Free Web NovelChapter 484: Chapter 101: To Die in the Human Way
The young man in the blood mist was covered in gray patches, his body seeming as if it were composed of dust.
Only his forehead, eyes, and bridge of his nose still faintly showed the color of human skin.
Everywhere else appeared as if shrouded in a thick layer of ash.
Yet the young man had not noticed this, because his attention was drawn by a voice.
This young man was none other than Bai Wu.
Going through the experience of a plane crash, falling below the blood-red sea of clouds, he should be dead in a sense.
But though dead, he wasn’t completely gone.
Bai Wu’s life, at the very moment it should have completely ceased to exist, was somehow suspended between life and death by a formidable power.
The hearty laughter did not seem to fit the simple and honest look in the eyes of the man, but if a mask were placed over the face of this person—
Bai Wu would probably find him very familiar.
He looked at the person and noticed many of the same "grays" on his body as on his own.
"Who are you... and how come I am here?"
Bai Wu looked at the man; his brain was a mess. The last memory he had was of himself dissipating into nothingness, completely disintegrated by the terrifying force of the Inverted Well Domain and Jing Si.
I shouldn’t be alive, could this be hell?
That’s what Bai Wu thought. His journey had ended, and although Bai Yuan was blabbering on and on when he was about to die, how could he not recognize the feeling of death?
Speaking of death’s presence, it probably was not as intense as when the bullet from the ten of spades went through his head, compared to being enveloped by the Inverted Well Domain of Jing Si.
However, for a moment, Bai Wu felt satisfied, believing he must have changed the future.
At least Jing Liu’s fate wasn’t sealed due to cause and effect calculation, but rather sealed by himself.
For a human to initiate a one-for-one trade at the limit between Jing San, Jing Si, Jing Wu, and Jing Liu was not a bad deal; he could boast about it in hell for a while.
Although he didn’t know if the Power of Twist would eventually be resolved by the Inverted Well, as of now, even Jing Liu didn’t know in which space he was imprisoned.
It would probably take a while for the brain of Jing Si to find it.
Bai Wu truly thought he was dead.
He even wondered if he would see Zero upon opening his eyes, boasting with a proud face—"Welcome to Mechanical City."
But just at that moment, he noticed the remark.
Yes, the all too familiar remark—
[My dear old pal, thank Pangu, praise the Fool, praise the indescribable, praise you, we are not dead! But you better hurry up and restore your body—otherwise my analytical ability will be as incomplete and indescribable as your body.]
This unmistakably familiar style was of course not unknown to Bai Wu.
His body having dissipated in the end, his hands and feet gone, the mechanism no longer functional, everything crumbling away like dust... until at last, even his neck and mouth disappeared.
But Bai Wu didn’t know that when it came down to his eyes, that mighty force finally descended upon him, halting the horrifying disintegration.
Otherwise, although the Sequence remained, it would have been powerless.
There were precedents in history of blind people possessing visual-based Talent Sequences.
Luckily, Bai Wu’s eyes were spared, likely the only original parts left on his body.
"I... I didn’t die? I’m not dead?"
"Right, you didn’t die. Pay attention, can you hurry up and notice your lifesaver? He’s been exposed to the sun and rain for a long time because of you, bearing the cold winds and all.
Okay, I’m joking, it hasn’t been that long. Anyway, it’s good that you’re awake. If you didn’t wake up, I would have had to physically revive you."
The honest and simple man didn’t put on a mask, but that familiar feeling spread all over.
"Who are you?" Bai Wu’s consciousness finally returned to reality, and he noticed there was someone else beside him.
"You can call me Zhou Zeshui. Even though my appearance has changed a bit, it’s quite normal. In people’s memory, they always look handsome, so if you’ve been to the Memory World... um... that guy should be handsomer than me, right? Hahaha..."
The name was very familiar, and so was the laughter. But it felt strange to associate this feeling with this name.
Zhou Zeshui.
Bai Wu certainly remembered who this person was.
Jing San.
In the face of a Well Level existence, his eyes seemed incapable of any comment.
But Bai Wu was already beginning to respond.
"So you are Jing San... I always thought your consciousness had fallen into a deep sleep."
