Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 301 The Lingering Light: A Brief Rest in the Starry Sky
Star charts are not in the sky.
It resides in every soul that longs to leave.

Those who want to turn back cannot be seen.

Only those who want to go to sea
Only then did I realize that it was—

The first page of the map of destiny.

Shining Star Secret Place, Second Floor on the South Side - Secret Medicine Clinic.

This is the esoteric healing area exclusively for the Mystic Master; the air is filled with a faint herbal aroma.
Mixed with microparticles of life, it flows in the air like a perpetually warm mist.

The ceiling is cast from ancient dragon bones and inlaid with world-system prayer patterns and star maps carved within. Looking up, one can almost see the slowly rotating trajectories of stars.

The ground is paved with "distilled memory stones," and with each step, it makes a sound similar to the receding tide—like walking through memories.

In the center of this interplay of light, on a semi-transparent biotherapy bed made of spinal cord, Si Ming lay quietly.

He seemed like an empty shell, his whole body as pale as moonlight reflected on ice.

His lips were purplish, and his forehead was covered with shattered scorch marks of reason. His entire neural pathway was suffering a backlash from the overburning of the Star of Reason.

He is alive.

The only proof of this was those still trembling eyelashes.

—

"What exactly did he drink?"

"...The forbidden medicine of Mirror Village can temporarily extinguish the three stars."

"dose?"

"—Disable twice the limit."

Seven life-type mystics masters surrounded him, each manipulating their mystical talisman tablets, their tone serious, yet their hands dared not pause for a moment.

The three took turns releasing the secrets of life:

A crimson light band emanated from one person's fingertip, guiding the remaining stream of reason back to its place on the star map;
One person implanted a "spiritual seed" in his chest to adjust his heart rhythm with a micro-pulse;

The other person initiated "lifeline communication" in an attempt to repair the burned-out life pattern recognition area in the brain of the God of Fate.

The area around his spine undulated rhythmically, like breathing, as if mimicking his life signals.

—

Vera stood to the side, her brows furrowed, staring at the lingering burn mark of reason on Siming's forehead.

She walked slowly closer, bent down, and whispered in his ear:

"So, Mr. Gambler—did you win this time?"

Si Ming gave a soft snort, without opening his eyes, but the corner of his lips twitched almost imperceptibly, like someone who was extremely tired, forcing himself to express disdain.

The next second, the door was kicked open with a bang.

Natasha burst in like the wind, casually flicking a finger, her tone as if she were there to audit the accounts:
"Let's not talk about whether he won or not, I want to ask something serious."

“Si Ming—Selian sent me to collect the money.”

Everyone was stunned.

Vera looked bewildered: "What did you say?"

Natasha shrugged, sighed, and with a pained expression, made a gesture as if counting money, shaking her head.
“I told her she bought too much, but she said, ‘Xiao Siming won’t mind.’”

"She is now in the shopping mall... and has walked into the 'Vampire Exclusive Fashion Customization Shop'."

Si Ming lay on the bed with his eyes closed, his eyelashes trembling slightly, his lips twitching as he uttered a trembling sentence:
"...While you're at it, ask her if she also ordered a portrait for my funeral."

"Pfft."

Natasha laughed out loud, completely ignoring the doctors' glares, and casually pulled Si Ming's credit card from the bedside table, waving it around:

"Don't worry, I'll remember to pay your debts while you're still alive."

Vera, unable to contain herself any longer, rubbed her forehead:
"Alright, let him rest."

"Stop provoking him."

With a wave of her hand, the medical team quickly coordinated and began to push the smiling but sharp-tongued Natasha out of the ward.

Outside.

Along the corridor, Celian was already peeking out, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Did you get it?"

Natasha held up her credit card and gave a thumbs-up.

"got it."

Selene cheered and turned to rush down the stairs:
"Let's go, let's go on a shopping spree!"

The door is closed.

The ward returned to silence.

Only in the center of the spine bed did Si Ming lie alone.

He slowly opened his eyes.

There was not a trace of illness or weakness in his eyes.

There is only one kind of profound clarity.

He stared at the ceiling and murmured to himself:

"It really hurts."

"But it really is... too addictive."

He had a smile on his lips, like a gambler who had just revealed his cards and was waiting for the unveiling.

