Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

"Wait, wait! What cheating... what nonsense!?" Zheng Zha looked flustered, subconsciously glancing left and right.

“The ritual above involves intercourse, and we need at least one fourth-tier person to take the blame. Alice is unwilling, Patchouli just advanced, and Zhao Yingkong and Zhao Zhuikong would be committing suicide if they advanced now. The others don't meet the standards yet.” His gaze suddenly shifted to Xilin, who looked clueless and ready to watch the drama unfold. “Or are you interested? This is a lossless advancement.”

"Don't come to me with this!" Sirin screamed, vanishing without a trace in the instant of time-space teleportation. As Chu Xuan turned his gaze, the seemingly clueless giant gorilla shook his head and waved his hands violently. "Stop trying to trick me! I would never betray Lori! Not even with Zhan Lan… not with Zhan Lan!"

Chu Xuan pushed up his glasses and casually tilted his head.

Altair's figure then appeared in the direction of his line of sight.

"Finished the discussion?" Altair smiled. "It seems that although your Central Continent team is strong, you don't have a suitable candidate for the ritual. My Setsuna is currently in the ritual as a living person, and can completely replace Adam in the form of Li Lin (human).

“And you will naturally become Lilith,” Chu Xuan replied, simultaneously producing the Destiny Tablet, powerful enough to bear the covenant of the gods. “Then let’s establish a new covenant. Ownership of this world belongs to you. You and Shimazaki Setsuna will be deified through a ritual, replacing the will of this world and escaping the status of reincarnators to become twin star souls. And as the price…”

He raised his head and looked at the increasingly unstable sky.

“Ilúvatar is yours to deal with, and the ten stars, the ten lights of the mind represented by the ten primes, and the rest of the gods in this world who have not been able to escape the heavens, all belong to us.”

End Summary

In short, the Lord of the Rings story has come to an end. Hooray!

This script was longer than expected, and some parts were indeed a bit drawn out… Ah, this is a mistake I always make, even though I'm trying to correct it. But it always… _(:з」∠)_

Okay, that's it... _(:з」∠)_

The next volume will feature an insert-style extra plot, letting's see how the script for The Wandering Earth unfolds. Naturally, it'll be a composite script, and the way it's initiated... will probably be somewhat unexpected. Hmm, not an interlude, but part of the main story. So I guess I'll have to prepare some adjustments for the interlude... _(:з」∠)_

And there should be a bonus chapter after that... I'll see which world's sequel I should write about.

Side Story: Returning to the Ordinary

Neos had a long dream, a dream that seemed both real and unreal, as if he had experienced it himself.

In my dream, I seemed to belong to a great power that transcended the void, and I had assembled a powerful team that fought endlessly against various strongmen in different worlds. I had commanded thousands of troops, faced torrents of steel, raised a cup with the holy and noble winged people in the sky, and faced off against countless alien demons with swords and spears like a tidal wave in the depths of the abyss.

But in the end, he failed. He failed completely, and there was nothing more to say. He had exhausted all his schemes and tried every means, only to find that he had lost the ability to resist before he even stepped onto the battlefield—he saw his own death at the end of his dream. Not only him, but all his companions who followed him and trusted him also died because of his defeat.

In his final moments before death, what met his eyes was a familiar yet cold gaze—a detached look, like that of a god looking down upon humanity.

"...Chu Xuan."

Neos suddenly opened his eyes. What came into view was the slightly chilly night.

The current time is 3:45 AM.

“What you think about during the day, you dream about at night.” Neos shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Is this what Easterners often call homesickness? Yes, after all, I’ve been in this strange and ambiguous world for so many years, and even the enemies who once caused me so much suffering sometimes make me feel nostalgic.”

He pushed away the slender hands and feet wrapped around his body, letting the still-sleeping woman make adorable purring sounds. After tidying his clothes a little, he got out of bed, tucked the blankets in, and quietly left his bedroom.

The living room was quiet. At this hour, the butler and servants were long asleep. Although a maid on night duty could be summoned at any time, Neos had no intention of ringing the call bell in the early hours of the morning. Some memories, both ancient and precious to him, kept surfacing from the depths of his heart. He subconsciously took a bottle of rare vintage red wine from the wine cabinet. Without turning on the light, he sat alone on the living room sofa and began to sip it slowly by himself.

