In this chaotic and tumultuous month, both domestic and international situations are far from optimistic. Regardless of race or region, no one is willing to just perish.
Some individuals are ambitiously seeking to devour immense energy, crazily elevating themselves to become future rulers capable of dominating global power. Meanwhile, others who may not desire such dominance fight fiercely when they become prey. Once they succeed in resisting, the thirst for power can drive them onto the same path as the ambitious ones.
Zheng Zhe and his team have already captured many people, those players lurking around trying to devour humanity. However, they haven’t captured those players who absorb vitality from trees and animals. Apart from being compelled, there’s a more serious problem: if they capture all these people, who will provide the daily energy they need?
The country has already tapped into emergency food reserves, not only for these players dreaming of a world but also for the ordinary people seeking refuge. Under this rapid consumption, the country cannot sustain for much longer.
Especially at this stage, these players in the dream world can absorb limitless energy. Zheng Zhe alone now consumes as much as ten ordinary individuals. If he wishes, he could spend an entire day constantly consuming and absorbing various energies. This implies that, without restraint, the players alone could ‘eat’ the entire world.
Zheng Zhe feels deep anger and terror within himself.
He cannot fathom what sort of existence this dream world is. When it doesn’t bare its fangs, it can create so many miraculous items. Now that it has revealed its grim visage, how can humanity triumph over it? Up until now, humanity hasn’t even figured out what kind of existence it truly is, have they?
Every night when Zheng Zhe rests, he repeatedly contemplates this issue. Tonight, his thoughts are particularly rampant, as it’s already the 27th of May.
Tomorrow, he’ll once again enter the game of the dream world.
He doesn’t know what the next world will be like, but he has a deep sense of unease. The dream world has already started forcing them to absorb energy. Aren’t they already under the control of the dream world? Why waste time making them enter the game within the dream world?
Wouldn’t it be simpler for the dream world to directly control the consumption of Earth’s energy and vitality, leading to conflict among themselves and the remaining humans for resources? Why is the game in the dream world still ongoing, and why must all players participate?
Zheng Zhe couldn’t find an answer, and just as his team’s leader suddenly received a command, asking them to gather in the auditorium.
Zheng Zhe’s heart stirred, quickly joined his comrades in the auditorium. Then, to his surprise, he found at least several thousand dream-world players gathered here.
Have there really been this many dream-world players?
“Everyone, you are not individuals who resign to let the dream world control your lives, each of you has your own goals and ideals. Regardless of how you entered the dream world, now, we are comrades fighting against the dream world together.”
“According to our experts’ speculations, tomorrow’s dream world will undergo tremendous changes, along with unpredictable and dangerous circumstances. It’s highly probable that many of us won’t return.”
Hearing this, the players below erupted into commotion, expressions of incredulity on everyone’s faces, but Zheng Zhe remained unchanged, feeling like a shoe had finally dropped.
So, there really is a conspiracy within the dream world?
“I’m not fear-mongering. Based on the top-level research of our nation, tomorrow’s game within the dream world will be extremely perilous. However, the dream world demands everyone’s participation, and we cannot refuse. Therefore, our country’s excellent researchers and scientists have tirelessly worked for this past month and finally developed protective gear for our brains and mental strength.”
“According to preliminary tests, this gear can withstand approximately a level three mental punishment from the dream world. If your mental strength is high enough, this protection’s power will also be greater. Due to material constraints, this gear can only be used three times at most, after which it will shatter. So, please, everyone, be cautious during tomorrow’s game.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The middle-aged man standing on the podium, who appeared like a military figure, ceased speaking after those words. He gestured, and a team of soldiers in military attire began distributing the protective gear to the thousands of players gathered here from different directions.
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Pa kjr rtjqfv ilxf j nfgvjca ifjo, klat j rwjii tbif qecmtfv ja atf rafw, tjculcu ogbw j vfilmjaf rlinfg mtjlc. Par wjafglji kjrc’a pjvf bg qijralm; lar afzaegf jcv ierafg gfrfwyifv j wfajiilm reyrajcmf. Lbkfnfg, ogbw tlr wfwbgs jcv xcbkifvuf gfqbrlabgs, atfgf rffwfv ab yf cb wfajiilm wjafglji atja qbrrfrrfv j nfgvjca ugffc tef.
