The screams of people rose and fell. Yamada Machiichi’s anxiety, Noel’s astonishnt, Chang Ge’s calm face... all seed to turn into slow motion.
The opponent’s [Queen] descended, and deep blue causal lines tightly wrapped around Su Ming’an. This was Dieying’s ultimate move, but Su Ming’an remained motionless.
...Since Chang Ge is Su Ming’an, then who is Su Ming’an...?
He closed his eyes, the fatigue in his heart had reached its peak, not even having the desire for an active rebound. If Dieying wanted to kill him, then let it be.
The next mont, wrapped in blue causal lines, Su Ming’an was transported to a new place. He stood on the second floor of a hospital, with the hospital stairs next to him.
He was bewildered.
...Where is this? Is this Dieying’s ultimate move?
A cold voice from a young man ca from behind:
"What are you looking at?"
Su Ming’an’s pupils trembled, and he turned around—
Under the lights on the second floor of the hospital, a young man with white hair and a scarf stood with arms crossed, his pale green eyes extrely indifferent. His deanor was like a silent sharp blade, with no trace of youthful vitality.
Su Ming’an slightly widened his eyes and looked towards his arm—it was broken.
This was... during the First World. Yuanyuan accidentally fell from the second floor of the hospital, and Lv Shu casually saved her. Subsequently, Su Ming’an carried the unconscious Yuanyuan to the third floor, entered the world chessboard, where Yuanyuan as the Queen sacrificed, and Su Ming’an narrowly won against Eni.
Su Ming’an was puzzled in his heart—could this be Dieying’s ultimate move? To make him witness past mories? What is the harm in that?
He felt himself moving, carrying the unconscious Yuanyuan, heading towards the third floor.
"Are you going to the third floor?" Lv Shu saw Su Ming’an’s action and said, "It’s dangerous there, related to the final clearance clues. If you just want to complete the Basic Quest, there’s no need to go."
At that ti, Su Ming’an was focused only on the Perfect Pass. He was committed to building an image of a young boy obsessed with a Perfect Pass, so he barely paid attention to Lv Shu and went upstairs with Yuanyuan on his back.
So, the next thing ought to be...
He felt his steps stop, turned his head, and gave Lv Shu a warm smile—this was different from the historical trajectory.
Su Ming’an felt astonished... why? Why was it different this ti? Back then, he didn’t smile at Lv Shu.
"I do want to go to the third floor. I think the Perfect Pass is important. Would you like to go with to explore?" Su Ming’an’s face carried a warm and gentle smile, "You’re so capable, it would be very beneficial if we tead up."
Lv Shu thought for a mont, his original reason for not wanting to go to the third floor was thinking that the Perfect Pass and its points were aningless. But as this one-ard boy said, a Perfect Pass is not simple, so why not go up with him and take a look.
"Alright." Lv Shu nodded, "I’ll go with you."
Click.
The historical trajectory was altered.
At Su Ming’an’s feet, it was as if two silhouettes gradually split off and walked away, one being in the existing world line—[Su Ming’an did not smile at Lv Shu, and Lv Shu did not go upstairs with him]. The other was a brand new possibility—[Su Ming’an smiled at Lv Shu, and Lv Shu decided to go upstairs with him].
Su Ming’an suddenly understood—that this is ’possibility’. Just like [Su Wensheng who drowned] and [Su Wensheng with earrings who refused to drown]. At a certain mont, Su Ming’an had a flash of inspiration and decided to bring Lv Shu upstairs, causing everything that followed to change.
Dieying’s intention... was to show him these "possibilities" that haven’t happened yet?
But, what’s the point of rely seeing them?
He quietly watched as events unfolded.
...
Later, with Lv Shu’s help, Su Ming’an defeated Eni. Yuanyuan didn’t need to be sacrificed, and she continued to adventure with Su Ming’an as a Player.
They obtained the zombie antidote and completed a Perfect Pass in the First World. In Yuanyuan’s company, Su Ming’an more frequently wore a smile on his face.
This version of Su Ming’an even made Su Ming’an himself sowhat envious, for he knew his transformation began from the mont Yuanyuan was sacrificed, keeping him burdened;as he realized Death Rebound was not omnipotent, he carried Yuanyuan’s Life on his shoulders, leaving no room for ease.
