Chapter 899: Chapter 896 · [Chapter 2 · Penglai Immortals Selection (Part 2)]
The people stared fearfully at Su Ming’an, wanting to attack, but were immobilized by the Matrix Order.
Su Ming’an realized that the Matrix Order automatically issued by this game character is much stronger than his own, far surpassing the level of the Fifth Rank Talisman Family.
"Wait... wait a moment." The old man from Qingyang Sword Sect was frozen in place, his white beard trembling.
"Please, don’t kill me..." Several Taoist Society girls whispered in plea, no longer as imposing as before.
Su Ming’an’s extremely powerful Matrix Order stunned everyone. People finally realized that even if they surrounded him, they could not kill Su Ming’an.
"He’s both an ’Eligible’ and an ’Exotic Species.’ Such a powerful dual identity overlap, is there really such a person in the world..." someone murmured.
"Simply blessed by the gods..." The old lady from Silver Frost Academy leaned on a phoenix-headed cane, her eyes never losing the hatred for Su Ming’an, this "Exotic Species."
Moments later, Yi Zhongyu and Ye Yihong and other powerful members of the Talisman Family broke free from the Matrix Order. Ye Yihong blocked Su Ming’an’s path, cupping his hands, "Please hold your steps. Once bloodshed occurs, humans will find it even more impossible to understand you. Please spare everyone present, and this can be turned around."
Su Ming’an knew Ye Yihong was right, but the game character didn’t stop, directly bypassing Ye Yihong.
Su Ming’an looked up and finally discovered – at the top left of his vision, at some point, a long bar appeared, blackened with red. When he moved his gaze to the bar, a line of text popped up:
[When the malice you perceive exceeds a certain limit, the body you control will escape your control.]
...
Su Ming’an suddenly recalled—
A massive amount of negative emotions can strengthen ’Exotic Species’ and ’Abnormal.’!
Su Ming’an seemed to suddenly understand why, although being an ’Exotic Species,’ he can still maintain kindness and rationality – because he is also an ’Eligible.’
When the negative emotion he perceives exceeds a certain limit, the characteristics of the ’Exotic Species’ will overpower the characteristics of the ’Eligible.’
These two identities that almost cannot coexist miraculously descended on the Eldest Prince. The identity of ’Eligible’ allowed him to maintain human kindness and rationality, ensuring he never harmed anyone. The identity of ’Exotic Species’ put him in danger of demonizing at any time. This could have reversed human destiny, becoming a bridge between humans and Exotic Species – this should be a miraculous identity that brings peace! He should have been able to deeply understand the characteristics and generation reasons of ’Exotic Species.’
——but was ruined by the greedy royalty.
The Eldest Prince restrained himself day after day from hating, from indulging in negative emotions, from recalling the malice from royal relatives. Day after day, he read books, entertained himself on the tower, wrote in his diary, forced himself not to hate, not to become a demon. He once raised a white fox, even when the fox was killed and skinned, he forced himself not to hate.
But in the end.
"Tap, tap, tap."
The sound of heels colliding with the arena, extremely crisp.
The youth with black hair and a high ponytail showed no expression, the originally fair face gradually showing blood-red patterns, as if a hideous tentacle was lurking inside his body, ready to break free at any moment.
The white robe fluttered, the ink bamboo seemed alive, rustling and dancing in the night wind.
In the top left of the vision, the bar red to black brewed with scorching malice, almost filling the bar. Blood-red patterns slowly crawled over the youth’s face.
——In the end, it was all destroyed by human malice.
Things should not have reached this point. He endured far too much malice.
When his best palace maid was pushed into a well, he did not become a demon. When the white fox he had raised for years was killed, he did not become a demon. When he was locked up day and night for blood drawing, living like livestock, he did not become a demon. When the world misunderstood him, believing the Eldest Prince had already corrupted, he still maintained composure.
Imprisoned, ridiculed, bled, hunted, besieged, insulted, deprived of freedom, his identity and status taken by strangers, abandoned by his blood relatives, attacked by the people he loved the most...
Until the very end, no one was willing to hear his explanation, no one gave him a chance to refute even a little. Even those who once trusted him wanted him dead, unwilling to consider the possibility of him being both an Eligible and an Exotic Species.
It was at this moment, the final straw that broke the camel’s back, letting the malice he had borne for decades finally overflow.
Actually, just a bit of kindness could have saved him.
