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Chapter 231 - 228: "Their Vast World

Chapter 231: Chapter 228: "Their Vast World

...

People initially placed their hopes on the "Number One Player."

As diverse as they were, once they found that central target, it was as if a flock of lost lambs had found sanctuary, as if a ship adrift had sighted the Lighthouse.

In the past, they were afraid, terrified, because they didn’t know whether that being under the world’s spotlight would sacrifice them for a small gain. As ordinary Players, forced to be "sacrificed" for the sake of humanity’s greater good, for the advancement of the highest-ranking Player, they could only pinch their noses and accept it.

They learned to keep their distance, because they were remote, because they were unconnected to each other.

But now, they had found a leader, a backbone.

—Because they now had a common interest.

When the Number One Player was truly needed, they would abandon their independence and become part of the collective, seeing that everyone’s interests were aligned at that moment.

To stay alive, they would subconsciously grasp at any straw that could save them.

And the gap they had deliberately ignored out of their own inferiority was, at this moment, suddenly bridged.

...Because right now, they were in need.

[In need] of the Number One Player.

At that time, aside from the Number One Player they all relied on, no one was more humble or noble than anyone else—because they were all doing the same thing.

They acknowledged their place as those less powerful and sought help from those who could save them.

Once the sense of difference within the group was scattered, those who had handed over command and leadership were all treated without distinction.

So the most important existence in their eyes truly became their "Lighthouse."

But the "Lighthouse" failed them.

The "Lighthouse" was flung away by the boss with a single blow, its health bar depleted, defeated without worth.

So, they shifted their plea for help to Lin Jiang, the Player ranking just before on the leaderboard.

After all—people are accustomed to accepting the idea that "with greater power comes greater responsibility."

Top-ranked Players, having absorbed so much attention and trust from the people, why shouldn’t they be able to shoulder the responsibility and make a difference at such a time?

If even those Players more capable and stronger than them were to shrink back, what were these lower-level Players supposed to do?

...They didn’t know what to do either.

They could probably already see the future.

A total party wipe here, or being driven to collective madness, would be their end.

This instance was telling them that the World game wasn’t such a benign game. It truly could destroy a person. This game wasn’t created for their collective evolution; the mastermind behind it wouldn’t have such benevolence purely to offer everyone a chance to travel to other worlds.

They had long since become the frogs being boiled in warm water—only now did they realize it.

They floundered like headless flies, launching attacks at the boss that were as effective as scraping at wind.

As for the ones they had pinned their hopes on, they were useless, just cowering in the corner.

...But it was at that moment.

A Player they thought a madman stood up from his seat.

He walked past them, past the disordered tables and chairs, to the clearing left open by the Players, and stood before the terrifying boss.

Flax cocked her head, looking at him puzzled.

"...Do you say you will defeat me?" she smiled, "Leading these bad kids, these unruly students who refuse to be corrected?"

"Try?" Su Ming’an said.

"Number Thirty, Doctor," Flax regarded him: "Are you really going to oppose us?"

"I didn’t want to, after all, I have a decent relationship with Xia Luoyang," Su Ming’an said, "but your boss fight included me in its range... so it’s not about what I want anymore."

"Moreover," he emphasized, "the methods you ’Teachers’ employ are indeed something I cannot agree with."

"Is it not good?" asked Flax. "To educate them, to let them understand what should be normal. To change the aberrations so that they can survive more easily in this world.

Doctor, think about it, if such aberrations were to just merge into society, how much evil would they breed!

We correct them, heal them, discipline them with rules, and enable these scattered children to become consistent; what we do is truly a magnificent deed.

— Why, why can’t you, Doctor, agree with our viewpoint? Aren’t you also a doctor from White Sands?"

"I am a doctor from White Sands, and I love these children too, but I wish they had more options," Su Ming’an said with a smile:

"However, using brutal methods like electric shocks to erase their spiritual energy, turning them into some kind of entirely identical standard goods, is absolutely unacceptable."

As Su Ming’an spoke, he suddenly heard a system notification.

[You are currently engaging in dialogue with key NPC·Flax.]

[Please pay attention to the conversation. If you successfully persuade Flax, you will enter the perfect pass hidden storyline of this world - The Years Line.]

...

Good.

It seems he hadn’t made a wrong move, the other party was open to communication.

The pathways to game completion are indeed varied and unrestricted; it’s like there are countless passages, each leading to a different ending. As long as you grasp a hint, you can follow the vine to find the critical pathways.

If it’s possible to do the best, then do the best. He wanted every save point to be to the best of his ability.

If there is a hidden line, he certainly wants to take it.

He saw that the menacing Flax’s expression had changed slightly.

"Is that your thought? Doctor?" Flax stared at him.

"Yes," Su Ming’an watched her expression, choosing his words carefully:

"As teachers, we should show them the vast world.

And as the ones who guide them, I wish even more... to be their motivating goal, to hope for them to be self-sustaining, to hope for them to possess spiritual energy, and even more so, hope they can confront themselves.

I hope to be the lighthouse in the eyes of these lost children—education is a light that converges into another light, Teacher Flax, our approach should be to promote, not to suppress.

And as a doctor, I don’t believe there exists a student who cannot be healed; if we only use violent methods to make them submit, it’s nothing more than annihilating their spiritual energy."

"Absurd!" Flax frowned deeply.

Blood swirled around her, carrying an extremely terrifying aura.

Everyone watching the sharp exchange of words between the two was astonished.

"... What’s happening?"

"Why are they chatting now? Isn’t this a boss battle?"

"Maybe there’s a peaceful pathway in the boss fight, this is what they call ’talk therapy’..."

