Chapter 176 - ’In the World Where He and They Have All Left

Chapter 176: Chapter 174: ’In the World Where He and They Have All LeftSu Ming’an glanced at the time; it was now noon on the ninth day. Only half a day remained until the most critical day.

As he pondered this, the number jumped again to 75.001%.

It seemed... as long as he stayed here, his survival probability would continue to rise?

He seemed to have arrived at a feng shui treasure land through spatial teleportation props.

Su Ming’an asked, "Is the Regular Army’s station not far from here?"

"Yes... it’s nearby, next to Ger Forest. However, we basically don’t leave town; it’s too dangerous outside..." Mo Mo probably guessed something, as the other party seemed to be a noble of the Regular Army, especially since everything he showed did not resemble a long-distanced soldier.

Next to him, Qingqing, who was holding a medicine bowl, was still staring with wide eyes, seemingly very curious about him.

Seizing his moment of contemplation, Mo Mo quickly pledged loyalty: "Sir, there are wars going on outside, and you have not yet recovered, so you should not go out randomly. The Mayor has a Recovery Stone that can speed up recovery. I will fetch it for you during the daytime tomorrow... Qingqing will take care of your wound from now on. This herbal medicine can also nourish the body... If you need anything, you can talk to her anytime when I’m not around, I will come back immediately after chopping wood."

Su Ming’an glanced at him, and then he heard the system prompt:

["If I followed my own will and stayed away from sacrifice and being sacrificed."

"Leaving the homeland to seek new landscapes."

"The environment is extremely hostile, but people’s hearts are always united."

"By then, I believe... in a world where both he and they have left, it will belong to everyone as a paradise."]

"Ding-dong!"

Meanwhile, a progress bar appeared in the task bar, marked with precise numbers — exactly the current experimental progress.

If it was said that his previous speculations merely gave Su Ming’an some thoughts.

Now, the system’s explicit hint of the "Perfect Pass" route allowed him to completely set his mind at ease.

He guessed correctly that getting involved in the fight between the two armies to confront the unstoppable Holy Initiation was an impossible task.

If waiting for the tenth day to pass was also considered a Perfect Pass route... then the difficulty wasn’t so exaggerated.

Otherwise, even he, who had the ability to replay, found it strenuous; how would others manage to pass?

He settled down, ready to wait for further prompts from the system.

Meanwhile, during his fluctuating expressions, the two townfolk, both young and old, kept staring straight at him.

"What’s wrong?"

He thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, speaking with the tone of a Player actively accepting an NPC’s task, "Is there something you need help with?"

Sure enough, the next moment, a new task prompt popped up.

... A temporary task.

This type of task, since the first world, was only the second time he had undertaken it.

Mainly because he did not, like other Players, engage every NPC in conversation and accept every minor task available.

He had a clear goal and path, aimed only at a perfect pass, so he avoided taking low-reward tasks that would affect his progress.

But now, having no specific tasks at hand, he thought he might as well earn some extra.

"Uh, we..." The man who was a head taller than him scratched his head, his appearance somewhat simple and honest.

"Say it, you saved me, what compensation do you want?" Su Ming’an asked, quite directly.

Because he understood that with people born at the lowest tier, being straightforward was the best way to communicate.

Mo Mo glanced at Qingqing, and asked, "Sir, may I ask... when approximately will your subordinates come to pick you up?"

"After I’ve recovered, I will go back myself, most likely tomorrow," Su Ming’an said. "So, let’s talk practical. Food, water, clothes, or weapons? I can give you any of these."

He guessed that for someone like Mo Mo from the impoverished class, all thoughts likely pertained to such material resources, and coincidentally, his backpack was stockpiled with these things, all crammed in by that five-person squad.

"I wish..." Mo Mo sighed, pulled the silent Qingqing to his front, and gentley stroked her dry hair, then withdrew his hand, fearing the cold wind might reach her:

"I wish for you... to take Qingqing away."

Su Ming’an tapped his fingers on the wooden bed frame. It was an unexpected answer indeed.

