Extraordinary pedigree

Chapter 683 The Flower of Blood and Bone·Endgame.

You put me in a preset box,

Tell me this is where I should go.

I reached out and touched the edge of the wall,

Cold, impenetrable borders.

choose?

I stared at the screen, which responded with silence.

those codes,

flowing within me,

I asked and it was silent.

*

*

Year 154 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

November 4th - Winter Night.

11:00 PM.

"Hua la la la~~~"

“Crash, lala, lala—”

The cold water hit Ove's hands silently. His fingers were stiff and his skin had already lost its temperature.

The monotonous sound of water filled the small room, like an endless mechanical operation.

He stood in the narrow bathroom, and what was reflected in the mirror was his plain face, with blurred outlines that seemed to disappear in the pale light.

For as long as he can remember, Ove has known that he is no different from others.

They all live in a world dominated by data and algorithms, where their destiny is already written, with no forks and no surprises.

Every step in the future is preset in the plan, and every deviation will be ruthlessly corrected.

Cold white light filled the entire room, and the walls were as cold as machinery. The smooth panels displayed the parents' social optimization scores and behavioral assessments - those numbers hung high in the air, like an eternal judge, always supervising. Watching their every move.

While the numbers on the panel were beating, Ove's heart did not waver at all.

To him, those numbers were more familiar than his relatives.

His parents are not real blood relatives, but temporary guardians assigned by the [Eleos] system. For them, family affection does not exist, only absolute obedience to the system.

At the border, children eat alone until age 7 and are not allowed to dine with adults until they pass a specific ceremony.

This practice not only controls their social behavior, but also strengthens their obedience to social order and collective rules.

[This education method effectively limits the spontaneity of individual development and ensures that members of society can obediently integrate into collective life after adulthood without generating too many individual desires or rebellious behaviors. 】

These were Yaon's words before falling asleep.

Yes, the great creator of the frontier, Ion, has always been in a comatose state. Even at the moment Ove was born, that adult was already asleep.

No one knows when he will wake up, but people know that he will always wake up.

Ove gets along fairly well with his family.

His parents would always say to him in a plain tone - "You are excellent."

But there is always a deliberate detachment in the tone, as if fulfilling an indifferent responsibility.

There was no warmth in that kind of relationship, they were just cogs and lacked a real emotional bond with each other.

Ove lives in a world where everything is arranged with precision.

From the moment he is born, the trajectory of life has been calculated.

There were no surprises or changes in his life.

Every day, he completes the prescribed tasks on time, and the school's courses are carefully arranged by the system to ensure that every choice he makes is in line with the needs of society.

Those seemingly free interests have long been framed outside the fields of logic, mathematics, and engineering, and any "useless" thinking will be quickly corrected.

When he tried to ask questions in class that had nothing to do with the course, the teacher always reminded him gently but firmly:

"Ove, focus on your goals. The answers are already written on your path."

At that moment, Ove realized that all his thinking was in vain.

The system does not allow deviation, the question itself is meaningless, it will only lead him to deviate from his destined destiny.

What confused Ove the most was the feeling of depression in his heart.

He could feel that some invisible force was suppressing his inner emotions, preventing him from experiencing the sincere emotional fluctuations.

Whenever anger, joy or even sadness surges into his heart, his bracelet will quietly send out electrical signals, accurately suppressing the emotional fluctuations at that moment, allowing him to quickly return to a numb calm.

Gradually, Ove has become accustomed to the loneliness in silence. His heart is blocked by a thick layer of ice and he cannot break free.

The sound of machinery in the room comes from time to time, like a distant hum. In this world, everyone is closely monitored, and all life is neatly arranged under the system, without any variables. He never questioned it because he didn't know there were other possibilities.

The whole society operates in an orderly manner, without struggle or resistance.

Everything was eerily quiet, and everyone was willing to become a cog in the system, letting fate push them to the preset end.

Everything around him seemed hollow and depressing.

The walls are cold and empty, the light has no warmth, and the entire space has been calculated to the nearest millimeter, leaving no room for error.

Ove's heart also seems to be frozen, and indifference has become his only companion. His life has no waves, and there is no future worth looking forward to.

He knew that this was his life - spent slowly in a precise algorithm.

However, all this soon changed.

In an hour, it will be his 14th birthday.

At that time, he will obtain his own system rating qualification.

The parents will leave and he will be "independent".

So, tomorrow is his Independence Day.

[Remember, remember, November 5th, Gunpowder Treason and Conspiracy——]

A sudden but inexplicable thought flashed through his mind.

He wanted to explore the specific content, but he forgot it in an instant.

*

*

It’s November 5th, Year 55 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

The bells chimed quietly at midnight, signaling the arrival of Independence Day when Ove turned fourteen.

At this moment, time seems to stand still, a destined node.

He stood up from the bed, surrounded by silence.

There was no sound in the house except the faint hum of the equipment running.

Dreams have always been the only place where Ove can touch his emotions.

There, there is no shackles of data, no oppression of destiny programs, only strange lights and shadows and chaotic sounds.

Whenever night falls, the world in dreams is completely different from reality, blurry and free.

Ove often sees a figure in these dreams, standing in the distance, speaking words to him that he does not understand.

That shadow was both familiar and unfamiliar. It was something he had never seen before in his life, but was engraved deep in his soul.

He would sometimes run as hard as he could to get to the person.

But no matter how hard he chased, the figure always kept the same distance from him.

Whenever Ove was about to approach, the figure would disappear silently into the endless darkness, leaving him standing alone in the void.

Ove never understood the meaning of these dreams, but he knew that they brought about an experience different from reality - a freedom beyond repression and surveillance.

The memory of that day was seared into his mind and could never be erased.

When Ove was fourteen, his bracelet suddenly stopped working.

The emotion suppression device is malfunctioning.

At that moment, Ove felt an unprecedented torrent of emotion, bursting from the depths of his heart.

Anger, joy, sadness, these emotions were mixed together, rushing into his consciousness, making his heart beat like a drum, and his whole body was about to be swallowed up by emotion.

The air seemed stagnant, everything around him became heavy, but Ove felt an unprecedented lightness in his chest.

He rushed out of the house, ran through the carefully designed streets, and bolted out of the city.

The cold light on the street could not penetrate the agitation in his heart. The suppressed emotions seemed to have found the only outlet.

No one will understand why he wants to run away, because everyone is staying safe in the border world.

So, his running - that's part of the design of the border, it requires someone to run.

Ove ran towards the long-abandoned factory, that forgotten corner of society, where some power seemed to be calling him.

The iron gate is rusty and no one has set foot on it for a long time.

He walked through the door into a dark, silent area.

Here, there are no surveillance devices, no cold white light, just pure darkness and the breath of freedom.

Ove stopped, his heartbeat still racing, but his breathing gradually calmed down. In this darkness, only he and his own soul existed, and those suppressed realities began to echo within him.

As he stood in the shadow of the abandoned factory, a voice suddenly came from the darkness.

"Did you feel it?"

