Chapter 415

Chapter 415: Chapter 412: "The Immortal God of Yun Shang City.Although he had guessed the identity of the deity,

seeing that pair of eyes identical to his own still sent a shiver up Su Ming’an’s spine.

It felt like the world was against him, an endless malice enveloping him, as if the sea had flooded his senses.

"The eternal deity of Yun Shang City—!"

Looking into those dark golden eyes mirroring his, Su Ming’an suddenly burst into laughter.

"It seems I was indeed right—The undying deity of Pulaya? You’ve really played a ’grand chess game’!"

He was proud of his deductions.

Perhaps, he also felt sorrow for the actions Su Rin had once taken.

Divine Light of Heavenly Bathing.

Beneath the magnificent church, a silver cross stood behind the deity, who was standing atop the lofty church steps while the church bells tolled sonorously.

Pure light showered on the deity, rendering His features somewhat indistinct.

"Boom—!"

Noel acted decisively—before coming, Su Ming’an had already discussed with him the necessary actions.

A white, flashbang-like spherical object was thrown by him, exploding in front of them.

This was a "Dispelling Fruit," capable of forcibly, albeit temporarily, dispelling all illusions, including those obscuring a deity’s appearance.

Beneath the blinding light, Su Ming’an squinted, straining to see.

The glaring brightness scorched his eyes, a searing pain rising in his pupils, but he did not close them. Propping his somewhat heavy eyelids open, he endured the piercing pain the light brought—

The next moment,

under the light’s dispersion, he finally got a clear view of the deity’s appearance.

As expected.

"How could it be?" Lin Yin, busy hacking at others, paused mid-action, unable to suppress the shock that appeared on her face.

"..." Lv Shu’s chopping motion also faltered.

"As I thought." Su Ming’an came to a halt.

"A ruler’s identity brings such great trouble. The role of Su Rin... whoever wants to play it can have it."

He said.

His tone carried reflection, but no regret or sorrow.

Their movements all paused slightly.

They saw,

beneath the white light, the visage of the deity of Cloud City began to materialize before their eyes—

He had black hair, cut evenly at the ears, a gentle smile with slightly upturned corners, and a pair of eyes that were forever bright, dark golden in color.

He looked exactly like Su Ming’an, who was looking at Him... or rather Su Rin,

Identical in appearance.

"You have already bestowed upon me... a long life, a body that fears neither the power of the Soul Clan nor poison gas, the ability to cultivate ’cultivation vessels’."

"Thus, I will use these abilities to ascend to that city among the clouds, to seek the proper methods to save my homeland—it floats in the sky, unfazed by storms, and with this indestructible body, I will obtain answers above the city."

"Don’t be like this." The sea witch could not comprehend the actions of her guest. "You will endure a long, lonely life, just like me."

Facing the sea witch whose body was gradually desiccating, staring into her pitch-black eyes, Su Rin revealed a smile.

"With a homeland to watch over, I will never be alone," he said.

——The third Memory Stone·"The Sea Witch and the Young Captain Su Rin"

Su Ming’an had previously thought that the Su Rin who came down from Yun Shang City was the first generation, Miguel was the second, Kaya was the third, and he himself was the fourth.

But now, it seems that his generation must be moved back by one more.

The Su Rin who came down from Yun Shang City and was fortunate enough to return to Pulaya—

Was clearly already the second generation.

More than sixty years ago, that Su Rin, who boarded the airship and ascended to Yun Shang City, has become an immortal deity.

When the airship reached Yun Shang City sixty years ago, and everyone learned the truth that "deities do not exist," at the brink of death from poison gas—

Su Rin enacted a plan that filled him with immense sorrow.

The number of lives boarding the airship was equivalent to half the population of Pulaya; it was a terrifying number of deaths.

The astronomy students he was familiar with, his engineering subordinates, his chatting, laughing deputy, Greely...

The mothers holding their children, the white-haired elderly, the passionate Soul Hunt youths, the deeply affectionate couples married for decades...

Those he knew, those he did not—everyone.

Since everyone was already fated to die here, to conserve resources for the greater good,

Then—he would not let their deaths be in vain.

He would—properly arrange their endings.

He would—ensure that everyone could strive for a "tomorrow."

So, he watched with his own eyes the people he dearly loved die from the poison gas, filled with hatred born of deception, right in front of him.

Then, using the sea witch’s soul within him, he absorbed the lives of all those who died, devouring their souls and the tremendous malice they held at their time of death.

With this immensely powerful force, atop the Yun Shang City platform already endowed with basic energy, he became an eternal, undying, mighty deity capable of protecting the land below.

He issued oracles to guide the inhabitants, incited hatred, provoked wars, and made people live under malice and enmity.

He drew power from malice, establishing—a barrier capable of eternally sheltering Pulaya, warding off storms.

He used different means to cultivate the next generation to pass on his oracles. He sent the heirs with the sea witch’s soul below to develop believers beyond those of the Tulip.

Over the long sixty years, his power grew stronger, and Pulaya changed a lot.

It gradually came to have... barriers that ward off storms, blessed Soul Hunters, popes who set up teleportation formations to Yun Shang City, Knights of Light who guarded faith, the Maritime Banquet that regularly created hatred and drew outsiders...

All elements, in Su Rin’s hands, became chess pieces controlling the battle, he meticulously arranged everything, guiding people’s struggles and hatred, continuing the power that fueled the barrier.

Death and disaster would not spare anyone because of some struggle for "righteousness and profit."

