Chapter 179: Everyone's Freedom!

【Ding! At the Heavenly Dao's request, you initiated an inquiry to another self: "Am I truly free?" You choose: (?) Please fill in freely!】

Freedom……

When Zhao Si saw this question, their first reaction was simple:

There's basically no difficulty; just say he's free!

Freedom is freedom; even if not free, just say freedom. After all, all the Heavenly Dao wants is merely an answer. Since that's the case, for a perfect clear, why not give him the answer he wants?

Does a player really need to seriously answer a game character's question?

But after thinking, Zhao Si felt they couldn't be so hasty:

"Because this is a serious problem!"

The other party is asking seriously; to show respect, I naturally should answer seriously.

Moreover, this question isn't as simple as it appears:

"On the surface, this is the Heavenly Dao asking me in Jiao Ming's tone, but in reality it's far more complex…"

First, this is naturally the "half Jiao Ming" asking whether he has broken free from the plot's constraints, turning from a "Contradiction Bird" into the longed-for "Freedom Bird"?

The answer is undoubted, because all of Jiao Ming's contradictions stem from the identity of "protagonist"; it is precisely this identity's endless reincarnation that causes him to face contradictions over and over!

Otherwise, death is the end of it all—no matter how high his morality or how poor his mindset, after dying he no longer needs to consider any of this.

When a Contradiction Bird dies, whether the contradiction is perfectly resolved is already irrelevant!

But he can't die……

Since he can't solve the problem and can't die, he naturally can't obtain freedom.

Therefore, when he chooses to betray the system and ultimately dies completely, Jiao Ming has in fact already gained freedom; he no longer needs to bear those contradiction problems he could never solve, nor does he need to bear responsibility or worry about causing trouble for others.

Absolute freedom comes only after death……

Next, it is the Heavenly Dao asking about freedom.

This Heavenly Dao, in its earlier heartless stage, naturally couldn't be aware of whether it was free.

But when the Saint of Another Realm sought to have Jiao Ming possess it, in the lengthy Jiao Ming memories, it finally had its deficient personality and thoughts completed, evolving rapidly from a mindless simpleton into a mentally sound, normal person!

Precisely because of this, it suddenly realized:

Its very birth signifies a conspiracy, a plot devised jointly by the Saint of Another Realm, this realm's Hongjun, and the Third Little Bird!

Whether it's the Saint of Another Realm's possession and revival, or this realm's Hongjun's "using the Heavenly Dao for oneself," or the Third Little Bird's perfect ending—

Essentially, it was never seen as a person; it was merely positioned as a tool……

Now, having completed itself in Jiao Ming's memories, it defeated the Saint of Another Realm's possession plot, and additionally took down this realm's Hongjun and the Third Little Bird, causing their scheme to deceive simpletons to go bankrupt on the spot.

It can only be said: a huge win, a massive win, winning to the point of numbness!

But Jiao Ming's memories also clearly tell it:

All of this wilderness lies under the shadow of the Transcendent Existence; one's worldview is actually mistaken, and the reality and falsehood of the wilderness are entirely dictated by the Transcendent Existence.

And what about the Heavenly Dao?

It's merely a larger game character……

Therefore, it asks the Transcendent Existence:

"Oneself, really free?"

Finally, it is the Third Little Bird asking.

It looks like he's merely helping the Heavenly Dao relay the question to the Transcendent Existence, but in fact, these words are also an expression of his own will!

As a substitute for Jiao Ming, he is essentially just a puppet toolperson continuing to play the game; he does not live for himself, but naturally lives carrying the player's will and the predecessor's last wishes.

Does he really want to play the game? Does he really want to be a substitute?

No.

He simply has no choice: either bear Jiao Ming's last wishes to achieve a perfect ending, or, like the short-lived Second Little Bird, perish together with the world.

Thus he is forced to adapt to the role and strive to survive.

All along, he has strived to avoid becoming Jiao Ming, so in everything he intentionally differs:

For example, at the outset he killed the Ancestor Phoenix.

To distinguish himself from Jiao Ming, for over a dozen elemental cycles he has even refused to give himself a name……

But society is always treacherous; I had thought the Saint of Another Realm would, out of regard for Jiao Ming, help me selflessly, yet instead it proved full of tricks, keeping me busy for half only to end up reviving Jiao Ming!

The Saint of Another Realm harbors impure motives, using him as a pawn, and the "living dad" it creates far exceeds what he can handle.

After a series of events, he suddenly realized he had gone from being a player to being a pawn, with nothing under his own control.

Even if the current "living dad" seems easy to talk to, his own life and death still lie in its single thought; the freedom it promises and the sainthood freedom he envisions are not the same thing.

The "living dad" is no fool; it cannot allow a saint to threaten it, so he necessarily cannot become a saint……

Under these realities, the Third Little Bird is also bewildered:

"Oneself, counted as free?"

"A simple question about freedom actually carries three different wills' doubts."

"They, are they free?"

Zhao Si couldn't help but think of himself:

"I, am I free?"

The game system clings to me, forcing me into what seems an endless simulation; each plot segment and each option may appear varied on the surface, but in reality I have no choice, because the solution is always just one.

Everything else is merely trial and error and information gathering.

What is the game's purpose? What fate awaits me?

Game characters can always ask him, but who can he ask……

"Freedom……"

Zhao Si closed their eyes:

"Perhaps, in the end you will all gain freedom, but when will my freedom come?"

He looked at the phone screen again, at that simple question about freedom:

【I, am I free?】

"I don't know if I can reach freedom, but... I am willing to acknowledge your freedom."

Zhao Si smiled:

"Then, in my name, acknowledge your freedom!"

