Chapter 3: Dare or Hell 

I did my tags wrong. Fixed it. There is no male yandere here.

We are moving into the new world in the next chapter. Stay tune. 

Any mistake or problem, inform me in the comment sections. Good day.

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Location: The place above all

3rd person

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James uncloses his eyes again. He clutches his face and inspects his body. To his welcome relief, he isn’t a baby nor is there any giant lady around here. Examining his surrounding, he found himself under a peaceful sapphire sky with fluffy clouds. The sun is non-existence and radiant lights simply come from the luminous blue sky. The sacred ground is at ease like a polished mirror, accurately reflecting the visible sky. If it wasn’t for the gentle ripples and his nostalgic reflection on the gleaming surface, he would have thought he is floating.

‘This looks more like heaven’, James consciously thoughts.

“Not quiet, we are merely inside a dream state.”

James overhears a childlike voice from behind and turns around cautiously. His eyes land on an aware child that seemingly appears out of nowhere. Naturally wearing ordinary white clothes, the child stands at ease a few meters from him with dear hands behind his back. What perplexed James was the familiar face of the child, it looks exactly like himself when he was precisely around 10 years old. His signature natural curly raven hair and greenish eyes are hard to give always. The boy smiles mischievously as if eagerly anticipating something fun.

After a breathless moment of staring down, James grins and speaks playfully. “Greetings little one, perhaps you’re lost. Though, but I’m afraid I can’t help much since I am just as clueless”. He squads down to the innocent boy's eye level.

“Worry not sir. I am at my prime destination. But let… play a game” the child plays along and moves closer. James' body shudders in fearful response to the ominous tone of the eager boy. His critical instincts vainly urged him to run aimlessly, but where too?

“Oh, what game?”

“You will have to choose. Dare or… Hell~,” the little boy said, enthusiastically raising his arm in celebration. James stares at the wicked boy with deadpan eyes and then chuckles.

“That sounds rather dangerous. How about we try ‘truth or dare’ first”

“Sure. But I will always choose truth”, little James snaps his graceful finger. Suddenly, James gets flung upward as gravity had flipped on its head. He fell fiercely toward the blue sky and through pale misty clouds. James screams as the rushing air naturally takes the dreadful sounds away. It unpleasantly reminds him of the first time he went sky diving with assistance, out of a cargo plane, being deployed as a field engineer in a remote military testing facility. Albeit, this time, without a parachute.

When he passed through the clouds, he identifies a vast field of grass, stretching far into the horizon. Right below, where he will be kissing the ground, there is a notable enormous tree at the peak of a hill. James squeezes his eyes shut and clenches his jaws. Brace for impact.

A few minor seconds pass, then a bit more, till James scarcely realizes he doesn’t feel any air pressure around him. Gradually, he uncloses his eyes. He is laying on the ground looking beyond at the branches and leaves. James' ragged breathing gradually stabilizes. Getting up, he recognizes the little kid swinging on a swing made of rope carefully hanging from the specialized branch of the sacred tree.

“Come, sit”, the child gesture at another graceful swing beside itself, blatantly ignoring whatever just happened. James sigh and sits gloomily on the wooden swing, gripping the rope for needed balance. Under the delightful shade of the mature tree, a mystical sense of tranquility gently washed over him as he beholds the endless grassland in front of him.

The wind picks up, genteelly cooling the peaceful land. An odd feeling arose precisely within his chest as if something is squeezing his oppressed heart. He starts blinking rapidly trying to hold back the tears from within his eyes. But at last, a single drop escapes and runs down his sunken cheeks.

“What sort of witchery is this?”

“I wonder myself. The distortion of your soul due to space quantum transmigration may have inadvertently released the prolonged pressure and excessive expectation that you unknowingly suppress inside yourself for so long.”

After a bleak moment of deafening silence, James merely closes his sleepless eyes and breath in deeply, then out.

“… Truth or dare”

“Truth”

“Is it true… that I am dead”

“Yes, but actually no”

“… So the odd dream of me being an infant…?” James glanced warily at the happy-going child.

“It is no dream. I committed a little mistake. You were intended to wake up a little later.”

“You cause me much-wicked shame. What will you give to earn my forgiveness?”

“Heh, I like your audacity. Fine”

The minor child gets off the swing and then stands in front of James, gently stretching his eager hands towards James. Gazing into the child's vivid eyes, James grapes the kid's hands and wait with anticipation. The kid shakes James’ hand and leases it go.

“…?” James cocks his head.

“Rejoice, for you just had the extraordinary privilege to sake hand with a God”

James reaches out and pinches the little kid's right cheek.

“HEy, sTop. It’s not useless. Trust me. Ouch! You bully”

James let go reluctantly. Presently the junior kid is hugging his lightly rosy cheek and teary eyes. James chuckles lightly from merely seeing his young self acting a little cute, stupidly forgetting that he is in front of a solemnly self-proclaim god.

“What is the dare that I must do to avoid hell?”

“You had read, ‘Amusing Being’, right?”

‘Amusing Beings’ is a complex fantasy novel allegedly written for Humanities study. It encompasses topics ranging from politics, warfare, trade, and economics.

