"I……"

​​

After hearing Noel's words, Luna was taken aback.

​​

Her words were kept in her mouth.

​​

Earlier, she had noticed that the atmosphere on the city wall was not right.

​​

Those players looked at the boat as if they were looking at the enemy, constantly complaining about "being implicated" and "it's all the fault of the first player's sword". However, in fact, before that, when the Kraken attacked, they who only had experience points in their eyes were actually the fastest.

​​

Once they can't beat it, once the situation starts to reverse, they are the first to complain.

​​

Even Luna herself... realized with some shame that she seemed to subconsciously put all the responsibility on Su Ming'an.

​​

She even said "what is the first player thinking, can we survive in the end?" This should be irrelevant.

​​

She subconsciously took Su Ming'an as the leader, and even pinned her life and death on a question.

​​

Even she, who is not an ordinary player and has a certain wisdom and strength, has an unknowing dependence on the first player, which is terrifying to her.

​​

"I have watched Su Ming'an's live recording, I fast-forwarded and watched all of his." Nuoer said this to Luna's group and in front of the hundreds of millions of live broadcast rooms: "In the first place The second world is nothing more than the second world. At that time, the players were still independent and not so dependent. When it came to the fifth world... the mentality of the players began to change.

​​

Follow, encircle, imitate, assassinate...

​​

They don't seem to focus on their own strengthening and customs clearance, but like playing the dungeon into a boss containment battle for the first player, and even channel chat can be the effect of the first player's personal live broadcast room.

​​

Now, this phenomenon is even more obvious.

​​

Everyone... everyone's eyes were focused on him. Some of them even gave up thinking and only focused on his shadow and followed him.

​​

The individual's initiative has been completely weakened by his influence. When they know that "the first player is also in this dungeon", the purpose of many people has undergone metamorphic changes.

​​

...they have truly become a group that can be easily influenced, driven, and lose their ability to think - easily moved by his actions and easily influenced by his words. Their eyes have converged uncontrollably into one place. "

​​

He stared at Luna who said nothing, and paused for a moment.

​​

Luna lowered her eyelids slightly and frowned, she seemed to be thinking too.

​​

The heavy snow fell on her hair, gradually covering it with snow white. Even the four armored team members who followed her were motionless at this moment, like stone statues falling snow.

​​

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

​​

"...But maybe this is what he wanted." But at this moment, seeing her frowning, Nuoer suddenly smiled.

​​

"What?" Luna hadn't gotten out of her thoughts.

​​

"The lighthouse theory has been proposed since the first world." Noel said in a very low voice, almost murmured.

​​

He turned around, and the corners of his mouth twitched: "...he is really a foresighted person."

​​

Luna was slightly stunned.

​​

The moment he turned around, she saw that his eyes were extremely bright.

​​

... As if a bright fire was burning in his eyes, the light flickered.

​​

He left at a very fast pace, and the short man slipped away when he twisted, as if he had planned to run away after speaking, and he didn't even give her a chance to ask questions.

​​

Her eyes were still dumbfounded, she didn't realize why Noel was so happy.

​​

But when she thought about what he just said, her expression gradually became solemn.

​​

...the lighthouse theory?

​​

It seems that she needs to study this thing after the dungeon is over.

​​

It seems that it is not just a wicked speech used to confuse those low-level players.

​​

She stood there, the wind and snow pressed down on her shoulders.

​​

In her field of vision, in the channel chat, the players are still communicating.

​​

"Where's the first player? Shouldn't he be responsible for dealing with this trouble?"

​​

"Yeah, if it weren't for him, our dungeon wouldn't be so difficult at all! As long as the players who don't participate in the feast at sea can obviously live well!"

​​

"Don't scold, wait for his next move. The first player is probably quite difficult. I just saw him at the dock. He is covered in blood and looks very weak. It should be against the Siren King. It took him a lot of effort, and now he is still lying down and recuperating, everyone should say a few words, this weather is very evil, and people are tired..."

​​

"Yeah, maybe where is he still recovering from his injuries? I don't know if he needs to be taken care of. I see that all his teammates are gone. It's such a cold day..."

