Welcome to Rewind World Game-Chapter 1617: Final - · Guardian Shore Line · "OE · Perished by the Ocean (22)

Chapter 1617: Final Chapter · Guardian Shore Line · "OE · Perished by the Ocean (22)

"My daughter is almost nineteen," Anthony said with satisfaction. "She was born three years after the World Game ended. Since childhood, she’s been interested in the World Game, probably because of the influence at home, which is full of props and equipment... Now she’s quite capable and plans to join the army. I don’t expect her to go to college like her peers. She’s a child; she should do whatever she wants to do."

"I’m not as open-minded as you," Hua De sighed. "My son can’t settle down, so I made him go to school. And what happened? Every day all he does is watch videos of top players; he’s not interested in studying. What about his future...?" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

They seemed to be having a casual conversation, but Su Ming’an caught the implied meaning—they only wanted their children to have better prospects. Indeed, with a family, one has ties and cannot help but plan for one’s children.

They may be Tower Masters, Generals, or even Parliament Members... but in front of Su Ming’an, they were no longer as natural as they used to be.

Bei Wang had already awakened. He had been in and out of slumber for over twenty years, and his appearance was still as it once was.

Su Ming’an stated the day’s pressing matters.

—He was preparing to let the small world attempt a fusion to see if it could pass through that civilization barrier.

"That civilization barrier is quite peculiar. Tens of thousands of people can pass through, but no more than that. I have never seen such a barrier; logically, no one should be able to pass through." Su Ming’an said, "I want to see if fusion is possible; then the civilization barrier will be ours, and we won’t have to bother breaking it."

Mei Yani hurriedly opened the Light Brain to record the information.

"It sounds so thrilling. This first attempt at fusion reminds me of when humanity first landed on the moon," Joy chuckled.

"Another event worthy of being recorded in history. The young ones have more and more history to learn," Violet smiled.

The reason why only these few were present at the World Master’s meeting was that it was essentially Su Ming’an’s autocracy. His frequent shuttles meant that the decisions he proposed were proven effective through countless discussions in the future. They were only there to listen and convey information, occasionally offering personal opinions which Su Ming’an would consider.

He needed people who were trustworthy enough.

After the meeting, Lü Shu was still organizing the meeting notes. Though he could not see, he insisted on participating in governmental affairs. Nowadays, his official documents were well-written, handling most state matters appropriately.

"...Su Ming’an." In the empty room, Lü Shu suddenly spoke, "You were lying just now."

Su Ming’an halted his steps.

"There was a slight change in your gaze... You already know the result. There’s no need for a trial, is there?" Lü Shu said, "You want to attempt the fusion for another purpose."

"I’ll find you a pair of eyes," Su Ming’an smiled. "With such acuity, it’s a pity you don’t have a pair of bright eyes."

He walked towards the door.

The figure cloaked in a prismatic glow walked further down the deep white corridor, like a rainbow gradually fading away.

Lü Shu watched him get farther and farther away.

...

"Bei Wang, you’re awake?"

"Mm."

"What did you dream of during this time?"

"I dreamt of... a dreamscape flowing with black water... various people of different shapes... a large, colorful silhouette..."

"What else?"

"I’ve been trying to deepen this dream... to join them... Over these twenty-two years... I gradually became conscious within the dream, able to think and act independently... I feel like I’m gradually becoming a part of them."

"Is there any danger?"

"For now... I haven’t felt any."

"Mm, if you dream of anything, let me know first. Prioritize your own safety, okay?"

"Mm... that’s also... what I want to do."

...

On August 24, 2048, a date destined to be etched into the very marrow of human civilization.

In the central command hall of the World Hub, a massive holographic star chart occupied the entire dome. Two "planets"—one a crystal-clear small world, the other a dim Yizhu Star.

They faced each other across the deep cosmic sea, like a poet looking up at the moon.

Beneath the star chart, data streams cascaded like waterfalls, monitoring everything from the gravitational index of the small world to the emotional index of society.

Su Ming’an, clad in white with streaks of color in his hair, stood at the vast command platform, his figure appearing upright under the giant light screen. As the "World Master," he habitually presented himself in this manner to the public, with the "Faith" authority, refined over the years and bearing countless expectations, having become his forte.

