Chapter 1728: Chapter 72: He Lowered a Spider’s Thread Toward Hell
"The disappearance of consciousness is a process," said Lü God, "The death of the flesh is the beginning, the dissipation of consciousness is the end. And when memories are completely forgotten by the world... that is true death. Before that, they will drift here."
Su Ming’an perceived the surging joys and sorrows around him, tasting the myriad flavors of life.
Suddenly, two consciousnesses resonated with his own, indicating that he knew them.
Su Ming’an paused, swam over, and saw two floating consciousnesses. By their appearance, they should be the dying consciousnesses of Bai Chun and Najasha. So, they failed to pass the last round of the game and were about to die.
"Do you want to save them?" asked Lü God.
"No." replied Su Ming’an.
"Oh? I heard you were a compassionate saint, but now it seems you have your considerations."
"Earlier, when I met Ming, he shot me with the Radiant Mother God’s bow. Was it a true act or just a performance?"
"That I don’t know," Lü God shrugged, "Maybe you can ask him yourself."
As they were about to pass by Najasha and Bai Chun’s consciousnesses—
"Swish!"
Suddenly, a golden thread descended from the ocean of consciousness above! It precisely moved toward Bai Chun’s dim halo of consciousness as if it had eyes.
"This thread comes from reality!" Lü God turned his head, "It’s the guiding thread from the Radiant Mother God. Is the Radiant Mother God trying to save Bai Chun?"
"Can this thread help her consciousness return?"
"Yes. The person who follows the thread back to the surface can return their consciousness to their physical body and reopen their eyes. Only a First Level God can achieve this, and such props are extremely limited..." Lü God said, "Strange... What connection does Bai Chun have with Kritchens, to be worthy of the ’spider silk’?"
"Dropping spider silk into Hell..." Su Ming’an inexplicably thought of the story, where the spider silk was the Buddha’s last mercy and test for the wicked.
"Is it possible that this wasn’t dropped by the Radiant Mother God?" Su Ming’an speculated. A love-struck mind like Bai Chun’s doesn’t seem worthy of personal intervention from the Radiant Mother God.
"It’s possible that if it’s from His devout believers, they could possess His golden thread too," Lü God said, "Let’s go. No need to linger here."
Just as Su Ming’an was about to leave, he suddenly noticed the golden thread swayed and extended toward him...
...
Outside the Abyss.
Darkness surged, ghosts roamed the night, and demonic qi spread like purgatory.
The area where the Gate of the Source Point opened, the abyss expanded, having already conquered half of the small town, with townfolk long fled. Beside the hill where Chen Yuhang’s escort squad had stayed, a woman stepped over the long-extinguished campfire.
She wore a simple, elegant cyan gown with a slanted front, her black hair meticulously tied in a low bun secured with a wintersweet hairpin. Her demeanor exuded the gentle elegance unique to women from the water towns, and her clean black cloth shoes tread over the wasteland.
She passed by the outer battlefield, where millions of players were fiercely fighting the followers and zealots under the Radiant Mother God. The bursts of light from spells exploded like fireworks, and the turbulent winds stirred by energy currents tossed sand and stones, blowing the hair across her forehead.
A robust man with a blood-stained face saw her, shocked to see someone like her appear in such a place, as if stepped out from an old painting. He subconsciously shouted, "Hey! Lady! Don’t go any further! Ahead is the Abyss Gate, and the demonic qi is deadly thick; going there is suicide! The Demon Mother God could awaken at any moment!"
Hearing his voice, the lady nodded to him, moving with graceful detachment, without stopping her steps.
Seeing her figure disappear into the demonic qi, the robust man spat, "Another one with no regard for life..."
The woman moved through the chaotic warzone like a streak of clouds. The closer she got to the abyss, the more terrifying the erosion of demonic qi became. Even Wang Xingkong needed thousands of support system players to barely stand firm. Yet, she emitted a faint golden light, shielding herself from the pervasive demonic qi.
Lü Shu turned his head and saw this woman approaching the edge of the abyss.
His pupils contracted sharply!
"...Lin Wang’an?" he almost exclaimed, eyes filled with disbelief.
Of course, he recognized this face—Lin Wang’an. Reports showed that she and her adopted daughter, Lin Chunchun (Bai Chun), lived in a house in the nearby town, living a peaceful life. A few hours ago, players in outer reconnaissance saw the mother and daughter having lunch in their small villa.
Why would she venture into the danger zone?
Lü Shu instantly thought of the answer — her adopted daughter Bai Chun trapped in the abyss, her life uncertain, so Lin Wang’an, as a mother, would stop at nothing to find her.
In Lü Shu’s heart, a nameless fire rose; how could someone be so biased? Ignoring Su Ming’an in danger but risking everything for her adopted daughter in peril.
In the next instant, Lin Wang’an took out a golden thread from her bosom and slowly lowered it towards the abyss.