Clearly, this must be the special material the man mentioned. Fine lines resembling veins adorned the surface of the leaf. Upon close inspection, these lines emitted a faint golden glow under the lights. Holding the leaf in his hands, Zheng Zhe couldn’t help but think that even if he didn’t use this protective gear in the game, keeping it as a valuable memento would be a great idea.
Judging from the astonished voices of several female players around him, he realized that others probably had similar thoughts. This gear was just too beautiful and delicate.
To the extent that Zheng Zhe began to doubt if it truly possessed the power to defend against mental attacks from the dream world.
Nevertheless, with utmost solemnity, he hung the leaf around his neck. Regardless of its actual abilities, it was at least an added layer of protection. After observing the reactions of others who, like Zheng Zhe, eventually hung the metallic leaf around their necks, a strange resonance seemed to ripple through the entire assembly hall the moment all players adorned themselves with these metallic leaves.
Sharp-witted players sensed something different; they lowered their heads to look at the veins on their chests, witnessing the intricate patterns swiftly flowing. It was as though all the metallic leaves were resonating, and simultaneously, they felt a collective surge of immense mental power.
Everyone displayed expressions of astonishment. It seemed they had never seen anything so miraculous. Yet, apart from wonder, they also found a newfound sense of confidence.
At this moment, the middle-aged man standing on the stage and the group of soldiers behind him became even more taut, standing as if they were straightened spears. Upon a command from the middle-aged man, all the soldiers in front executed a standard military salute.
The players below were puzzled, unsure of what was happening.
Then, the man spoke again, “The path ahead is treacherous, life and death uncertain. Yet, may all of you brave the challenges and forge ahead!! We pledge to protect the bodies of our comrades-at-arms and await your triumphant return.”
Following this, the soldiers behind the man loudly and uniformly shouted, “The path ahead is treacherous, life and death uncertain. Yet, may all of you brave the challenges and forge ahead!! We pledge to protect the bodies of our comrades-at-arms and await your triumphant return!!”
Finally, throughout the entire base of the shelter, these voices echoed. Some were loud, some soft, some coarse, some delicate—they layered upon one another, converging like an unstoppable force. It surged into the hearts of all players present.
In this moment, Zheng Zhe suddenly felt an immense courage. Despite the treacherous path ahead, he wasn’t alone in this battle.
He resolved that no matter what, he must survive the next game, together with these familiar and unfamiliar individuals, to completely annihilate the dream world!!
…
Unknown to humanity, on this same night, within the intangible realm of the dream world, their guides were also assembled.
Even though their human hosts were in different regions and corners, within the dream world, these numerous guides, numbering in the thousands, millions, or even more, could effortlessly gather together.
A view from above would reveal a staggering sight—a multitude of spheres suspended in the void. Each sphere emitted a different colored light. The foremost ninety were shining silver, followed by nine hundred less dazzling brass-colored ones. Beyond these nine hundred spheres lay an indeterminate number of gray ones.
Externally resembling inanimate objects, they were entities that had survived in the universe, transcending thousands of years.
At the forefront of this awe-inspiring and colossal assembly of guides floated ten luminous golden spheres.
Then, something unbelievably incredible occurred.
Within that brilliant golden glow, these ten golden spheres gradually elongated and transformed. They soon ceased to be mere spheres.
When the dazzling golden light dissipated, ten figures of varying sizes and forms floated in the air. Each possessed what would be considered flawless and perfect features by human standards. Some had wings, some had menacing demon horns protruding from their heads, and others were of gigantic stature like titans or diminutive like elves. Yet, their forms remained “perfect,” devoid of any discordance.
The guides below erupted into silent cheers, collectively shimmering with excited red-colored lights.
001, akin to a queen, surveyed the guides below and uttered the first words.
[For the sake of our mother planet and evolution.]
