After thinking this, Xu Yuan let out a long sigh. This was the first time in a long while that he had miscalculated.

He couldn't blame Notch for failing to meet his expectations.

When it came down to it, it was his own mistake, he had once again fallen into his habitual way of thinking, assuming Notch would think the same way he did.

"It seems both of us need to sort out our thoughts again…"

Xu Yuan didn't plan to keep talking with Notch. Notch's mind was a complete mess right now, and continuing the conversation would be meaningless.

Thinking that, Xu Yuan lifted his eyes toward Notch. At this moment, Notch still seemed to be thinking about the question he had just asked. He was about to answer when Xu Yuan spoke first.

"No need to answer."

"I don't know why you would ask such a question."

"If knowing who I am were really that important to you, you would have already looked into me deeply. You wouldn't be asking something like that."

After saying that, Xu Yuan looked straight at Notch and continued.

"The rainforest welcomes your arrival, and I'm willing to answer your doubts."

"But our meeting was too sudden. Perhaps you haven't yet sorted out your thoughts."

"But there's still time. You can take your time to think."

After speaking, Xu Yuan was about to leave. He hesitated for a moment, then finally reminded Notch.

"Since you want to speak to me as the creator of this game..."

"...you should at least have the basic qualities that come with that identity."

Xu Yuan rarely expressed his thoughts so directly, but after Notch's blunder just now, he could no longer hold the same expectations as before.

So, he decided to make things clearer, to let Notch understand exactly where his problem lay.

At this point, Notch didn't even have the most basic understanding of this game world. So how could he possibly communicate with Xu Yuan as its creator?

Under such circumstances, what meaningful discussion could Xu Yuan even hope to have with him?

Hearing Xu Yuan's words, Notch couldn't help but freeze.

Just as Xu Yuan had predicted, Notch's mind was in complete disarray, he hadn't organized his thoughts at all.

The reason he blurted out "Who are you" earlier was simply because he hadn't yet introduced himself, and Xu Yuan had suddenly said that he already knew who he was.

Notch didn't even think before speaking, he just reacted instinctively.

He had indeed been shocked at the time, and when he thought of the incident with Entity 303, he spoke the first thing that came to mind.

When Xu Yuan asked him whether knowing his identity was really that important, Notch instantly realized how stupid that "Who are you" question had been.

He knew very well that Xu Yuan's identity wasn't what mattered to him.

He was just curious, curious about what kind of existence Xu Yuan really was, and how he knew so much.

But his curiosity hadn't been strong enough to drive him to study Xu Yuan in depth.

So his understanding of Xu Yuan stayed at the surface level.

All he'd done was skim through that fifty-plus gigabyte archive, and most of it was just player discussions about Xu Yuan.

Even though Notch had gone through it, it was basically just "marked as read." He hadn't really thought about what he was reading.

Later, when he got involved in handling problems, it was only to maintain the game's operation.

After all, the game's situation was changing, and the players' living space was shrinking fast. He had to do something.

Up until he entered the rainforest area, Notch had never intended to truly understand Xu Yuan.

But when he learned about the rainforest's rules, and saw how the player captains' trade teams were changing, Notch's thoughts began to shift.

He started to realize that Xu Yuan wasn't as simple as he had imagined.

In Notch's mind, Xu Yuan had just been a mysterious, powerful monster that had somehow spawned inside the game world.

Everything Xu Yuan did, he thought, was for himself. Even his fight with the Void was simply because the Void threatened him.

But after witnessing the rainforest's rules, Notch finally understood that Xu Yuan's actions and decisions didn't seem to be just for himself.

That's why Notch wanted to learn more about him, to understand his thinking, and why he had created those rules.

So Notch decided to talk to Xu Yuan as the game's creator.

If Xu Yuan truly was doing everything not for himself, but for the peace of the entire game world, then Notch had even thought about teaming up with him after leaving the Trial Grounds to solve the world's problems together.

But Xu Yuan's words just now made Notch feel offended.

What did he mean by "should at least have the basic qualities for that identity"?

What kind of "basic qualities" was he talking about? Isn't the creator's role to solve the problems of this world?

Wasn't that exactly why Notch had come to talk to him, to solve problems?

Thinking that, Notch stopped the departing Xu Yuan and argued back.

"I don't think I lack the basic qualities a game creator should have."

"I joined the rainforest on my own and revealed my identity to talk with you precisely because I want to fix the problems this world faces."

"Maybe the question I blurted out earlier made you misunderstand me. After all, we've never met before, it's natural I'd be a little curious."

He paused, then continued.

"I don't need time to sort my thoughts. My mind is clear right now. I just want to discuss the problems this world faces, and how to fix them."

