Chapter 184: Primordial Wasteland, but after the Heavenly Court collapsed

Huh?

When Zhao Si finished reading these opening descriptions, he almost didn't react.

"No…… Is this really the Primordial Wasteland?"

【The game is called "Primordial Wasteland Simulator"; of course it simulates the Primordial Wasteland, so players need not doubt.】

"Then why does it have a hint of xianxia high martial arts flavor?"

Zhao Si looked at the related description with a bewildered face, quickly distilling several useful pieces of information:

First, this background should be the kind that only a mortal society would have: natural disasters, human misfortunes, people unable to make a living, not enough to eat or wear.

Second, there are "demonic path people"; the demonic path kills and slaughters cities, but the mortal court either doesn't care or dares not to intervene.

Finally, the protagonist comes from a poor background; his parents want to flee to a wonderful place almost like the immortal realm's heaven, touted as having no worries about food or clothing, with everyone cultivating immortality…

No, no matter how you look at it, this doesn't resemble the Primordial Wasteland at all!

Zhao Si still found it somewhat unbelievable:

"How could the Primordial Wasteland have these situations? Isn't the Primordial Wasteland a high-level world where one can easily cultivate to become an immortal? Yet there are mortals? Or mortals who can't eat enough or stay warm?"

Speaking reasonably, other versions of the Primordial Wasteland would be fine, but this game version's Primordial Wasteland absolutely shouldn't have a mortal era.

Because the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun plus the six saints make eight high-power perpetual motion machines; if the Primordial Wasteland lacks something, it should just fill it—so how could there be such a Dharma-ending age?

【The player should figure it out more; the system isn't convenient to say more.】

Zhao Si: …

"Alright!"

After mentally complaining about the system twice, Zhao Si refocused his attention on the options:

"To flee, or not to flee?"

Under normal circumstances, the Primordial Wasteland should indeed be like what the protagonist's parents dreamed of: no worries about food or clothing, peace and stability, and even everyone able to cultivate immortality.

But speaking of the present situation, linking this Primordial Wasteland that seems like a Dharma-ending age, that wonderful life always feels like nonsense!

In the Western Wasteland region, mortals can barely afford a meal; how could the Primordial Wasteland still have a good place where everyone can cultivate immortality?

Don't talk nonsense! Even if such a place really existed, ordinary mortals fleeing there would absolutely not be able to enjoy those benefits, because resources are limited—why should limited precious resources be allocated to newly arrived mortals?

"In short, this time we absolutely cannot flee!"

Zhao Si keenly sensed a whiff of conspiracy; there's definitely a problem.

"Choose B!"

【You chose option B, not to flee, you don't believe such a good place exists in the world!】

【Your precocious reason tells you such a place definitely doesn't exist; this is very likely information deliberately released by someone with ulterior motives, with high danger level.】

【So you try to persuade your parents to give up this unrealistic idea.】

【But they simply won't listen!】

【This isn't because they're stupid, but because their determination to flee was made after much deliberation.】

【Staying in the village would just be endless suffering; these past two years, natural disasters have worsened, and the crops' yield is obviously impossible to be high—shortage of grain is certain!】

【And the court's disaster relief…】

【Forget it; rather than believing the court can relieve disasters, it's better to believe there's a paradise immortal realm in the world!】

【After your earnest advice fails, you finally have to settle for second best: Dad, Mom… I don't want to go…】

【Don't want to go? Well, that's not up to you!】

【Since your parents have already decided to flee for a future, they naturally won't allow you, the eldest son of the family, to leave them, and thus they flatly rejected your pleas.】

【That night, your parents took you and your younger brother; the family of four packed their luggage and, together with a group of fellow villagers, set out on the road to chase dreams…】

"Ah?"

Zhao Si scratched his head:

"I wasn't the one who chose to refuse? How did I still get dragged along?"

【The player's choice only affects the game protagonist's behavioral choices; it does not directly change others' behavior.】

"……Well, that's troublesome."

Zhao Si's expression tightened:

Obviously, the route to flee has problems, but the protagonist's choice cannot decide his parents' choice; he's ultimately just an eight-year-old brat, and when his parents are single-mindedly pursuing the immortal realm, anything he does is useless.

"Looks like I might have to die first…"

Zhao Si guessed somewhat hesitantly.

