Chapter 111: Chaos and Anti-Chaos (Fifteen Thousand Words!)

"..."

The world seemed to have become like frosted glass, always keeping a strange barrier between it and everyone else.

Edward opened his eyes to look at the world before him, facing this room that belonged to him, looking at that strange purple crystal chandelier, and always feeling that the void in his heart seemed to have expanded to an unhealable state following certain actions.

Slowly sitting up from the nutrient pod filled with nutrient solution, Edward picked up a warmed towel to wipe his body, then walked to the floor-length mirror with vacant eyes, his two beautiful purple eyes staring blankly at himself in the mirror.

In that luxurious, wide floor-length mirror, a beautiful figure was presented.

Her long purple hair and crystal-like eyes were even more endearing, as if all the innocence and beauty in the world were emerging from within this girl's body.

Just by blinking her eyes at others, she would make people feel the infinite purity and beauty contained within this girl's heart. And how could such a girl deceive anyone? How could such a girl, so innocent and cute, be a bad person? Although she would occasionally shout in anger and occasionally show a side of feigned toughness, everyone in their hearts expected, and was very clear about, what this girl represented.

She was the embodiment of pure protectiveness, making people unable to resist the urge to protect her. Just looking at the pitiful figure in the mirror, watching her slightly petite body trembling in the air, even the most fanatical person could not resist the pity welling up in their heart.

This was a blessing from the Prince of Pleasure, a reward given by the God of Joy for her incompetent performance.

Everyone in this world would be full of love and cherishment for her, except for himself.

"..."

Are you me?

Looking at the mirror, which was somewhat hazy from the steaming heat, Edward reached out to wipe away the water droplets on the floor-length mirror, and facing that charming and lovely figure, he issued a question from the depths of his heart.

He shouldn't be like this; he should be a player full of grand aspirations, a real man's man. Relying on luck and strength, he had carved out a place for himself in the Old World, and even the gods of the ocean had cast their gaze upon him, giving him a certain amount of encouragement and support.

But what about now? Now, the girl in the mirror contained the power to shatter a person with a single punch; within that seemingly delicate and powerless body was contained magic power that could make everyone in this world go crazy for it. She even truly possessed supernatural power. Those light purple mists could even cause the surrounding environment and players to experience pleasant hallucinations.

Very powerful, truly very powerful. It could even be said that she was the most unique person in the world without any issue. No one could be cuter than her, and no one could be more powerful than her.

The world's one and only idol, the most beautiful figure was herself.

However, looking at that perfect scene in the mirror, Edward felt an inexplicable sense of terror. It was as if he were looking at an existence that approached a Human but was not a Human at all. Because it was too perfect, yet appeared mechanical, this sense of terror branded deep within the Human Soul made her retract her palm as if electrocuted.

And in the floor-length mirror, the girl also wore a look of sorrow, retracting her palm and knitting her brows tightly, as if lamenting the fate of certain people and certain things.

There were still many things to do next; her time no longer belonged to herself.

Recalling the many balls and report meetings to attend, Edward shook his head and began to rummage through the wardrobe for his own clothes. She soon found that gorgeous and exquisite long dress; it was a gift given to her by players, and although she didn't like it, it was truly very beautiful.

When worn on the body, she looked like a beautiful creature that had walked out of a fairy tale, filled with love and justice, her whole being possessing a sweet and delicious sense of endearment that made one wish they could take a gentle bite.

But for Edward, seeing that perfect self, his heart was full of emptiness.

"There must be something wrong..."

Edward leisurely put on the gorgeous long dress, fastened the double-breasted buttons at the waist, tidied the messy and beautiful pleated skirt, and looking at his beautiful and cute self in the mirror, thought somewhat aimlessly.

Ever since that landing on the Black Beach, this feeling had become increasingly clear. After releasing an unprecedented area-of-effect power, not only was there no feeling of exhaustion within his body, but it was instead filled with even greater power. All kinds of magic power and powerful sensory abilities emerged from the body.

A player? He was indeed a player, but with the changes in his physical body, some thoughts also began to show cracks.

