The sunlight enveloped the scarred land, dyeing everything a dazzling golden hue.
With [Ta Wei] defeated, the black mist dissipated, and the City-State was restored from its Eternal Night to brightness.
When Su Ming’an opened his eyes, his original body had already completely perished, and his consciousness had been transferred to the cloning.
A faint weight pressed down from above, likely the Hawk Hound Army cap worn by the cloning. Su Ming’an reached up to remove the hat, which still bore dust and blood. A tallic star representing the Hawk Hound glimred with golden light.
In front lay a ruin awaiting revival, where people cheered loudly, dancing jubilantly, while ginkgo leaves and wildflowers fluttered in the spring breeze. A few white birds perched on the eaves, pecking at the rainbow-colored seven-strand threads. Broken glass shattered by the wave of flas was scattered everywhere, resembling a shattered Morning Star.
Su Ming’an shifted his steps slightly, and there at his feet lay the wreckage of several aircraft. Their glass had already been shattered, and the pilots inside were nowhere to be seen, perhaps flung out during the previous battles or already sacrificed to the encroaching black mist.
Amidst the ruins, the faint remnants of broken chanical bodies and human sacrifices could be seen. Ahead, people were singing loudly in the ruins.
Death and rebirth unfolded simultaneously in this mont, like the fusion of light and shadow.
When people fixed their gaze upon the heart of the City-State, the building engulfed in fierce flas had already completely collapsed, leaving only a pile of ruins.
"We won..."
"What about the City Lord...?"
Calls of inquiry rose and fell.
Even though they had witnessed the scene of the aircraft striking the building, people were still in disbelief. So staggered towards the already collapsed building, their hands covered in blood, searching through the bricks, trying to find sothing.
They called out the title with varying tones.
But no one responded.
Su Ming’an gazed at the surging crowd, silently retreating into the shadows.
He crouched down, slowly placing the heavy military cap on a flat brick, and left alone, turning his back.
The sunlight tinted the edges of the cap, which lay silently amidst the cheers, its hexagonal star still sparkling brightly.
...
"Ding Dong!"
[You have completed the Main Quest: Seeking the Dawn Code.]
[You’ve received a quest reward: Occupation Advancent Privilege.]
[This reward will be redeed upon returning to the Main God World.]
...
"Ding Dong!"
[You have completed the Ruler’s Task: Seeking the Thing of Truth.]
[You’ve received a quest reward: Ruler Position Advancent.]
[This reward will be redeed upon returning to the Main God World.]
...
[Ti remaining to leave the world: 6 hours.]
[You can choose to take two technological artifacts from this world.]
...
[You have completed the Main Quest: "Revival of All Things"]
[Current Surviving Individuals: 1 (Noah, Xi, Lin Guang, Beili Sier, Bi, Sen, Little i, Yao Wen)]
[Quest reward determined by the number of survivors...determining...determination complete.]
[You receive an S-grade task reward: S-grade Wheel*1.]
[This wheel will be available upon returning to the Main God World.]
...
White light gathered in Su Ming’an’s palm, presenting a white mark — this was [Ta Wei]’s "Source of Civilization," also known as "World Origin."
After defeating [Ta Wei], the deity-owned world origin fell into the hands of the Ruined World, granting it renewal.
Su Ming’an couldn’t take the world origin with him; once he left the Ruined World, it would likely be in the hands of Acto’s bionic body, continuing the life of the Ruined World.
"The world’s lifespan..." Su Ming’an contemplated the world origin mark in his palm, flipping his hand to reveal the six Perfect Clear Seals on the back of his hand. The world origin and the Perfect Clear Seals, though different in shape, seem to share a mysterious similarity, hinting at an unseen connection.
The Dawn System ntioned — the world origin represents the lifespan of a world. The conduct of the Civilization War was precisely to capture the opponent’s world origin. When the deity made the Civilization Gambling Pact with Su Ming’an, it was also an attempt to seize the Ruined World’s world origin.
It seems that losing it ans losing the sovereignty of the world.
So, does Zhai Xing have a "world origin"?
Although scientifically, this abstract concept should not exist. But Su Ming’an believes that sothing unprovable shouldn’t be dismissed as non-existent. Just like ancient people who believed in a round sky and square earth, they never considered the possibility of a universe beyond heaven and earth. Zhai Xing’s technology was still quite rudintary, far from reaching the realms of the universe, civilization lifespan, and high-dinsional beings before the world ga began. Many rules remained unknown.
