Extraordinary Pedigree.

Chapter 683: Flower of Blood and Bone: Finale.

You put me in a preset box,
Tell me this is where I should go.

I reached out and touched the edge of the wall.

A cold, impenetrable border.

choose?

I stared at the screen, and it responded with silence.

Those codes,

Flowing in my body,

I asked, and it was silent.

*
*
Year 154 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.
November 11th - Winter Night.
11: 00 PM.
"Hua la la la~~~"

"Crash, lala, lala -"

The cold water silently hit Ove's hands. His fingers were stiff and his skin had long lost its temperature.

The monotonous sound of water filled the entire small room, like an endless mechanical operation.

He stood in the narrow bathroom, and his plain face was reflected in the mirror, with blurred outlines, as if lost in the pale light.

For as long as he could remember, Ove knew that he was no different from other people.

They all live in a world dominated by data and algorithms. Their fate has already been written, with no forks and no surprises.

Every step in the future is preset in the plan, and every deviation will be ruthlessly corrected.

Cold white light filled the entire room. The walls were as cold as machines. The smooth panels displayed the parents' social optimization scores and behavioral assessments. The numbers hung high in the air, like an eternal judge, constantly monitoring their every move.

As the numbers on the panel jumped, Ove's heart did not fluctuate at all.

To him, those numbers are more familiar than his relatives.

His parents are not real blood relatives, but temporary guardians assigned by the [Eleos] system. There is no family affection between them, only absolute obedience to the system.

On the border, children eat alone until they are seven years old, and are not allowed to eat with adults until they pass a specific ceremony.

This practice not only controls their social behavior, but also reinforces their obedience to social order and collective rules.

[This kind of education effectively limits the spontaneity of individual development and ensures that members of society can obediently integrate into collective life after adulthood without generating excessive individual desires or rebellious behaviors.]

These are what Ion said before he fell asleep.

Yes, the great border creator Ion has been in a coma. Even when Ove was born, that adult was already sleeping.

No one knows when he will wake up, but people know that he will wake up.

Ove gets along fairly well with his family.

His parents always say to him in a calm tone - "You are excellent."

But there is always a deliberate distance in the tone, as if fulfilling a cold responsibility.

There was no warmth in that relationship; they were just gears, lacking any real emotional bond between them.

Everything in Ove's world is arranged precisely.

From the moment he was born, the trajectory of his life had been calculated.

There were no surprises, no changes in his life.

Every day, he completes the assigned tasks on time, and the school curriculum is carefully arranged by the system to ensure that his every choice is in line with the needs of society.

Those seemingly free interests have long been framed outside the fields of logic, mathematics and engineering, and any "useless" thinking will be quickly corrected.

When he tried to ask questions in class that were not related to the course, the teacher would always gently but firmly remind him:
"Ove, focus on your goal. The answer is already written in your life's trajectory."

At that moment, Ove realized that all his thinking was in vain.

The system does not allow deviation. The question itself is meaningless. It will only make him deviate from his destined fate.

What confused Ove the most was the feeling of depression in his heart.

He could feel that some invisible force was suppressing his inner emotions and preventing him from experiencing those genuine emotional fluctuations.

Whenever anger, joy or even sadness surged in his heart, his bracelet would silently send out electrical signals, accurately suppressing the emotional fluctuations at that moment and allowing him to quickly return to a numb calm.

Gradually, Ove got used to the silent loneliness. His heart was blocked by a thick layer of ice and he couldn't break free.

The sound of machinery could be heard from time to time in the room, like a distant hum. In this world, everyone was closely monitored, and all life was neatly arranged under the system, without any variables. He never questioned it, because he didn't know there were other possibilities.

The entire society runs in an orderly manner, without any struggle or resistance.

Everything was eerily quiet, and everyone was content to become a cog in the system, letting fate push them to their predetermined destination.

Everything around me seemed empty and depressing.

The walls were cold and empty, the light had no warmth, and the entire space was calculated to the millimeter, leaving no room for error.

Ove's heart seemed to be frozen, and indifference became his only companion. His life was uneventful, and there was no future worth looking forward to.

He knew that this was his life - passing slowly in precise algorithms.

However, all this soon changed.

In an hour, it will be his 14th birthday.

At that time, he will be eligible for his own system rating.

His parents will leave and he will be "independent".

So, tomorrow is his Independence Day.

[Remember, remember, November 11th, gunpowder treason and conspiracy——]

A sudden but inexplicable thought flashed through his mind.

He wanted to find out the specific content, but forgot it in an instant.

*
*
November 55, Year 11 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

The clock struck midnight quietly, heralding the arrival of Ove's fourteenth birthday.

At this moment, time seems to stand still, a destined node.

He got up from the bed and was surrounded by silence.

There was no sound in the house except the faint hum of the instruments running.

Dreams have always been the only place where Ove can touch his emotions.

There, there are no shackles of data, nor the oppression of fate programs, only strange lights and chaotic sounds.

Whenever night falls, the world in dreams is completely different from reality, blurry yet free.

In these dreams, Ove often saw a figure standing in the distance, speaking to him in words he could not understand.

The shadow was both familiar and unfamiliar. It was an existence that he had never seen in his life, but was engraved deep in his soul.

He would sometimes run as hard as he could in an attempt to get closer to the person.

But no matter how hard he chased, the figure always kept the same distance from him.

Whenever Ove was about to get close, the figure would disappear silently into the endless darkness, leaving him standing alone in the void.

Ove never understood the meaning of these dreams, but he knew that they brought him an experience that was different from reality - a freedom beyond repression and surveillance.

The memory of that day was seared into his mind, never to be erased.

Ove was fourteen years old, and his bracelet suddenly stopped working.

The emotion suppression device malfunctioned.

At that moment, Ove felt a flood of emotion he had never felt before, bursting out from deep within him.

Anger, joy, sadness, these emotions mixed together and flooded into his consciousness, making his heart beat like a drum and his whole body was engulfed by emotions.

The air seemed to stagnate, everything around him became heavy, but Ove's chest felt an unprecedented lightness.

He rushed out of the house, ran through the carefully designed streets, and ran out of the city.

The cold light from the street could not illuminate the excitement in his heart. It seemed that the repressed emotions had found the only outlet.

No one would understand why he wanted to run away, because everyone was law-abiding in the world on the border.

So, his running - that's part of the design of the border, it requires someone to run.

Ove ran towards the long-abandoned factory, that corner forgotten by society, where some force seemed to be calling him.

The iron gate is already rusty and no one has stepped into it for a long time.

He walked through the door and into a dark, silent area.

Here, there are no surveillance devices, no cold white light, only pure darkness and the breath of freedom.

Ove stopped, his heart still beating fast, but his breathing gradually became calmer. In this darkness, there was only him and his own soul, and those suppressed truths began to echo in his body.

As he stood in the shadow of the abandoned factory, a voice suddenly came from the darkness.

"Can you feel it?"

