A brief silence settled over the space.
Anyone else might have hesitated for a long time.
The Simulator was as good as a second life.
With it, there was always a way back, always a chance to survive even the most desperate straits.
Giving it up completely meant placing himself squarely in danger.
But Su Ming remained silent for only a few breaths.
"I choose the second option."
His will was calm and firm, without the slightest hesitation.
The gray mist seemed taken aback.
"Won't you think it over?"
"Once you lose the Simulator, no one will help you if you face certain death again."
"A path is something you carve out yourself."
Su Ming replied evenly.
"If you rely on outside things to protect you, you'll never reach the summit."
Sitting around waiting to die had never been his style.
The gray mist slowly spread, carrying a hint of relief.
"Good."
"I really did choose the right person."
"Are you ready? The fusion won't be pleasant."
Su Ming's consciousness grew a little more solid.
"Begin."
The instant his words fell,
the pale blue orb of the Simulator burst apart.
It became countless tiny blue motes, like stars strewn across the heavens, and merged into the gray mist.
Then the entire mass of gray mist abruptly contracted, turning into a torrent that rushed toward Su Ming's consciousness.
Su Ming felt his soul shudder.
Countless pieces of information, rules, and insights flooded his sea of consciousness in an instant.
The essence of Void Power.
The cycle of Return to Silence and rebirth.
The secrets deep within the Ruins Realm...
All manner of profound, elusive laws exploded in the depths of his consciousness, like enlightenment pouring straight into his mind.
At the same time,
earthshaking changes took place within his frozen body.