He was a player, that was correct, but his physical body had changed, and he himself had changed into this appearance amidst the power of this otherworld; was the identity of a player really that important?

Which world was more important, the one over there or the one over here? With no way to fill the void in his heart, Edward, fully dressed, looked at the figure in the mirror that was cute enough to physically make some people spurt blood, sighed silently, and walked out of the room.

And outside the door, countless figures were already happily waiting for the appearance of the legendary Edward.

"Miss Edward! May I ask how the strategic execution of the Antarctic Settlement is going?"

"Miss Edward, it is rumored that you and Li Ang had a fierce conflict and cursed at each other; is this true? If it is true, could you explain in detail how the conflict between you two came about?"

"Miss Edward, we heard that you..."

Countless Miss Edwards, one after another, Miss Edwards.

The flashes and cameras were like man-eating monsters, swallowing the originally arrogant and conceited Edward, swallowing the Edward full of masculinity. As the most popular player, she had to show an elegant and decent side. She needed to make everyone feel good, because she had become the benchmark.

So Edward just looked at the surrounding reporters with a face full of smiles, revealed a decent smile to these "uncrowned kings" who were allowed by the authorities to rush over, and answered all kinds of questions in a soft voice.

But the more she walked amidst the countless flashes, the more she felt the void in her heart tearing apart.

"What is wrong with me..."

Walking amidst flower petals and twisted illusions, Edward asked himself.

And in the next instant, he raised his head somewhat blankly, only to see the worried gazes of a group of people.

Looking around, it turned out that at some point she had arrived in a magnificent hall, and just now she seemed to have accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt while distracted, and fallen to the ground.

Those well-dressed men immediately gathered around, each offering words of concern and revealing one charming smile after another. They reached out their palms toward Edward, who was sitting on the ground, looking lost and at a loss for what to do. One by one, true gentlemen revealed friendly smiles, looking at the young lady before them to express their grace.

Of course they had to express grace; after all, such a cute girl had fallen right in front of them, how could they ignore it?

"Miss Edward, please be careful. You seemed uneasy just now, but it doesn't matter, we are all here."

"... Uneasy?"

"Yes. We just saw you drinking wine glass after glass; is there something troubling you? If it is because of that Li Ang, we will not be stingy with our actions."

"No, it's not that..."

When would I get drunk from drinking wine?

Didn't I used to drink rum by the mouthful, and never be without various alcoholic beverages? Why did it become like this?

Edward, sitting on the ground, looked at the men surrounding him, and somehow, a sense of fragile fear actually arose in his heart, along with... a strange feeling.

Looking at the palms they extended, Edward placed his slender palm, covered in a fine-diamond tulle glove, into the palm of one of them, letting him hold his slender palm firmly, and then was gently pulled up, just like pulling a light doll.

This behavior seemed to cause a ripple to overflow in Edward's empty heart.

Purple began to permeate the surroundings.

A kind of happiness, a kind of voice was enveloping her consciousness, making her spirit increasingly hazy.

Since he was already a woman, there was no need to always be obsessed with his original identity; he could also be a little happier.

Pursuing excitement, pursuing sensory pleasure, one shouldn't always be immersed in grand scenes. Couldn't one also find happiness in the trivial details? Like himself right now, shouldn't he pursue some special happiness that he once couldn't pursue and couldn't obtain? "Miss Edward, you are already drunk."

"Drunk...? Me?"

"Yes, why don't we go over there and take a rest?"

The man holding her palm revealed a charming smile. In the past, seeing a man smile at him like this, Edward would only feel somewhat disgusted, but now, it seemed a little different.

She abandoned her Soul.

Let it be so.

Let it fall just like this.

Let it gradually fill the void within the heart just like this.

"Miss Edward... Edward..."

The man's voice was fragmented.

The world, where it was impossible to distinguish between illusion and reality, was gradually closing in.

Pale purple light rose gradually from all directions; Edward lay on the bench, looking up at the white moon in the sky.

Whispers began to emerge from the surroundings; that vast void seemed to be gradually filling up along with the inverted identity. The enormous, indescribable fissure in the heart was slowly healing. She seemed to understand a little, or rather, forced herself to understand all the grotesque things.

