Chapter 287

The air became incredibly thick, sliding into the trachea through the nasal cavity, making the chest feel suffocated as if filled with ice water. Consciousness screamed under the whip of fear, but the body felt as if it were being gripped tightly, unable to move.

This intense sense of crisis was completely different from when I participated in the death game in H City; it was even more terrifying than the wrath of the evil god, and it had become a tangible form of confinement.

Some players quickly realized that this was the difficulty adjustment mechanism predicted by the forum experts.

Like many hardcore game developers, they cleverly set up traps everywhere in order to control the completion rate. If you feel that the game is easy in the early stages, you will think that it is not as difficult as everyone said and that it is a piece of cake.

Then congratulations, there will definitely be a wonderful little trick in the later stages or at the end that will surprise you and blow you away.

But not everyone will get trapped; at least skilled players can use their power to send bricks flying.

During the few dozen seconds that the player struggled, he saw many top players on the leaderboard leap into the air and rush towards the abyss gate, their powerful and fluid movements like a lightning bolt.

The restraints imposed on them by the dungeon were as fragile as thin paper. With the slightest movement, a burst of power would erupt, creating a shockwave that would spread outwards. Then the dust would settle, leaving the crowd below looking up at those soaring figures.

Confined within the constriction, the body felt increasingly heavy and strained, making it impossible to breathe normally.

The player knelt on the ground, panting, his vision blurred, and he thought to himself that what was about to happen had nothing to do with them, these little bastards.

In the past few days, he has assisted in completing 3 S-level and 6 A-level extermination operations, as well as 2 S-level and 13 A-level challenge games. How can you not count him as having contributed his share?

So, that's it...

"stand up!"

Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed his arm. The emblem on the back of the hand shone brightly, and the player, whose body felt lighter, was pulled forward. He looked up in surprise and met a face that was not very familiar.

I wasn't very familiar with them, but I'd seen them before during the previous extermination operation. Because the final instance involved everyone, countless players gathered briefly, leaving only a vague impression of each other; we weren't exactly friends.

Now, this man, who was not a friend, was gripping him tightly, his muscles tense, his eyes blazing, his face devoid of any superfluous expression, only a pure desire for victory and an intense fighting spirit.

If I remember correctly, this person's combat strength is only B-level, just like his.

Seeing how excited he was, the player moved his lips as if to say something, but the other person immediately said, "Let's go!"

The player: "..."

The man roared again, "We've come all this way, are you really willing to just stand here like an idiot and wait to die without doing anything?"

After all that hard work and risking your life several times, it's not unreasonable to want to make a difference this time, to survive and stand tall on the battlefield after the smoke of battle, and to see the victory results page with your own eyes!

Even watering a tree in the forest can leave its mark on planting trees in the desert. It's not unreasonable to want to know that the blood and tears shed are not meaningless, and to want one's name to be prominently displayed on the list of contributors and admired by others!

The player: "…………"

His lips trembled violently, and in the corner of his eye, figures with deafening shouts swept past him, accompanied by a gust of wind.

There are more and more people in front of you, and fewer and fewer people around you and behind you.

He stood on the open ground where the cold air had frozen, looking up at the vast, surging sea of ​​people, which pulled his heart, which could no longer calmly accept death, forward with him.

Who would willingly shrink back?

The player takes one step forward.

Who is content with mediocrity?

The player draws their sword, and the skill's glow surrounds them.

Go ahead.

Golden light drew dazzling patterns on the back of his hand, and the player heard that familiar voice ring in his mind. It was Xie Xubai's voice, which had been spreading like wildfire on the forums these past few days, and it was also his extremely unwilling roar, wanting to break something.

He followed his heart's desire, closely trailing behind top players and countless others, and charged towards the heavens.

On this day, H City was engulfed in fierce fighting. The Abyss Gate continuously created spatial rifts, filling the sky and land within a radius of a hundred miles with countless bizarre creatures.

Countless players flocked from all over the world, one after another, fighting to the death. With the blessing and support of Xie Xubai and other gods, they broke through the wall of ten thousand demons, killed three thousand chaotic monsters, and shouted and fought their way to the gate of the abyss. Despite the corrosive energy, they crashed into the hundred-foot-long black gate with a bang!

when--

The gate shook, and the earth trembled.

when--

A sliver of light peeks through the crack in the door, where the sun and moon revolve.

when--

Like a silent behemoth opening its blood-red maw, the door hinges emitted an extremely deep and heavy hiss.

Something was falling from above, a crack being forcibly made in the tightly sealed destiny, shaking off the rust and ash of hundreds of years of turmoil.

The door opened.

.

[You have helped player Gao Chengyan regain his will; Faith Points +1]

[You have helped player Wang Qiuping regain her will; Faith Points +1]

[Follower Jiang Ting killed an A-rank monster, gaining +1 Faith Point]

[Believer Liao Yaling helps others regain their will, faith points +1]

...

The shimmering light emitted by the LCD screen was reflected in Xie Xubai's calm eyes, where a more dazzling golden torrent seemed to surge and churn beneath the light.

In the game, office workers shuttle back and forth among the outsiders, pouring their spiritual energy to clear their mental obstacles. Finally, at a certain moment, as the players work together, the gate to the abyss bursts open, revealing a dark passage to them.

Are you going in? Are you really ready?

Xie Xubai clicked "yes".

The game character, an office worker, follows the crowd into the building.

They first crossed a path of scorching red lava, then passed through a monster-infested, trap-filled ghost cave, and at the end of the path, they found a breathtakingly beautiful sea of ​​pure white flowers. A hole in the ceiling let in sunlight, and in the very center was a nest with a gold base, covered with red and white velvet carpets, and filled with all kinds of soft cushions.

A man with refined features lay on his side in the center, his knees slightly bent upwards. His muscles were smooth and silky, without any protrusions or excesses. His skin was fair and translucent, gleaming like jade in the sunlight. His features were so beautiful that they seemed to be a masterpiece sculpted by the Creator.

The newcomers around the office workers stared in amazement, exclamation marks appearing above their heads one after another, their hearts filled with pink flowers.

I couldn't bear to wake him.

So beautiful.

His hair is all messed up from sleeping, so cute! I really want to touch his face... But I can't resist! I must maintain respect for my god!

