Chapter 578: Fateful Final Battle

Repairing planets, maintaining world order.

In fact, this also aligns with the rule of the Creator God's avatar descending whenever the world undergoes significant change. Even the current upheaval on this stone planet fits this rule from that perspective. Planetary upheaval, leading to divine intervention and descent.

“What about their appearance?” Xu Zhi asked seriously.

“Hmm... ordinary 'all-race' forms should be fine,” Carolyn mused. “White ceramic figures, resembling painted pottery. They can decide their own attire, perhaps priestly or angelic robes.”

“Very good,” Xu Zhi replied, as he also favored minimalist aesthetics. While clay allowed for the creation of various extravagant and beautiful forms, with ornate wings or even three heads and six arms, such designs held no practical value. Simplicity was preferable.

The two discussed for a while and finalized the rules. The planets would be inhabited by 'second-generation all-races,' created solely by the two 'first-generation all-gods.' The angels, also 'second-generation all-races,' would number seven archangels. They would have no wings, appearing as ordinary ceramic 'all-race' humanoids. However, they could reproduce independently. Though the concentration of their bloodline would gradually diminish with subsequent generations (third, fourth, and so on), they would still be able to self-sustain. After all, they were a race of order.

“And the Namekian technology—the Dragon Balls—is clearly a similar 'all-race' adhesive cell technology combined with a wish-power system...” Carolyn took a deep breath, a half-smile playing on her lips. “This is very interesting. Once they fully develop, to encourage competition, I might as well personally create seven planet-sized Super Dragon Balls. All races across the universe would then pursue these Super Dragon Balls... The absorbed wish-power would surely be immense, capable of fulfilling many desires.”

Xu Zhi was taken aback. Planet-sized Dragon Balls? Well, it seemed bizarre, but it was indeed feasible, given they were all made of the same material. Xu Zhi thought these powerful beings were truly adept at stirring up trouble. The thought of such a scenario was terrifying. Perhaps, that level of wish-power absorption could even surpass the vast spiritual power generated by the Three Realms. This would be a world with a complex, composite system.

“By the way,” Xu Zhi suddenly asked, “since this world line has been chosen, what about Cybertron...”

“We'll create another planet for their civilization to thrive,” Carolyn explained with a smile, evidently having already prepared a solution. “After all, they don't rely on the three races; they're a fourth race, an independent system... essentially, a system where clay cells 'gain sentience.' ” Indeed, the conflict between the two world lines was minimal, allowing them to be separated.

While perfecting this miniature universe was immensely complex, both individuals possessed extraordinary computational abilities. Xu Zhi, with his Heavenly Emperor-level demon core computing power, set down the rules with just a few words. As they spoke, both stood up.

“It's time to end all this. Probably two more times,” Xu Zhi said, finishing his meal and wiping his lips with a napkin.

“Yes,” Carolyn replied, looking at the world line. “I estimate that this zombie apocalypse won't be successfully overcome yet; they'll need more adaptation. But next time should be possible.”

“Agreed,” Xu Zhi said, having no doubt about Carolyn's computational power.

“Huh?”

“Wait!”

A slight change appeared on Carolyn's face; she looked surprised and uncertain. “A green monster with beetle wings? What is that?”

Time accelerated rapidly, like a sped-up world film.

With the second iteration of 'World Line: I Have a Dream,' a tragic and bloody future was written. The entire world united completely, no longer concealing any secrets, sharing all information. The world developed at an increasingly rapid pace, entering a flourishing period, and simultaneously, that fateful day truly arrived.

Stone Planet, Year 212.

The world-ending meteorite descended, and the infection began. The entire Stone Planet's alert level rose to an unprecedented degree. Cities near the impact zone were evacuated in advance, and the infection did not immediately manifest at first. Everything proceeded as before. The three races knew that viral infection was inevitable; moving the population away from the great ice ocean was merely a preliminary measure to suppress spread. Ultimately, the virus would spread along the ice ocean.

The high-ranking members of the three races still held sufficient confidence. Unlike before, they would not allow a large number of living beings to be infected, which would accelerate mutation. Instead, they aimed to nip the virus's mutation in the bud. They had all three races, along with susceptible animals, hide in shelter cities on the other side of the planet, evacuating the entire world. Fewer than a thousand people remained on the surface of the ice ocean continent. These thousand people were a suicide squad. They quickly began researching the virus and developing a serum, but they could not avoid infection. Soon, six hundred people were infected, and the spread rapidly intensified.

Below the shelter, everyone's expressions were tense.

“A thousand volunteers will serve as suicide squads to research the viral serum. Even if they get infected, the insufficient population base will prevent the virus from undergoing new mutations!”

“Once this batch of a thousand dies, the next batch of suicide squads will go out, first eliminating the previous thousand mutated zombies, then continuing to research the serum. Going out in waves, they will eventually develop a serum to completely eradicate the virus's source.”

This time, they made a resolute decision from the outset. After discussions among all parties, they even devised a brutal plan similar to the White Dwarf Extinction Plan, approaching it with ten thousand times the caution and determination, allowing no room for error. Although this approach involved sacrificing some individuals, it was the safest way to eliminate the virus and save the entire world. To this end, they even directly killed ninety percent of the animals on the surface that could not be evacuated, specifically to prevent those animals from becoming infected. This was the 'Animal Extinction Plan.'

