379: Witnessing the miracle of the "Big Bang"

In the void, two identical faces stared at each other quietly across that old typewriter.

There were no gasps, and no melodramatic family reunion scene.

There was only an extremely eerie... rapport.

"Can't keep making it up?"

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at the weary "himself" sitting in the chair.

He didn't draw his sword because he could feel that the person before him had no energy fluctuations, and even... no threat whatsoever.

He was like a corporate drone who had pulled several all-nighters; he had nothing but dark circles under his eyes.

"Yeah."

That "Lu Chen" rubbed his temples and gave a bitter laugh.

"The setting was laid out too wide, and the plot holes were dug too deep."

"I originally wanted to write a power fantasy, but as I wrote, you 'characters' started having ideas of your own."

"Especially you."

That "Lu Chen" pointed at Lu Chen's nose, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and a touch of pride.

"You're too much of a troublemaker."

"I originally only wanted you to be the Leader of Earth, but you ended up unifying the Milky Way Galaxy."

"I wanted you to run an Abyss dungeon, but you ended up tearing down the server."

"Now look at this."

That "Lu Chen" shrugged and moved his backside off the chair.

"The pen is yours."

"Write the rest of the plot yourself."

Lu Chen was stunned.

Behind him, Wang Peng and Su Qingying were also completely dumbfounded.

"This... this is the truth?"

Wang Peng pointed at that "Lu Chen," his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a lightbulb. "So you're saying we fought tooth and nail all this way just to take over your... typing?"

"This isn't ordinary typing."

That "Lu Chen" stood up and stretched, his bones letting out a series of cracks.

As he stood, the surrounding absolute "void" actually began to show faint cracks.

"Fatty, watch closely."

"Every character typed on this machine..."

...is a..."

...law of physics."

Lu Chen was silent for a moment.

He didn't act coy or refuse.

He strode over and sat down in the chair that still held some warmth.

"Feels good."

Lu Chen placed his hands on the keyboard.

In that instant, an indescribable sense of grandeur immediately flooded his soul.

He felt as if he had become the ruler of this world.

No, the source.

"Since you're letting me write..."

Lu Chen turned his head, looking at the version of himself who was preparing to "clock out."

"Then I'll..."

...write it from the beginning."

"From the beginning?"

That "Lu Chen" was taken aback. "What do you want to do? A reboot? How would that be any different from before?"

"Of course there's a difference."

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth curled into an extremely crazed arc.

"The previous universe was set."

"It was orchestrated."

"But what I want to create..."

Lu Chen suddenly raised his hand, his index finger hovering over the [Enter Key].

...is a..."

...Wild Universe..."

...with infinite possibilities!"

"Now..."

EXPLODE!!!"

Clack!

As Lu Chen's finger slammed down.

That small Enter Key emitted a crisp mechanical sound.

But at this moment, that sound drowned out everything else in existence.

BOOM—!!!!!!!!

Inside the originally pitch-black cylinder in the center of the typewriter...

...a speck of light suddenly erupted.

It was a singularity.

It was infinitely small, yet infinitely heavy.

It contained time, space, matter, energy, and all causality.

Immediately following that...

...it exploded.

That wasn't an ordinary explosion.

That was—the Big Bang.

Endless light and heat expanded frantically into the surrounding void at a speed billions of times faster than light!

Time began to flow; space began to stretch.

The first proton was born.

The first gravitational wave appeared.

The first nebula began to condense.

"Holy crap..."

Wang Peng leaned against the porthole of the Xuanyuan, watching the scene before him—so magnificent it made one want to kneel—as tears flowed uncontrollably.

"Is this... genesis?"

"I'm just watching... a universe being born?"

Su Qingying also covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes reflecting the magnificent dawn of the galaxy.

As a scientist, this was the ultimate truth she had pursued all her life.

And now, the truth was right before her eyes, blooming like fireworks.

"How does it feel?"

The "off-duty" Lu Chen stood to the side and asked with a smile.

Lu Chen sat in the chair, looking at the starry sky he had typed out with his own hands.

His forehead was covered in sweat, but his eyes were brighter than ever before.

"It feels..."

Lu Chen took a deep breath, watching the streams of matter rapidly cooling to form galaxies.

"A bit tiring."

"But... exhilarating."

"Hahahaha!"

That "Lu Chen" burst out laughing.

His figure began to slowly fade, as if he were about to merge into this newborn universe, or perhaps head to an even more distant place.

"Alright then."

"Since you've taken over the shift, it's time for me to go."

"Where to?" Lu Chen asked.

"I don't know."

That "Lu Chen" shrugged, his tone carefree.

"Maybe I'll go sleep, or maybe I'll go find a new subject."

"Anyway..."

He pointed at Lu Chen, then at the typewriter.

"The story here is your responsibility from now on."

"Remember."

Before his figure completely vanished, that "Lu Chen" left behind one last sentence.

"Don't give it a bad ending."

"Otherwise..."

"I'll come back and ask for a refund!"

The voice dissipated.

In the void, only Lu Chen remained, along with the typewriter that was still vibrating slightly.

And outside the window... that newborn universe, thriving and filled with infinite vitality.

"Bad ending?"

Lu Chen watched the first star light up in that new universe.

He watched the planet orbiting the star, which was still a ball of fire.

He smiled.

He smiled with confidence and dominance.

"Don't worry."

Lu Chen placed his hands on the keyboard once more.

"My, Lu Chen's, story..."

...has only ever been..."

...a masterpiece."

"Fatty! Qingying!"

Lu Chen turned back and shouted toward the Xuanyuan.

"Here!"

"Are you ready?"

Lu Chen pointed at the newly born, still blank new world.

"Our new home..."

...isn't it right here?"

"Let's go!"

"Let's go down and claim some territory!"

"This time, I'm going to choose a..."

...sea-view house!"

Rumble—

The Xuanyuan started up, carrying the last embers of human civilization, and also its first hope.

It charged toward that... land of miracles... created by their own hands.

However...

Just as Lu Chen's finger was about to type the second line of code...

Su Qingying suddenly spoke.

Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling and a hint of... uncontrollable curiosity.

"Lu Chen."

"You said just now that the 'back' was yourself."

"But..."

Su Qingying pointed to an inconspicuous, seemingly Discarded Manuscript next to the typewriter.

"If he is the author..."

...then what is written on this paper..."

...exactly?"