The morning sun spread across the horizon, a deep red monster bird perching on a Spark Tree, the silent observation tower standing tall beside the Magma Sea.
Transparent ghosts, wraiths with sharp bones, and rainbow-furred demon horses walked through the city. Most striking were the players in their colorful attire.
This was the starting point of Su Ming’an’s instance and the area where players typically gathered the most, second only to the Luwasha central World Tree.
"We’re too far from the Radiant Light Temple, why are we here?" Huan Jiala asked in confusion, "Aren’t you going to find the Mother Goddess?"
"Stay here for now, don’t wander around," Su Ming’an rely instructed.
Huan Jiala didn’t ask further, believing that Su Ming’an had a plan.
Su Ming’an’s landing caused a commotion, people crowded around, exclaiming excitedly, so even trying to touch the white tentacles.
Just as Su Ming’an was about to use his divine power to settle the scene, a blond man strode forward with a strong aura, instantly silencing the crowd.
"Su Ming’an! Is it you?" The blond man’s eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s, his face righteous and dignified, carrying a radiant spear on his back—it was the top-ranked player Anthony. Seeing Su Ming’an land, his tone carried excited joy: "Since the end of the standoff at the World Tree yesterday, I’ve not seen you. I’m glad you’re alright."
"Yes." Su Ming’an rembered this brave companion from the tree-climbing days: "How is the situation at the rear?"
"Co and see," Anthony took his hand, leading him up to the highest church rooftop in the city, offering a panoramic view.
Looking down, Su Ming’an saw a rainbow.
Energy beams of various colors lit up in corners everywhere, all skills unleashed by players: fireballs, ice crystals, intangible gases... Their target was a pure white light orb floating at the zenith, absorbing these incoming skills like a black hole, connecting to a multitude of colorful ribbons.
And this scene wasn’t limited to just one place in the city. In the wilderness outside the city, in distant towns, even on remote mountaintops, colorful beams of light shot toward the orb.
"This is..." Su Ming’an’s eyes flashed with amazent.
"Currently, there’s an energy shortage, right! But why is the players’ mana not considered as energy?" Anthony laughed: "Violet is incredibly smart; she proposed this idea first. She said we have many players; even though the power gap is vast and we can’t be at the forefront, pooling our mana together forms a vast ocean nonetheless!"
Su Ming’an noticed the ant-like silhouettes of players below, including a girl whose palms continuously emitted ice crystals until she turned red and breathless, taking a seat to rest before soon getting up to release ice crystals again.
Depleting mana, resting until it refills, and depleting it again...
Though mana is a low-grade energy, if the numbers are high enough, quantitative change can lead to qualitative change.
"What about the incentive chanism?" Su Ming’an knew players were mostly self-serving; not everyone would contribute for free.
"I, Hwa De, i Yani, Sherry, Joy... along with about 27 races including the Undead Race, Wraith Clan, Goblin Clan, and Dwarf Clan, reached an agreent. They provide large numbers of treasures, and we send Ice Series players, Magic Array players, and Defense System players to help them cool down and build defenses. We set up an excellent incentive chanism; look—"
Anthony raised Su Ming’an’s hand and shouted:
"Event Leaderboard!"
Instantly, a blue system panel appeared before Su Ming’an’s eyes.
...
["Boundless Irrigation" Event Leaderboard]
[No.1 (Lunxue) Mana Contribution: 2,819,812]
[No.2 (Anger) Mana Contribution: 2,671,241]
[No.3 (Alauddin) Mana Contribution: 2,511,808]
[No.4 (Kemo)...]
...
["Boundless Irrigation" Event Exchange Store:]
[1.SK-3080 Liquid Fuel Remote Cannon (Purple Grade): "He counted them at dawn, but where were they by sunset?"]
[Attack Power: 40~60]
[Ammo Capacity: 3/3]
[Active Skill (High-burning Cannon): After loading ammunition, causes 2000 2*ntality Points fire series damage, and explodes the shell impact area. Requires extensive calibration before firing.]
[Requires Mana Contribution: 1,500,000 points]
[Provider: Blue Cut]
...
[2.Passive Skill Potion: Gain a passive skill upon use]
[Requires Mana Contribution: 800,000 points]
[Provider: Sherry]
...
[3.Andrew’s Giant Hamr (Red Level): "What sings, where is ho?"]
[Attack Power: 20~40]
[Equipnt Requirent: Artisan Occupation]
[Active Skill (Golden Flash): During equipnt crafting, may improve equipnt quality by one level. When attacking enemies, may trigger threefold critical hit. (Cooldown Ti: One minute)]
[Passive Skill (Artisan’s Soul): Infused with the residual soul of Uta King, 32nd generation of the Dwarves, providing guidance during equipnt crafting.]