That's not sarcasm.

It wasn't exactly pleasant either.

It was more like a spark of consciousness rising in a hazy state after a serious illness.

He slowly raised his hand.

Looking at his fingertips—the hands that once held the Thousand-Faced Pen, ignited the Ten Stars, and tore apart the naming logic of the Madman Thirteen.

"The One with a Thousand Faces".

"you say……"

"How big of a bet will we bet next time?"

He closed his eyes and leaned back on the bed.

The smile at the corner of his mouth was like the last embers of a fire that refused to go out after it had burned out.

Starry Night Secret Chamber - Main Staircase Corridor.

The entire corridor is inlaid with a mixture of meteorite silver and sunken gold, with starlight refracted down from the constantly rotating orbital stones at the top.
The light reflected on the ground was as colorful as the Milky Way, like a star map slowly turning pages in a dream.

This is the [Secret Remains Cleanup Liaison Center], urgently established by the Mysterious Masters Guild, located within the core defense layer of the Starry Sky.

At this moment, at the end of the corridor, a person stood with their back straight, a phantom image projected in front of them.

Zhuang Yege.

Above the illusory image, draped in a black robe, his face hidden beneath the ripples of the Yellow Springs, his outline barely visible, is the true "Netherworld Commander" of the Fengdu Sect.

Zhuang Yege's tone remained calm as ever:
"Yes, I have completed the mission of ferrying people to the underworld."

"This time, I borrowed life to light the lamp, but did not collect the soul; I only crossed the Star Bridge."

"This is not considered disobedience."

The messenger from the underworld spoke slowly and steadily, like the rolling of scripture:
"Return to the underworld."

Zhuang Yege nodded.

No goodbye.

No thanks were given.

He was originally a ferryman walking on the edge of the "dead tide," with one foot forever on the underworld and the other on earth.

He never lingered, nor did he ever hope to be remembered.

He turned to leave.

But their eyes met.

The two stared at each other for a second across the flowing starlight.

Zhuang Yege paused slightly, then finally stepped forward.

"Alive."

He said those three words, and then took out a black and red intertwined spell mark from his pocket.

He handed it to the God of Fate:

"Here's my contact information. You can call me once."

He then added:
"You owe me something."

"I owe you my life."

Si Ming accepted it, a weary yet serene smile playing on his lips:

"I want more of this kind of life."

Zhuang Yege didn't say anything more, only nodded slightly.

He turned away without looking back.

Extradition officers never talk about feelings.

We'll only talk about the "road".

—

The other side of the courtyard.

The gentle morning light filtered through the gaps between the towers of the secret place, falling on the stone steps and onto Lin Wanqing and Lin En's shoulders.

They sat side by side, talking about the future.

Lin Wanqing's wounds had been properly bandaged, but there was still some fatigue in her eyes.

Lynn looked up at the sky and said in a low voice:
"I've decided... to temporarily withdraw from the world of mystery for a while."

Lin Wanqing turned around in surprise:

"You haven't always..."

Lynn smiled gently, her expression warm:

"The calamity is the goal. But knowledge is also."

"I want to go to a university in your world and study for a few years."

“Study physics, biology, psychology... and philosophy.”

She paused, then added in a low voice:
"It's not about escaping the battlefield, but rather—I want to understand more clearly what 'divinity' truly is."

Lin Wanqing didn't answer, but simply patted her shoulder gently.

That's the answer.

—

At this moment, Rudolf and Duan Xingzhou also walked over quickly.

Rudolf changed into a brand-new Mystic Apprentice outfit, with a beginner card slot binder hanging from his waist. He looked a little uncomfortable but his face was full of seriousness.

Duan Xingzhou was still wearing his old, worn-out overcoat, but now he had a trial-type Destiny Card stuck in his chest.

They stood in front of the door of Si Ming's ward, their expressions somewhat reserved, yet their gazes resolute.

Rudolf cleared his throat:

"We are ready to go back."

Si Ming nodded slightly:

"Using the identity of a mystery strategist?"

Duan Xingzhou smiled:
"To be precise, he is an 'apprentice occultist'."

Rudolf's expression was solemn:
“In the past, we were just people who were protected and alive.”

"Now we want to take the initiative—to do something."

