Apocalyptic Wasteland Simulator

Chapter 45: Destruction! Divine Decision
Calling your organization Celestial Palace No. 1 but giving your subordinates the codename Blue Demon is absurdly incongruent. You might as well just call it the Demon Palace.

Thinking about the other party’s style of conduct, Chen Pingchuan recalled the information provided in the simulation and made the following summary.

As a mechanical civilization, their greatest flaw must be in their programming. Any program will have vulnerabilities. If I can awaken a skill that targets electronic programs before they attack, then turning the tables isn’t hopeless.

Chen Pingchuan pondered for a moment and then wrote down a few of his own speculations in his notebook.

The Xia Family, to which Xia Qingxue belongs, possesses a highly advanced technology. It can inject the elusive human soul, consciousness, or even Spirit into mechanical beings, allowing humans to transform directly into them.

The mere concept of this achievement was profoundly shocking, let alone learning from the text that they had already managed to implement it, and not just in isolated cases.

Of course, fate’s gifts had long been secretly marked with a price tag.

In exchange for an immortal mechanical body and the privilege of eternal life, one was bound to lose something even more precious.

Emotion. Extreme emotion.

It’s also the only difference between humans and machines.

According to the novels he had read in his previous life, this was Chen Pingchuan’s understanding. When humans and machines coexist, they need an emotion to support them and prevent their minds from being eroded and corrupted by the Mechanical Heart. This can also be described as the driving force that controls their power.

After writing the last stroke, Chen Pingchuan once again mocked himself.

As a Heaven’s Chosen, should I consider myself lucky or unlucky?

Gathering his thoughts, Chen Pingchuan continued the simulation.

[Xia Qingxue was intimidated by Blue Demon’s threat. Of course, at this point, it could hardly be called a threat anymore, because before you could react, he kicked you, sending you flying into a wall.]

[You felt a tremendous force slam into you, as if you’d been hit by a large truck. Leaning against the shattered stone wall, you couldn’t stop yourself from spewing blood.]

[Seeing your miserable state, Xia Qingxue’s eyes blazed with fury. She tried to use her usual threats against Blue Demon, but this time, she failed. He stated that he only followed the orders of the Grand Palace Master, and if the Young Palace Master wanted to move against him, she would first need the Grand Palace Master’s permission.]

[Glancing at your wretched form, the despicable Blue Demon righteously declared that he would charge forth without hesitation for the great ideals of the Celestial Palace, even if it meant death. With that, he rushed toward you at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.]

[You felt your life slipping away. Your entire body was in agony, and you were unable to move. You could only close your eyes and wait for death. But at the sound of a resolute female voice, the terrifying Blue Demon suddenly halted.]

[The once gentle and lovable girl was gone. Xia Qingxue stood in the courtyard with a frosty expression, a silver-white laser dagger pressed against her neck. She didn’t utter any more threats, yet the atmosphere sank into an eerie silence.]

[Sensing Xia Qingxue’s resolve, Blue Demon said he could spare you. In exchange, Xia Qingxue had to return to the Celestial Palace with him. You wanted to refuse, but the blood surging up your throat prevented you from making a sound.]

[Xia Qingxue left. This time, it wasn’t without saying goodbye.]

Chen Pingchuan clenched his fists and tried to calm his anger with deep breaths, constantly reminding himself, I’m a mature simulator now. I shouldn’t act so recklessly.

”Damn it!”

Dark Hell, is it? Lanzi, you’re going there for sure.

[Two weeks later, reconstruction work began in the outer city and the City of No Night. Familiar homes had turned into devastated ruins, and the face of every survivor showed both sorrow and the relief of having survived the disaster.]

[You lay on the bed with hollow eyes. The roof had collapsed, revealing an enormous hole. You watched the dim sky, its ashen color a perfect reflection of your mood.]

[A familiar male voice resonated from within, telling you that if you surrendered your body, he could help you exact revenge. Blue Demon, the Celestial Palace... they are all insignificant before a god.]

[Your life’s path has reached a turning point. Please make your decision carefully.]

[Option A: Agree to his proposal. At the wrath of a god, heaven and earth tremble and all things fall silent. Choosing this means your life will no longer be ordinary. The path to ascension lies before you, though it comes at a small price.]

[Option B: Reject his proposal. As a transmigrator with cheat codes, I’m the type to hack live wires with a kitchen knife—sparks and lightning all the way. A little temptation like this isn’t enough to buy my integrity. I am who I am, the coolest guy on this street.]

Who the hell just popped out of nowhere? The voice is familiar, and it’s coming from inside me.

Could it be that part of me that always calls itself a god?

The thought was a bit convoluted, but that was the gist of it.

Chen Pingchuan was hesitant, unsure of the other’s identity. He repeatedly examined the information from this simulation and soon made a new discovery.

”Huh?”

In this simulation, it seems I didn’t style myself as a god anymore. That really doesn’t fit the persona from my previous simulations... Recalling the changes after the recent upgrade, Chen Pingchuan muttered to himself, Could the simulator system have suppressed my divinity?

It was no wonder Chen Pingchuan thought this way. Without his divinity, the simulations lacked a certain flair, which he found unsettling.

While he was still undecided, another prompt appeared on the simulator page.

[This choice affects the Host’s personality inclination in future simulations, not just this one. Please choose carefully.]

Chen Pingchuan gently rubbed his forefinger and middle finger together. This choice was different from the others; it concerned his future, so he needed to choose with extreme care.

He first made a separate entry in his notebook about the version of himself with divinity:

Characteristics: Lacks humanity, slightly deficient in emotion, has an extremely strong obsession with power, is more rational, and has more outstanding abilities. In essence, the primary principle of divinity is to become stronger.

The results of his previous simulations confirmed this conclusion.

Doomsday Bunker Lord, Prison Overlord, Martial Arts Hall Master, King of Black Magic, Weapon Master, Purple Bird Gang Leader, and the mastermind of the outer city.

Except for that one time he was played by the God of Misfortune, these were all his glorious achievements.

In gaming terms, this was equivalent to unlocking plenty of system achievements.

Next, he recorded an entry for his human self:

Characteristics: Emotional, impulsive, willing to go crazy for love, lacking in strength, slow to develop, and easily crushed by enemies.

Record: Zero victories, always on the run.

The thought of the Celestial Palace’s power brought with it a profound sense of despair. Chen Pingchuan abandoned his fantasies and made his final decision.

”I choose A. Since you’ve forced my hand, I’ll become a Demon God! I will destroy you all and reshape this goddamned world!”