"Of course, it’s about granting them some power. You’re merely looping within a limited timeframe, but I’m different. I come from a future far beyond yours."
Hoshino Houshi nodded, but soon questioned again:
"Then... why did you kill the homeless man?"
"Kill or not kill, what’s the difference? If I don’t kill, how would you know I’m from a higher dimension?" Wen Xishu replied.
This statement stunned Hoshino Houshi for a moment, and then he understood.
As long as he could survive... there would be countless opportunities to loop again.
The death of the homeless man and the gourmand at this node wouldn’t matter, as they would still be alive at the start of the loop.
Hoshino Houshi became increasingly convinced that Wen Xishu, like himself, was just a higher-level looper.
"Alright! I’ll follow your lead!"
As long as he could survive this loop. Even though logically, he shouldn’t be afraid of death...
But Hoshino Houshi felt fear.
In Rokkasho, he was the absolute mastermind behind the scenes, but facing Wen Xishu, he felt a powerless sense of being completely seen through by the other.
So, under Wen Xishu’s intimidation and temptation, Hoshino Houshi made calls to Takahashi Mariko, Misami Hanzo, Takahashi Fumihiko, the doctor, and the delivery man.
After hanging up the last call, Wen Xishu laughed and said:
"You did very well, impressive indeed. As a collapsar, your composure all stems from reloading. But your ability to adapt to new changes is absolutely terrible."
"However, I must thank you. If I were the collapsar, Master Lingqing would have long turned into a villain. Even fools have their use, ultimately, you’re just a forty-two-layer collapsar."
"Alright, your value ends here."
Wen Xishu suddenly kicked over the hospital bed.
At this moment, Hoshino Houshi’s eyes were full of panic:
"You... What are you doing? Haven’t you already..."
Hoshino Houshi couldn’t finish the second half of the sentence as he realized he had been deceived.
Wen Xishu tutted and shook his head:
"Far easier than I imagined. Whether it’s finding you, killing you, or... mocking you."
"You didn’t really think I’d spare you, did you?"
Hoshino Houshi wanted to curse Wen Xishu for being unreliable.
But Wen Xishu had already lifted his foot, aiming the sole of his shoe at Hoshino Houshi’s head:
"There’s still a glimmer in your eyes, thinking that death would start a new loop, right?"
Wen Xishu hit the mark again, extinguishing Hoshino Houshi’s last hope.
With that, the last glimmer of hope in Hoshino Houshi’s heart slowly drained away.
He looked at Wen Xishu in horror.
Wen Xishu nodded:
"Master Lingqing is too ugly, multiple features on one face, I’m not interested in his despair. But your current expression, I’m very satisfied."
"Finally, let me reveal the answer. I am a being higher than a god. Dying by my hand, you won’t have another loop."
"Quick, say thank you. After all, I granted you liberation."
Hoshino Houshi didn’t want to speak, but his cowardice made him say:
"Thank you! Don’t kill me! Please, don’t kill me!"
Wen Xishu smiled, admiring the despair in the collapsar’s eyes:
"You’re welcome."
Snap!
A kick with ultimate force, the collapsar Hoshino Houshi died.
...
...
The junkyard became unprecedentedly lively.
In the monster-filled Rokkasho, the strongest... no, to be precise, the monsters with the highest future potential began to gather one after another following Hoshino Houshi’s recent phone call.
Wen Xishu looked at the dead homeless man, pondering if he hadn’t died, if there were no collapsar... what would his story be in the original storyline?
Would he be someone who saves others, or a presence saved by others?
In the lower layers of the Desire Tower, bringing joy to key figures might give them a sense of hope in life.
Maybe just a bit of hope could change a person, and thereby change the world.
But in the higher layers of the Desire Tower...
Wen Xishu felt that under the collapsar’s influence, many stories had become irreparable.
He would certainly exhaust every effort to restore, trying to make each story in the Desire Tower less dark, less evil.
But sadly, in this story...
The girl who spreads the virus of despair wouldn’t be saved.
Takahashi Mariko, the first to arrive and the fourth to die. Cause of death: head blasted by a kick from Wen Xishu.
The antisocial, multiple personality genius Takahashi Fumihiko wouldn’t realize the existence of love in the apocalypse either. He was the second to arrive. Cause of death: head blasted by a kick from Wen Xishu.
Niu Lang Misami Hanzo, who thought he could manipulate others, wouldn’t regain respect for others and himself like in the earliest storyline. He died in this most twisted and collapsed version as well. Cause of death: head blasted by a kick from Wen Xishu.
The doctor, panicking due to the apocalypse and trying to find a way to evolve... well, he was an outright evil character, Wen Xishu wasn’t interested in his original storyline at all.
Blasting his head solved the issue.
Lastly, the delivery man, in the earliest version without the collapsar, his story was related to promises. He was the one who delivered hope.
But now, he was the transporter of evil and sin.
Yes, with the appearance of Hoshino Houshi, the seven sinister beings had completely collapsed, unable to retrace their earliest destinies.
But Wen Xishu was not regretful. He granted them the most equal ending—death.
They converged with Rokkasho and ultimately settled in Rokkasho.
When Wen Xishu regained his senses and decided to see the Master, the attic held six headless corpses.
As for their heads, they were scattered across the walls, floor, and ceiling.
After killing everyone, Wen Xishu went to the building’s bathroom to wash off the bloodstains from his face. He looked at the hideous face in the mirror and smiled.
His whole face instantly became sacred.
He said to the mirror:
"Desire Tower is fucking fun."