Welcome to Rewind World Game

"Tap, tap, tap."

Su Ming'an walked over to Xiao Jingsan, reached out his hand, and helped Xiao Jingsan up.

Compared to before, the atmosphere between them had completely changed. Xiao Jingsan's eyes were lowered, his face showing only numbness, perhaps a trace of joy in realizing his dreams, but quickly suppressed beneath his gaze. He never met Su Ming'an's eyes, as if afraid to see this face.

"King, you have awakened. Now that the Old God has fallen, the Supreme God reigns supreme; I await your achievement of the new god's position." Xiao Jingsan lowered his eyebrows.

Fairies also knelt on the ground, showing great respect to Su Ming'an.

Su Ming'an knew he could only continue pretending.

He originally just wanted to see how the ending would unfold, but unexpectedly this seemed to be the most correct option. If he could continue pretending to be the Exotic Species King, then Xiao Jingsan wouldn't attempt to awaken the real Exotic Species King anymore.

He suddenly realized this was the best outcome.

—To let Xiao Jingsan live in the illusion of awakening the Exotic Species King.

To give him hope, so he could live.

To let him be keenly aware that the Eldest Prince was already dead, Su Ming'an's consciousness was also gone, all killed by his own hands. To let him face the Exotic Species King with the face of the Eldest Prince, the murderer who took the Eldest Prince's life, and live servilely day by day.

To let him continuously bear the joy of realizing his wishes and the agony of killing the Eldest Prince with his own hands, constantly living in struggle, repeatedly questioning himself if it's worth it.

He deceived the entire world using the lie of an Immortal, making everyone believe there was an Immortal in the mortal world. So, Su Ming'an similarly used lies to deceive him, letting him believe for a lifetime that Su Ming'an was the true Exotic Species King.

Causality and reincarnation are none other than this.

He suddenly felt a sense of sadness and absurdity—this was the outcome for Xiao Jingsan, the idealist. What else could Xiao Jingsan do besides repetitively convincing himself this wasn't a dream, repetitively convincing himself he had realized his ideals? Apart from the bloody ideals, he probably was left with nothing, dreaming each night in a nightmare of the past.

—Is it worthy of celebration and joy for a person to reach the end of their ideals with no one left around?

Hidden pain surged in his heart, but Su Ming'an quickly suppressed these emotions. He couldn't continue thinking about it.

"Xiao Jingsan." At this moment, Su Ming'an racked his brains to recall the style of a guru, crafting his tone: "Now, my shackles are lifted."

Xiao Jingsan lowered his eyes, showing no reaction.

Seeing Xiao Jingsan like this, Su Ming'an breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed the tone was correct.

He wasn't very good at fabricating such nonsense, now he could only adapt on the spot. He quickly recalled the old texts in the room regarding stories about the Supreme God and the Ancient Angel, crafting a rough outline within three seconds.

He looked at those kneeling, slowly opened his mouth.

"Now, my shackles are lifted."

"The Old God has fallen, the Supreme God usurps the throne, feasting on the suffering of the people, arbitrarily planning life and death, defining the boundaries of kingdoms, enjoying the blessings of faith. He once sheltered humanity, albeit in pursuit of desires."

"Yet, I wish to reclaim the world in my name. Then, human emotions would merely be my strength, human memories would merely be my life, human faith would merely be my divinity."

Su Ming'an paused deliberately as he spoke. He found Xiao Jingsan still had no reaction, merely listening with his head bowed, and the fairies were also very quiet.

A petal of peach blossom brushed against Su Ming'an's eyelash, he continued weaving lies:

"I shall plunder the Supreme God's authority, destroy his faith, and drain his energy."

"In alliance with the three archangels, Judgment Angel Bilu, Order Angel Light, Slaughter Angel Umbra."

"Two followers, White follower Bastet, Black follower Ra."

"Thus, the blind believer's shackles dissipate, humanity's history endlessly continues."

"Thus, by holding the Eye of the Old Days, the Sword of Destiny, and the Immortal's Talisman as gods, one could fulfill the thousand-year mythical wish."

After Su Ming'an finished talking, the scene was very quiet. Everyone bowed their heads and held their breath.

The voice of Du on the wristwatch resonated in his mind: "Anjiang, how are you so proficient?"

She never imagined Su Ming'an could react in just three seconds and fabricate such a lengthy speech.

Su Ming'an was silent, not knowing if this would work. Xiao Jingsan likely had other methods to discern the Exotic Species King, not just blindly believing because of Su Ming'an's words.

Xiao Jingsan slowly spoke:

"I understand your thoughts. But why haven't I felt your might?"

Su Ming'an's brain started working rapidly. He understood Xiao Jingsan was suggesting that Su Ming'an lacked the aura of the Exotic Species King. He was doubting Su Ming'an.