But a question mark appears above the heads of office workers.

That person gave me a feeling of déjà vu.

The office worker approached the nest and observed it closely.

【strangeness……】

This looks like... my face.

Just then, the background music suddenly changed tone, and a tense and urgent sound began to play.

The earth trembled, and countless black, slippery tentacles stretched out from off-screen, sweeping up and engulfing the beauty in her nest. Seeing that the beautiful NPC was about to be captured again, the outsiders were terrified and quickly raised their weapons.

The atmosphere froze, ready to explode at any moment. The next second, the office worker's body suddenly radiated a dazzling golden light.

I remember now.

The camera jolted, symbolizing the game's protagonist's turbulent and unstable state of mind, before the screen went dark, revealing a row of striking text across the middle.

All the changes began on that day.

As the light illuminated the scene, a series of tiny bubbles rose to the surface, and a blurred image suddenly emerged from the water—the protagonist's sealed memories.

He was walking down the street when suddenly the clear blue sky burst into blinding light. Turning around, the sun, which could be easily blocked by a palm, seemed to have been struck down, growing larger and larger as it approached, causing the temperature to rise sharply, the paving stones to crack, and trees to spontaneously combust. The bewildered crowd fled in panic, until one moment they were engulfed by a blinding flash of light!

That day, Infinite Game arrived.

Awaken in a monster's lair littered with corpses, be hunted, devoured, and then resurrected.

Lost and confused, I fell into a new dungeon, a new den of dragons and tigers, where I was toyed with, torn apart, and devoured, only to be reborn.

From being completely at the mercy of others at the beginning, to discovering system bugs, to getting to know other people, to successfully launching an initial counterattack.

From an ordinary person who knew nothing, to someone who traversed bloody storms and endured arduous years, to someone who climbed step by step to the summit and confronted the Outer God head-on.

Numerous fragments of memory flashed before my eyes, only to be swept away like dust by a howling hurricane in the next moment.

Office worker—no, it should be Xie Xubai. He stretched out his hand, golden light swirling in his palm, which exploded in a flash, filling the entire screen and forcefully repelling the surging tide of tentacles!

Then he faced all the players, met their trembling eyes, took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and finally spoke those words aloud with composure.

[Everyone, it's over.]

The images of war gradually faded, and everyone returned shoulder to shoulder to the city where the smoke had cleared. This land was ravaged and in dire need of rebuilding, but fortunately, as long as there are people, there is hope.

After the war, Xie Xubai joined the engineering construction and wounded care work. Five years passed quickly, and everything gradually returned to normal. He was finally able to resign and retire with honor.

He took off his uniform, retrieved his identification, and returned it to the Allied forces. He walked past the buildings under construction, past the crowds filled with laughter, and returned to his original, ordinary yet warm and happy little home. Seeing his relatives and friends unharmed, tears welled up in his eyes, and he rushed up to embrace them tightly.

Nourished by divine power, Xie Xubai still looks like he's in his early twenties. The long-term pressure and overwork have made him unable to handle those high-pressure jobs anymore, but he's also the kind of person who can't stay idle, so he simply found a job that wasn't so demanding, going to work and leaving work at fixed times every day, living a leisurely life as time goes by.

[Xie Xubai! What time is it? Why aren't you up yet?!]

Life was too comfortable, and he became increasingly lax without realizing it. Hearing his mother's call, Xie Xubai opened his eyes with a start, grabbed his phone to check the time, sprang to his feet, and quickly finished washing up and getting dressed. He grabbed a meat bun and stuffed it into his mouth, then picked up his briefcase and rushed out of the apartment building.

He arrived at the wide, bluish-gray asphalt street, where the sunlight was soft and a gentle breeze was blowing. Behind him were old residential buildings, and from left to right were trash cans, a green belt, and a vendor selling fried dough sticks.

The boss enthusiastically shouted his wares, cars sped by honking their horns, and crowds thronged. Some slurped noodles, others yawned while waiting at traffic lights, and students hurried to school, filling the air with lively and bustling sounds.

The screen freezes on this scene, then zooms out and moves to the bottom left corner, with the player's name scrolling across the right side. Finally, a cheerful background music begins to play.

[Game over. Congratulations on your victory!]

Outside the game, Xie Xubai, sitting on the sofa with a controller in hand, closed his tired and sore eyes and rubbed his temples with one hand.

Ogutov stood behind him the whole time, watching the victory screen revert to the game start screen. The "Start - Enter New Game" button glowed faintly, quietly waiting for the next player.

He asked softly, "Is it over?"

Xie Xubai didn't speak, and after a long while, he shook his head slightly.

He opened his eyes again and used the controller to browse the entire interface.

After completing the game, the save file was automatically destroyed. When I clicked on "Load Save," it was completely blank, and nothing could be loaded.

He clicked "Start Game," and the background image in the lower left corner suddenly expanded to fill the entire screen, showing a small office worker standing on the street with a briefcase.

Xie Xubai guided the office worker to the left, arriving at the entrance of the residential building. The little figure stopped, refusing to go inside, and a white-on-black thought bubble appeared above its head: 【I woke up too late today, I'll be late for work if I don't go now!】

The firewood crackled and popped in the stove, and it was pitch black outside the window. A strong wind whipped up ice shards that pounded against the glass, and the entire dessert shop fell into a deathly silence.

A few seconds later, Xie Xubai raised his eyes, his eyes shimmering with golden light, and murmured, "Indeed, games cannot be played in a conventional way."

He tossed the controller aside, got up, walked to the LCD screen, patted it left and right, examined the cartridge and console for a while, and asked Ogutov, "Can you sell me this TV?"

Augutov's smile deepened, as if he had been prepared all along. He handed Xie Xubai a hammer that was half his height and said with a smile, "Didn't I say that all your expenses today would be on the house?"

Xie Xubai chuckled, took the hammer, and golden light danced around him like stars, symbolizing the power that was about to be restored.

The surrounding magnetic field changed, and the light distorted and folded. He raised his arm and swung it in a circle, the hammer drawing a perfect arc in mid-air before crashing heavily onto the game screen.

Crack!

Normally, the force of such a hammer blow would shake the entire building, but the LCD TV in front of us only cracked slightly.