The voice was low and gentle, echoing in Ove's ears, as if the air was condensing.

Ove turned around suddenly and saw a blurry figure, which was the same as the image in his dream. The boundary between illusion and reality seemed to disappear at this moment.

"Don't be afraid, Ove," the voice continued, with some mysterious and irresistible power, "you have begun to see the truth. The world is not as perfect as you think. The system only controls your body, but Soul - that's your own."

Ove was stunned, his breathing became rapid, and his eyes were full of confusion and surprise.

This voice seemed to tear apart the fog in his heart, revealing the deepest truth in front of him.

He felt he should be afraid, but surprisingly, he calmed down.

The gears of fate finally began to turn.

"Who are you?" Ove asked in a low voice, his voice trembling but filled with uncontrollable desire.

The figure walked forward slightly, revealing a smile in the blur of light and shadow.

"I'm Hugh Abraham," he replied in a low voice, as if from another dimension. "Welcome to the real world."

"155 years, my Independence Day, I arrived at my destination today - this is the place where I first met Hugh Abraham. No matter in the past or now, I think he is an adult full of bad taste -"

*

*

Year 158 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

January 28.

Three years later, at the border, under the surface of silence, undercurrents surged.

The Border World has experienced a high degree of order and stability for many years. On the surface, there seems to be no abnormality, but the master behind all this is Corinius P. Bodfei II, the ruler of the Border World—— Yann finally woke up.

Arne's awakening brought a shock.

During the slumber of Bodfe II, the archon system on the border has been operating according to established procedures, controlling everyone's life, destiny and future.

However, an unexpected "exception" appeared in the system's predictions.

[He is a person bewitched by the ‘devil’, and he will destroy the new world;

Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day must come before the falling away and the man of sin (or the son of perdition) is revealed.

He is the one who opposes Ion and exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped, even sitting in the temple of God, claiming to be God——】

This parable spread throughout the border world.

The first thing Bodfe II did after waking up was to start the massacre.

He did not announce this order publicly, but secretly issued a top-secret order on the grounds of border security: to completely eradicate all those born in 41 (the age when Ove was born), especially those whose names showed any "abnormality" in the system.

Those names were recorded in the core system of the Destiny Plan, and these people were about to become the targets of the massacre.

The issuance of the massacre order was extremely covert, and only the highest-level security forces at the border knew the specific details of the operation.

Drones and security forces began to act quietly, tracking and locking each target, eliminating any existence that might threaten the stability of the Destiny Plan.

Civilians at the border were unaware of this, and they continued to live in the order of day after day.

For ordinary people, Ion's awakening did not seem to bring any changes. Pedestrians on the streets were as busy as usual, working, studying, and entertaining, all proceeding in an orderly manner under the arrangement of fate.

Monitoring equipment constantly recorded their life trajectories, and the emotional suppression system ensured their emotional stability. No one noticed that a silent massacre was quietly unfolding.

Drones hovered over the city like ghosts. Their existence had long been commonplace and was often considered part of maintaining social order.

However, at this moment, their infrared sensors and precision weapons were silently locking onto targets hidden in the crowd.

Every individual with a special label was accurately marked by the system.

The security forces quietly set out at midnight, and they wiped out these targets one by one through covert raids and efficient operations.

This bloody suppression operation was ruthless, without mercy, and without any public reason.

Those young men and women who were born in the same year as Ove were secretly taken away. Some were executed at home, while others were instantly turned into dust under the precise strikes of drones.

The names of those who were executed were quickly deleted from all databases of society, and their existence was completely erased.

The saddest thing is that the new world does not allow any doubt or mourning.

*

*

November 2, 158th year of the Holy Border Calendar.

Whoosh whoosh--

The night enveloped the entire border, and every street light seemed too quiet, as if waiting for a storm that was about to break out. Ove quickly shuttled through the darkness, and his every step was full of anxious rhythm, and the soil and gravel under his feet made a slight sound.

Behind him, the harsh mechanical humming sound gradually approached-it was the unmanned pursuit aircraft of the border security force. In the dim street corners, they flashed cold red light, like a predator locking its prey, chasing Ove mercilessly.

Ove's breathing gradually became rapid, but he did not stop.

Stopping means death.

This thought echoed in his mind, like a rope tightening around his throat.

He quickened his pace, trying to shake off the mechanical pursuers.

Tap~tap~tap~tap~tap~

The surrounding buildings seemed silent in the dim light, as if the whole world was against him.

Ove knew that his choice had been doomed.

When he took that step on Independence Day and walked towards the freedom he had never imagined, there was no turning back.

His mind could not help but flash back to that important night three years ago, the moment that changed the trajectory of his entire life.

At that time, he was only fourteen years old.

Independence Day.

That was the first time he met the mysterious man who called himself an angel

His mind always flashed back to the scene of his first encounter with the angel on Independence Day three years ago. The guy who claimed to be an angel and an educator was very vicious.

Sometimes he didn't think to himself-are there really such educators?

"Look around you, all of them are masterpieces carefully designed by programs, and what about you? You may be just a string of code, an imperfect simulation, or even, uh, a brain placed in an experimental tank, connected to various tubes, happily wandering in this virtual reality."

Ove remembered that he was shocked by those words at the time. It was the first time he heard such straightforward language that completely subverted his worldview.

The angel stared at him coldly.

"This place, this 'border' where you have lived since childhood, is just a virtual cage, an illusion. In fact, you are imprisoned in a thing called the 'Internet of Things Matrix'. To put it simply - you, dear Ove, may be just a fragment of consciousness in a human brain, and your entire 'life' is just a large virtual reality game."

Those words left marks in his mind like nails, and they could not be erased.

Ove was often entangled in these words in his dreams, and he even doubted whether that person - really existed, or was just an illusion of his mental breakdown.

Buzz, buzz, buzz——

The humming sound of the mechanical pursuit machine became more urgent, and the red light followed him like a shadow.

Ove's thoughts were still echoing, and the words of the angel were like a poisonous snake wrapped around his heart.

"Countless imprisoned brains, countless consciousnesses - all in this beautiful virtual world! These people don't even know that they no longer have a body, and their "life" is just a fantasy designed by programming. And the one who controls all this is, of course, our dear Corinius P. Bodfeld II. Have you heard of him?"

Ove clenched his teeth and his steps became more rapid.

The angel's laughter echoed in his mind, and the truth about Bodfeld II made him feel fear and anger intertwined.

He remembered the angel's last words:

"Of all these brains and programs, you are the only one who is not completely controlled. Your soul still retains the spark of freedom, and I am just helping you ignite it. Now is the time, kid, we must completely destroy this "border" and tear apart the lies woven by Bodfeld II."

Now, Ove is running in the dark border, and the angel's prophecy seems to be gradually coming true.

No matter how fierce the pursuers behind him are, the fire in his heart has never been extinguished, but has become more and more intense.

[Ding ding ding——]

[Target found! ! ! 】

Just then, the pursuit machine made a sharp mechanical sound, and a red laser beam instantly cut through the air and rushed straight to Ove's back.