When viewed from the bigger picture, this was the best way to keep most people alive.

The continuation of Pulaya was built upon the sacrifices of generations.

Only in this way, could their strife and enmity ensure the survival of their tribe.

Only such deaths—

Only then could they reclaim their dignity.

Su Ming’an found it hard to describe what he felt when his guess was confirmed.

So much so that when he saw the true face of the deity, he couldn’t restrain his emotions.

From ancient times to present, "God" has been more like a collective will of humanity, an all-knowing and omnipotent presence that satisfies the desires of a group.

Why is there lightning, wind, and rain? Because of God.

Why does the land yield crops, and plants grow naturally? Because of God.

Ignorance and desire have pervaded human history, with phenomena and concepts beyond their understanding being attributed to the myths and legends placed upon the gods they created.

For millions of years, people believed that all their actions and decisions were their own to make, yet in truth, many didn’t even possess lives of their own due to the burdens of daily life and harsh natural conditions.

...And then, some were naturally guided by faith to seek "freedom."

From the desires within their veins, from the parts of them untouched by civilization, they started to have something to hold onto.

...Su Rin fulfilled those lost among them.

In front of natural disasters capable of destroying entire tribes, he took on the role of a "leader" with his mere human strength, giving them direction.

He first made a name for himself, becoming a grand engineer known throughout the island, then took on the role of "deity," fabricating the deeds of the Cloud City God, leading people to the Upper Town, bearing their deaths and hatred, forever imprisoned there.

He initiated wars, guided hatred, leveraged the heir to develop the "Principle of Equivalence" between the two races, colluded with sea monsters, and deliberately launched a sea monster attack during a period of settled warfare to arouse the vigour and rage of the Pulaya people.

He established their faith so that people believed the lie that "The Cloud City truly has a deity."

With this absurd lie, he deceived everyone, including every person he loved, including the innocent Tulip Princess who was used.

He deceived the entire world.

...To obtain enough power from their faith.

...To ensure the defense barrier he constructed could continue smoothly.

...To allow most people to find eternal peace within it.

He, on his own, fought against endless natural disasters and against the will and faith of countless people, making them "superstitious" toward him.

The concept that "The Cloud City has a god" was deeply ingrained by him until no one was unaware of it.

Even serious sects, fervent believers, and loyal knights emerged.

—He had truly created a "God" in every sense of the word.

Although nobody would know who this "God" was.

He remained here forever, constantly watching over the battles of Pulaya, personally sending generations to their deaths.

...And above the sky, he watched with longing as his relatives aged hopelessly, his loved ones marrying and having children.

He turned his back on his homeland, sending messages and writing glorious names from the heavens.

He endured an eternal loneliness altogether different from that of the Tulip Princess.

Amidst the flow of soldiers, Su Ming’an gradually closed in on Su Rin.

Although Su Rin, as a "God," appeared no different from an ordinary person.

He stood there quietly, with a gaze that was calm to the extreme, watching Su Ming’an fight his way over.

Suddenly, Su Rin spoke:

"My Heir, seeing me doesn’t seem to surprise you."

Su Ming’an said, "I’m not surprised that a God is you, Engineer Su."

"Why?"

"Jin Qiangwei (Golden Rose)." Su Ming’an was concise.

There were many clues, yet the simplest only needed one.

At the night checkpoint, the original Demon King had only one Golden Rose by his side. His other soldiers all evolved from the Golden Rose.

In the beginning, when the isolated Cloud City God and the Tulip Princess, who had always been in Pulaya, successfully connected—it was because their Sea Monster souls had the same origin.

Therefore, the Golden Rose became the Demon King’s first soldiers—because at the very beginning, they were the only ones who could communicate with each other.

Su Rin even deceived the Princess, not informing her of the true identity of the God.

He truly deceived an entire world in a genuine sense.

Su Rin didn’t delve into this topic; it seemed like he mentioned it in passing.

He appeared more interested in Su Ming’an.

"Su Ming’an. I’ve heard of your story; among those who travel to other worlds, you are the strongest, and as ’the strongest,’ you must face a situation similar to mine," Su Rin spoke faintly.

"No." Su Ming’an cut down a nearby soldier with his sword: "You are a great man, I am not your equal."

He meant it with all his heart.

A lucky student who gained authority, and an engineer who was willing to trap his own people in eternal solitude. He knew how to compare.

Even if Su Rin’s accomplishments were born from the lives and hatred of others.

As for Su Rin, Su Ming’an had no particular thoughts.

He just found it... amusing.

The absurdity of his own situation and the difficulty of achieving a Perfect Pass.

"Ha... hahaha..."

He truly burst into laughter.

The moment he climbed up to Cloud City, confirming his suspicions, he realized he was trapped in an unbreakable cycle.

This cycle had existed since the instance began.

He possessed the Heart of a God; a God could not kill him directly.

...And Su Rin was a God.

It meant, according to the causality of time, that once he killed the God, then the "Demon King" from last night would also be erased, because the "Brave" successfully vanquished the "Demon King" in the future, and he would be directly wiped out.

But if he doesn’t kill the God before him, then the game will not end, and he will not achieve an instance-approved ending—which also means he cannot Perfect Pass.

To kill, or not to kill, both options left him with no escape.

...That was also the reason he suddenly laughed upon seeing God was Su Rin.

At that time, he had already foreseen such a thoroughly locked ending.

It was an inescapable enclosed loop.