Chapter 401: Final Chapter – When the Game Descends into Reality
Revived from the haze, Bai Fu, under the blessing of Stars-chan, instantly reclaimed her full strength.
Now, she stood as one who had undergone five evolutions—at the pinnacle of all recorded generations in the universe to date.
Basic stats could no longer measure her strength. Though she now differed from her past self by only “one level,”
this current version of her could easily obliterate her previous body and soul. She could even erase the former her’s fundamental “existence information” without any external assistance.
Once the “existence information” was erased, even if a soul imprint had been pre-stored in a Universal Treasure like Heaven’s Ark, revival would be impossible.
To put it plainly, erasure of this information meant being stripped of “cosmic citizenship.”
Unless one had already transcended the universe and could exist independently of it, losing their vessel meant only one path—true death.
Of course, if someone had achieved transcendence, then it would be virtually impossible for anyone to erase their existence information in the first place.
“This power… is enough to deal with the Reapers’ Civilization.”
Bai Fu lifted the “coffin lid” and climbed out of the device Stars-chan had prepared in advance in the Ethereal Realm.
She twisted her waist, shook her chest, gradually adjusting to her new body.
In the next second, with a crisp snap of her fingers, Black Foxtail, Shadow Foxtail, the Black King, the White King, and the others all appeared behind her.
“Big Sis!”
Shadow Foxtail dove excitedly into Bai Fu’s arms, nuzzling her head against Bai Fu’s chest to show how much she’d missed her.
“All right, all right, stop rubbing. We’ve got business to handle first. After that, rub all you want.”
Bai Fu patted Shadow Foxtail’s head.
Time was of the essence. She didn’t have time to cuddle with Shadow Foxtail, not even to personally awaken Anya and the others.
If nothing went wrong, the Reapers’ Civilization would soon detect that something had gone wrong in this universe.
And with time, they would also realize that the so-called Super Gene was a complete fake. The reason they felt enhanced was all an illusion created by a life-type Universal Treasure that Stars-chan had procured.
She had to act quickly and catch the Reapers off guard.
If the Reapers had enough time to react, they might just be able to purge the Super Gene embedded in their bodies.
Shadow Foxtail wasn’t one to throw tantrums. After a few affectionate rubs, she let go of Bai Fu.
“I’ll leave the task of awakening Anya and the others to you. I’m heading to the other Plantation Universes immediately to rally the civilizations there against the Reapers!”
Bai Fu shouted to Stars-chan.
Stars-chan nodded solemnly. “Don’t worry, leave this to me. You go ahead.”
Without delay, Bai Fu took Black Foxtail, Shadow Foxtail, and the others and sprang into action.
With Stars-chan’s help, she had already pinpointed the coordinates of the other Plantation Universes. With her current power, traversing universes was no longer an issue.
The journey, however, wasn’t all smooth.
On one hand, the situations across the various Plantation Universes varied greatly. On the other hand, to others, Bai Fu seemed extremely suspicious.
Still, Bai Fu resolved every obstacle she faced.
For those willing to talk, she spoke to them earnestly.
For the tougher ones, she flexed her power first—then talked.
For those who wouldn’t communicate at all—she simply removed the problem first, then proceeded to communicate.
As for those who were hard to reach but not entirely impossible—she saved them for last.
Right in front of them, she drew the Reapers in and smashed the working-class Reapers assigned to harvest that universe. Just like that, the barrier between both sides vanished.
“Boss, everyone is ready. Just waiting for your command to strike!”
Anya’s voice reached Bai Fu’s mind through the relay that was Stars-chan.
By Anya’s side stood the awakened Yulia, Scarlet Leaf (Golden Dew), Cersia, Dmitri, Thunderblade, Fitz, and other figures—along with a number of Original Accord members who had surrendered after the collapse of their faction—all gazing expectantly at the projection of Bai Fu.
They had all waited too long for this day.
To overturn the destined death laid before them and to restore the starry seas to their vast, turbulent, yet beautiful glory—this goal was enough for everyone who still dreamed of a future to set aside their differences and unite.
Bai Fu’s gaze swept across each familiar face.
Then her eyes moved over to the many unfamiliar but equally resolute faces from the other Plantation Universes—all burning with the same determination.
For some reason, it felt just like when players in a game gathered to challenge a world BOSS together.
We stand among the stars. We soar beyond the stars!
Bai Fu raised her right hand high.
“We fight not for anyone else—we fight for ourselves!”
Let’s go!
The moment that final order for the full-scale assault left Bai Fu’s lips—
Countless Plantation Universes shook simultaneously.
Brave sentient beings, ships of all shapes and sizes, and vast fleets—drawn together by the same goal—converged from rivers and lakes into the same ocean.
This was a grand crusade.
Never before had an expedition of this scale occurred.
And when this allied expedition reached the universe occupied by the Reapers’ Civilization, what they faced were panicked, unprepared Reapers.
In fact, the Reapers had already sensed something was wrong when Bai Fu had taken out several Reapers tasked with harvesting civilizations.
