在数年前,梅林在加勒比海的海岛上杀死九头蛇夫人的时候,意外得到了一张羊皮纸.

那是从黑暗神书上扯下来的一页纸.

具备某种神奇的笑容.

只要写下问题,就能得到答案.

但大概是无法摆脱黑暗神书的规则桎梏,想要从羊皮纸上得到答案,就得完成献祭或者一个古怪的要求.

在他手持羊皮纸的那些年里,他从羊皮纸那里得到了很多帮助.

但羊皮纸也给他弄出了很多麻烦.

不过归根究底,羊皮纸的存在对于梅林而言有益无害,而在那个该死的命运游戏结束之前,羊皮纸还给了梅林最后的帮助.

就如梅林自己所说,对他而言,羊皮纸的存在已经超越了一件器物.

That was one of his friends.

虽然它性格恶劣,但关键时刻总能帮上忙.

在梅林人生前半生的转折点,梅林在最后一战中了解到了很多,他知晓了这个世界之外的一些秘辛,甚至直面了源于世界之外的伟大意志.

从那些短暂的交集中,梅林也知晓了羊皮纸背后的人.

梦神...

一个穿着白色长袍,用纱布遮住眼睛,喜欢记录不同故事的人.

一个潇洒的,值得信任,但又让梅林完全看不透的人.

“我有个反复思索,但怎么也得不到答案的问题要问你...”

在末日火山的顶部,在废土之地的机械宫殿中,梅林握着闪耀桔光的羽毛笔,在羊皮纸上写到:

“那个游戏真的结束了吗?”

"you guess?"

羊皮纸上又出现了那让梅林抓狂的反问.

但还没等梅林皱起眉头,那黑色的字迹又如活动的蝌蚪一样,飞速的变化重组,在梅林眼前组成了一句回答.

"Okay, not kidding."

“它是结束了,关于你的游戏部分已经结局,你用狡猾的方法骗过了众人,摄取了不算胜利的胜利,让他们收获了不算失败的失败.”

“但它也没结束,关于这个宇宙的角逐只是进入了更白热化的阶段.”

在羊皮纸另一头,在已经封闭的群星之外,梦神快速的书写着:

“再没有什么掷骰游戏,再没有什么暗中布置,再没有什么侥幸与厄运...赌狗们在等着刺刀见红的最后时刻,留给你运作的时间还有,但已经不多了.”

羊皮纸上的短短几句话,让梅林深皱眉头.

这句话里传出的信息非常庞大,他需要时间来思考.

但梦神的传讯中也显示出一抹急迫,在梅林的注视下,又有一行字浮现出来.

“我不能明目张胆的帮你,这会惹怒其他人,也会暴露我的存在.”

“若非关键时刻,否则不要动用这张羊皮纸!”

Merlin nodded.

他拿起笔,又写下了一个问题.

“他们承诺说我的世界会得到自由,他们撒谎了吗?”

"No."

羊皮纸上浮现出更多字迹.

这两位远隔无尽群星的“笔友”,正在用这种方式快速交换着信息.

“他们确实给了这方世界自由,但我想,这应该不是你希望看到的那种自由.”

Dream God raised his head, looked at the Overlord and Death who were bored playing poker, and then "looked" at the audience seats that had already begun the banquet.

He lowered his head and wrote quickly again.

He wrote:

"After the loss of external interference, the growth rate of this world is accelerating, and the power level is constantly increasing. Currently, there are life forms that surpass the Heavenly Father and almost monolithic universe that have evolved."

"In your time, it is estimated that in another 2-3 years, a real monomer universe will appear, but this is not a trouble you need to pay attention to. Don't be fascinated by power."

"The cosmic furnace will be ignited at the moment of degeneration, and that is the time to decide on ownership."

"Merlin, you were right in a sense of doubt."

"You, including the people around you, all the lives in the stars, and everything that has happened or has not happened yet are not simple illusions, but they cannot be called reality!"

"You are just a 'testing procedure' before this universe is officially formed and put into use."

"Once the cosmic furnace is ignited, the 'pre-operation' phase you represent will end, and the illusory first era will be burned by the primitive flames bursting out of the cosmic furnace."

"The Second Age will open in the pure universe, but no matter how gorgeous or cruel it is, it has nothing to do with you."

"You will become ghosts of the past and not be remembered by anyone."

Merlin's eyes narrowed.

Before the last battle began, the Phantom Sticker, who appeared for the last time, seemed to have said similar things.

But Merlin couldn't understand it at the time.

Now he understands.

He did give this universe freedom, but that was just the last carnival before the destruction of all things.

They were born in the shaped, incomplete universe and were defective.

After the universe is complete, the defective products will be eliminated, leaving a better future to life in the next era.

But will Merlin be willing?

Having done so much, will he be willing to stop everything abruptly after several years?

The raven breathed a sigh of relief.

He calmed himself down, and he wrote on the parchment:

"Is there any way to avoid this ending?"

This time, Meng Shen did not answer for a long time.

This silence made Meilin feel anxious, but it was quickly suppressed by him.

He patiently waited for the help of his "pen pal".

He just sat there like a sculpture.

Several hours later, new handwriting appeared on the parchment paper.

"I just went to check out all the stories related to the birth of the universe."

The handwriting was pounding in front of Merlin's eyes.

It outlined a hint of hope for him.

"I have not experienced the true Genesis myself, but according to some ancient stories, I have a little inspiration in some stories about the furnace of the universe."

"If the Overlord and Death are ignited from outside the stars, then you are dead."

"But if you can ignite the cosmic furnace from the inside of the stars before them, maybe... you can talk to this newborn cosmic will."

Dream God hesitated for a moment, and he wrote:

"I can't guarantee that this method will definitely save your Void Era."