The voice was low and gentle, echoing in Ove's ears, as if it had taken shape in the air.

Ove turned around suddenly and saw a blurry figure. The figure was exactly the same as the one in his dream. The boundary between fantasy and reality seemed to disappear at this moment.

“Don’t be afraid, Ove,” the voice continued, with a mysterious and irresistible power. “You are beginning to see the truth. The world is not as perfect as you think it is. The system controls only your body, but your soul—that is your own.”

Ove was stunned, his breathing became rapid, and his eyes were full of confusion and astonishment.

This voice seemed to tear apart the fog in his heart and reveal the truth hidden in the deepest part before him.

He felt that he should be terrified, but surprisingly, he calmed down.

The gears of fate finally began to turn.

“Who are you?” Ove asked in a low voice, his voice trembling but filled with uncontrollable desire.

The figure walked slightly forward, and in the blurred light and shadow, a smile appeared.

"I'm Hugh Abraham," he replied in a low voice that seemed to come from another dimension, "Welcome to the real world."

"In the year 155, my Independence Day, I arrived at my destination today - this is where I first met Hugh Abraham. No matter in the past or now, I think he is a man with a lot of bad taste -"

*
*
Year 158 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

January 1.
Three years later, beneath the surface of silence at the border, undercurrents were surging.

The Border World has experienced years of high order and stability. On the surface, there seems to be no abnormality, but the real master behind all this, Corinius P. Bodfell II, the ruler of the Border World - Ion, has finally awakened.

Ion's awakening brought a shock.

During the sleep of Bodfe II, the border archon system had been operating according to established procedures, controlling everyone's life, destiny and future.

However, an unexpected "exceptional" appeared in the system's predictions.

[He is a man bewitched by the 'devil' and he will destroy the new world;
Let no one deceive you in any way, because that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed.

He is the one who opposes Ion and exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped, even sitting in the temple of God, claiming to be God.

This fable spreads throughout the border world.

The first thing Bodfell II did after waking up was to start killing.

He did not announce the order publicly, but instead issued a top-secret directive in secret, citing border security as an excuse: to completely eradicate all people born in 41 (the age Ove was born), especially those whose names showed any "abnormality" in the system.

Those names were recorded in the core system of Project Destiny, and these people were about to become targets of slaughter.

The order to massacre was issued in extreme secrecy, and only the highest-level security forces on the border knew the specific details of the operation.

Drones and security forces began to move silently, tracking and locking each target, eliminating any presence that might threaten the stability of Project Destiny.

The civilians at the border are unaware of this and are still living their lives in an orderly manner day after day.

For ordinary people, Ion's awakening did not seem to bring any changes. The pedestrians on the streets were busy as usual, working, studying, and entertaining, all proceeding in an orderly manner under the arrangement of fate.

Surveillance equipment records their life trajectories at all times, and the emotion suppression system ensures their emotional stability. No one notices that a silent massacre is quietly unfolding.

Drones hover over cities like ghosts; their presence has become commonplace and is often considered part of maintaining social order.

However, at this moment, their infrared sensors and precision weapons are silently locking onto targets hidden in the crowd.

Every individual with a special tag has its location accurately marked by the system.

The security forces moved out quietly at midnight, eliminating these targets one by one through covert raids and efficient operations.

This bloody campaign of repression was merciless, without mercy or any public justification.

Young men and women who were born in the same year as Ove were secretly taken away. Some were executed at home, while others were instantly turned into dust by the precise strikes of drones.

Those who were executed had their names promptly deleted from all of society’s databases, their existence completely erased.

The saddest thing is that the new world does not allow any questioning or mourning.

*
*
November 158, Year 11 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

woohoo-

Night enveloped the entire border, and every street light seemed too quiet, as if waiting for a storm to break out. Ove quickly shuttled through the darkness, his every step filled with anxious rhythm, and the dirt and gravel under his feet made a slight sound.

Behind him, a harsh mechanical hum was approaching - it was the border security force's unmanned pursuit aircraft. In the dim street corner, they flashed a cold red light, like a predator locking onto its prey, chasing Ove mercilessly.

Ove's breathing became faster and faster, but he did not stop.

To stop is to die.

This thought echoed in his mind like a rope tightly around his throat.

He quickened his pace, trying to shake off his mechanical pursuers.

Tap~tap~tap~tap~tap~
The surrounding buildings seemed silent in the dim light, as if the whole world was against him.

Ove knew that his choice was already determined.

When he took that step on Independence Day towards the freedom he had never imagined, there was no turning back.

His mind couldn't help but flash back to that fateful night three years ago, the moment that changed the entire trajectory of his life.

At that time, he was only fourteen years old.

independence Day.

That was his first encounter with the mysterious man who called himself an angel
The scene of his first encounter with the angel on Independence Day three years ago always flashed through his mind. That guy who claimed to be an angel and educator was very vicious in his words.

Sometimes he wondered to himself - are there really educators like this?

"Look around you. They are all masterpieces carefully designed by programs. What about you? You may be just a string of code, an imperfect simulation, or even, uh, a brain placed in a laboratory tank, connected to various tubes, happily wandering in this virtual reality."

Ove remembers being shocked and speechless by those words. It was the first time he had heard such straightforward language that completely subverted his worldview.

The angel stared at him coldly.

"This place, this 'border' where you have lived since childhood, is nothing more than a virtual cage, an illusion. In fact, you are imprisoned in a thing called the 'Internet of Things Matrix'. To put it simply - you, dear Ove, may be just a fragment of consciousness in a human brain, and your entire 'life' is nothing more than a large virtual reality game."

Those words were like nails engraved in his mind, and could not be erased.

Ove is often haunted by these words in his dreams, and he even doubts whether that person really existed or was just an illusion caused by his mental breakdown.

buzzing-

The hum of the mechanical pursuit machine became more rapid, and a red light followed him like a shadow.

Ove’s thoughts were still reverberating, the angel’s words entwined around his heart like a poisonous snake.

"Countless imprisoned brains, countless consciousnesses - all in this beautiful virtual world! These people have no idea that they no longer have bodies, and their 'life' is nothing but a programmed fantasy. And the one who controls all of this is, of course, our dear Corinius P. Bodfeld II. Have you heard of him?"

Ove clenched his teeth and his pace became more rapid.

The angel's mocking voice echoed in his mind, and the truth about Bodfell II made him feel a mixture of fear and anger.

He remembered the angel's last words:
"Of all these brains and programs, you are the only one who has not been completely controlled. Your soul still retains the spark of freedom, and I am only helping you to ignite it. Now is the time, boy, we must completely destroy this "border" and tear apart the lies woven by Bodfe II."

Now, as Ove runs on the border of darkness, the angel's prophecy seems to be gradually coming true.

No matter how fierce the pursuers behind him were, the fire in his heart never went out, but burned more and more fiercely.

【Drip drip-】

【Target found!!!】

At this moment, the pursuit machine made a sharp mechanical sound, and a red laser beam instantly cut through the air and headed straight for Ove's back.