But by then, it was too late.
They didn’t even have time to identify the real problem—let alone solve it.
“What’s going on? Why aren’t the Gene Locks working on them?!”
The Reapers panicked.
In one-on-one fights, each Reaper was a terrifying opponent. Even for a five-times-evolved Bai Fu, taking on one Reaper was risky. A single slip-up could mean instant death.
But this time, Bai Fu and Stars-chan played it differently—they ganged up.
Why fight fair? These Reapers certainly didn’t fight fair when they harvested the civilizations of the Plantation Universes.
“It’s you… So you’re the one behind all this!”
The Reapers roared at the sudden appearance of Stars-chan.
In that instant, they understood everything.
But it was useless.
Once they realized they were immune to the Reapers’ influence, once they found out their attacks could truly hurt the Reapers—every rebel gathered there ignited with rage.
That fire burned away their fear. It ignited all the suppressed fury and resentment left behind by generations crushed under the Reapers’ rule.
And then, that fire smashed straight into the Reapers’ faces.
Kill!!
Bai Fu was like an invincible war goddess. Wherever she went, she brought destruction.
The Reapers saw her as a major threat and tried to eliminate her first—but behind her stood a massive force, not just from the three universal civilizations but also from countless other universes.
Break through her?
Who’s breaking who?!
Bai Fu had never fought such a luxurious battle. Even when taking down the Gene Primordials on Origin Star, she hadn’t had it this easy.
She would land one strike—then before she could even throw a second, a dozen more came from behind her.
Under this relentless, unreasonable assault, everything the Reapers relied on became meaningless.
This steamroll continued—until Bai Fu encountered the strongest individual among the Reapers’ Civilization.
It was, without doubt, a titanic battle.
But Bai Fu was completely unafraid. With so many fighting alongside her, what was there to fear? Just go all out.
As time passed, the once lofty Reapers could no longer maintain their supremacy.
Fear gripped them like chains around their throats, choking them breathless.
They couldn’t go on. Even if it meant abandoning everything they’d accumulated, they had to escape.
But once the idea of fleeing entered their minds, it couldn’t be stopped.
Yet, at this point, how could the civilizations attacking them possibly allow them to leave?
This was a war of annihilation.
No one would accept compromise. After all, the Reapers had never once shown mercy to the civilizations they harvested.
Blood dyed the skies red. The slaughter continued for what felt like an eternity—until, at last, all that remained was ruin. Only then did the battle finally end.
The once-dominant Reapers' Civilization had fallen.
Across the open fields, cheers rang out in every direction.
“What do you plan to do next?”
Stars-chan descended in her virtual form, landing in front of Bai Fu.
Bai Fu smiled and said, “After fighting for so long, it's finally time to enjoy life a little. But before I start enjoying myself, I want to make a quick trip home.”
“Your previous home?”
“Yeah. I’ve been away for a long time—I want to go back and take a look. Besides, now that the Reapers’ Civilization has fallen, a new Age of Great Exploration is on the horizon. That place was once where I lived, and the Players who lived there helped me a lot along the way. I can’t let them be bullied by other civilizations.”
Having said that, Bai Fu fixed her gaze on Stars-chan.
“What about you? Now that you’re free, what do you plan to do?”
Stars-chan thought for a moment. “I used to just observe various universes, but aside from the one you were in, I’ve never visited any in person. So, I plan to travel—visit every universe. Once I’ve seen them all, I’ll come find you to hang out.”
“Wandering around, seeing the sights? Not bad. I’ve thought about that too, but I’ll have to finish some things first and take a proper rest.”
As Bai Fu spoke, Anya and the others ran toward her joyfully.
“Boss, boss, we won!”
Yeah… we won.
Bai Fu turned around, smiling as she hugged and shook hands with everyone.
Behind her, Stars-chan quietly whispered a thank you, then turned and left.
It was all over. There was no need for her to remain here any longer. The game “Beyond the Stars” no longer needed to be operated. Very soon, those Players would realize the stars were approaching them.
“Thank you.”
Bai Fu also offered her thanks but didn’t stop Stars-chan.
They had time now—plenty of time, time they could freely call their own.
That was something their past selves had never had. So now, there was no need to rush.
“Let’s go back and share the good news with the ones waiting for us. While we’re at it, let’s tell everyone what happened up till now. The names of those who fought for this day shouldn’t be forgotten.”
Everyone agreed with Bai Fu’s words.
The Reapers’ homeworld might be a place of joy, but it wasn’t fit for celebration.
And if there was going to be a celebration, of course everyone had to be invited!
And so, Bai Fu and the others set off on the road back to their homeland.
They took three days to organize the historical records and released them publicly.
It was an earth-shattering revelation.
The vast majority of people never knew how perilous history had been.
When the Reapers descended, most had lost consciousness almost instantly. And when they awoke, everything felt as though it had happened only moments ago. Like they had simply closed their eyes—and opened them again.
