Flas soared to the sky.
With the explosion reaching the heavens, the entire Grand Cathedral also turned to ashes. Duanmu Huai lifted his head and looked at the fire in front of him in silence.
After that, Duanmu Huai used his own Strength to completely destroy the research device that had deviated beyond repair—damn it, every ti the oil n ss things up, it’s the Tribunal that cleans up after them. Thinking of this makes Duanmu Huai quite annoyed; after all, it’s always the sa, those damned oil n... do they think that just because soone will cover for them, they can do as they please?
Anyway, since there’s the Tribunal, they’re not afraid of the world’s Destruction, so let’s just do whatever we want! — Sothing like that.
Duanmu Huai really wanted to tie all those damned oil n to the stake.
Oh well, for the sake of the Heavenly Radiant Shield, let’s let them off this ti.
Incidentally, once the device was destroyed, the Protection cast on the citizens of the Guardian Country also disappeared completely. Seeing these people bewildered as if their lives had lost their purpose, the United Army also felt a wicked satisfaction. After all, the Guardian Country originally believed they were noble due to that Protection, and without it, they can’t seem noble anymore.
As for the young Brave Warrior, he was publicly executed in the square since he caused all this trouble, and as the young Brave Warrior was finally destroyed, he appeared as if the world had ended — well, in a certain sense, it could be seen as achieving Nolan’s goal.
With the device’s destruction, the Demon Clan also perished entirely. Originally, these Demons relied on powers granted by the device similar to Protection to act. Now that the device is destroyed, naturally, the Demons have all died out. Duanmu Huai also visited the Demon Territory and saw that all the Demons had vanished, leaving only vast swathes of black ash in the city.
From one perspective, this can be considered a part of the conclusion.
So... it’s about ti.
Duanmu Huai looked at the task progress bar showing [Pleasure Progress: 5/10] and silently pressed the complaint button again.
Soon, a line of information appeared before him.
[GM21425 at your service]
[GM21425: Is there any issue you need help with?]
"It actually got through, huh?"
Looking at the conversation in front of him, Duanmu Huai couldn’t help but make a remark.
[GM21425: As the first user of this system, we will certainly provide you with dedicated service. Is there anything you need?]
"I want to ask, what’s going on with this God of Joy’s instance?"
Duanmu Huai voiced his question.
"Frankly, I don’t think this instance has anything special for ; the things I’m doing aren’t any different from before, are they?"
Indeed, this is where Duanmu Huai’s confusion lies. Although it’s said to be a Pleasure-enhanced instance, Duanmu Huai feels that what he does is no different from usual. He doesn’t feel any Pleasure, so where is this Pleasure exactly?
[GM21425: What do you think Pleasure ans?]
"What do I think? Pleasure should be making oneself feel happy, right...? Isn’t that so?"
[GM21425: Although that is one interpretation, Pleasure is not simply that. Pleasure is a form of Strength, a contagious Strength. To feel Pleasure oneself and to make others feel Pleasure are both manifestations of the God of Joy.]
"Is that the explanation? But now that you ntion it, you might be right...?"
Upon hearing this, Duanmu Huai finally realized he had fallen into a cognitive trap.
When he initially acquired the God of Joy, it was contrasted with Obsessive Sin, the characteristic of which is extre self-indulgence and enjoynt. Although Duanmu Huai didn’t intend to be as extre as Obsessive Sin, whenever he thought of the God of Joy, he instinctively developed in that direction, especially after acquiring Dao Heart Planting Demon in the Martial World, Duanmu Huai felt that Pleasure should be like this.
However, it now seems Pleasure is not limited to just that path; making oneself happy and making others happy is also a path.
Just like those codians, like Chaplin, Zhou Xingchi, the codies they starred in are obviously Pleasure too, right?
I guess?
Hmm? But isn’t that also wrong?
"Wait a mont, so you’re saying, my actions make others feel Pleasure? Who would it be? It can’t be Nolan, right?"
Although that Princess and Duanmu Huai do get along quite well, and she’s quite imrsed in what Duanmu Huai does, Duanmu Huai doesn’t believe Nolan alone can generate such powerful Pleasure.
[GM21425: The deeds of a Deity bring changes and impact—sotis it is not just you, but the influence and change brought by your deeds that result in Pleasure...]
"I don’t quite understand... can we avoid being cryptic?"
