C131 — The Earth

Mu Sichen had already guessed part of what Shen Jiyue said, so he asked, “Butterfly’s betrayal… it was all within Deep Sea’s expectations?”

“Correct,” Shen Jiyue said, looking at Mu Sichen with appreciation. “Too bad there’s no reward for that.”

Mu Sichen thought for a moment. “He was being tormented by a force outside the ocean, but he was already too weak to deal with it himself… so he used you all?”

A flash of resentment passed through Shen Jiyue’s eyes, and he nodded. “Yes. If you think about it carefully, Butterfly was nothing more than a pseudo-god under his control. His power came from Deep Sea, his mind belonged to Deep Sea, and he hadn’t been corrupted by any other god. How could he possibly have a rebellious heart?”

“From the very beginning, Butterfly was just an overly ideal dream split off by Deep Sea.”

“You mean you all were deceived like this… and didn’t suspect anything?” Mu Sichen asked.

Shen Jiyue reached out a finger to lightly tap Mu Sichen’s forehead, but Mu Sichen dodged with precision. His fingertip pressed against empty air; he drew back, a little disappointed, and said in a low tone, “No one could deceive us… only our own ‘unquestioning faith’ could.”

Mu Sichen started to understand their mindset at the time. “Deep Sea had already devoured too many god-level monsters. You feared his power. When Butterfly sent out a signal for help, you saw an opportunity and accepted him.”

“You weren’t suspicious at the time—not because you didn’t want to, but because you dared not.”

“At that point, you thought that if you didn’t seize the chance to weaken Deep Sea, everyone would be devoured.”

“Little did you know, Deep Sea was already too weak to attack other god-level monsters and could only barely survive at the ocean floor.”

“You thought you were weakening a formidable enemy, but in fact, you were performing surgery for Deep Sea—cutting out the malignant tumor that would have dragged him down.”

“You believed you were weakening a rival… yet now that Deep Sea has regained his strength and taken back Butterfly, you realize he’s almost at his peak again, right?”

“You don’t have to be so sarcastic. Your metaphor makes me feel like you’re mocking me,” Shen Jiyue said.

“Do you think I’d let an opportunity to mock you slip by?” Mu Sichen replied.

Shen Jiyue tilted his head and smiled at Mu Sichen. “Compared to when we first met, you’ve really grown. Humans are strange—you either never grow up, or you grow up all at once. Pressure can crush your spirit… or it can make someone innately strong even stronger.”

“I’ve learned what I wanted to know. I’m not going to waste more time with you,” Mu Sichen said, raising the crossaxe he had long been restraining.

Recalling the despair he felt under the double pressure of the Dream Catcher and New Moon, and remembering Shen Jiyue’s merciless attitude, Mu Sichen really wanted to smash Shen Jiyue’s composed face with the crossaxe.

Yet Shen Jiyue was so uncanny; he always had a way to dissipate anger.

Facing this slightly disheveled, resigned Shen Jiyue—who had been outwitted by Deep Sea—Mu Sichen’s suppressed rage vanished completely. Perhaps Shen Jiyue had used some sort of mental control on him.

“Don’t rush to strike,” Shen Jiyue said. “I’ll tell you one last thing.

“The god War is about to begin.”

“What did you say?” Mu Sichen exclaimed.

Shen Jiyue said, “After Deep Sea reclaimed Butterfly, his power returned to its sun-blocking peak. He will inevitably reclaim all the oceanic forces that belong to him. After this battle, Deep Sea has absorbed all the oceanic energy from the Earth. There are still four oceanic star fragments scattered outside: two belong to ordinary god-level monsters, the third is Origin, and the fourth… is you.”

Mu Sichen remained relatively calm. “Hope Town’s ‘Pillars’ aren’t that easy to break through.”

“You’re thinking too simply. The problem isn’t the ‘Pillars.’ Once Deep Sea gathers more than 95% of pure oceanic energy, he can activate the ‘Centralization of Power.’ The remaining forces will automatically detach from their hosts and converge toward him. Sichen… you’re close to death,” Shen Jiyue said with regret in his eyes.

Mu Sichen’s heart skipped a beat.

He had assumed that simply defending Hope Town would allow him to resist Deep Sea’s power—he hadn’t expected Deep Sea to have this ability.

[He’s right. This is also why the system didn’t want Butterfly to lose his personality. If Butterfly had retained his full self, he would have resisted Deep Sea after merging, continuously weakening him. Unfortunately, now Deep Sea is full of hatred toward you.]

Mu Sichen fell silent.

He finally understood what “extremely difficult” meant—every choice back then was wrong.

In Shen Jiyue’s eyes, he had chosen the worst possible option. But in Mu Sichen’s heart, his companions had survived.

