Revelation

The girl on the bed, even in her unconscious state, frowned slightly, as if enduring unbearable pain.

Chu Lian had fallen asleep beside the bed. After bringing Inori Yuzuriha into her room, she could no longer resist the overwhelming sleepiness and drifted off into a deep sleep.

In the darkness of the room, a thin line emitting white light suddenly appeared between Chu Lian and Inori.

The two lines connected, forming a blazing white sphere in mid-air, which then split into two. The smaller portion returned to Inori's body, while the larger part entered Chu Lian's mind, heading towards the system.

As the spheres returned to their respective owners, an indistinguishable dreamscape instantly formed.

The sky was filled with shattered purple crystals, and a steel tower was slowly collapsing. A woman in purple, fluttering like a butterfly, seemed to be doing something.

Then, she smiled faintly, lowered her head, and kissed a blooming crystal flower. The next moment, a blinding light pierced through the petals, radiating outward. The flawless crystal flower shattered into dust, and a butterfly emerged, flying towards the sky.

Chu Lian watched this scene quietly. She knew that the woman in purple, fluttering like a butterfly, was Mana Ouma, the sister of the protagonist Shu Ouma from "Guilty Crown." Perhaps now it was more appropriate to call her Eve.

But regardless of who she was, she became the only existing person in this world, appearing in a manner completely different from the plot.

"This world is about to be destroyed? I haven't even begun my resurrection; Gai isn't dead, Shu hasn't grown into a true king, and Inori doesn't understand love... I have so many things left unfinished... and now, it's all over... is it going to be destroyed?" Eve smiled, her tone filled with sadness. She was quite different from the obsessive woman Chu Lian remembered.

"The so-called plot is just a projection of this world's consciousness. When people from certain worlds capture this projection, it becomes their inspiration, creating a similar world. When these artificially crafted plots are realized, how could they truly be the real world?" Eve seemed to understand Chu Lian's doubts. She raised her slender hand to block the sunlight and spoke softly.

"Our world can become a projection, and other worlds can become projections captured by people in our world. These projections never disappear, resulting in long-lasting projections being captured by more and more people, creating similar yet different worlds. But those are just virtual worlds created by them, never truly real."

"The only things that can approach reality are stories recorded in text. Works derived from such mediums rarely undergo significant changes. We call unpredictable worlds, like ours, the real world. The other type, where stories are prearranged, we call projection worlds." Eve lowered her hand and turned to look at Chu Lian.

It was indeed strange. Even though they were just illusory spirits, they could see each other and understand each other's thoughts.

"There are not only these two types of worlds; there are others. But these two types are the most prevalent, so they are used to illustrate the concept. You don't need to worry or be overly concerned. We don't know what the future holds, nor can we plan for it."

Eve floated over to her, lifted Chu Lian's chin, and smiled seductively, "Sometimes, the more you want to know, the less truth you can grasp. The best approach is not to avoid inquiry but to go with the flow."

"But there are always fools who think they have mastered the truth and rules of the world's operation, using this knowledge for personal gain. Little do they know, the path they tread leads only to the abyss of the Styx." Eve pulled Chu Lian's face closer, gazing at her exquisite features, and sighed softly, "What a beauty…"

"Hello, I am Eve..." So she was indeed Eve?

"Mana Ouma's consciousness is still sealed in this body, and I can only appear using Inori's body. This is the real world, yet it is also a fantasy world, a world that has been destroyed." Eve raised her head, looking coldly at the sky.

"What a pitiable person, blindly borrowing the power of outsiders to achieve the so-called new world, ultimately causing this world's destruction."

"To create a new world, the old world crumbled into pieces. Everything irreversibly shattered; dreams and missions vanished in an instant. Even if he has fallen into the darkest abyss, he cannot escape this sense of failure, can he?" Eve released her grip on Chu Lian's chin, spun around, and opened her arms to the sky. "What an ironic ending…"

"Do you know how this world was destroyed?" Eve could sense the most pressing question in Chu Lian's heart and asked her in return.

Chu Lian looked into her brilliant eyes and nodded gently.

"The Keeper, Daat, made a deal with a mysterious merchant traveling through time and space. He traded the old world for a new one, a world with perfect life."

