Welcome to Rewind World Game

The world was extremely quiet.

No one spoke, and a cold wind brushed past the ears, like the sharp laughter of a cat.

——If the game characters on your computer screen were real people, and you were merely confused by "cognition," unable to perceive their reality. You manipulated them over and over with keyboard and mouse, pushing them to their deaths over and over for a bit of reward, deliberately driving them into an abyss of no return for a tragic ending or plot branch, watching them suffer painful deaths with a cold eye——

If one day you found out that they were living people from another world, how would you feel?

The hundreds of cats you slaughtered with your own hands as a butcher were actually brave soldiers. The cat teammates you mocked for being "lousy players" were actually living beings. And for the sake of better game stats, you didn't rescue them, letting them be drowned in "catnip," watching their souls drift to the sky.

You could not perceive their pain, you could not hear their wails and sobs, you could not receive their tears and blessings before dying, all you could see were cats, only the smiles of cats, only these.

Your eyes were covered by invisible hands.

Your ears were blocked by invisible hands.

You played games with a smile, hearing no one's cries, unaware of the weight of war.

——You could not see that what was beneath your fingers were human bones, not a keyboard, nor could you see that what was in your palm was a gory heart instead of a mouse.

In the square, some people collapsed directly, sitting paralyzed on the ground, staring blankly at the artillery fire in the sky. Some people closed their eyes in prayer, repeatedly reciting eulogies. Others looked indifferent, thinking that the deaths in another world had nothing to do with them.

All Living Beings with varied expressions.

"…These deities really have a wicked sense of humor, why reveal the truth like this? Wouldn't it be better if everyone lived happily ever after?" Xiao Jingsan said softly.

He placed his hands on Su Ming'an's shoulders, and a warm flow entered Su Ming'an's shoulder, seemingly the power of the talisman: "Angel, speak, now I can hear your voice."

Su Ming'an opened his mouth and indeed could make a sound: "The deities spreading negative emotions like this will provoke the Exotic Species, right?"

Xiao Jingsan squeezed his fingers somewhat tightly, not at peace:

"To humans, negative emotions are detrimental. But to the deities, not necessarily."

"Emotions possess a tremendous power; it's not just something ephemeral. In the eyes of High-dimensional beings, emotions are tangible, can be utilized, manipulated, and provoked. Just like the perspective of humans and ants is ultimately different, High-dimensional beings can see things we cannot touch with the naked eye."

Su Ming'an agreed with Xiao Jingsan's words. In the Fifth World, Ming Hui nearly faced destruction due to such emotional power as "the malice of a Giant Dragon," and in the Seventh World, Su Rin became a god because he assembled the "negative emotions" of half the people. In the Eighth World, Jiu Shen even became an Evil God due to "negative emotions." Emotions have always been a key element of the power system in the World Game.

"The combinations of matter in the universe form one bizarre world after another, but the essence of the world doesn't differ greatly; their material structures aren't very different," Xiao Jingsan said: "The reason for the enormous differences between these worlds — Angel, can you guess what it is?"

Su Ming'an answered: "Emotions."

Everyone's body is a combination of flesh and blood, with no difference; the most important reason for such differences is the emotions they spawn. Hence, some are despicable like ants, while others are great like deities.

In the monotonous primordial worlds, emotions also shape the differences among worlds, with some choosing to rescue, some choosing destruction, and others choosing plunder.

"Some worlds are naturally resource-deficient, insufficient to support a race's continuation. Yet they miraculously extend for generation after generation of civilization because people's flaming emotions lead them to perform actions impossible under normal circumstances, such as collectively defying biological survival instincts, giving hope to the next generation. For instance, surpassing physical limits, maintaining impossible Rationality over long years," Xiao Jingsan said: "It's the source of all miracles, negative emotions being the sharpest."

Su Ming'an said: "The deities are deliberately provoking negative emotions."

"Hmm." Xiao Jingsan said.

