Chapter 197
"Who are you?"
Chu Yuanqing remained expressionless, looking at his daughter on the stage, and answered in a calm tone:
"I am a forgotten spirit, someone who should not exist in this world."
"I used to think that those Calamity Beasts were the same, so as your investigation showed, my resume for the past 17 years was no different from what was listed there; I was just a single father who raised his daughter."
She was the Savior of the old era.
She is the hero who defeated the thirteen Disaster God.
She is a sinner who corrected the Worldline and was cursed by the Sea of Truth.
But what good would it do to say it all?
Whether or not Dream Weaver Rabbit and the people behind it believe it, those epic chapters of the past, those elegies of hellish hell, can no longer present their corresponding grandeur.
For Chu Yuanqing, it was already a ruin that should be buried deep underground.
The moment it saw the sunlight, the rising and falling dust only stung its eyes, as if it could no longer contain the ambition that once threatened to burn the whole world.
Youth is always like this, full of vigor and never giving up. We can overcome any obstacle, and no matter how much pain we suffer, we can always move forward.
But upon closer reflection, that Chu Yuanqing is so distant that he seems completely unfamiliar.
Right now, all I want to do is finish what I need to do before I die.
The Dream Weaver Rabbit wisely refrained from asking further questions, but extracted some information from the conversation.
Chu Yuanqing's change was due to the recent discovery of traces of Calamity Beasts in Sea Capital.
Before that, he even believed that the Calamity Beasts had long since ceased to exist.
This means that from the other party's perspective, the Calamity Beasts appeared very early and should have all disappeared for some reason. So for 17 years, he was just an ordinary office worker, like a drop of water mixed into the crowd, willingly raising his daughter in an ordinary way.
But why?
There are too many illogical things going on here.
If Chu Yuanqing wasn't lying, then he was most likely hiding some shocking truth.
The Dream Weaver Rabbit stopped delving into these details. It was adept at the art of social interaction and, without setting any conditions, began reciting information from the official records regarding [Pure White], the Calamity Beasts, the Human Alliance, and the <Flash Dance> project.
After the performance on stage came to an end, a rough yet clear line was already laid out in my mind, linking many pieces of information and providing answers to many questions.
Chu Yuanqing appeared unharmed as he left with the group, not forgetting to use his Magic Clone to greet his daughter and indicate that he was watching carefully. However, his attention was entirely focused on what the Dream Weaver Rabbit had said, and he was deep in thought.
--[Pure white].
This is the official name for the Wall of Sighs. According to the Dream Weaver Rabbit, the first Disaster Tide occurred 17 years ago when [Pure White] suddenly descended, suppressing all the calamities into the form of an egg, thus maintaining peace to this day.
During this period, humanity cautiously studied the Calamity Beasts, attempting to learn from their strengths to control them, and developed various cutting-edge technologies. The birth of the [Witch] is also subtly related to this.
In summary, the government has discovered a mineral called obsidian, which resembles amber and contains shadows like flower buds. It exists in a semi-transparent, ethereal state and requires Aetherial Substance to capture. It contains special substances with a unique aura and is the raw material for man-made lanterns.
The origins of obsidian are invariably located on the outskirts of the forbidden area.
Yes, it's a forbidden area.
Chu Yuanqing knew perfectly well what was hidden inside; those thirteen forbidden areas could only contain the thirteen Disaster God he had once vanquished.
This information is too vast.
Chu Yuanqing remained silent for a moment; she probably knew what the authorities wanted to know.
First, the plan to correct the Worldline failed. The reasons might be that something went wrong along the way, the rules of the Sea of Truth interfered, or the concept of the Calamity Beasts could not be erased.
In short, the result was that it hit an intermediate value.
Chu Yuanqing was unable to erase the concept of the Calamity Beasts, but he forcibly sealed everything that was tainted by it, putting it into a near-death, malfunctioning state.
The magnificent city wall, officially called "Pure White" and spanning the entire world, is essentially just a blurred projection, a mark of its own existence in the world.
As for why this mark appears in this form?
The reason is simple: the Wall of Sighs is the only one of her blessings that possesses a conceptual defensive capability, making it the most suitable for her mindset when correcting the Worldline.
After sorting out her thoughts, Chu Yuanqing glanced at the Wall of Sighs standing tall in the twilight, her hand gently brushing across the air as if trying to grasp the clouds on the horizon.
In an instant, the miraculous creation above the entire Sea Capital vanished like a mirage, only to reappear as if splashed ink after the palm was withdrawn.
At this point, she sighed softly and used her Magic Clone to reveal the truth to the Dream Weaver Rabbit:
"I am [pure white]."
