Chapter 153 - One Hundred Fifty-One:

Chapter 153: Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One: "Did I Help You This Time?...

Seated in the starting room, Su Ming’an had temporarily turned off the live broadcast, opposite him sat Miss Feya, savoring her black tea.

Her movements were graceful, and as she lifted her teacup, he glimpsed the shimmering light in her eyes.

"I have seen many verses about stars in this world," said Feya, her eyelids lowered, "The wandering poets say, ’See that canopy of heaven above? The stars were once there.’"

Su Ming’an drank the tea she brewed.

Her skill was exceptional, almost on par with Lv Shu. Although he wasn’t well-versed in such matters, he thought it indeed tasted much better than any tea he had before.

In this world, it seemed she had learned a great deal more.

"So sometimes, I wonder..." Feya spoke, slowly lifting her eyelids, her dark eyes looking at him:

"—In this journey that belongs to you alone, over and over again, could I be your star?"

"How many years has it been this time?" Su Ming’an set down the teacup.

"Nineteen years."

"..." Su Ming’an sighed, "Is this really your choice?"

Feya smiled faintly, standing up and slowly placing her hand on the hilt of her sword at her waist.

"After failing in the First World, Boss Rabbit told me that if I became an Observer, I would have to erase all my strength... My Mentality Control Skill, my Attribute Points... and my," she drew her sword, and the sharp Kaonian of Snow flashed instantly, a glimmer of snowflake-like sword light shining: "swordsmanship."

The slight breeze outside rustled the blood-red curtains, her slender figure stood there, holding the sword, her back as straight as a pen.

"I’m not smart, not good at playing games, not talkative, not likable," she said, looking at the gorgeous canopy of heaven through the window, "I know where my value lies—solely in my swordsmanship. I’m not afraid of death, nor am I afraid to be stripped of that strength that isn’t truly mine. I grew up with the sword, and my eyes have only ever seen my sword. I even killed people with it when I was a child to protect myself... I’m different from normal girls, nowhere to go except the dojo where I practice my sword... maybe I’ll have to include your home too."

She turned her head, her gaze clear:

"But when I learned that even these skills inherent to me would disappear... I was unwilling."

"The World Game lasts only one year."

"If my sword skills disappeared... I’d be left with no value."

"I would become the most useless person in your eyes, just like any ordinary girl. Weak, delicate, and even more reticent."

"I would also become the person I hate the most, not only bad at playing games, but unable to practice swordsmanship either."

"The chance to become an Observer is rare, and I don’t know why it appeared to me, but since I have the opportunity to make this choice..."

"...I want to witness sights I’ve never seen before, gain a new life; that is the path I’ve chosen."

"I’ve lived longer years than before, I’ve become a more diverse person than before."

"Even now, I can arrive at each instance ahead of time, lay out everything for you... I can help you better, accomplish anything for you."

"This is my new life." She smiled, a pure and genuine smile: "I’m very happy."

Su Ming’an watched her.

Through the clear glass window, a cloudless blue-violet sky, the warm light spilled onto her face, casting brilliant sashes of light, and the girl who looked much more mature slightly tilted her head, with a trace of wistfulness in her eyes.

His voice was somewhat stagnant:

"—Then have you ever thought, after one year, when the World Game ends, what will become of non-player entities?"

Feya gazed at him.

Then, in her eyes gradually surfaced an emotion that was not fierce, but seemed like it had been gathering for a long time.

"It’s okay," she said, "If I can go back and continue to play games with you, I’ll be very happy. If I really can’t go back... it’s okay too, at least for now it’s early, and I can still accompany you through many worlds—every world, I hope I can meet you."

"..." Su Ming’an didn’t respond.

There was a brief silence between the two of them, and then Feya took a map out of her arms and slowly unfolded it in front of him.

"I can help you," she said. "I came here nineteen years early, and I know about the nearby matters—right now, your identity is very good, the second highest ranked person in the Regular Army."

"Mhm."

For his own rank, Su Ming’an had already guessed in his heart. The sudden shift in Feya’s topic also gave him some relief.

After all, he was still more accustomed to this model of cooperation between the two of them.

"Who’s the highest?" he asked.

"It’s Your Majesty. The leader of the Regular Army, whose strength... is probably at the ceiling level," Feya glanced at him, "It seems like it’s set to be an invincible type, very difficult to defeat head-on. You could try a favorability strategy or avoid him.

As for you, your current name is Qin Wang, on the surface, the highest researcher in the Regular Army, with over a hundred students, and the research you’re conducting... is said to be able to change the entire continent’s situation." Her finger tapped the center of the map, "You are here, the capital of the Regular Army, the place with the tightest security."

"I understand, the Revolutionary Army also wants to win me over."

"Yes, the crises you face are not just from the Regular Army, but could also come from the Revolutionary Army. However, both factions will also welcome you joining them greatly," Feya pointed at several spots next to the map, "Here, here, here... these are places where the Revolutionary Army is gathering, they will definitely attack here before the ten-day celebration."

"What exactly is the celebration?"

"It’s your coming of age ceremony, or in other words, a festival disguised as a coming of age celebration." Feya looked at him with unprecedented solemnity in her tone, "Someone wants you dead."

"Who?"

"Your Majesty."

Su Ming’an felt it was not surprising; his survival rate was so low, targeting him could only be the strongest NPC in the instance world.