Just like the players from the Fifth World who sent equipment to Su Ming’an... Just needing a bit of kindness.
"Eldest Prince Your Highness!" Ye Yihong shouted, "Please keep a kind heart! Do not go forward anymore!"
——Only at times like this, that late-coming kindness attempted to pull him back.
The black-haired youth with a full face of blood runes halted, slowly turning back, the emotions in his eyes made Ye Yihong’s heart clench.
That gaze seemed like dead water, yet seemed to hold a faint sparkle, revealing glimmers amidst the flickering candlelight.
"Eldest Prince Your Highness!" Ye Yihong shouted again, "Please leave here! Don’t cause bloodshed!"
People watched this scene in fear, some had already broken free from the Matrix Order’s constraints, but no one dared act rashly. The powerful Matrix Order showcased by the black-haired youth just now thoroughly intimidated them.
Su Ming’an felt his lips slightly parted, as if sighing, yet seemingly without emotion.
"...Keep a kind heart." He said: "Someone once said, [the world is a circle], where there is one part of malice, there is one part of kindness, this world is a battleground of kindness and malice from all people. I am not I, I am without I, I am the kind I, I am the evil I."
The Second Prince and others stared with wide eyes at this scene.
"But, I hold countless kindness towards the world." The black-haired youth said:
"—But is there anyone willing to save me?"
"If I am ’Exotic’ in this world too."
"—Is there one person willing to save me?"
"Brother..." Mo Yan immediately stepped forward, wanting to speak. The black-haired youth shook his head: "You are not of this world."
Mo Yan opened his mouth, then retreated.
The black-haired youth halted, facing all the gazes. He looked at the shivering royal family members on the high platform, looked at the complex-faced Princess Jing He, then shifted his gaze to the motionless martial world figures, and the citizens still maintaining the posture of throwing rotten eggs...
"I do not love everyone in this world." The black-haired youth said: "The kindness that always surges within me truly baffles me. I sincerely hope the species called ’humans’ can find happiness, but when I see the faces of each greedy person individually, I find them disgusting. This truly confuses me."
"If the world’s ’Savior’ destiny is placed on me, I ought to accept it. Because I love this species, even though they often reveal their ugly and selfish sides, I still hope for their survival, for the occasional spark of goodness in them moves me deeply."
"Just like..."
His gaze shifted slightly, looking at Chao Yan standing under the tree shade, then at Zou Yuqing beside her, and finally at Mo Yan and Yi Zhongyu.
Then, a choice appeared before him:
[Triangle pattern: "Just like you, Chao Yan. I am always moved by your tolerance and kindness towards others."]
[Square pattern: "Just like you, Mo Yan. I am grateful for your protection, you are the person closest to me."]
[Circle pattern: "Just like you, Yi Zhongyu. Even though you belong to this world, you protect me for other reasons, but I consider you a good man."]
[Diamond pattern: "Just like the State Preceptor. Although he is not by my side, his kindness I have never forgotten."]
...
Faced with these options, Su Ming’an immediately found it difficult to choose.
... What kind of galgame options are these? After much consideration, he felt the State Preceptor’s favorability was more important, so he chose the diamond.
"Just like the State Preceptor. Although he is not by my side, his kindness I have never forgotten." Su Ming’an said.
As soon as these words were spoken, he immediately saw the intense blackish-red color in the top left corner fade a bit. At that moment, he regained control of his body, and the blood-red patterns on his face started to dissipate.
The kindness inherent as an "Eligible" slightly outweighed the malice of being an "Exotic Species" at this moment. If he had been slower, he might have uncontrollably gone on a killing spree, causing rivers of blood.
——These people were like Shaoqing’s anchor points. When he was about to lose himself, remembering the kindness they once showed allowed him to maintain himself.
Su Ming’an couldn’t help but wonder—perhaps Su Wensheng staying in the abandoned small town, living with ordinary people like Su Luoluo and Teacher Xia, was also to maintain his own "anchor points"? To prevent himself from losing his identity?
"Alliance Hierarch Ye." Su Ming’an looked at Ye Yihong.
"You speak." Ye Yihong noticed that Su Ming’an had calmed down.
"I need to change dynasties, letting Princess Jing He inherit the throne, and demoting the rest of the knowledgeable royal family members to commoners. You, as the leader of the righteous path, can you do that?" Su Ming’an said lightly, "If you can do that, I won’t go on a killing spree."
Princess Jing He was startled, unexpectedly this matter suddenly fell on her.