"Even if I encounter strange things again in the future, I will no longer be just an ordinary person."

Duan Xingzhou patted his chest:
"My brother hasn't been found yet."

"I can't stop."

Si Ming nodded, his gaze gentle:
"very good."

"You are not survivors."

"You are—the successors."

—

Starry Sky Secret Chamber, South Tower, Council Meeting Room.

A three-dimensional reflection of the entire City of Bones floats in the air.

The wreckage floated slowly in the void, and the fragments of life data flickered like broken nerve fibers.

Ruoli sat alone on the conference bench, her long robe draped like moonlight, her demeanor calm and composed.

She tapped her fingertips on the virtual cover of a scroll, flipping through it while listening to the aftermath reports from various groups:
"The first team has entered the outer blocks and is collecting data on structures that have not collapsed."

"An unnumbered life source egg was found in the X-06 remains and has been sent to the Life System headquarters for processing."

"23.7% of the personality fragments remain in the database and may pose a risk of secondary incubation."

Ruoli gave instructions one by one, her tone gentle yet leaving no room for doubt.

Until she turned to the last page.

She slowly said:
"I will go there again in person later."

—

About half an hour later, Ruoli arrived at the sickroom where Siming was recuperating.

She was still wearing the long robe woven with moonlight, and the fatigue of battle seemed to have never lingered on her.

She stopped in front of the bed.

Si Ming sat back, his eyes clear, having recovered some of his strength.

Ruoli looked at him:
"You performed even better than I expected..."

Si Ming gave a slightly bitter smile:
"The cost was not small either."

Ruoli nodded slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips:
"So you still want to keep climbing?"

"Above the planets, things aren't as 'fun' as you see at the gambling table."

Sima Ming did not answer immediately.

He simply looked at her quietly and nodded.

"I want to know—what exactly is the Cataclysm?"

"It's not just a name, but its logic, its structure, and its cost."

"And—what exactly did those who transcended go through?"

Ruoli stared at him quietly for three seconds.

Then, she took out a silver-white mysterious token from her sleeve.

The token is engraved with a "moonlight flower blooming in reverse".

She placed it in his palm.

"The Ninth Book Level of the Starry Sky Secret Chamber."

"You can go in."

"But you have to remember the secret code to this 'door' yourself—"

She leaned down and whispered softly in Si Ming's ear.

That's not language.

It was a series of intertwined concepts forming a "sentence pattern," which took root and sprouted in my mind the moment I heard it:

“Those whose dreams have not died, holding the truth, step into the depths of all things—and turn the first page.”

Si Ming closed his eyes and silently memorized the secret words.

He knew that wasn't a password. It was a door.

A door leading to self-destruction and the true "planetary catastrophe."

Ruoli stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

Her tone was calm, yet it sounded like a sister's final words to her brother before he went to war:
"Restore as soon as possible."

"I will soon be on 'Above the Star Calamity'—"

"Waiting for you to stand shoulder to shoulder with me."

She turned and left.

The hem of her skirt brushed against the light at the doorway, as if the night itself bowed at her feet.

Starry Night Secret Chamber - Ninth Book Floor.

It floats above an unknown void, like a library detached from conventional physics, its sole coordinates being the location of its own will.

This place contains the earliest batch of "Star Calamity Data Fragments" in the entire Mystic Master system.

Si Ming descended the spiral staircase, each step beneath his feet...
All were forged from the "extinguished star of reason"—dark gold star patterns meandered across them, and the remaining glimmer of light trembled slightly as he stepped down.

This road is the "path home" left by our predecessors.

Those arcane sorcerers who died at the threshold of the Cataclysm had their sanity robbed.
Consciousness collapsed, yet it was given its final destination: to transform into words and slumber within the pages of a book.

The temperature at the bottom of the tower is extremely low, as if time has been frozen forever.

Every page on the bookshelf is covered with anti-corrosion inscriptions from the Gray Tower, and with each breath, a faint "scent of memory" floats in the air.

And he found that book.

It is heavy, with worn-out cover and cracked edges like old damage.

The cover only displays four ancient seal script characters:

"Star Calamity: Observations"

He put on the "mind-blocking gloves" woven from silver thread and slowly turned to the first page.

