Chapter 625: Marvel Presidential Election (10.19)

When Su Lin was a child, he had watched some movies and anime where the supporting character, protagonist, and villain were one and the same.

Often, such scenes would come with lines like: "Only by merging can we become stronger," "Your way is wrong," "I do not acknowledge this version of you as myself."

Generally, whenever such a character appeared, nine times out of ten they would sacrifice themselves alongside the villain at the end for the sake of love and peace in the world.

Yet

This guy was wearing my face, babbling on and on, planting an entire pile of flags!

Is Su Lin a fragment of First Heaven?

Take this Sacred Cut!

"Your next words are," Su Lin gripped the sword hilt with both hands, slowly raised his head, and smiled: "Why."

"Why?!"

Almost simultaneously, the will-embodiment of First Heaven responded with the same question.

Su Lin clenched his five fingers and slammed them onto the end of the hilt; the Tianqing Yu Xu Sword spun rapidly, and a deep blue spiritual light, mixed with the radiance of sun, moon, and stars, exploded outward!

With no chance to resist, the black-clad Su Lin form of First Heaven shattered into countless specks of light, drifting through the boundless expanse of heaven and earth.

Yet

"Foolish move."

The same voice spoke again.

Those specks of light each reflected different eras, and First Heaven returned once more from those ages.

"You are not the multiverse born from the original fragment; unlike the Second World, the Third, even the Eighth Eternal—those rebels—you are me, and I am you."

He gazed at Su Lin, who stood with a sword on his back, and said calmly:

"You do not understand—after our fusion, our true body will transcend the past, transcend the original origin, and become a truly great existence."

"During the eons you wandered in the void, you gathered the mythological concepts our true body will need in the future; you have acquired the complete origin of God's creation and walked the path of the Creator."

"Though your rank is still slightly lacking, you have done well in this regard—we will, at the moment of fusion, bypass all rituals and instantly reach that position."

These lines could only be described as classic tropes.

Su Lin flicked his long sword; he never expected that blow to kill the opponent—after all, most of his power was now devoted to maintaining the altered fundamental laws of the universe.

The gear and fate auras worn by all Reincarnators originated from him.

That previous strike was merely the Tianqing Yu Xu Sword's innate power.

"Can you stop using my face to say these things?" Su Lin said coolly.

Who knows how big the Eye Above All Things is? What if this face ends up making me liable by association?

He asked, puzzled: "Why do you resist me?"

Judging from Su Lin's actions in collecting the fragments, it seemed like an attempt to complete himself—whether it was Him or the fragment that split off as the origin of "the First Light," all must eventually reunite as one.

"This endless heaven, only I—" Su Lin tilted his chin slightly, gazing down with disdain: "am alone."

"This endless sky, I alone." Su Lin tilted his chin slightly, his gaze cold and disdainful. "One."

Su Lin glanced at the Living Tribunal Logos, who now wore an expression of sudden understanding.

Honestly, he owed this guy for filling in the details—his identity could still be used.

"Kill this impostor."

Logos fell silent upon hearing the order, making no move.

"Are you insane?" the black-haired Su Lin frowned. "He will obey my commands too—our struggle is meaningless!"

"You're mad?" the black-robed Su Lin frowned. "He will obey my orders too—our struggle is meaningless!"

A golden palm crashed down.

Su Lin's previous words had been spoken to both—Logos and the Living Tribunal.

First Heaven had not yet fully consumed the Omnipotent Universe, nor had his corrupted timelines fully invaded it—thus, the original golden Living Tribunal had not vanished.

Logos had been active for so long; now, with the balance shifted, it was time for the golden Living Tribunal to appear.

Logos has been out so long; the balance has shifted—it's time for the Golden Life Tribunal to take the stage.

"Disrupting cosmic progression."

"Guilty!"

The golden giant with three faces launched another judgment.

"How can you still command him?" The black-haired, black-clad Su Lin had not even reformed before the beam scattered him.

The Living Tribunal, filling heaven and earth, activated its laws; light radiated in all directions, its shockwaves sweeping across the entire multiverse.

He intervened, attempting to purge the corruption centered on Earth of the 616 main universe.

He is intervening, attempting to purge the corrupting influences centered on Earth of the 616 main universe.

For those who knew some "inside information"—like Tenzan Lixiang, or the "Word-Swallower" from Song Shuhang's world—this back-and-forth was explosive!

Was there really this kind of relationship between the black-haired Su Lin and the white-haired Su Lin?!

Could it be that the black-haired Senior Su Lin and the white-haired Senior Su Lin are like this?!

In other words, his true identity is the original will of the Dao of this universe!

In an instant, most people mentally constructed nearly identical versions:

After the initial split, a portion of First Heaven's body gained self-awareness and wandered the myriad worlds, creating universe after universe.

He participated in the "War of the Myriad Worlds," the "Reverse Transmission," the "Catastrophe of Destruction," the "Unsealing"—all major events.

He participated in the "War of All Realms," the "Reverse Transmission," the "Catastrophe of Annihilation," and the "Seal Release."

