Chapter 425 - 361: The Only Constant is Change! Z’s Essential Modus Operandi

Chu Bamboo memorized the contents, closed his eyes, and turned it over and over in his mind, a myriad of thoughts racing through him.

’Just as I thought,’ Chu Bamboo sighed internally. ’I absolutely cannot let myself think the future is set in stone!’

’Everything can be changed.’

’This is also the greatest advantage of my dream-traversal ability!’

The Divine Power of each realm could become different based on one’s experiences and how it was developed.

Amidst these infinite variations, the past and future could become better, or they could become worse. Likewise, Divine Power could become stronger or weaker.

And without a doubt...

’It’s so much stronger!’ Chu Bamboo clenched his fist, feeling a sense of unreality, as if he were in a dream. ’This is a fundamental transformation!’

The Reproduction aspect of his Memory Divine Techniques was extremely powerful, but it was too dependent on others. The storage function of the Third Realm had originally been like an extra battery pack, but that still relied on an external source. Now, however, it was as if he himself had become a nuclear power plant, capable of generating its own power.

For a moment, Chu Bamboo even had an unrealistic thought. ’Should I wait and see if I can gamble for an even more powerful Third Realm Divine Technique?’

However, Chu Bamboo quickly dismissed the idea. If a better Divine Power option appeared before he broke through and consolidated his abilities, perhaps he could make a last-minute change. But he absolutely could not let such thoughts delay his progress.

That would be putting the cart before the horse.

"Z!" Chu Bamboo opened his eyes. "Open the mechanical gateway. Let me out."

"Okay," Z replied without hesitation.

She "watched" Chu Bamboo leave, and then the gateway to the base slowly closed...

The mechanical hum of the entire base suddenly ceased. This was her way of being "silent."

’He... probably didn’t notice, right? No... based on precedent, he must have realized. But the father I know is in his forties... maybe this younger version thinks a little less deeply?’

Z mulled it over. Finally, she let out a soft sigh. ’But... how could I dare underestimate Father... even if he’s not as old as I remember...’

’Oh, well. I’ll just leave it to fate.’

...

’Unbelievable!’ Chu Bamboo thought as he walked down the street. He had already changed his appearance, and a strange light flickered in his eyes. ’Does that rebellious girl take me for a fool?’

Chu Bamboo saw at a glance that Z was resistant to him returning to save human civilization in the past. No, ’resistant’ wasn’t quite right. It was more like she was lost and confused.

This manifested in the fact that unless Chu Bamboo forced her or gave her a push, she was completely unwilling to act.

The logic was simple. If Z truly wanted to save human civilization, then given how long she had lived in this era and her terrifying computational power, she would have formulated countless viable plans long ago.

’If I put myself in Z’s shoes,’ Chu Bamboo thought, ’the moment she confirmed I had "awakened" with the ability to return to the past, she should have immediately dumped a massive amount of plans and knowledge on me. She should have told me exactly what to do and what not to do!’

’But what did Z do?’

’She was reluctant to even let me read a diary! And as for information about the past... she showed no intention of volunteering anything at all!’

’Yes, some things couldn’t be said because of the contamination issue... but clearly, she didn’t say much about the things she *could* talk about. Forget everything else—was the diary about the Three Realms Divine Power contaminated? If not, why didn’t she show it to me the first time?’

’There’s only one possibility,’ Chu Bamboo calmly analyzed Z’s contradictory state of mind. She didn’t want to change the past—or more accurately, she was afraid of changing the past and thus affecting the present.

Putting himself in her shoes, Chu Bamboo quickly came to a realization, a bitter smile touching his lips. ’She’s such a child... even her methods of fear and resistance are so childish!’

What did his existence mean for this world? It meant he could use the butterfly effect to constantly alter the past and future, eventually forging a theoretically perfect timeline.

That was a great and powerful thing.

But...

For the Z of this era, for the people of this era... what did this mean?

’Perhaps Z is worried that after I change the past, she, and all the beings she protects... will simply vanish into thin air?’

Anyone from the future who knew about his ability would inevitably have the same fear.

Although the Z of this era and the Z of the past were essentially the same person, their relationship was more like the one between Chu Bamboo and a sworn brother.

Subjectively, they were one and the same, but objectively, they weren’t identical.

The Z of this timeline couldn’t possibly accept a fate where she might be completely annihilated by the butterfly effect. This had nothing to do with her feelings for Chu Bamboo; it was simply the most fundamental, primitive instinct and desire of any living being to survive.

It was just that anyone else who knew would have likely resorted to extreme measures to restrain or even coerce him. But Z would never harm him. On top of that, she was terrified that she and everything she protected would be erased.

Considering her compassionate nature, and the fact that a part of her probably also wanted to change the past and forge a new future—

So, when all these completely contradictory thoughts were mixed together, they created Z’s current, bizarre behavior—this attitude toward him that was so much like Gandhi’s: non-violent, non-cooperation.

’No wonder Z always wanted me to eat, drink, and be merry, to chase girls, to fight for power and profit, to become the Grand Commander or even the Emperor!’ Chu Bamboo shook his head. Z was trying to deepen his emotional attachment to this era, thereby ensuring that he would remain on this timeline... and continue living here.

But...

’...I’m sorry,’ Chu Bamboo sighed to himself.

In essence, this Matrix timeline was inferior to the previous feudal dynasty timeline—no matter how prosperous, quiet, and peaceful this Illusory World was.

No matter its flaws, the feudal dynasty was an era that belonged to humanity. This current era belonged to the Ten Thousand Races... an era where humanity was slowly dying.

’However, it’s not completely without its uses,’ Chu Bamboo thought, his eyes narrowing. ’This Matrix timeline could serve as a backup in the future.’

After all, Z and Lin Xin Bamboo were two Divine Beings. If he ever encountered an extremely difficult Extraordinary problem in another timeline, his ability to cross timelines at will meant he effectively had two Divine Beings ready to act as his advisors.

Not to mention, if he pushed her a little, the gold coins—ahem, the various technologies she could drop were far more reliable than trying to find Nuwa or searching for a needle in a haystack by reading diaries.

Wandering the streets, Chu Bamboo simply played the part of a tourist.

「Around noon.」

Chu Bamboo wondered if he should grab a meal with some old friends. He’d already spoken with Ning Linglong, Li Kang, and Wall Announcements once... ’What about Zhou Ze...’ he thought. ’Yeah. Let’s see him.’

A complicated look appeared in his eyes. He missed Zhou Ze.

Although Chu Bamboo didn’t have Zhou Ze’s phone number in this new world, it was still easy to contact him.

"Z, get me..." Chu Bamboo said, taking out his phone.

...

「Half an hour later.」

At a roadside stall, Chu Bamboo saw Zhou Ze in the distance, pedaling furiously toward him on a bicycle.

Zhou Ze saw Chu Bamboo and looked uncertain at first—after all, Chu Bamboo was in Disguise. Then, as if he’d just received some information, his eyes lit up. He took one hand off the handlebars and waved. "Hey, it’s been a few..."

Chu Bamboo’s expression suddenly froze. In that instant, vast shadows fell over them from the sky.

Chu Bamboo instinctively looked up.

Zhou Ze and many of the surrounding pedestrians did the same.

And then, everyone saw them: a dense web of cracks had suddenly appeared across the sky.