[Requires Mana Contribution: 1,300,000 points]
[Provider: Dwarf Clan]
...
[4....]
[5....]
...
[7391021.Life Recovery Potion (Small): Restores 50 Health Points upon use.]
[Requires Mana Contribution: 2,000 points]
[Provider: Xiao Xiao]
...
Millions of exchangeable items displayed densely before their eyes, categorized to quickly help players find what they need.
What surprised Su Ming’an most was that these rewards were provided not by the world ga system, but by multiple races and the players themselves.
... It’s akin to players figuring out and gradually exploring how to create a massive world event. To motivate people scattered across the world to contribute mana, building strength bit by bit.
Su Ming’an heard a "click" as he opened his Red Pocket Watch, currently showing as[8620/10000]; he raised his hand and aid the dial at the large light orb hanging below the do.
A number appeared: [452].
As much as 452 points of energy! And it’s still increasing!
Rovasha’s many resets accumulated about 8000 energy in total. Yet in just a few days, the players united their hearts and quickly produced 452 points of energy!
"The potential of the Fourth Catastrophe is indeed endless... A total of 452 points of energy, and the players contributed rely things they themselves couldn’t use, listing them in the exchange shop." Su Ming’an sighed in his heart, "Players really can’t be underestimated. I don’t even know where to find these energies, let alone how to gather these people—all thanks to Anthony and the others..."
For billions of players in the hundreds of billions-strong Rovasha, they shouldn’t have made a splash. Yet clever minds gathered these strengths, achieving a result where ’one plus one is greater than ten.’ Su Ming’an couldn’t fathom the struggles behind this; previously, conducting a small group collaboration with six or seven people in university was difficult enough—now it’s a world event for billions, even tens of billions...
Politicians, business people, royal nobles, industry leaders — none of them are simple.
"This is also thanks to the guidance of large organizations like the United Group, World Tree Guild, and Guardian Alliance. It was their casual players who taught us how to organize, how to connect, how to negotiate, and how to sign agreents... to initiate this world activity." Anthony smiled.
"Yes." Su Ming’an nodded and said, "Do you have contact information for other players?"
"Yes." Anthony replied.
Su Ming’an nodded, slowly calming his expression, and said in a deep voice:
"Let’s hold a eting."
"Invite all the high-end players you can contact who have strength and trustworthiness... They don’t need to be present physically; remote communication will do. I have sothing to discuss."
Instantly, Anthony’s smile faded, and he said seriously, "I’ll do it right away."
He quickly turned and left, feeling a weight on his shoulders, his blood boiling.
These players were responsible for the rear.
Sea Emperor Road, Cultivator Mizushima Kawa Sora, Witch Bei Wang, Pope Boris, and Demon Mother Goddess Favored Yisong, who had co into contact with divine-level power, were responsible for stabilizing the middle ranks.
Su Ming’an and the Cloud City God were responsible for the front line, bridging high dinsions and deities.
Like tidal waves, whether they would be subrged with the tsunami or successfully soar into the sky, no one knew.
Destiny seed to converge here, and the mont he saw Su Ming’an descend here, he had an intense premonition difficult to express.
"Hey, this reminds of a quote used by those United Group elders after the end of the Fifth World..."
Anthony’s heart surged as he murmured to himself:
"The best of tis, the worst of tis..."
...
May 31, 2025
Nine o’clock in the morning.
Thirty-seven chairs were placed around a round table, with a bouquet of flowers standing in the center of the table.
Three lotus-shaped chandeliers emitted bright but not glaring light, and outside the window, the sun gradually rose with the distant horizon.
Each chair either seated a person or had a remote device placed on it. When Su Ming’an sat on the first chair facing the floor-to-ceiling window, the room was extrely silent.
The black-haired young man had gentle brows and eyes, slightly dark eyes, increasingly deep gray-blue at the bottom of his eyes, a pale complexion, and almost colorless lips. Despite this, his spine remained straight, his hands placed beneath his chin, fingers interlocked.
A large patch of warm orange sunlight outlined the edges of his figure, sketched over his slightly upturned black hair, and the backlight gradually obscured his expression, only vaguely outlining his brow bones and nose bridge’s contours.
His gaze swept across the round table, from Lu Likalpos, who was closest to him on the left, to Lü Shu, who was closest to him on the right.
"Thirty-seven..." he murmured.
Anthony, sitting further away from him, imdiately said, "If it’s not enough, I can contact more."
"No, it’s enough, even slightly beyond my expectations." Su Ming’an waved his hand, smiled, and said, "Gentlen and ladies, this should be the first ti since the start of the Eleventh World... No, since the start of the World Ga, that I’ve held a eting with you in this manner."
The atmosphere was sowhat heavy, and in the face of a massive extinction crisis, no high-end player dared to relax.