His gaze swept over every solemn face below the platform: the politicians led by Wilson of the Union Government, the scientists led by Isabella, the military personnel led by Liu Jiahe... This was the center of the highest decision-making for human civilization, carrying the weight of the entire race’s survival.

"Check the final preparations," Su Ming’an’s voice, transmitted through the sound system, resounded throughout the hall, clear and steady: "Coordinate calibration, engine charging, Ming’an System, synchronize the state of all nodes."

The cold AI voice echoed in the hall: "Ming’an System online. Global anchor towers have met operational standards; engine core temperatures are normal; civilization barrier scanning is ready; Yizhu Star link is stable; data channels are sufficient... All systems are ready."

Su Ming’an nodded slightly, intentionally glancing at the cameras scattered in all directions—this was a global broadcast he had specifically instructed to ensure that most people could see it.

Many members of parliament expressed opposition to the broadcast, arguing what if the fusion failed? Wouldn’t that make everyone lose hope? Yet with a single command from Su Ming’an, the dissenting voices vanished.

At this moment, the world focused its attention.

Scientists and engineers gathered at control node towers, large laboratories, and engineering bridges worldwide. The air was filled with the scents of caffeine, sweat, and ozone. A disheveled man sat dejectedly in a chair, caressing an old photograph.

"Mr. Xiao, come out and have a look, it’s about to start!" a colleague’s voice called from outside the door.

"Coming, just coming..." Xiao Xiao pressed his cheek against the photo, a tear falling.

Outside, an elderly professor, hair white, softly prayed in front of the control panel, "It must succeed..."

Isabella smiled and held the old professor’s hand, "Teacher, don’t worry, I’m here."

"Sigh, you all have grown up. This old man, who didn’t partake in the World Game, can’t keep up with the times..." The old professor sighed.

The military entered the highest state of alert. Emergency materials storage points were set on the map, repeatedly verified evacuation plans to address any internal unrest. As the war-time commander, Lin Yin took a deep breath and ordered gravely over the encrypted channel: "Everyone, stand by."

Factories halted, schools suspended classes, people gathered in front of holographic screens in squares, in crowded underground city public areas, beside windows at home. Parents held their children tightly, lovers leaned on each other, and the elderly looked at the countdown on the screen with cloudy eyes. No one made a sound; a vast, almost suffocating silence enveloped the entire civilization.

In the streets and alleys, "Lighthouse Pendants" and "Black Bird Sculptures" that children used to talk about with laughter were tightly clutched in hands, as if drawing a trace of meager courage from them. A child looked up and asked his mother, "Mom, are we going to fly to a new home?"

The mother hugged him tightly, her eyes fixed on the figure in white on the screen.

"Ding—ding—"

On the western grassland, a man approaching his thirties led a group of children adorned with cosmos flowers, followed by a flock of white sheep, shaking the bell in his hand symbolizing blessings.

On the temporarily ceased battlefield, soldiers lay in the trenches, gazing at the distant full moon—the glow of Yizhu Star replaced the moon. They wiped their guns, gnawed on dry bread, praying for the peace to last longer, just a little longer.

In a tavern, Laine clutched Boris’ photo, drinking himself into a stupor, slumped in a noisy corner.

"Set off." Su Ming’an’s command sliced through the silence.

Buzz—

On the grand cosmic map, the edges of the light spheres representing a small world extended countless slender light bands, like billions of taut cables. The entire small world began slowly moving towards Yizhu Star.

"Traction is stable!" The engineer’s voice was trembling and excited.

"No obvious repulsion detected!" The scientist in charge of barrier analysis raised his voice.

In an instant, the dead-silent hall erupted in soft cheers! In front of the screen, countless citizens burst into shouts, the immense pressure found an outlet, hope ignited like wildfire, spreading instantly!

"Prepare to merge." Su Ming’an’s voice remained frigid, he did not smile, nor did his deep eyes hold any anticipation or joy. Amidst the public’s jubilation, his cold demeanor stood out starkly.

Yu Zhu looked at him worriedly, then raised a considerate smile to face the overwhelming cameras: "Continue."

Buzz—

With unprecedented computational power, the Ming’an System simulated the civilization barrier of Yizhu Star, energy surged from the World Tree’s roots, infused into the bubble membrane surrounding the small world, attempting to "disguise" this protective layer as part of the barrier, thereby physically "fitting" the two worlds together initially, opening the path for final fusion.