The only character on the game screen, a pixelated office worker, turned his head the instant the screen cracked open, his blurry face staring directly at Xie Xubai.

Crack!

The cracks spread, and in the blink of an eye, the office worker stepped out of the frame defined by the image, his entire face pressed against the spiderweb-like shattered screen.

Crack!

The office worker's facial features are becoming increasingly refined, giving him a biological texture, and his body is growing larger, gradually becoming the same height and width as Xie Xubai outside the screen, as if he could step out of the game at any moment.

The office worker grinned at Xie Xubai. Xie Xubai remained unfazed, undisturbed. He focused all his strength on the already cracked opening and slammed the hammer down hard.

Crack!

The LCD TV screen shattered with a crash, and the game character broke through the fourth wall and entered reality, laughing as he pounced on Xie Xubai.

He spread his arms wide, his palms gripping Xie Xubai's throat like eagle claws!

Xie Xubai's eyes remained calm. He pushed off the ground, turned around, and used the momentum to his advantage. His movements were decisive and swift, like flowing water. He stepped on the figure's face and kicked him back hard.

"You—!" This was no small matter; a painful cracking sound of bones breaking echoed through the air, and it was as if one could hear the guy uttering an extremely filthy curse.

The shattered game screen transformed into a dark and deep cave entrance. Looking closely inside, a winding path could be vaguely discerned in the dim light. Listening carefully, one could hear faint whispers coming from all directions. Vengeful spirits lurked in the corners, giving an impatient, sinister laugh to anyone about to step inside.

This kind of despicable behavior—wanting to see others suffer misfortune and be terrified, or rather, wanting to see him suffer misfortune and be terrified—is...

Xie Xubai thought to himself that he roughly knew who had lured him here by throwing out the game cartridge.

Putting aside this mischievous little trick, the game cartridge did indeed give him a clear hint.

Xie Xubai believed that Augusto wouldn't have helped Theseus make connections for no reason. They were both data-driven individuals, integrated into the system and symbiotic with it, and had genuinely touched upon the core content. Perhaps they knew something that couldn't be publicly revealed.

Xie Xubai went in to find Theseus.

Thinking of this, he stepped onto the cave entrance and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Ogutov, it seems I won't be able to enjoy your cooking today. I'll come back and savor your skills once all this is over."

But then Ogutov picked up an orange cake that he had somehow gotten his hands on, and with a small silver knife, he sliced ​​it open. The cake was still as soft and fluffy as when it was fresh out of the oven, and it was easily cut open. The orange juice flowed into the dark cave entrance like a waterfall.

The surging juice, like fluorescent oil paint, dispelled the darkness and brought forth flowers and green grass wherever it went.

A rich aroma filled the air; it turned out that the green grass wasn't real grass, but pistachio-flavored bread shreds, and the blooming flowers were dark and white chocolate.

The view brightens, the sun hanging in the sky is like a crystal clear amber candy, gummy snails crawl on cookie branches, and honey flows in the river.

Ogutov bowed to the stunned Sheshubai: "May sweetness dispel your weariness, and may the olive branch and the sword be in your hands."

“…Thank you, Ogutov, now we won’t fall.” Xie Xubai laughed. “We will win in the end.”

He stepped into the dessert space, which was originally dark but was now bright and colorful. Ping An barked twice behind him and jumped in after him, seeing Xie Xubai off.

At the end of the road was a rusty door. Xie Xubai rubbed Ping An's head, signaling it to wait there, and then pushed the door open and went inside.

Inside was a storage room where the scissor-hand dolls were kept. Xie Xubai was already familiar with them in Theseus's memory. The only difference was that all sorts of messy crates were haphazardly thrown into the corner, barely making room for a chess table of about 2 square meters.

Theseus sat across the chessboard, propping his chin on his hand and glancing at the colorful dessert path behind Xie Xubai. He narrowed his eyes and said mockingly, "Ha, this old man is hundreds of years old and still has such a childlike heart?"

Xie Xubai ignored his sarcasm, sat down at the chessboard, and faced Theseus: "What are your chips this time?"

“I have plenty of chips,” Theseus said, raising his chin. “Guess.”

Xie Xubai quietly observed Theseus and asked, "Will you give me whatever I guess?"

Theseus grinned and said, "Sure, but it can only be something I have. If you ask for something I don't have, not only will this opportunity be forfeited, but you'll also have to grant me a request."

Xie Xubai: "Isn't your only request that I kill you?"

Theseus replied with a smile, half-jokingly, "Of course not, there's also your death."

Xie Xubai would never have been provoked by his provocations before, let alone now.

He pondered for a moment, as if seriously considering the feasibility, and finally said, "Alright, let's try one game first. We must sign a contract, and once a move is made, there will be no going back."

Theseus surprisingly didn't haggle, perhaps because he was also tired.

They casually pulled two alarm clocks from the storage box to use as timers. The two of them grabbed ordinary chess pieces from the chess jar at the same time and started to determine who would go first. Xie Xubai was lucky and got to play black first.

Theseus played this game rather lazily.

A normal game of chess is a battle of wits and strategic planning. In simpler terms, it's about having the mental capacity to calculate all possible scenarios and the composure to remain unmoved and unpredictable when facing enemies from all sides.

What a coincidence! In terms of computing power, he is no match for Xie Xubai, and in terms of mentality, he is even less so.

Therefore, Theseus never expected to win against Xie Xubai from the beginning, relying on the fact that Xie Xubai could not accurately guess what chips he had.

Theseus was curious because Xie Xubai should know about this, but he played very seriously, stopping almost every time he made a move to calculate and weigh the countdown, as if he were exhausting all possibilities to ensure his victory.

This is interesting. If Xie Xubai guesses wrong, he will have to agree to Xie Xubai's request. Under the constraints of the transaction contract, he will even have to commit suicide.

Xie Xubai's decisiveness suggests that he has already guessed what cards Xie Xubai holds.

Having been defeated so many times, Theseus was no longer surprised, and he couldn't even muster that subtle sense of frustration anymore. All he felt now was curiosity.

The game ended quickly, and Xie Xubai won without any suspense.

He looked at Theseus with a probing gaze and said, "You killed people in the real world before and turned them into pawns. I want them."

Theseus: "..."

He looked at Xie Xubai's serious face, which showed no hint of a joke, and burst out laughing.

