Chapter 929 - 289: Unwilling to Forget

A yellowed, warm photo of a family of three.

This is not uncommon on the banks washed up by the River of Eternal Darkness.

But if the people in the photo are oneself, isn’t that too much of a coincidence?

Thinking this, Han Zhan moved his gaze away from the photo and looked at Big Golden Fur.

Was it intentionally done by Dawn Number Two? Probably not, he couldn’t possibly know what my parents looked like.

Could it really just be a coincidence?

Seemingly guessing Han Zhan’s thoughts, Big Golden Fur wagged his tail and continued speaking:

"This is not something I’ve forged, and such probabilities are possible in the River of Eternal Darkness."

"The River of Eternal Darkness can extinguish the cosmos. You’ve seen its power, and a large reason why it’s so powerful is because it can connect causality."

Causality is mysterious and profound.

"The Old Era Remnants who scavenge by the riverbank always manage to find some items related to themselves due to the special trait of ’causal convergence.’"

"So it’s not by coincidence that I found a photo about you, but rather you came to this riverbank for the cause, and that’s why there’s the effect of finding this photo."

With Big Golden Fur’s explanation, Han Zhan nodded slightly in understanding.

"Does that mean I can find more things related to the past world?"

Han Zhan suddenly appeared extremely tempted.

Those are his memories, and regardless of who it is, seeing familiar memories after wandering in a foreign land for years would be emotional.

Unexpectedly, this time, Big Golden Fur shook his head.

"I suggest you abandon this idea."

"Why?"

"Because it’s the River of Eternal Darkness’s open conspiracy."

Big Golden Fur’s words made Han Zhan open his mouth in surprise.

An open conspiracy of the River of Eternal Darkness?

This is indeed a novel concept.

Does the River of Eternal Darkness have self-awareness? Where does this open conspiracy come from?

Without keeping Han Zhan waiting long, Big Golden Fur continued to explain.

"The existence of the River of Eternal Darkness is to extinguish the cosmos, and the Old Era Remnants are the representation of incomplete extinction."

The River of Eternal Darkness wants to completely annihilate the Old Era Remnants, and even if it hasn’t truly birthed self-awareness, this is the extinction will it follows.

Why does the River of Eternal Darkness throw items from the old cosmos era to the riverbank?

It’s like baiting fish.

As long as a fish bites the hook, it will be caught by the River of Eternal Darkness.

"If too much emotion is invested in items of the old days, it might be disturbed by the River of Eternal Darkness, plunging into the vortex of chasing the old days."

"Trust me, that won’t have a good ending."

Big Golden Fur’s words are not alarmist.

The extinction will of the River of Eternal Darkness and its ability to control causality are absolutely beyond imagination.

Even the Creator God cannot counter it, let alone others.

Once, an Old Era Remnant found a doll belonging to his daughter due to the law of causal convergence while scavenging, then he lost emotional control, and memories overtook his brain and reason, madly searching for more items related to his daughter, eventually being swallowed by the River of Eternal Darkness after his anchor failed.

There was also a Dawn who found a camera recording his family’s travel, and upon watching the familiar VCR video, his emotions erupted, ignoring others’ advice, and dove into the River of Eternal Darkness to salvage more old items, exhausting his accumulated anchor, finally sinking his ship in the River of Eternal Darkness.

Such examples, in the Pot World and throughout the history recorded by Dawn, are far too many.

Hence, Big Golden Fur speaks to remind Han Zhan.

"Just like the Wishing Tree we saw before."

"Why are thoughts and memories hanging higher, at places hard to see, while low twigs are filled with commonplace transaction information."

"This does not exclude the reason for not wanting people in the Pot World to indulge in the past, affecting judgment."

"Facing the ’bewitchment’ of the River of Eternal Darkness, our correct choice is actually to forget."

"Forget everything from the past, forget one’s memories, then start anew."

Big Golden Fur’s words made Han Zhan feel an awakening sense as if hearing the morning bell.

Seems like he, too, was unknowingly influenced by the River of Eternal Darkness.

However...looking at the yellowed old photo in his hand, Han Zhan still quietly put it away.

He didn’t want to forget.

It’s not that he couldn’t forget, but if he forgot everything, would he still be his original self?

Han Zhan, while urging himself constantly forward, also rekindled old sentiments, such conflicting pulls do not play out just on him alone.

Beside him, Dawn Number Four, upon hearing Big Golden Fur’s words, also showed a somewhat unnatural expression.

Especially, she lightly fiddled with the baseball bat she just found by the riverbank.

Causal convergence trait.

This baseball bat was her eighteenth birthday gift from her brother.

As Dawn, even knowing this is the River of Eternal Darkness’s "bait," she still couldn’t fully control herself, wanting to take a bite.

Because she, too, didn’t want to forget.

...

This episode slowed down their scavenging speed by the riverbank.

Yet, even so, Han Zhan still had plentiful gains.

"Another photo!"

Big Golden Fur dug out a photo from the mud pit and handed it to Han Zhan.

Han Zhan looked at the thick stack of photos in his hands and fell into pondering.

These photos were all about him, filled with memories, filled with fragments of life.

Though it’s due to causal convergence law,

but isn’t this convergence strength a bit too strong?!

Looking at the pile of past belongings behind him, Han Zhan pursed his lips.

"Um... Han Zhan... seems like the River of Eternal Darkness really wants to get rid of you."

"I see that."

"This causality connection also relates to individual strength, the stronger one is, the more remembered by the River of Eternal Darkness, wishing to eliminate swiftly."

I could consider it a sort of compliment... Han Zhan thought silently to himself.

"If that’s the case, then what kind of ’bewitchment’ does Dawn Number One, stationed at the bottom of the Pot World, face."

As the River of Eternal Darkness surges to the bottom of the Pot, that should be when the water flow is most vigorous.

The splashing water and mist, and the level of attraction of such an Ultimate figure to the River of Eternal Darkness.

It’s hard to imagine what Dawn Number One faces.

Pot World, at the bottom of the Pot.

The Black Hood seated on a large rock like an old monk in meditation, remains Immovable.

Letting the river water of the River of Eternal Darkness splash on him, he showed no reaction.

Just like that, who knows how much time passed,

An old item from the past was flushed to the riverbank’s rock, right under his eyes.

Dawn Number One picked it up, took a look, then shook his head.

"Today’s causality no longer binds me, River of Eternal Darkness, you can’t trap me anymore."

After speaking, Dawn Number One stood tall.

He threw the old item in his hand, filled with his memories, back into the River of Eternal Darkness, disappearing with the rushing river at the bottom of the Pot’s end.