The opening warning appeared like a whisper, the words slowly imprinting themselves into his eyes through the air—

"If you already possess the light of the twelve stars, be careful."

"If you know the order of the three systems, then it is acceptable."

"If you think there is a divine answer here—you are wrong."

Si Ming chuckled softly, his voice barely audible, yet it seemed to be a response to a phantom in a dream:
"He does... have some self-awareness."

—

Chapter 1: The Definition of a Planetary Disaster

"When the Star of Reason is fully lit, the three Mysterious Cards become intertwined, the Fate Pattern is upgraded, and the structure undergoes a nested leap."

"This is the original form of the Cataclysm structure."

"The so-called 'upgrading' is not about surpassing, but about entering another system of rules: a closed loop of a non-human thought construction chain."

—

Chapter Two: Cataclysm Path Structure Record

Si Ming turned the pages, his gaze sweeping over a series of familiar yet unfamiliar combinations of astrological structures:
Fate + Life + Fate = Fate Gambler (Unstable Type)

Life + Life + World = Swarm Dominator (Assimilation Type)
Fate + World + Fate = Liar Weaver (Twisted Type)
Each path is not recorded as a success or failure.

Rather, it was—his "last words" at the moment of death.

He stopped on the page about "the Creator of Destiny".

The message is:
“I thought I was in control of them, but I later realized that they had made me believe it.”

However, there are no sentences on the page about "lie weavers".

There was only a gaping blank space and a small section of black ink at the bottom corner that resembled some kind of handwritten mark:

He turned to look at me and said, "Your story isn't good enough. I'll do it."

Si Ming's fingertips trembled slightly.

The handwriting of that line of text—it looked remarkably like his.

It was as if a future version of myself, at the end of time, looked back and whispered to him in this moment.

—

He turned to the next page.

The chapter titles have been blurred out; only one line remains:

"Give up the first thing that is most genuine in your heart."

He stared at the sentence and remained silent for a long time.

This is not an instruction.

Rather, it is a key—a door to one's "true self".

—

The next page was extremely thin, yellowed and peeling, with edges frayed like snakeskin. In the corner were small, cautionary words:
"Reading the following text requires signing a 'letter of authorization.' Reading is equivalent to participating."

Si Ming hesitated for a moment and did not sign.

But that page—turned automatically.

He didn't do it.

Rather, it was as if she wanted him to read the entire book.

—

Section 1: Ritual Rules - Notes on the Star Calamity Path
Words and phrases slowly emerged before my eyes like whispers:
"Astral calamity is not a gift of power."

"It is—the first bite that the gods take from you."

The priest saw a series of extremely complex ritual requirements:

All symbol codes must be symmetrical;
The Destiny Chart must be drawn with one's own blood and linked to each Mystery Card;

The activation order must be reversed (the third card should be activated first).
The most crucial step: Sacrifice what you consider "real"—

Name, wish, memory, emotion, identity.

He saw a handwritten note by a recorder:

“I chose my brother’s name—that’s the part of me I can’t let go of.”

Beneath that line of text, there was a drop of blood that had long since dried, like the determination to finish writing even after a finger had cracked.

—

Section Two: The Losers' Chronicle (Planetary Disaster Retrospective)
He turned to the middle section, and the pages became as heavy as stone tablets.

It was a whole page of densely packed lists of losers.

And behind each name, there was no cause of death.

Only—[Hallucination Records]:
“I saw myself walking into the flames in the mirror and saying to me, ‘Finally, I’m not crazy anymore.’”

“My mother sat across the table and said to me, ‘You are not yourself.’”

“I cut off my own hand because it was trying to write ‘Fate will not allow you to exist.’”

"My whole body was whispering: 'Thank you for finally hearing us.'"

—

That's not death.

That's "formatting".

A celestial disaster, not an explosion.

It was "rewritten".

With each stroke of the pen, I erase you from my own memory and write down a new "you".

It was not altered.

Instead, you yourself take the pen, erase the original manuscript, and write down "not me".

—

Si Ming stared at the last line of notes.

The bloodstains have faded, but the words remain glaring:
"The most telling lie is the one you make up yourself."

—

He slowly stroked the paper, and his fingertips felt a slight burning sensation.

The moment he closed the book, his back was soaked with cold sweat.

This is not cold.

It is the trembling of fear.