There's really nothing I can do.

"There are so many dead people in the world, good or bad, you really don't want to let go of any of them."

Theseus raised his hand, and the ceiling above his head disappeared, with countless chess pieces floating in mid-air, densely covering half of the sky.

He gave a sarcastic smile: "I have a total of 73,658,222 chess pieces here. Come on, take them yourself."

"But if I may be so bold, do you know how much of that is what you actually want?"

"I only know about the 16 people at the chemical plant. The workshop foreman and the safety inspection team made serious mistakes, but their crimes did not warrant the death penalty. As for those who stood by and watched someone die, neither reason nor law stipulates that they must exchange their own lives for the lives of others, especially in the event of an unavoidable chemical explosion in the entire plant."

Xie Xubai's gaze pierced Theseus like a blade: "Besides that, how many more are there?"

With the contract in place, Theseus couldn't lie and could only grit his teeth and honestly answer: "There are 246 more: 23 corrupt, 8 murderers and robbers, 53 domestic abusers, 71 bullies, 19 thieves, and 72 gossips who talk behind people's backs."

Xie Xubai stared at him coldly for a while before turning to look for him.

His power is slowly returning along with his memories, and he can use a small amount of mental energy to sense the presence of those people.

Theseus watched him busy, chin in hand, and laughed heartily, but don't overthink it; he was looking at him with the kind of gaze a college student gives a high school student who works from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Unfortunately, Theseus's gloating didn't last long, because Xie Xubai cast his spiritual energy into the sky, bewitching the other pieces—he was actually inciting them to help him find someone!

Theseus was dumbfounded: "How can you command them?"

These black pieces originally had clear consciousness, but after being honed by the system over the years, they basically became bloodthirsty and ferocious monsters like the Slender Man in the amusement park. It's good enough if they don't eat people, but they actually enjoy helping others.

“I promised them,” Xie Xubai said. “As long as we can find the person, I will definitely take care of you later and give them a break.”

Theseus: "..."

He and these pawns were in a life-or-death relationship, so it was normal for him to make such a request; he shouldn't be angry.

But Theseus, in a moment of madness, suddenly remembered something and abruptly glared at me, angrily demanding, "Then why did they completely ignore me when I asked them to help save you, saying you could kill me?"

He accepted the differential treatment in other situations, so why should there be double standards on the unanimous opinion of "let him die"?

Xie Xubai opened his eyes and said in a sarcastic tone, "It's probably because you have absolutely no sense of credibility."

Theseus: "..."

The other chess pieces successively delivered 262 pieces to Xie Xubai, who spread his palms and stored them all in his sea of ​​consciousness.

After winning the game, according to his betting agreement with the system, he will bring back to life all those still breathing the moment the game starts, including these refined chess pieces.

Theseus did not ask him how he planned to deal with these people; he simply said that after they were resurrected, those who needed to be thrown into prison would be thrown into prison, and those who needed treatment would be treated.

With a flick of his finger, he restored the chessboard to its original state: "Let's start the next game."

Xie Xubai suddenly said, "You set the rules for the last round, so I should set them for the second round."

Theseus looked up: "How do you want to decide?"

"We start with open cards and reveal our own chips, but we don't draw up any contracts that must be fulfilled; it's all based on trust," Xie Xubai said. "If you're not comfortable with that, I can unilaterally draw up a contract. As long as your requests don't violate public order and good morals, I will do my best to fulfill them."

Theseus thought for a moment, then sneered, "You really don't want to suffer any loss."

Xie Xubai: "Don't rush, I'll make one more condition, and you definitely won't refuse."

Theseus thought to himself, "Don't listen to my nonsense," but his face was full of mockery: "Fine, tell me."

"I'm not playing Go anymore," Xie Xubai said. "I'm playing Monopoly."

"..." Theseus, "???"

Xie Xubai: "Is it too complicated? Then we can play Ludo."

For a fleeting moment, Theseus mumbled the most vile curse he could think of.

His face trembled with anger: "Are you kidding me?"

Xie Xubai continued, "The requirement is that you cannot use any abilities, skills, or techniques."

The above rules can be simply summarized in four words:

—Purely by luck.

Theseus's furious expression suddenly froze, and he frowned as he scrutinized Xie Xubai.

Yes, in any game where skill can be used, his chances of winning are not as high as Xie Xubai's. Only luck is unpredictable, and everyone has their wins and losses.

"Wait a minute," Theseus said warily, "You're not going to let the Fates cheat for you, are you?"

"No," Xie Xubai said. "I can swear."

The temptation was too great.

Theseus certainly knew that Xie Xubai must have set a trap somewhere, but he couldn't resist.

He was a loser who had lost everything, and even the slightest hint of victory could make him lose his mind and feel restless.

Moreover, he had won against Xie Xubai.

Even if you win, you won't gain anything, but you'll win against Xie Xubai.

"Is this a strategic retreat?" Theseus slowly straightened up and asked calmly.

Xie Xubai did not deny it: "That's right."

He needed to know what bargaining chips Theseus had in order to figure out a way to get them.

Theseus laughed heartily, his spirits lifted, and with a wave of his arm, the chessboard in front of him disappeared, transforming into a regular version of Ludo.

The two quickly established the rules.

Theseus: "How many rounds will it take to decide the winner?"

Xie Xubai: "The number of rounds is not fixed, until one side runs out of chips and concedes defeat. Each lost round requires giving up one chip that is useful to the opponent, and the final settlement is made."

"Alright!" Theseus tossed the dice and laughed. "Come on!"

In the first round, Xie Xubai was lucky and lost several 6s in a row, reaching the finish line first.

Theseus stared at the chess piece, his face as black as ice. He remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a "tsk" and reclaiming his meager, almost nonexistent, credibility: "Do you even remember how you forced the system to compromise and restart the game?"

Before Xie Xubai could speak, Theseus said directly, "Because the system also has its own rules that it must follow."

Xie Xubai was able to find a way out of the predicament because the system's seemingly unbridled and all-powerful actions exposed a fatal flaw.

It's too "wordy".

Even wild animals know that hunting requires speed, precision, and ruthlessness to minimize energy expenditure. Why should a system that craves to devour all of humanity in an instant, one that values ​​efficiency, waste so much time dealing with them?

