As a player, can you be normal?

Chapter 742 The Monsters That Came Back to Life

No one can answer the question of when the World Tree was created.

Time is chaotic.

The present is the past.

The past is the future.

The next second is one second ago.

What happened yesterday was actually a turning point that would occur two months later.

This is the world of the corridor.

When was the World Tree created?

It may come from the future.

The future, the past, and the present could all be it.

The World Tree exists to isolate the invasion of terrifying forces from another world. Many of the exciting stories we see often overlook the lives of ordinary people. In a world where power is too great, and there are no rules or logic to follow, swords, magic, bullets, and even nuclear weapons are just toys in the course of history. Surviving in such a world is not difficult, but an accident can destroy entire planets.

In the world where the corridor is located, at least many things follow a pattern that can be observed.

This is the function of the World Tree.

Players are beings who stand above the gods.

The administrators stand above the players, establishing laws and fulfilling their role in supplying energy to the World Tree.

The World Tree doesn't care what kind of law it is, as long as you can complete the task.

Another kind of jungle law where the strong prey on the weak.

In this set of rules, the five corridors are always in conflict with each other. They compete for territory and resources, and fighting to the death, cooperating, and betraying each other are all normal occurrences between the corridors.

However, why are there only five corridors?

Even the king could not provide an answer.

It's possible that five people were the ones who created the World Tree in the first place, but interestingly, there was never any limit to how many corridors there could be.

As long as the administrators are willing to allow it, six, seven, and an endless number of corridors will appear. Perhaps the World Tree has other mechanisms to prevent this behavior, but at least one or two more will not be a problem.

Why is there no problem?

Because even if one more appears, it will disappear immediately.

Carl Ellison stood opposite Lino and took off the ring on his ring finger.

"The creators of the sixth corridor have appeared more than once, and without exception, they have all been killed. Once a new corridor appears, the number and quality of the initial players will become the foundation for its existence. Even those guys from 'The End' who cause trouble without any scruples can completely destroy any new hope within a day."

The sixth corridor.

This is an extremely difficult path, one that has no chance of success.

"The first step is to obtain the World Tree's approval. This step is sufficient as long as my data still exists. I will hand over this ring to you as the [Administrator]. Any one of you who has a ring with [Administrator Qualification] can take over its rights."

He handed the ring to Li Nuo's palm.

The ring was of rough material, just a circular shape without any decoration, and even covered in rust. At first glance, it looked like a cheap product made in a small workshop. But the dim light it shone with, the kind of pride that never gave up and shone even in the darkness and at the end of suffering, was exactly what managers had to experience.

The ring has no data displayed on its panel.

Because it stands above the panel data, it is the supreme symbol of the player, and proof that it stands above billions of lives and gods.

Li Nuo gripped the ring tightly, raised it to look up, and his pupils merged with the ring's circle.

"It's a ring that symbolizes supreme power, so when it's completed, it will naturally be attacked by its peers. Therefore, we need a special environment to prevent other players from attacking us."

When the king saw the smile on the man's face, he knew that Li Nuo understood what to do.

"The script outside the World Tree, isn't it, Your Majesty?"

Li Nuo reacted too quickly.

The story outside the World Tree hasn't even started yet, which gives them time to develop stealthily.

"Sometimes I really wish you were the manager."

"That won't work."

Li Nuo handed the ring to Cha Bai.

“I’ve said it before, I’m a cook. I’m responsible for cooking. Menus and customers have nothing to do with me. I can’t be a manager.”

Cha Bai swallowed the ring.

Li Nuo was stunned, but still maintained a serious tone as he summarized the above information.

"As long as there is a special channel, a new corridor can be opened. For example, in the 'Corridor of the End,' the way to become a manager is not limited to defeating the demon god. As long as you have the qualifications of a manager, such as the [Scholar] back then, as long as you can get the data related to managers, you can also open a new corridor. But that thing is most likely in the 'World Tree'."

The king acknowledged what he said, having witnessed the emergence of new corridors many times as a former "Corridor of the End" player.

Li Nuo subconsciously reached for the thermos at his waist, forgetting that he was currently naked, and continued speaking.

"After a new corridor appears, it will be invaded by other corridors. Can I understand this as one of the rules of the 'World Tree'?"

"I guessed that." The king feigned surprise: "By defeating or surviving an attack in a corridor, you can obtain a 'region.' The so-called 'region' is the 'fruit.' The five corridors use inheritance as the main method of passing on the management responsibilities because what is inherited is the area and that large group of players who can handle everything."

When the "Endless Corridor" first appeared, Karl Elimond also experienced a major event, which was related to the rise of the Demon God.

Li Nuo said, "Then as long as we get first place in a scenario outside of the 'World Tree's' management, we can maximize our rights and make the World Tree's rules ineffective against us before that scenario happens."

“That’s it.” The king clapped his hands. “Now, the next question.”