He suddenly leaned forward, and the laser brushed past his back, bringing with it a scorching breath, hitting the ground and emitting a wisp of burnt smoke.

"No, I can't hold out much longer at this rate!"

Ove's heart was beating like a drum, and he felt death approaching. Lying on the cold ground, he quickly looked around for a chance to escape.

At the end of the street on the right, several rusty metal plates and abandoned robotic arms were scattered randomly next to a pile of construction materials.

Ove knew that this was his last chance and he had to seize it.

He gritted his teeth, turned over, and rushed towards the pile of waste.

The pursuit aircraft behind him seemed to have sensed his intention and emitted a more rapid mechanical humming sound, and several red laser beams shot out from their muzzles.

The air was filled with a burning smell, and sparks flew as the laser scraped across the metal surface.

Ove rolled quickly and hid behind the huge metal plate.

The laser beam followed closely and hit the metal plate hard, making a deafening metal collision sound.

The metal plate was burned red hot and the surface began to deform and twist, but it temporarily blocked the deadly attacks.

"Now is the time to fight back, boy!"

The familiar voice appeared in Ove's mind again.

The sound made Ove feel excited despite his nervousness.

The angel is back again.

His contact with the angels had been sporadic since Independence Day.

The angels fell into a long period of slumber until "Ion" began the Great Purge.

And now, the angel has woken up again.

"There's an energy blaster in those abandoned devices back there, enough to blow up those damn drones."

Ove held his breath and squinted his eyes to observe carefully through the gaps in the metal plate.

He saw a device that was obviously very old lying in the pile of abandoned equipment.

It was rusty, covered in dust and grease, but he had no other choice.

He quickly lay down, crawled forward, and carefully reached out to the device with both hands.

At the same time, the laser beam kept hitting the metal plate, making a low roar.

The pursuit plane seemed to realize that Ove was taking action and gradually lowered its altitude, trying to lock on to him at a closer range.

Ove's fingers finally touched the heavy explosive device.

The buttons on the surface had long been worn out, but he remembered every step the angel taught him.

He didn't have time to hesitate. He quickly brushed off the dust on the surface with his hand and pressed the start button.

"Now, throw it over!" Xia Xiu's voice was quick and firm.

Ove took a deep breath, gripped the explosive device tightly, and almost instinctively stood up, using the cover of the metal plate behind him, aimed in the direction of the pursuit aircraft, and threw the device out with force.

The device drew an arc, emitting a faint humming sound in the dim air, and flew accurately towards the pursuit aircraft.

The red beam of the pursuit plane immediately locked onto the flying device, and the laser muzzle flashed, ready to destroy it.

However, it was too late.

boom--!
The explosive device exploded the moment it came into contact with the pursuit aircraft, and a loud bang tore through the night sky.

Flames shot up into the sky, and the shock wave in the air was like a heavy hammer, instantly knocking Ove's body over.

The wreckage of the machine flew everywhere, sparks splashed in the night sky, and fell everywhere like meteors.

"Cough cough cough~~~~"

Ove was thrown to the ground by the shock wave, his chest heaving violently, and his breathing becoming rapid. He struggled to stand up, raised his head, and looked at the smoke gradually dissipating in the air.

The pursuit plane had been blown into pieces, and the wreckage hovered in the air for a moment before crashing to the ground.

The heartbeat in his chest finally slowly calmed down, Ove closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The night air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and the afterglow of victory.

He knew that the danger had not completely disappeared, but at this moment, he finally got some time to catch his breath.

"Hey, are you still there?"

Ove covered the wound on his chest, his mouth filled with the taste of sweetness and rust.

The air was filled with the remnants of gun smoke. He struggled to stand up and glanced over the ruins.

"Just woke up."

A faint voice responded.

It was a blond young man with his arms crossed. He stood in front of Ove, his figure exuding a strange sense of transparency, as if he was just a phantom.

His silhouette seemed particularly unreal under the night sky, like an illusion floating in the air that could disappear at any time.

“Where have you been?” Ove asked, suppressing his doubts.

"The old man Bodfe II has woken up." The blond youth frowned slightly and rubbed his hair, with a tired and helpless tone, "He and I were both nailed to the cross and judged in the real world. But our souls were pulled into this inexplicable projection world. The speed of time here is very different from that in the real world, and the disparity is terrifying."

Xia Xiu paused for a moment, as if to sort out his thoughts, and continued:
"Although Vashak and other incarnations cannot be summoned in this world, the time slot imprint on my body is still there, and the ability to control the out-of-control world still exists."

"But that old fellow Bodefei II must be in a bad mood. He must have lost control of the supernatural laws of the new world... It feels like Xin Liezhi's handiwork. The old fellow cooperated with that guy without considering how much contractual spirit the other party had. With the mess you made at the border, who else would he cheat if not you?"

Ovi looked at Xia Xiu with confusion on his face, his eyes flickering with doubt:

"What are you talking about? What time slot, what incarnation?"

Xia Xiu glanced at Ovi, seeming to understand that he could not understand these profound concepts, so he shook his head slightly and explained in a more understandable way:
"To put it simply, I come from the same world as the one you call Ion. It's just that for some reason, I woke up much earlier than him. During this time, I wandered around this world like a ghost, observing and understanding its operating rules."

"Through my observations over the years, I have come to understand one thing: the new world is an endless hell."

"The utopia designed by Bodfell II is essentially to assign the 'most suitable' role and life path to each person through genetic determinism and social allocation, so as to achieve an ideal state of social stability and no conflict."

"To complete this plan, he needs a huge human DNA gene library and genetic analysis technology that can analyze all the fundamental characteristics of human beings. These two are the cornerstones of the new world."

Xia Xiu continued, his voice full of admiration, yet also full of vigilance:

"By conducting a detailed analysis of each person's genes, Adytum Awakening can accurately understand an individual's talents, abilities, intelligence, personality tendencies, and physical limitations, and assign the most suitable career and social role to each person based on this data."

"Then, based on the Archon system - a system that can meticulously control the distribution and management of the entire society, as well as a comprehensive monitoring and information network - all actions and thoughts are monitored, recorded, and manipulated."

"Of course, Bodefei II still needs one last necessary condition - human beings." Xia Xiu continued with cold sarcasm.

“In his own way, he is confronting the fundamental problem that the utopian clock has to deal with – the abolition of class and exploitation.”

"In his conception, through genetic analysis and allocation, everyone will be placed in the most suitable social position according to their talents, abilities and genetically determined potential, eliminating traditional social inequality and class differentiation."

“But that’s a false ideal.”

"In the world envisioned by Bodfell II, he would eliminate all classes - through genetic analysis and allocation, everyone would be placed in the most suitable social position according to their talents, abilities and genetically determined potential, which would eliminate traditional social inequality and class divisions.

Under this system, there are no rich or poor, no exploited workers, and everyone makes the greatest contribution based on their own talents and enjoys the 'most suitable' life.