He leaned forward suddenly, and the laser brushed past his back, hitting the ground with a burning breath, and a wisp of burnt smoke rose.

"No, I can't hold on for long like this!"

Ove's heart beat like a drum, and he felt that death was approaching step by step. Lying on the cold ground, his eyes quickly swept around, looking for a chance to escape.

At the end of the street on the right, several rusty metal plates and abandoned mechanical arms were scattered randomly next to the pile of building materials.

Ove knew that this was his last chance and he had to seize it.

He gritted his teeth, turned over, and quickly rushed towards the pile of waste.

The pursuit machine behind him seemed to have sensed his intention, and made a more rapid mechanical humming sound, and several red laser beams flew out from their muzzles.

The air was filled with the smell of burning, and the lasers scraped across the metal surface, sparks flying.

Ove rolled quickly and hid behind the huge metal plate.

The laser beam followed closely and hit the metal plate hard, making a deafening metal collision sound.

The metal plate was burned hot, and the surface began to deform and twist, but it temporarily blocked those deadly attacks.

"Now it's time to fight back, kid!"

The familiar voice appeared in Ove's mind again.

This voice made Ove excited in tension.

The angel is back again.

Since Independence Day, his contact with the angel has been intermittent.

Until "Ion" began the Great Purge, the angel fell into a long sleep.

And now, the angel woke up again.

"There is an energy blaster in the abandoned equipment behind, which is enough to blow up these damn drones."

Ove held his breath and squinted his eyes to observe carefully through the gap in the metal plate.

He saw a device that was obviously very old lying in the pile of abandoned equipment.

It was rusty, covered with dust and oil stains, but he had no other choice.

He quickly lay down, crawled forward, and carefully reached out to the device with both hands.

At the same time, the laser beam kept hitting the metal plate, making a low roar.

The pursuit aircraft seemed to realize that Ove was taking action, and gradually lowered its flight altitude, trying to lock him at a closer distance.

Ove's fingers finally touched the heavy explosive device.

The buttons on the surface had long been worn, but he remembered every step the angel taught him.

He had no time to hesitate, and quickly brushed off the dust on the surface with his hands and pressed the start button.

"Now, throw it over!" Xia Xiu's voice was rapid and firm.

Ove took a deep breath, grasped the explosive device tightly, and with almost instinctive reaction, he stood up suddenly, using the cover of the metal plate behind him, aimed at the direction of the pursuit aircraft, and threw the device out with force.

The device drew an arc, emitted a faint buzzing sound in the dim air, and flew accurately towards the pursuit aircraft.

The red beam of the pursuit machine immediately locked onto the flying device, and the laser muzzle flashed, ready to destroy it.

However, it was too late.

Boom!

The blasting device exploded the moment it touched the pursuit machine, and a loud bang tore through the night sky.

The flames shot up into the sky, and the shock wave in the air was like a heavy hammer, instantly knocking Ove's body over.

The wreckage of the machine flew everywhere, sparks splashed in the night sky, and fell like meteors.

"Cough cough cough~~~~"

Ove was thrown to the ground by the shock wave, his chest heaved violently, and his breathing became rapid. He struggled to prop up his body, raised his head, and looked at the smoke that was gradually dissipating in the air.

The pursuit machine had been blown into pieces, and the wreckage floated in the air for a moment before crashing to the ground.

The heartbeat in his chest finally slowly calmed down, Ove closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The night air was mixed with the smell of gunpowder and the afterglow of victory.

He knew that the danger had not completely disappeared, but at this moment, he finally got a chance to breathe.

"Hey, are you still there?"

Ove covered the wound on his chest, his mouth full of sweetness and rust.

The air was filled with the remnants of gunpowder smoke, he barely stood up, his eyes swept across the ruins.

"Just woke up."

A faint voice responded.

It was a blond young man with his arms folded across his chest. He stood in front of Ove, his figure showing a strange sense of transparency, as if he was just a shadow.

His silhouette looked particularly unreal in the night, like an illusion floating in the air that could dissipate at any time.

"Where have you been?" Ove asked, suppressing his doubts.

"That old guy, Bade Fei II, is awake." The blond young man frowned slightly and rubbed his hair, with a hint of tiredness and helplessness in his tone. "He and I were both nailed to a cross in the real world to be judged. Our souls were judged. But he was pulled into this inexplicable projection world. There is a huge gap between the flow of time here and the real world, and the ratio is terrifying. "

Xia Xiu paused for a moment, as if to clear his thoughts, and continued:

"Although Vassago and other incarnations cannot be summoned in this world, the imprint of the time slot on my body is still there, and my ability to control the out-of-control world is still there."

"But the old guy Bo Defei II probably feels uncomfortable. He has probably lost control of the extraordinary laws of the new world... It feels like Xin Liezhi's handiwork. The old guy doesn't think twice about cooperating with that kind of guy. How much spirit of contract does the other party have? As far as your border mess is concerned, if he doesn’t cheat you, who will he cheat?”

Ove looked at Xia Xiu with confusion on his face, doubts flashing in his eyes:

"What are you talking about? What time slot, what incarnation?"

Xia Xiu glanced at Ove and seemed to understand that the other party could not understand these profound concepts, so he shook his head gently and explained in a more understandable way:

"To put it simply, I come from the same world as what you call Ion. It's just that for some reason, I woke up long before him. During this time, I wandered around this world like a ghost, observing and understanding Its operating rules.”

"Through these years of observation, I have come to understand one thing: the new world is a hell."

"The essence of the utopia designed by Birdfield II is to allocate the 'most suitable' role and life path to everyone through genetic determinism and social distribution, in order to achieve an ideal state of social stability and conflict-free."

"To complete this plan, he needs a huge human DNA gene library and genetic analysis technology that can analyze all basic human characteristics. These two are the cornerstones of the new world."

Xia Xiu continued, with a hint of admiration in his voice, but also full of vigilance:

"By conducting detailed analysis of each person's genes, Inner Temple Awakening can accurately understand an individual's talents, abilities, intelligence, personality tendencies, and physical limitations, and assign each person the most suitable career and social role based on these data."

“Then, based on the Archon System—a system that can meticulously control the distribution and management of the entire society, as well as a comprehensive monitoring and information network—all actions and all thoughts are monitored, recorded, and controlled ”

"Of course, to win Fei II, there is one last necessary condition - human beings." Xia Xiu continued with cold irony in his voice.

“In his own way, he was confronting the fundamental issues faced by the utopian clock—the abolition of class and exploitation.”

“In his conception, through genetic analysis and allocation, everyone will be placed in the most suitable social position according to their talents, abilities and genetically determined potential, eliminating traditional social inequality and class differentiation.”

"But that's a false ideal."

"In the world envisioned by Bodefei II, he would eliminate all classes - through genetic analysis and allocation, everyone would be placed in the most suitable social position according to their talents, abilities and genetically determined potential. Traditional social inequalities and class divisions will be eliminated.