"Sort of, you now have quite a few questions to ask. Come on, ask away, don’t worry, I’m not the Riddler."
Despite his simple appearance, Jing San gave Bai Wu the impression that appearances were deceiving, as if the real Jing San was a very jumpy person.
Bai Wu decided to refer to him as Zhou Zeshui, because it was hard to compare the man before him with the terrifying Well Glyph Monster.
"How did I manage to survive? I remember that in the end... it seemed like I died at the hands of Jing Si."
"Your survival was due to three factors: timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony. Which do you want to hear first?" Zhou Zeshui clapped his hands, bubbling with excitement.
The look he gave Bai Wu was also very familiar, very much like the way an elder looks at a younger one.
With many puzzles to solve, Bai Wu thought for a moment and decided to follow Mr. Zhou’s suggestion, the helpful stranger, and asked:
"What’s the timing?"
"You were lucky. The moment Jing Si was about to completely destroy you, he went mad. Divine intervention helped you; otherwise, the Power of Life and Death couldn’t have saved you."
Zhou Zeshui added with a hint of lingering fear:
"The situation back then was such that the next spread of the Inverted Well was only 0.01 centimeters away from you, but I was very clear that three seconds later, I would bring you back to life.
Hahaha, luckily he went mad. Laosi, that guy, is really like a ticking bomb. Sometimes when he goes mad, it’s terrifying, and sometimes when he’s not, it’s still frightening."
"What’s most frightening is when you’re not sane when nobody is using you, and then when you are sane, you get used by others, don’t you think?"
Bai Wu realized that Jing San possessed the Power of Life and Death... so does that mean that at the last moment, this person crawled out of the coffin and revived him with the Power of Life and Death?
But obviously, in Jing San’s view, despite its strength, the Power of Life and Death would still be disintegrated by the Inverted Well.
So, indeed, luck played a role in his survival.
"And the geographical advantage?"
"You fought on my turf; what else could be a geographical advantage? If it weren’t right here, you would have died a long time ago. I watched you fight with them, and several times I wanted to open my eyes."
Zhou Zeshui laughed heartily again, and the laughter made Bai Wu involuntarily think of The First Generation. ƒreewebɳovel.com
However, Zhou Zeshui’s demeanor was not only reminiscent of The First Generation. Especially since now, like Bai Wu, he seemed coated in a thick layer of dust, appearing very strange.
"I must say, kid, you’re really good at pretending. You even fooled Laoliu, and she’s the best at deceiving people."
"It seems like you know who I am?"
"The one who can shield cause and effect is because of the Doomsday Puzzle piece you hold, the Jade Chariot. Where did you get that piece from?" Zhou Zeshui asked knowingly.
Bai Wu understood.
He had obtained that piece in the Memory World, from the memory copy of Zhou Zeshui.
So to say—did Zhou Zeshui sense the aura of that piece?
"Where are the people?" Bai Wu asked the final question.
It was also the most crucial question, and Zhou Zeshui could only give a bitter smile:
"People, huh. The group from your previous era really had me figured out, completely in their grasp, with everything arranged so clearly. That’s what people are like."
"What do you mean?" Bai Wu didn’t understand.
"You must have been to the Memory World since you got hold of the fragment, right? You know that I’ve been there too. After visiting that place, a good portion of my memories were replaced, and many memories that weren’t mine filled the gaps, diluting the distortions in my memory."
Zhou Zeshui clicked his tongue in admiration:
"It really is a good method to kill a Well Level without shedding blood; it’s just a bit costly for the girls. Capturing one of me is probably worth sacrificing one girl. I originally intended to help Laoda get the girl back."
"But unexpectedly, I was trapped by the Split Body of that young girl. Hahahaha... Destiny is indeed miraculous, his opponent is not simple at all."
Bai Wu suddenly realized.
Jing San is Jing Yi’s person, but during the pursuit of Xiaoyugan, his memory had already been replaced.
This is what humanity is!
Jing San was no longer Jing San; he had undergone a soul cleansing in the Memory World. He became—an ally.
But this raised two questions—what’s the deal with Reincarnation? Why does Jing San keep cycling through Reincarnation?