It's not because of the book's content.

Rather, he clearly realized—

He wasn't reading just now.

It's that book; I'm reading it.

—

The whispers began again.

The librarian walked slowly in, wearing a gray robe, his face covered with mysterious patterns made of tiny characters, his eyes empty yet solemn.

"Would you like to borrow it?"

Si Ming nodded:

"Yes."

He handed over the silver-white permit given to him by Ruoli, along with 10 mysterious gold coins.

The book was sealed in a transparent bone box and handed to him.

The administrator paused, then whispered:

"If you come again next time, you can no longer use this face to borrow books—"

“I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Si Ming smiled and lowered his head:
"What if one day you greet me in insect language—"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

He turned and stepped out of the Shadow House.

The book "Star Calamity: Observation Record," sealed in a bone box, lay quietly in his arms, like an unexploded conceptual bomb, its weight making his breathing somewhat heavy.

The light at the end of the corridor was much more dazzling than before. The projection crystals in the main corridor of the Starry Secret Chamber were converging at the sun's axis, dyeing the entire dome a silver-blue gradient.

And just as he was about to step out of the library—

A familiar, chilling roar erupted from the end of the corridor:

"The Fate Master—!"

"Are you there? Quick—something terrible has happened!!"

The voice was like a muffled thunderclap, splitting his thoughts that were still lingering on the book "The Cataclysm".

immediately--

With a deafening roar, the light particles on the corridor ceiling rippled.

Immediately following was another, more familiar, and more "physically impactful" sound:

"Siming! You're here! I've finally found you!"

—

That's Baroque.

He strode wildly through the solemn corridors of the Starry Sky Secret Chamber, like an out-of-control icebreaker.

The golden patterns on the floor hummed underfoot, and the pages of the book fluttered in the wind behind me.

His outfit—a mismatched eccentric strategist's robe and a faded, old-fashioned naval uniform—was adorned with a string of rusty fleet number plaques hanging from his chest.

That's the symbol of the Lost One.

He was covered in sweat, his brows furrowed, and rushed to Si Ming without even having time for the usual polite greetings of "meeting for a banquet."

He grabbed Siming's shoulder, lowered his voice, but the sound still caused the surrounding secret patterns to fluctuate:
"problem occurs."

"The Lost One...something has happened."

—

The light in Siming's eyes sharpened, and his brows furrowed instantly.

Before he could ask a question, Baroque spoke first:
"Allison has been arrested."

In that instant, Si Ming's fingers tightened almost imperceptibly.

The voice was half a degree lower than before, but two degrees colder:
"How is that possible... Didn't Allison already take control of that place?"

—

Baroque gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with suppressed anger and helplessness:
"It was the Trelian Empire that did it."

"They set a trap for her in Rose Strait!"

"Not only did they besiege the entire harbor, but they also detained the families of her former subordinates and the orphanage she had rebuilt!"

"She... rushed over immediately, wanting to negotiate and save people."

"But in the end, she was arrested."

His voice was extremely low, as if he were speaking some kind of truth that the world could not hear.

—

Si Ming remained silent for a few seconds.

His gaze remained fixed, as if in that instant, he had rewritten countless paths and choices onto an invisible sheet of paper.

Then he spoke.

His tone was calm, but carried a long-lost sharpness:
“She is one of ours.”

"It's time for us to go."

—

He raised his hand and gently patted the Star Calamity Tome in his arms, which had not yet been returned to its place.

That movement wasn't putting down.

Instead, he stopped writing.

"Divinity can wait for me a little longer."

"But man cannot die in old dreams."

—

He walked out of the secret room.

Sunlight streamed through the dome-shaped stone atop the Starry Tower, illuminating his black and white robe, where shimmering gold threads seemed to outline the unwritten beginning of a new chapter.

The sound of footsteps landing was like a long-lost bell, restarting the narrator's time.

He was no longer the shattered shell of reason trembling on the recovery bed.

It is not the gambler who hesitates between "divinity and humanity".

he is--

The narrator takes up the pen again.

He walked firmly into the light.

now--

He decided to move on to the next chapter.

You thought the celestial disaster was the end?

But they didn't know the real adventure.
It's when you want to "let go"

And I heard fate calling your name again.

(End of this chapter)