Chapter 708: Apokalypse Speaks Thus

One problem hasn't settled before another arises. What a headache.

At the Hakurei Shrine, Yagokoro Utsuho, usually so composed, unusually covered her forehead with her fan and groaned in despair.

What on earth is going on? Thanks.

Wei Gong Shilang, who had just brought tea and sweets, strongly agreed, as did Lu Mingfei, who felt this day was utterly inauspicious.

But from another perspective, they still have a chance to be revived.

Zhongli's fingers brushed over Meng Qi's List of the Deified, the authority of Eternity and Moment strengthening it: "Is the Fantasy Realm safe for now?"

. Yagokoro Utsuho looked utterly defeated.

Within the gaps, Laplace's Demon's eyes crossed time and space, reflecting conditions across different Fantasy Realms—all the previously slain transmigrants, rebirthers, transferers, and bizarre reincarnators had come back to life.

Logically, such a massive anomaly should have already triggered temporal ripples, producing irreversible butterfly effects.

"Some force has flattened all timelines into a single plane. Nothing's happened yet, but after this so-called resurrection tournament ends, who knows?"

"The Great Barrier hasn't been affected—perhaps all regions are isolated, or those people haven't truly revived yet."

Yagokoro Utsuho slumped onto the low table, voice weak:

"I admit I was scheming against the Three Pure Ones and God, but I only wanted to borrow the foundational pillars they govern. Yet that Moon Princess wasn't like this before…"

Too many things exceeded expectations since Su Lin's group arrived in the Fantasy Realm—their actions and abilities surpassed all foreseeable futures.

Even Yagokoro Utsuho now fell into a state of exhaustion.

Reimu held the Yin-Yang Jade and spoke softly: "If you don't explain clearly what this anomaly of the Hakurei Miko is, I'll exorcise you."

Hearing this, Yagokoro Utsuho turned and embraced Yagokoro Lan, burying her head into the body of her nine-tailed spirit servant.

"I can't retain all my memories after too many restarts of the Great Barrier."

The disturbances caused by Hōrai Yamato Kaguya in the past timeline, the arrival of everyone in the Fantasy Realm, and the chaos stirred by Lao Lu's shady friends—all were instantly erased by Su Lin, who had returned to the Throne of the Abyssal God.

But now, the resurrection tournament triggered by Kaguya's death seems to have caused even greater turmoil.

Of course, as Yagokoro Utsuho said, it's still only turmoil for now.

Compared to this matter.

"Why are you all staring at me?" Yi Leina raised her hand.

Don't just blurt it out, big sister!

The group chat members were fine—they were used to it—but the yōkai of the Fantasy Realm and those idiotic paparazzi over there were staring at Yi Leina with the most bizarre expressions imaginable.

"Sister-in-law."

"It's Yi Leina."

"Young Lady Yi Leina, when did you arrive?"

Meng Qi changed the subject, forcing a laugh: "You saw it too—they're all still alive. Winning the resurrection tournament is no problem."

"Mm, I know. I came over because I was worried after seeing Kaguya's problem."

Yi Leina nodded naturally: "I've established a Magic Network in this void—I can come here anytime."

"Magic Network." Li Changshou, whose signal connection was poor, perked up and asked: "What's that?"

"When I was in Tiancheng, Bei Wu Zhenxian gave me a fragmentary copy of 'Constructing the Void Magic Network.' Now…" Yi Leina sensed the infinite magical energy linking her to all her counterparts across Parallel Worlds:

"I can open dimensional gates directly at any location where the Magic Network has been successfully established, using signals from that person."

"If combined with the Wanjie Tongshi Symbol of the Cause of All Results… wouldn't that let us reach any anchored void world? It's starting to sound like a Cross-Dimensional Talisman," Li Changshou muttered.

Han Li and the others turned to look at Ke Lan, expressionless, perpetually smiling.

"All coincidences, friends."

"If you don't believe me, then I say it's a coincidence—and it's definitely a coincidence."

The Fool's mouth…

Fortunately, everyone now has some resistance—whether swallowed or not doesn't matter, as long as you're not the one being swallowed.

. Yuyin Yonglin entered through the door, holding a Wanjie Tongshi Symbol and a vial labeled 【Kaguya Special Use】. She glanced at Yi Leina and silently sighed:

"You're also a friend of Her Highness, aren't you? Thank you for your concern."

"Don't mention it," Yi Leina nodded lightly.

"She's currently…" Yuyin Yonglin hesitated.

"I know. She's chatting with me," Yi Leina pretended to pick up the Wanjie Tongshi Symbol, actually looking at the group chat.

Hōrai Yamato Kaguya: 【Image】

It showed Su Lin giving a victory sign and smiling at the Wanjie Tongshi Symbol.

【Yi Leina-chan, I'm taking your boyfriend now.】 Kaguya struck a photo pose beside it.

【Hehehe~】 Yi Leina's lips curled as she narrowed her eyes.

