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Chapter 336 - 333 - "Humanity Needs a Future

Chapter 336: Chapter 333 - "Humanity Needs a Future

Iris might not remember, but Su Ming’an remembered her performance in the Fourth World vividly.

Although well concealed, that disdain in her eyes and the haughty stance unique to the nobility of the current world, he saw it crystal clear.

He looked at Iris, whose face had stiffened slightly.

...It was the same tactic as with Mizushima Haru back then.

The words he spoke to Mizushima Haru in the Fifth World seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Did those people think that he was young and brash, not swayed by money, and thus always liked using such beauty to seduce him?

"It seems you don’t remember, nor do the people behind you." Su Ming’an looked straight at her, "No matter, I’m live streaming right now. Let me see..."

His gaze flicked to the upper right for an instant before returning before the comments exploded.

"With a popularity of four hundred million, I’ll repeat what I said before, on live stream. Listen carefully."

He repeated the words from the Fifth World to Iris, who was gently biting her lip, looking aggrieved.

"...So-called emotions are never simple."

"It’s not that if a woman is put in front of me for me to sleep with, I’ll earn more. Such valuation is no different than that of a beast."

"Iris, I have seen your pride, and I have seen you at your peak... Remember, emotions are precious things, never turn yourself into a product to please someone else."

"If this is the way you’re reaching out to me, then it’s crude, and I have no favorable impression of you."

After finishing his words, he ignored Iris, who was bound in place, and started collecting the scattered Resource Stones into his backpack.

Iris’s tactic of seduction, in the eyes of the majority, was simple yet effective.

If he truly agreed, it’s possible that the other party would use the recording function to capture the whole process, then use it to blackmail him.

...By then, refusing would be difficult.

As he stood up, he heard Iris say, "Number One Player, why not turn off the live stream first?"

Su Ming’an glanced at her.

"Let’s talk business, shall we?" The charm on Iris’s face had completely dissipated.

"It should have been that way from the start." Su Ming’an turned off the live stream and then started recording the screen.

"...Could you not record before that?" Iris noticed his recording gesture.

"No nonsense, I’ll give you three minutes."

"..." Iris didn’t show any particular emotion, but kept a peaceful attitude.

However, this attitude paired with her bound posture looked quite comical.

"Su Ming’an, Number One Player, my name is Iris, from the Storm Department of Yu Country, Zebra Finch Division leader," she said.

Su Ming’an nodded.

"On behalf of the entire Storm Department, we sincerely invite you to join..."

"Not joining, state other conditions," Su Ming’an interrupted.

"Perhaps you could listen to our offer?" Without waiting for his refusal, Iris rattled off a series of conditions like a string of bursting beans: "All we need is the right to use the title of Number One Player. For every instance task of yours, we can send you the needed Equipment Props, including but not limited to: Red Grade Equipment, Spatial Teleportation Scrolls, large Health Restoration Potions, and so on. In addition, the Storm Department has a comprehensive list of players, and we have analyzed that you lack a teammate of the clue Exploration type, where we have a significant advantage..."

Su Ming’an sat in a chair on the side, patiently listening to her until he saw that they had also drawn up a paper treaty. As long as he untied her bonds, she could share it with him.

Su Ming’an listened, and then he laughed.

He remembered that back in the Fourth World, Iris behaved like a proud princess, her attitude lofty and condescending.

Now, she wasn’t much different from Mizushima Haru, almost ingratiating herself with him as she discussed terms, even if she was annoyed, she wouldn’t speak out.

Her composure was indeed much better than Mizushima Haru’s, her tone sounded quite gentle. But when he considered the stark contrast with the past, he found it comical.

...This was how the world had changed.

This was the game of worlds.

As he laughed with a hint of irony, Iris halted her speech slightly.

She looked at Su Ming’an, a trace of bewilderment in her eyes.

"Personally, I don’t understand your neutral stance," Iris said. "Profile artists and psychologists have analyzed the changes in your mindset. We believe that deep down, you do need help. And the facts show that you indeed need help. So, mutually beneficial, what’s the issue with that..."

"I’ve listened to many conditions people have offered me, and I’ve read numerous emails," Su Ming’an stated indifferently. "The benefits they offer are nothing more than two types, one is providing props, the other is offering teammates."

Iris looked at him.

