The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

"Today only."

On the other side, Crydella's leader Caesar and her guard Heather stood like silent rocks.

They didn't say much, just stood quietly at the edge of the crowd, but a glance or a slight nod between them spoke volumes.

Caesar removed his heavy crown, his brow relaxed in an unprecedented way; Heather stood guard by his side like the most loyal knight, silently sharing this hard-won tranquility.

In the square, the other Golden Descendants were also immersed in their own joy: Tibo excitedly showed Russell her keepsake, a relieved smile on her face;

Cerudela looked at Russell with a smile, her eyes filled with complete trust and relief.

She knew that with this powerful envoy in charge, Onphalus's future would be truly secure, and she could finally enjoy her beloved chess game in peace.

Xia Die nestled quietly beside her younger sister, the deathly stillness surrounding her replaced by a warm vitality;

Feng Jin, pulling Xi Lian along, enthusiastically discussed their plan to spread "Abundant" medical skills to a wider galaxy...

Amidst thunderous cheers, the grand banquet finally began. Fine wine and delicious food, laughter and joy, intertwined to create a hymn of new life.

Bai E was held tightly by Xi Lian as she excitedly described her future plans in her ear—to plant golden wheat fields all over their hometown, and to see the most magnificent nebula at the end of the starry sea…

The girl's radiant smile was like sunlight piercing through the millennia-old gloom that had settled in Bai E's heart.

He no longer needs to fall into the cycle of despair, no longer needs to bear the burning flames and pain alone, and no longer needs to be that prisoner chasing the fire alone.

"It's so nice..." Bai E murmured softly, feeling the real temperature and noise around him.

What a beautiful day! Onphalus's long and profound suffering seemed to have truly come to an end at this moment.

Everyone has ushered in their own dawn:

With Russell's help and support, everyone fulfilled their most cherished wishes.

At that moment, Xia not only saw her long-lost sister, but also received an offer from the Genius Club, and the endless universe of knowledge was opening its doors to her.

Aglaia is finally reunited with Sephiroth. Sephiroth is no longer burdened by the heavy shackles of saving the world through cunning schemes. At this moment, she only wants to nestle in her mother's warm embrace, as if she wants to make up for all the time she missed in the past.

Tibbo finally fulfilled the heavy promise she made to her predecessor Russell; they truly met at the end of the west wind. This so-called tomorrow was both beautiful and real.

Caesar no longer needed to sacrifice herself for Onphalus to buy time; she could finally remove the crown that symbolized responsibility and sacrifice and simply be Caesar of Heather.

The relentless death force within Xia Die's body was completely severed by Russell's powerful strength. She embraced her sister, experiencing the pure joy of life.

Now that Wan Di's family is reunited, the joy and happiness they share is exactly what Wan Di longs for in his heart.

Xi Lian's life is no longer subject to the cycle of reincarnation; she can now freely create the golden home of her dreams.

Under Russell's guidance, Feng Jin's hospital blueprint will spread across the stars, bringing hope to more people in need.

Having shed the burden of saving the world, Bai E returned to his long-lost room, the one that truly belonged to him, after the celebration.

He lay on his back on the soft bed, staring at the familiar ceiling, his mind replaying everything that had happened that day: the teacher's return, the defeat of the formidable enemy, the smiles of his companions, the cheers of the city-state...

Everything was so beautiful, like an overly perfect dream, with a touch of unreality, yet it seemed perfectly reasonable because of Russell's real and undeniable power and existence.

"Tomorrow..." Bai E turned over, buried her face in the pillow, and couldn't help but smile.

A new and unfamiliar thought emerged, bringing with it an unprecedented sense of ease: "Where should I go tomorrow? Should I go to the outskirts of the city to see that newly cultivated flower field that Xi Lian mentioned?"

"Should we go to Wan Di's house for a free meal?"

"Or... maybe just stay in bed and sleep until you naturally wake up?"

He chuckled softly. Having shed the burden of being a savior, he could finally live for himself.

The story of Onphalus seems to have come to a warm close here, amidst the satisfied smiles of everyone.

Everyone has the most beautiful ending, and a future that extends infinitely towards the stars and the sea.

This is how the world should be, isn't it?

Because of the intervention of the supreme deities, everything was rewritten into an extremely painful cycle of reincarnation. Now that the cycle of reincarnation has been shattered, the world's original trajectory has naturally returned to its original course.

Has the problem of Kompharos really been completely solved?

...............

There's one more card left today, the first one is 5000.

Golden Branches Through the Ages: Chapter 179 A Dream of Illusion

"Bai'e! Bai'e! Wake up! Wake up quickly!"

An urgent voice, with Russell's distinctive tone, pierced through Bai'er's deep sleep, like ice water being poured on his face.

