Chapter 413 351: Chu Bamboo: Z, Are Li Kang and the Others Truly 'Alive'?

After all, their deaths had been caused by the chaos of the era, by the Shoe Sect, by that damned and ignorant feudal system, by those brutally cruel officials... and even by the Emperor!

In this backdrop of great peace, extreme material abundance, and immense prosperity, had the root causes of their deaths all vanished?

Thanks to the butterfly effect, it was only natural that they had all come back to life!

From what Chu Bamboo had seen so far, he was fairly certain that this society had actually abolished currency. It was an absurd notion, but it made perfect sense, because automation had reached a level beyond imagination.

Everything, it seemed, could be accomplished through automation. And while street vendors still existed, were they only working because it was a personal hobby?

"A perfect world, in a way?" Chu Bamboo smiled, his expression growing distant for a moment. "If this were really possible... I'd truly hope that all of this... is real."

Chu Bamboo watched the people who had gathered around to discuss a luminous screen. Some supported Zhou Ze, while others supported Lu Jin. Perhaps because this was the Upper City District, supporters of Lu Jin were overwhelmingly in the majority.

However, the situation changed abruptly when Zhou Ze's supporters played the Chu Bamboo card.

"...But that candidate is supported by Mr. Zhu! We're talking about Mr. Zhu! The man who took what was a complete cesspool... no, it was just a slum back then, and transformed it into the Lower City District! He even changed the entirety of Jinghai City in the process... Just look at those other metropolises that still have slums! Doesn't that prove anything?"

Many of the silent onlookers couldn't help but chime in when they heard this. Clearly, they were neutral, but their admiration for Chu Bamboo was enough to make them support who he supported.

Seeing the boisterous crowd that looked to be on the verge of a brawl, Chu Bamboo sidestepped past them, thankful he was in disguise. Otherwise, a crowd would surely be mobbing him. From their conversation, however, Chu Bamboo also gathered that while he might have been the one to transform the Lower City District, other places were likely still in a miserable state.

'So, even with the butterfly effect... some of the things I did before are still reflected in corners of this world?'

He wandered until noon. After taking a call and thinking for a moment, Chu Bamboo agreed to meet up. He hailed a maglev car and eventually met Li Kang, Ning Linglong, and Guan Fei for a meal.

"...Ah Zhu!" Guan Fei said, picking his teeth. "You know, I really think you should run for City Governor. I don't get how someone so young can be so lazy... and yet you just can't seem to let go of the Lower City District! Hah..."

"I still think it would be better for you to leave those places and head for bigger and better things. It would be better for the world, too."

"...Bigger and better things?" Chu Bamboo fell silent for a moment, then turned to gaze at the world outside. He asked suddenly, "Do you all think... this world is a good place?"

"...Of course!" Li Kang gave Chu Bamboo a strange look. He chose his words carefully, speaking slowly and deliberately. "This world certainly has many... flaws! But we have great confidence in the self-correcting mechanisms of our Daqian Democratic Republic! We can right any wrong... and keep our nation forever great!"

Li Kang was immensely proud, brimming with a vibrant, forward-looking confidence. Though he was a middle-aged man, he still had the spirit of a youth!

"Captain's right!" Wall Announcements said, nodding furiously while stuffing snacks into their mouth.

"Cheers, cheers!" Ning Linglong poured a cup of milk tea and then poured one for Chu Bamboo as well.

"...This is really nice," Chu Bamboo murmured, then added again, "It's really nice."

'If only... all of this were real.'

"Z!" Chu Bamboo didn't take the milk tea. Instead, he tossed his phone onto the table, his expression turning icy. "Them... Guan Fei, Ning Linglong, Li Kang, Wall Announcements..."

Chu Bamboo named them one by one, his gaze sweeping over each person. Those he named fell silent, all of them looking at him strangely.

After speaking the final name, "Zhou Ze," Chu Bamboo paused. A faint weariness touched his face. "Are they all... 'alive'?"

Ning Linglong: "??? Have you lost your mind?"

She almost wondered if she had misheard him.

"Since when am I dead...?" Guan Fei was flabbergasted. He was only holding back because it was Chu Bamboo. If anyone else had dared to say such a thing... he would've had a 'discussion' with them—a discussion with his iron fists!

"Z?" Li Kang rubbed his chin, saying uncertainly, "Are you talking about... 'God Z'? Uh, you have to say the full name, 'God Z,' to summon that great being! Besides..."

Li Kang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "It only works if you call from the underground base! You'd have to be dreaming to summon that great being out here. Of course, if you were the Grand Commander, it might be possible? I think I heard someone say..."

"...Alright, you can stop talking!" Z's voice came from Chu Bamboo's phone, this time in standard Dream Language. "Even if the current Su Po were to call for me like that, I wouldn't answer him!"

"?" Li Kang pondered for a moment. "???"

Li Kang's expression slowly froze. He was stunned to recognize the timbre of the voice... 'No, impossible, absolutely impossible! How could Z... how could that great being speak in a language we can understand?'

'And... we're fucking outside! More importantly, what she just said...'

"...Father, you found out after all?" Z's voice switched back from Dream Language, but it was still laced with confusion. "But... how did you find out? No... it seems you felt something was wrong from the very beginning... you were so wary of me! I find that very strange..."

Li Kang: "*GASP!*"

Hearing this proficient Divine Language, Li Kang felt a cold sweat break out. 'Wait,' he thought, recalling everything that had been said. 'The Grand Commander isn't qualified, so why is Ah Zhu? And... that great being can actually speak through a phone?'

The information overload was too much, and Li Kang's mind reeled in chaos.

He wasn't the only one; the others were just as stunned. Ning Linglong, however, recovered quickly. She cupped her chin in her hands, gazing at Chu Bamboo with a dopey, affectionate look. For reasons unknown to the others, she began to smile.

Z ignored the others, continuing to seek her father's guidance. "It's true, my methods have been... problematic. But! This world, at least... it truly is the utopia you wished for! And everyone is genuinely alive... These people whom you love, and who love you! They are all alive..."

"...As long as I know they're alive, I'm relieved." Chu Bamboo breathed a sigh of relief, flexing his wrists as he slowly rose to his feet. "As for... how I knew something was wrong?"

"That's because..."

Chu Bamboo suddenly fell silent and gave a bitter laugh. "I can feel... that I can return at any time—"

'Return to the Real World!'

And as he knew all too well, there were two ways to wake up in the Real World. The first was to die and choose not to reverse time.

As for the other method...

"Z!" Chu Bamboo gave everyone present a long, deep look, then raised his hand and pressed his fingers to the point between his brows. "...Are you going to wake me up, or do I have to do it myself?"

"...Father, why must you insist on this!" Z sighed softly, pleading with him. "Stop. It's not too late... Just as I said before, whatever you want to do in this world... I will support you!"

Chu Bamboo didn't say a word. And then...

Before everyone's horrified eyes...

With a light press of his fingers, Chu Bamboo's form began to distort, like a television with a poor signal, until finally, it twisted and vanished completely.

"..." Ning Linglong subconsciously reached out, but her hand grasped only empty air. She stared blankly at her palm, as if she could still feel a trace of his warmth.

...

「At the same time.」

「Dream World.」

Within the long-silent underground base.

Countless coffin-like life support pods were arranged in neat, dense rows.

And in the very first pod—

Chu Bamboo's eyes snapped open.