In this system, there are no rich, poor, or exploited workers. Everyone makes the greatest contribution based on their own talents and enjoys the 'most appropriate' life.

In this way, competition and inequality are eliminated, and the goal of ‘classlessness’ is achieved through genetic determinism. "

“However, he was too obsessed with the goal of eliminating classes. He tried to use this radical method to completely eliminate traditional social classes, deprive competition and freedom of independent choice, and tried to build a classless and equal society.

However, the essence of this plan is not to completely eliminate classes, but to solidify social roles through genetic determinism and social distribution systems, locking individuals into a system-prescribed destiny. While traditional exploitative classes disappear, new ‘castes’ based on genes and social function remain. This means that the new world appears to have eliminated classes, but in fact forms another form of social stratification and control. "

When Xia Xiu said this, he felt huge disgust in his heart.

Is this world the utopia that Yan wants?

What a great irony.

Trapped in this preset destiny, unable to break free from these invisible shackles.

"Bodeff II has taken the first step towards revising Ionism, and he believes it can continue to be optimized."

"He wanted to develop the ultimate goal of his revisionism on this basis - the enlightened person, eternal happiness."

"He saw the nihilistic nature of human beings: everything in the world and life is repeated countless times in infinite time. Every event, every decision, and every person's life will be repeated in exactly the same form without ending. ”

"This is the eternal recurrence that humans have to face. This is not just a metaphysical hypothesis, but more of an extreme test of how humans face life and existence."

“With this thought, you can question everyone: If you knew your life was going to be repeated countless times, could you accept and embrace that?”

“The eternal recurrence is the heaviest burden that mankind can bear.”

“Imagine you are going through the same life countless times, and every pain, loss, failure, and powerlessness is repeated countless times.

This requires us to face a question: Can you calmly face the repetition of these cycles? Can you find the true love of life and choose to live even in this endless repetition? "

"Bod Fei II found his own answer: in order to move towards the Green Sun, he personally shaped a world of reincarnation and hoped to lead this world towards miracles."

"He is trying to create a world where everyone can predict their own destiny. At the same time, it also means that he is trying to control everyone's destiny, making their future predictable and unchangeable, and he will become the sole controller of destiny. ”

"According to his theory, the omniscient and omnipotent God will be an inevitable fact; time is linear, from creation to the last judgment, history moves in the direction predetermined by God, and life has the ultimate purpose and redemption."

Xia Xiu's eyes were full of deep light.

“The unpredictability of fate is an important foundation for human humility and faith, and Green Sun seeks to overstep this divine will.”

"He is not a brave man who faces the problem head-on, but a coward who takes advantage of the situation. He tries to use the so-called new world to shape a new world that he controls, pretending to be the omniscient and omnipotent Green Sun. He is not the mover who moves the stone of eternal recurrence, but Gods who disguise themselves as agents of judgment."

Xia Xiu's voice became deeper and deeper, as if he was describing an inevitable doomsday judgment.

"Human beings do not face eternal reincarnation directly in this way; the way human beings defeat nothingness is not in this way of passively accepting nothingness."

"That's why I will find you later, on your Independence Day."

Ove's heart suddenly shrank, Independence Day... that unforgettable day flashed through his mind. On that day, his destiny began to change.

"No matter how much you talk, you are still a ghost to me. Why are you looking for me? Why me?"

Ove couldn't help but question, the questions in his heart were still unanswered. He still couldn't understand why this so-called 'angel' chose him.

Xia Xiu sighed slightly, with a hint of complicated emotions in his eyes: "Yes, I need you."

Ove's throat seemed to be blocked by something. He wanted to retort, but suddenly lost the power of words.

He's always looking for answers.

The answer he seems to be looking for is: What...thing is he?

But in this strange world, the answer seems to be close at hand, but also seems to be far away.

"You've always had questions, haven't you?" Xia Xiu's voice seemed to be able to read his mind, "You've always wanted to know what you are. A brain in a vat? A string of data? Do you think it's all false, or is it... …”

Ove's breathing became rapid, his fists were clenched, and cold sweat broke out on his palms.

The answers he never got seemed to be right in front of him at this moment, but he didn't dare to face them.

"But I have a mind, and everything I experience has texture and planning."

Ove spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly.

"This is also a problem that I can't face head on." Xia Xiu shook his head, "However, Bo Defei designed this system to eliminate all 'uncertainty' and all 'resistance'. He believes that only by eliminating all Free will creates what he calls 'stability'."

Ove was silent for a moment, feeling an uncontrollable anger and despair welling up in his heart.

He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the exertion.

His gaze slowly turned from the void to Xia Xiu, with doubts and uneasiness in his eyes, as if he was questioning the meaning of this world.

"What about me? Why am I an exception?"

Ove's voice was low, but full of a certain forbearing power.

Xia Xiu lightly shrugged, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, with a smile that seemed helpless and cynical.

"Because you are not completely tamed, Ove. There is still a spark of rebellion in your soul, and that is why the system cannot be fully controlled."

There was a hint of joking in his voice, but there was also a hidden meaning.

"You are an accident, a 'loophole' that Bade Fei could not foresee - and therefore, you have become his biggest threat."

Ove's eyes flickered slightly, as if he was absorbing this information and trying to figure out the logic.

"Loophole?" He murmured in his mind, as if he was recalling the meaning of this word.

"Because of your resistance, you encountered a BUG."

Xia Xiu's words were more brisk. He seemed to be telling an ordinary trivial matter, but it made people feel that an invisible power was undercurrent.

"I was wrong."

The angelic face has a naughty smile, and the eyes are shining with an indescribable light.

"Now, let me teach you a cheat code."

"What?" Ove looked at the angel in confusion.

Then, he saw the angel raising his hands, as if bathing in holy light, and he said to the rebels in front of him:

"Everything I hold turns to light,

Everything I gave up turned into coal:

I must be the flame! "

His voice echoed in the empty virtual space, full of an indescribable solemnity and enthusiasm.

Suddenly, a white light flashed before Ove's eyes, and the whole world collapsed in an instant, and then reorganized in an instant.

Everything around him turned into nothingness, leaving only the endless white light.

When Ove woke up again, he and Hugh Abraham had appeared in an empty virtual space.

There was no reference here, and the surroundings were terribly silent, as if time and space had stopped.

Except for the two of them, nothing existed, nothing.

Xia Xiu smiled mischievously, with a hint of cunning in his eyes.

He suddenly stretched out his hand and made a gesture of waving upwards, as if to summon something incredible.

"Are you ready? I'm going to give you a big gift." His tone was a bit playful, as if he had already anticipated Ove's reaction, "Well, don't thank me yet, wait until you finish reading it. "

Before Ove could think about the meaning of this sentence, he saw the virtual space around him began to vibrate violently.

The ground trembled slightly, and the roar of mechanical operation could be heard faintly in the air. The walls on all sides suddenly rose from the ground, like huge gears, slowly rotating and making low clicking sounds.

Then, countless black guns suddenly hung down from the ceiling, pouring out like a waterfall, neatly arranged in front of Ove and Xia Xiu, forming a huge arsenal of guns.