"Hmm..." Bai E mumbled groggily, reluctantly lifting his head from the soft pillow.

His eyelids felt as heavy as lead; he struggled to open them a crack and blankly scanned the dimly lit room.

Where his gaze focused, a golden phantom radiating a soft glow hovered beside the bed—it was Russell's likeness. Why did this golden phantom appear here every time he began his cycle of reincarnation?

The cycle of reincarnation has already been broken, and there is no need for me to reincarnate anymore, so why is this golden phantom appearing in front of me?

"Huh?" Bai E's mind was still a mess, and he rubbed his eyes hard.

"Wasn't Onpharos's problem solved? Why have you turned back into a phantom, teacher?"

He shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the vision in front of him. "It must be because I'm too tired. My nerves have been on edge for too long. Relaxing has caused me to hallucinate." He grinned self-deprecatingly, convinced that it was a delusion caused by the sudden relaxation of his tense nerves.

"Are you going to continue wallowing in this? It's time for you to wake up." Russell's words, spoken by the golden phantom, carried a sharp edge.

"Hey, don't bother me..." Bai E muttered, trying to bury her face back in the pillow like an ostrich.

"My schedule is packed today: I'm going to Wan Di's house for lunch this morning, then having afternoon tea and cookies with Xi Lian in her flower field this afternoon, and finally taking a nice bath at the bathhouse tonight... Saving the world is so tiring, what's wrong with sleeping in?"

He rolled over, pulled the blanket over his head, and his voice came out muffled: "Besides, the world is at peace now, we don't need a savior anymore! Don't bother me with those old ideas, let me rest... Teacher, please? After more than 30 million reincarnations, let me rest too."

"Oh?" The golden phantom did not dissipate as he wished, but instead uttered a clear, intelligent question.

"What if I told you now that all the beauty you see is nothing but an elaborately woven dream?"

"It's a choice: return to the cruel reality, or remain forever immersed in this sweet dream. If you choose the latter, I will disappear immediately and never bother you again with anything you do in this dream." Russell's words, spoken by the golden phantom, were sharp, and he added, "I mean what I say."

Bai Ermeng's body stiffened under the covers.

The phantom's voice was calm yet carried an undeniable penetrating power: "Of course, you can choose not to believe. However, you will have to bear the consequences of that choice yourself."

"But the price is also sweet: to be forever silent in this perfect dream. It's a price that can hardly be called a price."

"What?!" Bai E suddenly threw off the covers and jumped off the bed as if she had been sprung up by a spring. She stood barefoot on the cold floor, and the wrinkles in her yellow and purple pajamas were instantly ironed out.

His sleepiness vanished instantly, his eyes widened, and he stared intently at the blurry golden light, his heart pounding in his chest. He touched himself left and right, even trying to pinch himself, but all the sensations and pain felt incredibly real.

"No... this doesn't feel right! You're just a conceptual projection of my teacher from my memories, you shouldn't be so... human! Also, if this is a dream, how can I feel it's so real?"

"The dream you're talking about? What do you mean?" His voice was a little dry from nervousness.

"My time is running out," the golden phantom's voice became urgent, and its light flickered.

"Listen carefully: You are trapped in an elaborately constructed dream. In the real world, Onpharos is being slaughtered, and everyone... needs you! You must wake up!"

Dream? Reality? Waking up? Help? The overwhelming amount of information struck Bai E's newly activated mind like a hammer blow, making him dizzy and his temples throbbing.

The perfectly planned day, which had been so clear just moments before, suddenly felt distant and unreal. Whether what Golden Illusion said was true or false, he definitely hadn't had the enthusiasm to fully enjoy each day.

“If I’m immersed in this dream, there must be a way to wake up, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here talking to me like this.” Bai E sat up straight on the bed, looking at Russell, who was shrouded in a golden phantom.

"As for how to wake up..." The illusory figure's light flickered, and its speech quickened, "The stability of this dream relies on ten rivets firmly anchoring the spatial structure."

"Find them, remove them! Once space begins to collapse and tear apart, that will be your chance to awaken! This is the only viable path!"

"Ten rivets? Could it be?" A thought flashed through Bai E's mind, and an unbelievable idea emerged.

“That’s right!” The phantom confirmed his guess. “They are the Golden Blood’s companions, and… that guy who looks like me! They are the ten rivets that hold this space together.”

"Didn't you notice?" The phantom's voice carried a sharp, all-knowing edge.

“Besides them, everyone else in this city moves as stiffly as a marionette, and many of their faces are exactly the same, like cheap imitations!”

"If you don't believe me, go around and look around today. You'll find some clues. Even the sweetest dream has its flaws. Once you find those flaws, you'll naturally believe what I'm saying."

This detail, like a cold needle, pierced the numbness that Bai E had felt while immersed in beauty.

