Chapter 922: Thousand Star Chronicles PV: After the Sunset (1)

"Three-faced soul, please use a hot iron to brand his tongue and palms, so he cannot fabricate lies and establish a false oath."

"Ask: What was your original dream?"

"Xingqiri opened his eyes; he stood before the curtain that had not yet been drawn."

"The curtain was heavy, hanging like a solidified crimson waterfall, blocking everything that could be seen. However, as the curtain was drawn to the sides, familiar piano music and singing floated out from within."

"Very light, very light, like a dream drifting from somewhere far away."

"The piano sound was childish and clumsy, with a few notes played wrong, then corrected by his brother laughing. The sister's singing was also childish—that was him and the Zhigengniao when they were young, their voices one high, one low; the high one clear as a chick's first chirp, the low one steady, as if afraid she might fall."

"The sister jumped down from the piano bench and ran off toward the distance—she had her own path to walk, while he sat alone at the piano bench, also having his own movement to play."

"Let everyone hear our voices… singing together with tens of thousands; I only hope there is an ideal pure land where people laugh and also sleep."

"He stood on a road."

"The road was long, leading to an open meadow in the distance. The sunlight was nice, with children running and playing on the meadow."

"Zhigengniao stood on the meadow, holding a guitar, surrounded by a group of children. She was much older than the little girl in the piano room—about fifteen or sixteen, her hair grown longer; she lightly strummed the pick in her hand, and the children's singing drifted like wind chimes from afar."

"However."

"The sky suddenly changed; the warm sunlight was snatched away in an instant, as if someone had pulled away the world's base color. Dark clouds surged from the horizon, thunder exploded, he stepped forward, about to grab Zhigengniao's hand, but the ground beneath his feet shattered with a boom."

"The world around him collapsed into countless fragments; the children's blurry faces, Zhigengniao's last cry of 'Brother'… all the fragments flew upward, drifting farther from him, while only he fell downward, plunging into the endless darkness."

"But even such a tiny wish, I still broke my promise…"

"Shadows shroud it, reality is chaotic and unbearable, unable even to protect those nearby… 【Paradise】, it ought not to be like this."

"——"

"Original God."

"Eh? Long time no see, that winged little bro— he… has he been released from prison?"

"Nike still had a good impression of that youth of the Heavenly Ring Clan with wings on his head; not mentioning his grandiose to near-delusional ideal, at least this kid's execution ability is top-notch. If that grand ceremony hadn't invited the Train Group or Yellow Springs to participate, the outcome might still be unknown."

"To plunge the entire Asudena Star System into the Great One's Dream, this plan is indeed crazy, but being able to execute such a crazy plan, his skill and resolve are beyond doubt."

"Barbie, do you think Xingqiri's Paradise has a chance of being realized?"

"Ailis waved her hand; a teapot floating in midair flew to Witch B's side, tilted slightly forward, and precisely poured hot black tea into Babiluosi's porcelain cup."

"Hehe, I think the problem isn't 'can it be realized'." Babiluosi's fingertip lightly rubbed the rim of the cup, "The problem lies in—once his envisioned Paradise is realized, what remains of 'human'?"

"Oh?" Nike smiled slightly; it was still the first time she had heard Babiluosi talk about this topic, she clasped her hands and rested her chin, seriously looking at this old friend of hers.

"When joy and satisfaction become cheap, people's threshold for joy will keep rising; the joy that once satisfied a person will gradually become dull and boring… eventually becoming empty." Babiluosi said, "Although pain itself is meaningless, I still believe pain is the shadow of life. Without a shadow, people wouldn't know where they stand, what they are doing, or what they are pursuing."

"Xingqiri's Paradise is a Paradise without shadows. No pain, no struggle, no burden of choice—gradually… also no joy—don't you find this state very familiar?"

"Isn't that just…?" Ailis tilted her head, thinking, "Isn't that the state of a baby still in the mother's womb?"

"Exactly."

"Babiluosi deliberately emphasized those two words."

"So I think, the essence of Paradise is to let everyone's thoughts return to before birth… that most primitive state. And once entering that state, what remains of 'human'? Hehe… just a dry husk."

"——"

"Ask: Has your dream changed?"

"... I don't know, but I see people clearly in the land of dreams, yet living in another layer of prison. Self-judgment, self-doubt, self-denial… then being plundered, oppressed, exploited… unknowingly, happiness has drifted away from them."

"Xingqiri walked through a broken corridor."

"The corridor pillars leaned, the arches cracked. Both sides of the corridor were filled with weeping children, curled up to avoid the monsters' erosion. Xingqiri approached one of them, intending to protect him, when suddenly black thorns surged from the void, instantly wrapping around his hands."

"Xingqiri tried to forcefully break free. The thorns tightened further, digging deeper. Countless hands from behind pressed on his back, shoving him forward into the familiar abyss."

"But this time, a pair of giant hands slowly reached out from the darkness, steadying him."

"Ask: Has your dream been realized?"

"Without a doubt, as you see, in the Paradise I built… the kind are comforted, the weak are guaranteed, evil is judged, our dream… has indeed been realized."

"Xingqiri walked onto the stage, raised his baton toward the choir behind him; countless childlike voices gathered into a river, composing a harmonious movement."

"Now why is it utterly silent around us?"

"Because everyone is asleep. No more laughter…"

"As Xingqiri continuously waved his baton, black thorns began to grow from his hands, spreading… the children before him each turned into black birds, making no sound nor struggle, only the faint rustle of feathers bursting and the light tap of claws landing on the thorns."

"On stage, there is no longer any children's singing… only the lonely Xingqiri remains, playing alone amidst the encircling flock of crows."

"No, it's because people don't want to sleep here… this beautiful dream, in the end, leaves only me."