"And as for these two benefits, as of now, I completely do not need them," Su Ming’an lifted his eyelids. "Currently, I am not lacking in powerful equipment, and my teammates are quite exceptional. So why should I accept your invitations and lend the ’title’ of Number One Player to you?"

"Humans need a future, and the future needs leadership," Iris said. "But we believe that you do not know how to use the honor of being a leader. There are still doubts about you on the forums to this day."

"So, you want my title to help ’manage these’ for me?" Su Ming’an laughed again.

He was not someone prone to laughter, but what Iris said truly made him chuckle.

But this was a common occurrence.

— It sounded so absurd yet plausible.

"Do you think I am a celebrity? That I need a studio to manage my title?" Su Ming’an asked with a chuckle.

"In my view, you are a great, star-like leader," Iris said. "We have researched your Lighthouse Theory. You want to use the title of Number One Player to lead everyone, right? Then, let us help you further. Let us equip you to truly elevate this title. It’s perfectly fine. At the end of the game, if you can be the last one standing, you will possess the most formidable strength. What concerns could you have about us by then?"

Listening to Iris’s words, Su Ming’an slightly reined in his smile.

...In fact, what Iris mentioned about "after the game ends" was precisely the point Su Ming’an worried about.

These organizations... they were so eager to court him, someone with both the utmost strength and the highest influence. They couldn’t possibly be without a fallback plan.

Although he was confident he could be the last one standing, he found it hard to discern what these contingencies might be. If these people suddenly pulled some trick before the game ended, he would be hard-pressed to turn the tables.

Before the final instance, he did not want to bother with all these messy matters.

Humans should not exhaust themselves with internal strife.

He did not trust the benefits promised by these strangers. The actions of Edward and others had worn down his trust to nothing.

A Player is an island unto themselves. He only trusted players like himself, in similar situations, and not those who, like puppet masters, hid behind players, looking down on their adventures. Their mindset and stance were fundamentally inconsistent.

Why would he entrust his faith to some who dare not enter the field, only to hide in the background?

His Lighthouse Theory wasn’t made up; rather, he truly looked down on those who didn’t dare to enter the fray. Among them, although there might be heroes, most were just cowards.

So far, aside from Yuanyuan and Lv Shu, he trusted no one.

Including Noel, who was only trusted temporarily. Noel’s enigmatic talk of a "New World" and embracing high dimensions was something he couldn’t agree with at all.

He dared not trust the evil in human nature.

"Let’s leave it at that," Su Ming’an said. "I wish you continued survival."

"..." Iris slightly reined in her smile, but she didn’t seem too disappointed, "A regrettable answer, but I am honored. Did I actually receive your blessing?"

Su Ming’an turned his head, "Sevya, let her go."

The previously idle Sevya, as if suddenly coming to life, reached out, and the white electric current on Iris’s body vanished in an instant.

She stretched out her hands and moved her body, accentuating her exquisite curves.

"I don’t want to be utterly ruthless. Compared to the hopeless Mizushima Haru, you can listen to reason," Su Ming’an said. "You were once ’Lighthouse,’ a capable person in my opinion. Recover as soon as possible, seize the opportunity in the next nine months. This is a rare chance to leap forward, and you needn’t become anyone’s vassal."

He could see that Iris, too, was coerced by someone.

After all, most people were not like him; they had friends, relatives, families, bonds behind them. They couldn’t possibly be as unencumbered as he was.

For the likes of Iris who had "turned over a new leaf" and learned to speak well with others, he had no particular desire to make an enemy. She was just a messenger after all.

Iris moved her body and then suddenly took a small step closer.

"Can I take it that you showed mercy?" she asked.

"’Business not concluded, yet righteousness remains.’ Have you heard this saying from Dragon Country?" Su Ming’an replied indifferently.

She took another step closer.

Bathed in the brilliant golden sunlight, her whole being seemed as if it were edged with a metallic sheen.

Dappled light and shadow, like agile fish swirling around her, she carried a unique noble and dignified air characteristic of the old aristocracy.

She leaned in, whispering, "Although you offered some suggestions for stabilizing my situation, it seems to me your mental state isn’t very good."

Su Ming’an frowned slightly.

He didn’t expect that she would still notice.

Although he indeed had taken a good rest for a while, the aftereffects from the Sixth World still persisted. Sometimes, he too would have nightmares of dying repeatedly in the rain.

The sunny days in Pulaya soothed his body and mind, but some wounds, once inflicted, could not heal.

