Famine 89: [Eye]—The Revelation

—

In that expanse of white light, Si Zhiyan’s consciousness went blank for several moments.

More than light, it felt like a tremor from deep within his soul.

It was as if some irresistible law was forcing the [Eye] to disgorge a part of its soul.
Somewhere deep within Si Zhiyan, something resonated with the [Eye].

[Detection: -[Eye] Primary Trial- Stage Complete……]

[Analyzing Candidate Status……]
[Ding! Analysis successful.]
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[Information broadcast commencing.]

—

Si Zhiyan opened his eyes to find himself standing beneath a cerulean sky.
At his feet coiled rolling waves of thick mist. A wooden pagoda rose from the clouds, stretching upward to the heavens.

Amid the fog, a girl—no more than eight or nine years old—knelt at the bloodstained, ruined tip of the pagoda.
She wore ornate miko robes, holding a bell-striking staff, a battered great bell at her side.

Embroidered neatly on the back of her miko robes were the characters: [Heaven’s Vein Maiden].

This must be an event from the past, a part of this so-called “information broadcast.”

That little girl was certainly no ordinary figure; even as she sat, Si Zhiyan could feel the heavy weight of fate rolling off her in waves. Her fury and regret surged skyward, painful to behold.

She was the Heaven’s Vein Maiden? What did that mean?
Si Zhiyan’s mind stirred. He recalled Zhong Yanqing’s research: this world worshipped a single god, known as the Heaven’s Vein. Sacrifices for the Heaven’s Vein were considered the highest honor. The hot spring sacrifice rites and the like stemmed from this faith.

As Si Zhiyan pondered, the girl stirred.

She bowed slowly to Si Zhiyan.

Instantly, a chill ran up his spine.

He… slowly, ever so slowly, turned his head.

And saw—the Sun.

That being could only be described as the sun: blinding, radiant, a star too brilliant for words. Its shapes overlapped endlessly, shifting every moment—or perhaps it had transcended the limits of human vision entirely. Si Zhiyan couldn’t tell.

Without any introduction at all, in that instant anyone would understand—

This was the Supreme God.

[You have failed.]

The Supreme God of memory spoke thus.

Its voice was a tangle of chaos, as if formed by countless animal jaws mish-mashed together; vocal cords twisted, producing sounds just barely similar to human speech, edging into the uncanny valley, sending shudders skittering over Si Zhiyan’s skin.

[Regrettable. You have failed the Supreme God’s selection exam. Your world—Tianman Blessed Land—has been destroyed.]

[You cannot succeed the Supreme God.]

“Ah…” The girl’s arms tightened about herself, and her childish voice quivered. “Ah… ah… ah…”

“Why… why did it have to be this way…”

“I… I even… I even ate my own sister… I devoured the flesh of so many who trusted me…”

“I failed… How could I have failed…”

She muttered, each word dripping with agony and guilt.

That girl’s voice sounded so familiar. Si Zhiyan thought.

This was a player from that world, speaking to the Supreme God.

Even these fragmented lines already contained a wealth of hints.
Hands in his pockets, Si Zhiyan thought furiously.

The Supreme God descended upon countless worlds, enacting a selection game.
The Heaven’s Vein world and the Imagination world took their own, differing approaches.

As the primary candidate, the Great Priest chose to personally inflict curses, slaughtering all other players to secure succession—and then rebuild the world alone.

The Heaven’s Vein world, though, relied on its longstanding sacrificial traditions, taking another route—

They made their own players (citizens) into sacrifices, offering a blood ritual to the Heaven’s Vein, to empower the one before him: the [Heaven’s Vein Maiden].
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It was a solution—arguably more foolproof than the Great Priest’s.

In the priest’s vision, there was also a segment of dialogue with the Supreme God—but only amid a beam of blinding holy light. Yet here, in the Heaven’s Vein Maiden’s vision, the Supreme God itself appeared.
She’d come further than the priest ever had.

…But, evidently, even she had failed.

The Supreme God’s voice, utterly impassive: [Before you are erased completely, there remains one chance.]

—[Pass the trial of the [Eye].]

Realization dawned on Si Zhiyan—the little girl’s voice was nearly identical to that of the [Eye].
The girl seemed more rational, while the [Eye] was sharper, more twisted, overtaken by emotion.