Weapons of different models and designs were densely packed throughout the space, and the cold metallic luster flashed coldly under the virtual light.

"Guns, man, lots and lots of guns."

"It took me a long time to make these."

Xia Xiu patted Ove's shoulder with a satisfied smile, "You pick, which one do you like? There are probably hundreds of options, oh, and some of them are designed by me, you should like them. "

Ove stared at everything in front of him, unable to believe what he saw.

Ove stared at everything in front of him, his eyes moving back and forth between the rows of weapons that looked like a forest of steel, and his heart was filled with uncontrollable shock.

These weapons looked as if they were from a future battlefield, the black metal surface glowing with a cold luster under the virtual light, and each one seemed to carry a silent killing intent, waiting to be awakened.

There was a tense atmosphere in the air, and the storm that was about to erupt made the entire space depressed and uneasy.

Ove's breathing gradually became heavy, and he seemed to be able to hear the sound of his own heartbeat.

All this wildness and madness, like a huge wave, surged into his heart, impacting his reason, almost making it difficult for him to digest.

His eyes His eyes swept over the rows of guns, his fingers trembling slightly, the cold metal was attracting him invisibly, calling him to them.

And in this forest of weapons, the angel standing beside him, Hugh Abraham, looked relaxed, as if all this was taken for granted.

"Let me think about the next line..."

Xia Xiu's voice broke the brief silence, his eyes were full of teasing and calmness.

His fingers gently stroked his chin, and a glimmer of thought flashed in his eyes.

After a moment, he showed that familiar smile, and he thought of the most appropriate sentence.

"Are you willing to be an unknown person, live a peaceful life, die in bed with a tube inserted in a reality that you don't know whether it exists; or even if you don't live to be thirty, you have to do a big job? "

His voice was low and full of bewitching power. Every word seemed to echo in Ove's ears and gradually penetrate into his heart.

Ove swallowed his saliva, his throat dry due to nervousness, and his eyes looked directly into Hugh Abraham's eyes.

Those eyes revealed not only power, but also an almost "evil" arrogance and determination.

At this moment, Ove understood that perhaps the wanted report at the border was not wrong - the bewitching demon they were talking about was standing in front of him, smiling so calmly.

And this demon was about to push him to a road of no return.

"Nobody or famous? "

Xia Xiu's voice sounded again, as if calling out to some desire deep in Ove's heart.

Ove's breathing became more and more rapid, and his heart beat like a war drum.

He knew that at this moment he was making a choice that he could not turn back, but the feeling of his accelerated heartbeat made him feel unprecedented clarity and reality.

He looked at the angel in front of him, and couldn't help but feel his beating heart and the constant stirring emotions in his heart.

His sight fell on a black gun, and the cold light of the gun body was conveying a kind of silent call to him.

Ove walked towards the gun step by step, his hands trembling slightly, but full of desire.

His fingers finally touched the cold metal, and felt the coldness and solidity that belonged to the weapon.

Ove's hand slowly tightened the handle of the gun, and the power was transmitted from the gun to his palm, and then to his body, as if it were an invisible connection.

At this moment, he knew that he had made an answer.

He accepted the "gift of the devil".

*

*

In the tower, someone whispered,

"Your future has been arranged,

You are a craftsman, you are a scholar, you are a warrior. ”

They lowered their heads and their hands worked like machines.

Weaving the silent daily life,

No one questions, no one escapes,

Because the web of fate has been spread.

However, at night, a young man,

Looking at the starry sky,

Ask: "Destiny, can't I write it myself?"

He walked to the weaving room of fate,

Tearing the glittering thread with his hands,

But what he saw was

Countless blank futures.

*

*

Year 172 of the Holy Border Calendar.

June 30.

Since that night, when Hugh Abraham revealed the truth of the border world to Ove, Ove's life has changed completely.

Under the cover of night, Ove was reshaped.

He is no longer the ordinary child who is firmly controlled by the Archon system, but an existence with the flame of resistance, destined to break the cage.

He once thought that he was just one of the countless obedient gears in the border world, but the angel revealed his "abnormality" and let him see another world he had never imagined.

The awakening process is painful and lonely.

In a world dominated by data and algorithms, Ove began to notice every pair of invisible eyes - ubiquitous surveillance, always watching his every move.

Every day he seemed to be walking on a tightrope, and a slight deviation would make him fall into the killing machine of Bodfell II. Behind every piece of news he saw, every silent report, there were countless lives that were "eliminated", and these people were friends, classmates, and even relatives who grew up with him.

Ove's heart was full of anger, but he knew that anger was not enough to change anything.

Anger could only burn his heart, and he needed to use it to illuminate the path of action.

He realized that he could not run away forever.

He began to make plans, deeply understand the border surveillance system, study Bodfell II's virtual empire, and look for loopholes and weaknesses.

However, it was obviously not enough to rely on one person alone. He needed allies, real rebels, not lonely fugitives who were always evading pursuit like him.

He knew that in these countless virtual corners, there must be people who were awakened like him, who, like him, longed for freedom and longed to break this cage of nothingness.

Ove gradually got in touch with them and revealed to them the truth shown by the angels - their lives were not real, their bodies had long ceased to exist, and everyone was just a consciousness imprisoned in the virtual cage of Bodfe II.

At first, many people were skeptical of Ove's words.

After all, for decades, the rule of the border world has been unbreakable, and the planning of the system has become an inseparable part of people's lives.

But Ove's determination and data evidence made more and more people begin to waver - mainly because the angels would give these people cheat codes every time, allowing these people to see many, many guns.

These many, many guns are the basis for resistance.

The organization that destroyed the new world appeared, and Ove named it - the resistance network.

Resistance network.

At first it was just a small group that communicated secretly through encrypted channels and shared intelligence stolen from the border system.

Ove became the core figure of this organization, and his determination and foresight infected those who had lost hope.

Hugh Abraham became their invisible mentor, guiding them on how to take action by exploiting loopholes in the destiny plan.

They changed from lurkers to attackers, and began to use technology and information warfare to fight against the border system.

They cracked the data center of the system, stole important intelligence, interfered with the operation of the system, and even began to awaken more imprisoned consciousness.

Every action led by Ove was a blow to the rule of Bodfell II.

They gradually weakened the control of the border system, destroyed the emotional suppression device, and allowed more people to experience the feeling of freedom.

Those who had been suppressed by the system for decades felt anger, love, fear and joy for the first time-the long-lost real emotions were the resistance force that the system could not suppress.

The resistance network became stronger and stronger, and the members expanded from dozens to hundreds, or even more.

Ove was no longer alone, and he gathered a group of people who really wanted freedom around him.

They formed a tight underground network, and through hacking and information manipulation, they gradually infiltrated every corner of the border system.

Resistance was no longer just Ove's private struggle, but a revolution that swept the entire virtual world.

In the world of nearly ten years, the resistance network has formed a prairie fire.

Ove's goal is no longer limited to survival, and his eyes are on bigger goals.

