First Player

Chapter 5 · "...Don't be crazy."

Noel vaguely remembered the "Lighthouse Theory" that Su Mingan once said.

Su Mingan proposed this theory very early on. Although many of the principles are still superficial, some of them have been confirmed in the world game, showing great foresight.

Noel admired Su Mingan from the bottom of his heart. This student who had just graduated from high school had just raised his head from the sea of ​​mathematics and English books, and instantly changed his role and climbed to the top of the world.

If nothing happens, Su Mingan should be like an ordinary freshman in Longguo, participating in clubs, fishing for public elective courses, sprinting for finals, staying up late to catch up on DDL, and working between the cafeteria, classes, and the library. From time to time, I still have time to go to team building, have barbecue, and book nights at Internet cafes...

He should have a familiar club minister, team members to work with, a counselor to take care of him, and even a female classmate he likes.

Noel remembered that Su Mingan liked to play board games and script killing, was also interested in youth exploration clubs, and liked to read philosophy and detective novels.

If the game had not started, he should have been at a safe table, playing script killing with his college classmates, or even playing more horror games and independent games, editing videos, live broadcasting... until he became a famous up owner.

There is no crisis of life and death, no physical pain caused by swords, no psychopathic mental torture... there will be no madness, no collapse, and no sleeplessness.

...Rather than here, in front of the whole world, amid the expectations and accusations of many ignorant people, under the malicious intentions and eager eyes of higher-dimensional creatures, playing such games is extremely dangerous, like walking on a tightrope on the line of collapse. Real person "script kill".

So unfair.

This world is too heavy and has fallen too deep into the quagmire. It is difficult to pull up and the downward trend is almost irreversible.

Noel didn't want to be like Su Mingan, it was too tiring. He just wanted to be a free sun, lighting up the people around him.

——But in this filthy world, how can there be a paradise?

He can save one, but not all.

He can save a moment, but not a lifetime.

These principles are not only applicable in the copy world, but also in reality.

... There is no happy ending at all. Someone is always inevitably sacrificed. This is reality, and reality is not a fairy tale.

Noel stretched out his hand, as if catching the sunlight falling down.

The light outlined his slender fingers, as if kissing the palm of his hand.

...even though it had been stained with the child's blood just an hour ago.

"Death will not let anyone go just because they are children, old people, vulnerable, or unwilling to accept..." Noel murmured: "...I teach them to grow and give them the strength to stand up. ——From now on, only their own ability and luck can determine their future, not the world."

“Once they decide to work hard for this hot land, regardless of status or age——”

He turned his head and looked at Su Ming'an, who was dressed in black.

His lips moved slightly, the ends of his eyes sunk, and he gave a tired smile.

"...I will satisfy them."

"No one is an accessory."

"I help them..." he said softly: "-become the person they long for."

At a time of human crisis, morality takes a back seat.

Just like during famines in ancient times, it was not uncommon to exchange children for food. In order to "survive", many things can be abandoned.

Children only see Noel and others being kind to them, and they know that they have to rely on their own efforts to earn points and save their loved ones, but they don't understand the price they have to pay in terms of spirituality and growth.

It is also difficult to define whether it is good or bad for children to participate in such a bloody and crazy copy.

As blank as a sheet of paper, in the future of mankind a few decades later, these children are prematurely contaminated with filth. Some of them may gradually become crazy and cruel like Bonnie who burned people for fun.

The World Game is a thing that is good at changing human nature and despises it.

It can make calm people crazy, make cowardly people brave, make selfish people selfless, and make kind people cruel.

It will make people... become unlike themselves.

Just like Su Ming'an now and Su Ming'an three months ago, they are completely different people.

Su Mingan remained silent during Noel's speech.

He watched Noel confide quietly, watching Noel pour out the helplessness and anger that was on the verge of bursting out in an extremely calm manner.

When Noel calmed down, Su Mingan didn't comment on his point of view, but just said -

"...Don't be crazy."

Noel was stunned, his eyes moved slightly and stared at Su Ming'an.

"……What?"

He said softly.

"Don't be crazy." Su Mingan repeated: "You...don't be crazy."

These are already the most appropriate words.

Huge mental pressure, heavy negative emotions, despair with little hope for the future... One negative thing after another is weighing on them, the frontline players, making them breathless.

Su Mingan has gradually understood the reason why Noel called him here today.

Noel was not asking for his opinion on these children, nor was it for any cooperation matters.

...Noel is asking for help.

Complaining, talking, exploding, venting displeasure, struggling.

Noel is struggling between painful moral decision-making lines, struggling on the edge of the abyss on the verge of collapse.

Guilt, helplessness, anger, despair...

Su Mingan almost forgot.

Players like them... have already gone crazy.

——Noel was obviously asking for help from him.

Because Noel himself was about to collapse.

Su Mingan has always believed that Noel is a person who is very good at adjusting his mental state. He emphasizes that "games should be played with a smile." His smile is always as warm as the sun and has infected countless people.

Noel's temperament is extremely enthusiastic and optimistic. It seems that nothing will make him suppress his sadness, and he can always maintain a cheerful and optimistic mood.

...But where are such people in the world?

As long as you have seven emotions and six desires, you will definitely be affected by the world. This kind of influence is pervasive and can quickly worsen a person's condition. Especially since Noel is a kind and lawful person, he feels even more oppressed.

In the absence of psychotropic drugs or a suitable psychiatrist, Noel regarded him as a mental buffer.

Noel was calling for help.

Talk for help.

Because maybe he is the only one who can stand on the same level and understand Noel.

"Noel. Edward has gone crazy. I don't want you to become the next one." Su Mingan said, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. No one will blame you."

"..." Noel's fingers trembled slightly.

