novelraw Chapter 382-2: The Truth of the Real World (2)
Chapter 382-2: The Truth of the Real World (2)
As Lin Xun had suspected, the New World was the surrender faction, the descent faction, who hoped the apocalypse would come as soon as possible.
They believed that using the Source of the Apocalypse in the real world would cause the actually existing evil god to sense the coordinates of the real world.
Once the apocalypse and evil god descended, they would then reveal their true strength and help the evil god destroy the real world.
They constantly sucked the blood of low-level Apostles to strengthen themselves, attempting to create a group of the strongest Apostles who might qualify to become lackeys of the evil god.
Because only then could they earn the evil god’s favor and follow it to the next New World.
They claimed to be the last embers of humanity, claimed to be prophets who had seen the world’s true nature, claimed to be pioneers who would open the gates of the New World. In truth, they were nothing more than a group of cowardly traitors who feared death.
The New World plundered resources from ordinary Apostles through an endlessly greedy leeching method.
Then, using cruel and primitive means, they threw the powerful ones they had nurtured into an arena called the Disciple war, forcing them to fight each other to the death, so as to select those with the qualifications to be lackeys of the evil god.
The First Disciple who survived multiple Disciple wars and reached a certain realm would finally be allowed to leave the arena and welcome the arrival of the evil god.
In the New World, they were referred to as Saints.From the creation of the New World until now, the number of Saints born had been pitifully small, so few they could be counted on two hands.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xun could not help asking what kind of power these Saints wielded and what realm they had attained.
Compared to the official organization’s cutting-edge power, how did the New World’s Master and Saints measure up? Who was stronger?
Li Long heaved a long sigh and continued, “After you learned the truth, you still chose to firmly stand with the official faction…”
“To say the official faction’s vision and perspective are too small is not quite right. You and I are standing on humanity’s side. We are both saviors.”
Li Long was the council’s Vice-Chairman and one of the strongest among the official Apostles.
They were Apostles of ninth difficulty, and could even stably achieve S-grade interpretation ratings in ninth difficulty, and those were S-grade ratings on Nightmare chapters.
Yet after clearing the ninth chapter, the game did not end. The game indicated that there was a final chapter, but they had never been able to unlock it.
Li Long speculated that whoever managed to unlock the final chapter would gain the power to save the world.
Because even as someone like Li Long, who stood at the peak of countless Apostles, his realm was only that of a pseudo god and had never truly reached the stage of a true god.
With power like that, to challenge an evil god, to resist an evil god, calling it a struggle was already flattering themselves.
Li Long gave a self-mocking laugh. “The Book of Salvation claims to bring salvation, yet it is stingy about giving Apostles the opportunity to save the world. Even when one reaches the late stages of the game, the power gained is still completely insufficient to contend with the apocalypse.”
“Only by unlocking the final chapter is there any hope of saving the world.”
At this point, he patted Lin Xun’s shoulder. “If anyone is most likely to save the world, it is only two people. One is the council’s Chairman. The Chairman is ahead of me. He can already stably achieve the highest SS-grade interpretation rating in ninth difficulty’s Nightmare chapters.”
“The other is the New World’s leader, the Master. Those two might already have touched upon the true god realm I have never stepped into.”
“Unfortunately, the New World’s Master is willing to be part of the surrender faction and is destined never to become the Savior who will save the world.”
Li Long sighed, “Perhaps ninth difficulty, as the final chapter’s prelude and last chapter, is still not enough even with the highest SS-grade rating. It might be that some hidden additional condition must also be fulfilled.”
“Maybe only then can an Apostle unlock the final chapter and obtain the qualifications to truly contend with the evil god.”
In the official Apostles’ understanding, SS-grade was already the highest rating.
When even the strongest existences in the world could only produce SS-grade ratings by using their full strength, no one would think there could be a higher rating above SS.
Even less would anyone imagine that after obtaining a rating higher than SS, they could enter a Hell Difficulty that surpassed Nightmare.
Lin Xun narrowed his eyes.
Based on Li Long’s words and his own analysis, if his guess was correct, only by entering Hell Difficulty chapters of ninth difficulty would one qualify to unlock the final chapter.
It might even be necessary to earn the highest rating in Hell Difficulty chapters to have the qualifications to unlock the final chapter.
With a look of satisfaction, Li Long said, “Lin Xun, your potential is immense. You probably also have the qualifications to go to the end of the game and become one of those who open the final chapter, one of the candidates for the Savior.”
Here he paused, as if something had suddenly come to mind, and could not recover for a long time.
He fell into thought, fingers lightly tapping the office desk.
“Lin Xun.”
Li Long raised his head, his eyes more serious than ever.
“Our goal might need to be changed.”
Lin Xun was taken aback. “Uncle Li, what do you mean?”
“Although the New World’s practice of draining low-level Apostles is contrary to conscience, we cannot deny that if you become a Disciple, even a Saint of the New World, you can grow and advance your strength much faster.”
“You possess such potential. If we only treat you as a Disciple and have you infiltrate the New World, it is too wasteful.”
Li Long’s eyes flashed with a mysterious light. “Most of the New World’s grassroots Apostles were brainwashed precisely because their souls were too ordinary.”
“Put simply, their soul talent was too ordinary. Only because it was ordinary could they be unknowingly and gradually brainwashed after being branded with the spiritual imprint originating from the Master, and become traitors to humanity.”
“There is a saying: only punish the ringleaders, leave the rest unpunished. If we could completely erase the Master’s existence and erase the New World, then most of those powerless grassroots Apostles would throw themselves into the official faction.”
“However, the Master is far too mysterious and powerful. We are completely unable to grasp his whereabouts.”
“Even if we take the long view and say we could somehow eliminate the Master, we still would not be able to completely eradicate the New World. Those Saints selected through multiple Disciple wars are each and every one potential new Masters.”
He said meaningfully, “Lin Xun, have you ever thought about becoming a Saint?”
“Once you become a Saint, you will have a real chance to approach the Master, a chance to kill the Master, and a chance to take the Master’s place.”
“If you can seize all of the New World’s resources, you might reach the end of the game even earlier than the Chairman.”
“You will be able to save the world in another way.”
Lin Xun’s eyes widened. He could not believe what he had just heard.
Li Long actually wanted him to kill the Master and become the New World’s leader.
“In that way, you can both advance your strength at the fastest speed and erase the entire New World without drawing attention.”
“It is truly a plan that kills two birds with one stone, don’t you think?”
Lin Xun had no idea what expression he should be making and could only reply, “Ah, yes, yes.”
—
Li Long walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and watched the young man he had placed his hopes on leave the headquarters building.
“Lin Xun, I am very sorry.”
“It is not that the organization cannot tolerate you. It is that the environment here may be even more dangerous to you than the New World.”
“On the surface, the New World’s sea is stormy while the depths are calm. Here, things look calm on the surface, but there are countless undercurrents.”
“Because there is more than one way to save the world.”