So far, it seems that even the other Well Levels are unclear whether Jing San is trapped in Reincarnation or has chosen to imprison himself within it.
Second question—whose memories are Jing San’s? If Jing San’s memories have been replaced, why can he still remember so many things?
It seems Jing San still remembers his relations with the other Wells, but his attitude has completely changed.
Bai Wu admitted:
"I don’t understand you."
Zhou Zeshui laughed, "It’s fine, I will try to answer your doubts in the remaining time."
"I don’t understand myself either. You could say that seven hundred years ago, to help Laoda recover a girl with extremely powerful spiritual power, powerful enough to be on a completely different level from the other test subjects, I went to the Memory World."
"You should understand, right? After all, you’ve been to that place and settled things with the real me."
Bai Wu nodded:
"There’s no need for us to beat around the bush. The girl you’re talking about is Xiaoyugan, right? The people who plotted against you are Bai Yuan, K."
"That’s right, they are truly remarkable beings. Receiving some of their memories, I can say I am deeply shocked."
Received some memories?
Bai Wu caught on; the replacement of memories was random and not coherent.
For instance, if you acquire a piece of memory in the Memory World, you relinquish another piece of memory at the same time.
But the next piece you obtain may not necessarily connect with the previous one.
Zhou Zeshui, that is, Jing San, might have opened a door and received K’s memories, and after the next door, he got Bai Yuan’s memories.
But Bai Wu remembered something—Bai Yuan’s memories were erased from the Memory World.
In the Memory World, Xiaoyugan couldn’t even find Bai Yuan.
Bai Wu suddenly realized that Bai Yuan might have planned some things long ago, like the Zhou Zeshui in front of him, whose personality comprised multiple memories.
Maybe it wasn’t that Bai Yuan’s memories were erased but that his memories were absorbed by the intruding Jing San.
At least a part of them were, and most might indeed have been erased.
And the experiences Jing San went through in the Memory World after entering... were not arranged randomly.
Jing San was different from the others, and was clearly targeted.
Originally, Memory World, or rather the Ark, was built by Bai Yuan in collaboration with Xiaoyugan. Bai Yuan was inside, and perhaps played a role no less important than Xiaoyugan, not just as a planner.
"Anyway, I obtained quite a few memories, and these memories, overall, seem to belong to the strongest few Ks under Laoda’s command."
"However, although there are many memories, among these interesting guys, the one that had the greatest impact on me was someone wearing a mask."
Zhou Zeshui’s response confirmed Bai Wu’s speculation.
Indeed, this was easy to understand.
Zhou Zeshui was a twisted and evil existence; to neutralize it, it was natural to use a lot of The First Generation’s memories.
Because of Bai Yuan’s nature, he was more like a chaotic and cynical egoist.
Hearts Ten was single-mindedly against Bai Yuan.
Xiaoyugan was very kind, yet lacked a sense of justice. When it came to saving the world or following Bai Yuan, Xiaoyugan would undoubtedly choose the latter.
Only The First Generation, Lin Rui, was the most capable of countering that kind of distortion and evil.
Therefore, Zhou Zeshui’s temperament was a mix of many people’s, but The First Generation’s temperament was the strongest.
Was this person another incarnation of The First Generation? Bai Yuan’s plan, the true purpose, was actually not only to replace the Evil Fallen’s memories with those of humans, but even to directly replace them with a hero like The First Generation...
This was indeed harmonious.
Heaven’s timing, Earth’s advantages, and human harmony allowed me to survive in front of Jing Si.
This seemed somewhat dreamy, but Bai Wu had already accepted this outcome.
Bai Yuan, The First Generation, Xiaoyugan, along with Bai Wu’s own efforts, with the harmony of the right time, the right place, and the right people, finally turned that inevitable failure into something that was not — a complete failure.
As long as I am still alive, there is hope for everything.
"Looking at your expression, you’re thinking hard, just like your old man. Even though I know your name, even if I didn’t, I would know for sure that you aren’t the child of the guy with the mask, because he’s too ugly, hahahahaha..."
Bai Wu wanted to say that Lin Rui wasn’t ugly, he was just disfigured.
