If he hated this world and created this game, no matter how many people died, he would not feel tormented.
But after being awakened by his own words, John would certainly revise the looming apocalypse over and over again, thinking to save as many people as possible.
Perhaps he truly managed to do that. The game dropped from the fifteenth floor of Deceit Tower to the third floor of Deceit Tower, but the people in Wind City would still die as many as they were supposed to.
After countless failed attempts, John could only abandon the dream of being a savior... Instead, he placed his hopes on the emergence of a new savior.
At the same time, his focus shifted from saving the world to saving Catherine alone.
After Wen Xishu shared his understanding of John with Catherine, her eyes were already red.
"His greatest pain is probably that no matter how he modifies the game, he cannot change the fate of the people of Wind City, who are destined to die."
"And... he is afraid of being misunderstood by you. Afraid that you would think the apocalypse was brought by him."
Catherine shook her head, tears mixed with a smile:
"How could I misunderstand him? A person like him would force himself to beg our teacher to complete ’Apocalypse’ together for someone whose legs were disabled."
"For the players to enjoy the game, he could disregard the teacher’s initial deceit towards him, only hoping to work overtime with everyone in the studio to present ’Apocalypse’ early for the player who was about to pass away."
"After the apocalypse descended, we were all very shocked. We did not expect that the content in the game would become a reality..."
"Actually, at that time, there were people in the team wondering why this disaster was so similar to our game."
"They indeed suspected John, and some even cursed him. But I never doubted him. My John could never do such a thing."
Wen Xishu didn’t know what to say, but if the apocalypse had not come, maybe in the future, with a partner like Catherine, John would have been considered a winner in life by everyone?
When everyone questioned John, believing him to be the originator of the disaster, even when John himself was worried about bearing such a misunderstanding...
Catherine had never doubted John from the beginning to the end.
And John responded to Catherine’s trust.
Upon realizing that he was not a savior, that no matter how he modified the game, he could not change the fate that millions would die... he gave up the chance that might have saved himself and exchanged it for another kind of power.
This power was the room where Catherine was at that moment.
"I was always afraid to open this box. I felt that as long as I did not open it, there was still hope inside."
"But now... hope is gone. My John is already dead. I... I don’t want to stay here anymore."
When Catherine said these words, Wen Xishu suddenly understood.
The key to this mission was for himself to make a decision on behalf of Catherine.
The reason Catherine was an NPC was because she was in this special game world.
If Catherine walked out of this room... she would become a real person.
Should she continue to wait alone, or should she return to the real post-apocalyptic world...
The decision was for Wen Xishu, the "player," to make.
After a moment of silence, Wen Xishu made his decision. He was never hesitant about it. This decision, which would affect Catherine’s entire life, did not take him long to ponder:
"Catherine, John has not left you."
Catherine turned her head, looking at Wen Xishu in confusion.
Wen Xishu said:
"I know you think John is dead, and there is no meaning for you to stay here. You feel very lonely here, no matter how interesting those games are..."
"But Catherine, in my eyes, you are already a part of the game. I do not want to hide it from you; the way you appear to me is like an NPC in those games. I can even see an exclamation mark above your head."
"As a game creator, you should understand very well what this means."
"I don’t think John is really dead; his will has transformed into various aspects and is reflected all over Wind City."
"The apocalypse is an extremely cruel game. In this game, you will not see any justice, kindness, or warmth."
"But as a player... I have found the most incongruous Easter egg within this game."
Catherine trembled slightly:
"You mean... me?"
Wen Xishu nodded:
"Yes. You. In this absolutely dark game, you are the only warmth within the game, or rather, he has packed all the beauty of a fairytale into this room. If I were you... I hope you do not leave this room."
"Because John... really left his best for you. He has become ’Apocalypse’ itself. And what I can think of as the most romantic gesture a game creator could make is allowing his dearest person to appear in his game."
"I am not trying to morally manipulate you into losing your freedom and being trapped here forever. This decision is ultimately yours to make. If you want to leave here, I will do my utmost to escort you to a safe place. I also know where supplies are hidden in Wind City."
"But I want to say... beyond ’Apocalypse,’ there is no John. In John’s life, if there is no Catherine, it would also be incomplete."
"He is not dead; he just accompanies you in a different way. In this room, there is his endearing romance as a game enthusiast... he has shared all his favorite games with you."
"In his final moments, he must have racked his brain thinking about what he could bring to you. And no matter what you long for, what he can give you must be what he thinks is the best gift."
"Every door here leads to an interesting world. And every part of this world is John himself."
"I am very grateful that you never doubted John. Please also believe this... He never intended to leave you."
Suddenly, Catherine covered her face and cried. The sobbing was faint at first, but gradually, she could no longer suppress her longing for John, and she began to wail.
Wen Xishu also saw the spirit bullet screen, each message expressing love and longing for John.
All of this, from the time when John drew the Monopoly board on a blank sheet of paper, had already been destined.
Wen Xishu did not hear Catherine’s response, but he knew that at this moment, Catherine had made up her mind.
He became the game, and she became a character in his game.
The hidden mission, Catherine’s decision, was also completed at this moment.
And with the completion of this mission, Wen Xishu’s journey through ’Apocalypse’ also changed.