Just like a psychological disorder.

Even with medicine available, it would remain for a long time.

"Sevya, take her back into custody, don’t let her go," Su Ming’an said.

He knew that his identity must have been exposed, and Iris certainly had teammates in Pulaya who could send a message.

But he still couldn’t let her go.

As she was leaving, Iris gave a low laugh beside him.

"Although it was originally a mission," she said, "I’ve changed my mind now... You really are a good person, if you want to join me tonight..."

Upon hearing this, Sevya halted her actions, looking towards Su Ming’an as if asking for his opinion.

After all, from her aesthetic perspective, this human girl was indeed nice, and it was inevitable that Su Rin would...

"Take her away," Su Ming’an said with a slight headache, waving his hand and then paying no more attention to Iris’s gaze.

...

Iris was taken into custody and locked in the dungeon. Unlike Mizushima Haru from before, he hadn’t killed her. After all, she was a smart person who could understand human speech.

But no matter how enticing Iris was, Su Ming’an would never trust her.

He took the Detection Stone and the Soul Clan’s stronghold information and returned to Pulaya.

With Sevya’s cover, he was not discovered by anyone along the way.

After bidding farewell to Sevya, he immediately went to the central Soul Hunter Department to meet Aelas.

Aelas seemed to be busy, constantly making communications; when he saw Su Ming’an, he didn’t show any sign of surprise, nor did he order his capture, as if he had no idea Su Ming’an had run an errand to the Soul Clan.

"Su Rin, what brings you here? Is the second sweep mission complete?" Aelas signed documents rapidly, looking every bit the corporate drone.

"Not yet," Su Ming’an said.

He tried to use Charm on Aelas but did not receive a notification of insufficient current Resource Points.

The system’s prompt indicated that Aelas belonged to the human race; therefore, the "Charm" Skill could not be used.

If he needed to use "Charm," he would first have to use "Transformation" to turn the other party into a member of the Soul Clan.

The cost of this transformation was 5,000 Resource Points, Su Ming’an noted.

A quick calculation revealed that at least 6,500 Resource Points would be needed to fully win Aelas over.

He didn’t know if he could earn that much in the upcoming stages... It seemed like a poor investment. If he really spent that many Resource Points on Aelas, he doubted whether he could pass the final Hero’s battle.

It was troublesome that the other party wasn’t a member of the Soul Clan.

"Hmm... you’d better be quick then. The feast starts in two days, and the East and West Districts will be cleared. The Soul Clan hiding among the residents on 13th Street will also relocate," Aelas said, head buried in his work: "Do you need something from me?"

Su Ming’an paid attention to Aelas’s tone, which seemed to hold no suspicion of him.

"I feel like I’ve almost exchanged everything at the East District exchange point. Is there anything good left?" He asked casually for a reason.

"The central Soul Hunter Department has good stuff too. You should check downstairs," Aelas replied.

In order not to arouse suspicion, Su Ming’an chatted with him about the Soul Hunt situation before taking the opportunity to go downstairs.

As he passed by, he took a look at the exchange point and found that the central Soul Hunter Department had different items than those in the East District. There was one potion and one weapon.

However, the weapon was a Purple Grade Elemental Staff, which seemed to be only good for gifting. The potion, on the other hand, was the same as that of the East District, and he planned to gather some Faction Points after the second sweep was complete to exchange for the items.

After checking out the exchange point, he made his way back to the East District.

He had already noticed that the group of Players were like cannon fodder; even Aelas didn’t seem to care much about them.

Aelas allowed them to move out on their own, to be completely annihilated, and then couldn’t even be bothered to mention them afterward.

It seemed that the Ruler of the Soul Hunters had long since realized that there was discord within the Soul Hunt. He probably even deliberately pushed for this move, wanting to get rid of the disobedient ones.

The rulers on both sides seemed to be no simple matter.

He walked past the small farms, through the water channels, and arrived in front of his own house.

The grandmother from next door was weaving, the chirping sound of her sewing machine drifting through the window. Seeing him return, she lifted her head and smiled at him.

"You’re back," she said softly before lowering her head, not asking more questions with the same enthusiasm.

Su Ming’an saw it.

In the depths of the old lady’s eyes lay a swamp-like deadness.

It was as if some hope had been shattered.

He suddenly remembered.

The letter that read "Don’t wait for me anymore" had safely reached her hands in this first cycle.

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