In this way, competition and inequality are eliminated, and the goal of 'classlessness' is achieved through the means of genetic determinism."

"However, he was too obsessed with the goal of eliminating classes. He tried to completely eliminate traditional social classes through this radical method, depriving people of the freedom to compete and make independent choices, and trying to build a classless and equal society.

However, the essence of this plan is not to completely eliminate classes, but to solidify social roles through genetic determinism and social distribution systems, locking individuals into the fate prescribed by the system. Although the traditional exploitative classes disappear, new "classes" based on genes and social functions remain. This means that the new world has eliminated classes on the surface, but in fact has formed another form of social stratification and control. "

When Xia Xiu said this, he felt a huge surge of disgust in his heart.

Is this world the utopia that Ion wants?
What a great irony.

Bound by this predetermined fate, unable to break free from these invisible shackles.

"Bodfe II has taken the first step in revising Ionism, and he believes it can be further improved."

“He wanted to develop his own ultimate revisionist goal on this basis—the enlightened ones will be eternally happy.”

"He saw the essence of human nothingness: everything in the world and in life is repeated countless times in infinite time, and every event, every decision, and every person's life will be repeated in exactly the same form without end."

"This is the eternal recurrence that humans have to face. This is not just a metaphysical hypothesis, but more of an extreme test of how humans face life and existence."

“With this thought, you can ask everyone: If you knew that your life would be repeated countless times, could you accept and embrace this?”

"Eternal recurrence is the heaviest burden mankind has ever borne."

“Imagine you have to go through the same life countless times, every pain, loss, failure and feeling of powerlessness will be repeated countless times.

This asks us to face a question: Can you face the repetition of these cycles calmly? Can you find the true love for life and choose to live even in this endless repetition? "

"Bodfell II found his own answer: in order to move towards Green Day, he personally created a reincarnation world, and hoped to lead this world towards miracles."

“He tries to create a world where everyone can predict their own destiny. At the same time, it also means that he tries to control the destiny of everyone, making their future predictable and unchangeable, and he will become the only person who controls their destiny.”

"According to his theory, an omniscient and omnipotent God is an inevitable fact; time is linear, from creation to the Last Judgment, history moves in the direction predetermined by God, and life has an ultimate purpose and salvation."

Xia Xiu's eyes were filled with a deep and dim light.

"The unpredictability of fate is an important foundation of human humility and faith. Green Day attempted to transgress this sacred will."

"He is not a brave man who faces problems head-on, but a coward who takes shortcuts. He tries to create a new world that he controls through the so-called new world, and pretends to be the omniscient and omnipotent Green Day. He is not the one who pushes the eternal reincarnation boulder, but pretends to be the gods who push the judgment."

Xia Xiu's voice became increasingly deep, as if he was describing an inevitable doomsday judgment.

“Humanity does not face eternal recurrence in this way; nor does humanity overcome nothingness by passively accepting nothingness in this way.”

"That's why I found you later, on your Independence Day."

Ove's heart suddenly sank. Independence Day... That unforgettable day flashed through his mind. On that day, his destiny began to change.

"No matter how much you say, you are still a ghost to me. Why are you looking for me? Why me?"

Ove couldn't help but question it, and the doubts in his heart remained unanswered. He still couldn't understand why this so-called "angel" chose him.

Xia Xiu sighed slightly, with a complex emotion in his eyes: "Yes, I need you."

Ove's throat seemed to be blocked by something. He wanted to refute, but suddenly lost the strength to speak.

He has been looking for answers.

The answer he seemed to be looking for was: What exactly...was he?
But in this strange world, the answer seems to be right in front of us, and yet it seems to be far away in the horizon.

"You've always had doubts, haven't you?" Xia Xiu's voice seemed to be able to read his mind. "You've always wanted to know what you are. A brain in a jar? A string of data? Do you think all this is fake, or..."

Ove's breathing became rapid, his fists clenched, and cold sweat oozed from his palms.

Those answers that he had never gotten seemed to be right in front of him, but he didn't dare to face them.

"But I have thoughts, and everything I experience has texture and planning."

Ove spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly.

"This is also a problem I cannot face directly." Xia Xiu shook his head. "However, Bodfey designed this system to eliminate all 'uncertainty' and all 'resistance'. He believes that only by eliminating all free will can he create what he calls 'stability'."

Ove was silent for a moment, with an uncontrollable anger and despair surging in his heart.

He clenched his fists tightly, and his knuckles turned slightly white from the force.

His gaze slowly turned from the void to Xia Xiu, with confusion and uneasiness in his eyes, as if he was questioning the meaning of this world.

"What about me? Why am I an exception?"

Ove's voice was low, but full of a certain hidden power.

Xia Xiu shrugged lightly, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, with a smile that seemed helpless and cynical.

“Because you are not completely tamed, Ove. There is still a spark of resistance in your soul, and that is why the system cannot completely control it.”

His voice was a little teasing, but it also concealed a deeper meaning.

"You were an accident, a 'loophole' that Bodfee could not foresee - and therefore, you became his greatest threat."

Ove's eyes flickered slightly, as if he was absorbing this information and trying to sort out the logic behind it.

"Loophole?" He murmured in his heart, as if savoring the meaning of this word.

"Because of your resistance, you encountered a bug."

Xia Xiu's words were more brisk, as if he was describing an ordinary little thing, yet one could feel an invisible force surging.

"I am the mistake."

The angelic face had a mischievous smile and there was an indescribable light in her eyes.

"Now, I'll teach you a cheat code."

“What?” Ove looked at the angel in confusion.

Then, he saw the angel raise his hands, as if bathed in holy light, and said to the rebels in front of him:
"Everything I grasp turns to light,

Everything I give up turns to coal:
I must be the flame!"

His voice echoed in the empty virtual space, filled with an indescribable solemnity and fanaticism.

Suddenly, a white light flashed before Ove's eyes, and the whole world collapsed in an instant, and then reorganized in an instant.

Everything around turned into nothingness, leaving only the endless white light.

When Ove woke up again, he and Hugh Abraham had appeared in an empty virtual space.

There is no reference point here, and the surroundings are terribly silent, as if time and space have stopped.

Apart from the two of them, nothing existed, nothing at all.

Xia Xiu smiled mischievously, with a hint of cunning in his eyes.

He suddenly stretched out his hand and made an upward gesture, as if to summon something magical.

“Are you ready? I have a big gift for you.” His tone was a little playful, as if he had already anticipated Ove’s reaction. “Well, don’t thank me yet. Wait until you finish reading it.”

Before Ove had time to think about the meaning of this sentence, he saw the virtual space around him began to vibrate violently.

The ground trembled slightly, and the roar of machinery could be heard faintly in the air. The walls on all sides suddenly rose from the ground, like huge gears, slowly rotating and making low clicking sounds.

