Chapter 45: God's Judgment

“These are all the materials we have on the Gate of Sin and Virtue.”

Yang Kai placed a thick stack of documents before Duan Wenxuan, then pulled out the top few sheets to place separately. “These documents were obtained through human lives, while these others were collected from useful legends, religious texts, and other sources about the Gate of Sin and Virtue.”

Duan Wenxuan picked up those most important documents and skimmed them quickly with his excellent memory, able to read three or four lines at once, committing each word to memory.

“If someone who weighs less than a feather returns after passing through the Gate of Sin and Virtue, they will be reaped by the god of theater, unable to escape the gate a second time…”

Duan Wenxuan continued flipping through the pages; the information was brought forth by a soldier in his thirties. The second time he entered, the Reaper had descended upon him, but because of his powerful desire to live, he turned around and fled immediately.

He succeeded, yet he also failed.

Success was escaping the Reaper’s hands for a second time; he had awoken from his unconsciousness. But failure came on the very first night after waking up, when his heart stopped within five seconds, and he died once again. In order to resolve the Gate of Sin and Virtue, Yang Kai and Li Dong took immense pressure upon themselves and allowed people to continue entering, but they met a tragic end.

Under this message, experts speculated that being able to escape the Reaper’s hands a second time may have something to do with willpower or some powerful inner desire.

This special soldier’s wife had just given birth to their daughter while he was out on mission. When fleeing, his only thought was to see her, and it was because of this intense obsession that he survived.

”… The Reaper… I want to go take a look…” Duan Wenxuan closed the file, a hint of unmasked interest appearing on his face.

Yang Kai also revealed a genuine smile, as well. To him, Duan Yuanhui was indeed somewhat arrogant and rebellious, much like a little brat who did whatever he wanted.

That was why when Yang Kai introduced the Gate of Sin and Virtue, he purposely made it sound dangerous, mentioning that our people had failed to overcome it, so it would be best not to go there. All this was done with the intention of enticing Duan Yuanhui over.

They had sacrificed too many already, yet still couldn’t figure out how to deal with the Gate of Sin and Virtue. If they could get Young Master Duan to join them, then great; if not, at least his presence might draw members of the Duan family. The Duan family’s sole heir—how could they possibly give up on him?

“Then when does Young Master Duan plan to go? We’ll send some men along as well to ensure your safety.” Yang Kai stopped beating around the bush. When dealing with young people, sometimes being indirect only invites confusion or mockery, so he decided to cut straight to the point.

“Why the rush? Let’s play some games for two days first. It isn’t safe for me to go alone to somewhere like the Gate of Sin and Virtue, I need someone to help me.”

Yang Kai took a deep breath. “All right, speaking of which, we’ve specially developed a game for Young Master Duan, and have set up a dedicated internet channel just for him, ensuring an optimal gaming experience.”

Twenty minutes later, Duan Wenxuan logged onto the specially prepared game.

Yang Kai quietly led his team away from the scene.

Lin Xiaowei’s secret file room had four or five computers running simultaneously, each screen displaying footage of Duan Wenxuan playing games. There were also technicians nearby analyzing the data in real time. She was specially assigned to this task and would be responsible for recording all information regarding Duan Yuanhui from now on.

Almost all the recorders in the Registry of Files were elite female officers. Women tended to be more meticulous than men when it came to paperwork, so they were less likely to make mistakes at tasks like these. At that moment, Duan Wenxuan was matched with someone, and Lin Xiaowei pressed a button on her computer, immediately connecting the call through the earpiece around her neck.

At some game development studio in An City, things had been in chaos recently, so the entire team went on strike. Now, the municipal government had recruited them, gathering a group of professional gamers together. Outside the studio, two rows of armed police surrounded the building, making the professional players inside feel rather uneasy.

The instant the call rang, a young man in his twenties quickly picked up the receiver.

Lin Xiaowei’s voice promptly sounded over the line: “Who is ‘Papa will beat you just because’?!?”

“It… was me?” A boy sitting nearby raised his hand slightly, looking somewhat afraid. Their entire area was under surveillance, so everything they did could be seen by those stationed at the Registry of Files.

“You guys went too easy on him last round; I told you before, we’re looking for someone who is challenging but not impossible to beat, and he didn’t like how his teammates played too aggressively and won without much effort from him, which greatly decreased his overall gaming experience. But this time, we’ve adjusted our team members, yet you still chase after him relentlessly—his mentality exploded!”

“I’m so nervous… what should I do?” The boy was close to tears.

“Switch accounts with the rest of your squad, then send him a private message provoking him, and come back here afterward—but make sure he kills you first, understand?!”

“Yes.” The boy wiped away the sweat on his forehead as the captain beside him handed over a drink. “Don’t be nervous, Officer Lin said that losing multiple times will only make him appreciate winning even more.”

“Okay.” The boy shakily drank down the beverage, then continued playing for his country.

Four or five hours later, Duan Wenxuan tossed aside his phone, satisfied. This was the first time he’d had such a good gaming experience. No exaggeration, Duan Wenxuan could brag about several moves he made during the game—that were practically divine interventions, enough to boast about for years to come.

It felt like taking a sip of cold drink on a hot summer day, refreshing to the core.