【Ding! Facing the Heavenly Dao's proxy question, you posed a query to another self, you chose: (I, in my name, acknowledge each of your freedoms!)】

【You have acknowledged freedom, and it is the freedom belonging to each questioner.】

【Your heart trembled, an inexplicable warmth rose: another self truly cares about everything, caring about the plot, caring about the protagonist, the previous protagonist is the protagonist, this generation's protagonist is also the protagonist.】

【Even a transcendent existence has its own feelings……】

【With a single word spoken, your emotions were all soothed, no more confusion or worry, smiling you relayed another self's answer to the expectant Heavenly Dao.】

【"He said, you are all free!"】

【The Heavenly Dao was stunned, then inexplicably had tears……】

【Heaven does not shed tears, but people do, those who have attained the Dao do, and even that half of the previous protagonist will!】

【He laughed easily.】

【"Thank you for your freedom!"】

【He said.】

【He said.】

【He also said.】

【……】

【The Heavenly Dao departed, leaving only you and the half-charred shackles on the small volcano.】

【Once again sitting alone under the tree looking at that old bird's nest, your mood is now completely different from before.】

【Disappointment, desolation, self-mockery…… all these negative emotions faded away, replaced by joy and excitement!】

【Because you have achieved the freedom that Jiaoming sought across three lifetimes but could not obtain! Although the process was tortuous and the result completely different from your original expectation, but… as long as the result is good, that's enough.】

【You need not, like Jiaoming, drive ducks onto the shelves with ordinary human ability and mindset; you need not bear anyone's sacrifice, nor sacrifice yourself for anyone.】

【If the sky falls, the Heavenly Dao, this tall figure, will hold it up; if the problem is so severe that even He cannot handle it, then you certainly cannot either, so you need not bear anything, the Heavenly Dao will bear everything for you!】

【But this is not the Heavenly Dao giving you a free Palu; it is a win-win transaction: your fate is tied to the survival of the wilderness, the Heavenly Dao bears everything for you, in exchange you must keep your life safe.】

【Neither side feels they are losing out……】

【Um, perhaps the shackles are the only losers, no matter which shackles!】

【The otherworldly sage Hongjun, having lost both the sole true spirit of his dao companion and his own true spirit, after countless efforts and schemes, everything ultimately came to nothing, losing even his underpants!】

【The Hongjun of this realm, however, is even more of a loser: his indirect path to the Dao failed, the two idiots became the living fathers, and the Heavenly Dao of normal intelligence certainly will not allow any more saints to be born, so Hongjun can never again attain the Dao and become a saint, becoming the supreme patriarch of a new era of immortal Dao……】

【Furthermore, he even took a strike of thunder and fire from the Heavenly Dao, charred outside, tender inside, and at the very least he needs to settle for several eons before recovering!】

【However, Hongjun also counts as turning misfortune into blessing: although he lost his saintly position, he no longer needs to become, as in the original plot, an emotionless incarnation of the Heavenly Dao; the future Hongjun will still be that kind‑looking yet dark‑hearted old schemer, and though he cannot become a 'saint', he remains a 'person'.】

【As for this kind of 'blessing,' nobody knows whether he actually accepts it……】

【Hongjun: 'Do you want this blessing or not?!' (meltdown!)】

【……】

【However, luck is always like this: after a few eons, just when the injured Hongjun old man had fully recovered and was daily wallowing in self‑pity on the small volcano, a decree from the Heavenly Dao quietly arrived.】

【It turned out that after the Heavenly Dao enlightened all beings, due to the emergence of spirituality and the lack of civilization to carry out education, the wilderness became increasingly chaotic.】

【The Heavenly Dao inherited Jiaoming's memories and half of his personality, but unexpectedly also inherited Jiaoming's personal abilities; facing the chaotic myriad spirits of the wilderness, He was overwhelmed, nearly at a loss……】

【Left with no choice, He could only place hope in Hongjun, the sole remaining master of education in the entire wilderness.】

【Heavenly Dao's decree: appoint Hongjun as Teacher of All Beings, immediately commence civilized education!】

【The Hongjun old man, who had been complaining about his unrecognized talent, on the spot dropped to his knees in a sliding kneel, overjoyed to receive the order and act……】

【Afterward, the Heavenly Dao also brought down the three Golden Crow siblings from the Sun Star; after simple cultivation, Di Jun once again lived up to expectations, displaying perfect governance ability!】

【Thus the Heavenly Dao enthroned him as Heavenly Emperor, ordering him to establish the Heavenly Court to govern on Heaven's behalf and manage the wilderness's beings.】

【With the Heavenly Dao's endorsement, the Heavenly Court naturally expanded unstoppably, successively subduing Kunpeng, Bai Ze and various talents; demon commanders and officers, star officials and earth deities flocked in, soon reaching the original plot's massive scale, even surpassing it!】

【Everything was rapidly developing along the proper course of the Great Dao……】

【Of course, none of this matters to you.】

【Your life is the cornerstone of all existence; your freedom is equally unstoppable!】

【Spiritual awakening, there is the Heavenly Dao.】

【Education, there is Hongjun.】

【Governance, there is the Heavenly Court.】

【The tide of the era rolls forward, and resource crises become nothing!】

【An eternal golden age, an even more perfect eternal golden age than the last cycle, has quietly arrived……】

【And you, you are not needed by anyone, but that is exactly what you have long dreamed of: not being needed by others, you naturally need only live for yourself!】

【Perhaps it is not entirely for yourself either, as the protagonist, your survival equals the world's survival.】

【You no longer need to sacrifice yourself for others' freedom, for your life is everyone's freedom!】

【The contradictory bird is gone for good; only the bird of freedom spreads its wings and soars.】

【……】

(End of chapter)