Then, countless black guns suddenly dropped from the ceiling, pouring out like a waterfall, and were arranged neatly and orderly in front of Ove and Xia Xiu, forming a huge arsenal of guns.

Weapons of different models and designs densely filled the entire space, and the cold metallic luster flashed chillily under the virtual light.

"Guns, man. Lots and lots of guns."

“It took me a long time to make these.”

Xia Xiu patted Ovi's shoulder with a satisfied smile, "Pick which one you like? There are probably hundreds of options. Oh, and some of them are designed by me. You should like them."

Ove stared at it all in amazement, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Ove stared at everything in front of him in amazement, his eyes moving back and forth between the rows of weapons that looked like a forest of steel, and his heart was filled with waves of irrepressible shock.

These weapons look as if they came from a future battlefield. The black metal surface glows coldly under the virtual light. Each weapon seems to carry a silent murderous intent, waiting to be awakened.

There was a tense atmosphere in the air, and the impending storm made the entire space depressing and uneasy.

Ove's breathing gradually became heavy, and he seemed to be able to hear the sound of his own heartbeat.

The wildness and madness of it all surged into his heart like a huge wave, impacting his reason and making it almost difficult for him to digest.

His eyes swept across the rows of guns, his fingers trembling slightly. The cold metal was invisibly attracting him, calling him to walk towards them.

And in this forest of weapons, the angel standing next to him, Hugh Abraham, had a relaxed look on his face, as if all this was natural.

"Let me think about the next line..."

Xia Xiu's voice broke the brief silence, his eyes full of teasing and calmness.

His fingers gently stroked his chin, and there was a thoughtful gleam in his eyes.

After a moment, he showed that familiar smile and thought of the most appropriate sentence.

"Would you rather be a nobody, live a peaceful life, die in bed with tubes inserted in a reality you don't know if it exists, or would you rather make something big even if you don't live to be thirty?"

His voice was low and carried a bewitching power. Every word seemed to echo in Ove's ears and gradually penetrate into his heart.

Ove swallowed, his throat dry with nervousness, and looked directly into Hugh Abraham's eyes.

Those eyes revealed not only strength, but also an arrogance and determination that was almost "evil".

At this moment, Ove understood that perhaps the wanted report at the border was not wrong - the devil they were talking about was standing in front of him, smiling so calmly.

And this demon was about to push him down a path of no return. "Nobody or famous?"

Xia Xiu's voice sounded again, as if calling out to some desire deep in Ove's heart.

Ove's breathing became more rapid and his heart beat like a war drum.

He knew that at this moment he was making a choice that he could not turn back from, but the feeling of his accelerated heartbeat made him feel clearer and more real than ever before.

He looked at the angel in front of him and couldn't help but feel his beating heart and the surging emotions in his heart.

His sight fell on a black gun, the cold light of the gun body conveying some kind of silent call to him.

Ove walked towards the gun step by step, his hands trembling slightly but full of desire.

His fingers finally touched the cold metal, and he felt the coldness and solidity unique to weapons.

Ove's hand slowly tightened around the gun handle, and the force was transferred from the gun to his palm and then to his body, as if by an invisible connection.

At this moment, he knew he had answered.

He accepted the "devil's gift".

*
*
In the tower, someone whispered,
"Your future is already planned.

You are a craftsman, you are a scholar, you are a warrior."

They lowered their heads, their hands working like machines,

Weaving the silent daily life,
No one questioned, no one fled,

Because the web of fate has been spread.

However, at night, a young man,

Looking at the starry sky,

Asked: "Can't I write my own destiny?"

He walked toward the weaving room of fate,
Hands tore the glittering thread,

But what he saw,
It is a future with countless blank spaces.

*
*
Year 172 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

6 month 30 day.

Since that night when Hugh Abraham revealed the truth about the border world to Ove, Ove's life has changed completely.

Under the cover of night, Ove was reshaped.

He is no longer an ordinary child who is firmly controlled by the Archon system, but a being with the flame of resistance, destined to break the cage.

He once thought that he was just one of the countless obedient gears in the border world, but the angel revealed his "abnormality" and made him see another world he had never imagined.

The awakening process is painful and lonely.

In a world dominated by data and algorithms, Ove begins to become aware of every pair of invisible eyes - ubiquitous surveillance, always watching his every move.

Every day he was like walking on a tightrope, and the slightest deviation would cause him to fall into the killing machine of Bodfe II. Behind every piece of news and every silent report he saw were countless lives that were "eliminated", and these people were once his friends, classmates, and even relatives who grew up with him.

Ove's heart was filled with anger, but he knew that anger was not enough to change anything.

Anger can only burn his heart, and he needs to use it to illuminate the path of action.

He realized he couldn't run away forever.

He began to make plans, gaining a deeper understanding of the border's surveillance system and studying Bodfell II's virtual empire, looking for loopholes and weaknesses.

However, one person's strength alone is obviously not enough, he needs allies, real rebels, not lonely fugitives like him who are constantly evading pursuit.

He knew that in these countless virtual corners, there must be people who were as awakened as he was. Like him, they longed for freedom and wanted to break out of this cage of nothingness.

Ove gradually gets in touch with them and reveals to them the truth shown by the angel - their lives are not real, their bodies have long ceased to exist, and everyone is just a consciousness imprisoned in the virtual cage of Bodfell II.

At first, many people were skeptical of Ove's words.

After all, the rule of the border world has been unbreakable for decades, and systematic planning has become an inseparable part of people's lives.

But Ove's determination and data evidence made more and more people begin to waver - mainly because the angels would give these people cheat codes every time, allowing them to see many, many guns.

These many, many guns are the confidence for resistance.

An organization that destroyed the new world appeared, and Ove named it the Resistance Network.

Resist the Internet.

It started as a small group that communicated secretly through encrypted channels, sharing intelligence stolen from border systems.

Ove became the core figure of the organization, and his determination and vision infected those who had lost hope.

Hugh Abraham became their invisible mentor, instructing them on how to exploit loopholes in fate's plan.

They have evolved from lurkers to attackers, and have begun using technology and information warfare to counter border systems.

They cracked the system's data center, stole important intelligence, interfered with the system's operations, and even began to awaken more imprisoned consciousnesses.

Every action led by Ove was a blow to the rule of Bodfell II.

They are gradually weakening the control of the border system, destroying the emotional suppression devices, and allowing more people to experience the feeling of freedom.

Those who had been suppressed by the system for decades felt anger, love, fear and joy for the first time - those long-lost real emotions, which were the resistance force that the system could not suppress.

The resistance network grew stronger, with members expanding from dozens to hundreds or even more.

Ove is no longer alone, he is surrounded by a group of people who truly desire freedom.

They formed a tight underground network and gradually infiltrated every corner of the border system through hacking and information manipulation.

The rebellion is no longer just Ove's private struggle, but a revolution that sweeps across the entire virtual world.

In the past decade, resistance to the Internet has spread like wildfire.

Ove's goal is no longer limited to survival, he has his sights set on bigger goals.