Neos had been in this world for quite some time. Five years, all told. He even clearly remembered the content of that pointless dialog box he clicked on his computer five years ago, and the distorted space around him after pressing 'yes'. That force, which he still couldn't decipher, detached him from Earth and transported him to this strange outer space. At first, he even thought he had traveled to a parallel world.

Tsk, what parallel world?

Neos poured himself a large glass of wine and downed it in one gulp. The bitter yet slightly sweet liquid washed over his chest, and once again he was speechless at the world's terrible palate.

This is not Earth, much less a parallel world. At least, he clearly realized this after seeing the map and constellations of this world. And after he regained his footing from that night and, with gestures and a smile, obtained temporary access to a computer from the shopkeeper of a roadside grocery store, he understood this even more clearly.

This is an alternate world similar to Earth, but with technology about ten years more advanced than his own. And in this alternate world, there are other transmigrators with similar backgrounds to him.

In a typical alternate world, you wouldn't find cryptic corporations like Shinra Corporation or Umbrella Corporation. And when Neos finally established himself in this unfamiliar land, he saw news headlines like "Gondor Corporation and Rivendell Join Forces, President Aragorn to Marry Executive Director Awen Soon"—news so ridiculous it was impossible to find anything to criticize. He knew this world was riddled with the antics of previous transmigrators.

He didn't know who the previous time travelers were, because their identities had long been swept away by the passage of time, leaving almost no trace. The only remaining trace that he found was that these previous time travelers seemed to be related to a secret church that worshipped the twin goddesses.

Unfortunately, although he could find the relevant knowledge, he couldn't locate the so-called Church of the Twin Goddesses. The only information he painstakingly gathered was that this church was hostile to a certain cult that worshipped a true creator. Aside from that, he obtained no useful information—even though after five years of planning he now controlled a vast conglomerate powerful enough to secretly overthrow a country. It was the same.

This world is an ordinary, technologically advanced alternate world. There are no gods, no demons, and not even powerful beings like those on Earth who have unlocked their genetic potential—he didn't have any either. The first-tier genetic lock he had unlocked on Earth lost its connection after he transmigrated. Even after encountering several perilous situations in the days that followed, he was unable to reactivate the power he once possessed.

But it didn't really matter anymore. Five years of searching and exploring had largely worn away his desire to seek supernatural powers. He no longer cared as much as he had a few years ago about the reasons for his own time travel or the final fate of the previous time travelers. Because in this world, he had no enemies.

With just a little thought, he could easily eliminate any obstacle in his path, annihilating any enemy who dared to oppose him. From the thugs who blocked his way when he first arrived in this world, to the rival corporations and companies he encountered as he began to build his power, to the regimes and nations that tried to suppress him after he gained control of a region—he had defeated one enemy after another in these five years. And now, there are no longer any worthy adversaries in his sights.

That's one reason. And another reason is...

A pair of soft hands gently encircled his shoulders, and the sweet, gentle voice that had accompanied him day and night for the past five years rang in his ears.

"Are you thinking about things from the past again, Neos?"

“It was just a dream about someone I can’t quite remember anymore.” Neos’s voice softened, responding in a tone that would leave his companions on Earth speechless. “You should get some rest; it’s still early. Going back to sleep is good for your health.”

He turned around, and Xue Ling'er's grown-up face appeared before him.

Five years ago, Neos wasn't the only Earthling transported to this other world from Earth through that mysterious communication window—there was Richard, a Norseman; Dr. Rose; the adventurer Aya; and a naive girl named Snowbell, the first one he found. Neos spent two months finding them, along with a few other unsuccessful individuals. Together, they built a business.

Of all his achievements, his family is the one he is most proud of.

"Go and rest, just let me stay here for a while."

"Don't drink too much and hurt yourself. I'll wait for you in the room."

Xue Ling'er left silently, just as she had appeared. After she returned to her room, Neos, who had watched her depart, felt a sense of peace. The wine that had tasted bitter before now seemed sweet, and he leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes.

The past is no longer important, because I have a new life now. Besides...

[If Chu Xuan had transmigrated like me, or like us, he probably would have turned this world upside down long ago. Since nothing major has happened yet, there shouldn't be any problems in the future. The only pity is that those two churches are still nowhere to be found. If I could find out the whereabouts and actions of our predecessors, I might be able to feel a little more at ease now.]

However, speaking of trouble and such...

Neos opened his eyes, went to his study, and picked up a document from the table. It was a file compiled by the intelligence department headed by his capable assistant Richard, describing information about some active figures who had recently appeared in this world.