"By the way," Su Ming’an remembered the notebook he had put in his backpack, which still showed that 20 Points were needed to read further.

He opened the notebook and then saw a line of large characters:

The following detailed the specific steps.

He skipped over the massive amounts of formulas and indecipherable symbols in the middle of the notebook and looked at the last page where there were clear words, seemingly left by Qin Wang:

"My body may still be sent to the altar in ten days, and my spirit dissipated with it, but this world will still retain hope."

"I cannot leave this square, I will die here, but my research will spread like the wind to every corner of the continent."

"I am the future, even if I sleep forever."

"*Key Clue Obtained (Talent Awakening Research Experiment Content)"

"(Talent Awakening Research Experiment Content): You have understood all the information about the experiment, and you can continue to lead it."

"Identity information has been automatically supplemented"

"Information obtained: (Identity: belongs to the Regular Army, a High Level Researcher)"

"Survival Probability: increased by 0.89%"

"He’s a lot like you, isn’t he?"

As Su Ming’an read through the notebook, Feya, sitting across from him, said:

"He and you... both bear the future in mind."

"Not quite the same," Su Ming’an closed the notebook. "This person is much more selfless than I am. It seems he truly wanted to complete this research, even if it meant he would never wake up..."

Suddenly, he heard a system prompt:

"Identity mission has been issued"

"(Qin Wang·Personal Identity Mission): Ensure the final completion of the experiment."

He glanced at the mission bar and continued, "...But I’m puzzled. Once the research results are really out, couldn’t that Majesty take control of the results? Why is he so adamant about killing me?"

"I don’t know," Feya shook her head. "But what you need to understand is that if you don’t leave this square within ten days, the person who will die is you. His Majesty wants to use the coming-of-age ceremony to cover up your death... He’s very adept at invoking tales of gods and ghosts; he’ll send you to the altar, then quietly kill you. The superstitious people will only think you ascended to divinity, with very few knowing the truth behind it."

...So that’s how it is.

Su Ming’an smiled:

"I understand."

He spoke with a hint of irony in his tone:

"After the classes become rigidified, the notions of the upper class are chanted as truth and broadly accepted by the lower class through laws and order. When everyone becomes a frog at the bottom of the well, they think that what they see is the entirety of the sky..."

"Shh..." Feya suddenly stood up, swiftly stuffed the map on the table into her bosom, and then pounced in his direction.

Su Ming’an was startled, but he didn’t push her away, instead, letting her come to him.

As she came very close, he saw the room door pushed open slightly, revealing a corner of an extravagant skirt.

Then, the skirt shifted slightly as the little girl with wine-red pupils slowly approached.

On seeing Feya and Su Ming’an together, a ripple appeared on her originally calm face, and she quickly retreated.

"It seems I’ve come at an inconvenient time."

She stood outside the door and said:

"...I originally wanted to check on your condition. Now it seems unnecessary for me to... disturb you."

Saying so, she considerately closed the door again, never casting another glance from beginning to end.

The footsteps outside slowly receded.

After Hui Shuhang left, Feya slowly got up from him.

"The situation is urgent, I’m sorry," she said.

Her face bore no hint of a maiden’s shyness, her expression calm.

"It’s okay," Su Ming’an looked at the closed door. "...It seems that Majesty is really keeping a close watch."

"Miss Shuhang is just following orders," Feya said. "But this time, we should have fooled them. She probably didn’t hear everything—we must leave quickly before the guards are reinforced."

"No, we can’t go yet. My identity mission is to ensure the completion of the experiment. That Majesty would only kill me after the completion of the experiment, so until then, I am safe."

"...Are you sure about this?"

"Even if I’m not, I have to be."

"..." Feya fell silent for a while. "I will help you."

"Can you get me an audience with that Majesty?"

"He is dangerous... It won’t be as simple as fooling Hui Shuhang. If you show even the slightest flaw, we might never have the chance to escape again."

"I’m sure I can handle it." Su Ming’an still held the final card of turning back time in his hand.

"Okay, then later, I’ll take you to see him."

Feya said, then turned around: "I can’t stay with you too long. After seeing His Majesty, if we are separated, we may never get the chance to meet again."

"It’s okay, this is enough, thank you very much," Su Ming’an replied as he took a bag out of his backpack and threw it to her.

Still retaining her quick reflexes, the girl swiftly caught the bag as she felt something being thrown at her.

Upon inspection, it was a pack of food with a torn open top, revealing several stick-like items.

"There are no chocolate bars in this world," she remarked. "I’ve stopped eating them."

"Try it," Su Ming’an suggested. "If it’s not tasty, throw it back to me."

Feya hesitated, then slowly took one out and put it in her mouth.

The rich chocolate flavor melted in her mouth; she chewed the crisp outer shell of the chocolate bar, then began nibbling on the core inside.

Her eating habits remained the same as before.

She paused for a moment, and then, unexpectedly, tears slid down her cheeks.

"My swordsmanship is very good now," she said, biting into the chocolate bar. "But I’m gradually forgetting how to play games."

"You were never that good at games to begin with," Su Ming’an remarked.

She looked stunned for a moment.

Then, she asked softly, like a saint beseeching a precious relic:

"Did I help you this time?"

"You did," Su Ming’an confirmed. "You’re still yourself—I’m glad that you have become what you wanted to be."