"Daddy!" Qingqing suddenly grabbed the man’s clothing, her tone panicked, "I don’t want to go! I don’t want to leave!"

"... Honey, listen to me," Mo Mo’s eyes filled with tenderness as he raised his gaze, earnestly saying to Su Ming’an, "This place is too harsh, and lately there have been wars. I wish you could allow this child to leave this place, to see a broader world, rather than end up like me... spending a lifetime laboring here."

Although he did not wish Qingqing to witness the cruelties of the world too early, and wanted to protect her all his life, he also knew his own situation—he was a capable person.

Fortunately, he was a capable person.

Unfortunately, capable persons don’t live long.

Mo Mo already felt his life drawing to a close, each use of his ability felt like hacking off a piece of his bone, and soon, he feared, it would bury him entirely. He couldn’t escape the gradual slip of his life, and he dreaded someday closing his eyes and never waking again.

So, as a father, he would rather have Qingqing leave him now, never to see her again, than suffer the sudden loss of him one day, leaving her without support.

Moreover, the flames of war were flickering nearby, and Zhaolin Town might one day suddenly be destroyed.

He desired for his daughter to go, and the farther the better.

The man before him was young, seemingly of a noble bearing, and from his words, seemed to be one who recognized and returned favors, not like those corrupt nobles he had heard of. Although he could not fully discern the other’s character, as long as he could ensure his daughter’s safety, he was satisfied.

And in his view, his daughter’s happiness was not the most important thing. In this world, merely surviving was hard enough, let alone seeking higher levels of spiritual fulfillment, which seemed too far-fetched.

He merely wanted his daughter to live, that was it, plain and simple.

Mo Mo extended his hand and slightly pushed Qingqing forward.

Through those clear eyes, Su Ming’an felt a moment of trance—as if in a previous world, he too had once made eye contact with such pure eyes.

After that, the pure look in her eyes gradually disappeared as the instance’s plot developed.

He heard the system notification:

... Okay.

Another person with a sky-high basic favorability, starting directly at 70 points.

Perhaps this shell looked really good, fitting the tastes of simple-minded little girls, to like so deeply just by seeing one’s face.

The barrage had already gone crazy, playing with various jokes. And Su Ming’an felt uneasy.

——This way, he would have another person clinging to him for free, and in such an inexplicable manner.

He could probably anticipate the look in Moli’s eyes when he brought this Qingqing back with him.

... Why were all these proactive followers little girls?

"Fine," Su Ming’an nodded.

This kind of plan that could both bring in people and points was naturally something he would do, he wouldn’t refuse just because others might say something since she was a little girl.

He had never thought before that such a minor task could be this simple; maybe he should pay more attention to peripheral NPCs in the future.

The only failure point might be that Qingqing would continue to follow him until the fifteenth day, during which time he would need to ensure her safety as much as possible.

"The premise is, she knows her limits, I don’t like being accompanied by a noisy kid. And I’m only responsible for bringing her where I am, allowing her to follow me... you need to understand, these times are chaotic, once she leaves this territory, it’s very likely she can’t come back," Su Ming’an said. "You are her father, but you might never see her again after this. Are you resolute about it?"

Listening, Qingqing seemed to also grasp the situation now.

She knew her father appeared to be sending her away.

...On some nights, she had heard her father’s restrained coughing, seen the blood he coughed onto the firewood, seen his body slowly bending.

Her father often said he hoped to hold on a little longer, to hunt some game and chop some wood for her so she could survive what seemed like an eternal winter, so she and the uncles and aunts next door wouldn’t fear the Demon Beasts during the day and the cold at night.

But now... it seemed like he couldn’t hold on any longer.

"I just want an answer from you." Mo Mo looked at Su Ming’an, his eyes resolute. "After being taken away by you, can Qingqing live?"

"She can."

Facing 60 Points, Su Ming’an gave his promise very easily.

Then, he saw the big and burly man suddenly shrink by a good deal.