“I don’t want you to die, and I don’t want Deep Sea to acquire the power of ‘Self,’” Shen Jiyue said. “He calculates all the gods into his scheme. If you die from the ‘Centralization of Power,’ Hope Town will belong to Deep Sea. With the power of ‘Self,’ Deep Sea could fully contain the forces of the Sky and the Earth. And when you die, the next one to fall will be me… or ‘Fate.’”

“No wonder you care about my survival… it’s tied to your own life,” Mu Sichen said.

Shen Jiyue continued, “It will take about a month for Deep Sea to fully merge Butterfly and the remaining oceanic forces split from the Earth. Until then, you must seize Origin Town.”

“Origin carries a mix of Sky, Earth, and Ocean forces. Deep Sea won’t want to absorb more complicated energy and will likely attack the other two oceanic star fragments first.

“If you absorb Origin before then and gain control over two types of oceanic energy, Deep Sea will no longer be able to activate ‘Centralization of Power.’

“This isn’t only something you know—Origin knows it too. Only one of you two can survive. I hope the one who survives is you.”

Shen Jiyue’s expression was sincere, and even the tremor of Mu Sichen’s crossaxe slowed down.

Mu Sichen asked internally, “System, the next opponent you’ve arranged for me is Origin, right?”

[Exactly. In fact, these things don’t need the ‘Lone-Eyed Moon’ to explain; the system will inform the player afterward. Don’t worry—you’re not at despair yet. The light of hope still shines.]

“I understand,” Mu Sichen said calmly. “Do you have anything else to say?”

Shen Jiyue gazed at Mu Sichen and said regretfully, “I’m disappointed I don’t see your fear of death.

“Mu Sichen, I won’t bet everything on you and Origin alone. I will continue reclaiming the Sky’s power. My battle with ‘Fate’ will come sooner or later.

“When I reclaim ‘Fate’s’ power, come to my town. By then… I will make you cry from fright.”

As he spoke, Shen Jiyue gestured, and a matte black full moon rose into the sky.

Upon seeing “New Moon,” the crossaxe began to spin wildly.

Mu Sichen, following the crossaxe’s will, transferred all of his remaining 42% trust points to it, allowing it to attack.

The extra 2% power made the crossaxe even more excited; it whipped up a whirlwind and pierced heavily through “New Moon.”

At the same time, the crossaxe instantly transformed, returning to its previous fan-blade form, only larger and sharper.

A blade over ten meters long danced in the air, slashing viciously at Shen Jiyue’s face, seemingly filled with intense hatred.

There was no expected splatter of blood; upon being struck, Shen Jiyue shattered like a mirror, her entire body fragmented like a shard of glass.

Countless fragments flew towards Mu Sichen, enveloping him.

Mu Sichen heard a voice emanating from within the fragments.

“Don’t fear ‘destiny.’ A person’s life is a constant battle against ‘fate.’ As long as you live, ‘destiny’ has lost.”

Then, these fragments turned into shimmering powder, disappearing completely into the sea of ​​blood.

Then, the crossaxe flew over carrying a pure black moon, occasionally tapping the “new moon” with its blades, seemingly disciplining its underling.

The pickaxe’s name changed to “Moon-Shattering, Sprout-Splitting, Sea-Cleaving Pickaxe.”

Did it even have a count?

Mu Sichen’s somewhat heavy heart was soothed by the crossaxe’s optimism.

“It’s over,” Mu Sichen said wearily.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his voice was so hoarse he could barely speak.

His spirit had been separated from his body for three days, successively seizing two “pillars,” collecting two Hidden Star-level items, witnessing the battle between the two god-level monsters, Deep Sea and Butterfly, and finally conversing with Shen Jiyue. He was utterly exhausted.

With Shen Jiyue around, Mu Sichen could hold on with his hostility, but now that Shen Jiyue had been shattered, Mu Sichen could barely continue.

So tired, yet the Deep Sea still loomed large. Could he really rest?

[Appropriate rest is necessary; the system won’t force players to fight with exhausted bodies.]

[After this mission, the player can rest for 7-10 days to adjust.]

Given his current combat intensity, 7-10 days seemed insufficient.

But Mu Sichen also knew that the situation was unpredictable, and the system’s willingness to give him time to rest was already commendable.

He glanced at the sea of ​​blood and mountains of flesh, finding the scene too unsettling and unsuitable for him.

With a mere thought, the sea of ​​blood and mountains of flesh transformed into a clear blue sky.

A white cloud, like an elevator, lifted Mu Sichen, and a door opened in the distance, carrying him outside.

Mu Sichen lay on a cloud as soft as cotton, murmuring to himself, “Now this is a beautiful dream.”

He floated outside the collective dream, standing in the Confession Community, his palm slightly raised, cradling an invisible moon.