Duanmu Huai expressed that he hated these riddle-speakers who spoke ambiguously the most.
[GM21425: What I can tell you within my authority is that the God of Joy was activated because your actions made others feel joy, thereby awakening this divine position.]
"Others? My actions made others feel joy?"
Duanmu Huai beca even more confused. He furrowed his brows. According to the GM’s explanation, this divine position wasn’t inexplicably given to him from the start; rather, it was activated because his actions brought joy to others, reaching a certain boundary. Which ant... it was just like the God of Destruction?
[GM21425: That’s all I can say. Please broaden your perspective. Nothing is set in stone, and there isn’t only one way of understanding things. The God of Joy is no exception.]
"I kind of understand, yet I still feel a bit unclear..."
Although Duanmu Huai could sowhat grasp the GM’s aning, he still couldn’t quite understand the subtle nuances. After all... he was naturally inclined to action over thinking.
[GM21425: ...Please wait a mont.]
GM struck a pose as if about to handle so task, then fell silent for a mont before speaking again.
[GM21425: As the first user of this system, and to compensate for your previous losses, I have applied to higher authorities to allow the activation of the ’Reincarnation’ effect in the second phase of the Joy task. Would you like to use it?]
"I’m not quite sure, what does reincarnation an? Do I have to die once?"
Upon hearing this, Duanmu Huai furrowed his brow, and the GM quickly provided an answer.
[GM21425: It’s not like that. Strictly speaking, it allows the user’s soul to travel through ti and space, experiencing an entirely new journey. You might have heard stories where deities descend to the mortal realm to grow up and experience life before returning to the Celestial Realm.]
"Ah, you’re talking about those stories like Wenquxing descending to the mortal world."
Upon hearing this, Duanmu Huai imdiately understood what the GM ant. Even in ’Journey to the West’, Monk Tang is the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, and Wenquxing descending to the mortal world is a common trope in many divine tales. Not to ntion ancient Chinese mythology, even in the Faelun World, there are occurrences like the Saint’s Descent. So, as soon as it was ntioned, Duanmu Huai understood what was going on.
[GM21425: Yes, previously your travels were always your own physical crossings, so if you want to better experience the power of the God of Joy, starting anew in a brand new life is also a choice.]
"That does make so sense."
Duanmu Huai recalled his past travels, which were basically his own physical body crossing over, or using ga characters. It seed he had never truly started from scratch.
"But for this reincarnation thing, don’t you generally lose your mory? Do I have to do that too?"
Duanmu Huai really didn’t like those stories where deities reincarnate and lose their mories, because in his opinion, gods who commanded the elents suddenly beco mundane beings suffering and only regain their mory and power at the end. It felt too cliché. However, although this was a common plot developnt, Duanmu Huai disliked it.
[GM21425: As a deity, you can choose to retain your mory upon rebirth. The specific thod is as follows...]
"Hmm..."
Duanmu Huai reviewed the guidance sent by the GM. It was quite simple—essentially, it involved allowing one’s soul to leave the body, then activating a task, choosing a thread of destiny to cross over to... so that’s how deities reincarnate, he hadn’t tried that before.
However... it might be harmless to try. After all, one should try everything once.
With this thought, Duanmu Huai opened the task progress and then pressed the button for the second phase.
The next mont, the scenery before him transford into an endless, dark star sky.
In this starry sky, threads appeared from all directions, then extended in every direction.
"Let see, it says here... hmm, these threads are the thread of destiny for each person, just integrating into one allows you to replace and live out their life anew. The brighter the thread, the greater the impact of their abilities... impact? Is that referring to their impact on the world?"
While reading the system instructions, Duanmu Huai reached out and touched one of the threads of destiny—no reaction.
"And I simply need to rge my soul into a thread of destiny, right... It does sound simple... but which one should I choose?"
Duanmu Huai didn’t want to choose threads of destiny that were too bright, as there was no telling what kind of life those might lead him into. However, he also didn’t want those too dim, as he wasn’t here to suffer like deities in mythic tales.
This one will do.
Duanmu Huai nodded, reaching out to grab a thread of destiny that didn’t seem too bright or too dim. Then he channeled his soul into it—at that mont, he felt as if he were riding a slide in a water park, rapidly moving forward.
Even though it was reincarnation, as long as he retained his mory, it should be fine.
That’s what Duanmu Huai thought, but soon... he would find that it was a decision he would regret deeply.
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