As Xie Xubai gazed at the vast and boundless universe, a thought suddenly popped into his mind:

In a higher-dimensional world that they cannot yet reach, is the system also a "player" confined within a instance?

Has the system ever committed any violations, or is its behavior completely non-compliant, which is why it is being so cautious, for fear of being exposed?

Xie Xubai was unaware that humanity currently lacked the technological capability to verify this conjecture, not even the ability to become a god.

To obtain the laws of higher dimensions, one must first become a higher-dimensional being like Xie Yuchun, indifferent to the world. However, beings that have become higher-dimensional lose their nature and will not care about worldly affairs.

……unless.

Unless he is willing to take a desperate gamble, risking his soul being torn apart and twisted by the laws, possibly beyond saving, and devouring the power of all god-level players as fuel to propel his course, turning himself into an unstoppable missile, breaking through the barriers set by the system, and using his low-dimensional consciousness to cross high dimensions and reach the ears of the heavens.

“You succeeded back then. You summoned a dimensional law that could uphold justice for you, which is why you were able to defeat the system today,” Theseus said. “But Xie Xubai, have you ever thought about this? Since there is one system, there is a high possibility that there will be a second system, or even a third, a fourth, or an countless other system.”

"Even though dimensional laws maintain the stability of the universe, they still follow the most primitive and cruel principle: the survival of the fittest. Human civilization has survived this extinction crisis because your fists are strong enough to win. But when those higher-dimensional predators come one after another, drawn by the smell of meat, how much can this planet withstand? The universe is full of life, and when all of humanity is exhausted, you will become their prey."

Xie Xubai remained silent.

The torn-off ceiling connects to the void, where hundreds of millions of galaxies dot the almost infinitely vast dark plain. Every moment, countless stars are born and evolve, and countless others collapse and perish.

The flash of light overhead could be the vibrant life bursting forth from a protostar as its outer dust layers are blown away by intense stellar winds and jets, or it could be a spectacular explosion caused by the rapid collapse of a massive star after it has exhausted its nuclear fuel.

It fell into Xie Xubai's calm and undisturbed eyes, gleaming faintly in the depths of his dark pupils.

Just like when the Infinite Game first started, that blue star that was isolated and helpless in the vast universe, yet stubbornly persisted.

After a long silence, Xie Xubai asked, "What is your solution?"

Theseus smiled knowingly: "Want to know? Sure, let's play another round."

They lost the second game as well.

Theseus stared at the map, his face turning pale and then red. Three steps, just three steps away!

He could beat Xie Xubai in just three moves! Why can't he throw out that number?

Did Xie Xubai really not cheat? He didn't believe it!

Under Xie Xubai's gleaming gaze, Theseus, barely able to contain himself, reluctantly spoke up: "What other way do you think there is? Of course, it's to learn from the barbarians' superior techniques to subdue them."

"If humans are three-dimensional beings, then the Outer Gods you see in the dungeon are four-dimensional beings. Under this premise, the system's dimension is 0.5 higher, because before it found Earth, it lived by devouring those Outer Gods, so it was able to collect information on countless Outer Gods for its own use."

"If humanity has the ability to absorb and master the knowledge of the learning system, then before the end of the universe, you will at least be able to compete with fifth-dimensional life."

Theseus glanced at Xie Xubai's face, as if he knew what Xie Xubai was thinking, and sneered: "Do you think that the system is not strong enough to devour outer gods, or that there are dimensional laws monitoring it, so the system cannot be so unscrupulous?"

"Get this straight, Xie Xubai, the system seems to have little combat power because it's afraid of being punished by the dimensional laws, so it's been hiding its strength. Later, because you recklessly summoned the dimensional laws, it was directly shackled and its 'hands and feet' were bound, unable to use its full power—from beginning to end, the power it can use is less than one-tenth of its peak power!"

Theseus laughed heartily: "Now you know why the system wasn't satisfied with just killing you, it had to torture you insane, right?"

The system's problems extend beyond being bitten by a despised ant; it has been poisoned and crippled by that ant, reduced to only one-tenth of its power. Opponents it could previously defeat are now beyond its capabilities, and it even faces the risk of being bitten back and killed.

Who wouldn't feel aggrieved? Who wouldn't hold a grudge?

"As for why the laws of dimensions only apply to humans and not to the Outer Gods who are being devoured, the answer is simple," Theseus said. "Because humans are a civilization, while those Outer Gods are just individuals."

"Even compared to the entire universe, Earth and humanity are too insignificant. You can't help but marvel at how special this seemingly insignificant existence is, that it has given birth to a civilization."

"Perhaps billions of years from now, it will also become the birthplace of a certain dimensional law. This is the reason why the dimensional law you summoned is willing to protect you, and it is also the regulatory mechanism that the universe has naturally evolved to promote development."

Xie Xubai's expression shifted slightly, his eyes flickering.

Theseus looked at him, suddenly laughed, and shrugged, looking like a dead pig that wasn't afraid of being scalded by boiling water: "But all of the above is knowledge extracted based on the system's cognition. It is possible that it is simply the system's conjecture. The Yuanmou Man still thought that fire was a gift from the gods."

"If you don't understand what the fifth, sixth, or even higher dimensions are like, and you don't know if they have already structured doctrines sufficient to overturn human civilization, how can you be sure that what you have obtained is the truth?"

“It’s alright,” Xie Xubai said without hesitation. “Humanity will continue to develop, and one day we will see the view from the peak.”

Theseus: "Tch."

Xie Xubai was in a good mood and didn't care about Xie's eye-rolling and scornful attitude. His eyes lit up as he asked, "The system core is in our hands. You should have a way to deconstruct and learn those distorted and obscure knowledge, right?"

"Want to know?" Theseus smiled slightly. "Let's play another round."

Xie Xubai lost the third round. This time, he was only 5 steps away from the finish line, but he was extremely unlucky and couldn't throw that 5 no matter what he tried.

Xie Xubai touched his nose, not surprised at all. Without the blessing of divine power, his luck was indeed so unpredictable.

But Theseus stared at the chessboard in silence for a long time.

When Xie Xubai could no longer help but urge him on, Theseus finally raised his head.

