novelraw Chapter 422: The Day You Became a "Sinner"—Had You Already Made Up Your Mind?
Chapter 422: The Day You Became a "Sinner"—Had You Already Made Up Your Mind?
"That's an interesting way to put it. When dealing with your enemies, do you really operate on the principle of not harming them? That's quite fascinating."
Xie Antong:......
Looking into Lu Ce's eyes, Xie Antong felt somewhat dazed.
She had always imagined the face behind that mask before.
But now, looking at this face, she seemed to see that mask instead......
After a long silence, the corners of her mouth slowly began to curve upward.
"If you light this fire, when it truly burns you someday, it might exceed your expectations."
"When that time comes, I won't clarify things for you. I'll conveniently deny everything happening now, stepping over your corpse to reach my peak."
"When that day arrives, will you regret it?"
Lu Ce sat back down and suddenly laughed:"Hahaha! Finally getting into the groove? Isn't this inevitable!"
"In this game, if you don't have the ambition to bury everyone else to achieve your own success, there's no point in participating."
"However, I don't think you have that capability."
Xie Antong:......
She picked up her fork and stabbed it into the dessert in front of her, taking a forceful bite.
With lowered eyes, not looking at the other person, she said quietly.
"Although you're not wearing that golden mask, I know that right now, you're being arrogant."
"Essentially, you don't truly believe I can pose any real threat to you."
"So you recklessly supply your enemy, not considering whether I might truly backstab you later."
Then she raised her head and looked over with a "ferocious" glare.
"I look forward to the day when you come begging to me."
Lu Ce smiled, raising one hand to stroke his face, moving slowly downward from his forehead.
"The sun hasn't even set yet, why are you already talking in your dreams?"
As his hand moved, a ferocious blue mask appeared on his face, bearing the unique smile of Greed.
Then the mask's color began to change - light green, deep red, pale pink......
It seemed like masks of seven different colors all flashed across his face before instantly disappearing, returning to Lu Ce's calm expression.
This time, the terrifying aura emanating from the masks didn't frighten Xie Antong. She watched intently, witnessing this bizarre face-changing performance.
It was like watching the eight people from her memories merge into one.
"Interesting magic trick. Let's eat."
Xie Antong lowered her head and continued drinking, eating her dessert.
The two began eating in complete silence.
Xie Antong didn't look up at the person across from her, not even with peripheral vision, because there was no need - after all, the All-Seeing Eye could see everything clearly.
Although this exchange didn't seem pleasant, and she had proposed a cooperation plan while the other party didn't seem interested in cooperating...
Even now, she wasn't quite clear about the exact relationship between them.
However, she felt inexplicably more comfortable inside.
She just hoped this silent meal could last longer, even longer.
"I slept for two days. The new game should be coming soon." Finally, Lu Ce was the one to break the silence.
"If there's nothing else, and the veteran player next door isn't planning to rush out and capture me, I'll take my leave."
He ended with a joke.
Xie Antong's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she spoke:
"Don't bother seeing me out."
Lu Ce stood up and walked straight to the door. Just as he was about to open it, he slightly turned his body.
"I look forward to the day when you can make me regret this."
"Then you'd better keep looking forward to it!" Xie Antong said.
Bang.
The door closed as Lu Ce left.
Xie Antong didn't move, just continued drinking incessantly. She was too clear-headed - a clear mind had always been her greatest weapon.
But now, she only wished she could get drunk.
Yet alcohol is strange - when you want to numb yourself, you often become more clear-headed the more you drink.
Finally, she leaned back in her chair, running her hands through her thick, dark hair until it became messy.
She laughed bitterly, recalling what Lu Ce had sent her in the game earlier, feeling somewhat speechless.
"Sin......"
"Why did you give yourself such a nickname back then?"
"Could it be that when you named yourself 'Sin,' you had already anticipated this day?"
"Do you really intend to be the devil blocking the gates of heaven?"
Alone in the room, she began to laugh, standing up unsteadily.
The light in her eyes flickered between brightness and darkness.
......
The release of the peak rankings had been out for some time, and the rewards for peak rankings had also been fermenting for a while.
Now, the discussion within the game had reached unprecedented heights.
From time to time, some top-ranked players would show off their rewards with high profiles.
But one thing remained consistent - the top ten players all maintained complete silence.
What everyone wanted to know most was what exactly this Divine Might Baptism was, but precisely this topic remained unmentioned by anyone.
The world's top ten players weren't discussing this matter at all.
[What exactly is Divine Might Baptism? What does it mean to become closer to god?]
[No idea. The top-tier experts are all keeping silent, unwilling to share.]
[After all, they're moving closer to godhood. They might not even consider themselves human anymore, creating some distance.]
Among the numerous discussions, there were also some sarcastic and jealous voices.
Perhaps everyone wore masks representing the Seven Deadly Sins too.
Right at this moment, whether on the game's internal forums or player forums on social media networks, a video suddenly appeared.
This video carried the organization tag [Divine Punishment].
Divine Punishment wasn't like some secret societies - they had nothing to hide. Plus, with their connections, they had registered wherever possible.
"Hello everyone, I'm Blank, currently the leader of Divine Punishment."
The introduction was very clear. In the video, under extremely dim lighting, stood Xie Antong in dark-themed attire, wearing her transformed All-Seeing Eye helmet.
Behind her, several statue-like figures stood silently like bodyguards.
"I'm here representing Divine Punishment to greet all players."
