Chapter 1829: Backing

The endless starry sky seemed to be isolated from the outside.

Amid the surging force of ever‑growing spatial transmission, facing the Overseer's giant eye with an utterly solemn gaze, Lin An felt like a tiny boat in a storm, his heart overwhelmed by towering waves.

Give me your full... help...??

Is it not... not a dead end...? Is it not that you don't wish for me...?

His mind was in utter chaos; No. 77's sudden shift in attitude, like a thunderbolt, left Lin An stunned in place.

Although he could not fathom why this Overseer Committee acted this way, repeatedly flip‑flopping, he knew what lay behind No. 77's words.

That crystal!? Full assistance!? A being suspected to be at least a Sixth Stage peak—no, a Seventh Stage‑plus superpower willing to pay any price to help him! Lin An couldn't imagine how terrifying that power would be!

Damn it! From now on, wouldn't he be able to strut through Apocalypse missions?

Seeing Lin An's bewildered expression, No. 77 didn't waste words, speaking in a low voice:

"Lin An, I've said it before—your only value to me is your life!"

"I don't want what you could do with Cataclysmic Power after reaching Sixth Stage; it's too weak. Even if you reach Seventh Stage, it's meaningless and not worth my attention!"

"What I truly want is for you to voluntarily choose this path! To walk forward resolutely no matter the circumstances!"

"Only then can I guarantee that nothing I do will be wasted! I can see the day you reach your limit!"

It's a simple logic.

When No. 77 saw him for the second time, he saw the Second Will hidden in Lin An's consciousness, and the mutated Long An.

He suddenly realized that Lin An, born in the polluted lands, was likely the perfect test subject he wanted!

Especially, after confirming that Lin An truly mastered Cataclysmic Power, no one knew how excited he was, far away in those countless billions of miles, at the moment Lin An struggled to hold on!

Spanning three major star domains! He barely made it in the nick of time, using all his authority!

It wasn't that he had been following Lin An all along as Lin An imagined, nor was it that Lin An guessed No. 77 was scheming something!

Only at the instant the heavens collapsed did he make his decision!

Triune Unity! Lin An possessed a prototype of Triune Unity before reaching Fifth Stage, and the System specially granted him Cataclysmic Power!

Combined, they made him realize perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps the System was also experimenting, or perhaps those lunatics did it!

But whatever the case, it filled his heart with endless hope and fantasy!

"Lin An, the path of rules, flesh, and faith walking together is truly a dead end—no one has ever succeeded on it!"

"But you're different! You're the only Awakened One I've ever seen who already has a prototype before Fifth Stage!"

"Although it's a dead end, it's a path we can choose for ourselves!"

"The path set by the System looks safe, but it offers no hope at all—it's the dead end the System designed!"

He openly showed his hostility toward the System and his unwillingness to accept it.

As he spoke, No. 77 burst forth with spatial power, enlarging the suddenly torn passage again!

"So even if this path is a dead end, every civilization, every ambitious, unwilling powerhouse will rush onto it like moths to a flame, one after another!"

"Eat this crystal and swear on your soul!"

"I'll do everything I can to help you reach the end!"

When his words fell, it was completely different from before, when No. 77 always acted high and mighty, like a superior.

At this moment, feeling his heart pound wildly, Lin An could clearly sense that the Overseer No. 77 was treating him as an equal.

It was as if, someday in the future, Lin An might truly accomplish what No. 77 wanted, so that the Overseer Committee would no longer look down on him but treat him as an equal.

Eat the crystal?

Lin An stared blankly at the crystal on the tentacle, his gaze darting between the silver‑blue giant eyes.

He didn't know what it was, but he could guess it was some kind of treasure useful to his soul, and that eating it would likely forge a contract with No. 77, binding him to a promise.

There was nothing to hesitate about.

Lin An suppressed his inner shock, grabbed the crystal, and prepared to eat it.

This time he couldn't refuse; refusing again would be sheer stupidity! As for what he must do after agreeing to No. 77, Lin An would do it even without swearing on his soul.

Without No. 77's intervention, he would have died long ago on the stellar battlefield!

But as he was about to swallow it, Lin An couldn't help but clutch the crystal, asking eagerly yet cautiously:

"Overseer, Your Excellency… full assistance…"

"Do you mean the conditions you gave earlier? Well… setting aside the Overseer's status, I…"

It's fake to say he isn't moved!

Although Lin An also felt it wasn't proper to bluntly ask No. 77 what he would give him.

But having come this far, he was genuinely curious what No. 77's "full effort" actually meant.

It's too bitter...

Lin An thought that since his rebirth, aside from that broken sword, the base vehicle had been half‑stolen, half‑given by a hamster.

All along, every bit of his resources had been exchanged for his life!

Never mind the rest—if No. 77 could get him a Star Destroyer set, that'd be fine; failing that, even ten thousand points would do!

Yet, just as unexpectedly, No. 77 was stunned upon hearing it, as if he'd never imagined anyone would dare speak to him like that. Hearing Lin An nitpick and even seem to despise the Overseer's status, he couldn't help but laugh in exasperation, then spoke calmly:

"Are you asking me for benefits?"

"What do you want? Points? Rule‑based gear? High‑level permissions? Civilization tech? Silver‑Star‑rank gear? Or a divine summon, or perhaps a neutron battle star—this kind of super weapon?"