CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 68: NUMBER ONE PLAYER, YOU ARE TRULY SELFISH

"Ding-dong!"

[Received a video request.]

Su Ming’an glanced at the screen, which was flashing the name "Lv Shu."

"What’s up?" he answered, only to see Lv Shu’s usual expressionless face.

"Su Ming’an, you must keep going," Lv Shu said abruptly.

"?"

"You’ve noticed, haven’t you? The players willing to join the game are getting fewer and fewer," Lv Shu said, "The Main God Space is built so comfortably, the spectators’ sense of superiority as they look down has grown even more severe. They’d rather sip tea and laugh, watching like a reality show as players dodge and hide in the dangerous game world, dying miserably rather than entering themselves... Fewer and fewer are willing to participate in the game. Moreover, there are also a large number of players who are willing to give up their human identity to stay in the instance forever..."

Su Ming’an remembered the system prompts in the second instance, which seemed to be continuously urging him to become an "Observer"—to stay in the Daylight Floating City and become its sole ruler.

It must be said that for an ordinary player, staying in the cool Mechanical City, having so many bionic people at one’s disposal, becoming the supreme ruler, and having the beautiful Nuoliya... Many might find it impossible to refuse. Their choice to stay in the instance forever and never return was understandable.

The number of players, in reality, was decreasing.

Even the number of "humans" was truly decreasing.

The organizers are making a silent, soft cut. They won’t let you truly die but will allow people to willingly indulge, degenerate, and fragment... before contentedly becoming a data point within the instance, enjoying a fictitious reality.

Su Ming’an felt a sense of crisis.

"I naturally intend to go to the end," he said.

...Whether it’s speculation or whether the ultimate goal is achievable.

Since he was different from others, possessing a unique ability to rewind death... he needed to shoulder this responsibility. He was willing to hypnotize himself, to believe he was on the path to victory, to believe he must succeed, even if the chances were very slim...

"In three hours, the Guild Headquarters will open, and then it will be our guild’s independent space, where over ten thousand top guild players will gather," Lv Shu said, "Number One Player, say a few words then."

"A public speech?" Su Ming’an looked down at his inventory: "Sure, no problem."

"And..." Lv Shu paused for a moment, Su Ming’an slightly lifted his eyes, catching Lv Shu’s fervent gaze sweeping over him, a scarlet butterfly resting on his fingertip:

"Later... in the Main God Space of the same district, let’s meet at a teahouse," Lv Shu said.

"Alright." Su Ming’an activated all his stealth settings, then donned his cloak and pushed the door open.

Lv Shu provided a coordinate. Upon leaving, entering the coordinate would take him directly to the server where Lv Shu was located.

[You are about to enter the Main God Plaza (Server 2465—Due to the plethora of player spectators, the system automatically divides the Main God Plaza into fifty thousand, each capable of accommodating twenty thousand players.)]

Light cascaded in as the iron door opened, flooding over him. Ahead lay the sun-drenched, bustling plaza, the familiar old Boss Rabbit fountain sculpture rippling with brilliant waters, the view splendidly radiant.

The number of players setting up stalls was not as high as at the end of the first world; instead, there were small shops set up along both sides. The central square primarily comprised various equipment and potion shops, while the surrounding streets branched out into various leisure-type shops.

Su Ming’an first spotted the ocher-red building in the very center of his view. Many players were going in and out along a laid-out red carpet, and a golden [Auction House] sign hung on the door—probably the update content for this time, so players wouldn’t need to needle the haystack of stalls to buy things anymore.

Next to it was a ring-shaped steel-gray building, seemingly open-air. The sunlight above made the steel gleam brilliantly, and it also saw considerable foot traffic. It was likely the [Arena] that the system talked about, a great place for real combat training. Some less popular players could also boost their popularity here.

He knew the Main God Plaza had been informally segmented by the players into areas like the Dragon Country area and other national areas, with people of different nationalities living in different servers, as if Zhai Xing had been recreated. The numerically earlier areas, like the 1st and 2nd, were even divided into the Central District and military zones, with things like the United Group and troops being established, apparently to maintain the peace of the Main God World.