"I've previously posted many analysis videos about the player 'Sin,' as many of you probably know."
"I was once his admirer, but as I became familiar with his behavior patterns, I gradually discovered a terrifying truth."
"I think I might know why he chose not to ascend."
"Out of a sense of responsibility, I want to make an announcement to everyone."
In the video, Xie Antong's entire facial expression was hidden in the shadow of her helmet.
People could only see her mouth opening and closing as she explained everything.
[The essence of "Sin" is that of a psychopathic sadist.]
[The reason he doesn't ascend is that he doesn't see any need to - remaining human better serves his desires.]
[—It's simple: he wants to be the strongest in the human world and block everyone else's path to ascension.]
[His antisocial personality gives him self-destructive tendencies, along with desires to destroy the world.]
[That's why he can expressionlessly saw off his own leg and slaughter indiscriminately in the game without reason.]
[He's harsh on himself and even harsher on others, all stemming from his deep-seated destructive desires.]
[And now, what he wants most is to prevent all of humanity from entering the next stage.]
[He won't let anyone ascend. Without the game's selection mechanism, it will completely become a meaningless meat grinder, purely consuming everyone's lives endlessly.]
[Players will constantly fight and die, but as long as he remains, nothing will matter - no one can enter the next stage.]
[Actually, I suspect that over time, CHOSEN'S PARADISE! should offer more ascension slots, but as long as he blocks the way, no one can proceed to the next step.]
[I don't know if the game opens the gates to heaven, but at least he is indeed the devil blocking the entrance.]
Xie Antong explained everything clearly and logically in the video. Due to her enormous current influence, the video instantly captured everyone's attention.
Many people became engrossed, watching intently.
After all, Blank had always been recognized as the person who understood "Sin" best.
It's just that now the two had fallen out and become mortal enemies.
However, because her explanation made sense and perfectly matched "Sin's" behavior patterns, many people immediately believed it!
And they believed it wholeheartedly!
Originally, everyone had been wondering why "Sin" would refuse such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like "ascension."
But following Blank's explanation, everything seemed to have an explanation.
[This is my analysis, and also the original intention behind establishing Divine Punishment.]
[Everyone can judge for themselves whether I'm deliberately slandering him due to our hostility. I'm only sharing my own judgment.]
[How strong must one be to single-handedly block the next evolutionary path of humanity? I don't know, but right now, "Sin" has indeed done it.]
[Welcome to join Divine Punishment - executing heaven's punishment on sin!]
At the end, Xie Antong very subtly advertised her organization.
Then the video ended.
At this current juncture, it was equivalent to igniting the flames of war.
Or even saying it ignited explosives wouldn't be an exaggeration!
Divine Punishment's announcement perfectly matched many people's imaginations, and it was itself a reasonable explanation.
Self-destructive tendencies, world-destroying antisocial personality, blocking all of humanity to satisfy his pathological desires - each could explain "Sin's" otherwise incomprehensible personality.
[Is that it? I wondered why "Sin" would choose to give up. So he wants to end everyone's possibilities?]
[Wow, that's so perverted. Why is someone like that number one?]
[Then... as long as he remains in that position, no one else can ascend?]
[We're experiencing such a cruel game, yet there will never be a day when we can escape this suffering!]
Many voices that had previously been dissatisfied with Lu Ce instantly fermented, beginning fierce arguments. Meanwhile, within the game, Divine Punishment began receiving numerous applications to join.
Though currently there were no experts - basically all were people ranked beyond ten thousand.
Many people seemed to have found an outlet, frantically venting their suppressed feelings.
Too many people didn't dare participate in the game, didn't dare take risks, but seeing the stage rewards this time - how the strongest group had already begun transcending humanity, with some even able to directly "ascend."
That feeling was exceptionally oppressive.
But now, a very good excuse had appeared - Sin.
Even though without Sin, most people couldn't possibly become world number one or have any chance of ascension, they now very selectively ignored all that.
—It's "Sin" who broke everyone's path to ascension!
—It's because of "Sin" that I can't ascend!
Of course, these people weren't everyone. There were still many who were quite skeptical.
Especially Perfect Life and The Creator - these two who had faced despair together in the last game.
Was this really why "Sin" didn't ascend?
That seemed slightly far-fetched...
No, that was too far-fetched! This was clearly Divine Punishment throwing mud!
"But..." Perfect Life quietly closed Xie Antong's analysis video and began recalling "Sin."
"Exactly why didn't you ascend?"
"I need to see you again, to ask clearly..."
......
In the small room, Lu Ce lay quietly on his bed, watching the countdown to the next game on his interface.
"Hey, why are you still wearing that mask all the time?"
The metal sphere transformed from Black Knight spun around in the air, asking curiously.
"I want to get used to it in advance, and right now, wearing the mask makes me comfortable."
Behind the blue mask, Lu Ce said with a smile. He was now quite familiar with Greed.
"Hehe......"
He watched Xie Antong's video and read everyone's discussions, letting out an eerie laugh.
"Even despair gods have appeared......"
"Do you understand?"
With no one else in the room, he could only ask Black Knight.
Black Knight:?
Understand what the hell?!
"Even if They can't do anything to me right now, I know my time won't last long."
"I need... to overload as quickly as possible!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand like a storm-stirring monster, stirring the air around him.
"I can feel a restless taste in the air. I can smell it."
"Everyone seems quite restless. Restlessness is good... I always feel it's not enough yet."
"Is the game about to start?"
"Let me... overload!"