​​

……

​​

"Crackling".

​​

The warm firelight beats in the room where the temperature is gradually rising.

​​

The shadow of the flame swayed on the yellow wall, and the air inhaled was extraordinarily warm.

​​

Su Ming'an was lying on the sofa, keeping warm in a very comfortable posture.

​​

The large stove made of flames was placed beside him, and the heat scorched his hands, which were soaked by the seawater, which turned pale, and the warm currents gradually flowed into his limbs.

​​

The player's channel chat, shouting "This ghost weather is really freezing to death," swiped in the lower left corner of his field of vision.

​​

Since the houses near the wharf in the southern district were temporarily requisitioned by local soul hunters, the players who were busy moving bricks were frozen like dogs.

​​

But all this has nothing to do with him.

​​

Because it's really warm inside.

​​

He raised his head.

​​

The knight sitting across from him was writing with his head down.

​​

The light of the fire flickered on Shelude's pale face, and the slightly longer hair on his temples was sticking to his ears. Perhaps because he hadn't had a good rest for a few nights, there was a very obvious bluish black under his eyes.

​​

"I hope... to reach that happy place immediately." He whispered, and Praia's words kept writing under his pen:

​​

"It looks like a beautiful fertile soil from a distance, a... fertile scene, containing lovely treasures."

​​

Writing here, his pen paused.

​​

"The next sentence is, such people are the happiest and happiest." Su Ming'an answered.

​​

As he spoke, he bit the chocolate that replenished his energy, feeling that the chocolate was all warm.

​​

"Thank you." Xie Lude immediately lowered his head and wrote this sentence.

​​

Su Mingan glanced at it and saw that the new pages of the notebook on Xie Lude's lap were almost full.

​​

Just now, Shelude asked a lot of questions.

​​

He asked about the taste of chocolate, what Christmas is, the poems that the young couple players have read, and what the distant world looks like.

​​

Like a child who has just opened the door to the new world, he is like a sponge that absorbs water, eagerly asking stories about the new world.

​​

"Spencer, love sonnets." Su Ming'an looked at the words that Xie Lude continued to write: "There are players who are still in the mood to read poems in the copy?"

​​

"When I was patrolling the royal city, I saw a couple of noble men and women walking." Shelude said: They were talking about poetry. "

​​

"Have fun in the midst of suffering." Su Ming'an said.

​​

He glanced at the system prompt that sounded just now, and Xie Lude's favorability level was now 75.

​​

"Yes, it's very romantic." Xie Lude said with a smile: "I've read all the sacred texts and oracles before, but I've never heard of such poems. Changying likes this."

​​

Speaking of his sister, his eyes dimmed a little, but soon returned to normal.

​​

For what he said, "Holy Texts and Oracles", his attitude was not as respectful as before.

​​

His faith was broken.

​​

The gods who control humans and souls to kill each other are completely contrary to the image of the benevolent, kind, just, and great Yunshangcheng gods he believes in.

​​

The princess with a corrupted soul who was willing to incarnate into the Siren King was completely at odds with the image of the dignified, beautiful, noble, and kind-hearted royal princess he swore.

​​

Half is faith in gods, and half is loyalty to loyalists.

​​

And now, both were torn apart **** in front of him, revealing the ugly reality under disguise.

​​

Even the only support, sister Changying, has not been heard from.

​​

He was very confused for a while.

​​

Everything he had learned before, everything he believed in, burst like a bubble in front of his eyes. Even if he was still standing on this familiar land, he was still like a ship lost in the sea.

​​

"Captain." Shelude looked at him: "I still don't understand. Why did you do these actions."

​​

In his eyes, if Su Ming'an didn't choose to take action against the princess, the princess would not be so desperate that she would sacrifice herself completely and become the Kraken King.

​​

If Su Ming'an didn't rule Praia, the Kraken would not attack the city. The current situation would not be so difficult at all, and so many people would not die.

​​

He was not actually angry with Su Ming'an's behavior, nor did he think it was a rebellious behavior.

​​

However, the calm on the surface is also calm. If the peace in Praia can continue, the lie of the gods, and the mask of Princess Tulip can be maintained.