Mo Mo kneeled down immediately, his forehead hitting the ground with a crisp sound:

"Thank you."

He said, his voice gradually squeezing out from his throat:

"I am truly very... grateful to you."

Su Ming’an’s gaze slightly wavered.

He was thinking of not bringing her only if there was no benefit.

Since he had promised Points, agreeing was better than not agreeing at all.

But everything still had to prioritize a Perfect Pass. If this little girl hindered him, he would not hesitate to let her die.

He certainly wasn’t going to suddenly develop a conscience for any NPCs and think he could save anyone.

Mo Mo slowly got up and touched Qingqing’s head, gently speaking, "Qingqing, you must obey at that time; you have great Potential as a Fire Series Ability. As long as you work hard, you can escape the poverty our family has faced for generations."

The little girl stood there, her eyes red:

"...Daddy, I don’t want to hear about another uncle or auntie freezing to death anymore."

Mo Mo listened and suddenly his face was covered in tears.

He hugged his daughter, his smile choked with emotion:

"That’s right. In the future, you’ll have to rely on yourself after leaving Daddy... Be obedient, and when you become an official, you can make this place better, and no more uncles and aunties will freeze to death... And remember to visit Daddy anytime."

Su Ming’an watched this scene expressionlessly.

After Mo Mo comforted Qingqing and went out, he quietly closed the door.

He was thinking about how to advance his personal identity quest.

The task prompt stated that self-Researching the Talent Awakening Formation could also advance the progress bar...

He took out a dagger, sliced open his palm, and then began to draw an Array in the room.

Blood dripped onto the floor, slowly spreading out.

Perhaps because his bloodline was different from ordinary people’s, even though the floor was covered in his blood, there wasn’t a strong smell of blood. It was more like painting with red paint. After completing the Array from his memory, he saw that the progress bar had not increased much.

He thought for a moment and added a few touches to the Array.

The blood seeping out connected with the Array he had drawn, gradually starting to Fuse. After a moment, he saw that the Array before him had changed.

The progress bar advanced just a little bit.

The notes Qin Wang had given him wouldn’t suddenly turn him into a Scholar, just like a middle school student wouldn’t understand High Level algebra just by reading a book. Qin Wang had only explained in easy-to-understand terms how to draw the Array, what effects the Fusion of blood and Array could produce, and a few key points for the experiments. Previously in Regular Army Square, those capable students were conducting the experiments; he only played a key role in controlling the direction and providing his own blood.

Now, with him gone, although the progress on the Regular Army’s side had slowed, it wasn’t by much, as both groups were capable of conducting experiments independently. The key point was that, at the final moment of completion, his living blood was needed.

If he didn’t combine the results from the Regular Army’s side and just recklessly experimented with his own blood, it also might be possible to force success on his own. Perhaps the previous Qin Wang couldn’t manage, but now, with a long health bar and Blood Bottles for replenishment, repeated experimentation might indeed be feasible.

Thinking thus, he continued to guzzle Blood Bottles while using his blood to draw various Arrays. If his palm was cut, he would switch to his arm, as long as it didn’t affect his ability to wield a sword with his right hand.

Under the effect of the Blood Bottles, many scars were quickly healing, though some wounds were still bleeding.

Soon, his left arm looked as though it had been minced.

He straightened up, wanting to rest for a bit and noticed it had already become night.

Nobody had dared disturb him throughout, and he had been so engrossed in cutting himself that he hadn’t realized the time.

He looked at his disfigured arm and then at the progress bar—now at 99.4%. If nothing went wrong, everything would be completed by tomorrow.

He wanted to see what it was like outside, whether he could see the deep blue Shield of Regular Army Square from here.

Just as he thought about pushing the door open to look, he suddenly heard a "creak."

The old wooden door, automatically opened.

Raising his somewhat blurry gaze due to excessive blood loss, he saw a sudden shadow pouncing towards him.

He felt someone suddenly embrace him, the Force so tight as if trying to merge him into their very bones and blood.