Lords: From Civilization to the Stars.

Chapter 111 Chaos and Anti-Chaos ( words!)
"..."

The world seems to have become like frosted glass, always with a strange barrier between me and other people.

Edward opened his eyes and looked at the world in front of him. Facing the room that belonged to him and looking at the wonderful purple crystal chandelier, he always felt that the emptiness in his heart seemed to have expanded to a point where it could not be healed due to certain actions.

Edward slowly sat up from the nutrient tank full of nutrient solution, picked up a hot towel and wiped his body. He walked to the floor-length mirror with lifeless eyes, and stared at himself in the mirror with his two beautiful purple eyes.

In that luxurious and large floor-to-ceiling mirror, a beautiful figure is presented.

Her long purple hair and crystal-like eyes are even more endearing, as if all the innocence and beauty in the world are emerging in this girl's body.

Just by blinking her eyes and looking at others, people can feel the infinite purity and beauty contained in this girl's heart. How could such a girl lie? Such a girl is so innocent and cute, how could she be a bad person?
Although she would occasionally yell in anger and pretend to be tough, everyone was looking forward to it in their hearts and knew very well what this girl represented.

She was the embodiment of pure protective desire, and people couldn't help but want to protect her. Just looking at her pitiful figure in the mirror, watching her slightly thin body trembling in the air, even the most fanatical person could not resist the pity that emerged in his heart.

This was a blessing from the Prince of Pleasure, a reward from the God of Joy for her incompetent performance.

Everyone in this world will love and cherish her, except himself.

"..."

Are you me?

Looking at the mirror that was a little blurry due to the steam, Edward reached out and wiped away the water droplets on the floor-length mirror. Facing the pretty figure, he uttered a question from the bottom of his heart.

He shouldn't be like this, he should be a player full of ambition, a real man. With luck and strength, he made a name for himself in the old world, and even the gods of the ocean looked at him with admiration and gave him some encouragement and support.

But what about now? The girl in the mirror now has the power to smash a person with one punch. The seemingly weak body contains the magic that can drive everyone in this world crazy. In fact, she really has supernatural power. The lavender mist can even make the surrounding environment and players have pleasant hallucinations.

Very impressive, really impressive. It can even be said that she is the most unique person in the world. No one can be cuter than her, and no one can be stronger than her.

This unique idol in this world, the most beautiful figure is herself.

However, looking at the perfect scene in the mirror, Edward felt an inexplicable sense of terror. It was as if he was looking at a being that was close to human but not human at all. Because it was too perfect, but the performance was without mechanism, this sense of terror that was imprinted in the depths of the human soul made her retract her palm as if she had been electrocuted.

In the floor-length mirror, the girl also had a sad look on her face. She retracted her hands and frowned tightly, as if she was lamenting the fate of certain people and things.

There are still many things to do next, and her time no longer belongs to herself.

Thinking about the many balls and report meetings she had to attend, Edward shook her head and began to search for her own clothes in the closet. She soon found the gorgeous and exquisite long dress, which was a gift from the players. Although she didn't like it, it was really beautiful.

When you wear it, you look like a beautiful creature from a fairy tale, full of love and justice, with a sweet and delicious feeling all over the body that makes people want to bite it gently.

But for Edward, seeing her perfect self, her heart was filled with emptiness.

"There must be something wrong..."

Edward slowly put on his gorgeous long dress, buttoned up the double-breasted buttons at his waist, and adjusted his messy and beautiful pleated skirt. He looked at his beautiful and lovely self in the mirror, thinking aimlessly.

Since landing on the black beach, this feeling has become clearer and clearer. After releasing an unprecedented range of power, not only did his body not feel exhausted, but it was filled with even stronger power. Various kinds of magic power and powerful induction emerged from his body.

Player? He was indeed a player, but as his body changed, some cracks began to appear in his mind.

It is true that he is a player, but his body has changed, and he has also changed into this state under the power of this alien world. Is the identity of a player really that important?

Which world is more important, the world over there or the world over here? The emptiness in his heart could not be filled. Edward dressed neatly, looked at his lovely figure in the mirror, which was so cute that it could physically make some people bleed, sighed silently, and walked out of the room.

And outside the door, countless figures were happily waiting for the appearance of the legendary Edward.

"Ms. Edward! How is the strategy for the Antarctic settlement being implemented?"

"Ms. Edward, I heard that you and Leon had a fierce conflict and cursed each other. Is this true? If it is true, can you tell me in detail how the conflict between you came about?"

"Miss Edward, we heard that you..."

Countless Miss Edwards, one Miss Edward after another.

The flash and the camera were like man-eating monsters, devouring the arrogant Edward, the masculine Edward. As the most popular player, she had to show her elegance and decorum. She needed to make everyone feel good because she had become a benchmark.

So Edward just looked at the reporters around him with a smile on his face, showed a decent smile to these uncrowned kings who rushed over with official approval, and answered various questions in a soft voice.

But the more I walked among the countless flashing lights, the more I felt the emptiness in my heart being torn apart.

'What's wrong with me……'

Walking among the petals and distorted illusions, Edward asked himself.