At this mont, Eni from the Eighth Thrones clicked his tongue and said, "Before, it was always those United Group elders talking endlessly, full of empty rhetoric, and that so-called Human Self-Rescue Conference was a ss. Aishikel should have handed you the microphone a long ti ago... No, you used to be socially phobic, but if you had spoken, they would’ve let you give speeches every day."
...Even now, I have a little bit, it’s all forced. I used to hate showing my face in ga streams... Su Ming’an maintained his smile.
Eni’s words slightly lightened the atmosphere, and people seed a little more relaxed.
"Here, I thank everyone for their efforts so far." Su Ming’an said, "I just got back from the front line, so I’m not entirely clear about the situation in various areas. Could you report them to from left to right? Please keep it within half a minute each. If there’s particularly crucial information, don’t hesitate to bring it up."
Everyone looked at each other.
On the sixteenth chair, Mizushima Kawa Sora showed a knowing expression.
"This young friend has certainly encountered trouble, and major trouble at that..." In Mizushima Kawa Sora’s mind, the Grandpa-in-a-pocket said.
"He needs our help, so he’s asking about our current conditions..." On the thirtieth chair, the beautifully dressed woman in an Alice puff dress, Agnes, nodded silently.
"The guild leader really can’t turn back now; he’s made too many mistakes..." On the thirty-sixth chair, the New World Guild manager Angelica sighed silently, covering her face.
On the second chair, the Reflection Spirit screen showed a blue-haired youth wearing a crown, Lu Likalpos glanced around for a mont and began warmly: "Alliance Hierarch. As you instructed, I am currently searching for the Lighthouse Jellyfish in the Eternal Sea, with no traces found so far. Additionally, I am searching for the treasure left by the Sea Pirate God who fell a thousand years ago, with hopes of becoming a Second-level God."
A tone set.
He didn’t call him "Su Ming’an," nor "Number One Player," but "Alliance Hierarch."
Su Ming’an’s Peak Alliance was 10 people, Su Ming’an’s squad was 15 people, but the 36 people present, regardless of whether they knew each other before, could naturally call him "Alliance Hierarch."
On the third chair, the screen displayed Yamada Machiichi, who quickly spoke: "Alliance Hierarch, I shook off my yandere Rin Clan brother and Zhi Fei’er; now I’m investigating the history of the Second Epoch with chanical Master Mokeluo, and I’ve made a new discovery."
Su Ming’an said, "You can speak for more than half a minute."
Yamada Machiichi chuckled and said: "The Lord of Steam Latimore, revered by the chanical Race, split from the God of Intelligence on the Day of God’s Fall in the Third Epoch. I explored deep underground relics in the temple and found an old, yellowed parchnt recording the reasons why the God of Intelligence was targeted by the gods, with only one word on it."
He lowered his voice and said word by word:
"’Fireseed’!"
Su Ming’an thought for a mont but had no impression of the term: "I understand, next."
On the fourth chair, the waist-length white-haired Tian Yu closed her eyes, and a second later, her hair shortened, her chest cald, transforming from female to male. Then, he opened his eyes, now belonging to Bei Wang with slightly weary eyes:
"I am investigating a peach blossom valley. Here lies the divine power of Ocean Angel Najasha. Additionally, I’d like to ask a question if it’s possible."
Su Ming’an said, "Go ahead." He was always lenient with full perfect clearers.
"You gathered us, not just to observe and see the bigger picture, right? You could have heard these reports from your subordinates; it doesn’t need each of us to say it personally." Bei Wang said: "You have sothing important to entrust to us, that’s why you gathered us, right?"
Everyone looked at Su Ming’an, their heartbeats suddenly accelerating.
Su Ming’an smiled and slowly put down his hand: "Correct. Well, I’ll say it in advance, so you’re ntally prepared when explaining your situation."
He extended his hands and calmly looked at everyone.
"Ladies and gentlen, I need to collect fifteen stories."
"Please hand over the stories you have written so far to . Whether it’s urban style, martial arts style, ga style, light novel style, sci-fi style... don’t be shy, don’t mind the World Tree’s ratings. As long as you like it, it’s a good story; I need them all."
"I believe that the task set before us at the start of the instance — writing a good story — will not be without significance. On the contrary, it might be our most unexpected turning point."
"Currently, I am in a certain predicant, difficult to escape, difficult to maintain."
"After deep thought, I want to break the impasse with ’stories’, which might yield unexpectedly significant results."
He lowered his voice, his blue-gray weary eyes suddenly turning profound:
"At this critical juncture, I wish we could... form a ’joint story’."
...
"This story, I na ’Welco to the World Ga’."
"This will be the story we write together."
...
Reviews
All reviews (0)