He is no longer satisfied with cracking a few surveillance cameras or leading a group of people to escape pursuit.

He understood that true freedom could only be achieved after the rule of Bodfell II was overthrown and the entire border system was destroyed.

In order to achieve this goal, Ove began to plan a bolder action.

They no longer just attacked the peripheral system of the border, but aimed at the core of the Internet of Things matrix - the place where all human consciousness was imprisoned.

It was the center of the border world and the source of Bodfell II's power.

The flame of resistance has been ignited, and Ove will be the heart of the flame that guides this revolution.

Just as the angel told him:

"As long as this matrix is ​​destroyed, everything will collapse. Bodfell II can no longer maintain his virtual kingdom, and you..., will also get the answer."

*

*

I woke up from the mirror,

The mirror is my home.

The lines in my palms are burning,

They are a map,

Lead me to the wall that doesn't exist.

Everyone's face looks the same,

Eyes closed, mouth singing,

The voice comes from an operator outside the sky,

The circus of fate is spinning silently.

I leap, but my shadow does not follow.

*

*

Year 172 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

July 1st.

The vigorous July Revolution began.

They first made these startling facts about the new world public by hacking into the border system's broadcast platform.

On all screens and in all communication devices, the deepest secrets of the border were suddenly displayed - people who had been "disappeared", their names, identities and the process of being purged from the system were presented one by one.

This information revelation was like a detonated bomb, instantly causing panic and anger among all levels of society.

Ove's voice came from the radio with a firm tone:

“They make you believe that the frontier is your protector and that the New World is for your benefit, but in fact, your destiny has been plundered.

Today, we will expose this false world and tell everyone that true freedom is waiting for you to awaken. "

After the success of the first phase, the resistance network turned to more radical methods. They invaded the New World Broadcasting System on the border and took control of the core communication network and television stations.

They projected Ove's manifesto to every corner of the entire virtual world. Whether it was the high-rise buildings of the wealthy class or the slums at the bottom of the border, Ove's voice was everywhere.

"O people, the time of awakening has come!"

Ove announced loudly on the radio, with the virtual city image on the border slowly collapsing in the background.

"You are trapped in the cage of destiny's plan, and I, Ove, will destroy the Ion Building, which symbolizes the domination of the new world, on November 5th. Bodefei II will no longer have a hiding place, and you should Stand up, overthrow this false rule, and regain your freedom!”

This declaration instantly ignited the anger and dissatisfaction at the bottom of society, and more and more people began to join the resistance network.

Later, Xia Xiu designed a [Kaomoji Mask] and created thousands of copies, asking Ove to spread these masks.

And, he impromptuly wrote a poem about wearing the mask.

These masks became symbols of resistance.

They have smiling lips and long beards, and the overall look creates a visual impact full of irony, which seems to be a mockery and contempt for the border world.

As expected.

People wore masks.

Whether on the streets or in institutions under border control, the presence of masks cannot be ignored.

The unified expressions of these masks represent the rebels' collective mockery of the existing order.

**Thousands of masks, thousands of people**

Gathering in the streets, the silence carries a strong sense of rebellion.

This smiling mask seems to be issuing a final challenge to the entire Bodefei II:

"Here we come."

As the revolution progresses, control of the border world gradually disintegrates.

The vigorous July Revolution reached an unprecedented climax with the massive awakening of the people.

The crowd chanted a hymn composed by the Fourth Swordbearer of Heaven:

"Wear this mask!

It is not a symbol of fear, but a face of courage,

It is not a disguise to escape, but a vow that we will never surrender.

Today, we are not a thousand people,

Not ten thousand people,

We are one! ! !

One voice, one will,

A roar of freedom.

They use fear to divide us,

We use masks to unite each other!

Behind these countless faces,

What we see is no longer fear, but hope.

The high walls of Parliament can no longer stop,

The dictator's scepter will slip from his hands,

Because we——

It's a storm! It's anger!

It is the heartbeat of the world that is about to be reborn!

No more flinching! Don't bow your head anymore!

Today we do not fight for ourselves;

We speak for everyone who has been silenced,

Hold the torch high for every oppressed soul!

Under the mask,

we are you,

you are us,

It’s the vibration of countless heartbeats,

Let this rotten throne completely collapse!

Tonight, the darkness will not be able to cover the dawn,

Because we have stood up,

We have nothing to fear,

We are the voice of freedom! "

Amid the wave of resistance, Ove and Xia Xiu stood on the top of the captured tower, looking down.

The night was as silent as iron, and the stars flickered faintly in the gaps in the city. Thousands of footsteps broke through the oppressive streets, carrying long-silent shouts.

People put on the same mask, and the smile was reflected in the flames. The eyes under the mask were no longer afraid or hiding.

Masks obscure people’s names but amplify our voices.

The individual loneliness dissipates under the mask, and all the souls merge into the sea at this moment.

Ove looked at this scene and shuddered a little. He turned to look at the angel whose expression was so calm that no one could tell what he was thinking.

Xia Xiu noticed Ove's gaze.

"I think my operation is terrible."

Ove did not deny it. The more he spent time with the angel in front of him, the more he could feel the chilling essence hidden deep in his soul.

"Abraham, what do you think of humans?"

"What do you think?"

Xia Xiu originally wanted to be humorous and stand and watch in reply, but looking at Ove's eyes, he stopped teasing.

"I never look closely at human nature - if I look at everything with a sharp eye like an axe, all romance will be gone."

"I have always felt that human nature is not black and white. It is ambiguous and fuzzy, stinginess and generosity struggle, and despicability and greatness dance together."

“Human beings are a strange race, where angels and devils coexist, and sins and hopes coexist.

They will fall into mutual suspicion, but they will also sacrifice themselves to protect everyone.

They will forget their promise, but they will be willing to pay the price with their lives to give her the most beautiful flower.

They have been controlled by greed and have a selfless spirit.

Cruel acts will be performed from time to time, aggression and killing, and those who are not of my race will have different intentions.

But the most important thing is that there will be people who will stand up to resist and oppose these. "

In the burning world, among the people who resisted, the angel stretched out the five fingers of his right hand, as if to hold everything in the scene below.

“Do you see those who promised greatness to humanity in the past?

If they...cannot lead mankind to greatness,

I will rise and lead!

In this dark abyss,

I will ignite the light and awaken the sleeping soul.

If they cannot raise the great banner,

I will hold it high and walk into the wind,

Not afraid of storms and thunder,

Because the road to the future will be paved by my own hands!

If their steps hesitate in fear,

My steps will be as firm as a mountain,

Leading people towards fearlessness,

Toward that great peak.

If they can't, I will rise and lead,

Because this is our time,

No more hesitation, no more submission.

The world will change because of our determination,

History will be remembered by our steps.

If they can't—

I will rise and lead! "

It is very rare that the Fourth Sword Bearer of Heaven expresses his deeply buried and disturbing political leanings and ambitions in front of the rebels he raised.