He pursed his taut lips, glanced at Xie Xubai a few times, then looked at the Flying Chess game he had won, as if he couldn't quite understand it, looking at it again and again.

There was no laughter, no screaming; their expressions were all blank.

When this long-cherished and unforgettable desire was finally fulfilled, all he felt was self-doubt and disorientation.

“You…” Theseus awkwardly licked his dry lips, “What bargaining chips do you have… Never mind, just give me anything as a substitute, and we’ll settle the score at the end.”

Xie Xubai stared at him for a moment, then raised his hand and summoned a wisp of golden light, which condensed into a coin chip commonly found in gambling establishments.

Theseus took it and placed it beside him: "Next game."

In the fourth game, Xie Xubai won.

Theseus didn't keep them in suspense and said directly: "Normal humans cannot properly deconstruct the knowledge of a system. At best, their thinking will be contaminated; at worst, they will be assimilated into the next system, except in one case."

Xie Xubai: "What's going on?"

“Data entities,” Theseus said. “Not those scum who sell their souls directly to the system—they can’t withstand that. They are data entities that, after being eroded and integrated by the system, can still retain their own will.”

Such examples are extremely rare, even rarer than one in ten thousand. Among the tens of millions of players who have defected to the system, only two exceptional cases have occurred.

One possibility is Theseus, but there's absolutely no way he'd lay down his sword and start working for humanity. Moreover, his entire soul is integrated into the system, leaving no room for reversal; he can only exist and perish with the system.

Then there's only one other person left.

The Fifth Apostle, Augusto.

Ogutov's soul, which was not valued by the system, eventually took a turn for the better and became a crucial turning point.

"I have good news for you. While you and your lover were being all lovey-dovey, I have already separated the part of him that was integrated with the system."

Theseus raised his palm, and a mass of crimson data enveloped in black and red spiritual energy appeared before the two of them.

In contrast to typical data volumes that are constantly writhing and thrashing about, this mass is much quieter.

There's no mistake, that data mass is Augusto's true soul. Xie Xubai didn't believe Theseus had such good intentions, and frowned, asking, "How did you do that?"

“He still has a trace of his uncorrupted soul; we can just pull it out along the thread.” Theseus leisurely tossed the data mass around. “What, you don’t believe me? This isn’t anything technically difficult; it’s much simpler than extracting the key from the system back then.”

You should know that extracting the key was done secretly right under the system's nose. When Yan Shuo was extracting Ogutov's soul, the system had already been turned into a useless ball and was too busy to care about his little tricks.

Theseus repeated Xie Xubai's words meaningfully: "You can't play games by following the rules."

Having someone to choose from is one thing, but whether that person can shoulder the heavy responsibility is another.

Even if Augutov were to take over the database, what chance would his soul, which is so rare that it only accounts for one percent of his total capacity, possibly withstand it?

That's a problem for humanity to grapple with. Perhaps with divine blessing and Xie Xubai's spiritual healing working in tandem, Ogutov can pull through.

Theseus's job was simply to select this person and use him as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Xie Xubai.

The game continues.

Theseus wins the fifth round, gaining one more chip.

In the sixth game, Xie Xubai won. Theseus provided effective suggestions for post-disaster reconstruction, filling in the gaps in Xie Xubai's original plan.

Theseus wins the seventh game, gaining one more chip.

Theseus wins the eighth game, gaining one more chip.

In the ninth round, Xie Xubai won. Theseus mentioned: "The player's power will not disappear after the game ends. Similarly, the dead who are transformed into monsters and NPCs will also retain a part of their mutated state in the dungeon."

"Leaving aside the uproar that will occur once your concealment of the players is exposed, the original set of laws and regulations for humanity is absolutely no longer applicable to a civilization that urgently needs to develop rapidly to resist powerful enemies from outside the region. Didn't you start working on revising it a long time ago? How's the progress now?"

Xie Xubai: "The basic revisions have been completed and are being implemented in several districts and counties of H City to observe the effects. However, once everyone wakes up, the situation will be completely different. I will contact experts from the legal department to refine them. Once it is confirmed that there are no major problems and that order and social stability can be maintained, we will gradually promote them nationwide. I will also entrust a specialist to put it on the agenda of the International Federation."

...

At the end of the twenty-fourth game, Theseus hadn't won enough, but he had lost so much that he couldn't offer any advice and didn't want to waste any more words. He simply threw down the Ludo board and said, "I'm done playing. I've had enough."

The flow of time in another dimension is different from that in the outside world, and can be determined by oneself.

Just as they finished their game, the players outside advanced to the deepest part of the abyss and saw Xie Xubai's clone lying in the sea of ​​flowers.

Xie Xubai: "Then let's settle the chips."

The exciting moment is about to arrive!

Theseus, now energized, rubbed his hands together, took out a chip, pushed it onto the Ludo board, and declared emphatically, "I want you dead."

Xie Xubai: "If you don't want to die, choose another one."

Theseus: "..."

Tsk.

The lack of a mandatory contract is a hassle. Theseus held the chips in his hand with a look of disgust, as if he had just found out that the box of money he had finally managed to get was all Zimbabwean dollars.

"Fine, let's change it then." Theseus magnanimously placed the chips he had picked up back on the chessboard and said in a clear and resonant voice, "I want the system dead."

Before Xie Xubai could answer, Theseus cupped all the chips he had won in his palm and placed them face down on the chessboard, one by one, and then pushed the soul that had been separated from Augusto forward.

Theseus stared intently into Xie Xubai's eyes, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth: "I...want...the...system...to...die."

That hatred surged forth.

Xie Xubai raised his eyes and solemnly accepted his chips one by one. He wrapped Ogutov's soul in golden light and nurtured it in his sea of ​​consciousness along with the other black pieces. At the same time, he replied to him word by word: "Only on this matter are we completely in agreement."

Theseus scrutinized the details of his expression, trying to discern whether he was telling the truth or not, and suddenly smiled slowly. It was like someone accustomed to hardship unexpectedly tasting the sweetest syrup in the world, utterly satisfied.

"In that case, I'll give you one more hint."

"Under the witness of the dimensional laws, you signed a series of reward and punishment contracts with the system, but being absent from the podium will be regarded as giving up your rights, so you have to see the dimensional laws again."