But unexpectedly, the imagined lightning-fast death did not arrive…

【In despair and gloom, you spend each day like a year; walking on the road, your mind keeps conjuring the folk tales you've heard, such as "fox woman ghost sucking men's yang energy", "zombie yaksha eating people and digging out hearts", "yellow-skinned creature seeking investiture"…… and so on and so forth!】

【You almost already sensed what tragic fate awaits your group……】

【But surprisingly, when the anxious and uneasy team arrived at the predetermined location, there actually came an immortal to pick you up!】

【The immortal called himself a disciple of the Western Sect, of portly appearance, mild in demeanor; after some interaction with you, he even provided food and drink.】

【Under his reassurance, everyone gradually relaxed and happily shared the food.】

【Except you.】

【You always felt something was off; this kind-faced, plump immortal looked more and more suspicious in your eyes, and you didn't dare eat the distributed food, fearing it might contain some evil sorcery!】

【Not long after, this Western Sect immortal was about to lead you all off to that dreamland immortal realm: the "Western Paradise"……】

【"Immortal!"】

【Just then, you finally couldn't hold back; amidst the general joy, you openly bowed before the immortal, saying you were still weary of the mortal world and temporarily didn't want to go to the Western Paradise, and so on……】

【The immortal's smile instantly froze on his face.】

【Your parents were startled, quickly grabbed you, and then awkwardly told the immortal: "It's just a child being silly, speaking in jest!"】

But this immortal also seemed to notice your distrust, and he earnestly asked, "You really don't want to go?"

"Really don't want to!"

You gritted your teeth and insisted, your mind already made up—no matter what happens today, you absolutely cannot follow him!

But what you didn't expect was that the immortal didn't say anything more—no coercion, no persuasion, just a sigh: "It seems fate is like this…"

Seeing this, your parents had wanted to drag you away by force, but the immortal shook his head, so they could only give up.

Although you put the immortal in an awkward spot, he didn't punish you; instead, he specially sent you back to the mountain village, left you plenty of food, and let you live there as you wished.

After doing all that, the immortal rode the clouds and mist, soaring through heaven and earth, taking your helpless parents and younger brother, and soon vanished from your sight…

All these signs indicate that you really missed a great opportunity to enter the Blissful World.

But the seed of doubt has been planted; you simply cannot believe that, in an age when natural disasters and human calamities are frequent, an immortal would willingly bring ordinary mortals to the fairyland for free!

No matter how you think about it, it makes no sense.

As for the immortal's kindness toward you, you stubbornly think it's just hypocrisy…

In short, you successfully used your own way to escape this uncertain "immortal fate"!

However, as an eight‑year‑old child left alone in the mountain village, you simply cannot survive normally—whether threatened by fellow villagers or by lack of food and clothing, these are problems you cannot solve.

At this difficult moment, besides yourself, no one can be relied upon! So you decided to ask for strategic help from "another yourself".

Faced with the current predicament, you choose: (?) Please answer freely!

"So, did the refusal succeed?"

This miraculous development made Zhao Si feel ever more strange:

First, this is clearly the Primordial Heaven and Earth, yet inexplicably it has entered the Age of Dharma Decline, where ordinary people cannot make a living.

Second, in this terribly awful age, there are still immortals willing to arrange happy lives for every newcomer.

Finally, I thought the protagonist's reckless move would surely doom him, but he actually survived—and even truly succeeded in refusing…

Each of these things leaves Zhao Si bewildered; the more he thinks, the more dazed he feels.

"Who cares!"

After thinking it over, Zhao Si narrowed his eyes:

"'Right now we're in the early stage of total darkness; theoretically we must constantly court death, using our lives to scout the path and gather as much useful information as possible.'"

"'At least, let's first figure out what the current time period is… I still haven't figured out exactly which era this is…'"

I've been to the early era of Heaven's creation.

I've also been to the Witch and Demon era.

Could it be the Investiture of the Gods era or the Journey to the West era this time?

That doesn't seem right either…

After some thought, Zhao Si began writing a strategy:

Faced with the current predicament, you choose: (First figure out what the current state's name is, who the emperor is, who the Heavenly Emperor is, and where the nearest office of the Heavenly Court is.)

You look at the strategy; the first two questions are understandable, but the last two leave you completely baffled.

"'Heavenly Emperor? Do you mean the Gold Bing Heavenly Emperor or the Last Mysterious Capital Heavenly Emperor?'"

"'As for the Heavenly Court, I heard from my father's stories that it's long been gone, right?'"

Zhao Si:?

……

(End of chapter)