In the next moment, he looked up in confusion, only to see a group of people looking at him with some concern.

Looking around, she found that she had arrived in a magnificent hall without knowing when. She seemed to be distracted just now and accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt and fell to the ground.

The well-dressed men immediately gathered around, asking about her well-being and showing charming smiles one after another. They held out their hands to Edward, who was sitting on the ground, looking confused and at a loss. The true gentlemen showed friendly smiles and expressed their grace to the lady in front of them.

Of course they had to show their grace. After all, how could they just ignore a lovely girl falling down right in front of them?

"Ms. Edward, please be careful. You seemed uneasy just now, but it's okay. We are all here."

"……disturbed?"

"Yes. We just saw you drinking glass after glass of wine. Is it because of something bothering you? If it's because of Leon, we won't hesitate to take action."

"No, no..."

When do I get drunk from drinking wine?

Didn't I drink rum and other alcoholic beverages in large quantities? Why did I become like this?

Edward, sitting on the ground, looked at the men who surrounded him. Somehow, he felt a weak sense of fear in his heart, and also a... strange feeling.

Looking at their outstretched hands, Edward placed his slender hand with a diamond gauze glove in the palm of one of them, allowing him to hold his slender hand tightly, and then gently pulled it up, as if he was pulling a light doll.

This behavior seemed to cause a ripple in Edward's empty heart.

Purple began to spread around.

A kind of happiness, a kind of voice was enveloping her consciousness, making her mind more and more hazy.

Since she is already a woman, there is no need to always cling to her original identity. He can also be happier.

The pursuit of excitement and sensory pleasure should not always be immersed in grand scenes. Can't we also get happiness from the details? In my current situation, shouldn't I pursue some special happiness that I could never pursue or get before?
"Miss Edward, you are already drunk."

"Drunk...? Me?"

"Yeah, how about we go over there and rest for a while?"

The man holding her hand showed a charming smile. In the past, Edward would only feel a little disgusted when he saw a man smiling at him like this, but now, it seemed a little different.

She gave away her soul.

So be it.

Just fall like this.

Just gradually fill the void in your heart.

"Miss Edward...Edward..."

The man's voice was fragmented.

The world, which could not be distinguished as an illusion or reality, was gradually closing.

The lavender light gradually rose in all directions. Edward lay on the bench and looked at the white moon in the sky.

There were whispers around her, and the huge void seemed to be gradually filled with the inverted identity. The huge, indescribable crack in her heart was slowly healing. She seemed to understand a little, or rather, forced herself to understand all the weird things.

She seemed to no longer be herself.

“That’s good… I think I’ll be satisfied with this…”

There was no reason for him to persist any longer. Or maybe he shouldn't have persisted from the beginning. Feeling the dryness in his body being filled with misplaced feelings, Edward's will gradually became blurred.

That's it. That's the best way.

Spread happiness, immerse yourself in this supreme happiness, all of this is the most wonderful vortex, what you were born to be -

'Ding'

Just as the two were about to overlap, just as the lavender light was about to reach its peak and gradually began to present a certain blasphemous symbol, everything around them suddenly stopped. Whether it was the smug man, or the swaying lights and jungle in the distance, everything stopped.

Except for one figure.

A figure that seemed to step out of the shadows, itself an illusion.

"Time stops. Simple trick."

The visitor said this with a relaxed and happy expression. The familiar face still had the frivolous expression that Edward hated the most.

"Although it looks like time has stopped, it is just speeding up our thoughts and actions. It is just attaching a special part of the subspace to our bodies. It is a very clever method, and the name is also very confusing. But in fact, it is just a little trick."

Leon walked slowly in front of Edward, and the expression on his face gradually changed from playful to solemn.

"Hello, Edward. I'm sorry to see you under these circumstances. But this is the last hope and the last chance."

"...Leon, it's you. You're the one behind all this, right?"

Looking at the figure walking towards him in the still time, Edward's eyes gradually filled with tears, and he could not help but ask angrily:
"You did all this! Why did I become like this? Why is there such a hole in my heart? Why did I become like this? You did all this! Right!"

"I did it? Haha, I wasn't the one who chose the gift from the evil god. I wasn't the one who hurt you. You should know that. The real you left forever when you drank that cup of poison. You should have known that you are no longer yourself."

"But you were watching!"

Staring at the figure in front of him in the silent space, Edward couldn't help but shout.

"You've been watching me the whole time, right? I can feel it! You've been watching me, watching me become like this! Watching me transform from a man into what I am now, watching me become like this, you've been watching me the whole time!"

"Yes, I have been watching you."

"then you--"

"Because you're already dead."

Looking at Edward who wanted to say something, Leon gave an answer very straightforwardly.

This is the answer to all the mysteries. The real Edward, the one who had been subtly blessed by other gods and possessed some unique abilities, actually died not long after drinking the poisoned wine.

The individual who thought he was Edward sat on the bench in the garden blankly, looking at the calm Leon with a puzzled and puzzled look, as if he didn't understand why he said that. Because not long ago they were two players competing against each other, but why did it become like this so quickly?