Zhou Zeshui roared with laughter, and Bai Wu suddenly noticed something — the layer of deathly ash on his body was retreating bit by bit.
And the layer of gray spots on Zhou Zeshui’s body had already crept up to his neck.
Bai Wu suddenly had an ominous premonition.
"What’s with the spots on your body?"
"Oh, you noticed, hahaha, although the Power of Life and Death is very strong, you kept using the Power of Twist at that time, and Laosi on my head, kept using the Power of the Inverted Well. Me, standing in front of you, got a bit affected."
Bai Wu was stunned, looking at Zhou Zeshui’s frank and even somewhat heroic demeanor, a certain sadness suddenly arose in his heart:
"What do you mean? What do you mean by ’a bit affected’?"
"It means... saving you from Laosi’s hands was not easy, especially annihilation, which is a death more thorough than death itself. The Power of Life and Death are just rules, but you and Laosi held powers that are more terrifying than the rules themselves."
Zhou Zeshui revealed a look of admiration:
"It’s really remarkable, I didn’t expect you could do it to such an extent, it’s just that you made me wait for a long time."
"Anyway, to save you, there has to be a price. I saved you, and I’ve paid the price. Um, probably by the time I finish explaining some things, I will have died."
Bai Wu opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But he couldn’t speak.
This scene was as if The First Generation was telling him — "I am about to die."
Zhou Zeshui wasn’t The First Generation, and before entering the Ark, Bai Wu didn’t even know this person existed.
But the person who obtained The First Generation’s memories, deeply influenced by The First Generation’s memories, always seemed to make heroic decisions.
Just like many years ago, when The First Generation encountered Lin Rui. And like in the battle at Baichuan Shelter, when Lin Rui faced the choices made against the Well Level.
Zhou Zeshui laughed and said,
"Isn’t it funny that the bearer of the Power of Life and Death could actually die? But I’m tired, Bai Wu, do you know what your arrival means to me?"
Bai Wu slowly shook his head, having thought it was a light-hearted conversation about a narrow escape from a major disaster, only to find that life is heavy in every aspect.
This man, who seemed somewhat simple and laughed freely, didn’t at all resemble someone on the brink of death.
Zhou Zeshui laughed and said,
"It means I can finally escape the torment of life and death’s reincarnation. I will die, you will live, and it’s the transition of the deceased’s will to the living that represents the true alternation of life and death. I’ve wanted to sleep soundly for a long time now."
His last words echoed those Lin Rui had once said about The First Generation, "A long, long time ago, I wanted to sleep."
Seeing Bai Wu looking somewhat downcast, Zhou Zeshui patted his shoulder, but as his arm touched Bai Wu, it dissipated like dust.
The alternation of life and death was a passing of will, but here, it was also a more direct, visual shock.
Watching his disintegrating arm, and seeing more and more of Bai Wu’s body recover, Zhou Zeshui laughed heartily and said,
"Be happy about it, you should be glad for me. While I still have some time left, you’d better ask me more questions."
"Otherwise, in the future... you’ll only be able to find me in hell."
...
...
Bai Wu didn’t waste time asking why Zhou Zeshui was going to die.
But he guessed some of the truth.
On one hand, after the flight disintegrated and was falling, the Inverted Well had indeed spread to Jing San.
On the other hand, the Power of Life and Death couldn’t possibly keep someone alive who was left with only half a head.
Although the judge maneuvered the Undead and gathered a body from dust for the Soul to dwell in, a Body of Dust was, after all, just that—a Body of Dust.
Bai Wu, feeling the strong force within his new body, speculated that Zhou Zeshui had probably... made some sacrifice.
As a result, instead of dissipating like dust, he had acquired an unprecedentedly powerful vitality.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zeshui, one of the six Well Level monsters that were immortal, was gradually turning into dust.
However, Bai Wu didn’t understand one thing: why go to such lengths to save him?
"It feels a bit... heavy. I didn’t expect you would go to such an extent because of me."
"Heavy, huh? Hmm... don’t feel burdened. Let me tell you a secret. Actually, that group from before, your father, the one with the mask, that girl from the sea area, even though they outsmarted me, reversing Well Level isn’t that easy."