He was no longer satisfied with hacking a few surveillance cameras or leading a group of people to escape capture.

He understood that true freedom could only be achieved after the rule of Bodfell II was overthrown and the entire border system was destroyed.

To achieve this goal, Ove began planning more daring actions.

They are no longer just attacking peripheral systems at the border, but are now targeting the core of the Internet of Things matrix - the place where all human consciousness is imprisoned.

It is the center of the border world and the source of Bodfe II's power.

The flame of rebellion has been ignited, and Ove will be the flaming heart that guides this revolution.

As the angel told him:

"As long as this matrix is ​​destroyed, everything will collapse. Bodfe II will no longer be able to maintain his virtual kingdom, and you... will also get the answer."

*
*
I woke up from the mirror.
The mirror is my home.

The lines in my palms are burning,
They are a map.
Leading me to walls that don't exist.

Everyone's face is the same.
Eyes closed, mouth singing,
The sound comes from an operator from outer space.
The circus of fate spins silently.

I leap, but my shadow does not follow.

*
*
Year 172 of the Holy Frontier Calendar.

7 month 1 number.

The vigorous July Revolution began.

They initially made these shocking facts about the new world known to the public by hacking into the border system's broadcasting platform.

The deepest secrets of the border were suddenly revealed on all screens and in all communication devices—the names, identities, and the process of being cleared by the system of people who had "disappeared" one by one.

This disclosure of information was like a bomb that exploded, instantly causing panic and anger among all sectors of society.

Ove’s voice came over the radio with a firm tone:
“They have led you to believe that the border is your protector and that the new world is for your well-being, but in fact, your destiny has been robbed.

Today, we will expose this false world and tell everyone that true freedom is waiting for your awakening."

After the success of the first phase, the resistance network turned to more radical means. They invaded the New World Broadcasting System on the border and took control of the core communication network and TV stations.

They projected Ove's declaration to every corner of the entire virtual world. Whether it was the high-rise buildings of the wealthy class or the slums at the bottom of the border, Ove's voice was everywhere.

"People, the time to wake up has come!"

Ove announced loudly on the radio, with the background of the virtual city image on the border slowly collapsing.

"You are trapped in the cage of destiny, and I, Ove, will destroy the Ion Building, which symbolizes the rule of the new world, on November 11. Bodfell II will no longer have a place to hide, and you should stand up, overthrow this false rule, and regain your freedom!"

This declaration instantly ignited the anger and dissatisfaction among the lower classes of society, and more and more people began to join the resistance network.

Afterwards, Xia Xiu designed an [Emoji Mask] and created thousands of copies, asking Ovi to spread the masks.

And, he improvised a poem about wearing the mask.

The masks became a symbol of resistance.

They have smiling lips and long beards, and the overall look forms an ironic visual impact, as if they are mocking and despising the border world.

Unsurprisingly.

People put on masks.

Whether it is on the streets or in border control institutions, the presence of masks can no longer be ignored.

The unified expression of these masks represents the rebels' collective mockery of the existing order.

Thousands of masks, thousands of people
Gathering on the streets, their silence carries a strong sense of rebellion.

This smiling mask seemed to be issuing a final challenge to the entire Bodfe II:

"we are coming."

As the revolution progresses, Border World's control gradually disintegrates.

The vigorous July Revolution reached an unprecedented climax amid the mass awakening of the people.

The crowd chanted the hymn created by the Fourth Sword Bearer of Heaven:

"Put on this mask!
It is not a symbol of fear, but a face of courage,
It is not a disguise to escape, but a vow that we will never give in again.

Today, we are not a thousand people,
Not ten thousand people.
We are one!!!

One voice, one will,
A roar of freedom.

They use fear to divide us,

We use masks to unite each other!

Behind these countless faces,

What we see is no longer fear, but hope.

The walls of Parliament can no longer stop

The dictator's scepter will slip from his hand,
Because we——

It's a storm! It's anger!

It is the heartbeat of this world's rebirth!

No more backing down! No more bowing your head!

Today, we don't fight for ourselves,

We give voice to everyone who has been silenced.
Hold the torch high for every oppressed soul!
Under the mask,

We are you,

You are us,

It is the vibration of countless heartbeats.
Let this corrupt throne collapse completely!
Tonight, darkness will not be able to cover the dawn,

Because we have stood up,
We are fearless.

We are the voice of freedom!"

Amid the wave of resistance, Ove and Xia Xiu stood on the top of the captured platform and looked down.

The night was as silent as iron. The starlight flickered faintly in the cracks of the city. Thousands of footsteps broke through the depressing streets, carrying the long-silent shouts.

People put on the same mask, and the smile was reflected in the flames. The eyes under the mask were no longer afraid or hiding.

Masks hide people’s names, but amplify our voices.

Individual loneliness disappears under the mask, and all souls merge into a sea at this moment.

Ove was horrified as he watched this scene. He turned to look at the angel, whose expression was so calm that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Xia Xiu noticed Ove's gaze.

“I think my operation is terrible.”

Ove did not deny that the more he spent time with the angel in front of him, the more he could feel the other's chilling essence hidden deep in his soul.

"Abraham, what do you think of human beings?"

"What do you think?"

Xia Xiu originally wanted to make a joke and reply, "Stand and watch," but when he saw Ovi's gaze, he stopped joking.

"I never scrutinize human nature - if I examine everything with an axe-like eye, all romance will be gone."

“I always feel that human nature is not black and white. It is ambiguous and vague. Stinginess and generosity struggle with each other, and meanness and greatness dance together.”

“Human beings are a peculiar race, with angels and demons coexisting, sin and hope going hand in hand.

They will become suspicious of each other, but will also sacrifice themselves to protect everyone.

They will forget the promise, but will be willing to pay the price of their lives to give her the most beautiful flower.

They have been controlled by greed and also have a selfless spirit.

Cruel acts occur from time to time, such as invasion and killing. Those who are not of our race must have different hearts.

But the most important thing is that there will be people who will stand up to resist and oppose these things.”

In the burning world, among the rebellious crowd, the angel stretched out the five fingers of his right hand, as if he wanted to grasp everything in the scene below.

“Do you see those men who used to promise greatness to mankind?
If they... cannot lead mankind to greatness,
I will lead!

In this dark abyss,

I will light the light and awaken the sleeping soul.

If they cannot raise the great banner,

I will hold it high and walk against the wind,

No fear of storms and thunder,
Because the road to the future will be paved by me!
If their steps hesitate in fear,
My steps will be as firm as a mountain,
Leading people to fearlessness,

Towards that great peak.

If they can't, I will lead.
Because this is our time,
No more hesitation, no more submission.

The world will change because of our determination.
History will be remembered for our footsteps.

If they can't --

I will lead it!"

It is very rare for the Fourth Sword-Bearer of the Kingdom of Heaven to express his deeply buried and disturbing political tendencies and ambitions in front of the rebels he raised.