"Of course, you definitely can't rely on absorbing power to rush up this time; that would be suicide. So you need to use the current to your advantage, employing higher-dimensional power, such as the Infinite Game. So your role as the master of this instance wasn't in vain; you've become familiar with how to use it by now, haven't you?"

"Do you remember when scientists analyzed infinite games and identified the three main structural elements that trap players?"

Xie Xubai: "Time, space, and conceptual rules."

"Bingo." Theseus snapped his fingers. "Space has the spatial beasts that the Third Apostle Lilith managed to seal, and time has the Goddess of Fate and the Evil God. These two major frameworks have been conquered, and the final conceptual rules..."

Theseus smiled and looked at him: "Xie Xubai, there were so many paths back then, but you chose to specialize in mental power, without considering anything else. Besides your strong willpower, which made you suited for this path, it was also because when mental power is cultivated to its peak, you will gain control—"

"Cognition," Xie Xubai replied.

At this moment, Xie Xubai's eyes were completely illuminated by pure golden light. His voice rang out like a great bell from ancient times, emanating a powerful and profound wave that swept into the world, creating a turbulent upheaval, as if he were proving the Dao to the heavens and earth.

"The unified understanding of all things in the universe is the concept rule."

At the same time, in the deepest part of the abyss.

Everything Xie Xubai manipulates the office workers to do in "Infinite Game" will have a corresponding impact on reality. However, after the players enter the abyss, the connection between the two is severed, and the scenarios diverge.

In "Infinite Game", the clone that embodies most of Xie Xubai's power and memories lies in a nest surrounded by a sea of ​​white flowers. The evil god only arrives belatedly after noticing the player's intrusion.

In the real world, the evil god never strayed far from Xie Xubai's clone. Its tentacles surged, binding him tightly, with only its head protruding for breathing. If any player dared to try and snatch him, it would flick its tentacles, slamming the opponent against the wall, nearly sending them to meet their great-grandmother.

At this point, the evil god and the player community had already clashed twice fiercely, the impact shaking the surrounding area and leaving behind only ruins.

The players were in a difficult situation because the evil god's rage still had tens of thousands of points left to burn, but they had already completed all the mini-games in H City, and no new monsters had spawned outside.

What other methods are there to reduce the evil god's rage?

Just as they were about to clash for the third time, a golden light appeared between them, and a hand with distinct knuckles gently pulled from above, stopping the massive, mountain-like tentacles in mid-air.

Not only the evil god, but all the players' attention was also drawn to the figure carefully lifted into the air by the tentacles.

The players in the front row stepped forward, looking at Xie Xubai with excitement. Just as they were about to say something, the evil god took the initiative and held up a tentacle in front of Xie Xubai, making his aggrieved accusation clear to everyone in the audience.

They did the beating.

All players: "..."

They looked at the palm-sized wound on the tentacle, which was barely a scratch to the evil god, and then at themselves, covered in dust, having been seriously injured and coughing up blood several times.

He is so shameless.

Xie Xubai coughed lightly, used golden light to heal everyone, turned around to look at his aggrieved boss, and patted him gently with a smile: "Alright, alright."

In the past few days, the evil god has been searching the world for rare and precious materials to heal his body. In order to achieve the best effect, he has used some unspeakable methods. As a result, Xie Xubai's legs trembled as soon as he saw the wet tentacles, his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly, and his face and ears were unconsciously tinged with a drunken blush.

Because of this scene, the evil god's gaze remained fixed on Xie Xubai. Xie Xubai subconsciously turned his head as if trying to avoid His burning gaze, but the next second he raised his head and met His scarlet eyes, and laughed, "President Yan, you're too big, I can't even hug you, can you shrink a little?"

Before he finished speaking, black mist filled the air, and a tall, muscular figure appeared before Xie Xubai.

Yan Shuo opened his mouth as if to say something, but Xie Xubai suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him.

Their lips met, a mixture of awkwardness and passion born from an effort to cast aside shyness.

Thank you for everything you've done for me.

...

Early in the beginning of this instance, Yan Shuo met the human consciousness of the Goddess of Fate in a void rift.

"You mean you're going to forcibly seal Bai Bai's power and memories in this instance, hoping I won't interfere?" Xie Yuchun shook her head, seemingly both amused and exasperated. "Please give me a reason why you must do this, Evil God. You've made many contributions to humanity, and I respect you as a heroic deity who saved humanity. In return, I'm willing to fight to the death for you, and I believe anyone else would feel the same gratitude and reverence. But I only have one child. If you want to forcibly deprive him of his personal freedom, or humiliate him, I won't let it go."

As he spoke, Xie Yuchun's high-dimensional divine body appeared and disappeared behind him, a clear statement of his stance and a silent threat.

Yan Shuo wasn't angry. He explained honestly, "For Xie Xubai, simply winning the Infinite Game and defeating the system is far from enough."

Because Yan Shuo had fought a bloody battle with the Outer Gods and lost half of his divine core, he knew very well that the universe was fraught with danger and that humanity and Earth had never been safe.

He knew even better that Xie Xubai, upon discovering this, would inevitably take precautions and go to great lengths to plan and prepare.

Yan Shuo had no intention of stopping him. He admired the brilliance and radiance that Xie Xubai exuded when he was completely focused on doing something, but Xie Xubai was unrestrained.

Regular players will lose their memories during the game, and even if they can cooperate and entrust each other with tasks, it is only temporary.

God-level players don't lose their memories, but the pain of dying tragically and losing loved ones accumulates with each reincarnation, eventually forming an indelible mental stain that completely crushes their will, making it impossible for them to rely on others wholeheartedly.

It wasn't that his companions were unreliable or incompetent; it was that Xie Xubai wanted to be absolutely certain, so he could only rely on himself.

In addition, since he was an ordinary person starting his training from scratch, the amount of sweat and time he needed to put in was several times, or even dozens of times, more than that of a genius. This is why he developed the habit of not knowing how to move forward except for running at full speed.

No one can keep pushing themselves to the limit forever; he won't be able to take it.

These repeated soul shatterings have already caused irreversible damage to Xie Xubai.

That's why Yan Shuo wanted to seal Xie Xubai's power and memories, forcing him to rest and take a good look at the fact that most humans have grown to have enough strength and responsibility to share the pressure of their compatriots and the survival of their race. He no longer needs to work so hard.