The Second Prince’s legs went limp, showing a look of despair. The Emperor’s eyes rolled back, fainting instantly.
"... I can." Ye Yihong thought for a moment, nodded, "The State Preceptor hasn’t appeared for a long time if the State Preceptor doesn’t intervene, I can do it."
"Secondly, I want everyone in the world to know about the Eldest Prince’s previous kindness and the philosophies he implemented. Mo Yan will take you to find these philosophies, and you just need to clear the Eldest Prince’s name. Can you do this?" Su Ming’an asked again.
Upon these words, the audience couldn’t hold back. Someone immediately wanted to speak out in opposition, but seeing the blood patterns on Su Ming’an’s face, they shut their mouths. The strong power of an "Exotic Species" crushed them; despite their hatred for the Exotic Species, they dared not speak.
Ye Yihong thought for a moment, gauging Su Ming’an’s aura, nodded, "I can. As long as you don’t lead the ’Exotic Species’ to slaughter humans, I can let people know about your past kind deeds. It’s not a difficult task. But I can’t guarantee that when the people learn of your ’Exotic Species’ identity, they will remain calm."
"It doesn’t matter." Su Ming’an said. He wasn’t alone, as the major Dream Patrol Family members in the current world would support him unconditionally. Someone would always try to steer the public opinion.
He suddenly realized—perhaps seeking a way for humans and Exotic Species to coexist was the ultimate mission of "Louyue Nation".
——It wasn’t about any drama of thirty years of East River or face-slapping the Royal Family; nor was it a story of revenge by the White Fox Palace Maid. The ultimate task of "Louyue Nation" seemed to be helping the present world solve its problems.
"Do you... have any other conditions?" Ye Yihong asked.
Ye Yihong knew clearly, if it weren’t for Su Ming’an’s "Exotic Species" identity, Su Ming’an could have ascended the throne without needing Princess Jing He as an intermediary. If Su Ming’an didn’t have enough power to suppress the four corners today, the only path awaiting him would be his eradication.
Now that Su Ming’an proposed any demands, Ye Yihong was willing at heart. As long as Su Ming’an could remain calm and not turn into a bloodthirsty Exotic Species, perhaps the path of cooperation could continue.
"I have one last condition."
Su Ming’an looked around at the people’s eyes filled with complex emotions, then his gaze slightly lowered, falling on an inconspicuous female chivalrous hero in the crowd.
That female chivalrous hero, other than having a slightly pretty face, had ordinary equipment and weapons, and her strength was very average. You couldn’t pick her out of a crowd.
Facing the gaze of the much-watched Su Ming’an, the female chivalrous hero was stunned, not understanding why Su Ming’an looked at her.
"...I hope she can become your disciple." Su Ming’an pointed at the female chivalrous hero.
Everyone was taken aback. Even Yi Zhongyu looked shocked at this ordinary female chivalrous hero, curious why she had such tremendous luck.
Becoming a disciple of the leader of the righteous path was an incredible stroke of luck. Many Dream Patrol Family members had diligently tried to improve Ye Yihong’s impression, but they never succeeded in gaining his favor. Since Ye Yihong currently had no disciples, entering his school meant becoming the chief disciple of the righteous path, and as long as she wasn’t particularly cowardly, she could earn an abundance of Dream Patrol Spirit Points, ascending rapidly in status.
"Me, I...?" Su Luoluo was dumbfounded.
She had just been troubled by a group of irritable live broadcast viewers, with some teasing about her figure and appearance. Before she could respond to these viewers, she was named by the first Dream Patrol Family.
Initially, her low blood sugar had made her continue streaming even when feeling down, but immediately after going online, she was bombarded by ridicule from the viewers. Her heart felt like it was plunged into an icy abyss, yet suddenly, a hand reached out to pull her up.
The young man on the stage was favored by countless candlelights, like a beam of light. The blood patterns on his face were gradually fading, and when he looked at her, his expression slightly softened.
"Yes." Su Ming’an said softly, "It’s you."
Su Luoluo’s eyes shimmered, and suddenly her eyes grew hot.
——She was probably dreaming.
A beautiful dream that shattered the shackles of destiny.
As if an external hand suddenly reached into their broken lives, interrupting the original path to the end, revealing a brand new future.
"Exotic Species" was not killed by a furious crowd, "people of the small town" finally stood on the world’s stage.
He suddenly appeared in their lives and reached out to change everything.