Su Ming’an headed straight toward the coordinates given by Lv Shu, turning into a street that seemed to be a residential area. The buildings on both sides also featured the style of Dragon Country, with white walls and black tiles, green vines entwined upon them. The shops on either side tended toward the ancient town style of Dragon Country. Su Ming’an even spotted a Hanfu shop, an antique shop, and more.

He made his way to the front of the tea house and was immediately greeted by someone. Despite its modest appearance, the tea house was surprisingly buzzing with activity, spread across three floors, where many players sat by wooden windows, chatting and sipping tea.

However, their gazes all subtly drifted upwards, as if they were watching someone.

[Su Ming’an: Where are you?] Su Ming’an sent a private message.

[Lv Shu: Come to the second floor.]

"I have an appointment," Su Ming’an told the approaching tea house owner before heading up the stairs.

...And then he finally understood why the tea house was so crowded.

Sitting by the lattice window, a youth with the lifeless eyes of a dead fish was looking this way. He was dressed in black Hanfu, with a green mantis and a crimson butterfly quietly perched on his shoulder. The light haloed his serene features, his distinct black-and-white eyes shimmered as if washed over by water, creating a scene as beautifully serene as an ink painting.

...Lv Shu was actually making no effort to hide at all!

Sure enough, the other players’ gazes drifted more or less in that direction, whispering about the deeds of "Lv Shu."

Su Ming’an, cloaked in a full-body cape, walked over and sat opposite him. He noticed there was a beautiful young girl sitting next to Lv Shu, her long twin ponytails dangling, her phoenix eyes lifting to reveal sharp, knife-like brilliance, almost clashing metallically in a split second.

"Number Three in the World Rankings, Mizushima Kawa Sora." The girl extended her hand, her eyes sparkling brilliantly, her voice soft, yet her gaze startlingly vivid: "Hello, Number One Player, I’ve long admired your reputation."

Luckily, she was more discreet than Lv Shu, speaking in a low voice that others couldn’t hear.

"Su Ming’an." Su Ming’an briefly shook her hand and withdrew his own, noticing her slender fingers didn’t seem suited for wielding a samurai blade, more like they belonged on piano keys... moreover, on the back of her hand were two distinct white pattern marks, proof of two complete perfect passes.

A genuine smile spread across his lips.

Meanwhile, Lv Shu stood up to brew tea for him, his technique professional, his jade-like face slightly blurred amidst the fragrant tea aroma. Without the sharpness typically associated with controlling mantises for slaughter, his whole being radiated calmness and warmth, reminding Su Ming’an of the tranquil energy back in Dragon Country after emerging from a brutal manhunt.

Su Ming’an glanced at the tea, which suddenly displayed an introduction interface:

[Longjing (Exceptional Quality)]

Type: Unique mental recovery item

Effect: After consuming, temporarily increases Mentality Points by 3-6. As it is a unique recovery item, it has a non-stackable effect.

Manufacturing Requirements: High Level Tea Brewing Skill, Top-Tier Tea Leaves, Suitable Environment, Tea Brewing Props, At least 10 minutes preparation time. With conditions met, can be produced in the game world.

Description: Who will have the fortune to taste the tea personally brewed using Lv.7 Tea Brewing Skill (logistical skill) by the Number Four in the World Rankings?]

Su Ming’an thought this might be the most useless skill Lv Shu possessed.

"Su Ming’an, I have heard of your exploits and seen the compilations those players made about you," Mizushima Kawa Sora fixed her gaze on him: "I admire you... in many ways. But I still have my doubts."

"Please, go ahead."

"I have always been puzzled..." Mizushima Kawa Sora lightly tapped her patterned hand back: "about your prescient knowledge of many future events. Some things have no signs at all, like the weakness of the mechanical women in the Second World, yet you seemed to have always known about them. Many players have debated this on forums. Although some suggest you might have a special skill, others suspect you might be an undercover agent sent by the organizers. They think the organizers want to elevate you to Number One to push the people of Zhai Xing to despair."

Lv Shu gave Su Ming’an a covert glance.

"...I see," Su Ming’an smiled, "It’s okay, I can understand having such thoughts... after all, they are a group of Light Pursuers. But, my Lighthouse, Miss Mizushima Kawa Sora, what do you think?"

Through the mist of the tea, he could see the girl’s eyelashes trembling close in front of him, quivering like the wings of a butterfly.