The “New Moon” rose into the sky, and Mu Sichen whispered, “Sleep peacefully.” The invisible moon released countless unseen ripples, spreading from the sky to the ground, scattering among the crowd.

“Sleep peacefully” was a spell with dual power.

It could both lull the people of Mengdie Town to sleep and bring them peace of mind.

With this spell, everyone fell asleep, and the karmic chains within the collective dream were silently dissolved by these ripples.

When they awoke, their spirits had returned to their bodies; everything they had experienced in Mengdie Town would become a dream, and whatever entanglements remained, it was nothing more than a long and splendid dream.

Everything would vanish like smoke when the dream ended.

Mu Sichen’s body wobbled slightly; he was almost unable to stand. But the matters of Mengdie Town were not yet resolved—he couldn’t just fall asleep.

Just as he was about to collapse, a hand reached out and steadied him.

It was Ji Xian’an.

Her causal chain had long since disappeared, and her resistance to contamination was higher than anyone else’s, allowing her to withstand the drowsiness brought on by the “Slumber.”

“Thank you,” Mu Sichen said softly.

“There’s nothing to thank me for. We are comrades with the same purpose. You saved me and I help you—it’s just the left hand supporting the right. Does the left hand say thanks to the right?” Ji Xian’an replied.

A gentle breeze ruffled her short hair, giving her an air of carefree elegance.

What a strong person.

Whether it was Ji Xian’an or the residents of Mengdie Town, when you think about it, those who were still alive—though dazed and confused—were people who had survived twenty years in a post-catastrophe world overrun by monsters.

They were already strong enough.

People like that, if given just a spark, would burn with abandon—burn themselves, burn the land, dry up the oceans, and pierce the sky.

Looking into Ji Xian’an’s eyes, Mu Sichen felt all uncertainty about the future vanish.

Perhaps he truly drew spiritual strength from her presence, for Mu Sichen found energy he didn’t know he had. He walked over to He Fei, lifted him up, and slapped him awake: “Get up, work!”

“Ah?” He Fei mumbled, blinking groggily. “Is it morning? Are classes starting now?”

“Yes, it’s morning,” Mu Sichen replied along with him.

Then, the sky actually split open a gap, and light from the outside streamed through.

Tens of thousands of Mengdie Town residents transformed into tiny points of light, flying toward the gap, returning to their own bodies.

Chi Lian was also woken by Ji Xian’an. She rubbed her eyes and watched the lights flying in the air, unable to help but say, “So beautiful.”

“Yes, so beautiful,” Mu Sichen murmured.

The lights flickered in the air like a cluster of stars, daring to rival the sun and moon.

The four from Hope Town also returned to their own bodies through the gap.

Mu Sichen’s eyelids twitched, and Cheng Xubo, guarding the library, nearly jumped for joy.

“Awake! Awake! Finally awake!” Cheng Xubo exclaimed excitedly.

God only knows how difficult these past three days had been for him. Last time, when these few went in for 24 hours, he almost died of anxiety. This time, it had been three full days, and Cheng Xubo was about to go insane.

He checked the breath of each of them countless times, only relaxing slightly when he confirmed they were all alive.

But after a few minutes, he couldn’t resist checking their noses again.

He Fei and Chi Lian were awake, but too exhausted to move; aside from their eyes shifting, they couldn’t even be bothered to move a finger.

Mu Sichen had his eyes open, but he couldn’t speak. There was still one thing he had to do—he had to get up.

He looked at Cheng Xubo, who rushed over, saying, “You’re awake? Great! What do you want? Water? I’ll get you some food. You don’t know, right? Captain Lin and Dan Qi brought three old professors, and Dan Qi cooks so well, I—”

Mu Sichen couldn’t listen to Cheng Xubo anymore. He couldn’t communicate with him through eye contact.

What he needed wasn’t water; he needed to stand, to unleash the power of the Grand Totem, and bring Mengdie Town back.

Mu Sichen clenched his fists, trying to prop himself up, but he had no strength.

At that moment, he was supported by a fully metallic arm.

It was Ji Xian’an again. Now, Ji Xian’an had become very strange—her entire body was made of metal; she was a complete metal person.

“What… what is this?” Mu Sichen asked in surprise, and to his astonishment, he could speak normally again.

Ji Xian’an said, “I don’t know. When I woke up, it was like this. It seems my self-totem activated the power of my body. But I no longer have General Qin’s totem—so where exactly is this power coming from?”

She didn’t understand the origin of this power, but she knew how to use her steel body.

She detached her two arms, which transformed in midair into two walking-assist devices and were installed onto Mu Sichen’s legs.

Even after removing her arms, Ji Xian’an didn’t bleed. The interfaces where her arms were attached were entirely metallic, and a few screws fell out. It seemed that as long as the arms were reattached, these screws could secure them in place.