"However, the specific decision is up to you. After all, as a savior who has reincarnated more than 30 million times, you should have this much judgment. After all, you have experienced the cruelty of the real world, so it is understandable that you would want to wallow in dreams. But I believe you will not."

"I believe that you will wake up from this sweet dream one day."

The phantom's tone carried a barely perceptible urgency and...trust? "The reality is dire. While you were sound asleep, a monster created by a mastermind is slaughtering the creatures of Onpharos! You must act quickly..."

Suddenly, the phantom's light flickered violently, like a screen with a poor signal, and the sound instantly became distorted and drawn out: "Damn it! He's coming!"

“Remember my words! Wake up now! The longer you stay in the dream, the deeper you will be assimilated, until… you can no longer distinguish yourself, you become a complete part of the dream! You become a new rivet, firmly nailing this space. There is still a chance! Hurry…”

The last words turned into a string of incomprehensible noise, and the golden light, like a blown-out candle flame, vanished completely into the air with a "poof," leaving only faint, tiny specks of light resembling the dissipation of a data stream.

Almost at the same moment the phantom disappeared—

"Tuk Tuk Tuk!"

A clear and gentle knock sounded on the door.

"Xiaobai? Is he awake?" Russell's familiar, concerned voice came from outside the door, so calm that there was no trace of anything amiss.

Bai E's heart skipped a beat. He forced himself to take a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and tried to make his voice sound hoarse and languid, as if he had just woken up: "...Teacher? Just woke up, still a little dizzy...What's wrong?"

“Ah, it’s nothing serious,” Russell said casually from outside the door. “I was just worried you might be sleeping too soundly and miss breakfast. It’s good that you’re awake.” The footsteps seemed to be preparing to leave.

Just as Bai E's tense nerves were about to relax a little, the voice outside the door rang out again, with a deliberately casual, conversational tone: "By the way, Xiao Bai,"

Russell softened his tone, as if he were concerned about his health, "Did you sleep well last night? Did you have any strange hallucinations this morning?"

"For example... someone tells you this is a dream and tells you to wake up quickly?" He paused, then added in a reassuring tone, "Don't be nervous. If that happens, it's probably a normal reaction to excessive mental stress and an inability to relax all at once."

"You'll get used to it in a few days. So... is there? If so, I will treat you and help you recover your health."

Here they come! A test!

Bai E felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms, using all his strength to keep his voice steady, even with a hint of impatience from being woken up.

"No, teacher. What are you thinking? I was sleeping soundly. If you hadn't knocked on the door, I could have slept for another two hours! What nonsense or hallucinations could I possibly have?"

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly healthy, there's nothing wrong with me at all!"

The silence outside the door lasted less than half a second, then Russell's relieved chuckle rang out, a chuckle that seemed to contain a hint of...satisfaction?

"Well, it's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright." His tone became even gentler, even a little doting. "Sigh, maybe it's because I've been wandering outside for so long that I'm always prone to worrying and fearing that something might happen to you."

“Since everything’s alright, let’s rest a bit more and recharge. After all…” His voice was full of persuasive comfort, “this peace and tranquility is hard-won. I don’t think anyone would want to disrupt it.” The footsteps finally faded into the distance.

Only after confirming that the presence outside the door had completely disappeared did Bai E, as if all his strength had been drained, slide down to the floor against the cold door. Cold sweat soaked through his pajamas.

He pinched his arm hard.

"Hiss—!" The sharp pain felt incredibly real.

He looked around: the familiar room, the faint chirping of birds outside the window, the lingering scent of the calming incense he had lit before bed the night before... everything felt so real, so within reach.

But every word Russell said outside the door just now was like a poisoned ice pick!

He revealed nothing, yet the other party accurately predicted the warning message from the golden phantom!

That seemingly caring inquiry was clearly a blatant test; the subtext beneath that gentle tone was cold surveillance and control!

The line between reality and illusion blurred and sharpened in an instant. The urgent warning from the golden phantom, Russell's flawed probing outside the door...

The contrast revealed the truth, like a cold tide, instantly overwhelmed Bai E.

That golden phantom... it's true. At least for now, it seems highly likely. It's true.

He was falling into a carefully woven sweet trap that used all desires as bait.

Outside the dream world, Onpharos, which he had protected for a thousand years, and his cherished companions... were being slaughtered!

I must wake up!

We must find those ten rivets!

This beautiful cage must be torn apart!

People in real life still need him!

Thinking this, Bai E donned his old battle robes and picked up the greatsword he once gripped tightly. He stepped once more onto an unknown journey…

...............

8k words updated today, more updates tomorrow. Now, please vote with monthly tickets, swords, and subscriptions. Goodnight everyone. One more to pay back, 22 more to go.