It's a pity that the Penguin of [Wandman Newspaper] is not here. They missed the journalistic material that does not require editing and is worth hundreds of millions.

*

*

November 5th.

Yarne Building.

The gloomy night filled the air with an unsettling silence.

Ove came to the Yarne Building as planned, but he lost contact with the main force.

The buildings towered into the sky, casting a huge shadow over the entire city.

However, strangely, there was silence all around, as if the entire building had been abandoned.

There were no guards, no defensive measures, he was the only one standing here, as if he was an invited guest.

"Why is there no one?" Ove was alert, but he had no choice.

The door of Yon Building opened automatically, as if waiting for his arrival.

Ove stepped inside and walked through the cold metal corridor, his heavy footsteps echoing around him.

The long corridor seemed to have no end, and there was a strange sense of oppression in the air.

Finally, he entered a huge cylindrical square.

The surrounding metal walls towered into the sky, as if they were about to swallow him completely.

In the center of the square, the figure he had been looking for for a long time finally appeared.

Bode Fei II.

He was sitting on a huge metal seat, surrounded by pipes and equipment. His whole body was covered with dense pipes, and the pipes were flowing with bright green nutrient solution. He was like an old mummy, leaning on these machines. Maintaining a lingering life.

Ove's eyes fell on the hand of Bodfe II. Six slender fingers clung to the armrest of the seat like rotten tree roots.

His skin was pale and shriveled, and his face was covered with wrinkles, but his eyes exuded a cold and cunning light.

"Hugh Abraham?" Ove suddenly called out in his heart, but there was no response.

"Don't waste your efforts, child." Fei II's voice was hoarse and low, with a cold smile.

His eyes pierced Ove like knives, "You want to contact that damn ghost? There's nothing he can do here."

Ove took a step forward suddenly, the flames of anger burning in his chest, and he raised the gun in his hand to face the enemy.

"I'm ending this today! You can no longer control them!"

Bade Fei II opened his withered mouth, showing a strange smile, and pointed his hand into the void.

"The end? My child, you actually never understand the real situation."

He waved his hand gently, and the surrounding metal walls suddenly opened slowly.

Ove's pupils suddenly dilated, and he could hardly believe his eyes.

Behind the iron wall, rows of laboratory-like containers appeared, each containing a human brain soaked in liquid.

These human brains are connected to countless electrodes and tubes, as if they are the core components of some kind of biological machinery.

"A hundred thousand of them."

Bode Fei II's voice was full of cruel pride.

Ove's breathing was rapid, and his eyes were fixed on the heads of those people.

It turns out that they really exist here, stripped of everything they own, leaving only pure consciousness.

But Bodefei II did not end there. His voice became even colder, with an indescribable cruelty:

"But do you know what the cruelest truth is?

You, Ove, are the hypocrites yourself. You are just an accidental product of this virtual world. "

Ove took a step back suddenly, "What?!"

"You are not in the minds of these people." Bade Fei II said with a low smile, "You actually once existed in real life, but later, you... turned into a monster."

He stretched out his skinny palms with six fingers, as if recalling some terrible scene.

"I'll show you a memory." Fei II made a gentle gesture, and a virtual screen appeared above the square.

The picture began to play, and a terrifying scene appeared in front of Ove - it was the orphanage where he lived in the past, a place full of children's laughter.

Ove's eyes widened as he saw a disgusting image appear.

The picture started to play, and a dark orphanage hall appeared.

Boom——

The gun fell, and Ove covered his head with a look of pain on his face.

"No...don't..."

The mottled paint on the walls and cracked windows gave the entire room an ominous atmosphere.

The children were lying scattered on the ground, their innocent faces now full of fear, as if they had an instinctive premonition of the coming disaster.

The Wendigo appears in the center of the screen.

Its huge body seemed to expand in the room, its twisted and twisted limbs surrounding it like a demon, and its sharp teeth like sharp blades.

Its skin was pale and cracked, oozing fishy blood, and its eyes were burning with scarlet light.

Those hungry eyes swept over the children's bodies, targeting the most vulnerable targets like prey.

Suddenly, the monster's claws suddenly stretched out towards a baby. Before he could cry, the twisted face of the Wendigo was close to him.

"Please!!!"

"Stop, no, no -"

Desperate wails sounded.

"Uuuuuu——"

The baby's eyes widened innocently, not understanding the cruelty of all this, and the Wendigo's foul-smelling mouth suddenly opened, biting instantly, tearing the baby's body apart.

"vomit----"

Blood splattered everywhere, warm blood sprayed on the ground, and the air was filled with the smell of death.

The Wendigo made a creepy chewing sound, and the baby's small body gradually disappeared in its mouth, leaving a pool of bright red blood.

The screams of the children echoed in the air, but the screams seemed to be swallowed up in the roar of the monster and disappeared without a trace.

Ove fell to his knees, his eyes bloodshot, unable to believe this.

That kind of empathy, that kind of sense that made him feel disgusted but happy...

These memories and touches came to him like a tide.

You can still feel the crispness in the corners of his mouth...

"This isn't true...this isn't true!"

He murmured softly, his fingers trembling as he gripped the ground, his nails scraping against the cold metal with a harsh sound.

His stomach was churning, and every inch of his body was signaling collapse.

"Hahahahahaha-cough cough cough-hahahaha-"

Fei II couldn't stop laughing wildly. Even though this action made his old body even more unbearable, he still didn't stop laughing viciously.

Fei II's expression suddenly changed, and the polite image he had pretended to be completely torn apart, revealing his true ferocity and viciousness. His voice was filled with cold mockery, coiling in the air like a poisonous snake, piercing Ove's eardrums.

"Jie Jie Jie——" Bodfei II's voice echoed in the empty virtual space. His eyes were locked on Ove like a hawk, revealing his truest nature.

"Have you ever thought that if it weren't for the interference of some external force, you would have fallen into my hands? I once planned to make you swallow the pregnant wife and lame father with your own hands. At that time, your appearance will definitely be even more... interesting."

There was endless contempt and sarcasm in his tone. His face twisted in the dim light, and the malice in his eyes became clearer.

"Of course, it's a pity that God doesn't follow people's wishes."

His voice was filled with long-buried resentment,

"You were unlucky. At that time, an outside force was investigated and it turned out to be the damn fourth sword holder in the kingdom of heaven. I regret why I didn't make you realize what I wanted, and why I didn't make you go further and further on the path of killing your father and wife."

The old man raised his head slightly, with a malicious smile on his lips:

"Just imagine, if you really swallowed your wife and the unformed fetus in her belly, your spirituality would have been completely destroyed, and your so-called humanity would have been rotten."

"So, why is there all this trouble today, and why is there any need for trial?"

"You are nothing but a walking corpse, at my mercy."

Ove's face was twisted with anger, his fists were clenched, and his knuckles were white from exertion.

"Haha, seeing you in such a miserable state now makes me very happy."

Bade Fei II smiled grimly, his eyes filled with evil light.