The entire universe celebrated.
The day Bai Fu departed for the Reapers’ Civilization was officially declared as “Day of Radiance,” to be celebrated every year from then on.
But amidst the grand festivities, people suddenly realized—Bai Fu was missing.
Dmitri asked in confusion, “Where’s Bai Fu?”
The steward of the Sanctum of Silent Night replied, “She went home.”
“Origin Star?”
“No. The Arbiter said… it was a farther home.”
…
The celebration day of the universe housing the three universal-level civilizations was also an unusual day for the people living on the planet where Bai Fu once lived.
At first, it was only unusual for Players of “Beyond the Stars.”
They waited in front of their gaming pods, eagerly anticipating the promised launch of Version 4.0.
But they waited and waited—yet nothing happened.
When they went to the official website to find answers, they were shocked to discover—the site wouldn’t even load.
“What the hell? The game developers ran off?”
“No way. The game’s that popular, and they just ghosted?”
Many refused to believe it.
But as time went on, more and more bizarre rumors emerged.
Some experts even came forward, claiming they had examined the game pods—only to find they were nothing more than electronic junk, lacking all functions a normal pod should have.
【Are you kidding me? If our pods were electronic trash, how did we play 'Beyond the Stars' for the past three years?】
【Yeah right, are you saying we all dreamed together in multiplayer for three years?】
Skepticism flooded the net.
But no matter how loud the questioning grew, more and more people discovered their gaming pods really were just useless electronic junk.
Everyone was baffled.
Did they… see a ghost?
“This doesn’t make sense. You can fake a lot of things, but don’t tell me the money in my bank account is fake too?”
Standing in front of her pod, Excavation‑Princess checked her bank account with a blank look.
That money—she had earned it over the past few years as a “Beyond the Stars” content creator.
She double-checked several times, confirming that she wasn’t hallucinating or dreaming.
Just as she was about to take a cab to the game pod store to ask questions, her doorbell suddenly rang.
“Coming, coming!”
Excavation‑Princess slipped on her slippers and rushed to the door.
She didn’t open it immediately. First, she glanced at the monitor beside the door.
And that glance stunned her completely.
Because standing outside was an incredibly familiar figure—wearing the exact same outfit as when they’d first met. Not just the clothes, even the hairstyle was the same.
That figure waved at her through the camera.
“Long time no see,” she said.
“F-F-F-F-Foxtail?!”
Excavation‑Princess was dumbfounded.
That look. That voice. No mistake.
Could it be an illusion?
Could the developers have hired a model dressed as Foxtail to pull a big surprise on her?
Could it be…
“No more ‘could it be’s. I am Bai Fu. The real deal. I came out of the game. Now open the door and let me in—I’ll explain everything.”
As Bai Fu spoke, she raised her right hand. In her palm, Ethereal Realm particles danced in mesmerizing patterns.
Excavation‑Princess knew—this wasn’t something special effects could fake.
So—
Her heart nearly stopped.
Something big had happened. A character from the game had come out into reality!
Excavation‑Princess was completely flustered.
She was a hardcore Foxtail fan, but for Foxtail to suddenly pop out of the game and show up at her front door—
Disaster, disaster, disaster!
She spun in place in a panic, perfectly reenacting a scene of “Digging-Princess Loves Foxtail.”
Just then, familiar voices came from behind Bai Fu.
“Boss, why not just blast the door open?”
“We came to greet the people of this planet. A telepathic broadcast to everyone would be faster than having Excavation‑Princess start a livestream.”
Excavation‑Princess looked more closely—and saw Anya, Yulia, Cersia, Scarlet Leaf (Golden Dew), Shadow Foxtail, Xia Shi, and even the Oathmaster emerging from behind Bai Fu.
She scratched her head.
Well, all right then.
They were all here.
Since they were all here, she may as well open the door and get some answers.
Excavation‑Princess opened the door.
“You’re really Foxtail?” she asked again.
Bai Fu winked playfully with her right eye—and in that instant, everything in the room began to float.
“Not inviting me in for a sit-down?”
Ah—
Please come in, please come in.
Excavation‑Princess nervously invited Bai Fu inside. Then she fetched chairs, brewed tea…
Bai Fu smiled and said, “You don’t need to be nervous. I didn’t come here to harm anyone. I came to reveal the truth. As for what you want to do next—that’s entirely your choice. I won’t force you to do anything.”
She took a sip of tea.
Then she had Excavation‑Princess start a livestream—an interview, just like the first time they’d appeared on camera together.
“Hello, everyone!”
Amid countless stunned expressions, Bai Fu raised her hand once more.
She spoke of the connection between the two worlds. She spoke of their past—and of their shared future.
The game had stepped into reality. A moment no one had ever imagined.
But it had happened—clearly and undeniably.
And since it had already come to pass, no matter what anyone thought…
There was nothing left to do but accept it.
Though perhaps—that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Because the person from the alien universe, from a distant star, was someone known to so many in this world—
Bai Fu!