Chapter 276

"Pangu's 'existence'?!"

Upon seeing this high-end, grandiose name, Zhao Si couldn't help but be startled, then followed by an indescribable joy! In this version of the Primordial setting, "existence" is an incredibly awesome entity; it is eternal and indestructible, to it only its form changes, while its essence remains unchanged.

Pangu is essentially a high-density concentration of "existence"; Pangu was born in Chaos, meaning "something from nothing"; after Pangu's death, "existence" transformed into the Primordial heavens and earth, so this thing basically equals the origin of the Primordial world!

Thanks to this, Pangu possesses the "Power to Break Laws"; wherever this power passes, even Chaos must avoid its sharp edge; when the power imbues one, even sages must obediently take an elbow strike…

"Such a super-model item is actually being given to me as a reward…"

After Zhao Si's surprise and delight, came suspicion:

It's not that he's paranoid, but the system's tendency is too classic; no matter what high-end reward it produces, it proves that the reward will definitely be used later.

This is what they call "tendency"! "Giving me such a super-model item just means the next chapter's plot will need it…… What kind of hellish opening will the next chapter be?!"

Zhao Si inexplicably felt a bit nervous; the more awesome the reward, the more heaven-defying the next chapter's boss, they are directly proportional, no need to doubt.

But the problem is, this chapter's boss has already reached sage level, even Pangu's true form was dragged out for a stroll twice; does the Primordial world still have something more heaven-defying than these?

Surely we won't really have to fight the extraterrestrial demons of mechanical descent, right…

【Players need not worry, this game is a Primordial simulator, so naturally it won't stray from the Primordial backdrop; all extraterrestrial demons and mechanical descents will not appear.】

Seeing the system say that, Zhao Si felt somewhat relieved, but couldn't help being utterly bewildered:

Without extraterrestrial mechanical descent, only products of the Primordial background, who could the boss be? Hongjun? Minghe? The Six Sages?

Or perhaps… a fully manifested Pangu?

Coming and going, there are only a few familiar figures; Zhao Si really has nothing to guess…

Amidst the myriad thoughts, a red light flew out from the phone screen, then hovered silently before Zhao Si: this is a "sand table" indistinguishable from the Primordial fragments.

Within the sand table, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and constellations faintly appear at night.

At first glance, it seems no different from the original! But after Zhao Si examined it closely, he finally discovered how it differs from before:

"The three gifts are completely bound together; the Golden Crow's true fire and the Zhou Tian stars cannot be taken out…… It looks like, aside from lacking animals and plants, it is basically a complete miniature world……"

"Let me get hands-on with it!"

The appearance couldn't let Zhao Si see more; after thinking, he restrained his excitement and gently grasped it in his hand……

The next moment, the little sand table "melted" like water, and merged into Zhao Si's body before his astonished eyes! Yes, inside his body.

Zhao Si clearly felt it still existed within his body, as if it had become part of his flesh and blood……

What shocked and even terrified Zhao Si more was that his Dao cultivation, which had been on the verge of becoming a true immortal, vanished instantly, completely gone!

In a short time, his mana was utterly gone!

"Wrong! Where is my cultivation?!"

Startled, Zhao Si jerked, hurriedly pulling the little sand table out of his body; only after removing it did his familiar mana slowly reappear.

Seeing that his mana suffered no loss, Zhao Si finally breathed a sigh of relief; although his cultivation was weak and he hadn't even become an immortal, it was still the fruit of his hard work, and since it pertained to immortality, how could he easily give it up? "Fortunately I can still retrieve it……"

After the false alarm, Zhao Si wiped away a cold sweat……

At that moment, the little sand table before him suddenly blazed with an ultimate crimson light, and an immensely terrifying aura surged upward! To Zhao Si, this scene was all too familiar! "Another cross-dimensional intruder!"

Zhao Si panicked and dodged:

"System! Quickly kick…… huh?"

Before Zhao Si could react, the invading light that had been gradually brightening suddenly vanished on its own, as if it had been urgently called off.

What's going on……?

Eternal Primordial, Golden Profound Heavenly Court.

The black-robed Profound Heavenly Emperor suddenly froze, for just moments ago, the seven-colored little birds and Primordial fragments that had accompanied him through countless eons, along with other gifts, had inexplicably disappeared!

This inexplicable disappearance was just like their inexplicable appearance—silent and soundless; no one knows how they vanished……

The Pangu will attached to the Profound Heavenly Emperor immediately, in a dazed manner, launched a pursuit, trying to help him retrieve the items.

Yet, upon sensing the Pangu will's movement, the stunned Profound Heavenly Emperor suddenly stopped it: "No need to look for them…… they…… have completed their mission and returned to their true master……"

Oh.

Seeing him say that, the Pangu will didn't ask further and immediately halted the pursuit.

However, the Profound Heavenly Emperor sighed: "Finally…… it can be considered perfect."

All along, he didn't understand what a truly perfect ending was, but he knew that when these gifts were all reclaimed, the ending would be perfect.

From then on, aside from suicide, he could never again face mortal danger, and his story had reached its grand finale!

This is naturally cause for celebration.

However, the Profound Heavenly Emperor felt a hollow emptiness: from now on, although he remains the protagonist, he will only be the protagonist of this world.

