Restart the Universe? No, I Want a Version Update

Within the Pure White Space, there was only the faint crackle of electricity from that old-fashioned typewriter.

Lin Mu held a crumpled scrap of paper between his fingers.

This was the Devourer's true body, and also the server carrying the underlying data of this universe.

As long as a wisp of divine fire surged from his fingertips, this sheet of paper would turn to ashes.

At that moment.

The abyss, Blue Star, every civilization and every living being would be completely reset to zero along with the server's physical destruction.

If he did not destroy it.

The ink marks on the paper—the garbled characters representing the Devourer's consciousness—were slowly writhing and reorganizing.

It was an undying program.

Given enough time, it would reboot once more and devour everything.

This was a dead end.

Lin Mu looked at the paper in his hand, his fingers gently brushing its rough edges.

That "author's" projection slumped against the air, pushing up the thick-framed glasses on his nose.

"Useless."

The projection exhaled a smoke ring, which dissipated within the Pure White Space.

"This is a dead knot in the setting. Either format and reinstall the system—in other words, destroy the universe—or keep the virus and wait for its next outbreak. There's no third path."

Lin Mu ignored the projection's defeatist words.

He turned around and looked behind him.

Lilith stood at the very front. Behind her were Hades, Margo, Velaya, and the other Abyss Monarchs.

Having lost their Source Cores, their bodies had shrunk countless times over and looked somewhat frail, yet their gazes remained sharp.

Elvira sheathed the Sword of Light and Shadow, while Monk Huineng was quietly stuffing a golden keyboard fragment into his sleeve.

Lilith lifted her skirt, crossed the pure white floor, and walked up to Lin Mu.

She extended