What is the concept of 8999+ combat power?

The heavens and earth changed colors, winds and clouds roiled, and no one dared to look directly at the deity.

The players in the Holy City were as silent as cold cicadas, not even daring to pick up the equipment that fell all over the ground.

"He won't... not come back, right?" someone whispered, hiding behind a house.

"Yeah, he's become a god already, directly promoted to High Dimensions..."

"Are we really going to lose him..."

"If he still chooses to come back this time, then all the conspiracy theories against him instantly vanish. After all, he truly has no selfish motives."

"Humanity might unite like never before."

"I want to be Su Ming'an's dog."

"But does God Su Ming'an really still care about us... He doesn't even have a 'self' anymore..."

Shadow retreated backward.

Su Ming'an's white tentacles crazily tore at the starlight around Shadow, forcing it to retreat repeatedly, but unable to cause fatal harm. At this moment, Su Ming'an's configuration of becoming a god was top-level authority + faith from the Holy City + very little energy, not enough to directly defeat the Shadow that had developed over a thousand years.

"...You still retained some 'self', which is why you are so determined to reject me," Shadow said, "I see. The pressure I imposed on you was not enough to fully stimulate your divinity."

Starlight rose around it.

The sky curtain descended with thousands of silver threads, the black-purple sky curtain like a massive iron curtain, pressing down toward the ground, causing a burst of exclamations.

Seeing this, Su Ming'an no longer tore at the enemy's flesh, but raised the Sword of Destiny in hand, its tip pointed upward, stabbing toward the sky curtain.

The golden-white light pierced into the sky curtain, like an invisible pair of giant hands, holding up that iron curtain. Feeling the tremendous pressure, Su Ming'an quickly switched from holding the sword with one hand to using both hands.

In the eyes of the people, the world seemed to divide into two sides: black and white.

Above the sky, there was pure black, rolling like thick ink, with bizarre creatures intertwining, twisting, and coiling on the lightless sky curtain. Shadow floated, the iron curtain pressed down, and the pure black night sky transformed into giant beasts, devouring human civilization.

The oppression was so intense that even the air felt congealed and dense. The lights of human civilization, the brilliant lights of skyscrapers, the flowing traffic on the roads, the humans prostrating and praying on the ground, seemed exceptionally small and fragile on such a night.

Below the sky, there was pure white like dove feathers, with only one person, one sword, pointing to the sky, transforming their body into wings, guarding the light. Compared to the overwhelming white tentacles that covered the sky, their figure was so small as to be hard to capture, yet that golden-white long sword resembled a seam of light tearing through the night.

The darkness rolling down was gradually replaced by a clear and pure white, as if an artist painted the most pristine white paint over the sky curtain.

As darkness advanced, the light retreated.

The pure white light was gradually being pressed downward, the rolling darkness expanding bit by bit, as if the victory in this tug-of-war was approaching the night.

In the high skies, the blue full moon, distant from civilization, watched this scene with compassion, even its radiance was completely obscured by black and white.

The light pierced into Yuanyuan's eyes, she patted the white tentacles, trying to make it let go, but it acted like a food-guarding hamster, pressing her back into the depths of the tentacles, preventing the surrounding darkness from contaminating her even a bit.

"Su Ming'an... Su Ming'an...!!" she pounded on the soft tentacles with force. She knew what would happen next, almost seeing the outcome at a glance. Shadow had been a deity for a thousand years, whether in faith or energy was very sufficient, how could Su Ming'an, who became a deity in haste, compare? The reason why Shadow was previously restricted from directly attacking civilization was because no equivalent high-dimensional being existed in the World of Old Days, even deities didn't constitute true life forms, but Su Ming'an was different.

—"The Republic", capable of isolating high-dimensional beings.

A Su Ming'an who became a god... is he not also a kind of high-dimensional being?

He reached the same level as Shadow, yet lacked the strength to rival Shadow.

Su Ming'an's figure, under the vast white tentacles, was like a drop in the ocean. Yet, like a crack tearing through the sky, it gave a glimmer of hope to those in fear.

However, the light was being suppressed smaller and smaller, human civilization was fading into the starry sky.

"Oh god... save us!" People contributed faith, starlit glimmers emerging from their bodies.