Unfortunately, the Penguin of [The Wandman Newspaper] is not here, and they missed out on journalistic material that is worth hundreds of millions without any editing.

*
*
11 month 5 day.

Yarne Building.

It was a gloomy night and the air was filled with an uneasy silence.

Ove arrived at the Ion Building as planned, but he lost contact with the main force.

The buildings tower into the sky, casting a huge shadow over the entire city.

However, strangely, there was silence all around, as if the entire building had been abandoned.

There were no guards, no defenses of any kind, and he was the only one standing there, as if he was a guest invited in.

“Why is there no one?” Ove was alert, but he had no choice.

The door of the Yarn Building opened automatically, as if waiting for his arrival.

Ove stepped inside and walked through the cold metal corridor, his heavy footsteps echoing all around.

The long corridor seemed to have no end, and there was a strange sense of oppression in the air.

Finally, he walked into a huge cylindrical square.

The metal walls around him towered into the sky, as if they were going to swallow him up completely.

In the center of the square, the figure he had been looking for for a long time finally appeared.

Bodefei II.

He sat on a huge metal chair, surrounded by pipes and equipment. His body was filled with densely packed pipes, through which flowed bright green nutrient solution. He was like an old mummy, relying on these machines to maintain his lingering life.

Ove's eyes fell on Bodfeld II's hands, six slender fingers clinging to the armrests of the seat like rotten tree roots.

His skin was pale and shriveled, his face was covered with wrinkles, but his eyes exuded a cold and cunning light.

“Hugh Abraham?” Ove suddenly called out in his mind, but there was no response.

"Don't waste your energy, kid." Bodfee II's voice was hoarse and low, with a hint of cold smile.

His eyes stabbed at Ove like a knife. "You want to contact that damn ghost? He can't do anything here."

Ove took a step forward, the flame of anger burning in his chest, and he raised the gun in his hand and pointed it at the enemy.

"I'm going to end this today! You can't keep controlling them!"

Bodefei II opened his dry mouth, revealing a strange smile, and his hand pointed to the void.

"The end? Child, you never really understood the real situation."

He waved his hand lightly, and the metal walls around him suddenly opened slowly.

Ove's pupils suddenly dilated and he could hardly believe his eyes.

Behind the iron wall, there were rows of laboratory-like containers, each containing a human brain immersed in liquid.

These human brains are connected to countless electrodes and tubes, as if they are the core components of some kind of biological machinery.

"There are a hundred thousand of them."

Bodfe II's voice was filled with cruel pride.

Ove's breathing was rapid, his eyes fixed on those human heads.

It turns out that they really exist here, stripped of everything they have, leaving only pure consciousness.

But Bodfell II did not stop there. His voice became even colder, with an indescribable cruelty:

"But do you know what the cruelest truth is?

You, Ove, are the fake, you are just an accidental product of this virtual world.

Ove took a step back suddenly, "What?!"

"You are not in these people's minds." Bodfe II laughed and said, "You actually existed once, but later, you... turned into a monster."

He stretched out his skinny hands with six fingers, as if recalling some terrible scene.

"I'll show you a memory." Bodfe II made a slight gesture, and a virtual screen appeared above the square.

The picture began to play, and a horrifying scene appeared before Ove - it was the orphanage where he used to live, a place full of children's laughter.

Ove's eyes widened as he saw a disgusting scene appear.

The scene began to play, and a dark hall of an orphanage appeared.

thump—

The gun fell and Ove covered his head with a look of pain.

"no, do not want……"

The mottled paint on the walls and the broken windows gave the whole room an ominous atmosphere.

The children were lying scattered on the ground, their originally innocent faces now filled with fear, as if they had an instinctive premonition of the impending disaster.

Wendigo appeared in the center of the picture.

Its massive body seemed to expand across the room, its twisting and contorted limbs surrounding it like a demon, its teeth pointed like blades.

Its skin was pale and cracked, oozing with foul-smelling blood, and its eyes were burning with a scarlet light.

Those hungry eyes swept over the children, aiming at the most vulnerable targets like prey.

Suddenly, the monster's claws stretched out towards a baby, and before he could even cry, the Wendigo's distorted face was close to him.

"I beg you!!!"

"Stop, no, no--"

A desperate wail sounded.

"Uuuuuu——"

The baby's eyes were wide open innocently, not understanding the cruelty of it all, and the wendigo's foul mouth suddenly opened and bit down in an instant, tearing the baby's body apart.

"vomit----"

Blood splattered everywhere, warm blood sprayed on the ground, and the air was filled with the smell of death.

The Wendigo made a creepy chewing sound, and the baby's tiny body gradually disappeared in its mouth, leaving behind a pool of bright red blood.

The children's screams echoed in the air, but the screams seemed to be swallowed up by the monster's roar and disappeared without a trace.

Ove fell to his knees, his eyes bloodshot, unable to believe what was happening.

That feeling of empathy, that feeling that made him feel disgusted yet happy...

These memories and feelings came to him like a tide.

He could still feel the crispness at the corners of his mouth...

"This isn't true... This isn't true!"

He murmured softly, his fingers trembling as he gripped the ground, his nails making a harsh sound as they scraped against the cold metal.

His stomach was churning and every inch of his body was sending out signals of collapse.

“Hahahahahahaha – cough cough cough – hahahaha –”

This made Fei II laugh uncontrollably, and even though this action made his old body even more unbearable, he did not stop his vicious laughter.

Bodfell II's expression suddenly changed, and his original disguised literary image was completely torn apart, revealing his true ferocity and viciousness. His voice was filled with cold sarcasm, like a venomous snake coiling in the air, piercing Ove's eardrums.

“Hehehe——” Bodfell II’s voice echoed in the empty virtual space. His eyes were fixed on Ove like a hawk, revealing his true nature.

"Have you ever thought that if it weren't for some external force's interference, you would have already fallen into my hands? I once planned to make you swallow your pregnant wife and lame father with your own hands. At that time, your appearance would definitely be more interesting."

There was endless contempt and sarcasm in his tone, his face was distorted in the dim light, and the malice in his eyes was even clearer.

"Yes, but it's a pity that heaven doesn't grant people's wishes."

His voice was filled with long-hidden resentment.

"You were unlucky. The external force you investigated at that time turned out to be that damned fourth sword-wielder of the Kingdom of Heaven. I regret why I didn't let you fulfill my wish and didn't let you go further and further on the path of killing your father and wife."

The old man raised his head slightly, with a malicious smile on his face:

"Just imagine, if you really devoured your wife and the unborn fetus in her belly, your spirituality would have been completely destroyed, and your so-called humanity would have been rotten."

"In that case, why is there all this trouble today, and why is there a need for a trial?"

"You are nothing but a walking corpse, at my mercy."

Ove’s face was twisted with anger, his fists were clenched, and his knuckles turned white from the force.

"Haha, seeing you in such a mess now makes me feel happy."

Bodfe II smiled grimly, his eyes filled with malicious light.