At this point, Cha Bai could no longer understand.

Conversations between two people who are using their brains often skip many steps of deduction and directly generate the answer.

But there was something she cared about deeply; women tend to think more subtly: "Suppose... one of us becomes a manager, does that mean we'll never see that person again?"

Although there are no specific rules, it is a fact that administrators cannot reveal their true identities to players.

“You can see me, can’t you?” the king said. “As long as it doesn’t become a ‘real’ corridor, the position of administrator is just a title.”

The implication is that the Corridor Manager, who is not fully recognized, is merely a trainee manager who has inherited the title, and in reality, there is no difference between them and ordinary players.

“Then the next question,” Li Nuo said, “is: the competence of the judges? Or rather, how capable are you administrators?”

“This is hard to compare…” the king said. “Shufarel’s abilities are diverse, and the scope of his abilities is related to his title. For example, the meaning of ‘Judge’ is to make rules, and his basic power is to control players. As for my ‘King’, the key is the last ‘King’.”

He tried to explain, but couldn't find the right words.

So the guy waved his hand and struck the air beside him.

For an instant.

The immense power completely destroyed half of the "threshold," and the digitized white particles flew wildly.

Beyond the torn space lies the world of "vaporwave".

"In the game's parlance, I'm a pure stat-obsessed monster."

The king's arm, which had just thrown a punch, became semi-transparent.

Now, every time he takes action, he is wasting his life.

Tea-white eyes showed regret: "Your time..."

“It won’t be long,” the king said frankly. “As long as I pass on my work and the torch is passed down, that will be enough for me.”

"Karl?"

Angel emerged from the void.

"Are you there too?"

She greeted Li Nuo and Cha Bai with a smile when she saw them. Angel knew that there was something important between them, but she also had something important to do.

"Karl, I've taken care of the passage to the outside of the World Tree. Hurry up and finish what you need to say, we need to get out of here quickly."

"So you won't die." Li Nuo stared with dead fish eyes.

"It should be said that 'not much time left' means there's not much time left before we have to run away." Cha Bai also glared with dead fish eyes.

"I didn't say I would die..." the king tried to argue, but to no avail, so he forcefully changed the subject: "I can't give you any help in terms of power. Everyone's path of development is different, but there is never an end. Li Nuo, listen carefully. The final version of [The Bloodthirsty One] and your 100% demonic power release. If you can get your hands on these two things, you might be able to kill Shufarel, but the premise is, how do you define killing him?"

At this point, the king frowned slightly: "Shufarel's life is linked to the players. You can think of it as the players' fates being in his hands according to the rules he sets. So as long as there is one person in the 'Corridor of Redemption'... wait... Tia."

“Tia…” Cha Bai recognized the name: “You mean the one from the Tanggula Mountains…”

Angel interjected, "Because the connection between Schwarz and the players is extremely strong, as long as he lives, those players might also come back to life, and vice versa."

She works at the "Redemption Corridor," and what she says is the most authoritative.

"Where are you going next?" Cha Bai asked.

“We might exist in the form of a virus,” Angel said with a laugh. “Anyway, don’t worry about whether we live or die, just take care of yourselves.”

At this moment, Li Nuo's brows were furrowed deeply: "Sister...you said you know that Tia...you were in the Tanggula Mountains?"

“Yes, that’s right,” Cha Bai replied.

Li Nuo suddenly picked her up.

"We're leaving now! Please contact us anytime if you find a way to do so!"

After leaving those words, Li Nuo carried Cha Bai out of the white area and ran wildly towards the lower level of the Spiral Tower.

The king shouted, "Your clothes and equipment will return to you after you go out! And also! As long as you go out of the 'threshold,' it means you've been resurrected! Those who are close to you will also come back!" Angel tilted his head.

"Karl, are they capable?"

"I don't know..." the king said with a smile, "but it's obvious that the two of us can't make it."

Black spots representing the virus were flashing on their bodies.

"Can we still help them?" Angel asked.

“Their next scenario is an area outside the World Tree…maybe I can get involved…” The king thought for a moment, “Once they break through to level ninety-nine, I’ll try to guide these idiots.”

If it weren't for the actions of Li Nuo and Soren in repairing the timeline, the two of them should have disappeared completely the moment the judge seized the corridor.

Until the World Tree discovers them, he and Angel will exist in the realm of various storage concepts as viral data.

To put it nicely, they are higher-dimensional beings that cannot be seen by humans; in reality, they are two immortal spirits who cannot use their powers in "reality".

The two constantly faced the danger of being discovered and then erased.

Maybe tomorrow, maybe the next second, maybe next month.

But none of that matters.

They now have only two wishes.

We saw all the scenery that we hadn't seen in a thousand years.

I saw the damn World Tree change its course.

"Add one more wish, Angel."

Angel and Karl locked eyes, and the woman smiled.

"Karl, I'm guessing you want to have a child?"