What surprised Lü Shu was — no one could enter the abyss at that moment, not even Wang Xingkong could set foot beyond the Gate, yet this golden thread penetrated it!
"Tzzzz——" The golden thread seeped into the abyss, hanging down into the bottomless chasm, like a life-saving spider silk dropped into Hell. Kneeling at the abyss’s edge, Lin Wang’an was like a fisherwoman with her line, eyes closed, hands manipulating.
Lü Shu realized this must be the Radiant Mother God’s treasure, the only way it could penetrate the abyss. Holding such an item, Lin Wang’an was likely a believer of the Radiant Mother God, which explained how she could live in Luowasha for so long, even starting a new life, a new family...
What about the old family? What of the past wounds?
In the suffocating native families of Dragon Country, love always had to be entangled with hatred and pain, as if no harm meant love couldn’t be called love. Whether the distance was near or far, whether the emotions were warm or cold... it was too easy to cause irreparable harm.
Lin Wang’an closed her eyes, operating the thread.
She "saw" a dim halo of consciousness about to dissipate in the sea of consciousness... it was Bai Chun. She indeed had come to save Bai Chun, even though she sensed Bai Chun’s identity wasn’t ordinary, she didn’t care; she simply needed love, and Bai Chun could provide it.
Although Bai Chun acted recklessly, her affection for her mother was genuine. She had been motherless since childhood, thus craving love. In the time they lived in the small villa, sharing meals, laughing and talking, living together for so long, Lin Wang’an genuinely regarded Bai Chun as her daughter. Coming here, Lin Wang’an couldn’t tell if her mental illness worsened or improved. She refused to see anything of Su Ming’an, watching with pain, hoping for Su Ming’an’s return, yet drawing near only brought hatred and trauma. The whole world resented her approaching Su Ming’an, and she chose to let go, to start a new life...
Her coming to save Bai Chun today was with true mother-daughter affection.
Yet, at the moment she discovered Bai Chun’s consciousness, something terrifying happened.
——She unexpectedly sensed Su Ming’an’s consciousness too, right beside Bai Chun’s!
A cold chill rose from her spine, her whole body trembling, as though struck by lightning... how could this be? Why would Ming’an be here? Only consciousnesses on the brink of dissipation entered this area!
Suddenly, she heard the eruption of discussions from players not far away:
"Did, did you hear? Something major happened inside!"
"What happened? Tell us quickly!"
"Su Ming’an...Su Ming’an was backstabbed by Lu!"
"What?! Isn’t Lu his ally?"
"You never truly know someone! It’s all to monopolize the benefits! I heard Su Ming’an got stabbed through, his body turned into a pool of mush! He’s completely gone!"
"What the hell! Is that true?! Then isn’t the Number One Player... "
"Absolutely true! Everyone still alive inside is bewildered, and now the chessboard is in chaos. It seems Lu also encountered some issues and got stuck by a backlash from the rules..."
"It’s over... completely over... With Su Ming’an dead, what are we still struggling for? The path home is cut off..."
"Damn it! Lu’s a traitor! He deserves a horrible death!"
"Sigh, I didn’t expect it to end this way..."
The blank daze lasted for several seconds, Lin Wang’an’s soul seemed to be pulled away.
Ming’an... is dead?
She stared blankly at the drooping thread, sensing Su Ming’an’s consciousness... it was indeed hazy and about to dissipate.
Stubborn, lonely, with a complicated relationship with her, yet the continuation of her bloodline...
All kinds of chaotic thoughts clashed violently in her mind, leaving her dazed for quite a while, her face as pale as a sheet.
—But I only have one thread.
—I can only pull one person.
...
{"The badge is engraved with the sun’s eye burning with flames... This is the badge of the Radiant Mother God, it seems she believes in the Radiant Mother God. In Luowasha, most people need a faith, it’s considered sociable." Su Ming’an put down the badge and picked up the golden thread.}
{"He examined it and noticed this golden thread was not simple. The thick aura on it suggested that it might involve an Angel Level. Angel, that’s a highly exceptional level, impossible for ordinary people to touch, even the royal family would have to revere it. Why does Lin Wang’an have an Angel Level golden thread?"}
...
The golden thread was indeed "bestowed" upon her by the Radiant Mother God, but she didn’t actually have faith in the Radiant Mother God—rather, it was the Radiant Mother God who actively approached her. The reason she could stay in the instance for so long and even start a new life was because the Radiant Mother God helped her transform her identity.
—But she never wanted to become an angel of the Radiant Mother God, because that would mean completely binding herself to the god, so she always maintained a state of being neither close nor distant.
She knew, the Radiant Mother God invited her, targeting the fact that she was Su Ming’an’s mother, and could use this to threaten Su Ming’an. However, Su Ming’an didn’t care about her anymore, rendering the Radiant Mother God’s plan doomed to fail. Lin Wang’an herself also preferred to remain free, not wanting to become a believer of Radiant Mother God.
But now...