This world line’s Su Ming’an, with Yuanyuan by his side, was much more cheerful and optimistic. With Yuanyuan’s help, he began to use his rhetoric to win others over, gradually becoming well-liked in the World Ga. Although his warm and gentle smile was mostly a facade, for the sake of the Perfect Pass, he was willing to shape himself into this "sunny and cheerful" image.
Moreover, deep in his heart, he did preserve genuine light and kindness. This kindness had never been shattered by reality, carefully and ticulously guarded by him.
However, Lv Shu was never particularly close to Su Ming’an and never uttered those famous words, "I like you, I want you to be my light," maintaining a lukewarm attitude. Perhaps this overly warm Su Ming’an made Lv Shu feel a sense of resistance.
In the Second World, with Yuanyuan as his teammate, the matching chanism was disrupted, and Su Ming’an did not et Noel.
Su Ming’an smoothly continued through the levels, and due to his adeptness at disguising himself, after the Third World, the United Group did not attempt to ambush him with explosives, and even provided him with Equipnt and Props, grooming him as Edward’s successor. After all, he appeared to be sensible, kind, and orderly.
In the face of benefits, Su Ming’an saw no reason to refuse. Along his journey, he received only kindness from others; they liked him, followed him, and few rejected him.
His words always carried a convincing firmness, and his gaze always held an inspiring hope, filled with honest light. Who wouldn’t like such a person?
However, Yuanyuan occasionally said:
"Ming’an, you’ve changed since the World Ga began... you’re not the sa."
He responded with a smile, "After all, the identity is different, one should indeed mature a bit. If a smile can make my journey smoother, why not do it?"
Yuanyuan bit her lip and found herself unable to retort against Su Ming’an’s perfect smile.
After the end of the Fifth World, the human self-rescue eting went as planned, a piano piece "Destiny" moving people to tears. Su Ming’an, dressed in a white suit, stood smiling in the light, eloquently discussing the world situation, sporting exquisite United Group Equipnt. anwhile, on the other side, under the waning sunset, New World Guild’s leader Jingjing silently sat on a Ferris wheel for a long ti, with no one opposite her.
"...That Number One Player makes feel a sense of danger." Noel muttered to himself as he stacked blocks, watching the setting sun, "...I don’t want to beco allies with such a person."
Thus, the alliance between the Number One Player and the Second Player never happened.
In the Seventh World, Noel Agnini was eroded by Sea Monsters, turning off the livestream before dying, and since then, no one knew where he went.
Edward, the eternal number three, thought he could ascend, but was consistently overshadowed by Su Ming’an, with all resources prioritizing Su Ming’an.
In the Ninth World, Edward’s jealousy finally erupted, and he set a trap for Su Ming’an. Without Noel to help relay the Dawn Code, faced with a triple-death scenario, the warm smile gradually faded from Su Ming’an’s face. By the edge of the crimson lava, he saw Yuanyuan’s ravaged corpse.
"...Is that so."
Su Ming’an gripped Edward’s neck, for the first ti showing bewildernt on his face, muttering:
"Is that so... I thought you would trust , but in the end, just for the sake of profit... for jealousy... you want to harm ."
"I thought I was working hard enough, I almost forgot what it felt like not to smile... I thought that as long as I smiled enough, the brighter my image, the more united humanity would be... But... it seems that’s not the case..."
Because he had never experienced the internal ambush and betrayal of humans, his first reaction to Edward’s trap was disbelief. Until Edward’s taunt shattered the goodness that ford the bottom line of his heart.
Edward taunted: "We used to support you, and now you disobey us, are we supposed to keep you to rule over us? You hypocrite, you’ve always been thinking about dominating Zhai XIng! You have that bright and magnificent facade!"
"Who do you think is still by your side!? Lv Shu is indifferent to you. Lu saw through your essence long ago and stayed far away from you. Yamada Machiichi treated you a bit better. Noel never got close to you at all—Su Ming’an! Looking back, who stayed by your side!? Who genuinely likes you? Perhaps only those viewers bewitched by you!"