The current Su Lin is speaking in the voice of Lord Haotian!

The black-haired Su Lin also said the true body of First Heaven needs God—this completely contradicts!

Senior Su Lin with black hair also said that the First Heaven of the original body requires God. This, this makes no sense at all!

It makes sense that the Almighty is connected to the First Celestial Sphere, but how could Hun Tian Di be the First Celestial Sphere of this universe—and worse, that they fought?!

"Eternal Unity with Heaven."

Someone muttered it unknowingly.

Lord Haotian seeks to become the sole one, even willing to kill the First Celestial Sphere!

In an instant, enlightenment flashed—some cultivators trembled all over, as if a grand stage of history had appeared before their eyes, about to unveil its curtain!

Their chests rose and fell slowly; they struggled to raise their arms, then—

Share it on the Universal Knowledge Forum and Moments.

Spam the posts!

"Holy shit, Senior Su Lin's gone public!"

Start the livestream!

"Real or Fake Lord Haotian?!"

Make a video!

"Shocked—family, who understands?!"

What no one noticed was that Merlin beside Tenzan Lixiang went through a rapid transformation: from smile to numbness, to despair, to astonishment, and finally to relief—all within moments, a masterclass in facial acting.

They all stared ahead.

In this federation now reduced to ruins, the man clad in the magnificent imperial purple robe walked toward the deep cosmos, one hand holding a longsword, the other clutching an ancient tome steeped in the weight of ages.

"Through countless kalpas of suffering, the storm clouds still veil the heavens."

"I abandon my broken body to bury the old world, sweeping the celestial spheres to restore light."

He walked as if strolling through a garden; the phantom of the river of time and age manifested behind him, as if emerging from the swirling sea of mortal dust, passing lonely mountains for ten thousand li, returning toward the azure heavens—his aura growing ever loftier, more distant.

Scattered fragments of the Celestial Sphere became meteors, each one flying into the luminous gear suspended behind him, illuminating the black and night.

Glittering ripples, dreamlike—those gray-white timelines, anchored to the Pocket Universe Federation as the foundation of the First Celestial Sphere, were disturbed.

When Su Lin's figure vanished from all sight, slowly, the beings entangled by the black-particle storm began to stabilize.

Their pupils still reflected the decaying hells and the flourishing golden ages, yet in every world, a new silhouette now appeared.

"The power isn't enough, but what's that classic line again?"

Through the eternal furnace core of the Creation Law, the Celestial Sphere fragments absorbed earlier, carrying Su Lin's will, were inscribed into the annals surrounding the 616 Prime Universe.

"Use annals to oppose annals."

Having tested this once, and taking advantage of the First Celestial Sphere's incomplete state and the Golden Tribunal's ability to act, Su Lin initiated his second trial.

He sought to use the fragments he controlled to resist the corruption and erosion inflicted by these foreign timelines upon individual realities.

"I've changed my mind."

Where the Abyss of Ultimate Black flowed, the will of the First Celestial Sphere emerged again from the black mist—still in Su Lin's form.

"You've undergone unstable changes. Therefore, I intend to erase your self."

Don't say that with that face—it's really—

Su Lin felt his "pillar of the righteous path" persona was about to collapse.

He paid no mind to the threats; frankly, this thing was like a stunt—if it could be pulled off or delivered, it would've already happened.

Judging from what just happened, this guy and I are both on the same backend path—permission-based.

Though this place lies beyond dimensions, it still lies within the scope of the Omnipotent Universe; his influence is limited.

No need to think hard—just from his layout with the Cycle Space and his former central role in the First Celestial Sphere's grand event, the 616 Prime Universe must play a crucial role in timeline deviance.

I only need to create an opportunity for the Golden Tribunal to free this Pocket Universe—or its native inhabitants—from the timeline's influence.

Of course, there's another key point.

After all, I'm not here in my true body either.

The current number of fragments, plus the Pocket Universe's remote location, leans toward the conceptual level.

We can barely achieve mutual resistance.

"It can only be mutual resistance."

Snap.

He snapped his fingers.

The world in everyone's eyes was flooded with unprecedented light.

In the 616 Universe within reality, when the gray-white and emerald timelines collided, brilliant radiance flared from the point of impact.

It didn't make the world better or restore it—only along the dividing line between Su Lin and the black-clad Su Lin, two opposing annals with different structures emerged.

Annals—a chronicle format—is a unified genre for recording history by year, an imagistic method of historical documentation.

Time as the warp, events as the weft.

On that side: superhero and villain mega-events laden with political correctness and adult content, but altered in plot and character relationships by intruders.

On this side: the Holy Grail War centered around the Omnipotent Wish Machine—same soup, different seasoning—with rare events where Master and Servant fall in love and perform Spirit Replenishment.

Su Lin turned his gaze to the surroundings, pondering how to make those entangled by the altered timelines come forward and choose this timeline on their own.

Especially those still uncorrupted, still standing in the middle.