Yuyin Yonglin had a nagging sense that something was off, yet she herself had just been using this Wanjie Tongshi Symbol to contact Kaguya and Su Lin, whose states were unknown.

Learning there was still a chance to reverse things—and that Su Lin, like Kaguya, had unhesitatingly abandoned Eternity—

"Sigh, you all…"

Just as Yuyin Yonglin was about to speak, commotion erupted outside the shrine.

"Uncle Yang! Doctor! Is there a doctor here?!" San Yueqi cried.

"It's nothing… just a stomachache."

Walter Yang, seeing Ke Lan appear, asked: "Did you bring medicine?"

Ke Lan looked up at the sky, silent, then pulled out medicine from the Heavenly Court Pharmacy and handed it over.

The dead have risen—supposedly, the "List of the Celestial Golden Ranks," which had been dealt with before a previous Great Barrier reboot, was now playing a mournful scene.

A long blade pierced the girl's lower abdomen, blood trickling steadily, staining her miko robes red.

Fuzihara Mihō, irritated, smoked in the shrine's corner, glanced up, then muttered with a strange expression: "Isn't that that dead bitch Kaguya?"

Her hair was dyed pink, and she had changed into a red-and-white shrine maiden's robe, but that face—uniquely beautiful and impossible to imitate—was instantly recognizable to those who knew her.

【"Keh-wah! Fool!" The cherry-blossom-haired shrine maiden spat blood, raising her hand as if to touch the golden-haired man's cheek, but poison spread through her veins, leaving black web-like lines across her face: "How could I bear to see you hurt? You and Karin must be happy."】

Fujiwara Mei Hong: "?"

The scene shifted—the golden-haired man staggered forward across a blood-red desert, while fragments of footage, edited like memories, flashed repeatedly.

【Now let us imagine a tree—the Numerical Tree.】

The story and visuals adopted a reverse chronology: a world where the sun was about to die, black tides surged across the land, the insectoid race and children of darkness enslaved and farmed humans to control city-states, and the last surviving divine descendants, led by the current Archbishop of the Church of Fate, "Otto Apocryphus," and the Holy Maiden "Karin," embarked on a salvific crusade.

His words were incendiary, yet every action he took was for justice—even during the interrogation of enemies.

【Kill me.】

【Alright.】

He killed the captured enemy without hesitation, revived them, killed them again, revived them, killed them once more.

【Even if you've lost your father, you still have me—I can be your guide, can't I?】 he said to the female winged being.

"Uncle Yang?!" San Yueqi, seeing Walther leaning on his cane, urged: "You know him."

"That smell… identical!" Walther's chest heaved violently: "Not acting."

Kleine: "."

Get used to it—be glad the guy was just playing and didn't go down the dark path; being on the righteous side doesn't guarantee potential, but being a villain might.

Xing looked up, pulled out the Heavenly Fire Judgment given to her by Su Lin, her eyes filled with regret—if only she had been there then.

【Is Belobog going to fall?!】

【My Lord Archbishop! The Black Tide is coming!】

【There must be a God of Light!】

Picking up the divine spark of the fallen god, on that day, he ignited himself and became the sole sun upon the Tree of Gods as the Black Tide arrived.

Along the way, besides snow and wind, there were also moments of warmth.

【"I'm sorry, Otto—I've come to love Yae Reimu."】 The girl with gray-white braided hair clasped the cherry-blossom-haired shrine maiden's hand and walked out; this scene was precisely reflected in the eyes of the patrolling soldier serving as the primary viewpoint.

【"If all else fails, Karin can just practice monogamy—we can all be happy making dumplings together—"】 the shrine maiden urged.

"?" Reimu spat tea straight into Yagokoro Eirin's face while drinking, her eyes wide as she stared at the Hourai Youyou, who claimed to be Yae Reimu, her head seemingly brimming with countless question marks.

That gray-white braided girl with lapis-lazuli eyes—why did she seem vaguely familiar?

The demon girls of Gensokyo all turned toward Yi Leina's direction—but the spot was empty, leaving only Meng Qi beside them, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

He glanced at the Celestial Golden List and murmured dazedly: "A real man."

"That golden-haired man…" Yuyin Yonglin's expression twisted: "Is he Su Lin?"

"." Meng Qi fell silent for a moment, thought briefly, then smiled: "I didn't say that."

【To save them, you must create a new possibility in the past.】

The scenes playing in the sky continued—the man's happy memories seemed to end here; he halted his stumbling steps, raised the Key of God, and charged toward the Numerical Tree.

Beside him, a shadow seemed to hold a mask, a monocle, dice, and manga, watching silently.

Change. Create. Reverse.

He led the divine descendants in charge after charge, all to find the ending he desired.

——【Within the amber-like root system of the Numerical Tree, three figures, wrapped in a single blanket, drifted into sweet slumber.】

Finally, after countless eons of sleep, immeasurable despair shattered and ascended in an instant; the man became a flood of light, transcending philosophy, forging a Path—he was One and All, Beginning and End, He who Is, Was, and Will Always Be.