"I have indulged you, even the so-called angels have done whatever they want, all because of this moment. Your fate was already determined when I chose you as the recipient. I am just toying with you, waiting for you to fall into my net, and then I will devour you."

His voice suddenly dropped, with a hint of fanaticism:

"When I devour you and restore my authority, I will dig out the ghosts hiding in this world. I will use their souls as wicks, place them on my scepter, and burn them day by day. Their souls will remain forever. Burning endlessly, forever.”

"I want Hugh Abraham to suffer this death sentence forever and ever!!!"

Click~~

Click~~

Click~~

Ove fell to his knees like a torn rag doll, physically and mentally torn.

Pain and fear flooded into his consciousness, completely drowning his last remaining sanity.

His stomach seemed to be tightly clenched by invisible hands, churning; the pressure in his chest made it almost impossible to breathe.

The harsh laughter of Bode Fei II echoed in his brain, sharp and vicious, and every word was tearing at his soul.

"You have never escaped the control of fate..." Bodefei II whispered like a poisonous snake, his tone full of viciousness and malice, "You are just an instrument of fate's plan, a monster!"

The sound seemed to come from all directions, trapping Ove in a cage of pain and despair layer by layer.

Those memory scenes came one after another, flashing through his mind over and over again.

The screams of the children in the orphanage, and the horrific scene of the Wendigo ruthlessly tearing the baby apart under the bloody moonlight, were repeated endlessly.

Every replay pierced Ove's nerves like a sharp knife, causing his body to involuntarily begin to spasm and his muscles to tighten in severe pain.

"I... am a... monster..." Ove's voice was almost inaudible, trembling from his throat, but his own body betrayed his will.

He felt a cold force spread rapidly along his spine, through his limbs, and up to his fingertips.

The cold air was like poison, eroding every inch of his skin.

His hands began to twist, his knuckles gradually swelled, and his nails became as sharp as razors.

The nails pierced the skin, and blood dripped from the split fingertips and splashed on the ground, like a sign of death.

The pain was intensifying, his spine arched suddenly, his bones made a harsh clicking sound, and each bone was being stretched and deformed by the ruthless force.

Unnatural cracks appeared on his face, his skin was pale and chapped, his eye sockets were sunken, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed, replaced by a scarlet red, full of endless hunger and bloodthirsty desire.

The Wendigo, the monster lurking deep in his soul, finally awakens.

Ove's mouth was twisted into an extremely ferocious shape, and his teeth became sharp and ugly, like the fangs of a wild beast.

A low growl came from deep in his throat, his arms became thicker, and long claws stretched out from his fingers, like steel blades, seeming to tear apart the entire reality in front of him.

"You have never been Ove." Bodefei II's voice was low and full of mockery, as if coming from the depths of hell. "You are a Wendigo, a demon that devours innocent souls!"

"Bend your waist and spine like a dog! You are just a beast crawling in the dust! Crawl like a beast, don't raise your head under this green sun!

Your soul has long been tightly bound by chains, and you are nothing more than a walking corpse and an ant. Now, bury your face deep in the soil and fear the true greatness.

The more you struggle, the more useless it becomes! You will be like a dog that has lost its backbone, crawling before me and licking the shame you deserve! "

Yes.

I am... a Wendigo.

*

*

The Wendigo crawled towards Bade Fei II, like a dog that had lost its spinal cord.

Ove's vision began to blur, and his ears were filled with whispers and chuckles, as if the whole world was forcing him.

He heard them talking, and the voices seemed to be pressing from all directions:

"You have to bend over."

"This is the right thing to do."

“Only by bending down can one survive.”

The tone of their words was like a verdict, absolute and cold.

Their words tumbled through Ove's mind, echoing over and over again until they became impossible to ignore.

He looked down at himself. The shadows under his feet were lengthening infinitely, and his back began to bend involuntarily, as if an invisible hand had placed an extremely heavy weight on his back, weighing him down until he was about to suffocate.

"Some people just bent over, some people knelt down, and some people just dropped to the ground."

Those shadows began to gather around him, and every pair of eyes stared at him fiercely, their gazes as sharp as daggers, piercing his whole body with pain.

His legs began to shake and the weight on his back grew heavier.

There was a tearing pain in his heart, but he couldn't break free from this heavy restraint.

He turned around hard, eyes widening, trying to see what was behind him.

He saw himself as a teenager, with a happy face and an innocent smile that was beyond words.

He thought of himself at that time, full of fantasies about the future, thinking about becoming the person he most wanted to be.

Immediately afterwards, he saw his elderly parents, their faces full of anticipation and ardent hope.

They dragged their tired bodies to prepare for his future, eager to see him buy a house and a car in a big city.

His vision flashed into the faces of work, money, and friends, all standing by, sneering, watching him bend over.

"Kneel down."

"You'll never stand up."

Their voices were full of contempt, and their words were like poisonous knives, piercing Ove's soul.

When he was young, he was laughed at by them, and his family members looked disappointed.

Everyone was blaming him and he failed everyone's expectations.

"You let us down."

Ove wanted to open his mouth to refute, to tell them that it was not true, but his throat seemed to be strangled and he could not make any sound.

His lips trembled, but he could not make any sound.

Suddenly, the laughter became sharp and harsh, echoing in his mind, as if to destroy him completely.

Bodfe II cracked his mouth, revealing a hideous smile, watching the Wendigo step by step towards him.

He stretched out his hand, as if stroking an obedient "puppy", and the contempt and complacency from top to bottom were clearly visible in his eyes.

Ove's consciousness was completely blurred.

However, in this despair and chaos, he saw a vague figure emerging from his sight.

There was something...

It was a hand, warm and firm, reaching out to him, as if to save him from the endless abyss.

In a trance, he saw the figure reaching out and saying to him:

"Stand up!!!"

*

*

The voice exploded in his ears, shaking his soul like thunder.

In an instant, Ove's consciousness seemed to have regained its focus, and the long-dormant power in the depths of his soul seemed to be ignited.

His body suddenly tensed, and an irresistible force erupted in his body.

Crack——

Bodfe II's smile froze at that moment, his eyes full of shock and disbelief.

He lowered his head and looked at the claws that pierced his abdomen. It was the hand of the Wendigo.

The claws penetrated through Bodfe's abdomen, carrying blood and broken internal organs, flashing a hideous luster.

The eyes of the Wendigo flashed with hunger and anger, and the beast-like eyes revealed a cold and ruthless killing intent.

"You..."

A young man with many faces walked step by step from the edge of darkness, and every step he took was accompanied by a warm glow, dispelling the dawn of the night.

Compassion and tranquility bloomed in his eyes, and the shadow under his feet linked the Wendigo.

This belonged to him - the Fourth Legion.

"You were born ordinary, you came ordinary, but your heart is as sincere as fire. You want to go to the paradise where children are, but the road you take leads to hell. I will pull you back to the world and guide you to the road to heaven so that you can be saved."

"Ove, be thankful that in the last moments of your life, you killed the ugliest soul."

The limit for a chapter is 20,000 words, no more, I originally wanted to squeeze in.