"Su Ming'an, fight this battle, and no one will dare to question you again!" Players shouted, blown over by the fierce wind.

"From now on, I'm a member of the Lighthouse Church."

"Who wouldn't be confused seeing this."

"Wuwuwu... Su Ming'an, can you come back? Let's not fight anymore, let's return, let's not care about this World of Old Days..."

They shouted, regardless of whether Su Ming'an could hear:

"Su Ming'an, or you could just ascend dimensions, forget about us..."

"But honestly, I really want to live..."

"I want to go home, I want mom..."

"Su Ming'an, let's go home..."

The torrent surged around Su Ming'an, and he suddenly lowered the Sword of Destiny in his hand, reversing it, pointing it toward himself.

"He is going to..." Noel glanced and quickly understood.

Swoosh!

An invisible causal line was cut by the Sword of Destiny.

...

[Sword of Destiny (Gold Level):

Attack Power: 180~200

Durability: max

Destiny Cutting Attribute: You can use this weapon to sever causal lines.

Emotion Harvesting Attribute: The essence of this weapon is a "Life Hard Drive Recycling System," you can use this weapon to harvest all emotions accumulated in the life hard drive.]

...

When he first obtained this sword, Su Ming'an saw its properties—this sword, can cut destiny.

Since destiny is tethered by causal lines. Then, cutting the causal lines is tantamount to killing destiny.

The reason Su Ming'an cannot match Shadow is because Su Ming'an still retains humanity, his causality is still firmly connected to the mortal world, being manipulated by Shadow. But severing causality is equivalent to cutting off the weapons Shadow connects to him.

But,

Killing destiny... is it not also cutting off all the paths, all the traces one has walked so far?

The first causal line connects him with the bonds of the mortal world.

As the thread floated down from the high sky, the ends of Su Ming'an's black hair gradually turned white, as if symbolizing divinity completely overshadowing humanity.

"Su Ming'an—!!" Noel shouted, he broke free from the control of the tentacles, running upward along the tentacles.

However, it was too far.

Even if running swiftly on the tentacles, it would take a long time to reach Su Ming'an.

At this moment, any whispered words were meaningless. The deity would no longer observe his small movements.

They were all too far from Su Ming'an.

Swoosh!

The second causal line was cut by the Sword of Destiny.

This line connected Su Ming'an with the emotions of the mortal world.

When cutting this line, he seemed to hesitate for a moment, but still brought down the sword. With the dropping of this causal line, the radiance on his body grew even brighter, and the light of the sky no longer drooped. His head full of black hair also spread into vast whiteness.

In an instant, he could no longer see the colors of the mortal world. All swaying and brilliant sunflowers, red roses blooming at the tips of branches, pines and bamboo embroidered on traditional clothing, and the seven-colored Tetris on the game machine... all turned completely black and white.

In his memories, those still warm scenes instantly faded, as if it were an unfamiliar movie.

Seeing the light begin to counterattack, people prayed more fervently, the players' eyes shone brightly, they didn't know what Su Ming'an did, only that Su Ming'an had become stronger.

"Come on—Come on—! Su Ming'an! Defeat the high-dimensional beings!"

They cheered with encouragement phrases, unable to foresee that they were cheering for Su Ming'an's act of "slashing his own self."

"Come on! Su Ming'an, keep slashing—!!" they shouted, faces full of excitement. As if the tip of his sword was aimed at a vile beast, not at his own self.

People did not know what price the deity had paid.

They only knew that the deity protected their civilization, their lives, their memories, their emotions, their selves.

They only knew that the act of the deity swinging the sword would make the deity stronger.

"—Come on! Come on! Su Ming'an—slash it down!!!" The encouraging shouts merged into a river, roaring like a vast torrent.

Swoosh!!!

The third Causal Line connects Su Ming'an to the world's traces.

This is the largest and thickest Causal Line on him, and it is also the last connection he has to the world.

If this line is severed, all his "traces" will be erased. Including the world's memory of him.

People would forget that there was once a nineteen-year-old named Su Ming'an in this world, forget everything he once did, forget that he could play the piano, loved sweets, liked books on philosophy and exploration, and had an upright father.

Forget that he once walked a long journey through the mortal world, accompanied by a few good friends with different personalities. They promised together in the hot springs on a birthday to go home together.