The Primordial God!

Dust settled. He created the future, awakened the two entwined in sleep; Yae, Otto, and Karin walked forward, arms linked.

"This other future will be our moment."

【Review concluded.】

【Commentary: Otto Apocryphus, who repeatedly struck the Numerical Tree to alter the past for the sake of the Holy Maiden Karin and the shrine maiden Reimu—true identity: Hope Star God, Primordial God, Archbishop beloved most by Joy Star God Amon.】

【Reward:】

"Why Reimu?" Reimu clutched her arm, terrified: "He's not… into me, is he? Magisa, you haven't eaten any mating mushrooms, have you?"

"Huh?" Magisa pointed at herself, bewildered.

Clearly, this black-and-white witch had been busy with other matters and rarely read newspapers.

But right now, besides Reimu, the only one still able to speak was—

Shhhhh—! Pili-pala! Kacha-kacha!

The Wind Goddess's hands moved like a gale; the cultivator Jiang Shan flew with the Key; the Flame-Slaying Dragonlord was engulfed in fire.

The Multiverse Forum, Cultivator Daily, Wind Extra, Macro-World News—all hotly serialized.

"Ha."

Someone had started it—soon, the chat group erupted in frantic @s, finally easing the previously stifling atmosphere.

Of course, the cost was the social death of three group members.

"Thousands of years?" Yagokoro Eirin tapped her brow lightly with her folding fan, pondering: "The Moon Princess's appearance was abnormal—she hasn't been gone from Gensokyo that long, has she?"

She gazed at the resurrection timeline where a colossal dragon's shadow exhaled void, annihilating all, and shook her head: "Ladies and gentlemen, please come in for a discussion."

"Hahaha," Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan was about to suppress his laughter.

【Ji~ Ji-jiji-jiji~】

From the Celestial Golden List came a laugh that sounded vaguely familiar.

"The Infinite Fire Domain, obey!" A man in black robes and black hair opened the Fiery Alchemy Furnace and commanded: "Use heaven and earth as the furnace, all beings as herbs—refine the Primordial Soul-Recovering Pill!"

A colossal cauldron of flame appeared in the starry void; countless demon clans, humans, and gods were cast into it.

"Ha-jek-ga…" Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan froze, his throat choked like a duck with its neck wrung.

"You know what?" Miss Kelaien said darkly from the side: "Every time we hit a segment like this, I feel like you're the most evil one among us."

"If you didn't perform so brilliantly, everyone might hold a little less prejudice against us."

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan turned his head to look at Yakumo Yukari, only to see her glance back and forth between his face and the man's face on the screen, then smile slightly: "Never mind."

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan: "."

"Otto charging the tree, I know that. It's also possible to take stock of situations from other worlds while in Gensokyo."

Li Sheng cursed at the All-Heavens Golden List: "Yae Dream?! Taichu God?! What kind of Gensokyo is this?!"

The All-Heavens Golden List fell silent. After the inventory ended, it was supposed to distribute some rewards as a means of trading for the other party's future destiny and fortune, but now it had fallen into an unknown interference.

"Why didn't you warn me after you finished the inventory video?!" Li Sheng clutched his head and went crazy: "You should at least have reminded me to look at the content inside!"

【It was the Host yourself who chose to publish.】The All-Heavens Golden List merely followed its established pattern, avoiding to the greatest extent by intercepting a segment of spacetime, gathering information from the perspective of a bystander, so as to avoid entangling itself with the karmic ties of these inventory protagonists.

Choosing the person before it as a host naturally also had its considerations.

"What on earth is going on with this Gensokyo?!"

Recalling his previous encounter, Li Sheng said with some trepidation: "Hurry up and give me the reward from the first inventory."

To survive, he had to lie low within the All-Heavens Golden List, developing and growing before he could go out.

【Reward distribution in progress】

【Gensokyo Top Ten Incidents TOP9: Publishing. Inventory Protagonist: Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan】

Seeing this prompt, the unease in Li Sheng's heart lessened a little.

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan, huh. Then it's still?

"Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan?"

【Reward distribution complete: Copied one random ability from Otto Apocalypse】

Before he had time to be astonished, a surge of joy appearing at the same time, Li Sheng turned his head to look at the All-Heavens Golden List, on which ripples like water had emerged.

"Apocalypse says so, the world allows consciousness to match a container. What is the next line?"

A deep blue starry-sky arm reached out from within and suddenly grabbed Li Sheng's head. Immediately after, under his terrified gaze, a majestic emperor with black hair and black eyes, wearing a crown, leaned out his upper body and grinned ferociously:

"But it does not allow the container to gather the dissipating consciousness!"

Time fell into chaos. A masked worm of time that was trying to flee at top speed was instantly reduced to dust.

"This container is not bad~."