Clearly, at this moment, all corners of the world were immersed in sadness. Even without seeing it, Su Ming'an knew that people were surely very upset.

The imagery in the sky gradually faded, followed by a line of white words appearing:

[The organizer of this tower will now announce the rules of the tower.]

White brilliance appeared in the sky.

"Angel — it's an angel —!" a player screamed loudly.

Su Ming'an looked up and saw spatial ripples in the sky. Two men and one woman walked out slowly, bearing snow-white wings, their pupils burning with a golden hue, fitting the image of angels perfectly.

"My name is Biluocheng, Judgment Angel under the Deity's throne." The woman's golden hair fluttered, her face as still and beautiful as a sculpture, dignified and solemn.

"My name is Light, Order Angel under the Deity's throne." The man on the left had blazing red hair, a warm smile like sunlight.

"My name is Umbra, Slaughter Angel under the Deity's throne." The man on the right had silent black hair, his pupils reflecting the color of the night.

The appearance of the triad was astonishing, like ripples breaking through the sky, their snow-white wings resembling massive white clouds. It was as if the night was burned by the radiance they brought, casting a scarlet background.

Among those present, many were believers, priests, Holy Alliance soldiers, who could not help but weep with excitement and knelt on the ground. In their sacred texts, indeed, there were three angels under the Deity's throne. To witness it now was akin to a divine miracle.

The members of the Union Government, though not believers, also bowed to show respect for the deities. Even the players were captivated by the scene, halting their conversations, gazing dumbfounded at the three angels.

In the silence, only Xiao Jingsan laughed lightly, filled with mockery.

"Three impostors."

His voice was so low that almost no one heard him.

"Don't you think, Li Mingyue, now any Tom, Dick, and Harry can be an angel?"

Li Mingyue glanced sideways, saying nothing. Given his status as a bishop, he should have knelt respectfully before the three angels like other believers, yet his back stood perfectly straight, like a heretic.

"You mean these three angels are impostors?" Su Ming'an said.

"No, they are real, and indeed sent by the deities." Xiao Jingsan explained softly: "But in my eyes, they are impostors."

Su Ming'an immediately inferred a fact: "...You were once a real angel, right?"

Xiao Jingsan did not speak; his hands rested on Su Ming'an's shoulders, fingers slightly clenching.

The night was reddened by the burn, as if a brilliant sun was about to set. At this time, the angel Light noticed the players' wanton gazes, as those players ogled him like they would anime characters, making him feel disgusted.

Though Light wore a smile on his face, he said, "Before announcing the rules, let me first teach you how to respect an angel."

He raised his hand, an intangible ripple spreading forth.

Suddenly, people felt a heavy pressure upon them, as if a sense of reverence and fear emerged from the depths of their souls, forcing them to bend over and kneel on the ground. They subconsciously "accepted" these three angels, making it difficult to muster any thoughts of rebellion.

Soon, there were only a few scattered figures standing in the venue.

Among them, the most striking was the Queen Blanche of the Ahsente Kingdom. She stood dazedly in place, unaffected by any pressure, indicating that she harbored not a shred of faith in the deities, not even the slightest acknowledgment.

Even the players held some degree of reverence toward the deities, yet Queen Blanche, a local, possessed absolutely none. Her emotions were independent and self-driven, surprisingly.

"Found a heretic." Light smiled lightly.

"Angel, I..." Blanche only then reacted, immediately wishing to kneel, feigning devotion to the deity, yet Light already distrusted her.

"On the first day of an angel's descent, behold the miracles." Light laughed aloud.

His smile warm and soft. Yet everyone felt only fear from his words, their limbs cold, vision trembling.

...How does he intend to punish Blanche?

She is the queen of the Ahsente Kingdom, the ruler of a kingdom. But she has offended an angel...

Light spread his arms, his eyes showing a daffodil-like pattern.

