True Apocalypse Game

’This thing really looks a lot like the Nine-Tailed Seal from Naruto...’

"What did you say?" Jingwei asked curiously from inside the cage. At the same time, her head poked out. A palm-sized little bird actually emerged from the massive body of data, a silk-like thread connecting it to its source. It slipped out of the cage and appeared before Shen Feng.

"Nothing... You’ll find out later," Shen Feng said. "Can your consciousness still leave?"

"Of course, but my core data has to stay here. I can’t move as a whole. You could say I’m living inside you now. You’re my server, so don’t you dare die on me."

Jingwei curiously sized up her surroundings, then continued, "Speaking of which, your body’s structure is quite interesting. My data volume is enormous, but I didn’t expect this hybrid structure of yours, blending biological cells with silicon elements, would increase your capacity so many times over. It can actually accommodate all of my data..."

"By the way, my core data is now mainly stored in the two silicon-based structures in your chest... It’s a little gross that you have four lungs."

Hearing Jingwei’s commentary, Shen Feng was momentarily speechless.

He hadn’t expected this creature to take up residence in his Silicon-Based Brain. Instead, it had moved right into the two speakers in his chest.

’This is for the best,’ he thought. ’At least this way, the bird won’t know everything I’m thinking.’

Especially certain secrets that were not for her to know...

"Shen Feng, are you... not done yet?" Firefly peeked her head in the doorway, asking cautiously.

No matter what, that was the Great God Jingwei. She had been taught since childhood that this was a supreme, divine being, so for a moment, she was still a little reserved.

Shen Feng broke into a smile and said:

"It’s done. Let’s go out."

Back at the Night Woman Tribe’s location, the crowd of Night Women fell to the ground in prostration the moment they saw Shen Feng reappear. They began to perform a sacrificial dance symbolizing fertility for him.

Even Firefly’s mother, Redstone, now bowed to Shen Feng with a mix of heartfelt conviction and reverent awe.

They had originally thought this man was merely the Master of the Heroic God. Who could have imagined he could also summon the envoy of the God of the East Wind, and even call upon the Great God Jingwei to appear!

They had all seen the small bird form of Jingwei that had appeared on the missile launch vehicle’s control screen earlier.

And the Great God Jingwei seemed to hold this man in high regard.

That wasn’t all. According to Firefly, the Great God Jingwei had already become this man’s servant!

The Master of the Heroic God, the wielder of the God of the East Wind, the master of the Great God Jingwei!?

Just what kind of powerful and awe-inspiring being was this!

"Hey, when are we going back? Are you really going to let them carry on with all this superstitious stuff?"

Jingwei’s voice emanated from Shen Feng’s chest, startling the dancing Night Women and causing them to dance even more fervently.

Then, feeling playful, Jingwei spoke up again, her voice booming:

"O, humble mortals! Standing before you is the Master of the Heroic God, the wielder of the God of the East Wind, the Great God Jingwei’s landlord... I mean, closest friend! The Savior of humanity! The man known as the Heroic King! Shen Feng!" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

As this string of over-the-top titles was called out, even Shen Feng couldn’t help but blush a little.

Unexpectedly, the Night Women completely bought into it. All they knew was that this voice came from nowhere, sounded very similar to the voice of the Great God Jingwei they had heard before, and had just announced the title of Heroic King to them.

"Heroic King!"

"Savior of humanity!"

"Shen Feng!"

"..."

Shen Feng shook his head helplessly. He temporarily disabled the control of the silicon-based structures in his chest and said to Firefly:

"Firefly, there is one last thing I have to do. Let’s go, take your tribe with you."

"Okay." Firefly nodded and relayed the command of a tribe chief to the Night Women. By now, she had completely established her authority. The Night Women immediately picked up their weapons and tools, assembling with excitement on their faces.

The Heroic King was going to lead them out of the Iron Country and back to the surface!

Redstone opened her mouth slightly, wanting to say something, but let her arm fall uselessly to her side.

’The Heroic King’s words can’t be wrong.’

Shen Feng snapped his fingers, and the shield tunneling machine immediately returned to his side.

Then, with the shield tunneler leading the way and the missile launch vehicle bringing up the rear, Shen Feng led the Night Woman clan toward the wilderness above the Iron Country.

