CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 49: "SAVIOR

"It seems, it really seems to be true, screenshots are flooding the forums, I can recognize them even with my eyes closed." A few players whispered among themselves.

"...So now there are hundreds of millions of people watching us? Oh my god..."

"He really doesn’t look that big... I thought they used a filter in the livestream."

"Should we try to cozy up to him?"

"You dare to approach, go ahead, I heard he’s terrifying to Adventurer Players. It’s fine to admire from a distance, but to get close... haven’t you seen the livestream clips people made about him on the forums? They’ve gone viral... I’m really afraid of getting stabbed in the palm."

The others spontaneously gathered and started whispering among themselves, having understood the importance of collaboration from the Apocalyptic World, but Su Ming’an no longer cast a glance their way.

At that moment, a loud metallic sound came from ahead.

"Zizz-zizz-zizz—!"

The enormous silver-white gates in front of them slowly slid open to the sides, revealing the steel corridor bridge inside, as if welcoming them.

While the others were still discussing, Su Ming’an took the lead and stepped forward, but as he was about to enter through the gate, he suddenly felt a strong force brutally hitting him.

Just three points of Shadow State Strength made him stagger, forcing him several steps back, while the burly man with a fierce and evil appearance glanced at him triumphantly.

"What Number One Player, the forums nearly revered you as a god, but you’re just a green young boy after all." He glared at Su Ming’an and made a throat-slashing gesture at his neck, "Watch out, this is a competitive instance, having a bunch of little girls as viewers won’t help you, Strength is the only absolute power!"

Eli had been a gang leader in the previous instance and was known for his strong build and ruthless character, and was a figure on the pre-selection list. After finding out his real-life brother had encountered Su Ming’an and been killed by him, he harbored hatred in his heart.

...And, as luck would have it, they ended up meeting in the Second World.

He had seen Su Ming’an’s combat clips, and the highly praised abilities, in his opinion, were nothing more than random hacking with high Four Dimensions Attributes and the real body being so weak without any addition of Physical Strength or Strength, the only thing slightly threatening was the Annihilation up to the finger— which was rather useless.

He provocatively watched Su Ming’an, who just steadied himself and showing no response, seeming directly stunned by the hit, he smugly walked in first.

In fact, Su Ming’an was indeed a bit dazed.

...Since entering the game, he had seen those who tried to curry favor, those who worshipped, those indifferent, those who wanted to network, and those who planned murder for treasure—the only ones he hadn’t seen were those who courted death so blatantly.

If one harbored hatred against him, wouldn’t it be better to wait for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow, rather than so blatantly showing one’s hostility? Would this really increase their chances of winning?

Su Ming’an didn’t quite understand Eli’s thinking, but the live comments exploded:

[I kiao! To think he dared to bump into Brother Ming’an, punch him!]

[The lad has guts, but he might be going too far, standing shoulder to shoulder with the sun.]

[First time seeing a legendary antagonist in person, and indeed they seem rather low in intelligence]

[To pick a fight with Brother Ming’an... He might not have yet seen true terror...]

[How come my husband’s so easy to knock over, he stepped back several paces, how’s he not claiming this back?]

[Brother Ming’an is so easy to push over (doghead.jpg)]

[Su the God is never quick to anger haha, this bit of provocation is nothing, we just need to await the champ of courting death’s outcome~]

[Moment of silence, hope the other guy is okay]

...

After that man rushed in, the few others seemed scared stiff by Eli’s courage and didn’t move.

Su Ming’an rubbed the spot where he was hit and walked straight in, observing the scene inside.

The interior of the Floating City was unusually spacious, with small wireless machines dragging monitors flying along predefined tracks in the air.

Noises of clouds being sliced passed overhead, and iron-gray airplanes swept across like chill crows. Contrary to the pristine whiteness of the exterior, the inside of the Mechanical Floating City was nearly rotting in its splendor, with iron-gray and silver-gray buildings densely packed under a starless sky, the whole place enshrouded in darkness, illuminated by industrial light pollution into a kaleidoscope of colors.

— The saturation of lights here was extremely high, the air carried a distinct scent of rust, and the entire city resembled a withered rose decaying.

For the first time, Su Ming’an truly stood in a scene that only existed in movies, pausing on the corridor bridge, his hand on the railing, looking down at the decaying lights of the city below.

...

Gordon was an ordinary player, but lucky to have survived, he continued his adventures into the Second World.

Upon seeing the Number One Player, that almost dna-encoded appearance instantly revived his memories of the World Forums — every time he opened the World Forums, he could see this person’s screenshots or name.

