Chapter 1725: Chapter 69: This Is Your Seventh Regret—The Game You Couldn’t Finish
"Ding Dong!"
[Congratulations, you have cleared all thirteen games! You have obtained a total of thirteen silver stars!]
...
[Victory Rankings:]
[No.1: Su Ming’an (Silver Star Count: 13)]
[No.2: Lu Likalpos (Silver Star Count: 10)]
[No.3: Evelyn (Silver Star Count: 9)]
[No.4: Violet (Silver Star Count: 8)]
[No.5: Joy (Silver Star Count: 7)]
[No.6: Leslie (Silver Star Count: 7)]
[No.7: Agnes (Silver Star Count: 7)]
[No.8: Anqi (Silver Star Count: 6)]
[No.9: Rimu Sheng (Silver Star Count: 6)]
[No.10: Yang Changxu (Silver Star Count: 6)]
[No.11: Si Nian (Silver Star Count: 6)]
[No.12: Xiao Xiao (Silver Star Count: 6)]
...
When Su Ming’an came out, he found that he was the last to arrive. After all, no one had more people than he did.
He discreetly scanned all the winners, twelve people; those he had seen before, Su Shi, Bonnie, Wang Zhenzhen, Najasha, Bai Chun, Hang Xin... were all gone. Perhaps they had exchanged five silver stars to leave, or perhaps they had died.
A panel appeared, a store where silver stars could be exchanged for items. Su Ming’an glanced over it, finding secrets of unexplored human science, the mysteries of life sublimation, the Three Elements of Godhood, and understandable authorities...
"Where did all this come from..." Su Ming’an pondered.
"Relics left behind by the deceased high dimensions, perhaps." Xiao Love emerged from somewhere, speaking sluggishly, "Usually it takes a long, long time to understand these on your own, but you are players... Haha, you get rewarded just by playing games, how convenient and quick. To me, the World Game might not be the most powerful universal organ, but surely it’s the most sophisticated mechanism. It turns everything into a ’game’ format, transforming the costs of all things into unified ’game points.’ You who were chosen, are you lucky, or unlucky."
"Winning is lucky. Not winning is unlucky," said Su Ming’an, "We won, so we’re lucky, simple as that."
"Oh, choose this one! Spend 9 silver stars to exchange for ’Authority of Time,’ it seems to match your abilities well, oh... there’s a line of fine print, please note the compatibility. You surely have no problem." Xiao Love’s eyes sparkled as if a mouse in a grain barn, "Or this one, spend 7 silver stars for a ’world-class weapon,’ it sounds amazing, is it the Star Destroyer Cannon? I wonder if it can blast open Luowasha’s shield. Wait... This one’s even better, spend 12 silver stars to exchange for ’Three Elements of the Star System,’ this can help you break through the First Level God limitations, you’ll be ready to go against the Radiant Mother God."
Su Ming’an looked at the dense words.
...
["Authority of Time" (9 silver stars)]
["Authority of Truth" (11 silver stars)]
["Authority·Inversion" (11 silver stars)]
["Authority·Return to Ruins" (11 silver stars)]
...
["Dimension Folding Engine Blueprint" (8 silver stars)]
[Exchangeable afterward for "Revival of All Things"]
...
["Constant Star Forge Technology Core" (7 silver stars)]
[Exchangeable afterward for "Pioneer Immortality, Eternal Dawn"]
...
["Spiritual Neural Network Protocol" (9 silver stars)]
[Exchangeable afterward for "Why does the nightingale’s heart beat?"]
...
["Divine Fire, Divinity, Divine Kingdom" (12 silver stars)]
...
["Cosmic Poem·Chapter 7" (4 silver stars)]
...
["Lamb Seal" (6 silver stars)]
...
["Extinct Species Identity Card"] (4 silver stars)
...
[xxx’s Invitation (10 silver stars)]
[Three known redeemers accepted the invitation, none have returned, but none have died as of now.]
...
The lines of text were dizzying and shocking, a few people couldn’t help but look at Su Ming’an, as if seeking assistance.
"Which should I exchange for? I’ll listen to you, Your Highness," said Evelyn softly.
"...Dimension Folding Engine Blueprint," replied Su Ming’an. He needed at least one guarantee, something that could help people survive without losing everything.
Evelyn nodded and exchanged for it. This item was of no benefit to her; the road to Dimensional Ascension was near, but she only listened to Your Highness.
Su Ming’an glanced around, seeing that few could resist temptation in the face of these rewards, with a few top-ranking players already torn between exchanging for divinity or authority, while a few eyes showed no greed, only asking for Su Ming’an’s input.
"Su Ming’an, what should I exchange for?" asked Yang Changxu candidly.