"I don’t believe it." Mizushima Kawa Sora took a sip of her tea: "Your will, your rationale, everything you’ve shown... none seem like something a high-dimensional life undercover agent could possess. I believe you are human, because humans possess endless possibilities... We also speculated about what might be garnered from a perfect pass, so, Number One Player, what would your wish be?"

Su Ming’an’s fingertips trembled.

Lv Shu prepared the tea and placed it in front of Su Ming’an, then sat down quietly without saying a word throughout.

"—We have always been concerned about this." Her voice suddenly drew closer.

Su Ming’an suddenly felt a shadow envelop him, he lifted his head and saw Mizushima Kawa Sora’s pair of dark eyes, the warmth of the tea swirling with mist that spilled in front of his own eyes.

"If you want us to support you, to trust you, you need to tell us what we need to know," Mizushima Kawa Sora said, her distance very close, her long eyelashes nearly brushing his face, the girl’s fair complexion also blurred by a light white mist from the tea, "As the Number One Player, if you want us to follow you, you should at least tell us the most important reason."

"Are you threatening me?" Su Ming’an detected an underlying threat in her words.

"Although I acknowledge your status as a human player, I still doubt your intentions," Mizushima Kawa Sora spoke faintly, "After all, from the surface, you seem the type who would sacrifice comrades for a measly amount of perfect Points. I can’t trust in the goodness of humanity, nor do I think you are entirely evil. But if you insist on hiding, I will only think you have an ulterior motive—when a person is elevated to the status of a god, all desires are magnified because to him, everything seems within reach, and the Number One Player is no exception."

"What do you think my wish could be? World peace?" Su Ming’an said, "Miss Mizushima, your words tell me that you think the ’Number One Player’ must be selfless, must have no desires—your level of moral coercion could compete with that of the audience."

Mizushima Kawa Sora’s gaze upon him became even more intense, and then, she slowly moved back to her position.

"What reward would one get for a Perfect Pass of all levels? That’s already a common speculation among people," Mizushima Kawa Sora said. "I have asked Boss Rabbit exactly what one would get that you are so obsessed with, but he refused to tell me."

...Naturally, Boss Rabbit would not easily spill the beans.

Su Ming’an had obtained this answer through a combination of a well-timed persuasion of death and Boss Rabbit’s playful nature. If Mizushima Kawa Sora had asked so straightforwardly, it would have only dismissed her with laughter.

"The power to rule the world? The strongest strength? Immortality? Or what?" Mizushima Kawa Sora pressed on, "What do you get from Perfectly Passing all levels that makes you so obsessed?"

Su Ming’an smiled at her, "What do you think, ’Selfless’ Miss Mizushima? You should have guessed by now, to Perfectly Pass all levels—you naturally get, what you want, everything..."

Mizushima Kawa Sora showed a "just as I thought" expression, and then, she slightly raised her voice:

"Then what about you? What do you want to gain, you fervent Number One Player?"

Lv Shu tugged at her sleeve; he hadn’t expected her probing questions to amplify to this extent, this almost confrontational stance... which was different from what they had agreed upon beforehand.

The other people in the teahouse swept their gazes over, mixed with whispering.

"...That seems to be Mizushima Kawa Sora, ranked third, she’s also there..."

"Lv Shu is there too, what are they arguing about?"

"The person sitting across has a hidden identity, I wonder who it really is, why does it feel like they’ve been scolded?"

"Big shots fighting, that’s fresh, but this place is getting more and more crowded... it seems like everyone has received the news that the third and fourth ranks are here."

"..."

Mizushima Kawa Sora also noticed that her voice had become louder, she sat back down, her gaze briefly stern.

"You might not know this, Number One Player, but your actions in the first two Worlds have been extremely outrageous, you’ve not led well at all," Mizushima Kawa Sora said. "I cannot let you continue to rule. Those supporting your Lighthouse faction are almost becoming insane, living like heretics, madly spreading your deeds on forums, even seeing you as the only god... If this continues, even after the game ends, Zhai Xing... will become a Zhai Xing ruled by a dictator like you."

"Mizushima...," Lv Shu spoke up from beside, "Su Ming’an isn’t like that, the Light Pursuers are merely attracted by his everlasting vision for the future, he’s actually a kind, good person..."