Mu Sichen noticed that Ji Xian’an’s sanity (san) value was 99, but there was a lock symbol—indicating locked health.

This meant that her sanity value would not drop; no matter what happened, she could not be corrupted. Her sanity might have been lowered, but her resistance to contamination had strengthened.

“Go ahead,” Ji Xian’an said.

With the help of the walking-assist devices, Mu Sichen stepped out of the library.

Hearing him go out, He Fei could no longer stay lying down. He forced his eyes open and said to Cheng Xubo, “Brother Cheng, use your cart to push me and Chi Lian out. I feel like Mu Sichen’s about to pull off something big— it would be a pity to miss it.”

Cheng Xubo placed the two on the cart and pushed them to follow Mu Sichen outside.

On the flat ground outside the library, Mu Sichen removed his shirt, revealing the totems covering his upper body.

Even half-disabled, He Fei managed to whistle and exclaimed, “Our Brother Mu’s becoming a real big shot now!”

At the same time, Lin Wei and the others heard the commotion and came speeding over with a bicycle team, stopping grandly beside Mu Sichen.

Among the bicycles were three tricycles carrying three elderly men in their seventies. Since they were too old to keep up, three strong young townspeople had pulled them along to the scene.

Dan Qi jumped off his bike and saluted Mu Sichen, saying, “The medical team is ready. Five hundred are already here, and another 2,500 are running behind. Might take a little longer.”

“W-what’s going on?” He Fei asked in shock from the cart.

Cheng Xubo explained, “Don’t you know? Three days ago, five people suddenly appeared in the town center square—Lin Wei, Dan Qi, and three senior professors. They said they came with a system task to help us build Hope Town.”

“Lin Wei set up a clothing factory with 3,000 workers, using sewing machines to make clothes and quilts.

“Dan Qi organized a medical team, trained 3,000 people in emergency medical care.”

“Professor Wei Guangrong set up the bicycle team. Somehow, he got all these parts without a factory, and with 5,000 people, hammered together 500 bicycles using tools.”

“The other two senior professors led about 7,000 people to do infrastructure work, though the equipment was simple, so progress was slower.”

“Hope Town may look small, but everyone is 18–50 years old and able-bodied. There are plenty of hands to work.”

Everyone: “…….”

Mu Sichen looked at Dan Qi, his eyes filled with questions.

Dan Qi said, “Just now, the medical team received a system mission. It said that fifty thousand residents who have been bedridden long-term and are severely malnourished will join this town. The medical team’s task is daunting, so the system asked us to prepare in advance.”

Mu Sichen: “……”

So it was the system behind all this.

This was what having a true backing feels like, huh? Mu Sichen looked at the massive, orderly team and gave a slight smile.

Then, his expression turned serious. He focused, drawing the image of the Guardian Totem in his mind.

As he visualized it, the totem coiled around him gradually detached from his body, floating into the air.

The totem grew larger and larger, until it stretched across the sky, covering the entire Hope Town.

Lin Wei, Dan Qi, and the three senior professors looked up in awe. They had never seen such a miraculous sight and knew they would never forget it.

“Earth!” Mu Sichen spoke the incantation to activate the Guardian Totem.

The Guardian Totem radiated a thick, earthy glow. Hands made of solid earth reached out as if real, and four of them anchored the four corners—east, west, south, and north—of Hope Town.

The totem’s original large-earth pattern transformed into a massive town suspended in midair.

“What… what is this?” Lin Wei and the others exclaimed in shock.

The free hands supported the suddenly appearing hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of land, placing them at the edges of Hope Town.

A tremor shook the ground so violently that everyone felt as if the earth itself would swallow them.

But the hands anchoring the four corners of Hope Town were unshakable, rooting into the ground and firmly holding the town in place.

The rumbling of the earth penetrated everyone’s minds like a demonic sound; people clutched their heads in pain, crying out in discomfort.

At that moment, Mu Sichen said, “Repel.”

The self-totems of the three “Pillars” simultaneously lit up. Centered on each Pillar, they released faint, protective light.

Countless warm rings enveloped the people, shielding them from the mind-piercing rumble.

The trembling gradually subsided. Mu Sichen then said, “Expand.”

The domains of the three Pillars began to grow, incorporating the lands of newly arriving neighbors.

The library, which had been on the edge of the town, now seemed to become the center as the fog that stretched endlessly beyond it began to shift. An old yet intact town appeared before them, as if the library had been its heart all along.

Lin Wei and the others were still stunned by the miracle of the shifting earth, while the residents of Hope Town were already crying tears of joy.

Mu Sichen had not deceived them.

Their domain was expanding, and they could now walk further and further.

One day, they would be able to stand freely between heaven and earth, with no domain able to obstruct their steps ever again.

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