Ending One & Author's Note |
I’ve added over two thousand words to the previous chapter, which can be considered the Bad Ending (BE) for Qi Si’s storyline. (Of course, the story is far from over—there’s still an ending for Si Qi to come, as well as a Happy Ending (HE) for Qi Si.) If you re-download the chapter, you’ll see that the final line is now "the one who no longer exists." If you’re not seeing this version, please try re-downloading a few times.
The main reason I'm presenting this ending now is due to real-life circumstances. My internship is extremely demanding, leaving me with virtually no dedicated time for writing. While the rest of the story could likely be concluded in a few dozen chapters, I have no idea when I'll be able to get to it. Therefore, I wanted to offer this as a temporary conclusion, a way of giving everyone something to hold onto in the meantime.
There is another reason for this: from now on, the protagonist's name in the third-person limited narrative will change to 'Si Qi.' There will be subtle shifts in detail, perhaps aligning more closely with the older version of the story that was repeatedly taken down. It feels like I've been setting this up for the entire novel, and we've finally made it. You could say the entire book was written just to arrive at this single moment.
Recently, I've been contemplating where the story of Qi Si—or perhaps Si Qi—should ultimately conclude. What kind of ending could provide a perfect capstone to such an extraordinary life? After mulling it over, I’ve decided to return to my initial concept: destroying the world. (And this decision has absolutely nothing to do with my internship grinding me into dust and filling my dreams with visions of the apocalypse. Nope, not at all.)
Why destroy the world? The reason isn't important. Just as many save the world without needing a reason, why does destroying it require one? If one wants to do it, and finds it amusing, then one simply does it. Good is a choice, and so is evil. On the cosmic scale of civilizations, both paths are equal. Perhaps, for a being at a crossroads, there is no need for deliberation; every action is driven by instinct. A person might crush an ant without a moment's thought, so why should a god treat the destruction of a world with any more ceremony? If a god had to draft an impact assessment to persuade humanity that "the annihilation of your world is both correct and necessary," could you still call it a god?
As for a more detailed, philosophically profound exploration of these ideas, that might have to wait for my next book. Frankly, I'm not sure I'm skilled enough to tackle that discussion just yet (just kidding... mostly). The protagonist of this novel is and always has been Qi Si—or Si Qi. The core concept behind his character can be summed up in one sentence: "a non-human entity born of pure, condensed malice." Therefore, let's follow that malice to its ultimate conclusion. Before the end, let's return to this simple truth and allow our conception of evil to flourish without restraint. To debate the minutiae would only cheapen the experience.
So, the upcoming plot will likely revolve around Si Qi leaving the Snow Mountain to wreak havoc upon the world. And one final warning: if this doesn't sound like your cup of tea, please proceed with caution.
And please, don't report the story.
(Though I suspect that any of you who have stuck with it this far are probably prepared for just about anything, hehehe.)