The very first picture at the top shows the face of an Eastern youth.

[Haotian, an Easterner. Approximately twenty-five years old. Other details unknown. A week ago, he first appeared in a port city on the Eastern Continent, using extremely sophisticated financial techniques to embezzle 100 billion in liquid funds. The resulting chain reaction led to the complete collapse of the port city. Currently, numerous forces on the Eastern Continent have issued warrants for his arrest, both officially and covertly, with no regard for his life.]

[Haotian... that name sounds vaguely familiar. Is he someone I knew before? His financial fraud methods always give me a sense of déjà vu. Could I have seen him somewhere before...? Could he also be a time traveler like me?]

Neos pondered, tapping the table lightly. Some things, too distant and unimportant, had long been forgotten, and even with careful recollection, he could hardly grasp their meaning.

[Let Aya investigate. Perhaps he's just a wild genius. While such a name is certainly unusual for an Eastern naming convention, it's probably acceptable if interpreted as an alias… It's a pity he's not in the Western Continent. If he were, I only need to send this information to Esdeath, the head of the intelligence agency, and he'd be in a Western Continent prison or in front of me in three days at most.]

He made his decision, picked up the phone from the table, and dialed a number. Although it was the middle of the night, he trusted his capable assistant to prepare everything for him immediately. However, he hesitated slightly as he dialed, because he didn't feel the matter needed to be so urgent.

However, he still dialed the number. And the call was answered within half a second. But just as he was about to give a reassuring opening, an unfamiliar tone came through the receiver.

Did you dial the wrong number? It's possible; it's not uncommon for someone to press the wrong button while dialing.

Neos raised an eyebrow slightly, sighing softly at his clumsiness. Just as he was about to end the communication, the increasingly clear voice coming from the receiver changed his mind.

"Neo." The person on the other end of the microphone seemed to be a man, with an inexplicable air of authority and gravity in his voice.

“I am,” Neos replied, pressing a hidden button on the table. He then made a tracking signal gesture to a maid who suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Who are you?”

“My surname is Pei, and I am a human.” There was a compelling pressure in the other person’s tone. “There are some things you should know. There is a choice you must make.”

“I’m listening,” Neos replied.

"You should have embarked on another thrilling journey, instead of leisurely passing your days here. I can feel the unquenchable passion within you, the craving for battle still burning in your soul—if you wish, I can arrange another chance for you and your teammates. You will engage in endless battles against sages of your caliber, or even superior ones. And if you can persevere to the end, you will receive rewards beyond your wildest dreams."

Neos saw the maid who had just appeared at the door and shook her head slightly at him.

“You’ve chosen the wrong person, Mr. Pei.” Neos hesitated for a moment. He had originally intended to play along and try to get some information out of the other party. But just as he was about to do so, a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart—there was no need to hide anything, no value in wasting his or the other party’s time—such thoughts filled his mind, and then he subconsciously gave his most sincere answer.

“You’re right, I do still crave battles and adventures. I want to clash with those powerful sages, to gain power that can be used without using my brain. I want to witness more secrets and knowledge, I want… I want so much.”

He shook his head slightly. "But I can only think about it, not ask for it."

"why?"

“Because of my companions, I don’t want to see them die because of me. Because of my wife, I don’t want her to be involved in pointless killings—she just told me yesterday that she wanted a child, and a child doesn’t need a father who puts his wife and child in danger before they are even born.”

“I don’t know who you are, or what you can do. But this is my answer and it won’t change. I’m no longer the boy who could do whatever he wanted. Now, I need to take responsibility.”

There was silence on the other end of the microphone for several seconds.

"Is that so? That's what you think." Mr. Pei seemed to sigh. "Since you're unwilling, then I won't force you. After all, the script has already been messed up by outsiders, so it doesn't matter if it gets a little more chaotic."

Mr. Pei's voice stopped, and the next moment a dial tone came from the microphone.

The call has ended.

Neos sat in his chair, staring at the microphone in his hand without saying a word.

He could clearly feel that he had done something important, something far-reaching. When the phone call ended, he felt as if a huge burden had suddenly been lifted from his back—whether it was a blessing or a shackle, he didn't know. He only knew that something had left him forever.

'In the cycle of reincarnation, there will be no more Southern Flame Continent Team.' — This thought suddenly popped into his mind. Then, in an instant, he completely forgot it. And at the moment of forgetting, he understood his own heart.