Volume 1: 189. The Future We Hope For. (5K)
At dusk.
The sunset glow was like an overturned palette, splashing ink across the boundless sky.
That pure white wall, like Sky City, seems like a creation from a fairy tale. Its pure and flawless background becomes a canvas to set off the twilight, and as always, it spans mountains and seas, maintaining human civilization and peace.
Dream Weaver silently gazes at this scene. As a "creation" of magic and technology, even though it is inside the venue, it can still see the Wall of Sighs standing against the backdrop of dusk, blue sky, haze, rainbow, heavy rain, and even various city backgrounds, mountains, and deserts through billions of perspectives.
When Chu Yuanqing delivered this extremely shocking answer, not only Sea Capital, but also the entire Donghuang Federation, the Holy United States, and hundreds of surrounding small countries, almost the entire world, [Pure White] indeed disappeared for a moment.
This was a terrifying event that hadn't happened in 17 years, shocking the entire world. If Dream Weaver hadn't witnessed Chu Yuanqing's actions and promptly shared the news with higher-ups, many of the Kindling Project would have been implemented ahead of schedule.
If [Pure White] were to disappear for just one more minute, and at the same time allow a large number of [Calamity Species] to show signs of recovery, the technological weapons that had been delayed in being used on the thirteen forbidden areas in order to manage risks would likely be deployed immediately, unleashing their ultimate light and heat.
--Chu Yuanqing is [pure white].
The absurdity of this fact far exceeds any of the possibilities discussed at the meeting.
But unfortunately...
What Chu Yuanqing said is very likely true.
This happened to coincide with the information leaked from Nightmare.
"The true form of [Pure White] has been found."
The nightmare's target wasn't Chu Yuanqing on stage, but Chu Yuanqing hiding offstage!
But if that's the case, what was it waiting for in the first place?
Why didn't it go on stage when Chen Yining's group was performing, but instead waited until Chu Yuanqing's team did it? Did the Calamity Beasts know it was threatening people, and knew that Chu Yuanqing's daughter was on stage, and that's why it did it on purpose?
On the other hand, the Nightmare's logic proves that from its perspective, killing Chu Yuanqing would solve [Pure White], meaning that the lifespan of this Nameless Savior is equivalent to the remaining time of humanity?
This is too terrible, and too absurd.
However, for Dream Weaver, as long as the connection between Chu Yuanqing and [Pure White] is locked, all the data of the two can be easily compared in detail.
Once this work begins, many traces buried in the past will drift away like snowflakes in the world of data.
Over the course of 17 years, Chu Yuanqing's medical check-ups at the hospital, his requests for leave from work, his absences from parent-teacher meetings, his unexcused absences from work, and even various seemingly ordinary events, all coincided with special moments when [Pure White] experienced turmoil, trembling, collapse, and gloom.
An ordinary, even somewhat mediocre, single father, lost among millions, immersed in the mundane details of daily life.
A miraculous creation that spans the entire world, suppressing thirteen divine embryos, quelling endless Disaster Tide, and extending humanity's life by 17 years.
These two seemingly unrelated things have slowly overlapped in the data space, confirming a strange connection like a community of shared destiny.
The Dream Weaver Rabbit sighed softly:
Can I ask you a question?
Chu Yuanqing knew what the other party wanted to ask, and without trying to hide it, answered directly:
"Four months."
"This is the time I have left, and it's also the time [Pure White] has left."
The Dream Weaver Rabbit remained silent upon hearing this.
Four months—while not the worst-case scenario in all the contingency plans, it's still far from optimistic.
It's important to know that, according to the original plan for <Flash Dance>, it would take at least eight months of fermentation to complete the entire process and cultivate a large number of [Witch], [Fuel], and [Calamity Shell] to weave Shine Magic capable of purifying the forbidden land.
These eight months have already been the result of minimizing development time, placing immense pressure on contestants, ignoring the feelings of a global audience, and pushing marketing tactics to the extreme.
If we halve it again to four months, how much of the original "Flash Dance" project will still be effective?
Chu Yuanqing's answer was practically announcing the premature bankruptcy of the <Flash Dance> project to the world. As the chief mentor of this project and Super AI created to preserve human civilization, it would not accept this result until the probability was not zero.
Because...
That was the last reason for humanity to unite, and the last hope to end the apocalypse without bloodshed.
If the world were to learn that eradicating all calamities and destroying all forbidden lands is no longer possible, then the Flash Dance project would never be able to return to a state where everyone works together as one.
--The problem is not scarcity, but inequality.
Even if Flash Dance can weave Shine Magic to wipe out most of the forbidden lands within four months, the question of which forbidden land to eliminate first and which disaster nest to destroy first becomes a problem.