The novel is predominantly an information dumpster with side plots showing how characters deal with politics and war.

The world-building is bizarre. It explores the functionality of another world with unusual technology, abnormal phenomena, unequal gender ratio, and diverse races. It feels like the author gathers a random ingredient inside the fringe and hurled it into a pot of boiling water. The odd result is an organized chaotic world.

While sufficiently completing a double major in chemical and mechanical engineering, James found himself enjoying humanities study as a side subject.

“Ah hell Nah,” James exclaims vehemently.

“You’re not sending me there. That is equally as good as hell.”

He can’t imagine living in a world without reliable electricity, the internet, mobile phone, and other modern technological miracles. Additionally, the corrupt societies and strange ‘human' psychology will be a pain to deal with.

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Furthermore, it’s, moreover, a slight matriarchy society. The observed ratio of males to females is 10:13. Typical males would traditionally have to deal with stupid arrange political marriages and be a force into an unknown relationship. Or worse, being sold as a birth-giving dildo.

“I can make you a female.”

“To burning hell with it, I can’t imagine being penetrated by a male…If I’m unmarried, it won’t be too terrible. But still, no”

“Just think about the unlimited orgasm.”

James paused for a lucid moment and gulped. He grins foolishly while losing himself into carnal fantasy before snapping out.

The destructive conflict between commoners and noble within authoritarian monarchy is deemed to rise. The relentless war between races, controversial religions, nations, and civil is sternly set to break out. When that tragic time inevitably comes, nobody is safe.

“Come on. There are cute cats.”

“Yeah? Some animals are the sizes of a t-rex.”

“There is Magic”

“Not worth it”

“Being fought over by charming women”, the little kid said enticingly.

“Too much drama. It could be hideous and hysterical women. I don’t like having children. I will go out to buy milk if I do.”

“You will start as a wealthy noble.”

“Heck, when the commoners and anti-royalism succeed the war. To the guillotine, my head goes.”

“You will be a prodigy and valued by people.”

“My prodigious talent will be sorted after. I will be enslaved by higher orders. When justly comparing the crushing burden and daunting responsibility that inevitably comes with a higher survival rate and personal security, I rather enjoy a brief life and be free. Why me anyway? What is the purpose of forcing me there? I’m not going to play your hero game.”

James stands ups, breathing a little faster.

“You see, I composed that book.”

“…”

“I established that world from the bottom up… But its grisly fate is grim… You know the conclusion of the novel.”

The little child looks deject. James frown and glances sideways recalling the pitiful ending of the novel.

“You didn’t like the ending too”

“… That’s your pesky problem. Ain’t you God, just re-write it.”

“I am. You’re my ink and active pen, James.”

James stumbles a little when suddenly the dear God in front of him disappears. Before he fathoms it, it reappears and sits on his shoulder, thigh beside James' head. They look like a fond father and beloved son. James thought of hurling him down, but judge this god will stubborn. Hence he gives in and decides to hold onto him.

“… Why me? I know I have a capable mind, but plenty of others are genii among prodigies. Get talented people like Einstein, Nikola Tesla, or DaVinci.”

“Can’t. They are already undertaken by other Gods and sent on their divine mission. You remain the next best choice. I am also only a low God… Forget it. All you need to know is that you’re the only one I can rely on.”

“Even then, am naturally only one man. You know that I can't change the complex causes of your world. It will take time for me to develop the technology.”

“Don’t underestimate your extensive knowledge and social wisdom, James. Furthermore, I am not sending you there naked. I have set you up, so you will have the potential to develop yourself. Also, the body that will accompany your soul will be helpful to you. Although you won’t be strong, so best stick to your clever brain.”

James is inquisitive about his new body abilities but decides to let the kid goes on. He is speaking more urgently now.

“Lastly, as a sincere apology for my previous mistake, I pretty much merge a modern computer to your conscious brain. Just think of your computer, and a screen will show up. I will let you explore its power.”

James instantly thinks and it all appears. Merely glancing over the multiple screens and icons like having 6 six monitors in front of him, he gasps and feels the unlimited potential with this power.

“You’re forgiven,” James justly said.

The wind picks up. The abundant grass and leaves sway. The kid rises from shapely James' shoulders and floats in the peaceful air. James watches as his younger self descends to his eyes level. It gazes seriously at grave James' eyes.

“Time is short-lived. So, ‘Dare or Hell.’”

“Before that, I have a question.”

The minor floating child stays silent.

“Why did God create these life and chaotic worlds?”James asked rhetorically.

“Amusement”, God stated flatly.

“All that suffering and senseless tragedy that you and intelligent beings experience exist all for our amusement.”

“Always has been, huh”

“And always will be”

James sighed and smiles satisfyingly. He gazes at the peaceful plane of grass under a serene azure sky. He senses the tranquility under the shade of the mighty tree as it sways with the wind. He wants to die here if he ever will. He looks back at the child in front of him.

“Dare me.”

“James, I dare you to re-write the cruel fate of the world. Prevent the war and looming catastrophe that will ill befall the bleak world. Preserve the people to the best of your ability. And may you die of old age."

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