Can I say no?

"..."

"I want to go to 'Women's Mountain' to play. I haven't been to that place where cults have been around for a long time. It's right outside the World Tree."

"..."

"Hey? Angel, what are you doing, Angel! Why are you hitting me!"

……

"Li Nuo, what's wrong!"

Cha Bai asked in a panic as she was held in someone's arms.

"What can you do!"

Li Nuo gritted his teeth and jumped down to the lower level.

"Tia is in the Tanggula Mountains. Tia is a remnant of 'Redemption'. The judge might resurrect his old players. We have the 'Sinner' tag, which will locate our position, so Tia's location will be found!"

If Soren hadn't died, things might have been different, but with Soren gone, the most important piece of the puzzle to keep Lino in check is gone, and Lino's existence becomes a problem for the new "Endless Corridor".

This guy can't be measured by strength.

He operates from the shadows, silently annihilating seemingly powerful individuals like a well-known virus.

The judge must understand this principle.

"So Tia..."

"It's not Tia's problem, it's Marger's... If old Marger dies, we're doomed!"

Li Nuo carried her to the bottom of the Spiral Tower. At this time, Ya Ke'er was still standing in front of the gate waiting for Cha Bai to return, but he saw Li Nuo carrying Cha Bai.

"Li Nuo! You're alive... Ah—!"

Yakoll covered his eyes and let out a scream like a chicken being slaughtered.

Li Nuo was naked, with a sword stuck in his chest, looking like a perverted performance artist.

"Li Nuo, you're a pervert!"

"I didn't ask you to see it! Yakol! Take us out!"

Jakoll sensed from Linuo's voice that something big was about to happen.

"Ah good!"

……

The world where the Tanggula Mountains are located.

In the center of a continent in the northern part of the planet.

Phil, who came from the "Corridor of the End," practiced asceticism here.

As a demon hunter, he took on several quests in a nearby village. The rewards were very tempting, especially the glowing stones that could be exchanged for gold coins, which appeared in huge quantities, not to mention a bunch of orbal stones that could individually improve attribute values.

Phil accepted an extremely challenging investigation task.

The Hagel Mountains severed the center of this continent, but a strange crater appeared there a day ago. In less than twelve hours, the crater swallowed the center of the mountains, and the creatures living nearby underwent strange mutations.

Phil walked through the desolate mountains and saw the corpse of a monster that had been eaten.

He examined the remains and, based on what he had seen and heard along the way, came to an unbelievable conclusion.

"These creatures have mutated due to interference from the energy of the borderlands..."

Phil frowned in confusion.

If the borderlands invade, then we can no longer stay in this world.

With that thought in mind, Phil quickened his pace and rushed straight to the highest point of the mountain, breaking through the blizzard and entering a red area.

This is the location of the impact crater.

Phil landed on the rock wall and observed for a long time. There were no meteorites, but a place resembling a portal had been opened there. The portal had disappeared, but some energy from the Borderlands remained. The meteorite crater was filled with blood-red wheat fields, which was a symbol of the Borderlands invasion.

He took out a power-guided phone unique to this world, then moved to a location with a signal and sent the message to Tia.

The instant the message was sent.

Phil's hand is broken.

He licked the blood splattered on his lips, then turned away.

"It hurts so much... Didn't you even say anything?"

At a higher vantage point, a woman sat on a rock, holding his arm, looking at the phone screen clutched by the severed hand.

"Tia, I miss it so much. Do you guys know each other?"

The woman looked at Phil.

Phil could tell at a glance that this woman did not exist in the familiar corridor.

She's someone who came back to life from the "Corridor of Redemption".

Phil's eyes widened, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"You seem very capable."

The woman was surprised by Phil's question and showed interest in it.

So what are you going to do?

Phil drew a short sword from his robe; the blade gleamed coldly, and ice and lightning enveloped his entire body.

The glutton's insatiable appetite caused him to let out a maniacal laugh.

"Of course I'll eat you!"

The woman threw Phil's arm away, stood up, and said with a smile, "Well, since the war has already started, I might as well stretch my muscles."

……

Tanggula Mountains.

For some reason, the sky turned into night.

Hundreds of believers thought it was the power of an evil god descending, but Marger looked at Tia and realized that this darkness was not coming normally.

Wang Li planned to fly into the sky on his sword to see what had happened, but Tia stopped him.

“No need to look.”

Tia looked up at the sky, and the vision of the Goddess of Tanggula Mountain pierced through the clouds.

Above the celestial bodies.

A dark red sphere, resembling the moon, was teleported out from the void, slowly approaching with destructive energy. The planet's thick magical protective layer resisted the impact from afar.

The person manipulating this phenomenon is standing above the clouds.

This guy isn't a judge; he's just a player who should have died a thousand years ago.

Above that guy, countless black figures floated in the clouds, and hundreds of players struggled to climb out like undead.

(End of this chapter)