"Energy." Su Ming'an replied.

—The energy you gave me, one of the three elements, is insufficient, how can my might be unleashed?

"I heard that when the Exotic Species King awakens, he will display a positional rank that makes all exotic species kneel before him. If you possess that kind of strength, I can confidently manage upcoming affairs for you." Xiao Jingsan said.

—Then, show me your positional rank, if you can make the exotic species present kneel, I'll believe you are the Exotic Species King.

"The Ancient Angel once negotiated with me. He pulled out his eyeball and threw it into the sea, and I kept it for him." Su Ming'an's thoughts were spinning rapidly, taking out the Eye of the Old Days: "It's a safeguard for my divinity, gathering the faith of all exotic species upon itself, it must not dissipate."

—I hid that kind of power within the Eye of the Old Days, it can't dissipate, and I can't showcase it, so do whatever you want.

"The Ancient Angel is the Supreme God's attendant, why would he make a pact with you?" Xiao Jingsan asked.

—The Ancient Angel is the Supreme God's attendant, unrelated to the Exotic Species King, how did you form a pact?

"Matters of millennia, filled with secrets. You are an assistant, so you should know the Ancient Angel has limited lifespan, I promised him longevity, thus the Ancient Angel willingly did this." Su Ming'an chose his words carefully.

—Of course, I tempted him with longevity.

Back and forth, several times. Xiao Jingsan questioned, Su Ming'an fabricated. The scene was like a dialogue between kings.

"Beat him, beat him!" Du cheered and encouraged.

Gradually, even the black cat on his shoulder was dazed from listening, Su Ming'an's missionary halo was working. The longer the conversation, the deeper the impact.

Su Ming'an continuously borrowed myths seen in ancient religious texts and repeatedly cited Xiao Jingsan's cryptic words at night. When he really couldn't fabricate anymore, he directly started postulating Lighthouse theory.

Xiao Jingsan seemed only to have a vague understanding of the Exotic Species King, unable to dig deeper. Soon, he fell silent, leaving only Su Ming'an speaking eloquently.

Finally, when Su Ming'an stopped, Xiao Jingsan said: "So... King, do you... acknowledge my contribution?"

Su Ming'an gazed into Xiao Jingsan's eyes, deliberated for a moment.

He suddenly reached out and placed his hand on Xiao Jingsan's forehead.

At this moment, Xiao Jingsan froze.

"I understand your contribution." Su Ming'an stared into Xiao Jingsan's eyes: "Willing to forge the act of becoming a god with you."

He attempted to summon his white tendrils and succeeded. Layer upon layer of white tendrils grew from his spine, like a curved crescent moon. Such an unprecedented display of white tendrils should enhance his persuasive power.

Xiao Jingsan's pupils trembled, finally lifting his eyelids to meet Su Ming'an's gaze.

Almost identical pitch-black eyes met, reflecting almost identical facial features. His pupils seemed like a clear mirror, reflecting Su Ming'an, also seeing himself in Su Ming'an's eyes.

He seemed to seek affirmation for his ideals and self in this gaze.

"I bestow a blessing—life bright, health eternal. Life after life, eternal life and existence." Su Ming'an slowly spoke this blessing. This blessing seemed to have notable origin, perhaps adding more persuasion.

He vaguely understood, Xiao Jingsan merely sought inner peace, he didn't truly doubt Su Ming'an. Because once denying Su Ming'an as the Exotic Species King, it meant all his faith would collapse. In a world of 'recognition equals existence,' he needed to steadfastly 'recognize' this point.

Because, perhaps—the Exotic Species King had already been reborn? Perhaps, there could be just a tiny chance, Su Ming'an really was the Exotic Species King?

Xiao Jingsan slightly lowered his head, said nothing, only indicated trust.

"Xiao Jingsan." Su Ming'an continued speaking lies in the Exotic Species King's tone: "Until I recover, please put aside malicious thoughts. I issue a decree—order you to witness this noisy mortal world with me, to wait together in this place, not to interfere with any mortal affairs, until the end of time."

No matter what, when the Exotic Species King didn't get reborn in Su Ming'an's body, Xiao Jingsan's ideal had already declared its failure. Regardless of whether Xiao Jingsan believed Su Ming'an to be the Exotic Species King, he could not bypass Su Ming'an until he found a more suitable method of rebirth.

——Xiao Jingsan, I will bind you with your sins, hinder your ideals here. You must not commit any more evil deeds, nor have any other schemes.

"Yes." Xiao Jingsan responded softly.

——Su Ming'an, I will be forced to "recognize" your identity as the Exotic Species King, must not have any other schemes, and will not interfere with the mortal world until the day the Exotic Species King is truly reborn.

Or,

——until the day I die of old age.

