Infinite spooky game

On the fifth basement floor of the Jiangcheng Bureau of Investigation, at the bottom of the corridor, in the detention room, the soldiers who had imprisoned people with live ammunition eleven days ago were once again gathered at the door, armed to the teeth.

Senator Hayes walked at the front, raised his hand and tapped twice on the electronic screen embedded in the iron gate, then entered a password into the pop-up verification interface.

The iron gate opened automatically, and Lin Jue, dressed in a neat black suit, sat upright in the chair in the center of the room. Upon hearing the sound, he calmly looked up at Congressman Hayes, as if he was certain that he would come.

Congressman Hayes smiled bitterly: "Lin Jue, whether you still believe me or not, I have to say this from the bottom of my heart: We are all sorry to you."

Lin Jue remained noncommittal, looking up at him: "Tell me what happened in these eleven days. I need to know how far along the ancestral god's recovery has progressed."

“All cities except Jiangcheng have fallen.” Representative Hayes stated clearly, his tone gradually becoming natural, as if the previous trial against Lin Jue had never happened.

"Over the past two weeks, the ancestral god, possessing the body of the white raven, has frequently appeared in various cities, corrupting children under the age of fourteen through a bizarre medium shaped like candy. As of now, all children have been transformed into this monster, including infants."

Children are the hope for the continuation of a people. When all children are polluted, it is tantamount to cutting off the possibility of civilization's development at its root. If the root cause is not addressed in time, the extinction of mankind is only a matter of time.

Lin Jue nodded slightly and said, "You have no means to restrain the Ancestral God, so you are pinning your hopes on me, who has clashed with the Ancestral God many times, to turn the tide. But I must say, I am not sure I can change all of this."

Neither Lin Jue nor Fu Jue had ever directly uttered a word of denial in the past thirty-six years. Perhaps to give people hope in their fight against the supernatural, or perhaps out of some kind of strategic confidence, they almost never mentioned anything they couldn't do. As a result, everyone subconsciously believed that he was omnipotent, as if his mere presence could solve any problem.

But in reality, he wasn't a god, but a human; even a god couldn't guarantee that everything would go as planned. Congressman Hayes knew this, and after a long silence, slowly spoke: "We have to try. Lin Jue, we hope you can give it your all one last time, of course, if you're unwilling..."

"Is the God-Slaying Sword still there?" Lin Jue asked.

Congressman Hayes knew that Lin Jue was willing to try and confront the Ancestral God. No one knew whether the [Sword of Godslaying] could actually kill a god of the Ancestral God's level, but it was worth a try.

Two investigators carried a rusty longsword down to the fifth basement level. The ancient bronze gleamed with a chilling aura under the cold white light. Just being in the same room with it, one could almost smell the coldness and bloodshed accumulated over millions of years.

Lin Jue gripped the bronze sword. His eyes, behind his frameless glasses, reflected no shadows. His gaze was lowered, seemingly lost in thought, as if pondering something in silence.

A piercing alarm suddenly blared without warning, and silvery-white threads spread and fluttered in the corridor. It was as if the divine eye in the sky had pierced through the building's obstruction and landed directly on this world on the fifth basement level.

In an instant, a bizarre illusion appeared before everyone's eyes: a woman in white with white hair stood on a pure white snow mountain. Her long hair, which trailed to the ground, seemed to merge with the ice and snow beneath her feet, and then melted at the foot of the mountain into silvery-white glacial rivers that flowed through mountains and cities. The crisscrossing network of rivers became the lifeblood of the world, enveloping and binding the entire land.

All humans, birds, beasts, and trees were melting, their flesh becoming transparent like flowing water, revealing the glowing bones beneath. Gradually, even the bones turned into snowmelt, and living and dead things flattened at the same time, merging into a white ocean that flowed into ditches and rivers.

The scene faded away, and everyone who witnessed it wore a solemn expression. Lin Jue, carrying the bronze sword, walked towards the elevator, slightly turning his head as he passed Councilor Hayes: "Prepare the plane and take me to the snow-capped mountains of Shangri-La."

That scene just now was undoubtedly a declaration from the ancestral god. He was waiting for Lin Jue on the snow mountain, but his intention was unknown.

So, after experiencing so much, will Lin Jue still stand on the side of humanity? Will he be persuaded by the Ancestral God to join the ranks of the gods?
Congressman Hayes was unaware of this. In truth, he had never been able to fully trust Lin Jue from beginning to end, but now, he had no choice but to trust Lin Jue.

The plane was quickly ready, and the investigators and members of parliament waited on the tarmac with different expressions, witnessing Lin Jue, whom they had just condemned as a sinner, board the plane step by step.

Silvery-white light filled every corner of the world, draping all those exposed to the elements in an overexposed cloak of light, so much so that they could not see each other's expressions, or even recognize their faces and figures.

