250: Observer's Chess Game

The withered world is singing.

This is not a song heard by the ears, but a chorus of life itself.

Clear springs gush from the parched earth, their gurgling sounds serving as its drumbeat; fresh green sprouts emerge from the charred dead zones, their swaying forms serving as its dance steps.

The entire world awakens from an endless slumber, and every speck of dust celebrates this new life.

Li Dong hovers beneath this vibrant sky, though he is not overly drawn to the scene before him.

He has just finished performing "heart bypass surgery" on a patient with terminal "laziness," and is now savoring the surgical report.

"Universe Balancer..."

"Guardian of 'Stillness'?"

The final message transmitted by the Mother of Wither spreads like a drop of ink in his calm Sea of Consciousness.

"So, in Her script, an existence like the Mother of Wither is the link responsible for 'decay' in the Universe's ecological cycle, and is necessary?"

Li Dong murmurs to himself, as if speaking to this newly born world, or perhaps asking some unseen listener, "And yet, I, this 'decorator,' came along, not only scraped off the rotting wallpaper and applied a fresh coat of paint, but also 'convinced' the worker responsible for the decay to quit."

Thinking about it this way, he really is an uninvited nuisance.

The guy who has been spying on him is likely not just curious about him.

Sure enough, that familiar sense of scrutiny descends once more.

This time, it is no longer as distant and vague as before, but so clear that it feels as if it is standing right behind Li Dong, using a gaze that is almost tangible to measure him inch by inch, and to measure the world beneath his feet that has been 'set right.'

There is no hostility in this gaze, yet it is more unsettling than any hostility.

It is an assessment, a judgment, as if a strict examiner is reviewing an off-topic exam paper.

"What, not satisfied with my work?" Li Dong says, without turning his head, addressing the Void Realm, "Or is it that you feel I've ruined your collection?"

There is no response.

The gaze remains, calm, objective, devoid of any emotion.

Li Dong is about to make another sarcastic remark when he notices a ripple appearing in the space before him.

It is not an energy shock, nor is it a Law attack; the fluctuation is ancient, profound, and incredibly harmonious.

It appears out of thin air, condensing before Li Dong into a translucent... invitation, composed of countless shimmering runes?

This thing radiates an aura of wisdom, as if it contains the mysteries from the very beginning of the Universe's birth.

At the same time, it undisguisedly exudes a sense of challenge.

"Interesting." Li Dong extends a finger and gently touches this "invitation."

What comes from his fingertip is a Law structure far beyond his imagination.

Its complexity and ingenuity make the "True Lord's" set of devouring Laws look like a child's doodle.

This thing is not meant for attack; it is, in itself, a perfect work of art, an ultimate interpretation of "Order."

"Want me to visit your home?" Li Dong analyzes the coordinate information contained within it, "And you're hinting at a 'surprise'? Could it be that you've set up a Hongmen Banquet, just waiting for me, this Xiang Yu, to go and deliver my head?"

As he ponders this, the [ancient stone slab] within his body suddenly emits a low hum.

This resonance is not one of rejection, but rather carries a sense of... recognition of meeting a worthy opponent?

It seems it is quite familiar with this "Balancer," and perhaps even somewhat expectant.

"Even you think I should go?" Li Dong chuckles.

Originally, he was still somewhat hesitant, but now it seems he must go.

He really wants to know what this guy, who calls himself a "Balancer," actually wants to do.

Does it want to incorporate him, this "Variable," into its "Balance," or does it want to completely erase him so that the Universe can return to the "right track" it has set?

Regardless of which it is, it is far more interesting than dealing with those cosmic "BUGS."

"Fine, then let's go and see what your 'surprise' really is."

Li Dong snaps his fingers, and a Law imprint belonging to him silently merges into the Origin of the world beneath his feet.

This imprint will ensure that this newly born world continues to recover steadily without any interference; it counts as after-sales service.

Having done all this, he no longer has any concerns; with a single step, his figure instantly vanishes into the Void Realm passage guided by that "invitation."

The feeling of traversing is completely different.

Before, when he navigated the veins of the Universe, it felt like being a fish drifting with the current—free, but always having to follow the direction of the "water flow."

But now, the path he is taking feels more like a meticulously constructed highway.

The space and time along the way exhibit an extraordinary "sense of order."

How to describe it?

It is as if every inch of the Void Realm has been precisely measured and arranged, and every wisp of time flow has been calibrated to the most perfect state.

The Universe here does not look like a product of natural evolution, but rather like a collection room meticulously managed by someone with terminal OCD.

"This guy... has an unusually strong desire for control." Li Dong clicks his tongue in wonder.

In this journey that has been so clearly "arranged," he cannot even feel the passage of time.

He does not know how long it has been, but a light appears at the end of the passage.

Li Dong steps out, and the scene before him makes him pause involuntarily.

Before him lies a Void Realm whose vastness cannot be described in words.

And in the center of the Void Realm floats a massive... chessboard, constructed from light and Laws.

Yes, a chessboard.

On the chessboard, what crisscrosses it are not lines, but stable, extreme cosmic Laws.

And at those intersections, serving as "chess pieces" are galaxies, some brilliant, some dim!

Countless galaxies, used as chess pieces, are placed upon this boundless chessboard, floating silently, forming a picture so grand it is breathtaking.

And in the very center of the chessboard, a vague figure sits cross-legged.

One cannot see its face or discern its form; it just sits there quietly, as if it has merged with the entire chessboard and this Void Realm ruled by extreme order.

Its very existence is the most perfect interpretation of "Law."

Li Dong knows he has found it.

That "ancient Observer" who has been spying on him, that so-called "Universe Balancer."

The moment Li Dong appears, the vague figure in the center of the chessboard seems to move slightly.

A peaceful yet majestic voice resonates directly in Li Dong's consciousness, devoid of any emotion, yet containing unquestionable rules.

"Uninvited guest, you have disrupted the chess game."

Li Dong looks around at this chessboard made of galaxies, then turns his gaze back to that figure and grins.

"Is that so? But why do I feel like you invited me here to start a new game?"