According to the canon, angels use [rules] to chastise sinners. Order Angel Light, his rule is—[Punish those who disrupt order, breach covenants, renege, granting them equal death.]

At this moment, Blanche had met the precondition of [disrupting order], enabling him to grant her death.

Blanche realized this too, knowing it was hard to avoid. Yet at that moment, her gaze was exceedingly calm. As if she did not fear death.

"I've never regretted my faith." Blanche lifted her head: "Since young, I've not believed in gods. The Ahsente Kingdom has always been self-sufficient, never sought divine mercy, we've never bowed down, nor do we wish divine interference. Faith belongs to human freedom."

Light chuckled, his gaze icy cold: "Then die."

The daffodil pattern in his eyes flickered, the chastisement descended.

Blanche closed her eyes, awaiting death.

However, after several seconds, nothing happened. She opened her eyes in confusion, still standing well without succumbing to rule-based punishment.

...Could Light have spared her?

Light then asked: "Want to see the view of the Ahsente Kingdom's imperial palace?"

Blanche realized something, her face turned pale.

People immediately activated cameras, the Ahsente Kingdom had broadcasting stations, capable of instantly showing its situation.

In the live broadcast, the Ahsente palace was exceptionally quiet, even though maids would walk, knights patrolled, now it was empty, zooming in, bodies lying all over the ground. People understood a fact—that everyone in the palace had likely become corpses.

"Just now you said the Ahsente Kingdom is self-sufficient?" Light chuckled, a sunlit joy on his face: "Then I shall spare only you, chastising the others. How about it? Go repent to your subjects in hell."

People fearfully lowered their heads.

Everyone in the Ahsente palace... truly wiped out in an instant.

Though knowing it is truth, it was so shocking. Even if the canon stated angels possess powerful rule-based abilities to erase humans meeting conditions. Like a myth, none had witnessed it personally.

Now, life disappeared before their eyes, a shock beyond words. Everyone was speechless, staring blankly at the empty footage.

Blanche's legs trembled, her jeweled attire shaking wildly:

"Why... why..."

Her voice trembling:

"Why... why destroy them... why didn't we do anything wrong, just because we don't believe in deities, just because I didn't kneel in time, you want to..."

"—Who made you satisfy my chastising [rules], along with them." Light's gaze cold: "Your farce is over, step down! I shall chastise the next individual."

His gaze directed another way, where three other people stood unaffected by pressure—Xiao Jingsan pushed a wheelchair, Li Mingyue stood beside it, and the youth in the wheelchair closed his eyes, seemingly asleep.

"...Who is that?" Shangqing asked in surprise.

"…Three angels are overhead, Su Rin dares to remain unmoving..."

"...Su Rin who is originally a deity, how would he possibly obey angels."

Light's gesture was graceful and proud, a flame-embellished longsword appeared in his hand, its tip pointed at Su Ming'an.

"Light, cease inciting further, stop." Umbra suddenly said: "We might likely encounter former angels, they indeed are unaffected by pressure."

"Former?" Light sneered: "They've already lost divine favor, today divine favor rests with us, why should I fear former ones?"

Bi Luo lowered her gaze, her expression solemn like a sculpture, neither supporting nor stopping, coldly observing Light and Umbra's argument

People gradually noticed, angels possessed formidable power and divine favor, yet their temperaments seemed no different from humans. They would anger from offense, disputes existed among them.

However, realizing this, no one dared openly resist deities.

Blanche had already collapsed on the ground, her eyes dim.

Light's sword tip pointed at Su Ming'an in the wheelchair, flames soared on the horizon, an immense aura erupted from him, akin to an escalating mountain. Umbra ceased advising, watching with a face of amusement, human life unrelated to him.

At this moment, a tall figure stepped forth from the kneeling crowd, her black dual ponytails waving in the breeze, the circular ring around her neck reflecting golden-red brilliance.

—Mizushima Kawa Sora.