"You make a fair point, ’Selfless’ Miss Mizushima," Su Ming’an interrupted, his gaze meeting Mizushima Kawa Sora’s, his smile at the corners of his lips growing clearer, "I am... just an ordinary person. You see, before entering the game, I was just a college student from Dragon Country, I hadn’t even stepped into society. My thoughts are so naive. As the Number One Player, I should be kind and compassionate, I should extend a helping hand to every player in distress—this is the Number One Player you like, right?"

Mizushima Kawa Sora stood up, her long ponytail swishing through the warm mist, stirring an enchanting mist around her eyes.

"I was indeed not worried without reason," she said quietly.

"Are you trying to stop me?" Su Ming’an looked up and smiled at her.

"I will replace someone like you to become the ultimate victor, perfectly passing all the levels. It will be me," Mizushima Kawa Sora said. "I will make a wish that makes everything better, whether your motives are noble or selfish. I will keep the initiative in my own hands—definitely, definitely not let the chance to receive the final reward fall into the hands of someone like you."

"Truly a shining lighthouse..." Su Ming’an spread his hands. "Then, use everything you’ve got to stop me! To prevent someone like me from winning in the end, please, selfless Miss Mizushima Kawa Sora, strive with all your might to win in the end?"

Mizushima Kawa Sora looked at this man.

...He seemed genuinely happy.

...Absolutely baffling.

Her teacup clattered crisply on the table as she set it down.

"Such a dangerous person," she said. "Control over Zhai Xing absolutely must not fall into your hands. Number One Player—fits someone more stable and empathetic. You ascended to your coronation in everybody’s eyes by stepping on your comrade Yuanyuan’s remains and showed no remorse for it... Su Ming’an, I once thought you had a chance to be redeemed, that you could become the savior of everyone, but after this conversation, I think you are too dangerous... I no longer support you. I will become the strongest in the world game, and will never let Zhai Xing fall under your control."

Her voice did not conceal anything; the entire tea house heard her clearly, and in an instant, it went silent.

She picked up the coat from the back of her chair and left swiftly without casting another glance.

"Su Ming’an..." Lv Shu seemed startled by her decisiveness. He had not expected this high-level meeting of the First Guild to turn out this way.

The murmurs around them gradually grew louder; people were surprised and confused that the cloaked man was Number One Player Su Ming’an, but the words Mizushima Kawa Sora had spoken were too shocking, and many had already begun recording and taking screenshots to discuss it on forums.

"Mizushima Kawa shouldn’t have done that, shouldn’t have publicly accused you like this, bringing about such mediatized consequences..." Lv Shu frowned slightly.

"The people you brought really didn’t think it through," Su Ming’an looked down and sipped his tea.

Since the "selfless" third-ranked player wanted to forcibly impose such sanctimonious roles on him... this conversation must only be a prelude to her declaration of war.

She merely wanted to challenge the "Number One Player," seeking a "legitimate" reason to wave her own flag.

Perhaps, before long, she would officially come knocking on his door.

In such a game that stirs up strife among humans themselves... were her foolish actions merely youthful impetuosity, or was there an unseen hand behind it pushing her?

He considered his own behavior desperate enough, almost a survival tactic in the cracks—using unknown creatures’ given chips to challenge other unknown entities, with uncertain outcomes...

Yet, there were others even more outrageous than him.

He admired a [Lighthouse] like her, someone so dedicated to a perfect pass; the more, the better.

...But he felt sad for her behavior of stirring up internal strife.

Such people, even if they win in the end... would they truly make a worthwhile wish?

People’s hearts change. Rather than placing hopes on others, he preferred having a more fault-tolerant self to fight.

"Su Ming’an, Mizushima Kawa Sora is always a bit inexplicable... you shouldn’t take her words too seriously... This game is inherently competitive, and if a perfect pass can indeed grant everything, then it’s right for you to strive for it!" Lv Shu said, observing Su Ming’an as if he intended to leave, urging quickly.

And then, he saw the nearly tragic expression in the other’s gaze.

"...No worries, even if it’s a mistake, even if I end up guessing wrong in the end... it’s just my own lack of ability," Su Ming’an murmured softly, then raised his voice and laughed:

"The tea is delicious, the clothes are elegant, thank you... Lv Shu."

As he spoke, he then ignored the glances from all the players and walked out with long strides.