​​

The stability of Praia is built on the sacrifice of generations. It has experienced disasters, experienced wind and rain, and each time it has been extremely difficult. This kind of stability is too scarce, too rare. No one expects it to disappear completely because of a single act of swerving.

​​

He really wanted an answer.

​​

A Su Rin must choose to break this situation, and must reveal the false answer.

​​

"Crackling".

The fire flickered.

​​

Facing Xie Lude's serious gaze, Su Ming'an put down the chocolate in his hand.

​​

"If a house is a dangerous house, and there is a cold wind outside." He said: "People who live in the house pull out a brick to check whether the house will collapse, and there may be cold winds blowing in. But if he doesn't turn around, he may never know if the place where he lives is a dilapidated house, and he may be buried under the head turn of the whole house at any time.

​​

Of course. The house isn't necessarily a dilapidated one, it's just a risk of collapse.

​​

But if he doesn't turn his head away, he will always live in fear of the house collapsing - then when you know the danger of the house, you will choose to freeze for a period of time and turn your head out to check. Or continue to live unknowingly? "

​​

"..."

​​

Xie Lude was stunned.

​​

His green eyes fluctuated slightly, as if he was thinking about this issue seriously.

​​

……

​​

[npc (Xie Lude) favorability: 75+5 (confidant encounter)]

​​

……

​​

"Your ink."

​​

Su Mingan pointed to his hand, Xie Lude's fingertips trembled, only to realize that under the tip of the pen resting on the page, the ink had melted away, blocking the half-transcribed poem.

​​

He put down the pen, and the green in those eyes fluctuated slightly like the surface of a lake blowing in the breeze.

​​

"I will smoke this brick." After a pause, he said:

​​

"I see. Captain, from your point of view, you have no problem... But, do you want to fight against the gods in the sky as a human being?"

​​

"That's right."

​​

"...That's God, Captain."

​​

"But this is my mission." Su Ming'an said: "As a player, I will do many things that are impossible in your eyes. Because these things are only difficult tasks in my eyes, since they are given to me in the hands, it is not impossible.”

​​

"Player..."

​​

Xie Lude slowly closed the note.

​​

Those green eyes were like fireflies in a summer night, glowing brightly in the fluctuating firelight.

​​

He stared at Su Ming'an, as if making a decision.

​​

"I heard them call you before." He said, "Captain, your real name is...Su Ming'an, right?"

​​

"Yes."

​​

"They call you the No. 1 player, and everyone's communication is almost inseparable from you. You are the strongest among these other world travelers, aren't you?"

​​

"right."

​​

"Miss Lin Yin once told me that there are many people in your world who can see us through your eyes. Is this true?"

​​

"Yes." Su Mingan nodded.

​​

"Then, can you help me with a question? Just ask that question." Shelude said softly, "...Am I considered an independent creature in their eyes?"

​​

Su Ming'an ignored the barrage that rushed through his eyes.

​​

He didn't read the audience's answers at all.

​​

"Of course you count." Su Ming'an said, "In the previous world, I met a girl named Hui Shuhang, and she told me that everything we saw and thought was based on personal experience. The real truth. We don't regret the choices we make at the moment, and the moments we experience belong to us - then, it doesn't matter whether the world is fake or not, you have to believe that you are talking to me at this time You are an independent and free creature."

​​

After he finished speaking, he accurately heard the prompt sound from the system.

​​

……

​​

[npc (Xie Lude) favorability: 80+10 (Standing together through thick and thin)]

​​

……

​​

Su Mingan felt a little sad.

​​

Looking at Shelude's slightly bright eyes after hearing this, he felt even more sadness.

​​

Even if he said this, the extremely precise system prompt still reminded him of the identity of the NPC in front of him.

​​

Even if he said that Xie Lude was an independent thinking creature, he knew very clearly that Xie Lude could not escape the shackles of the system at all.

​​

The system can monitor his voice, measure his emotions, and feed back his favor in a numerical mode. Including the words that She Luther said now, it seems to be in line with the setting of "an NPC who has awakened self-awareness".