It wasn't that Zach didn't remember the previous virus serum formula. It was because this unknown ancient virus was too terrifying; each mutation direction was unpredictable. Depending on the number of infected individuals and the proportion of infected species, the angle of mutation could also differ. The virus was constantly computing and evolving in real-time. Therefore, the same serum would not be effective.

Six months passed. After sacrificing seven batches of research members and a relay of seven thousand alternating deaths, a new second-generation viral serum was finally developed. The calculations based on these seven thousand ordinary people showed that this number was insufficient to generate a new third-generation virus. The virus would stop here, and this time, the viral crisis was about to be extinguished in its infancy. People in the safe cities began to cheer; children, elders, and parents embraced, weeping with joy.

However, in less than three days, the high-ranking officials of Stone Planet realized they had underestimated the virus's adaptability. A new third-generation mutated virus still emerged. It began to infect plants and small insects in nature that it would ordinarily not infect, forcing them to grow 'corpse cores' and rapidly spreading.

Xu Zhi looked on. Before them lay an expanse of verdant, eerily tall trees and multicolored insects.

“Heh heh... the unified virus, unable to continue as a humanoid virus, has now taken the path of a plant-form virus,” Carolyn chuckled, as if everything was within her expectations.

As the two mused, a line of bright red text slowly appeared.

The entire world, except for the human shelter cities, fell. All plants and insects were infected, and even alien-like viruses began to appear. To increase the number of infected entities, even artificial humans made from clay cells were forcibly infected, and Number Eighteen, who had been fighting on the front lines, fell.

Within three months, the plant and insect zombie kings quickly attacked the shelters. Everyone completely panicked. They had never imagined that this unknown virus from the meteorite would possess such terrifying adaptability on this planet. With too many plants rooted in the earth, it was almost impossible to eradicate them from the planet. Left with no choice, they were forced to reactivate the 'White Dwarf Extinction Plan.'

Ultimately, “The initial fate was slightly different, but the tragic, bloody outcome remained the same, almost identical to last time.”

A thousand people survived. Zach, leading these thousand frozen demons, charged in a frenzy. Yet, they were ultimately outnumbered. In his final moments, he mutated, manifesting a second avatar, and died in the bloody battle. Faintly, he saw a dark green infected zombie tyrant.

This was a fused zombie creature, entirely green, resembling a blend of green-shelled insects and green plants. Its physique was slender and upright, with two narrow, green ladybug wings on its back, giving it a lithe and oddly handsome appearance. It looked at Zach's corpse.

“I infected and devoured Artificial Human Number Eighteen. I am the unified viral organism of this planet, primarily a fusion of plants and beetles, incorporating the bloodlines of all other living beings.” It lowered its head. “The previous Zombie King also learned of the future from you and thwarted the Human Kindling Plan... And this time, I have also learned of the impending future from you. You are returning to the past, aren't you?”

Behind it, leading endless zombies, it was clearly the long-hidden zombie leader.

“Although you tried hard to conceal it, I've guessed it's you! You're constantly going back in time... If this continues, I fear the next time will be the moment of our extinction.”

“You appear to have won a great victory, but in reality, you are about to lose.”

It lowered its head. As a zombie tyrant that had developed intelligence, it was unwilling to die.

“The Zombie King of the previous world learned of the future from you and thwarted the Human Kindling Plan, and this time, I have learned the entire world's future from you. I will stop you from changing the past.”

It made a peculiar move. It committed suicide. Its soul took root, slowly attaching itself to Zach's gradually dissipating soul. “I, Slaughter, the Slaughter Tyrant, will hide deep within your soul, stowaway through time, and follow you back to that era.”

“This is our final battle.”

As it spoke, it transformed into a spiritual cocoon, parasitizing Zach's soul, emitting waves of consciousness. Then, it looked up, seemingly seeing a faint figure high above the clouds.

“Is that you? Are you watching me... the omnipotent Creator God who controls the entire universe?”

“Where did we viruses truly come from, and what is the origin of this meteorite? Please give us a chance to win. I have already erased my infection ability; I am now an independent species.”

“Great All-God, Slaughter wishes to change the past, and has many questions for you...”

End-stage civilization simulation complete. Special mutation detected. Save archive?

Carolyn covered her mouth, chuckling.

“Something interesting seems to have happened,” Carolyn remarked. “The virus's computational mutation is quite fascinating. According to their big data demon core calculations, possessing infection capabilities was a dead end because an unknown entity prevented the infection of the entire planet. So, it found an alternative path: it erased its own infection ability, becoming a unified organism, and returned to the past to contend. This is indeed the computational thinking of the Demon Core Race.”

Xu Zhi felt helpless. He had somewhat underestimated the unified virus. At this point, the unified virus had also obtained the truth from humanity, learning that the world had been reset many times, and had devised the optimal method for its own survival. Because letting Zach proceed would undoubtedly lead to its defeat.

“It seems this change in the world line isn't a bad thing; it holds even greater potential,” Carolyn said, growing somewhat serious, yet also curious. “It looks like... the next world will have a completely different style. It should be a final battle, returning to the past.”

Xu Zhi hadn't expected the final battleground not to be a red-soaked, broken zombie apocalypse, but rather the past, a time of peace before the apocalypse prophecy.

End-stage civilization simulation complete. Special mutation detected. Save archive?