She seemed to have long since ceased to be herself.

"This is fine... this way, it should be enough to be satisfied..."

There was no reason left to persist. Or perhaps one should never have persisted from the very beginning. Feeling the dryness within the body being filled by the sense of displacement, Edward's will gradually blurred.

Then let it be so. This is what is good.

Spread joy, immerse in this supreme joy; all of this is the most wonderful vortex, and one was born to be—

"Ding."

At the very moment the two were about to overlap, at the very moment the pale purple light was about to reach its peak and begin to manifest a certain blasphemous symbol, everything around them instantly stagnated. Whether it was the man with the triumphant expression, or the flickering lamps and the jungle in the distance, everything stood still.

Except for one figure.

A figure that seemed to have stepped out from the shadows, a figure that was itself an illusion.

"Time stop. A very simple trick."

The newcomer said this, their expression relaxed and pleasant. That familiar face still wore the flippant expression Edward loathed the most.

"Although it looks like time stop, it is merely accelerating our thoughts and action time. Attaching a portion of special Subspace to us. A very clever method, and the name is also quite misleading. But in reality, it is just a small trick."

Li Ang walked slowly to Edward's front, the expression on his face gradually changing from playful to a hint of solemnity.

"Hello, Edward. It is a pity to see you under these circumstances. But this is also the last hope and the last chance."

"... Li Ang, it really is you. This is all your doing, isn't it?"

Watching the figure walking over in the frozen time, Edward's eyes gradually filled with tears, and they could not help but angrily question: "This is all your doing! Why did I become like this, why is there such a void in my heart, why have I started to fall into this state, this is all your doing! Right!"

"My doing? Heh, I am not the one who chose the Chaos Gods' gift. I am not the one who truly harmed you; you should know that very well. The real you left forever the moment you drank that cup of poisoned wine. You should have known long ago that you were no longer yourself."

"But you were watching the whole time!"

Glaring at the figure in the silent space, Edward could not help but shout.

"You were watching the whole time, weren't you! I can feel it! You were always watching me, watching me become like this! Watching me change from a man into what I am now, watching me become this, you were watching the whole time!"

"Yes, I have been observing you."

"Then—"

"Because you were already dead."

Looking at Edward, who wanted to say something, Li Ang gave an answer quite cleanly and decisively.

This was the answer to everything. The real Edward, the Edward who had the subtle blessings of other gods and possessed some unique abilities, had actually died not long after drinking that cup of poisoned wine.

The individual who considered themselves Edward sat blankly on the garden bench, looking at the calm-faced Li Ang with a look of confusion and incomprehension, seemingly unable to understand why he would say such a thing. Because just a short while ago, they were two players at odds with each other, but why had it become like this so quickly?

"Because this plan was decided by me. Edward. I am very grateful that you could make it here, but this is also your limit."

Looking at the bewildered girl in front of him, Li Ang's expression was incomparably compassionate and sincere.

"The power of the Chaos Gods is terrifying; they will silently corrupt a person's Soul, twist the flesh, and alter the sanity. Originally, according to my estimates, players themselves would not be disturbed by such things. Because according to the players' cognitive framework, everything prioritizes the concept of being a player."

"This is a genius move, a genius move to resist Subspace Corrosion with stupidity and foolishness. As long as one firmly believes they are a player, and that these are all tools to be utilized and natural phenomena, they will not be corrupted."

"But the premise is that you truly believe all of this. That you truly believe all of this is brought about by the player identity."

"After you transformed into a female, you wavered. This is the starting point of all disasters."

Li Ang stood in the frozen space, looking at the dull-eyed Edward, stating their final outcome.

In a world where cognition is reality, if one firmly believes they are the player Edward, then even the blessing of the God of Pleasure cannot really do much. Just like Li Ang, he doesn't care at all; he is strong, and having walked the Path, what could change? He could even directly catch those demons and eat them, and even convert Soul Fragments into the Path. If you were to give him a blessing directly, he would probably turn around and turn it into skill points.