The light spots condensed on his eyelashes, like a dazzling spark.

He blinked, his eyes suddenly turning red.

"...Su Mingan, what should I do..." he said suddenly.

As if all his defenses suddenly collapsed, the smile he had always maintained on his face disappeared, and his sea-blue eyes began to tremble violently.

Moist water appeared in his eyes.

"...The mental state of those of us at the top of the list...can't survive the end of the game..."

"The total progress bar is now only 30.1%, 30.1%! There are still nine months... We can hardly hold on anymore..."

"Humanity has almost no future. We are almost collapsing... The scary thing is that this matter cannot be made public at all. We cannot even spread this panic and can only maintain this seemingly optimistic status quo..."

"Herbert must have known about this, so he took the initiative to leave his identity as a player. He must have known that we couldn't hold on any longer, including himself...that's why he dropped everything and left..."

"There is no other way. I can hardly hold on anymore. When I closed my eyes last night, it was all hallucinations. Everything I saw while walking on the road was gray and white - I can't see colors! I can't see anymore..."

His body was shaking violently, and there was a thin layer of water in his red eyes.

The fantasy style of the New World Guild was designed based on his personal preferences. He liked the feeling of being colorful and reflecting light on every item.

The colorful buildings, the painted glass, the glazed roof that reflects the light... everything is as beautiful as a dream.

But now, these colors he specially designed,

--He himself couldn't see anything.

"...I can't hold on any longer, and I know it."

Noel took a breath: "But Su Ming'an, I want to tell you, don't be crazy... you can't be crazy... you are the last thing to be crazy. Edward is crazy, Mizushima Kawakora is going crazy, and I am going crazy too... But you are the only one who cannot go crazy...

We entrust you with the most painful and impossible things, and the heaviest responsibility... You must not go crazy, no matter how painful it is, no matter how hard you can hold on... you can't go crazy...

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I'm forcing you to do this, but we have no choice, I...I can't do anything anymore..."

The mask of his bright smile finally came off, revealing a tear-stained face.

His eyes were red, and there was misty sadness on his face, like a circus clown who finally took off his mask.

The comedian who loves to make others laugh the most has a sadness in his own eyes that he can no longer get rid of.

Su Mingan has never seen Noel like this.

On this day after the end of the eighth world, Noel showed a scene he had never seen before, like a survivor struggling in a shipwreck holding on to a plank.

... Even so, Noel was only here, showing such an appearance to him alone, and did not convey this panic.

Even Noel's closest companions could not know about this. They could only see the bright sunshine in him as the president of the New World, be inspired by his adventurous spirit of rushing into the universe, and be infected by his optimism.

Who can see what the back of the sun looks like.

Noel's hands slowly dropped. His shoulders were slender, like those of a child. No one could tell that he was actually six years older than Su Mingan.

"I won't go crazy." Su Mingan looked into Noel's eyes.

He reached out and put his hand on Noel's shoulder.

No matter how painful it is, no matter how desperate it is, no matter how desperate... Su Mingan still thinks that he will not go crazy.

...Even if the final outcome is really only tragedy, even if nothing can be redeemed...he will restrain himself from going crazy.

He slowly released his hands, without using much force, but with a steady gesture, telling Noel that he promised——

[Even if everyone is crazy, he is the only sane person among the madmen. 】

In a world with the theme of madness, this is ridiculous, overestimating oneself, and going against the grain.

It doesn't matter, they are "monsters".

Feared by ordinary players, kept away by casual players, and wary of the leadership... They are a group of monsters struggling for themselves.

The curse called madness runs through everyone, but before it finally breaks out, they all have the power to breathe every breath of fresh air.

Just finally knock down that black wall.

Overthrow that side - the black wall created by high-dimensional creatures that separates them from their homeland Zhai Star.

Before that, before they see the final outcome, before they see the doomsday, they will use every ounce of air to breathe. This is human beings.

Struggling uglyly, struggling humbly to survive, living in extreme pain to the end, lingering but trying your best for a perfect ending, this is what human beings are.

"sorry Sorry sorry……"

Noel kept apologizing.

In fact, he didn't need to apologize at all.

"Take a rest if you can't hold it any longer." Su Mingan said: "The ninth world, the tenth world... you can rest for one world, it doesn't matter, the strength will not increase much. What we lack is not the progress bar, but the fear of your list." The collapse of former players caused a cliff-like drop in points.”

"...What about you?" Noel said.

Su Mingan lowered his head and glanced at the back of his hand.

White lines were painted on the back of his hand like water.

The seals for perfect customs clearance are complete, with not a single flaw missing.

"I'm in good shape," he said.

He raised his eyelids.

The colorful glass decorations were reflected in front of his eyes, and the light was dazzling.

However, his eyes were still covered with a layer of dull gray.

"...Where is the information about the Ninth World?" he said after a moment of silence.

Before each world copy is opened, Noel will bring him information about the next world in advance. This is Noel's [Watcher] identity power.

By asking this question, he was making it clear that he would never rest.

Noel hesitated for a moment and showed him the information.

Su Mingan dropped his gaze.

The panel unfolded before his eyes, still showing a lingering gray tone.

…

[Ninth World·City of Measurement·Akto]

[World type: global open dungeon with tens of thousands of people, specific development dungeon]

[Key props: AI]

[Key points for clearance: Synchronize with the "evolution" of human beings and keep pace with the time of the world. 】

[World elements: collapse, reconstruction, evolution, intelligence, wasteland, creation, fitness, ship of Theseus]

["I will knock it off the altar and realize the world of our dreams."

"From now on,"

"No one should be afraid of the coming night."

"..."

"PhD."

"Actually, my biggest regret is seeing you through the screen.\