"With 6 silver stars..." Su Ming’an pondered. This number was awkward, unable to exchange for anything impacting the overall situation, most enhancing personal strength.
He suddenly spotted something, hesitating for a moment.
"Just tell me! I’ll exchange for it! I didn’t even think I’d make it this far; maybe it’s due to accumulating virtue and doing good daily! Now I’ll reap the reward of a good deed, all up to you!" said Yang Changxu.
Faced with this straightforward soldier, Su Ming’an hesitated, "I’m very curious about what this ’Lamb Seal’ worth 6 silver stars is, the concept seems important, but I’m not sure of its usefulness. Perhaps you could exchange for something enhancing personal strength..."
"Ah, eternal life is too long for me; living for a hundred years is enough, why become a deity? I don’t want to see my children go before me, I’ll listen to you!" Yang Changxu pointed, "Shall I exchange for this?"
"Yes." Su Ming’an nodded.
He glanced around, everyone else was contemplating what they wanted to exchange, as in the immediate temptation of Dimensional Ascension, no one could remain calm. People like Evelyn and Yang Changxu were rare. Even Su Ming’an... if he weren’t bearing responsibility, facing the temptation of ’resurrecting the deceased’ for just 5 silver stars, he would hesitate. But he wasn’t sure if it was true resurrection, or just an illusion.
"Is Zhenzhen still alive... If she’s gone, I must exchange for ’resurrection’; if she’s still here, I’ll exchange for something else..." Xiao Xiao paced, deeply conflicted.
Su Ming’an was suddenly surprised.
Lu should have consulted his opinion too, but at the reward redemption moment... Lu was just staring at the screen in front of him.
So be it, Lu had personal desires too, something he wanted to exchange for.
Su Ming’an slid across the interface, suddenly seeing at the very bottom, a line of words gradually emerged.
...
["Cosmic Organ Transplantation" (13 Silver Stars)]
[(Transplant fragments or sub-organs of other cosmic organs, possibly gaining new mechanisms. Consequences of failure include but are not limited to: Rules conflict, existential rejection, annihilation.)]
...
——This is the only item priced at 13 Silver Stars.
Su Ming’an widened his eyes and stared at it for a couple of seconds.
He intended to exchange for a weapon that could counterbalance the Lord of Dreams, but nothing he found was foolproof. Becoming a First Level God was probably not enough, and a planet-level weapon might not work either. Even acquiring a domain similar to the Black Water Dream would require starting from scratch, which he didn’t have time for.
He had already set his eyes on an item priced at 12 Silver Stars - ["Authority·Exemption"], which allows the holder to be exempt from many rules and no longer fear eradication, such as exemption from bets and special identities... It has a very low floor and very high ceiling.
However, everything paled in comparison to the last item.
...For oneself to merge with a cosmic organ.
If the universe were a cat, cosmic organs would be its internal organs. For instance, the World Game seems like a "heart," purifying waste and converting the useless into useful. The Master of the End of All Things seems like the "intestines," digesting and eradicating useless civilizations. So far, Su Ming’an only understood these two cosmic organs, both having extremely high rule effectiveness.
If the Black Water Dream behind the Lord of Dreams is also a cosmic organ... then he must have a corresponding strength.
——So, what if he turned from "human" into "organ"?
——From "life" to part of the "universe."
This is the only method that allows an ordinary life from Zhai XIng... without "devouring," to swiftly climb to the peak.
The moment this concept emerged in his mind, it sent a chill through him, as if something warm and soft was secretly being extracted. But upon deeper thought, he realized it was entirely feasible.
If a cosmic organ were to be transplanted onto him, which one would it be? Pure random, or specified? What would he become? Since it’s a transplant, his main consciousness would surely be dominant, and if the rejection reaction was acceptable... If he gained the sublimation power of the World Game, if he gained the destruction power of the Master of the End of All Things...
Su Ming’an pressed his lips tightly.
His gaze returned to ["Authority·Exemption"], then shifted to ["Cosmic Organ Transplantation"], and then toward Lu and the flying barrage in the top right corner. The audience couldn’t see these words and couldn’t offer any advice.
"Xiao Love, what do you think?" he looked at the fox, who was always joking around.
Its eyes were the clearest and most solemn he’d ever seen.
"...You’re really not going to be human anymore." Xiao Love stared at him, "You’re racing towards self-destruction, afraid you’ll be even half a step slow."
This always smiling high-dimensional embodiment displayed a solemnity matching its identity for the first time.
"Do you think it’s feasible? With your and those behind you’s rich experience, give me a suggestion." Su Ming’an said, "And Starfire, the Eleventh Thrones, the Spiritual Dream-Maker... if you can still contact them, ask them to speak as well, please."