"I have indulged you, the so-called angel, for this moment. Your fate was determined when I chose you as my incarnation. I was just playing with you, waiting for you to fall into my net and then devour you."

His voice suddenly became low, with a hint of fanaticism:
"When I devour you and regain my authority, I will dig out the ghost lurking in this world. I will use its soul as a wick, place it on my scepter, and burn it every day. Its soul will burn endlessly and forever."

"I will make Hugh Abraham suffer this extreme punishment for eternity!!!"

Click~~
Click~~
Click~~
Ove fell to his knees, like a rag doll torn apart, his body and soul torn apart.

Pain and fear surged into his consciousness like a tide, completely drowning his last bit of sanity.

His stomach felt like it was being clenched by an invisible hand, and it was churning; the pressure in his chest made it almost impossible for him to breathe.

The shrill laughter of Bodfey II echoed in his mind, sharp and vicious, and every word was tearing at his soul.

"You have never escaped the control of fate..." Bodefei II whispered like a venomous snake, his tone full of viciousness and malice, "You are just a tool of fate's plan, a monster!"

The sound seemed to come from all directions, trapping Ove in a cage of pain and despair.

Those memory scenes came one after another, flashing in his mind over and over again.

The screams of the children in the orphanage and the horrific scene of the Wendigo cruelly tearing the babies apart under the bloody moonlight were repeated endlessly.

Every replay felt like a sharp blade piercing Ove's nerves, causing his body to spasm involuntarily and his muscles to tense in intense pain.

"I... am a... monster..." Ove's voice was almost inaudible, squeezed out of his throat tremblingly, but his own body betrayed his will.

He felt a cold force spreading rapidly along his spine, through his limbs, and reaching his fingertips.

The cold air was like a poison, corroding every inch of his skin.

His hands began to twist, his knuckles swelled, and his nails became as sharp as blades.

The nails pierced the skin, and blood dripped from the cracked fingertips and splattered on the ground, like a foreshadowing of death.

The pain was intensifying, his spine suddenly arched, his bones made a sharp cracking sound, and every bone was stretched and deformed by the ruthless force.

Unnatural cracks appeared on his face, his skin was pale and cracked, his eye sockets were sunken, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed, replaced by a scarlet red, filled with endless hunger and bloodthirsty desire.

The Wendigo, the monster lurking deep in his soul, finally awakened.

Ove's mouth was twisted into an extremely hideous shape, and his teeth became sharp and ugly, like the fangs of a wild beast.

A low growl came from the depths of his throat, his arms grew thick, and long claws extended from between his fingers, like steel blades, as if to tear apart the entire reality before him.

"You have never been Ove." Bodfe II's voice was low and full of mockery, as if it came from the depths of hell. "You are a Wendigo, a demon that devours innocent souls!"

"Bend your waist and back like a dog! You are nothing but a beast crawling in the dust! Crawl like a wild beast, under this green sun, and do not raise your head!
Your soul has long been bound by chains, and you are nothing but a walking corpse, an ant. Now, bury your face in the dirt, and fear the true greatness.

The more you struggle, the more useless it is! You must crawl before me like a spineless dog and lick the shame you deserve! "

Yes.

I am... a Wendigo.

*
*
The Wendigo crawled towards Bodfee II like a dog that had lost its spinal cord.

Ove's vision began to blur, and his ears were filled with whispers and giggles, as if the whole world was pressing him.

He heard their voices, pressing in from all directions:

"You need to bend over."

"That's the right thing to do."

"You have to bend over to survive."

The tone of their voices was like a judgment, absolute and cold.

Their words rolled over and over in Ove’s mind, echoing over and over until they could no longer be ignored.

He looked down at himself. The shadow under his feet was stretching infinitely, and his back began to bend involuntarily, as if an invisible hand was placing an extremely heavy weight on his back, almost suffocating him.

"Some just bent over, some knelt down, and some prostrated themselves on the ground."

The shadows began to gather around him, and every pair of eyes stared at him fiercely, their gazes as sharp as daggers, piercing his whole body and causing pain.

His legs began to shake and the weight on his back grew heavier.

There was a tearing pain in his heart, but he couldn't break free from this heavy bondage.

He tried to turn his head, widening his eyes, trying to see what was behind him.

He saw his teenage self, his face full of joy and an innocent smile that was evident in his words.

He thought of himself at that time, full of fantasies about the future, thinking about becoming the person he most wanted to be.

Then he saw his elderly parents, their faces full of expectation and earnest hope.

They dragged their tired bodies to prepare his future, eager to see him buy a house and a car in a big city.

His vision flashed with work, money, and the faces of his friends, all standing by, sneering, watching him bend over.

"Kneel down."

"You'll never be able to stand up again."

Their voices were full of contempt, and their words were like poisonous blades, piercing Ove's soul.

The young boy was laughed at by them, and his family members were disappointed.

Everyone blames him, he failed everyone's expectations.

"You let us down."

Ove wanted to open his mouth to refute, wanted to tell them that it was not the case, but his throat seemed to be strangled and he could not make any sound.

His lips trembled, but no sound came out.

Suddenly, the laughter became sharp and piercing, echoing in his mind and seeming to destroy him completely.

Bodfe II opened his mouth with a ferocious smile and watched the Wendigo walk towards him step by step.

He stretched out his hand as if stroking an obedient "puppy", and the contempt and complacency from top to bottom were clearly visible in his eyes.

Ove's consciousness was completely blurred.

However, in this despair and chaos, he saw a vague figure emerging from his sight.

There is something...

It was a hand, warm and firm, reaching out to him, as if to save him from an endless abyss.

In a trance, he saw the figure stretching out his hand and saying to him:

"stand up!!!"

*
*
The sound exploded in his ears, shaking his soul like thunder.

In an instant, Ove's consciousness seemed to have regained its focus, and the long-dormant power in the depths of his soul seemed to be ignited.

His body suddenly tensed up, and an irresistible force erupted within him.

click-

Bodefei II's smile froze at that moment, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

He lowered his head and looked at the sharp claws that pierced his abdomen. They were the hands of the Wendigo.

The sharp claws pierced through Bodfe's abdomen, carrying blood and broken internal organs, flashing a hideous luster.

The Wendigo's eyes flashed with hunger and anger, and those beast-like eyes revealed cold and ruthless murderous intent.

“You…”

A young man with many facets walked step by step from the edge of darkness. Each of his steps brought a warm glow, dispelling the dawn of the night.

Compassion and tranquility bloomed in his eyes, and the shadow under his feet linked the Wendigo.

This was his—the Fourth Legion.

"You were born ordinary, you came ordinary, but your heart is as sincere as fire. You want to go to heaven where the children are, but the road you are on leads to hell. I will pull you back to the world and guide you to the road to heaven so that you can be saved."

"Ove, be thankful that in the last moments of your life, you killed the ugliest soul."

The limit for a chapter is 20,000 words, no more, but I was thinking of squeezing in a little.