The Supreme God spoke with inhuman serenity:

[Undergo the trial. Complete the set of tests. Slay the existing [Eye]. Only then may you become the new [Eye].]
[Will you attempt the trial?]

The girl, caked in blood, lifted her head.

“At this point, even if I did pass the trial, what meaning is there?”

Her hair disheveled, she sobbed bitterly—as if she might tear the memories of all those she’d sacrificed out of her own flesh—

“If I’m the only one left alive, what does it mean…?”

[If you become the [Eye], the seed of your world will survive—along with your will.]

The girl froze.

She lifted her eyes, dazed.

Above, blinding light fell upon her face.

[You shall carry your world’s seed, becoming my agent—my Eye—to observe the next cycle of the Game.]

[When the time is right, you will sow that seed, and your world can return.]

[If you succeed, you will stand as judge, fending off new challengers and holding your position as the [Eye].]

[Will you accept the trial?]

The girl clung tightly to the bell-striker, and gave a heavy, determined nod.

“If… if my world can survive…”

“Then I will. I’ll do anything.”

“Please let me take the trial!”

Humm—

A great wind stirred the heavens. The young Heaven’s Vein Maiden lifted her head, her bloodstained cheeks raised in unwavering resolve.

—

Watching all of this, Si Zhiyan felt a string within him quiver, as the clouds of mist parted.

So that’s how it is.

The [Eye] and the Supreme God were not the same at all. The [Eye] was more properly a favored servant, or subordinate.
The [Eye] was chosen from among the failed candidates for deityhood—its role was awarded to the very best of the losers.

If the Supreme God’s throne was “Champion” in the Famine Game, then the [Eye] was an ever-turning platform for successive “Runners-Up.”

Like a champion of the losers’ bracket.

Why was the [Eye] usually cast down?
Why did it fear the farm’s growth, even launching attacks against it?

These questions all point to one truth.

The [Eye] is wary. It does not want the Famine Game to produce its next challenger.

This first assault was the [Eye]’s first trial.

The [Eye] currently battling Si Zhiyan was in all likelihood the Heaven’s Vein Maiden from Tianman World.
Bound by the Supreme God’s laws, she could only summon preliminary trials, doing her utmost to thwart and slow Si Zhiyan’s progress.

…

Now that all was clear, Si Zhiyan let out a complicated sigh.

He bowed his head, rubbing at his temples.

No surprise—the Heaven’s Vein Maiden, of course, smoothly became the [Eye].

And as if in confirmation, the scene shifted once again.

Now, in the blink of an eye, centuries flashed by.

The Heaven’s Vein Maiden had succeeded—she braved all the trials, overcame every ordeal, and at last became the [Eye].

Her mortal body was dissolved, leaving only an immeasurable eye, shaped by the Supreme God.

The world itself had perished ages ago. For countless days and nights, the [Eye] hovered alone above, watching over endless games born of despair and struggle.

Again and again…

The eye watched tragedies echoing her own world play out over and over.
Unable to communicate, she watched alone, holding her world’s seed, facing an endless tide of challengers.

Years upon years, she grew increasingly extreme—deranged.

The [Eye] Si Zhiyan faced today was scarcely recognizably the girl she once was.

In ages past, the Great Priest of the Imagination World, after failing to ascend to the Supreme God, tried to confront the Heaven’s Vein Maiden as [Eye], hoping to preserve his own world’s seed, and win one last chance for his people.

He too had taken up the [Eye]’s challenge.

He charged from the depths of the sacred tomb against the [Eye].

He was her toughest challenger. He nearly tore the [Eye] apart, inflicting wound after wound, cursing the [Eye]’s fortress-like pupil with waterlike, festering old scars.

It was by exploiting this ancient scar that Si Zhiyan managed to repel the Eye.

Later, the Great Priest fell and was annihilated, leaving only a statue of crying blood amid the ruins.

Centuries later, Team Xubei broke into the sacred tomb, and from within the icy statue, recovered the long-lost seed of the Imagination World.

Afterward, a dazzling, beautiful Imagination Town blossomed on the farm.

By the end, Si Zhiyan felt only peace.
He sat in the air, quietly watching the [Eye]’s life.

By accident, he had passed the [Eye]’s first trial, earning this reward.

Si Zhiyan pressed his brow, recalling what the [Eye] had screamed at him in rage:
[I—will—not—let—you—be—the—next—Great—Priest.]