"But if the newborn cosmic will is willing to help you, maybe it can continue the story of the First Era while retaining the existing creatures."

"Until all things in the world reach the end of their demise, they begin the second era in a way that conforms to the laws of epoch change."

Merlin looked at the answer, and there was a bitter smile on his face.

He wrote:

"I don't know where the cosmic furnace is now..."

"A place in the stars is not conceptual space, in fact, you need to transcend again to see and touch it."

Dream God responded in words:

"Any flame igniting requires firewood, and all kinds of strange things will be born in the universe where all things are born, and those are the firewood you are looking for."

“Infinite Stone?”

Meilin's mind flashed with inspiration. He remembered the instructions of the Supreme Master when he left, and he wrote:

“Similar to something like this?”

"right."

The beating text responded to:

"Colle as much as possible, and then find the right time to put them into the furnace of the universe..."

"You and your world are now like an egg. Breaking outside is death, but breaking inside may mean rebirth."

"I see."

Merlin nodded, and he wrote on the parchment:

"Thank you, really, thank you very much for your reminders and advice, Lord Mengshen."

"nothing."

The elegant handwriting of the Dream God was beating, he said:

"I just want to see a complete story, that's all. It's still a little while before they discover my abnormality, so, do you have anything else to ask?"

Merlin thought about it, and he leaned over and wrote another question.

"I'm just curious, why do you keep helping me? Just because of the story?"

“Because of the observers.”

Dream God's answer this time was as calm as before. With the emergence of beautiful handwriting, Dream God said:

"My library has many stories, but not every story will be liked by observers. Their taste...what can be said, it will change, and it is very strange."

"I made an agreement with them to find better stories for them and record them for their enjoyment."

"I don't hate this kind of search. I like to include these stories. I am willing to give some help to the stories that are loved by observers and the protagonists in the stories, but all this is for the story."

Merlin picked up the pen in surprise and wrote:

"It sounds like you're pleasing them?"

"Yes, you've summed it up right."

A big smile appeared on the parchment paper, but there was a little helplessness on the smile, Meng Shen responded:

"I am pleasing them, and while retaining my taste as much as possible, I am making the observers feel happy."

"But this is not simply flattery or pleasure, because when they reap happiness and satisfaction, I will be ecstatic for a good story."

"In essence, I don't hate doing this, but I also feel a little confused occasionally. After all, not every plot I like, observers will like..."

"And if they don't like it, they'll leave me."

"When all observers leave me, I...you know."

This helpless answer also silenced Merlin.

Although he didn't have much contact with the Dream God, he was sure that the Dream God must be much stronger than him, and the level of the Dream God is something he cannot imagine now.

But such a powerful life will have its own helplessness.

When people walk in the world, there is no real freedom at all.

After a few seconds, Merlin shook his head and relieved himself from this sad and sad mood. He picked up his pen and wrote:

"So, what should I do? I mean, too, will I have to start now, please? If I can put you in a little less stress... I can try to please them."

Merlin wrote:

"You helped me, and I should help you too."

“No need.”

Dream God’s answer was very straightforward, and the handwriting quickly emerged:

"Do as you think, there is no need to change it deliberately."

"I have said that the tastes of observers will change. Some people hate you, and some people will also like what you do. As the protagonist of the story, you make decisions and you bear the consequences."

"No need for deliberate explanations or flattery. You have your own life. You go your own way and leave everything to others for evaluation. Whether it is good or bad, you have to bear those evaluations..."

"This is the meaning of the story itself and the protagonist's existence."

"They will scold you, they will even scold me, hate me, and humiliate me, but it's okay, I'm used to it...you have to learn to get used to it."

"You can't make everyone like you, and no matter what you do, someone will criticize you... For example, you and the women around you, some observers like your passion, but some observers despise your passion."

"But if you cut off your intimacy with all the women around you, those observers who like you will turn around and leave without hesitation..."

"Do you understand? Don't take the initiative to please, God's will is not to be speculated, so just be yourself."

Dream God's handwriting stopped, and after a moment, he wrote again:

"This is a good thing. Criticism will always make people progress. With the addition of bad words, there is also a blessing to look forward to you to become better."

"Okay, I won't talk about these things."

Dream God drew a big smiley face on the parchment paper, he said:

"If you are interested, after the story is over, come to the Endless Library, we can talk freely, and I can share more stories with you."

"Oh, by the way, there is another very important thing."

“In your world, you are not the only one who breaks the 'fourth wall'.”

Dream God reminds him with elegant handwriting:

"In addition to you, there is another person who can communicate directly with observers without going through me."

"who?"

Merlin asked slightly surprised.

The next moment, a name appears on the parchment.

"Wade Wilson, Deadpool, your friend."

"A small part of his madness comes from his own suffering, but more part comes from his seeing through the truth of the world earlier than you..."

"He is not crazy, he just chose to give up on himself after learning the truth."

"But, observers like this self-deprecating and wanton living. He is now harassed and even takes the initiative to escape from the 'curiosity' of observers, so if you have time, you might as well chat with Deadpool..."

"As long as you can endure his madness and gain his trust, you will definitely gain something."

Merlin nodded.

He glanced at the simple-painted graffiti that appeared on the parchment paper, and the graffiti looked like Deadpool. The cute style made Meilin smile.

After laughing, he wrote:

"The last question, I've seen God before..."

"Why do I feel that he is a little different from other Father God? He told me that he only took seven days to create a world on average. I felt that he was bragging, but instinct told me that it was true..."

Faced with Merlin's question, Dream God's answer was quick and straightforward.

"Who told you that the God you met is an ordinary God of Heavenly Father?"
Chapter completed!