He doesn't regret it, because it was his own choice.

After all, there is no law that says a capable person cannot be content with mediocrity.

Interlude: A Holiday of Dancing with Zombies

Section 1: A Beautiful Day

Two full days have passed since the Central Continent Team's reincarnators returned to the Main God Space, laden with spoils after the Lord of the Rings world ended. On the first day, the Central Continent Team's reincarnators, as usual, did not meet or discuss the distribution of spoils. Each quietly returned to their private space, adjusting their post-battle emotions in their own way. However, the second day, which should have been a regular meeting, was also eerily quiet.

No one came to the Main God Plaza... well, newcomers like Luo Gandao and Cheng Xiao were exceptions. But after they walked to the Main God's sphere of light and waited for an hour, they understood the complex atmosphere surrounding the group. Then, quite rationally, they returned to their rooms to await further developments.

Did something happen to the reincarnators before their return? No. The Tree Diagram Ritual functioned smoothly after regaining its core. Altair and Setsuna Shimazaki successfully ascended to godhood, replacing the original creator of this world as the new Star Soul. Having completed the ritual, they did not break their covenant—in the following days, with the help of the Central Continent Team, they successfully kept the enraged Ilúvatar out of the world. They then captured the ten beams of spiritual light imprisoned within the ten particles and gave them to Zheng Zha.

Everything went smoothly. Altair helped Setsuna Shimazaki escape his status as a reincarnator and made his bonded soulmate immortal, a twin god who would die alongside him. Meanwhile, the Middle-earth team, with the help of these two newly minted Star Souls, acquired all the treasures of Middle-earth except for the world itself—the ten captured Lights of the Mind, though largely depleted by the Tree of Light ritual, still had four remaining. Four of them attempted to escape from the world's borders but ultimately failed to break free from the double seal of the Tree of Light ritual and the Cataclysm of Revelation. Zheng Zha and his companions successfully located them within the ten-odd hours of the Ring's countdown and, with the assistance of the Star Souls, successfully hunted them down.

A happy ending for both sides of the alliance, with each gaining sufficient benefits. In the final moments of the countdown, Zheng Zha, under the arrangement of Alice and Chu Xuan, executed the prisoners of the Southern Flame Continent team in a special way. With a series of points added, the reincarnators of the Central Continent team finally returned to the long-awaited Main God Space under the radiant light of teleportation.

Everything is going smoothly, isn't it?

However, this is where the problem arises. Because this time, the Central Continent team... had it far too easy. So easy that when one of the reincarnators received their total points from the Main God, they found their reward points exceeded 50,000. And in the Main God's space exchange list—50,000 reward points meant the right to return to the real world and escape this cycle of reincarnation.

..........................................

“Zheng Zha will not choose to leave the world of reincarnation.” Alice sat on the edge of the bed, her fair little feet swinging back and forth. “Even if he doesn’t want to admit it, deep down he is already convinced that the world of reincarnation is actually an unprecedented blessing and opportunity for him.”

"By becoming a reincarnator, he transformed from an insignificant office worker into a transcendent being with immeasurable power and limitless lifespan. He made amends for many regrets of the past and found his new spiritual pillar. More importantly, he is now at the limit of the initial stage of the fourth tier. Although his breakthrough only requires a predetermined opportunity, if he abandons his comrades and leaves this reincarnation world, then that opportunity will never come."

“So he won’t leave; he just needs an excuse to convince himself. And I think he should be able to find a suitable reason soon.” Alice placed her ten fingers on her chest, lightly forming a pyramid shape. Her gaze shifted slightly, then fell upon two things: one lying on the bed, and the other standing beside it…

"While I'm certainly happy that you've gained a physical form, little devil, could you... disappear from my sight at the right time?" Her lips twitched, her gaze shifting between Patchouli, who was leaning against the headboard with a smirk, and the little devil, who stood obediently by the bedside. A complex mix of emotions filled her.

Patchouli successfully reached the fourth tier, ascending to the same level of extraordinary life as Alice. She was no longer troubled by nonsense like Dao erosion, lifespan theories, or ability theories. This was good.

The little devil was reborn through Melkor's divine power and merged into Patchouli's crystallization—the information system—becoming Patchouli's personal familiar, capable of manifesting normally in the material world and wielding some of the power of a fourth-tier being. This is also a good thing.