"Because this plan was decided by me, Edward. I am grateful that you have come this far, but this is your limit."

Looking at the bewildered girl in front of him, Leon's expression was full of pity and sincerity.

"The power of the Chaos Gods is terrifying. They will quietly taint people's souls, twist their bodies, and change their minds. Originally, according to my estimation, the players themselves would not be disturbed by such things. Because according to the players' thoughts and cognition, everything is based on the concept of the players as the top priority."

"This is a genius move, a genius move to fight the corruption of the warp with stupidity and foolishness. As long as you firmly believe that you are a player, these are tools that can be used and natural phenomena, you will not be corrupted."

"But the premise is that you really believe in all this. You really believe that all this is brought about by your identity as a player."

"After you transformed into a woman, you faltered. That's where all the disasters began."

Leon stood in the static space, looking at Edward with a dull look in his eyes, and recounting his final outcome.

In a world where cognition is reality, if you firmly believe that you are the player Edward, then even the blessing of the God of Joy will not do anything to you. Just like Leon, he doesn't care at all, he is strong, what changes will there be after taking the Tao?
He can even capture those demons and eat them, and can also transform soul fragments into Taoism. If you give blessings directly, it will probably turn into skill points in the blink of an eye.

But Edward's mind was not so firm. After the God of Joy changed, he was happy, hesitant, and he began to doubt his identity.

And when there is doubt and hesitation, the poison of the soul begins to spread within the body.

In the end, his soul and flesh were completely devoured, and from his body was born this demon who believed himself to be Edward, had a male soul and a female body, and was tormented by a sense of inversion all his life.

"I can't save you because you didn't stick to your beliefs from the beginning to the end, and the final result is what you have now. After manipulating the power of the God of Pleasure, you even gave up your male identity and began to pursue excessive behavior. So I came here to give you a final warning."

"…Are you here to kill me?"

"Not necessarily."

Looking at Edward who was sitting on the chair in despair, Leon said softly:
"In simple terms, do you hope to make your final contribution to the world? Do you hope to receive retribution for something?"

"what?"

"I'll ask you again, Edward. Do you wish to use your body to commit one final rebellion against the god who killed you?"

"…Is it impossible for me to live?"

Edward slowly raised his face, clear tears already flowing on his pitiful face. Even when he was crying, his expression was perfect and heartbreaking.

"I want to live... I don't want to be like this anymore, Leon. I know you can do it. I have always felt something terrible in you, and I know you can definitely do it. Save me, Leon."

"You're already dead, Edward. I don't need to repeat myself a second time."

Standing there, Leon looked at the crying girl and repeated it calmly.

"You have already died. When you drank the drink, when you thought there was no problem, you were already dead. Now you have Edward's memory and thinking logic, and you always think that you are Edward's demon. Your stupidity and naivety have not even made the God of Joy aware of your own changes."

"But I am a merciful person. When I determine that you are really going to cause chaos pollution in the real world, I will intercept you and prepare to clean up the traces of your pain and torture. This is the mercy I give you."

"However, your existence is very unique. This may be an opportunity to fight against the dark gods. So I came to ask you."

"Do you want revenge on the monster who deceived you, deceived everyone, and brought ruin to the world?"

"……think."

Outside a distant world, in a static space, an individual who had been completely devoured and only had the logic of his soul left uttered his voice viciously.

"I hope that bastard who deceived me will be torn into pieces! I hope that bastard is completely dead! I am a player! I am a player now, I was a player before, and I will be a player in the future! I want that bastard to die! He actually, he actually turned me into this XX! I want him to die!"

"That's good. If you want to, I can help you. I can even use this posture to survive in your cognition."

After all, defeating the demons in Slaanesh's hands is also a big step forward.

Who says you can't bully the demon of Slaanesh? There is no reason to allow others to fall, but you can't pull it again.

With golden spirals burning in his eyes, Leon looked at the Demon of the God of Joy, whose eyes had widened in shock and fear and who was almost screaming silently, and slowly revealed a friendly smile.

"What's next may be a little painful. After all, this is the first time I've performed such an operation on a basic planet. If successful, your cognition and memory can be preserved. Please try to recall your desires and the reasons for your struggles."

A light golden light spread in the space, slowly descended in Leon's smile, and gradually poured into the body of the terrified girl demon.

"No, wait, don't, don't come over here! I regret it, don't!!!"

"You're going to kill me! I should have known that! Don't come over here!"

"Ahhhhh!!!!"

The earth-shaking screams spread in the silent world without causing any ripples.

Le Ang cannot turn the demon back into a human, but he can choose to transform the demon into something different in a magical way - it may be the same, but the ownership is different, that is, it is different.

After a while, until the golden light dissipated, a notice jumped into Li Ang's eyes.

"...your people have already appeared in this area. Please build a city so that your great cause can begin a new chapter."

It was reviewed for a whole night... What I wrote was not out of line... I revised it for more than three hours and still have no idea what happened... Well, I wrote some side quests to expand the world view, I hope you like it.

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(End of this chapter)