Forget the two cats on his shoulders, a fox, and the sword in his hand called the Sword of Yarman.

Forget that sometimes he would cry too, that he didn't have everything under control, and he would mourn for a long time for the departure of NPCs, tears rarely seen by others.

Forget the promise of "In drunkenness, not knowing the sky is reflected in the water, the boat of clear dreams overwhelms the galaxy" made on the small boat.

Forget that he...

was also just a nineteen-year-old youth.

From now on, everything about "Su Ming'an" will cease to exist. People will only know that above the sky, there exists a pure white, nameless deity. As for His past, struggles, entanglements, tears, no one will mention them.

"Who is Su Ming'an?"

They will respond with words like this and feel perplexed. All partners related to Him will instantly forget everything about Him, only feeling as if there's a blank void in their lives.

In their hearts, it's as though a piece is missing. But who is that piece?

The lavender in Yu Country sways with the wind, as an adventurer stands atop a hillside, desiring to turn back with a smile to share this beautiful view, yet finds no one behind him. He cannot remember who his puppet threads were attached to. Only the spring sun beams down, the world stretching out freely.

Below Mount Taihua in Dragon Country, a silent blademaster swings his blade day after day, hundreds of butterflies flying towards him, but no one stands behind him to pause, the aroma of tea swirling, with no one to collect the dust.

Inside an apartment, a girl quietly pushes open a neighbor's door, the living room covered in dust, untouched for a long time. The family photo on the cabinet, with only the policeman father and pianist mother smiling, shows no third person. A book "On the Origin and Foundations of Human Inequality" lies on the floor, brand new as if untouched.

...

["I will not forget."]

["No matter what Underworld mechanism appears in the Tenth World, I will not forget."]

["There are seven months left, by that time..."]

[He faces his companions on the ship, who are also looking back at him.]

[The warm tones of the lights flicker in their varying pupils, the punt tears through the water, traversing the white galaxy, churning the vast Star Sea, heading towards the unknown end.]

[He slightly lowers his head, then smiles:]

["Together, we,"]

["go home."]

...

The deity tightly grips the hilt of the sword, staring at the last Causal Line on His body, and for the first time since becoming a god, He feels an unprecedented confusion.

Rationality tells Him that as long as He slashes, he can safeguard civilization, and from then on, his future will be endless, with longevity beyond measure.

But.

...Why are there three figures running towards Him on the shadowy tendrils that cover the sky?

They are His companions; He knows this.

They are strong, smart, and brave. Perhaps if they continue onwards, one of them could take His place and continue to lead humanity; this is a good scenario.

—But they,

why are they crying?

Why do they keep shouting repeatedly—

...

[Don't become the Dawn]...?

...

"—God! May martial fortune favor you!!"

"—Number One Player! May martial fortune favor you!!"

The people of the Holy City are blessing Him, wishing martial fortune upon Him.

Martial fortune favoring Him.

This blessing He had received three times before; now it comes again, perhaps for the last time.

The overwhelming blessings and prayers drown out the shouts from His three companions. Virtually all of humanity is praying for His victory, blessing His strength.

If He hesitates, this world will not exist.

Chao Yan, Li Mingyue, General Qin, Su Luoluo... They will vanish in the destruction of civilization. Even Yuanyuan, Lv Shu, Noel, Mo Yan... will be erased by Dieying's devastation.

The Pulaya of ten thousand years later... may never exist.

With black hair frosted to snow, the deity closes His eyes for three seconds, sighing, the sword tip aimed at the thread.

—A deity must not retreat.

A deity... dares not... retreat.

He has no space for choice.

"—Su Ming'an! No!!!"

Whose scream is that?

"—You promised to go with me to Yu Country to see the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, I haven't performed yet, don't forget!"

Whose cry is that?

"—The pandas in the Shu region, brown bears in North Country, aircraft carriers in Italy, cherry blossoms in Fusang—can't forget us..."

Whose sobbing is that?

...

The blade sweeps down.

He does not know what mood He is in at this moment.

The remnants of humanity surge, restoring Him to a brief self-reflection, like a light flicker before death.

He seems to shed a tear. This tear disappears into the holy light illuminating the mortal world, unseen by anyone.

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