The Night Women shone with a dazzling light, illuminating the path as they went. They loudly praised the great deeds of the Heroic King, calling out to the other tribes of the Iron Country to leave this place with them.

The Worm Tribe, the Black Che Tribe, the Moss Tribe, the Root Tribe, the Blind Snake Tribe, the Ant Tribe...

In the vast and deep underground tunnels of the Iron Country, tribe after tribe that had lived in darkness emerged from the deep passages. In shock and bewilderment, they worshipped the Mighty God, they worshipped the envoy of the God of the East Wind, they worshipped the Heroic King, and then they followed behind them, heading upward.

Upward, ever upward. They had received the Heroic King’s promise. They were returning to the bright surface world. There would be no more Rebirth Days, and the curse would gradually fade, allowing them to live in peace.

「A long time later.」

The shield tunneler broke through the soil above, and a beam of light shone down.

Everyone walked out onto the surface, arriving at the outskirts of the Old Demon City.

A gentle breeze blew past. Seeing the dark ruins of the Old Demon City behind them, everyone felt a surge of doubt and their resolve wavered.

But then they looked at the figure of the Heroic King, and listened to the words of the Great God Jingwei that existed in the void, and their determination solidified once more.

Then, under the leadership of the Heroic King, they traveled west.

The farther west they went, the weaker the curse became.

In the gaps between the stretches of Cursed Land were peaceful areas where one could live.

Along the way, they encountered many different tribes, and even vicious Desert Bandits, but they were all persuaded by the Heroic King to follow along with them.

「On the evening of the seventh day.」

They arrived at a place called the Crow Tribe.

According to the Heroic King, the earth here flowed with black blood that could make everything better.

A man called "the Mayor" rushed out from behind the tribe’s fence, laughing joyously. He seemed to be very familiar with the Heroic King and the Firefly Saintess.

They settled down here. The Heroic King had told them that tonight would be the last Rebirth Day, and after this, they would never have to live in fear again.

「As night fell.」

Everyone lay quietly on rooftops or on the ground, gazing silently at the sky, waiting for the arrival of the final Rebirth Day.

On the roof of a small cabin in the Death Forest, Shen Feng and Firefly lay side by side, watching The Stars in the sky.

Not far from them, the huge shield tunneling machine and the remaining intercontinental missile launch vehicle rested quietly, like two oversized pets.

"Shen Feng, can we really be reborn this time? What are ’fireworks’? What if those things fall back down..." Firefly asked, a little worried.

"Don’t worry. These deadliest of things are also the most beautiful. Today, we’re only going to appreciate their beauty. That’s what fireworks are," Shen Feng said with a smile. "Are you really not planning to come back with me?"

Firefly was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Shen Feng and said:

"This is my home. My people are all here... Hearing you describe that beautiful world is enough for me. I’m going to stay with my people and turn this place into a Heaven, too!"

Shen Feng nodded. He had already guessed what Firefly’s answer would be.

After all, no matter how scarred and broken this world was, it was still her home.

’Fortunately, we should be able to meet again in the future.’

"Shen Feng, are we doing this or not? It’ll be dawn soon," Jingwei’s voice came from his chest, already sounding a little impatient.

"Launch them," Shen Feng said flatly.

A radio wave shot skyward from a nearby abandoned antenna, heading for a satellite in the night sky and traveling through the remnants of the communication network.

Immediately after, across this wasteland continent, from the permafrost of Siberia in the north, and from the Rocky Mountains and the Central Great Plains of America, the last few dozen intercontinental ballistic missiles roared into the sky, carrying the last nuclear warheads as they spat bright flames.

Whether it was night or day where they were, people could see these bright trails.

Under the watchful eyes of the masses, these life-stealing creations did not fall back to earth. Instead, they rose, and rose, and rose, until they reached a sufficient altitude, where they blossomed into dazzling nuclear flowers in the atmosphere.

"So beautiful..." Firefly murmured, her eyes glazed as she watched the sparks on the distant horizon.

Jingwei opportunely played a song:

"A dangerous journey has ended

I want to live a quiet life with you

To watch the sunset at the edge of the sky

...

Every Angel

Loves beauty

That’s how I know how precious you are

...

So let me dance for you

Let me sing a song for you

..."

~

(Note: Song is "Sing a Song for You" by the band Miserable Faith. All songs featured in the book are included in the NetEase Cloud Music playlist for "True Apocalypse Game".)