After lounging for two days at the villa provided specifically for him, Yang Kai sought out Duan Wenxuan once again. The first thing he said upon meeting was that the person they had been expecting might already be at the Gate of Sin and Virtue.

“He’s arrived?”

Duan Wenxuan sat up, taking the notebook from Yang Kai. Inside, he saw an image on a closed-off highway featuring a figure dressed in white, with only a red collar precisely covering their throat.

“It seems Young Master Duan indeed summoned this helper.”

“I didn’t expect him to arrive so quickly,” Duan Wenxuan murmured thoughtfully. “Well then, let’s go. Our leisurely break is over.”

Soon, several vehicles departed from the villa, swiftly reaching their destination.

As they stepped out of the cars, Duan Wenxuan lifted his head and took a deep breath.

Despite it being a pleasant day elsewhere, heavy clouds shrouded the sky above this location, casting a somber gloom. Amidst the vast expanse, a massive stone gate appeared as if cleaved in half by a sharp sword, perfectly symmetrical on both sides. These twin stone gates stood like monumental wonders spanning across heaven and earth.

According to the records, the stone gate appeared one evening. That night had been marked by light rain and heavy smog. An City’s air quality was usually quite good, but on that day, the smog seemed to descend abruptly.

Around 2-3 AM, a severe multi-car pileup occurred on the eastern section of the ring road highway, involving dozens of vehicles which collided and exploded. Moments after firefighters arrived at the scene, everyone suddenly fell unconscious. The uncontrolled fire trucks, caught off guard, crashed directly into the explosion center, claiming more lives.

It wasn’t until then that the smog gradually began to disperse, revealing the outline of the Gate of Sin and Virtue for the first time.

Duan Wenxuan also observed that barriers were placed around the perimeter of the highway, forming three distinct lines of defense. Crossing the third line meant entering the danger zone, where individuals who ventured within would immediately lose consciousness. During this unconscious state, their souls underwent a trial.

Outside the defensive lines, all debris and vehicles had been cleared away, but even now, Duan Wenxuan could still see charred cars and some bodies of those who perished instantly in the most severely affected areas.

Cleaning up inside these zones was impossible; anyone entering would instantly fall unconscious, witnessing others succumb to death while they lay helpless. Only very occasionally, someone might groggily awaken and manage to walk out from the perilous area on their own.

However, it had been quite some time since the incident at the Gate of Sin and Virtue. Everyone has undergone their Trials; those meant to survive lived on, and those destined to die perished. It was highly unlikely that any additional survivors could still be found.

“Hu Fu.” Duan Wenxuan directly crossed the first line of defense.

Yang Kai remained unmoved, as Li Dong once again led this selected team. The members were meticulously chosen for their exceptional abilities and thorough background checks. Essentially, each individual had impeccable character, often exemplified by acts like helping grandmothers cross the street from a young age, abstaining from smoking or drinking, and possessing outstanding moral qualities.

Of course, Li Dong wasn’t initially such a person. To join this mission, he underwent intense psychological and behavioral interventions by therapists and experts. These efforts aimed to ensure his mind was free from distractions and convinced him that all his past actions were entirely justified, without committing any wrongdoings.

He was deemed innocent.

This intervention stemmed from a discovery made by experts during comparative analysis: among the survivors, there was a habitual thief. According to universal ethical standards, he couldn’t be considered a good person, so how did he manage to pass the heart-and-feather Trial and survive?

Through questioning and dialogue, they discovered that the thief never believed he had done anything wrong. With an unfortunate family background, a frail body, and lacking any means to earn a living, he considered stealing as essential for his survival.

To him, although the world claimed to be good, what did it matter? He still had to endure life like mud beneath everyone’s feet. Yet even if his existence was akin to worthless mud, plagued by sickness and scorned by all, he couldn’t bear to relinquish this muddy life; he wanted to survive.

Survival is instinctual, so according to him, he hadn’t erred.

Based on this example, experts concluded that ‘judgment’ at the Gate likely stems from one’s own perception of ‘righteousness or wickedness’, rather than being dictated by any divine entity.

What constitutes righteousness or wickedness? The concept of divinity itself should be abstract, devoid of tangible meaning or emotions. Righteousness and wickedness are judgments attributed to social behaviors, exclusive to humans.

For instance, early humans killing animals now protected were once deemed right and virtuous, as these creatures served as their sustenance. However, today, such actions are considered wrong due to legal prohibitions. Concepts of morality, right, and wrong evolve with time, societal changes, and shifts in human understanding, essentially becoming attributes assigned based on these factors.

Even now, if An City’s market prices were as they used to be, regulations would undoubtedly have been enforced, and merchants would face investigations. However, currently, authorities turn a blind eye. With constantly changing circumstances, how could God make these matters a fixed standard for judgment?

Therefore, the most plausible explanation is that entering the Gate of Sin and Virtue is less about God’s judgment and more about allowing individuals to judge themselves. For now, this remains just a theory. As the first experimental subject based on this hypothesis, Li Dong joined the team.

Before setting out, Li Dong had already undergone psychological intervention with numerous suggestions implanted by the therapist.

With a nervous and apprehensive heart, Li Dong saw the man dressed in white turn his head slightly, nodding towards Duan Yuanhui with an expression filled with compassion. ”… You should have brought me here earlier; perhaps more people could have been saved.”