Until then,

You will be my only chain.

"Swish."

A gust of wind blew, the early spring breeze of February lifted the peach blossoms on the branches, and in an instant, petals covered Xiao Jingsan like a floral blanket.

He seemed to return to that night, the moon like a flowing galaxy, the peach blossom trees snow-like in their fluff, a boy on the branches laughingly shook off the blossoms, petals fell all over him.

The peach blossom brew on the ground had long been spilled, and the glass cups left with nothing. Only the scent of wine lingered in the air, flooding like a contagious disaster.

Su Ming'an and Xiao Jingsan stared at each other like this, under the falling peach blossoms. The February spring wind lifted the hems of their white and black garments, like black magpies and white doves flying entwined. Clearly a solitary island at sea, yet suddenly it seemed like one could see a whole Jianghu temple, a whole mortal world.

Prosperity, people coming and going, the young have support, the old find reliance.

They would be trapped here, trapped in the illusion of resurrecting the Exotic Species King, becoming chains of soul and ideal, watching the stable Jianghu from afar, where people live in harmony.

Watching Princess Jing He take on the responsibility of the Eldest Prince from afar, carrying his legacy and books, writing the forging of a Great Harmony.

——Until the day the chains between them completely dissolve.

"The path of the great way,"

"The world is for all."

"Selecting the worthy and capable, valuing trust and repairing harmony."

"Thus people do not solely cherish their own family, nor solely their own children, enabling the old to live out their years, the strong to be employed, the young to grow…"

In the hazy white mist, as if in the peach blossoms of those years, a boy in white with comforting eyes reading to him, holding a book:

"…Force should not arise from oneself, not necessarily for oneself."

"…Therefore, plots do not arise, thieves and robbers do not act, doors are left unlocked—this is Great Harmony."

Su Ming'an looked up, as if he saw a white-clad figure on the peach tree branches, with a black high ponytail gently swaying in the spring breeze. The youth holding candied hawthorn, seemingly gazing at the distant homeland of Louyue.

His eyes were sincere, the sunlight enveloping him, everything warm and enduring as if eternal.

Su Ming'an blinked, wanting to call Su Shaoqing's name, but didn't utter it. As if watching another self, that self was guarding the homeland called Louyue, his name was Su Shaoqing.

The youth seemed to smile at him, waved silently, said goodbye, and stepped forward——

In the next moment, a breeze stirred, the peach branches rustling, only half of the candied hawthorn fell to the ground, the half soaked in sugar, half green, half crystal clear.

In a very distant place, it seemed like hundreds of kites were soaring up high.

Until the peach blossoms vanished and disappeared.

...

Kites soared into the sky, everyone made new clothes.

The prosperous era of Great Harmony will come, the old friends will never return.

...

"Ding dong!"

[Chapter Three • Penglai Fairy Island, has been achieved]

[Evaluation: "In the 26th year of Kang Yu, Xiao Jingsan, under the name of Immortal, personally 'killed' the Eldest Prince, 'fulfilled' his long-awaited ideal—reviving the Exotic Species King."]

["He thought he no longer needed saving, those who needed saving were already dead."]

[Make a choice: 1.]

[Completion: 80%]

[Total Dream Tour Spirit Points obtained: 1100 points]

[Please make your choice.]

[?/?]

...

In the ending evaluation, both "kill" and "fulfill" were marked with quotation marks.

Su Ming'an sighed. For the Eldest Prince and Xiao Jingsan, his heart was still reverberating with complex and shocking emotions.

Until he regained his composure, planning to exit the game——

"... Hm?"

Su Ming'an stared intently at the interface [Please make your choice], stunned.

Why did the option later become [?/?]

He remembered, when he used to play games, it was always [Start the next chapter/Exit the game], why did it all turn into question marks now?

He tried clicking the question marks, no response. No matter what, he couldn't exit the game.

...What's going on.

Cold sweat slid down Su Ming'an's forehead.

"King?" Xiao Jingsan looked at Su Ming'an's surprised face and asked, "What's wrong, King?"

Su Ming'an looked up.

He reached out and touched his own hair, suddenly realized, his coiffure was neat.

——Something's wrong.

——In this cycle, he didn't let Zou Yuqing help him with his hair, why was his coiffure neat?

Su Ming'an touched his hair repeatedly, it was neatly done, he wasn't mistaken.

Du asked confusedly: "Anjiang, what are you doing?"

Su Ming'an was still touching his hair.

Du laughed: "Anjiang, why do you keep touching your hair? It was Zou Yuqing who helped you do it on the ship before, at that time Mo Yan told her not to think about falling in love with you."

For a moment, Su Ming'an felt as if his heart had stopped.

Fine terror crawled up his spine like gnawing insects.

"..."

"... Hm?"