It felt like we were back at Ragnarok twenty-two years ago, at the foot of the Tower of Babylon in the Ruins of Sunset, where Lin Jue and the members of the Ark Guild gathered, wanting to end the bizarre game by defeating the rules.

The outcome of that gamble was undoubtedly disappointing, so what about this new gamble that is about to begin? Will humanity emerge victorious?

"President..." Senator Hayes silently uttered a title, just like twenty-two years ago when players always liked to ask Lin Jue the utterly foolish question, "Can we win?"

But whatever the answer, it crumbles before the facts. These people are no longer young, and they only have one last chance to start the gamble.

As the plane took off, Senator Hayes silently watched the black shadow rise into the sky, gradually transforming into an indistinct black dot in his field of vision before disappearing without a trace.

……

The direct flight from Jiangcheng to Shangri-La takes six hours, and these are the final six hours that will determine the fate of humanity. It's like a box that may contain deadly poison gas; only when it's opened will we know whether we live or die. And now, that box that will determine the continuation or destruction of civilization will be opened in six hours.

The plane was on autopilot, and Lin Jue was the only passenger. For six hours, he had no way to speak to anyone else, presumably remaining silent. In reality, people maintained the same silence, holding their breath and waiting for the end of the world, afraid that their actions would disturb the unseen beings around them.

They all took out their phones or computers and entered bizarre game forums, using pointless and meaningless discussions to find a community with people who shared the same fate and to dispel their indescribable fears.

[This is terrifying, it's like a dream. Just a few days ago they were telling us to relax and wait for the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation to rescue us, how could the pollution suddenly have spread so widely? And it's even affecting the children...]

In real life, I'm an elementary school teacher. Right now, my colleagues and I are hiding in our office. The students have gone crazy, constantly banging on the door. I don't know how much longer we can hold out. If Lin Jue wins, will we be resurrected?

[Don't be afraid, everyone. Lin Jue has gone to the snow mountain. He will definitely end all of this. As long as he wins, the world will be like Jiangcheng before, with all those who died from the strange and all those destroyed by the strange restored to their original state.]

[Lin Jue will definitely win. He's so powerful; he hasn't lost in the past thirty-six years. He's even killed gods before... Don't worry, everyone. Maybe after a good night's sleep, the world will be back to normal!]

Those who had criticized Lin Jue, those who had supported Lin Jue, those who opposed Kyushu, and those who supported Kyushu... people with different stances and viewpoints finally reached a consensus at this moment, all looking forward to Lin Jue's victory.

At six o'clock in the evening, the plane arrived in Shangri-La Town. Lin Jue stood at the foot of the snow mountain. The town, which was bustling and noisy just a month ago, now seemed deserted and silent, like a dead city overrun by ghosts.

A small wooden cabin with a sign that read "Mountain Climbing Preparation Station" sat at the end of the street. A woman in a Tibetan robe sat by the window, turning a bronze mirror toward Lin Jue, her voice soft and gentle: "Before you climb the mountain, why not take a look at your fate?" Lin Jue turned his head to look at the bronze mirror. The mirror was a blank white, like scratched glass, reflecting nothing, including his face.

He chuckled and continued on his way. The woman then said, "Do you need a guide? In our legend, those who climb mountains alone will never leave the snow-capped mountains."

Lin Jue seemed not to hear, and strode onto the snow-covered mountain path. There are always those who, before even entering the snow-capped mountains, are prepared to stay there forever; why couldn't he be that person?

Under the gray night sky, the snow gleamed with an eerie white light, casting a ghostly pale shadow on people's faces. The mountain wind howled incessantly, and shards of ice pelted their faces, cutting small, bloody gashes.

Upon arriving here, all thoughts and emotions ceased to matter. Lin Jue seemed oblivious to pain, letting the wind and snow obscure the path ahead, focusing solely on climbing the mountain...

The four cards, [Desperate Writer], [Crimson High Priest], [Closed-Eye Dictator], and [Fallen Savior], gradually emerged in his hand, their crimson and silver faces intertwined.

A person can only be bound to one identity card; those who can possess multiple identity cards are gods. Now that he has finally taken this final step, there is no turning back.

The wind and snow blowing down from the mountaintop grew increasingly fierce. Lin Jue held the bronze sword in front of him and broke through the wind and snow step by step.

The towering glacier parted to the sides, leaving a path wide enough for one person to pass through. A woman with white hair and white clothes stood at the end of the path and suddenly appeared in front of Lin Jue.

“I have been waiting for you.” The Ancestral God’s silvery-white eyes looked gently at Lin Jue through the cutouts of his mask, his voice kind. “Whether you pursue fairness or destruction, neither is a long-term solution in the eyes of the rules.”