The World Ga abruptly pulled Zhai Xing from a steady state of scientific developnt into the levels of the universe and civilization struggles, creating a schism in worldviews and theories. The concept of a "world origin" might have always existed, just not yet observed by humans. They haven’t encountered the situation of Zhai Xing’s resources running out, so there’s no related concept.
The Ninth World provided humanity with a chance to open the window to greater possibilities.
Su Ming’an’s fingers brushed against the back of his hand, the six Perfect Clear Marks etched on it, inseparable from him. Even if a layer of skin from the back of his hand were to be removed, the marks would regrow.
He gazed at the back of his hand, his vision deepening bit by bit.
"—What are you thinking?"
Suddenly, a faint voice ca from overhead.
Su Ming’an turned his head, realizing he had already reached the tea house in the Inner City. Here, lush ginkgo trees were still planted, their branches drooping down, several reaching into the wooden windows of the tea house.
People were celebrating after the war; no one was leisurely enough to sip tea in the tea house. Su Ming’an looked up and saw Su Rin by the window.
Su Rin sat on a small second floor of the tea house, half his face peeking out the window. A few wisps of tea aroma lingered out from the window, and he rested his face on one hand, leaning against the window casually.
"Co up for a cup of tea." Su Rin raised his tea cup.
"Sothing up?"
"I wouldn’t call you for nothing," Su Rin said.
Su Ming’an pushed the door open and entered.
This tea house had been around for many years, existing even during the Dawn War.
"Creak" sounded as the door opened; the wooden door was damp and yellowed, and the owner was long gone. The tea room behind the curtain was empty. The tables and chairs were neatly stacked to the side, and a layer of dust covered the floor, suggesting the absence of visitors for a long ti.
Su Ming’an walked up to the second floor of the tea house, pausing briefly.
After confirming the scene before him, he continued walking forward.
On Su Rin’s table, there were dozens of sets of luxurious tea sets, with a steaming little stove beside it, and over twenty tea boxes spread on the ground, each with its lid opened – a truly spectacular sight.
"Look at this cup of tea." Su Rin raised the teacup towards Su Ming’an:
"In this cup, I have put more than twenty kinds of tea leaves such as Bi Luo Chun, Longjing, Dahongpao, Tieguanyin. Since you people from Dragon Country enjoy the fragrance of different teas, then gathering them all in one cup should also make a good tea."
He tossed several distinctly different tea leaves into the kettle, where they floated and sank. With the water bubbling, steam rose and drifted, reminding Su Ming’an of a witch brewing poison.
"..." Su Ming’an said, "Tea isn’t drunk this way."
"Is that so?" Su Rin said. "Have a seat."
Su Ming’an took a seat in front of Su Rin, the chair free of dust, likely cleaned by Su Rin beforehand.
"What do you plan to do next?" Su Rin pushed the tea brimming with "the strengths of a hundred families" towards Su Ming’an.
"After having tea with you, I plan to find the Dawn System to question so unresolved issues." Su Ming’an ignored the cup of tea.
"What do you believe is the essence of the Ninth World?" Su Rin asked.
A flash of text reading "Ninth World·Zhai Star" flickered through Su Ming’an’s mind, yet he said, "The Ninth World is just the Ninth World."
Su Rin’s gaze trembled slightly, as though pondering his choice of words.
After a mont, he spoke.
"These days, I have flipped through a lot of materials, and even discussed matters with the Dawn System," Su Rin said. "Have you ever heard of the concept of ’parallel universes’?"
Su Ming’an’s entire body tensed, but quickly relaxed: "I’ve heard about it."
"The concept of ’parallel universes’ refers to universes that separate from a particular universe and exist in parallel to the original one — similar yet different. In these universes, there are ones born under the sa conditions as ours; there may be planets where humans live or planets with similar histories, and there may exist people identical to humans," Su Rin explained:
"The developnt of things in these different universes may result in different outcos: Species that have gone extinct in our universe may be continuously evolving in another, endlessly thriving."
"For example — you."
Su Ming’an was taken aback: "Huh?"