"Wave adjustment underway... Synchronization rate: 45%... 67%... 89%... 95%... 97.3%! Approaching critical! Su Ming’an!" Isabella’s voice, hoarse with tension, called out Su Ming’an’s name directly. The air in the command hall solidified once more, everyone felt their hearts in their throats.

Violet covered her mouth, Joy tightly gripped the edge of the console, Mei Yani’s light screen showed data streams rolling crazily.

Su Ming’an closed his eyes.

He sighed imperceptibly.

"Contact the boundary!" On the cosmic map, the color representing the small world finally touched the boundary of the "civilization barrier" surrounding Yizhu Star, which cannot be observed by the naked eye. The contact point instantly shone with dazzling white light!

"Should I go up and take a look?" Su Rin’s shadow invisibly appeared, suggesting close observation.

"No need." Su Ming’an replied.

"Material penetration detection activated... Passed!" The screen displayed that several harmless detection particles had successfully crossed the barrier boundary, landing on the white sands of Yizhu Star!

"Did it succeed?!" Liu Jiahe couldn’t help but shout. Yang Changxu’s eyes were filled with tears.

Suddenly, a red light flashed!

The Ming’an System’s alarm sounded with the highest priority!

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

[Warning! Unpredictable reaction occurred, the fusion boundary is dissolving!]

"This is bad!" The astronaut’s panicked screams from the Observatory Station transmitted through the communication channel, his "Lighthouse" observation platform being the closest to the contact point, the screen clearly capturing the terrifying scene: the space structure in approximately a several-hundred-kilometer area at the small world’s edge annihilated instantly upon contact with Yizhu Star’s barrier!

This annihilation spread like a plague, rapidly expanding!

"Cease fusion immediately, enforce separation." Su Ming’an’s calm voice cracked like thunder, stabilizing everyone.

Buzz—

Countless light bands burst into halos, attempting to pull the small world back from the brink of death, blazing blue light dots flickering intensely on the cosmic map, the small world trembling like an Ark on a high-speed course, abruptly steering to avoid an iceberg.

Fortunately, the contact duration was extremely short, and after ripping apart the space of a large uninhabited city, the small world was forcibly "torn" from Yizhu Star’s civilization barrier, retreating quickly. The spreading black crack halted, leaving an irreparable wound.

The command hall was deathly silent, the earlier cheers felt like they came from a different era. In front of the screen, the smiles of billions of citizens froze, turning to bewilderment.

Joy struck the table fiercely, the knuckles instantly bleeding. Violet was pale, the light screen remaining on the last crimson alert.

The Yizhu Star, once symbolizing hope, turned into the Universe Law’s cruel mockery in everyone’s eyes—it allowed you to approach, allowed you to peek, even allowed your insignificant tens of thousands to pass as "visitors." But when an entire civilization, with all its weight, history, and desire, attempted to cross that line seeking survival, the civilization barrier descended like an iron curtain.

The small world continued to move slowly, but no longer was it a glorious journey to a new home; it was a retreating escapee, stumbling away.

In the command hall, only the monotonous buzzing of instruments remained, alongside the rapid and heavy breathing.

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

Everyone instinctively looked at Su Ming’an for answers—as if looking at him would resolve everything—within fifty years, without a new planet, and Yizhu Star being inaccessible, what would humanity do?

This was, in human memory, the first decision mistake by Su Ming’an, how would he react? Even if he made countless mistakes, no one dared to blame him openly.

The cold civilization barrier, like a chasm between life and death, mercilessly declared:

——This road is closed.

...

Amidst the panic, Mei Yani suddenly noticed Su Ming’an’s expression—he seemed tense, yet his eyes were calm, as if he had foreseen it.

He even appeared to be smiling deep in his eyes.

White clothes like snow, gaze deep as a cold abyss, the seven-colored long hair flowed smoothly, appearing not incongruous but like a beautiful rainbow. The smile in his eyes made her tremble all over.

What is he planning? What is he hiding from us? Why deliberately let the world witness this failure? Her heart surged with tumultuous waves, yet she dared not speak.

"No need to panic."

The dazzling deity smiled.

"I have a plan, trust me."