The Will of the Collapse.
Once upon a time, before time travel, before reaching the final chapter of Beng San, Ling Ke believed there truly existed a transcendent entity akin to a "god."
Unexpectedly, the so-called "Will of the Collapse" turned out to be more like a bug—something captured by those world-class scholars led by Dr. Mei at the end of the pre-civilization era, along with the last fusion warriors.
"Prometheus 17."
This super artificial intelligence, designed by Dr. Mei during the "Final Battle" more than 50,000 years ago, was set free thanks to the fire-hunting heroine "Padophyllis," who risked her life to open the "Gate of the Final Cocoon," thus forging the chains known as the "Will of the Collapse."
Its existence represents a kind of legal agent that has survived for more than 50,000 years into the present era, nearly in direct connection with that long-gone time.
And because of this, humanity was granted all sorts of possible conveniences.
That's why, during the Second Honkai Impact, a multi-core Legislator suddenly appeared who didn't even know how to properly use his own powers.
At the same time, the reason Otto was able to reach the level of a "false god" in the original story was also thanks to those conveniences.
After all, his "Tree Race Project" originated from the so-called Will of the Collapse.
They even went as far as transmitting massive amounts of advanced knowledge to him during the Second Honkai Impact.
Of course, it came at a cost.
Because Otto, by managing to strike at the Tree, directly triggered the most problematic bug: the card of the "Law of Restraint."
Well, let's not stray too far.
Right now…
"Hello, fire thief (Prometheus)."
Pure white space.
"Ling Ke" saw another "him."
A stone-like figure, only an outline, without color.
This was the so-called "Will of the Collapse."
"You should already know what I'm about to do."
Without waiting for the other side to ask silently, "Ling Ke" spoke to himself:
"My true revenge plan... the 'Zhezhi Plan.'"
"To go back in time... over 50,000 years!"
Yes, this is the main dish Ling Ke carefully prepared for his enemies.
And at the same time, it's his strongest card to destroy the world and harvest the greatest result alongside Kevin...
A policy of Salvation.
This is the truth behind Kevin's sudden defection.
To him, defeating Honkai Impact is both an obsession and a duty.
To him, the people of this era cannot truly be called "his kin."
To him, the "Stigmata Project," allowing hundreds of millions to live in a beautiful dream, is the worst possible plan—yet one he still executes without hesitation.
To him...
If someone can pass the "final trial" that he has become, he wouldn't mind being the stepping stone to a new generation.
But...
"I will give the previous era... a 'second chance.'"
"Or... I will make the entire Earth cease to exist."
"Do you want to witness the grand spectacle of shattered stars?"
"Or... will you abandon this era to save all that was once lost?"
At that moment, Kevin felt the deepest malice the world had to offer.
Or rather...
Ling Ke.
A living paradox.
He wants to help himself "save the world"!
But not to make the world better.
Rather, there is one simple fact:
If his plan succeeds...
"If I manage to go back more than 50,000 years, then when the pre-civilization era escapes its destruction... the current civilized era will become a broken branch on the Imaginary Tree, and at the same time... will cease to exist."
"I will ensure that this timeline produces no new branches."
"In that case, the special status of this era will be neither a terrifying 'hell' nor a deep 'abyss,' but an absolute 'nothingness'..."
"To 'save the world' also means to 'destroy the world.'"
And "destroying the world" also means "saving another era's world."
Both are cause and effect.
Only one side will win it all.
And the other... will have nothing!
And "whoever wins and punishes the rest, will be the one who sets the rules."
Because this... is his revenge!
Based on this:
"Just as the Ortona Oki Tree Project allowed people inside Kolosten to be sent back 500 years into the past, I can also send my designated candidates to the pre-civilization era, more than 50,000 years ago."
"Unaffected by temporal paradoxes, detached from the flow of time... they will continue to exist."
"But only they will continue to exist!"
Someone once asked: what's crueler than everything being dead?
Someone answered: being the only one who survives.
It seems Ling Ke is now fulfilling that condition.
"And so..."
Commanding the stage, Ling Ke seemed mad:
"First comes the cause, then comes the effect... If my 'guests (enemies)' want to save their time, this rotten fruit must go from 'nothing' to 'something'... then they must..."
"Let the pre-civilization era move forward toward its predestined destruction again."
"In conclusion..."
Ling Ke rose from his throne. Even though no one stood before him, his mind was shaken, and he laughed wildly into the void.
The mockery in his gestures had already torn off the mask called "elegance."
"Will you be hypocrites who claim to fight for all the good in the world while abandoning your era and turning it into absolute 'nothingness'? Or will you do everything to save it and destroy others' 'second chances' with your own hands?"
"Hahahaha!"
"Otto, Rita, Bronya, Raiden Mei…"
"You, who are detached from time and unaffected by paradoxes, will undoubtedly deliver a magnificent performance for me."
"Then I shall choose the most comfortable seat to watch your ugliness up close."
"As long as Otto is present, I need not provoke anything further: you will fall into chaos on your own."
"The rest of your lives will be accompanied by endless suffering, fighting until the very end!"
"Such a scene must be absolutely spectacular."
"This world as the stage, with a wager forged by two eras... will be the ultimate performance to fill the 'emptiness' in my heart."
Ling Ke touched his chest:
"At last... I have fully transformed."
"Give me a new chance at life!"
In Ling Ke's hometown, there is an old saying:
"Your hero, my thief of enemies!"
Today, Ling Ke stands on the other side of the world as the prosecutor aiming to destroy all humanity.
And what he's about to do now is: reverse positions.
He is undoubtedly an evil man, and he doesn't care one bit.
But for his enemies...
None can endure it—except Otto.
Fight for all the good in the world?
And what if... that goodness had to be built upon the suffering of others?
Isn't it true that you like to deceive yourselves and ignore the "sacrificed"?
Then I'll lay everything on the table... so you can no longer selectively ignore it.
Belief? Mission?
Without Destiny, who will fight Honkai Impact?
Sorry, but to the pre-civilized era that received a "second chance," you are the evil ones.
Especially you, Raiden Mei.
You visited the Elysian Realm and received the gifts of the "Thirteen Flamechasers."
There, Alicia, Eden, Velvie, Sakura, and Graciel are all your friends.
And if Ling Ke's "Broken Branch Plan" succeeds...
How will you face them from the opposing side?
Then only two paths remain:
Either you give up everything and live the rest of your life in regret.
Or you move forward... and still live with that same regret.
Either way, the pain never goes away.
That's the cruelest part: a dead end.
Of course, if Raiden Mei and the others manage to gain great power capable of rearranging the timeline, they might "break the law with force."
But would Ling Ke, sitting in the audience, allow that?
Absolutely not!
Just like the emperor Nero—twisted and obsessed with art—he will guard his golden theater to the very end.
Before the curtain falls on this "performance"...
No one can leave.
No one can remain alone.
And so, today...
"Very well. The deal is sealed."
In the pure white space, "Ling Ke" smiled with satisfaction.
When he returned to his senses, he was already standing among the ruins of the End, on the moon.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
The "Puppet Dominator · Ling Ke" had also arrived at the Elysian Realm.
Kevin, as promised, did not follow him.
He went... alone.
This connects the place where the past (pre-civilization) meets the present (current civilization).