“From every perspective, you are the most suitable person to succeed me. It’s just a pity that you always have too much hostility towards the rules and me, which makes us unable to entrust you with authority.”

Lin Jue looked directly into His eyes and said, "But you still handed me both the [Desperate Writer] and [Crimson High Priest] cards."

The Ancestral God shook his head slightly: "I sometimes gamble too."

He sent Charles to Jiangcheng to bring the priest back, on the grounds that "the Scarlet Priest should not fall into the hands of the Dark-Eyed Dictator."

But He actually forgot to say one thing: "If the [Crimson Priest] card is already in the hands of the [Closed-Eyes Dictator], then let him get it along with the [Desperate Writer] card."

[Desperate Writer], [Humanoid Evil Spirit], [Crimson Priest], [Fool's Deceiver], [Closed-Eye Dictator], and [Soul Master] all belong to the same path and can all be promoted to [Lord of the Gods].

With the [Soul Dominator] card yet to appear, Lin Jue, who possesses three identity cards, clearly holds the advantage.

When a person is infinitely close to God, possessing the memories and cognition of a deity, how could they willingly submit to the subjugation of weak humans? How could they be willing to continue representing the interests of humanity?
The Ancestral God remembered that the body He possessed, named "White Raven," had also attempted to resist the will of the gods in its final moments. However, aside from leaving behind a [Divine Mask] to limit its divine power, its human understanding was instantly diluted by the gods' memories. He believed that Lin would not be that exception.

He gazed at Lin Jue and continued, "I am restricted by the [Divine Face] and am destined to be unable to continue to carry out the commands of the rules. You only need to replace me and restart this world, and you will become the only god in the new world."

"If you like humans, you can recreate this species in a new world. Perhaps the new humans born according to your wishes will be more rational and will not do so many ridiculous and foolish things as they do now."

Lin Jue listened attentively to the Ancestral God's words, lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then looked up and met His gaze: "I do think this world needs a reboot. Humans are indeed foolish and arrogant in many ways, attacking each other for petty gains, and believing in external things more than their own kind. Countless terrible traits are gathered in this species, and sometimes I wonder why it was they who gave birth to civilization during the evolutionary process."

His tone was sincere, as if he truly believed it. Disillusioned with humanity due to unfair treatment, he turned to accepting the views of the gods—a seemingly reasonable explanation at first glance. As if to prove his point, he stepped back a few paces, plunged his bronze sword into the ice and snow, and then returned empty-handed to the ancestral god.

The Ancestral God nodded slightly, and a white card stained with blood appeared at his fingertips. A silvery-white light flowed through his fingers and into the identity card. The phantoms of white birds, frogs, and snakes flickered around the card, and all sorts of creatures transformed into the simplest totems engraved on the card, becoming part of the shepherded.

The Ancestral God pushed the card toward Lin Jue and said calmly, "This is the [Undead Shepherd] card from my path. I will place my authority within it. Under the witness of the rules, you will make a promise to complete your mission, and then you will gain everything."

Lin Jue stared at the gleaming identity tag and suddenly remembered the army ant that crawled out of the tea stains. Because the tea stains had been deliberately cut open, the army ant had the opportunity to escape the cycle.

Humans are as insignificant as ants compared to gods. The Sacred City, the final dungeon, the [God-Slaying Sword], and the [Divine Mask]—a series of variables have pushed the Ancestral God away from his original mission, creating a gap that gives him a sliver of hope for victory.

"I, Lin Jue, hereby promise that I will restart this world as the rules desire," Lin Jue said, enunciating each word clearly.

As he spoke, the beings high above resonated with him, and golden threads appeared in the void, binding his body layer upon layer.

The contract has been signed and is guaranteed by the rules of the world; no entity may violate it.

Lin Jue extended his right hand and grasped the [Undead Shepherd] card. The instant his fingers touched the card, his left hand also grasped the [Fallen Savior] card, gathering all his power at his fingertips and suddenly tightening his grip.

The sound of shattering glass rang out, and countless cracks covered the surface of the [Fallen Savior] card. Blinding white light burst from the cracks, violently tearing apart the remaining parts of the card until the entire card was reduced to dust.

"Fu Jue, I'm sorry, but it seems I don't have any other options for you this time either."

A surreal sigh drifted away on the wind, and the silvery-white in Lin Jue's eyes faded visibly, turning back into a dull black. The newly woven golden threads snapped and vanished in an instant, signifying the disappearance of the contract's subject.

A being possessing the authority of an ancestral god can naturally destroy a certain identity card by exerting all its power; the spirits of the dead who are forcibly brought back to the human world by the [Fallen Savior] card are destined to dissipate when the identity card is destroyed.

Therefore, since Lin Jue died at Ragnarok twenty-two years ago, no one can prove that he ever returned.

Standing atop the snow-capped mountain was Fu Jue from beginning to end. (End of Chapter)