“The bus station outside Everlasting Life Apartments…” All the Gao Mings’ eyes gathered at the same spot. The grandmother trapped inside the elevator on the fourth floor was about to escape. The monster called Future might appear at any moment. The painter Gao Ming and He Jing outside the exit could not hold on for long. If they perished, the mud figurine would end up outside the building.
“We’ll die if we leave. The God of the Past is too cunning. We might have a chance if we stay inside.” Fan Li tried to persuade them, but he underestimated Gao Ming’s determination.
“Perhaps we can still give it a try.” The flesh Gao Ming walked to the exit. His expression was very serious. The other Gao Mings knew what flesh Gao Ming wanted to say. Actually, they had experienced something similar inside the Door of the Past. However, this was real life. If they failed, they would die.
“Don’t be crazy!” Fan Li grabbed the flesh Gao Ming by his elbow. He wanted to get the other Gao Mings to persuade the flesh Gao Ming, but he realised all of them were looking out the window. Their eyes possessed an emotion that he could not fathom. Even though they represented different choices in life, they seemed to come to the same decision at that moment. No matter how many times they were asked to make this choice, they would not be shaken.
“The painter Gao Ming’s soul is about to be crushed by the God of the Past. I’ll go and take the figurine over from him. When I can’t support it any longer, the next will pick up after me,” The flesh Gao Ming announced firmly.
“You have to consider this fully. Once you step out of this door, there is no return.” The kind Gao Ming swept everyone’s face. “We only have two endings. One, we suffer God’s punishment to send at least one of us to the station. Two, all of us die on the way to the station.”
The grandmother’s howls came from the elevator well. As the painter Gao Ming was drained by the figurine, the grandmother gained more power.
“No matter who it is, they have to reach the station! Go!”
With the flesh and kind Gao Mings leading the way, they headed into the dark without hesitation. What happened next shocked all the players and security members. The different Gao Mings ran into the dark. They looked down on fear and death!
“Let me!” The divine pattern spread through all the Gao Mings. However, the person who held the mud figurine was affected the most. They were practically facing the God of the Past alone. When the flesh Gao Ming held the figurine, the prayers on his body started to bleed. He seemed to be suffering from a thousand cuts. He could hear the angry growls of the God of Flesh and Blood!
The mud figurine became heavier and heavier. The energy in his body was sucked away. After the flesh Gao Ming took five steps, his face became deformed. When he took the sixth step, the flesh Gao Ming fell to the ground. The nearby hungry ghosts immediately jumped at him. Thankfully, the doctor Gao Ming held the mud figurine back up.
As the mud figurine moved further away from the apartment, the bloody light on the mud figurine grew brighter. The figurine’s expression became ghastlier. He only took two steps when the doctor Gao Ming felt like his heart was about to break. His consciousness wavered. He was no match for God. If he dropped the figurine, they’d be eaten by the monsters that surrounded them. Only the mud figurine’s protection could prevent the monsters from getting close to them. However, the mud figurine was actively consuming their memory and soul.
The rebellious Gao Ming tore off the button of his collar and grabbed the figurine. He charged forward with a rallying cry. However, he underestimated the horror of the figurine. To stop itself from leaving its death realm, the God of the Past used its divine consciousness to suppress Gao Ming. The rebellious Gao Ming cursed as his knees buckled. It felt like he was carrying a mountain. He couldn’t move anymore.
The different Gao Ming used this method to pave the way forward. The mad Gao Ming bit the figurine on its face. He wanted to destroy the figurine. However, he realised the figurine could self-repair as long as it was within a certain range of the apartment. They only had the chance to fully destroy it once it was out of the range of Everlasting Life Apartments.
Not a single Gao Ming backed off. The horror game players inside the building were stunned beyond belief. They saw for themselves what the name Gao Ming represented.
The dead Gods siphoned faith and used their divine consciousness to oppress Gao Ming. Gao Ming, who lost everything, was a normal person. However, he used his every death in exchange for a small step forward.
When Gao Mings rushed out of the exit, no one had hope for them. Even Fan Li tried to persuade them from doing this. It was at this moment that their minds started to change. Perhaps Gao Ming could really succeed in using the determination of a common man to challenge fate!
The path paved by Gao Mings slowly approached the neighbourhood gate. The Gao Mings still standing dwindled in number. Some fell to the ground. Some were consumed by God. Some were snatched by the ghosts. Some disappeared into the dark. After experiencing many pains, fate’s choices were worn off. Life didn’t have that many possibilities. Only a few lonely selves remained.
“It is… about to be my turn.” The kind Gao Ming had been holding the normal Gao Ming’s hands. He was the kindest of all the Gao Mings. He was the first to meet the normal Gao Ming. His other familiar selves were swallowed by the past. Gao Ming lost his madness, dreams, fear and sentiments…
The gate was right before them. The kind Gao Ming accepted the figurine from the sentimental Gao Ming. The latter gritted his teeth and wanted to go further, but the kind Gao Ming signalled that he had done his best. ℟ÀΝòᛒƐŚ
When the kind Gao Ming took his third step, the divine pattern burrowed into his body and grabbed his heart. When he took the fourth step, his consciousness was crushed, and blood oozed out of his pores.
“This is the furthest I can accompany you.” The kind Gao Ming handed the figurine to the last person beside him. “You can reach the station just like how you did in the past! I’m sure of it!”
Holding the figurine, the normal Gao Ming’s soul trembled. God’s consciousness slammed into his body like a hammer.
Gao Ming was about to leave the range of God’s power. The God of the Past frantically tried to stop Gao Ming.
“I am in a lot of pain and suffering. I know I am the most common one. I have nothing. I am not better than anyone else.
“I cannot sustain the hope of loving, but I don’t have the courage to die. I really don’t understand why you’d choose a selfish, cowardly and weak person like me.”
As more and more Gao Mings died, they seemed to shout at him to keep on going and to never stop!
Warm blood splashed on his face. The arms seemed to prop up his heart. His beating heart was like an inextinguishable flame. Even the darkest night couldn’t silence it.
Everyone had their own choices. Each choice would lead to different paths. They sacrificed the last of their lives to weave themselves into me.