"Reed." Doctor Doom Victor extended his hand, standing on a timeline of thriving civilization: "I have a research project that needs your help."

Reed, eyes vacant, walked toward him.

Damn it, are you really in a love-hate romance with Doctor Doom?

Su Lin saw this scene and a flash of inspiration struck—then—

"Reed." Susan stood within the timeline of the Light Annals, holding her children, softly calling:

"Go on. Victor will take care of us."

Behind Susan stood Doctor Destruction, wearing an iron mask and a green cloak with a hood.

Reed stopped walking, turned back, stared in shock, and without any hesitation, changed direction and walked toward Su Lin.

He quickened his pace; if not for several ghostly entities clinging to him like earth-bound spirits, he would have already been running.

"Don't get in my way!" Black-suited Su Lin coldly snapped. "This timeline is mine!"

"Freedom," Su Lin raised an eyebrow and retorted. "Every Marvel character has the right to choose their own chronology—it's an innate right."

— Excerpt from the newly drafted Article One of the Light Act

He continued mimicking the method, offering new choices to individuals entangled by distorted timelines.

Of course, the one across from him could do the same.

So

"I allow you to continue existing within the universe inside me, and I will create for you a new world."

Black-suited Su Lin stood above the Abyss of Absolute Darkness, parting the present and future like Moses dividing the sea.

On one side was their endless repetition of clichéd stories and the summation of tragic lives across Parallel Worlds.

On the other side was a new world, similar yet different, where all the people and things these individuals cherished, cared for, and were accustomed to still existed.

"It's time to move on," Black-suited Su Lin declared.

Alright, this trick actually worked.

Especially for those characters who were constantly dragged out for sacrifice and posthumous punishment, whose lives were always filled with tragedy like a tea table.

But do you really believe him?!

Su Lin recalled the strange encounter at Peter Parker's house—the alternate-dimension Aunt May and Uncle Ben, along with their swarm of little spiders.

That eerie scene made anyone who didn't know better think they'd stepped into the world of Silent Hill.

"Do you want to see what he's done? Do you want to know what it's like over there?"

Su Lin reviewed the records and broadcast footage of how some Reincarnators had burned, killed, looted, and manufactured crisis after crisis—such as the team that first appeared, spreading the zombie virus and destroying the universe.

A podium appeared before Su Lin; he leaned into the microphone and shouted: "How many times do you think this has happened?"

These images were transmitted as memories deep into the subconscious ocean of every individual's soul, replaying endlessly on their soul islands.

Gradually, the tide began to reverse.

Black-suited Su Lin watched this scene and began retrieving timeline records, revealing the histories of those Reincarnators who chose to protect these individuals.

Among them were Reincarnators who had formed deep friendships and even love with these individuals, helping each other survive crisis after crisis.

Undeniably, some had broken free from their original fate trajectories and lived better lives.

At this moment, Su Lin also unleashed his own heavy blows.

A burly man was pinning several beautiful female Avengers beneath him on the battlefield of the Final Battle, tearing at their clothes.

This footage came from when Su Lin and his group traveled to 2023.

"How much history have these illegal-entry Reincarnators altered? With information advantages and His deliberate protection, these bastards have stolen your powers, stolen your destinies, and maybe even slept with your wives, husbands, daughters, sons! How many of these were non-consensual, do you think?"

Su Lin pointed at the black-clad figure across from him and said: "He uses your world's resources to feed a group of Reincarnators! Do you think you'll become permanent playthings over there?"

"Avengers! X-Men! Members of the Illuminati and S. H. I. E. L. D.! Look at the environment of the universe you live in! That year, I saw Eternity sitting on his chair, weeping uncontrollably. I believe Marvel's former dominance was due in no small part to the First Heaven."

"But times have changed! We must ask: Is this our only chance to expel the Reincarnators?!"

This time, those dazed individuals, driven by instinctive self-interest, began walking toward the Light Chronology.

Clearly, they didn't like the idea of multiversal freedom.

"Forgiving them is God's job. My job is to send him to meet God!" Su Lin raised his clenched fist above his head, his voice filled with empathy and fury:

"Come to my side! I will build a border wall to block all those damned illegal-entry Reincarnators outside! I will send every Reincarnator who commits crimes within our borders to the Graveyard of All Things!"

"Make! Light! Great! Again!"

As if some adaptability had awakened in their bones, they began to find the atmosphere of the Light Chronology more familiar.

At this moment, there was no more hesitation—more and more beings moved toward the Light Chronology.

Outside the 616 Main Universe, without the individual mediums, the gray-white timelines and the influence of the First Heaven gradually faded, and the black particle storms within the Pocket Universe Federation also vanished.

'Pathetic.'

Su Lin's lips curled slightly: "No one understands elections better than I do."

But before Su Lin could even exhale, from within the Heaven Chronology, countless grotesque, bloodless, undead-like entities burst forth from swirling black mists, their bodies wreathed in deep green Annihilation Flames.

"." Su Lin sucked in a sharp breath through his grinning teeth:

"And now they're using undead votes?"