"Actually, there’s no problem, these NPCs haven’t lost their rationality, communication is possible, thus persuasion is possible, it’s just that the likelihood is very small... "

"Who is this player anyway? Why does his way of speaking sound so familiar to me, it’s almost like it’s etched into..."

"Don’t inscribe it willy-nilly!"

"No, I mean it. It’s really familiar. It’s just like..."

Perhaps giving up the struggle, or perhaps fearing that attacking would interrupt the dialogue between the two, the players stood still, looking at each other, not daring to make a move.

But facing Su Ming’an, Flax showed a look of indignation:

"Doctor!" she shouted, her tone growing heavier:

"You say this method is useless, but what about all those excellent students, all those satisfied parents, is their current happy life fake?

Do you know how grateful the parents are after their children are discharged from the hospital? Do you know how successful those outstanding students have become now?—This is the correct method of correction, there’s no healing process without pain, you’re too naive, Doctor!"

Su Ming’an shook his head.

"They’re no longer independent individuals." he said, "Your treatment was very successful, they’ve become exactly what you wanted them to be, but unfortunately, they’ve lost the most important thing about themselves—they no longer have spiritual energy, they exist only as extensions of other people’s limbs, as silent gears turning."

He looked at Flax, emphasizing each word:

"... They’ve become the ever-increasing dark shadows in the world, becoming in the literal sense, balanced and harmonious entities, Teacher Flax," he said:

"If it’s just about continuing your surnames, satisfying emotional needs, indeed, the ones you’ve cultivated will be your most qualified props... but not people.

—Your treatment has successfully enslaved the children, successfully making them forget why they’re building the High Tower, congratulations."

Anger was rising bit by bit in Flax: "Doctor, you—"

"On the ground floor corridor, I once saw a blood wall." Su Ming’an didn’t listen to her outburst and interrupted her, his words becoming more aggressive: "I saw many slogans claiming a sworn battle to the death.

—Why were those children here writing these things?

Where have they gone today, and where have they ended up?

They were forced into a corner by others’ expectations to ’fight to the death,’ why were they driven to such extremes?

If ’fighting to the death’ is the only successful outcome, who have they ultimately become a projection of?"

"I won’t deny their effort, I won’t deny their grandiose declarations, they too ’fought’ for themselves, and that’s true." Su Ming’an said: "But, Teacher Flax, the method you’re using is completely wrong."

[Current persuasion progress: 50%]

Flax looked at him.

The blood light around her was still circulating, but it never seemed to shoot out.

"To educate a person is to nurture them into an independent life, not to mold a toy." Su Ming’an said: "I am very fortunate that my father shaped the person I am today, I am also very fortunate that I have become who I am now—but those children, they actually don’t know that they have possibilities beyond that.

Because of you, because of your actions, they hadn’t even got a glimpse of daylight before being forced into the well—

Only your words were correct, only by following the words could avoid electric shocks, and only by obeying could they get candy."

"They have become projections of your desires, Teacher Flax." he said: "What you are cultivating is not the elite, elites need their own thoughts and independent personas, what you are cultivating are merely standardized human shadows—just like I saw in the classroom at night, all identical, reduced to uniform black silhouettes."

[Current persuasion progress: 75%]

"... What should we do then?" Flax suddenly asked.

"Stop the forced ways, let go of control." Su Ming’an smiled: "If possible, I’d rather... people be free of heavy shackles, not confined to a mechanical world, not needing to consider dreams only as dreams.

I hope to see everyone’s spiritual energy, see them fight for themselves, see them have independent choices, see them face themselves.

Even in such a world... I still hope to see these points of light, not let the times scatter them."

"As a teacher, a doctor, a lighthouse, what we should do is not to suppress, but to promote. Not to ’correct,’ but to guide.

The environment is difficult to change, but people can still have their true hearts.

—Do you think I’m right, Teacher Flax?"

...

[Current persuasion progress: 100%]

...

The players watched this scene, listening to the entire conversation.

The sound of weapons hitting the floor echoed in the quiet classroom, and some, upon listening, even let go of their weapons.

Mo Yan’s mouth hung open, watching this scene with buzzing thoughts.

... He had never expected that his older brother could say such things at this time.

He was unable to deny or to escape it anymore.

After his brother’s speech, his identity could no longer be concealed.

"... Su Ming’an."

From some corner, such a voice arose.

Then similar sounds, mixed with astonishment and realization, rose in many places.

"... It’s him."

"... As expected."

"Only he could speak so persuasively."

"..."

"Perhaps I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions so early, Number One Player... indeed, still the Number One Player."

"The counterfeit can never grace the grand assembly; I should have felt something was off earlier."

"Is it luck or misfortune... that in this instance, I’ve witnessed such a ridiculing yet not funny scene."

"It should be luck." someone said: "We’re saved."

... Saved.

His words, they awakened everyone still lost in despair.

A similar thought rose within everyone’s heart.

Seeing the Number One Player who was knocked away by the boss’s blow, their sense of dissonance lingered.

But upon seeing this scene, hearing these words, they realized—their hope had been rightly placed all along.

—It had to be this man.

The Number One Player should be Su Ming’an.

And to be in the same instance as him,

Meant to be lucky.

... Saved.

...

"Your perspective is quite unique, Dr. Baisha." Flax said.

Her pale hand curled her hair ends, tender fingertips twirling the strands into a loop.

"Have I moved you then, Teacher Baisha?" Su Ming’an asked.

"..." Flax was silent for a moment.

"... It’s undeniable, you’ve moved me." she suddenly laughed: "I’m easier to talk to, that’s why you’ve moved me, other teachers wouldn’t be swayed like I have been."

"Like the teachers of the third, fourth, and fifth day?"

"Yes." Flax’s fingers reached out.

Su Ming’an didn’t evade.

Her finger gently touched his chest, like a dragonfly skimming water.