Thus, within this ethereal space, arose an impeccably synchronized mechanical chorus.
[For the sake of our mother planet and evolution!]
006 nudged past 007 and 008, scoffing at 009 nearby. [Boring. She says this every time before the final consumption. Can’t she use different words?]
He appeared as a standard human, lacking wings or horns, with the most average-sized physique. Even his hair color and eye pupils were an ordinary black, save for his naturally curly hair and a red mole beneath one eye. He seemed like the most ordinary among the ten golden guides, yet every glance and gesture conveyed his thoughts. It was challenging for the guides to discern this, but if Mo Yang were to assess them, he’d undoubtedly judge 006 as the most sophisticated.
Because everything about him seemed like a genuine “human.”
009 glanced at him. [Although the spheres below can’t hear us when we speak here, rein it in a bit. I don’t want to end up like 002, getting caught between you, 001, and mudslinging.]
Resembling 006, he just seemed to favor Western blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Coupled with his somewhat aloof demeanor, he resembled the revered Western paragons.
[Tch, why don’t you act as submissive and obedient to me as you do to your host?]
009 chuckled. [If you’ve got the guts, let’s switch hosts. I quite like Yang Heigou.]
006 finally regretfully closed his mouth.
At this moment, 001 concluded her customary, unenthusiastic speech before their final consumption. Her crystalline eyes revealed displeasure as she glanced at 006, ultimately waving her hand, conjuring a massive screen within this dream world.
This screen displayed numerous smaller screens, one of which unexpectedly showed the footage of Zheng Zhe’s shelter base.
001 casually pointed, coincidentally landing on that particular screen.
Then, all the spheres fell silent, observing the soldiers distributing the defensive metal leaflets, the curious yet suspicious expressions of the players, and the collective salute by the military.
No guide uttered a sound.
While this scene might stir excitement and adrenaline in human hearts, even though it was displayed vividly before them, among the two billion spheres forming a vast ocean of orbs below, not a single one made a noise.
None of them comprehended what there was to get excited about.
Only 006, after watching, sighed to a few nearby spheres.
[Well, I must say, this is the most rousing rally I’ve seen. Do you think humans stand a chance against us in the end?]
009 remained silent.
Beside them, 010, transformed into a giant, laughed heartily.
[Oh, come on! Humans are such feeble beings! How could they possibly defeat us? Look at the ten of us standing here. Aside from you and 009, each represents a destroyed world and race! The giant beings with powerful bodies from the Gigantic Planets are extinct, the plant race with immense mental and spiritual powers is no more, and countless other planets and beings we’ve consumed. Our dream world will never fail!]
006 looked at this brainless younger brother of 001 and chuckled.
The other guides seemed uninterested in this discussion. However, their indifferent or mocking expressions indicated they hadn’t entertained the slightest possibility of Earth and humans prevailing.
Even upon seeing those green leaf-like defensive items, there was no panic. Just human toys, not even qualifying as weapons that could harm them.
At this moment, 001 finally issued the ultimate command.
[As per the directive from the mother planet, tomorrow marks the final world. Due to excessive resistance from the game world and Earth’s humans, the mother planet has decided to initiate the final conflict ahead of schedule, thoroughly devouring and annihilating the resistors.]
[Tomorrow, as players enter the dream gaming world, the spiritual consumption shall commence.]
[Wishing you all success in devouring hosts, and enjoying the brief and delightful lives of humans.]
Below, the guides bathed once more in an excited ocean of red light.
Author’s Note –
Well, most of you probably understand by now. The final world is a merged one. This is the mother planet’s response to the consciousness of the game world. Writing is getting tougher, considering the plot and dialogues take a lot of thought. Orz. For my next piece, I’ll opt for brainless, humorous writing…
Ooo it’s getting exciting
Darn it I have to be patience. I had so much saved up!
I piled up the chapters til the end. I’m glad now, i can read without cliffhanger. 😍
Thank you for the translation 😍 ❤️❤️❤️
yes please, the tension is killing me༎ຶ‿༎ຶ