Bai Wu stayed silent, listening intently to Zhou Zeshui’s story:
"My memories come back every so often. So your father’s idea, although quite good, wasn’t as simple to reverse Well Level as he thought."
"I can already feel things starting to distort before my eyes. Fortunately, my servants have reincarnation."
"I can make my body return to the state before being twisted and devoured again. That’s also why I’m trapped in reincarnation."
"I’ve also thought that one day, someone will find a way to break the cycle of reincarnation."
"Like the Mutation Fusion Technique mastered by Laosi, the direct Inverted Well by Jing Si, the decomposition and restructuring by Jing Wu."
"Like your Power of Twist."
Zhou Zeshui said,
"Reincarnation is a very powerful force, but it can be broken by the aforementioned powers."
"However, there are only so many powers like that, hahaha, even Laoda can’t do anything about reincarnation."
"If you and Laosi were removed, and Laowu, who had just mastered decomposition, then only the doctor could temporarily change reincarnation,"
"But if it were only the doctor, he couldn’t defeat my Guardian, that mummy. After all, the flight forms an array, and although it couldn’t deal with Jing Wu, it’s more than capable of handling beings below the Well Level,"
Bai Wu understood.
This was most likely related to the collection of unfortunate people on the plane.
"Which faction the doctor specifically belongs to, I’m not sure, since it’s been seven hundred years that I’ve seen such a person for the first time, looking like Laoda but listening to the little sister. Hey, it’s a pity, he’s dead as a doornail, hahaha... These puzzles, you’ll have to solve them yourself."
Bai Wu suddenly thought that everything might be just as he had analyzed with Bai Yuan—
The doctor might really be related to Jing Yi, but due to some kind of method used by Jing Liu, did the doctor end up becoming Jing Liu’s person in the end?
That’s not important anymore because both the doctor and Jing Liu are gone.
If you want to know everything, you can probably only start with Jing Yi.
Zhou Zeshui continued to say:
"Anyway, you have to understand, even though I’m gradually becoming more human because of the memory replacement, and I quite like this uncorrupted soul, I am a monster with the name of the Well, and twist will not dissipate within me."
"Even if it did dissipate, it would be reborn."
"So reincarnation is like wildfire, and twist is like wild grass; the wildfire can’t burn it out, so I can only keep initiating reincarnation to keep the fire burning eternally."
Bai Wu understood:
"But now... reincarnation is no longer with you."
"Yes, it’s no longer with me, so maybe in a few days, I will turn back into that monster. Fortunately, there is no maybe, hahaha, I’ve solved this problem, I will use my death to exchange for your rebirth,"
The joy on Zhou Zeshui’s face was very pure:
"Being trapped in the cycle of life and death is a very painful thing, so Bai Wu, don’t feel guilty towards me; you have just helped me to be liberated."
Bai Wu understood.
Reincarnation is self-imprisonment.
This seven-hundred-year charade was just to prevent himself from becoming Jing San and to remain as Zhou Zeshui.
As for the memory, reincarnation does not change memory; Bai Wu still remembered dying over and over again in reincarnation, but the memory was not reincarnated.
So Zhou Zeshui remembered everything again.
Twisted memories, including both twist and memory, under the effect of reincarnation, could never devour Zhou Zeshui, so even though he remembered some memories of being Jing San, Zhou Zeshui was still a figure with the temperament of The First Generation.
But now that reincarnation is gone, the twist will slowly consume Zhou Zeshui, and he will become Jing San again.
Bai Wu had not expected that the monsters in the High Tower, the creators of the Well Glyph monsters, would be so powerful.
Bai Yuan’s methods could deal with most of the Evil Fallen, and the Memory World could endow countless Evil Fallen with human souls.
But it still couldn’t completely reverse the existence of the Well Level.
These beings of the Well Level, undying, inherently powerful, with full potential for growth, and even if their memories were twisted, could still recover on their own.
And Zhou Zeshui, whose memory was twisted to that of The First Generation, did not want to become Jing San, thus reincarnation became the shackles of his self-imprisonment.
"What else should I know?" Bai Wu asked.