"Now, with your bright face, you should quickly abandon Yuanyuan! Abandon her for all of humanity! Isn’t this the persona you’ve personally built!?"
The roaring cold wind filled his ears.
The cheerful sunshine of Su Ming’an... always wearing a smile on his face... for the first ti, showed the gloom buried deep in his heart. In his eyes, pain as real as substance suddenly flowed.
"I’ve never thought of killing you because you are light too." Su Ming’an whispered, "I’m good to everyone, and to you as well."
Edward sneered, not believing there could be such a good person. "The good are bullied," he whispered, "why should Number One Player Su Ming’an remain purely kind?"
Su Ming’an’s goodness contrasted others, making them appear as ugly clowns! Such goodness shouldn’t exist! It must be fake!
Then, Edward saw Su Ming’an’s smile.
Still as warm as ever, but inexplicably giving him a feeling of danger and coldness.
—He had unleashed the beast in Su Ming’an’s heart, making Su Ming’an realize that pure goodness was not feasible.
—He made a bright and kind knight begin to clear away all inferior beings in the gray area.
Su Ming’an took action. He had rarely killed in the past, even repeatedly sparing Edward. But this ti, the beast within his heart was finally unsealed. Gradually, with a warm smile, he began to shatter every bone in Edward’s body.
Even though his hands were full of blood and Edward’s cries of pain were loud, the smile on his face remained warm and clean, as if helping others for joy.
"...But I now realize that if everyone will pursue light."
"You are the trash destined to block the light, even trying to kill Yuanyuan. It seems I also need to clear away so... shadows coexisting with the light."
It turns out, not everyone can be t with smiles.
He must clear away that ugly darkness.
He already feels it is difficult, even if he continues walking, it is hard to reach the other shore. So... he needs a bit of extra help.
For instance, making a deal with a tiger—if the ultimate goal is for brightness, then dark ans do not matter.
He wants to redeem Zhai XIng.
He wants to achieve a Perfect Pass.
He wants... to do all dark deeds for the sake of the final light. Of course, his face will still hold that impeccably warm smile, for his heart remains open and bright.
Before the Dawn Code, he exposed his Death Rebound. Without Noel covering his identity, the Organizers took him away. The observing Su Ming’an could not see their specific exchange.
But when this Su Ming’an returned from the Organizers, his smile was even warr.
He still reached out to help everyone in need, still walked on brightly and openly, like a shining gemstone. No one knew what he traded with the Organizers.
"Although this world is loathso, it is still worth saving." He always smiled and said, "To explore its broken secrets, heal it, save it, I believe it will turn into the form we like."
His heart still held honest brightness, but all things in gray areas beca inferior in need of clearing to him. For the sake of brightness, he would spare no effort. Compared to before, he beca more mature, more stable, more suited as a savior.
This was good.
Moreover, he changed how he referred to himself.
Previously, when signing, the pen would always inscribe the characters "Su Ming’an," the strokes sharp and upright.
Now, when signing, it was as if writing an abbreviation, only one character was signed.
The pen descended; his face still wore a sunshine-like smile.
...
—[Ming].
...
Su Ming’an opened his eyes wide.
He felt stunned in that instant.
...
[The clone opened its eyes, for it had gained self-thinking capability, and its gaze was completely different from before, gently and calmly staring at Su Ming’an before it.]
["Hello, my original self," said the clone.]
["What shall I call you?" Su Ming’an asked.]
["There’s no need to care about these... I am inherently you, I am just a variant of your personality that may occur in endless futures... You can command at any ti and issue orders, even if it leads to death it doesn’t matter." The clone’s gaze always carried a smile: "If you must insist on a na, call Ming; I love all the bright and beautiful things in the world."]
[—Chapter 51 of the Second World: "You Are Also the Future of Humanity"]
...
...This is "possibility."
So what was the purpose of Dieying showing him this yet-to-happen "possibility"...
Su Ming’an had thought he would return to the board. Yet unexpectedly... the observation wasn’t over.
He blinked and found himself once more standing on the second floor of the hospital.
This ti, Su Ming’an did not invite Lv Shu upstairs, and Yuanyuan still sacrificed. But the divergence was—Su Ming’an made a wrong move in the ga, getting infected with the zombie virus.
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