"In my eyes, you've already created a perfect solution. I just don't know if your purpose behind it is the same as what I imagined."

"So I want to understand what you're thinking."

Hearing Notch's words, Xu Yuan stopped walking.

Notch's words had clearly revealed what he truly thought.

He seemed to have ignored the Void entirely, believing the biggest problem in this world was simply the conflict between players and native beings.

Notch appeared confident in his view, naively thinking that if that conflict could be resolved, everything else would fall into place.

That alone proved he had never truly understood this game world.

His response only confirmed what Xu Yuan had already suspected.

Right now, Notch truly lacked the basic qualities of a creator.

He didn't even understand the fundamental state of this world, yet he wanted to solve its problems from above.

Thinking that, Xu Yuan took a deep breath, turned around, and met Notch's gaze. His expression was calm, but the strength in his eyes was undeniable.

"Do you understand this world?"

"Do you understand what all the living beings in this world think?"

"Do you know what kind of crisis this world is about to face?"

"Do you know what the greatest problem of this world really is?"

Xu Yuan's voice was low and firm, carrying an unquestionable weight.

That series of questions hit Notch like a hammer to the chest.

His eyes widened in confusion as he stared at Xu Yuan, a look of shock and uncertainty spreading across his face.

Notch fell silent for a moment, seemingly forming an answer in his mind, but just as he was about to speak, Xu Yuan interrupted again.

"I don't need your answer right now," Xu Yuan said steadily.

"I told you, you need to clear your thoughts."

"None of these questions matter yet. What matters is, do you truly understand this world?"

At that, Xu Yuan's eyes met Notch's again. His gaze was calm, but it was as sharp as a blade, as if it could pierce straight into Notch's heart.

He spoke once more, slowly.

"Do you really want to solve this world's problems?"

"Or are you just acting out of duty, doing something only because you think you have to?"

In truth, when Notch had first asked "Who are you," Xu Yuan hadn't reached the peak of his disappointment.

As Notch himself had said, it was just a thoughtless slip of the tongue.

At that moment, Xu Yuan merely realized that Notch's mindset wasn't what he'd hoped for, and he began to wonder whether Notch truly understood this world.

That was why Xu Yuan had bluntly reminded him, as a creator, he should at least possess the fundamental awareness that came with that role.

It wasn't meant as mockery, it was a sincere suggestion that Notch should delve deeper into the world he himself had made.

But to Xu Yuan's surprise, Notch had reacted emotionally, even arguing back.

From his expression, it was obvious he felt deeply wronged.

Yet, rather than disproving Xu Yuan's assumption, his response only confirmed it further.

Through that argument, Xu Yuan finally saw Notch's true nature.

He finally understood why Notch was so different from the person he'd imagined.

Everything Notch had done wasn't born from his own will.

He was constantly being pushed forward by the weight of his "creator" identity.

He had entered the Trial Grounds simply out of curiosity. Later, he met Stephen, and through him learned about the fates of the animal and monster factions.

That was when he suddenly remembered his identity as the game's creator, and decided he "should" do something.

But was it really only after meeting Stephen that he became aware of the suffering of this world's living beings?

The game had long since birthed conscious life. The wars among those native beings, and between them and the players, had been going on for ages.

Even if he weren't the game's creator, even if he were just an ordinary player, he should have known that by now, shouldn't he?

Even if he hadn't paid much attention before, even if he had ignored the news, was he stupid? Was he incapable of thinking?

Once this world's native beings gained self-awareness, war was inevitable because of the game's original hostility settings.

Players, seeking resources, were bound to clash with those conscious native beings.

Could he really not see that?

Who was he? He was Notch, a man who had created a phenomenon-level game at a young age.

He was a genius. How could he not see something that even ordinary people could understand?

The truth was, he had seen it.

From the moment he learned the beings in this world had consciousness, he had already realized everything. He just didn't want to face it.

Why? Because at that time, he hadn't yet truly confronted this game world. He hadn't yet taken on the weight of being its creator.

Back then, he saw himself only as a company CEO.

As a CEO, all he had to do was keep the game running.

Whatever nonsense happened inside the game world, that wasn't his problem. That's what all those programmers were for.

As long as the chaos inside didn't affect the game's operation, he could pretend not to see it.

That way, he didn't have to feel any guilt or pressure.

He could stay detached, an outsider watching from above.

After all, he hadn't caused the beings' self-awareness. He didn't have to take responsibility for it.

But when he met Stephen, he was finally reminded of his other identity, the game's creator.

He couldn't run anymore. Because once he learned Stephen's story, and the stories of this world's native beings, if he still chose to do nothing, then his conscience would never let him rest.