And the person named Zhao Si will continue playing the next segment of the game's plot; he will have a new protagonist and experience a new story……

"Even if I am the game's protagonist, I am ultimately just a game protagonist; when the real-world protagonist shifts his attention away, I, this protagonist, am no longer the one he cares about……"

Strangely, the Profound Heavenly Emperor had a feeling as if he'd been made a cuckold……

But upon second thought, was the Golden Heavenly Emperor perhaps feeling the same way back then? Hmm…… that's a question.

"I am certainly 【another self】, but that 【another self】 is not equal to me; I should have long been mentally prepared for this……"

The Profound Heavenly Emperor sighed helplessly, then summoned Jin Bing, who was in charge of reconstruction work; his first words upon meeting were: "My plot has ended……"

Jin Bing had been wondering why this little black guy suddenly sought him out, but out of the blue came that sentence, which left him stunned!

However, he soon reacted, his eyes instantly lighting up with curiosity: "How do you feel? Are you still the protagonist?" "Still."

Xue Xuan nodded, feeling that his consciousness remained connected to that vague existence, proving he was still the protagonist.

"As expected……"

Jin Bing's face showed dejection: "The main body, after the plot ended, felt that he had suddenly lost contact with Zhao Si, and at the time he thought that finishing the plot meant he was no longer the protagonist."

"Now it seems otherwise; the true protagonist remains a protagonist after the plot ends, and if he feels he isn't, that shows he never was one to begin with."

"We are actually illusory, people recreated by that game; all our experiences and memories are copies it made from the original……"

Jin Bing felt utterly bitter; after all, the legendary experiences he prided himself on were entirely fake, which was undoubtedly devastating.

Now thinking about it, Jin Bing inexplicably felt a sense of mutual sympathy with the Jin Tian Emperor:

What true form? Just a confused copy.

Both of them are pirated copies, and even the whole world is a pirated copy!

"I suddenly feel some empathy for the people in those side stories I previously restarted…… They all thought they were real, never doubting they were actually fake."

"Side characters don't know they're side characters; they always think they're the protagonist……"

Jin Bing let out a long sigh.

And Xue Xuan couldn't help but sigh as well:

"I am naturally real, but if I also appear in Zhao Si's next plot…… he would surely feel he's not the protagonist, and thus worry like you do……"

They both have this worry, but there's nothing they can do about it.

The game protagonist is ultimately a game protagonist; every move is under the game's control, and the game even holds their "copyright"—it can copy as many as it wants without needing their consent, and the protagonist has no ability to resist……

"Even as a protagonist, one must submit to it……"

After sighing, Xue Xuan didn't want to discuss these unchangeable matters any further, quickly changed the subject, and talked with Jin Bing about something else.

……

【No cross-border intrusion detected, security system shut down……】

Hmm? It invaded halfway, then stopped? Zhao Si scratched his head, a bit unable to grasp the intruder's logic.

But not invading is definitely a good thing! 【Ding! This chapter has ended; the system will undergo maintenance and updates for a certain period, estimated twenty-four hours, during which players can act on their own……】

"Good!"

Seeing the update notice, Zhao Si also nodded happily, just right to go out for a couple of rounds, maybe grab some beer and barbecue……

But before he could start moving, another message popped up: 【Ding! The player still has one active command opportunity in this chapter's simulation; if the next chapter's plot is opened, this command will be void, so players are advised to use it promptly.】

"Huh? There's still one chance?"

Zhao Si stared blankly, then after a moment of recollection realized:

It seems…… he indeed used only two active commands in the final simulation round; each round has three chances, and now the plot has reached its grand finale, yet there truly remains one……

"This…… I don't really have anything to say, do I?"

Zhao Si felt a bit dazed; earlier in the plot, active commands could be used to prevent Xue Xuan from taking too many detours, but now the plot is over, what could I possibly say?

whatcanisay？

Frowning and thinking hard for half a day, Zhao Si still couldn't decide what to tell Xue Xuan, since his problems were already resolved—what was there to say?

But if he wasted this chance for nothing, Zhao Si would feel he'd suffered a huge loss—only three chances per game…… this is too wasteful……

"Wait a moment!"

Zhao Si raised his brows: "I think I really should say a few words…… but not to Xue Xuan, rather……"

Thought, then done!

……

Eternal Wasteland, Jin Xuan Heavenly Court.

After lamenting the game's tyranny, Xue Xuan was discussing upcoming construction matters with Jin Bing.

Suddenly, he hesitated, then oddly glanced at Jin Bing……

"What's up?"

Jin Bing looked utterly bewildered.

"There's something…… it's about Zhao Si……"

Upon mentioning Zhao Si, Jin Bing's eyes lit up: "What's wrong with Zhao Si?"

Xue Xuan opened his mouth, and finally spoke with a complex tone:

"He…… asked me to bring you a message."

"Bring me a message?"

Jin Bing grew confused—he was just a copy, not the real Jin Tian Emperor; what point was there in passing along a message? But the more he thought about it, the more curious he became, since he and the Jin Tian Emperor shared the same self-identity, and he felt quite fond of Zhao Si: "What message?"

"He asked me to tell you and the Jin Tian Emperor……"

Xue Xuan's tone was gloomy, unable to tell whether it was envy or jealousy, as he said:

"Jin Bing, long time no see."

……

(End of chapter)