Zhou Zeshui stroked his chin:
"The world order is changing, and from the moment reincarnation was dismantled, it means that your exploration of twist has entered a new phase."
"The location of the farm is somewhere outside the High Tower, what your next plan is, how you should arrange it, I do not know. But you have to find a way to go to the farm, there are some things hidden there."
"Well twist has distorted our cognition, yet it has also preserved a small part of personal will, that’s why everyone has different thoughts."
"It’s probably only Laoda who is diligently working for the emergence of that monster in the High Tower. Hahaha, just kidding, he definitely has his little schemes, just not as exaggerated as the little sister’s."
"You need to find more secrets, High Tower is about to appear, and I have a strong premonition that once it does, it will signify that humanity will be pushed to the brink."
"You also need to become stronger, you need to—"
When Zhou Zeshui reached this point, he suddenly paused. Bai Wu noticed that grey spots had already covered Jing San’s chin.
Zhou Zeshui’s expression, however, remained natural, but Bai Wu became visibly anxious.
"Ah... time is running out, what a nuisance, Bai Wu, it seems I won’t be able to tell you much more."
Time suddenly felt insufficient, causing Bai Wu to grow tense.
Ever since he knew that Zhou Zeshui was going to die, he had been feeling uneasy.
Now this feeling of unease was becoming stronger.
"Time waits for no one, don’t interrupt me next, I’ll just say whatever comes to mind, though I can’t say much."
"The Seven Deadly Sins Weapons are not inferior to the top-tier entries and Sequences. Try to collect them as much as possible, but I’m not clear on their whereabouts."
"Then there’s the matter of the Doomsday Puzzle pieces, which are crucial. These pieces hold the power to end distortions, but the conditions for their appearance are very specific..."
"No, that’s not it... I need to tell you something else, my mind is a bit scrambled, hahaha..." Zhou Zeshui’s tone was somewhat frantic.
He was not panicked about his impending death but worried he wasn’t revealing enough. To rescue Bai Wu from under two Origin Level forces had also cost Zhou Zeshui significantly.
Even though it was tough to rank the two forces, Jing Si was indeed much stronger than Bai Wu.
Under the influence of the Power of the Inverted Well, even the Power of Life and Death could not revive Bai Wu.
Therefore... Zhou Zeshui had less time than he had anticipated, a fact he had just realized.
"Oh, right, the Inverted Well Domain disintegrates anything tainted with the Power of Twist, so you’ve lost your tool bag. But you don’t have any Spirit Possession items on you, meaning non-distorted items are still with you."
"Good heavens, a pot has fallen from the sky? Why would you carry a pot with you? Never mind, this question isn’t important anymore."
"Furthermore, the Doomsday Puzzle pieces you’ve collected are still there. Remember what I said earlier, try to collect as many as possible..."
"Also... all your Guardian Spirits... have died within the Inverted Well. But it doesn’t matter... it’s a blessing in disguise, as you are now genuinely a Well Level being."
Zhou Zeshui’s body began to fade away.
Bai Wu suddenly said:
"Stop talking about these things, tell me about yourself instead."
"What’s there to tell about myself? Don’t waste time. Do you know, I, who have been greatly influenced by the memory of some masked freak, am well aware of this guy’s love for humanity."
"It’s hard to imagine such a theatrical character in this world, a person purely intent on saving the world. Especially in an environment like the farm..."
"That place, you must go take a look. All these K’s aren’t reliable, it’s not necessarily that Laoda has misjudged. The farm, just like High Tower, conceals things related to the Origin. Maybe you will find something valuable there."
"Oh, and the Power of Life and Death is Source Power, not some force of Evil Fallen, returning to High Tower, the aura within you will not purify... but I’m not sure if you are now Evil Fallen or human... You’d better not return to High Tower hastily..."
Zhou Zeshui tried to press his hands against his head to clear his mind, but his hands were already gone.
As he said, it was all very ironic.
The being that was hardest to kill in the world, the master of the Power of Life and Death, was now being hounded by death’s footfalls into such disarray.
"I don’t know why I was chosen by the monsters, what special thing I bear within me because I can’t investigate it anymore."