"Is your only standard for judging whether to use it whether it’s ’useful’? What about yourself?"
"You know me well enough, Xiao Love, you don’t have to ask such questions."
"Hmph... just wait."
Xiao Love darted back into the clothes.
A moment later, Su Ming’an heard a faint voice: "...Exchange."
He suddenly looked up and saw a pair of green eyes, then those eyes gradually faded away.
...It was Lü God.
Then, Xiao Love jumped back out: "You can exchange, the prerequisite is that you must reach First Level God, otherwise you can’t handle it. You can use it after defeating the Radiant Mother God."
Su Ming’an thought for a moment, then pressed [Exchange].
Subsequently, the thirteen Silver Stars on the back of his hand disappeared, and a golden star floated in his palm.
...
[When you’re ready, kiss the star and silently recite "I am willing."]
...
Su Ming’an clenched his fist and let his hand fall.
The others were still hesitating about what to exchange for when a small sphere quietly rolled to Su Ming’an’s feet.
Su Ming’an picked it up and put it to his ear——
"...Brother Ming’an... quickly... be careful... Qianqin and Phoenix said... They want to set up an additional ’fourteenth’ game for you all, making you kill each other... until only you remain, or directly kill you...! They’ve overturned the table...!" It was Wang Xingkong’s voice.
After listening, Su Ming’an immediately crushed the ball and looked at Lu, who had just completed the exchange.
"What did you exchange for?" Lu still looked gentle.
"Let’s go!" Su Ming’an immediately said.
They thirteen had passed all the games, completing the mechanism of collision between two cosmic organs... They were already qualified to enter the Source Point, now immediately advance to awaken the Demon Mother Goddess!
Not a word had been said.
The surrounding gentle light extinguished, as if an invisible large hand suddenly reached out. Immediately after, the space underwent a dizzying distortion, the black-water-like sticky background didn’t disappear but was forcibly overlaid with a layer of illusory curtain.
The boundary between reality and illusion emitted a harsh friction sound, everything in sight began to pixelate, checkerboard, and gamify.
The solid feeling beneath the feet disappeared, replaced by black and white squares.
The system malfunctioned and fragmented voice sounded:
...
[Additional... Game...]
[Named... "World Chessboard."]
[Complete... the game you regretted back then...]
[Complete... your regret...]
...
——The black water scene around them changed dramatically, as if covered with a layer of illusory curtain, they were pulled from the real Source Point onto the illusory curtain, with their feet turning into a black and white chessboard, as if forcibly pulled into a game named "World Chessboard."
"W-what’s going on?!" Xiao Xiao stood terrified.
"Wasn’t the game over! We clearly won!" Yang Changxu’s steady face showed astonishment.
"We’ve clearly completed all the challenges! There shouldn’t be a new game!" Si Nian shouted.
"I just saw a colorful curtain isolating us from the Source Point, this is obviously not the Source Point’s game, but a scene set by some high-dimensional intervention. Don’t panic, we have a chance to leave, we just need to find a way." Violet calmly reassured everyone.
Su Ming’an was the calmest of all.
He had long suspected the Lord of Dreams would stir up all sorts of tricks to stop him. Before it was Lin Yi, seeing Su Ming’an successfully pass all ten rounds of games, He wouldn’t sit idly by.
"Oh dear." Xiao Love’s eyes suddenly sparkled, whispering to Su Ming’an’s ear, "I smelled the aura of authority... The Lord of Dreams can’t hold back, starting to intervene, it’s truly pathetic."
"Pathetic?" Su Ming’an said.
"As long as he always maintains a high and mighty stance, with his appearance, name, and ability not exposed. As long as you remain unaware, there’s absolutely no need to worry about possibly being defeated." Xiao Love said, "However, in order to stop you from advancing, he intervenes for the first time in the true sense, becoming a surface-level enemy, officially stepping from the shadows onto the stage... This means he now has the possibility of being defeated by you all."
"Revealing the health bar." Su Ming’an said.
"Right, just like the Radiant Mother God, if Hui Chi hadn’t dragged the Radiant Mother God into the story, he would forever sit comfortably because no one knows of his existence, but being dragged into the curtain, into the sandbox... He’s no longer the high and mighty ’unknown’." Xiao Love said, "As you had never heard of the term ’Lord of Dreams’ before coming into contact with the concept of Awakeners, naturally, you didn’t want to defeat him, only focusing on completing the perfect pass to go home. You never imagined things outside, you always thought your salvation was perfect, happy, and safe. But now, to stop you, he’s forced to stand before you... Regrettable, yet exciting."