"In Universe One, you may be the Number One Player in the World Ga. But in a parallel world, you are Yasa Acto of the Ruined World, without the scrutiny of the organizers, yet facing invasion from [Ta Wei]," Su Rin stated:
"Although your identities and situations are different, in essence, both are infinite possibilities of historical developnt."
"Similar experiences forge similar individuals, amongst the billions of humans in every world, there will exist people like Lv Shu or Noel; it is not uncommon. There will also be subtle differences among individuals, like Noel not being in the Peak Alliance, yet Noah resides within the Nine Thrones."
"So, whatever you find out later, you must understand that it’s rely ’similar,’ not ’the sa.’"
"Don’t hesitate, don’t doubt."
Ginkgo leaf blades drifted in from outside the window, brushing lightly over Su Ming’an’s hand like a dragonfly touching water.
After Su Rin finished speaking, Su Ming’an remained silent for a long ti.
Until another gust of spring wind blew in, making the leaves rustle outside the window, Su Ming’an lifted his head.
"So..." Su Ming’an began: "If I were born in Pulaya, receiving education in engineering from a young age, familiar with the Tulip Princess, and learned about the royal family’s sacrificial plan, would I also beco the young captain who brought everyone aboard the airship? Would I also beco the deity of Yun Shang City?"
"..." Su Rin was silent for a mont:
"Yes."
"If I were born on Zhai Star, with a family similar to yours, I likely... would also beco you."
The teahouse remained silent for a long ti.
The water bubbles from the stove gurgled, with steam diffusing and floating, blurring visions.
Su Ming’an’s fingers tapped on the teacup.
He wondered if he were born in the Ruined World, would he follow Acto’s path with eight friends sharing his hardships?
Would he choose to shoulder the responsibility of the world and embark on humanity’s downgraded dinsion journey when civilization was on the brink of extinction, with invaders prowling around?
He repeatedly put himself in Acto’s shoes during those years, then ti and again discovered —
The answer was affirmative.
The decisions Acto made, he was likely to make. The sacrifices Acto would make, he was likely to make too. In any scenario, when he stood in Acto’s position, there was a high probability he’d make decisions identical to Acto’s.
Although he wasn’t as clever as Acto, when it ca to making crucial decisions, he would steer the ship in a direction similar to Acto’s.
[Because we are inherently such people.] The deity’s words echoed in his mory.
[—Idealists.]
[You and I are the sa.]
He recalled the words AI Xike said to him on the sixth night in the instance.
[It’s OK.] Xike said:
[To , you are all the sa.]
All the sa.
Not the sa.
...
[Dawn System·Central Control Room]
White ripples shimred beside him, resembling a drifting galaxy.
Su Ming’an walked in the invisible data space, each step landing on pure white ripples.
Before leaving, he had so questions he wanted to ask the Dawn System.
A beam of white light slowly approached him, gradually solidifying. Today, the Dawn System appeared in a female form, with a face fuzzy and gentle, a voluptuous figure, and a floating long dress, embodying the imagination of "beauty" in every inch.
Stereoscopic maps, data, and surveillance images floated around her, increasing in number. It was clear that with the extended lifespan of the Ruined World, her computational power had grown. Compared to the beginning of the instance, her form was more solid.
Seeing the increasingly "powerful" Dawn System, so indistinct doubts drifted across Su Ming’an’s heart but quickly dissipated.
"Doctor, we et again." The Dawn System nodded at him: "I know you still have questions, I will answer all your queries."
Beside her was another female figure with blonde hair and blue eyes—AI Xike. The two stood in the white-light floating data space, both gazing at Su Ming’an.
This scene evoked a sense of change in him. Twenty days ago, AI Xike pretended to be extrely anxious as his personal AI, pleading him to secretly gather the Dawn Code to evade the Dawn System, or face dire consequences. Now, the two AIs stood amicably together, clearly in cahoots.
They cooperated with humanity’s peak wisdom to direct a masterful ga laid out by Acto.
"Doctor, thank you for saving the Ruined World, we have nothing to repay." Xike smiled: "If you have any questions, please ask. Dawn will do its best to answer your questions. Whether it’s about the Human Original, the Century Catastrophe, or the solution to the tipping point I promised earlier..."
Before Xike could finish, Su Ming’an imdiately asked the first question:
"——Where is Lv Shu?"
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