Eve showed no respect for Daat, and the fulfillment of this deal indeed left no room for pity for the man: "The mysterious merchant agreed to the deal, using an item called the 'World Reducer' to exchange for all the resources of this world."

"That fool didn't have a single ounce of awareness and didn't consider whether it could be done before agreeing to it." Eve twirled, executing a few ice-skating moves that sent crystal fragments flying.

"I don't know how he found that person, nor why he made such a deal. But the result is clear: he was deceived…"

"Or perhaps it wasn't a deception, but he couldn't control the 'World Reducer.' The moment he activated it, the world began to collapse and shatter. His failure to recreate it in time led to an unstoppable annihilation."

Eve stared into the distant sky: "Initially, I wanted to use my abilities to make this world perfect. Unfortunately, I never had the chance…"

"This world will soon erupt with destructive energy and then disappear. After the old world completely vanishes, a new world will be created around the 'World Protector,' the other form of the 'World Reducer.' However, the new world will no longer be the old world; it will have new life and new stories."

Eve turned back, her finger tracing Chu Lian's cheek, then picking up a strand of her hair and gently smelling it: "The reason I can still stand here and talk to you is because we are enveloped in the fortune of this world. In the last moment, she left all her vitality to us."

"Though the world consciousness she created made Daat the culprit of its destruction, she herself was not at fault. But... alas…"

"We have been drifting in a space-time rift for a very long time, yet also very briefly. We do not understand the passage of time, nor do we know where we will go. If not for today's call from this world, guiding us to you, we might have floated in that rift forever…"

This Eve was unlike the "Apocalypse Virus" mother from the anime; she was a proud queen, a gentle woman to her people.

"Mother of the virus? The so-called Apocalypse Virus is a special evolutionary gene that can alter human genetics. It's just that its required host is special, leading to many deaths…"

"If not for Mana and Inori, I wouldn't exist now. Clinging to another's body to survive, I have no desire to destroy the world or harm others. If you wish to see the real me, there will be a chance in the future…" Eve pointed out Chu Lian's thoughts, not with anger but with a faint smile, shaking her head.

"Though I know the source of the world's destruction lies there, I feel something is very odd about this matter. If it's not necessary, don't seek the so-called truth when you can't bear the consequences. It will only harm you…"

After saying this, Eve's figure began to blur, like a virtual character experiencing severe signal interference, her entire form becoming indistinct and overlapping.

"I can sense your uniqueness, but it's okay. I believe you will be a good person. Now, only I, Mana, Inori, Ayase Shinomiya, Tsugumi, Hare, and Arisa are still alive. Everyone else is gone… They used their lives to shield us from dangers that even our fortune couldn't prevent, so we wouldn't get lost in this unknown place…"

"Among them, except for Inori, all have lost their bodies, remaining only as sleeping souls. I have sent them all into your body, so please take good care of them. Mana and I exist by relying on Inori and cannot leave. But we will not leave you…"

"If they wake up, please don't tell them the truth right away. Besides the three of us, the others lost consciousness at the moment of the world's destruction, becoming soul forms protected by fortune, unaware of what happened. Only Shu and Gai retained the subconscious thought of protecting us, choosing to sacrifice themselves to prevent us from being harmed…"

"This is a cruel fact we cannot change, so let it remain hidden for a while longer…" After saying this, Eve smiled at her and then vanished without a trace.

It was like a dream before waking. When all scenes faded, the dream should end, and the person should awaken.

Chu Lian suddenly lifted her head, noticing the morning sun rising outside.

She turned her head and saw the pink-haired girl still lying on the bed, feeling relieved that it wasn't a dream.

"A traveling merchant, Daat's actions, Eve's understanding, the mysterious call that brought her to me… The world's destruction, the death of the world consciousness, the role of fortune, traversing endless time and space… It all comes at the worst time."

Chu Lian contemplated the scene outside the window, organizing the information Eve had told her in her mind, smiling bitterly at the continuous troubles. Just as one problem was unresolved, another, bigger one arrived…

"Lian…" a soft call in Chinese came from beside her. Chu Lian turned her head to see Inori.

"Eve told me everything. She also taught me Chinese. Lian, please take care of me from now on," Inori said, showing clear affection towards Chu Lian, evident in the length of her speech.

Forgotten? Forgotten is good…

Chu Lian reached out and held the girl's pale hand, smiling: "Please take care of me too, Inori…"