He intended to greet him, yet always felt he couldn’t find the opportunity, upon seeing Su Ming’an on the corridor bridge seemingly enjoying the view, he immediately seized the chance and walked over.

"Um, Number One Player, hello! I’ve always admired your bravery. They say you’re just lucky, but I think... the way you defeated Eni was simply cool!"

Gordon received a momentary glance from Su Ming’an, and then the look that came his way gradually faded. The Number One Player gave him a nod, "Thank you."

Gordon smiled—he understood. The Number One Player had faced many people like him; it might just be in his nature. To receive his thanks, Gordon felt quite satisfied.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of movement coming from across the Corridor Bridge—from another door came five other players, and as the leader approached, Gordon noticed the usually sparse comments in his live stream suddenly explode.

[—My goodness! It’s him! It’s really him!]

[Noel, Noel! (waving glow sticks)]

[To meet like this against such small odds, this is a meeting of the century!]

[Silently taking screenshots; this confrontation will definitely be spectacular.]

[A battlefield for two super powerhouses... My condolences to the streamer and the other players...]

...

The approaching person was dressed in Western aristocratic attire, a dark red coat draped over a pristine white shirt, the lapel adorned with a gemstone red as fire.

He had beautiful golden semi-long hair flowing to his shoulders, his deeply profound eyes streaming bright in cascading lights. His steps were steady, his posture graceful, each move as if stepping on musical notes; he seemed like a noble from the Middle Ages, walking as if bathed in light—if one could overlook his height of around 1.6 meters and his youthful face.

Gordon instantly recognized him—it was Noel, ranked second in the world!

Famous for his high combat limit, although young, his precisely calculated combat skills were indeed overwhelming. It was said no one had ever seen him at a disadvantage.

Forums had broken down arguing who was stronger, Su Ming’an or him, even setting up a large-scale poll, but the results had Noel winning by a narrow margin—after all, from a direct combat perspective, Su Ming’an’s main body was too fragile; they felt it was very easy to defeat him if they just ignored his cloning.

Noel, as he approached, seemed to notice these five players too. His gaze fixed precisely on Su Ming’an and then, smiling, he said, "Hello, Number One Player, I’ve long admired you."

"Hello."

Gordon noticed that Su Ming’an’s attitude towards Noel was much the same as towards him, equally cool and distant, which somewhat reassured him—it wasn’t that he was distinctly unlikable.

However, just then, Su Ming’an’s gaze landed on Noel’s hand.

There, a pristine white mark, a symbol of a Perfect Pass.

Then, Gordon saw, the Number One Player’s eyes gradually changed.

They became extremely focused, completely different from the way he looked at strangers.

"You are Noel... right?" Su Ming’an suddenly stepped forward, closing the distance in an instant.

"Ah, ah? Yes." Noel was taken aback.

Su Ming’an’s tone suddenly became very gentle, "What do you think about what I said before, Noel?"

"Uh... that thing about the Lighthouse? I think, if you can keep winning, maybe a spirit leader might emerge..." Noel seemed indifferent, mainly thrown off by the other’s sudden approach.

After a thought, he added, "But after all, it’s a game for all of humanity; even if someone does win till the end, they still need the overall points... right?"

"You’re right," Su Ming’an said with a smile: "I haven’t completely denied the value of others; I just think that, in such a game, everyone needs to gradually understand their ’place.’"

"I have no objections to that," Noel nodded, "So, are you saying ’everyone should do what they’re supposed to do’?"

"Not entirely," Su Ming’an smiled: "Someone ordinary like me may not have the right to consider himself a Lighthouse. What I think is, aside from ’others’, there could be truly great people like you, Noel, who are dazzlingly brilliant, who could lead everyone who is confused..."

The players standing behind, waiting for a confrontation between the top two elites, were stunned by this scene.

Gordon suddenly understood Su Ming’an’s attitude.

... This person wasn’t naturally aloof; he was a zealot fixated only on the ’Lighthouse.’ His eyes were reserved only for those who could achieve a Perfect Pass... thus all other colors naturally dimmed in his view, sparing no attention to them due to his somewhat fanatical zeal.

... Was it because he met a competitor on his level that he was so joyful?

... Indeed, that must be the attitude of the strong.

Gordon suddenly remembered a hotly debated phrase about Su Ming’an himself from global forums:

[When one becomes a savior, it feels no different from being pushed onto the guillotine.]

... Although the Number One Player can’t exactly be called a savior—being under the gaze of the whole world, there must be a dramatic difference from before.

After all, so many were watching him.