Chapter 586: Wishes
The two of them wore expressions of hesitation after listening to Qi Xia's slightly manic declaration.
Even Di Hu, who had seen countless storms, couldn't understand someone willingly planting a tumor in their own brain.
Everyone who managed to keep their sanity here—be they "Participants" or "Zodiacs"—ultimately aimed for escape. But under these circumstances, would anyone voluntarily plant a brain tumor in their head?
Even if they really could get out, would they just die out there?
"Sheep... Qi Xia." Di Hu stared wide-eyed. "So you're saying you're 'Endless Rebirth'... Has this been confirmed?"
"Yes." Qi Xia replied. "Although I didn't personally stand before a screen to see those four characters appear, based on this cycle's performance by all the 'Heavenly' and 'Divine Beasts,' the answer has been made clear to me. I am a living 'God.'"
Di Hu furrowed his brow, his face still a mask of disbelief.
"This is really absurd..." His plump cheeks continuously twitched with contemplation. "Qi Xia, you... what exactly did you do in the real world?"
"I... haven't I told you before?" Qi Xia countered.
"I only know you were a poor student..." Di Hu's expression grew stranger and stranger. "But what were you thinking about while you were in school...? 'Creating humans'?"
"What...?" Qi Xia paused. "What kind of question is that? What I was thinking about in school—what does that have to do with 'Endless Rebirth'?"
"Haven't you realized...?" Di Hu gestured with his hands. "All the 'Echoers' we've seen here—the abilities they've obtained—most of them originate from their own 'lives'..."
"I only know that 'obsession' affects 'trigger opportunity.' Does 'life experience' also affect 'ability'?"
Qi Xia felt that Di Hu had brought up a question he had never considered before.
"That's exactly how it is!" Di Hu said. "The 'Echoes' each person obtains are not without reason... They all have traces to follow! Think carefully about the people you know... Whose 'Echo' came out of nowhere? Everyone's ability must be related to their life experience!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Xia narrowed his eyes and immediately glanced at Xu Liunian beside him.
If one wanted to understand the relationship between each person's 'Echo' and their 'life experience,' he needed not only to know the other's abilities but also to have a general understanding of their background.
Xu Liunian beside him was an 'actor' in the real world, so her ability was called 'Shapeshift,' allowing her to take on the appearance of others, and the deeper her conviction, the more complete the transformation.
What about the others...?
Chen Junnan had once mentioned that Han Yimo had spread false rumors in the real world that led to someone's death. Thus, his 'Echo' was both his 'life experience.' Even if he did nothing, disaster would fall from the sky upon the other party. This disaster not only completely ruined the other person's life but also left Han Yimo's own life in turmoil. He was a living 'Disaster Summoner.'
And Officer Li died fighting a con artist. When he needed to save his daughter back then, he couldn't pull money out of his pocket. When fighting the con artist, he couldn't draw his gun in time. In the two most difficult decisions of his life, he missed both opportunities. Thus, he transformed into 'Reach,' able to retrieve anything in the 'Land of the End' as long as his subconscious was strong enough.
If he continued thinking along this line, even without knowing a person's 'life experience,' he could probably infer a thing or two.
Qiao Jiajin's 'Breaker of Ten Thousand Methods' could forcibly break the 'Echoes' of any opponent, making even the strongest 'Participant' fight him on the most fair terms. He constantly said, 'Don't cheat.' From this, one could infer that the most significant event in his life was related to 'cheating,' or rather, to 'deceptive gambling.' When that incident occurred, he couldn't 'protect' something. So, when he wanted to 'protect,' he became 'Breaker of Ten Thousand Methods.'
Zhang Shan's ability could temporarily give him physical attributes comparable to a 'Heavenly' level. Looking at his robust physique... perhaps his lifelong aspiration was to become stronger. He had 'lost' something because he wasn't strong enough at certain moments. Thus, when he 'wanted to win,' he became 'Heavenly Walk.'
Qi Xia increasingly found this inference very reasonable, applicable to almost all known 'Echoes.'
Thinking this way, behind Chen Junnan's 'Scapegoat,' there should also be a desperate story. In his life experience, he had once desperately wanted to take responsibility for something for someone else, and it was likely a bad thing. But he couldn't do it, leaving him resentful. So when he came to the 'Land of the End,' 'Scapegoat' became his ability.
As for the remaining people, making bold guesses: Dr. Zhao wanted to destroy something, so he became 'Separation.' Yun Yao had always had terrible luck, so she became 'Strong Luck.' Li Xiangling always wanted to see the person she missed, so she became 'Apparition.' (Wangba, the turtle) had been short since childhood, so he obtained 'Giant.' (Zhouliu, Saturday) was eager to communicate with others, manifesting 'Telepathy.' Luo Shiyi had experienced too much pain, so he developed 'Forget Sorrow.'
Countless similar examples... Their 'Echoes' were their 'experiences.'
Seen in this light, the many powerful 'Echoers' walking in the 'Land of the End' were, in the end, nothing but unfulfilled wishes and walking obsessions.
Where were any transcendent abilities?
The 'Land of the End' seemed to display its contemptuous pity, allowing everyone to briefly touch upon the shadow of their unfulfilled desires in reality.
And what was even more ridiculous was that these people would return to 'reality' for one day with these so-called 'abilities,' as if bestowed by a 'god.'
But they would gradually discover that no matter how they used their abilities, the so-called 'history' would never change.
It would always be there, waiting for them to return.
If one thought about it this way, there were still many 'Echoes' that couldn't be explained. And these inexplicable 'Echoes' seemed to carry extraordinary functions.
They didn't seem to fulfill someone's wish; rather, they seemed to fulfill the 'Land of the End's' wish.
These abilities would have no effect if brought into the real world. They were exclusive to the 'Land of the End.'
For instance, his previous 'Spirit Hearing,' Zheng Yingxiong's 'Spirit Smell.'
In some unknown place, there might also be 'Spirit Sight,' 'Spirit Sense,' and 'Spirit Touch.'
And now, a completely different situation had emerged—one that belonged to and surpassed this place. It was both exclusive to the 'Land of the End' and above all its rules.
That was 'Endless Rebirth.'