It was also to allow Xie Xubai to recover his health so that he would have the energy to accomplish what he truly wanted to do in the future, which might involve something more secretive and dangerous in the outer universe.

After hearing Yan Shuo's explanation, Xie Yuchun remained silent for a long time.

She may have underestimated the evil god's love for his own child.

But this misunderstanding arose because she could sense the evil god's...

"So," Xie Yuchun carefully chose her tone, "you never considered imprisoning Bai Bai?"

I've thought about it.

During the time when Xie Xubai's soul was shattered, he was frantically thinking every day why he hadn't hidden away the humans he loved. He would have hidden them so well that no one could find them, so that Xie Xubai would belong only to him, free from all the messy official duties and intrigues that would trouble humans, and so that nothing could harm Xie Xubai.

But in the instant those dark desires emerge, countless vivid smiles of Xie Xubai will inevitably appear before one's eyes.

Yan Shuo recalled a long, long time ago when he and Xie Xubai fell together in the scorched earth. He was tearing his body apart and forcibly descending to a lower dimension, but he was too weak to continue. Xie Xubai was covered in wounds and bleeding profusely, barely clinging to life.

To conserve his energy, he shrank his body again and again, swaying precariously like a broken tree. He breathed heavily, hearing the wind of his breath rushing through his shattered chest, hoarse and hissing like a broken bellows. He and Xie Xubai lay exhausted together, their severed tentacles holding each other tightly, listening to each other's faint heartbeats to stay awake.

If reinforcements don't arrive soon, he and Xie Xubai will both perish. But with them both so badly injured, it's unlikely that many from the other units will survive, so Yan Shuo has no hope.

After an unknown amount of time, Xie Xubai, who was in his arms, suddenly reached out and forced him to look up, his knuckles turning white with force.

He wanted to scold the people for making a ruckus, but when he looked up, he saw a giant sun slowly rising from the horizon. The darkness receded, and the orange-red sunset shone on the earth. In the backlight, several rescuers ran towards them at all their might, their faces filled with unspeakable anxiety.

Xie Xubai's weak laughter rang out from his arms, intermittent and faint, yet so joyful and proud: "Look, Yan Shuo, I told you long ago that dawn would eventually come."

“Darkness cannot obscure the light,” Yan Shuo said to Xie Yuchun, “because it will always follow the light and become its most faithful believer.”

...

The overwhelming force of faith propelled Xie Xubai's final 1% progress toward godhood.

All his clones merged together, and he became a god in one fell swoop.

Behind Xie Xubai, the system core screamed as it was thrown into the air. Theseus, with a ferocious face, let out a wild and triumphant laugh, using his black and red mental power to cut it in half, but because of its symbiotic relationship with the system, it could not cut the other half any further.

Just then, a golden light rushed in and met Theseus's gaze. The next second, it firmly grasped Theseus's trembling hand, and the golden light and dark red light combined to swoop down, completely destroying the system's core amidst a huge explosion.

Xie Xubai did not hesitate, nor did Theseus.

The moment the system died, tens of millions of chess pieces behind Theseus crumbled and shattered, and he closed his eyes completely after a loud laugh.

Countless cruel experiments, and the love and hatred accumulated over hundreds and thousands of years, all turned to ashes in this moment.

Xie Xubai watched them completely disappear, then broke through the last layer of the infinite game's structure and used it as a bridge to instantly reach a higher dimension.

There is no specific concept of space and time here, or rather, the two have acquired a deeper layer of thickness and weight. Xie Xubai's own cognition, consciousness, and sense of existence are shattered and reassembled, and his vision is like a storybook with constantly turning pages, becoming a phantom labyrinth where all the scenes intertwine, seemingly both distant and within reach.

Sensing a familiar aura, the dimensional laws slowly "opened their eyes" at Xie Xubai.

In the real world, over seven billion sleeping souls awaken from the bodies of NPCs and BOSSes, staring blankly into the disbelieving, tearful eyes of the players.

Looking out over the universe, the shadow that had been hanging over Earth has finally dissipated.

Earth stands alone among countless stars, displaying its unparalleled and magnificent blue hue to the vast universe.

Six months later.

After a series of upheavals and conflicts, and with the concerted efforts of countless people, order has gradually been restored and stabilized. A belated "Notification to All Survivors" has been sent to citizens around the world.

Fellow countrymen of all races around the world, survivors at home and abroad, after a difficult struggle, we solemnly declare that this battle to defend the survival of human civilization has achieved final victory!

...

Although the shadow of disaster has dissipated, peace requires our joint efforts to establish and maintain. This system is just a precedent, and in the distant universe, there are still unknown dangers lurking, as well as unknown opportunities waiting for us to discover.

...

Moving forward, we will continue our post-disaster reconstruction efforts, maintain social stability, and safeguard the rights and interests of the people. We will pay special attention to those affected by the disaster, leaving no one behind. We will also vigorously develop aerospace technology, continuously seeking solutions for the future and relentlessly pursuing progress.

Sincerely yours,

[It is currently 9:39 PM on January 14th, 20XX in the Central Continent region of the real world. The land remains, and the nation is prosperous and the people at peace.]

Author's Note:

I've finally finished writing.

That year, something happened at home, and my mental state was very poor. I would wake up after sleeping for three or four hours and start vomiting bile. Looking at myself in the mirror, I felt like a zombie (if I really became a zombie, I would plant flowers on my head, lol! ヘ(￣ω￣ヘ)). Several times I thought about just giving up and not following the outline, but in the end I decided to grit my teeth and write as completely as possible, for all of you who have always supported me, for myself when I wrote this with great enthusiasm, and for the characters in the story that I love.

I plan to write all the subsequent side stories as bonus chapters to give back to the readers who follow the updates. They won't cost any Jinjiang coins. If you have any requests, please leave a comment [sprinkling flowers]. I just don't have enough energy to write many. I'll pick a few that inspire me and start writing again after I'm done with this busy period.

Could you please give this story a five-star rating for its completion? [Sprinkling flowers] It would greatly benefit the continued success of this story and contribute significantly to Yuncheng's popularity. Thank you so much! [Please!]

Thank you for your continued support and love. I am very grateful and bow deeply.