“Thank you, predecessor.”
Si Zhiyan replied evenly, in his usual tone—a calm and level promise.
“I won’t.”

…………
……

At the tale’s end, the shifting scene finally dissolved into pure white light.

Here, the Supreme God and the [Eye] met—a spiritual sanctum of sorts.

Si Zhiyan straightened.

The previous montage had clearly been edited, showing only the [Eye]’s own battles with challengers.
Now, at last, the Supreme God reappeared.

Time’s rapid flow slowed back to normal.

In the white light, the [Eye] stared on dully, waiting for further commands.

The Supreme God’s radiant orb flickered twice, inscribing words in the air—

[The next qualifying match will soon begin.]

[Location: Earth]
[Duration: One solar cycle]

[Contest Title: The Famine Game]

The [Eye] did not depart, but regarded it all placidly, as if she knew these instructions were only part of what was to come.

Humm.

Before the Supreme God, the air began to warp.

And then… from that warping air, two figures slowly took form.

Standing to the left and right, side by side with the Supreme God.

Both tall, both striking.
One lean, muscles taut, stubbled face marred with cold impatience in those bloody eyes;
The other, at ease—golden hair and golden eyes, a bright, carefree grin, his perfectly built body wrapped in adventure gear, lines sleek as a hunting cat.

Those two faces, Si Zhiyan could never forget, not even in death.

—Nidhogg and Bian Xu.

Si Zhiyan shot upright: “?!!”

Click.

The vision ended—abrupt.

Everything receded like the tide; the mist-filled heavens resolved once more before Si Zhiyan’s eyes.

The [Eye] had returned to the sky, pupils dull and sullen, brimming with hatred as she gazed down at Si Zhiyan.

The [Eye]’s first trial had concluded smoothly.

The forest receded, the ghost moths withdrew.
Dawn broke, sunlight rising gently beyond the clouds.

Amid the tumult, all Si Zhiyan wanted was to throw up his hands.

Seriously? You’re stopping here?!

And then? What did the Supreme God say next?!
Before the Famine Game even began, why had those two appeared at the Supreme God’s side?! What had the Supreme God shown the [Eye]—for what purpose?!

What was their relationship to the Supreme God, those two?!

Yet, no matter how fiercely he seethed, the Supreme God had simply cut the flow of information here.

As if issuing a blatant invitation—

Want to know more? Then pass more trials.
Come, step closer to me.

Even someone as calm as Si Zhiyan couldn’t help gnashing his teeth.

But at least…
This wasn’t his only source of information.

Si Zhiyan lifted his gaze, looking toward the distant tundra.

Deep in the ice-fields, Nidhogg’s draconic, wicked smile was fresh in mind:
“If you can’t decide, perhaps you should wait till you’ve repelled the [Eye]—and then ask me.”
“It’s possible then you’ll have an even newer, even more urgent question… who knows.” @All the best stories, only at Jinjiang Literature City

…

Nidhogg must know more than he lets on. Si Zhiyan planned to give those questions proper thought.
Still, if he had guessed right… Nidhogg’s own situation probably wasn’t too good now, either.

Ah well, he’d ponder it later. Si Zhiyan stretched.

He had survived another day—was that not, in itself, a kind of victory?

Down below, the farm was already celebrating thunderously.

Shouts and cheers carried through the morning mist, rising all the way to Si Zhiyan’s ears.

As promised, the system sounded in his mind—

[Verifying completion of mission objectives…]

[1. Recruit 2,000 new hungry denizens for the farm… complete.]
[2. Collect at least one new terrain bait, unlock new terrain… complete.]
[3. Survive the next wave of retaliation from the Supreme God’s Eye… complete.]

[Ding! Main Quest (IV): Survive is now fully complete!]

[Farm completeness increased to 61%!]

[Reward: Treacherous Forest of Survival x1, delivered to your inventory!]
[Reward: Fantasia Blossom Fields x1, delivered to your inventory!]
[Reward: Freewheeling Startup Shop x1, delivered to your inventory!]
[Reward: Word-Guillotine x1, delivered to your inventory!]
[Reward: Yogurt Moat x1, delivered to your inventory!]
[Reward: Tears in the Mist (points) x3,000,000, delivered to your inventory!]

[Farm Owner’s Cottage has been upgraded!]