​​

This kind of mechanism, this kind of character, is indistinguishable from the favorability games that Su Mingan played before, and those NPCs that exist on the computer screen.

​​

After all, the young man in the armor in front of him is regarded as a character in the story, as a microcosm of the image of the "Knight of Light" on this land.

​​

Or consider it as a free soul, a "person" who can communicate independently with a "player" like him?

​​

……

​​

[...Captain, I envy you all very much. 】

​​

[You don't need to bear unforgettable hatred, implement the ideals of generations, and passively fight for the origin of history, and then die on the battlefield that is regarded as your home. 】

​​

[...But I can't. 】

​​

[Even if I know that my world may have been invaded, my thoughts may only be composed of purely mechanical elements, and everything I say and do is just something written on paper step by step. Even the mission I carry and the chivalry spirit I carry out are things that exist for the so-called 'setting'. 】

​​

[...And until now, I am still troubled by the emotions stirring in my heart and the chivalrous spirit I abide by. 】

​​

……

​​

[Free soul. 】

​​

[Will you also have a mission? 】

​​

……

​​

Su Mingan suddenly heard the voice of the person in front of him, very vague.

​​

The crisp "crack" sound of the fire sounded at this moment, and he couldn't hear what Shelude said.

​​

But when he looked up, he could see the young man holding the pen tightly, the struggle beating in his eyes.

​​

Like a bright fire burning in his eyes, dancing like a free soul.

​​

The young man got up and suddenly knelt down.

​​

"Dong Dong"

​​

A dull sound resounded in the room, the young man's hands were on the ground, and his forehead was very low.

​​

Su Ming'an didn't move.

​​

His eyes were fixed on the other person's golden hair with a circle of warm light, and he watched the other side's figure getting lower and lower.

​​

"...Free soul, player." Shelude said softly, "I know that my request is difficult, but, the strongest among the travelers, captain.

​​

Can you... free me from this inextricable suffering? "

​​

The belief was broken, the oath of allegiance fled, and the self-thinking ability was doubted, the knight's spirit was on the verge of collapse.

​​

Even now, he doesn't know whether the so-called 'personality' and 'system' are at work, or whether he has a brain for independent thinking.

​​

He just wanted a new, autonomous path that he could walk independently.

​​

"What do you want?" Su Mingan asked.

​​

Shelude raised his head.

​​

In his eyes, there is a very sincere emotion, which is rising more and more intensely.

​​

Mission, spirit, bright affinity and talent, these are all innate to him, and they are the "inevitability" that shaped him today.

​​

But at this time, he had the idea of ​​breaking away from these "inevitables" and seeking "accidents".

​​

Like a fish living in the deep sea, accidentally seeing birds.

​​

Bird is the strongest among the travelers from another world, and the first player.

​​

——Such a bird, his talk about players, his words about independent creatures, his eyes, and his words of encouragement are all like light, swaying on the small water above his head, tempting. write.

​​

"The princess is gone, my sister is dead... I have no longer nostalgia for this land."

​​

He said softly:

​​

"I don't want to be the epitome of a knight who was erected on a monument and a name~lightnovelpub.net~, and I don't want to... be bound by the so-called 'system' for a lifetime until you all leave."

​​

……

​​

"I want to... become an independent, free, independent 'player' who is no longer bound by so-called images and beliefs."

​​

"...Can you take me away? Captain."

​​

……

​​

The fish had the idea to leave the sea and go after the birds.

​​

The betrayal of the princess and the death of her sister were the last straw that broke the camel's back, making him no longer nostalgic and pushing him to the edge of the bridge in the new world.

​​

The Knight of Light... He is not a mechanized gear, a sword in someone's hand.

​​

He hoped,

​​

The first half of his life, covered by broken beliefs and ruled by a false world, has passed.

​​

In the days to come, he will be able to have "players" like those joking jokes, someone who is not controlled by people and thoughts, and who dares to struggle out of this world...

​​

……

​​

【future】.

​​

……

​​

He will not become the so-called "NPC".

​​

……

​​

[npc (Xie Lude) favorability: 90+5 (stand together through thick and thin)]