This thread involved in a trade with a deity, decided who among her dear ones could persist.
On one end, was her adoptive daughter Bai Chun who provided her peace and family warmth. Bai Chun genuinely considered her as her mother, relying on each other and playing an important role in her new life.
On the other end, there was Su Ming’an... strong, bearing everything, needing nothing from her, resenting her.
Time seemed drawn out.
Lin Wang’an gently manipulated the thread, letting it drift toward one direction...
...
Su Ming’an watched as the golden thread drifted away.
The golden thread landed within Bai Chun’s consciousness cluster, like a fishing line, lifting Bai Chun’s consciousness to float above the sea surface.
... Faced with the choice between rescuing her son or her adopted daughter, Lin Wang’an ultimately chose to save Bai Chun.
Lü God raised an eyebrow upon witnessing this scene, letting out an inexplicable grunt. He turned around to swim away, and Su Ming’an, without any hesitation, continued moving forward.
He had no expectations at all; Lin Wang’an’s choice didn’t surpass his prediction... A fake daughter, a real son... Yes, she had already started a new family. She has abandoned him, and he simply doesn’t care about her, this was the correct, reasonable, and rational choice. Even if she had chosen him, it wouldn’t matter; he would still leave with Lü God, the golden thread would have been wasted...
Indeed. He held no expectations, never thinking... he would be the one chosen, the one loved... and he despised... despised such love.
He wouldn’t call her mother.
Now that she proactively distanced herself, unlike the past where she would cling onto him frantically, he felt glad that she finally saw things clearly... From now on, they would no longer intersect or have any entanglements, a dignified end to them.
Su Ming’an pressed his lips together, swimming toward the depths.
...
Source Point.
The Source Point gradually sensed someone violating the rules, like a machine in motion, it automatically began investigating. It quickly detected a suspicious "curtain" floating above itself and began clearing it out.
As Lü God dragged Su Ming’an away, the curtain lost its protagonist and became extremely unstable. With a "whoosh," under attack both inside and out, the curtain faded like foam, leaving those inside falling to their original positions, stepping into substantial black water beneath.
"We’re back...!" Xiao Xiao landed in the black water, still trembling in fear, quickly looking around to ensure she returned to the Source Point before feeling at ease. The image of the world chessboard had disappeared.
"Damn that bastard! Lu!" Yang Changxu roared angrily, immediately looking at the crowd, realizing two were missing; Lu and Evelyn were both gone, "Did he run? Damn it."
"I last saw him seemingly trapped by something invisible, not falling out with us," Rimu Sheng, with sharp eyes, instantly pointed out.
"He deserves it!" Yang Changxu said coldly.
"We won, the rewards have been exchanged, those who want to go back should go back," Agnes waved her hand. For them, this Source Point journey had ended, and they had to return, this place was not meant for normal life to stay for long as it was uncomfortable.
"Wait, wait, Gods, are you going back?" Suddenly, a boy’s voice sounded, and a long-awaited figure strode over, it was Chen Yuhang, looking incredulously at Agnes, "The reason we came in was to help Su Ming’an wake the Demon Mother Goddess, right? Now he’s gone, we have to be responsible to awaken the Demon Mother Goddess! You all have cleared thirteen rounds of games."
Agnes chuckled softly, squinting her deep blue lined eyes: "Little brother, are you aware how you have survived until now? It’s because of the key in your hand. Su Ming’an got you here on a fast track. Otherwise, do you think with your ordinary person’s strength, your lack of skill even in holding a knife, your childlike perseverance and little wit... you could’ve made it this far? If you want to live, go back; you have absolutely no chance of finding the Demon Mother Goddess, you don’t even have a single Silver Star, haven’t redeemed anything, you’d be shredded by turbulence on the way... Except for Su Ming’an, the Demon Mother Goddess wouldn’t agree to help us out."
Her words were the truth and even kindly meant, but they stabbed Chen Yuhang’s ears sharply. He bit his lip, knowing she was correct.
But... the key was in his hand and could not be passed to anyone else... meaning he must go to the Demon Mother Goddess himself! Otherwise, what if, just what if... Su Ming’an was still alive and reached there, but lacked him holding the key?
"I am heading back, it’s been too long, and I feel I am becoming somewhat faint... The game is over, the mechanism of the World Game won’t protect us indefinitely, if you don’t want to die, follow me," said Agnes calmly.
She wasn’t being harsh or selfish, but speaking from the perspective of a top player. Since Su Ming’an was gone, their chance of negotiating successfully with the Demon Mother Goddess was negligible. They might as well save their strength to return. Each of them had exchanged a fair amount of good items, Evelyn had even exchanged the "Dimension Folding Engine Blueprint" that Su Ming’an requested, which could at least ensure a conclusion where some humans escaped, avoiding complete annihilation.
The perfect golden road had come to an end here, and they were powerless to continue challenging forward. It was better to save their strength and head toward a somewhat good ending.
