressed his chin, making him et her jade-like eyes.
She stared into his eyes, seemingly intending to impart to him the truth that "this is power, and also responsibility," but after staring for a long ti, perhaps seeing the fatigue in his eyes, she said nothing, her fingers quickly releasing.
"...You seem to dislike such occasions." She adjusted his sleeve, wiping off the blood staining it: "...I really shouldn’t have let you hold my sword. Making such decisions causes you pain, even as a Deity, there’s no need to concern every matter. Those things, I can handle them."
"You should be bright, just, rest... I’ll take over for you."
After that, she never took him up to the judgnt platform again.
During this ti, Xiao Ying often ca to find Su Ming’an to play, throwing darts, shooting, blackjack... Xiao Ying tried various ways to win against Su Ming’an, seemingly wanting to relax his mood. Aside from handling the thousand-year plan, Su Ming’an casually played with Xiao Ying.
Until the night of the fifteenth day in the instance, Player Lu ng suddenly fell to the ground, coughing blood.
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