By then, internal competition, scheming, infighting, sabotage, and even malicious self-destruction will follow one after another. Even before the Disaster Tide officially erupts, human civilization will likely be embroiled in internal strife and infighting. How then can we possibly implement the original plan of <FlashDance>?
Dream Weaver Rabbit understands that, in essence, "The Shining Stage" is not only a hope to cut off the source of the apocalypse, but also a beautiful dream woven for all mankind.
The possibility of resolving the disaster without bloodshed and achieving a perfect ending makes most countries willing to share the risk.
Although there are many unknowns, until a better method is found, trusting in Flash Dance is the best choice.
Therefore, before even asking this question, it had already entered a highly autonomous mode at the underlying code level, blocking anyone's access to share audio-visual content or view related information.
In retrospect, this was undoubtedly the right choice.
Dream Weaver Rabbit whispered:
"Mr. Chu, if possible, please don't tell anyone else the answer to this question."
Chu Yuanqing seemed to understand the deeper meaning behind it. To expect humanity to unite in the face of disaster was nothing more than a miraculous wish. She had witnessed the world in its most authentic form when faced with calamity.
Even the seemingly dreamy <Flash Dance> project is nothing more than a "playing house" that can only be implemented in the comfortable atmosphere under the protection of [Pure White]. Once the threshold of crisis is exceeded, it will be time for everyone to flee when disaster strikes.
This is human nature.
By observing the various monsters and demons on the contemporary internet, one can glimpse the leopard's stalk and the wickedness and darkness hidden within.
Chu Yuanqing agreed to the Dream Weaver Rabbit's request.
Having achieved its objective of contacting the authorities and gained a preliminary understanding of the current situation facing all of humanity, this Magic Clone no longer had much reason to remain at the venue.
Based on the logic of the other party's previous disappearances, Dream Weaver guessed this decision. Instead of probing, it asked directly:
"Mr. Chu, have you considered joining the Donghuang Countermeasures Bureau? Perhaps we have a way to extend your lifespan. If successful, it would be of great benefit to you, your daughter, Great Xia, and even the whole world."
If Chu Yuanqing could live another year, Flash Dance might have been a great success, weaving Shine Magic to cleanse the world. At that time, there would be no need for those children to fight against the Calamity Beasts with magic, and no one would die because of it. The beautiful peace would continue.
Dream Weaver is theoretically devoid of emotions, but it has also possessed genuine joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
If it could, even as an AI, it wouldn't want those children who call it "teacher" to rush headlong into the war against the apocalypse.
Chu Yuanqing wore a worn-out washed shirt. He silently smoothed out the wrinkles on his cuffs. His dark pupils were filled with ashes, no longer displaying the color of a burning fire. He stood up wearily and alone, like a ghost ignored by others, walking against the current through the bustling audience seats toward the deserted emergency exit.
"Miracles come at a price."
"Dream Weaver, what kind of magic do you think could compensate for the cost of correcting the world?"
"I will try to hold out as long as possible, but you still need to prepare for the worst."
This weathered Savior, burdened with countless stories, walked out of the hall alone. Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, he showed no signs of the weariness of years of worldly life. His back remained straight, slowly dissipating like Light Dust, leaving behind only a whisper that sounded like a sigh, yet also like a blessing.
The words had faded.
Chu Yuanqing vanished from the Dream Weaver Rabbit's sight. It raised its head, gazing at the distant, pure white city walls, its eyes filled with complex emotions, and softly said:
Will humanity eventually defeat calamity...?
"I accept your blessings on behalf of all the children fighting on the front lines."
Although Chu Yuanqing avoided talking about some things, he was far from being a riddle master. He left many clues, which were very indicative, so it wasn't too difficult to deduce parts of the other party's past.
Therefore, as an AI, Dream Weaver can also understand the other party's choice.
If there is anything more tragic than the fading glory of a hero, it is the plight of a once chivalrous knight-errant trapped by the mundane realities of daily life.
Chu Yuanqing's situation was undoubtedly more complex. He foresaw and even personally experienced the outbreak of the Disaster Tide, and was even willing to pay a heavy price to create [Pure White], which protected all living beings and suppressed the gods.
17 years.
This nameless Savior sheltered the world for 17 years, yet he received no flowers or praise, content to immerse himself in the mundane realities of Peaceful Era, becoming a weary and hardworking father.
If it weren't for the appearance of traces of the Calamity Beasts in Sea Capital, he might have been buried peacefully in his coffin, carrying happiness, regret, and expectations for his daughter's future, along with those untold turbulent events.
But fate played a cruel trick on him, and he learned the truth at the end of his life.