"But you can. Bai Wu, beings of the Well Level cannot die. When I die, it means I am no longer Jing San... "
Zhou Zeshui looked at Bai Wu and said with satisfaction:
"Now you, you are the genuine Well Glyph Monster."
Finally, Bai Wu understood what Zhou Zeshui had passed on to him.
He had given himself the special nature of the Well Level.
The damage caused by Jing Si’s Inverted Well Domain and the life overdraft from his own Well Domain were so severe that not even the Power of Life and Death could heal him. So, Zhou Zeshui, in an attempt to save himself, had added the powerful life force of a Well Level being to his own.
He had once jokingly referred to himself as Jing Qi, Bai someone.
But now, he had truly become a Well Level existence, standing at the same starting point as Jing Wu, Jing Si, Jing Er, and Jing Yi.
"To possess the vitality of a monster, one will experience distortion and endless negative emotions... If I continue to control these powers, I cannot die as Zhou Zeshui; I can only live as Jing San."
"Bai Wu, I don’t want to be Jing San; I just want to be Zhou Zeshui."
"Although you are human... the negative emotions seem to have no effect on you, and you are gradually mastering the distortion, although not yet proficient and still far from being able to contend with Laosi..."
"But I believe in you, you are... of crucial importance to this world, more than me, more than the masked ones, more than your father, more than everyone from the last era."
Zhou Zeshui seemed very happy, as if he wanted to die in a state of incessant chatter. Just like The First Generation when facing Lin Rui, he too had a lot to say.
Bai Wu didn’t like this sense of destiny. If Zhou Zeshui must die, then he should at least do so without regrets:
"Stop it, talk about yourself! Zhou Zeshui, talk about yourself! Otherwise, I won’t listen to anything!"
Zhou Zeshui was stunned for a moment, then looking at Bai Wu’s stubborn face, suddenly smiled and compromised:
"Alright, let’s talk about me then, in the last bit of time I have, I’ll properly introduce myself."
"My name is Zhou Zeshui, I was chosen by a monster, and then I became a monster. I didn’t want to live like this, but my will... had no way to contend with that twist."
"But fortunately, I can die as a human in the end of my life... yes, at the end of my life."
"Right, I didn’t kill my family, my wife and children didn’t betray me; the most meaningful memories to me are those of living with them... I love them, I truly love them..."
"Only as a human can I recall these memories, only then do I know that I really lived. So even sacrificing eternal life, I wouldn’t want these memories to be twisted."
"Because I..."
With every word, his body was vanishing more and more; by the time he reached his last sentence, Zhou Zeshui was already voiceless.
But Bai Wu could still make out his last words:
"I love them."
Jing San, Zhou Zeshui, the man who had once clashed with Bai Wu in the Memory World and now saved Bai Wu from Jing Si... finally disappeared completely.
Zhou Zeshui, with his mighty divine power, had appeared and revived himself. Being the original Jing San, Bai Wu believed he would have to be with Zhou Zeshui for a long time.
But unexpectedly... this person was like the wind, just as The First Generation had been upon their first meeting in Baichuan City.
But soon, Bai Wu snapped out of that atmosphere, no longer astonished by his fleeting encounter with Zhou Zeshui.
Since this man was influenced by the memories of The First Generation, to leave with such equanimity was also a kind of true nature.
His hatred for Bai Yuan lessened somewhat because of Zhou Zeshui’s existence.
The Ark Project, at the very least, had truly saved a person. Although Zhou Zeshui still died, he at least found the meaning of life.
Bai Wu watched as his strong body, filled with vigorous life-force, relentlessly expelled the grey death spots from his skin, pondering his next actions.
"Once I’ve adapted to this body... I should head to Denglin City."
"Right now, am I a human recreated by the Power of Life and Death... or have I become like Jing San, turned into an Evil Fallen?"
Having received Jing San’s vast vitality, does that mean he had become Jing San? Or had there been some strange reaction where he hadn’t turned into an Evil Fallen?
Zhou Zeshui hadn’t made this clear, and it was a very important question.
And Bai Wu also recalled a crucial method to identify an Evil Fallen.
He suddenly stood up and looked down at a certain part of his body.