But Edward's mind was not that firm; after the God of Pleasure changed things, they were happy, they hesitated, and they began to doubt their own identity.

And in the midst of doubt and hesitation, the poison of the Soul began to spread within the body.

Ultimately, it devoured their Soul and flesh, and from the husk, birthed this demon that considers itself Edward, possessing a male Soul and a female body, tormented for life by a sense of displacement.

"I cannot save you, because from beginning to end, you did not persist in your own beliefs, and the final result is what it is now. After manipulating the power of the God of Pleasure, you even directly abandoned your male identity and began to pursue excessive behaviors. So I have come here to give you a final warning."

"... Are you here to kill me?"

"Not necessarily."

Looking at Edward, who sat on the chair in utter despair, Li Ang said softly: "Simply put, do you wish to make a final contribution to this world? Do you wish for some things to receive retribution?"

"What?"

"I will ask you one more time, Edward. Do you wish to use your body to carry out one last rebellion against the god that killed you?"

"... Can I not live on?"

Edward slowly raised their face; clear tears were already flowing down their pitiful countenance, and even in weeping, they were a perfect, heartbreaking sight.

"I want to live... I don't want this anymore, Li Ang. I know you can do it. I have always felt something very terrifying from you; I know you definitely can, save me, Li Ang."

"You are already dead, Edward. I do not need to repeat it a second time."

Standing in place, Li Ang looked at the weeping girl, his expression calm as he repeated it once more.

"You were already dead long ago; when you drank the drink, when you thought there was no problem, you were already dead. The current you is a demon that preserves Edward's memories and logical thinking, and consistently believes they are Edward. Your dullness and naivety even made it so the God of Pleasure did not let you realize your own transformation."

"However, I am a merciful person. Upon confirming that you were truly going to cause Chaos pollution in the real world, I had to intercept you and prepare to clear away the traces of your pain and torment. This is the mercy I grant you."

"Yet your existence is very unique; this is very likely an opportunity to oppose the Dark Gods. So I have come to ask you."

"Do you want to take revenge on that monster who deceived you, deceived everyone, and let the world sink?"

"... I do."

Far beyond the world, in the midst of frozen space, an individual that had been devoured to the point where only its Soul logic remained let out its voice viciously.

"I want that bastard who deceived me to be hacked into ten thousand pieces! I want that son of a bitch to die completely! I am a player! I am a player now, I was before, and I will be in the future! I want that piece of trash to die! He actually, he actually turned me into this XX appearance! I want him to die!"

"That is good. As long as you think that way, then I can help you, and even let you live on in your own perception in this form."

After all, corrupting a demon of Slaanesh is also a great step forward for the Path.

Who says one cannot corrupt a Slaanesh demon? There is no logic that says others are allowed to fall, but one cannot drag them down again.

With golden spirals burning in his eyes, Li Ang looked at the demon of the God of Pleasure, who had widened its eyes in shock and fear and was almost screaming silently, and slowly revealed a friendly smile.

"What happens next might be a little painful; after all, this is my first time performing such a surgery on a base planet. If it succeeds, your perception and memories might still be preserved. Please try hard to recall your desires and the reasons for your struggle."

A pale golden light spread through the space, slowly descending amidst Li Ang's smile, and gradually poured into the body of the terrified girl demon.

"No, wait a moment, don't, don't come over here! I regret it, no!!!!"

"You want to kill me! I should have known! Don't come over!"

"Ahhhhhh!!!!"

A heaven-shaking scream spread through the silent world, without causing a single ripple.

Li Ang could not turn the demon back into a Human, but he could choose to use a wondrous method to convert the demon into something different—it might be the same thing, but the ownership is different, and that makes it different.

After a long while, until the golden light dissipated, a notification jumped into Li Ang's eyes.

"... Your subjects have already appeared in this area. Please build a city so that your great cause may begin to move toward a new chapter."

I was under review all night... what I wrote wasn't even out of line... I spent over three hours editing and still don't know what happened... Sigh, I wrote some side plots to expand the world-building, I hope everyone likes it.

(End of this chapter)