First Player

 Explosive lights exploded in the night, lighting up the earth.

The smell of burning yellow paper, the sound of swords clashing, the flow of medieval magic... For a moment, it was difficult to tell which era this war was, as if different eras were disconnected here.

 Noel sat atop the tallest bell tower in the Holy City. The white dove rested in his palm.

 Under the bell tower, there is an endless battlefield as far as the eye can see. What ignited this war was the "Immortal Talisman Seal Expansion" sent by Su Mingan from Black Cat. Starting from the Holy City, burning this talisman and letting the special medicine gather in the sky can brew a heavy rain that covers the whole world and awakens history.

 The confusion in people’s eyes will be cleared, and they will gradually think of that era of flowers and freedom, and the dead nightingales in the steel jungle—they once belonged to the vibrant forest of the past.

　　　　A few decades ago, there was a beautiful bird living in the world. 】

 Noel stroked the feathers of the white dove and looked down at the war.

 The night is silent and the horn is sounding.

Led by the Human Self-Salvation Alliance, the red-haired deputy leader Zhai Zi rushed to the front, followed closely by Xinyue and Captain Li. Christina, the king of Asante Kingdom, led the troops behind. Li Yuxuan, Shangqing and others led their troops underground and took charge of the underground battlefield.

"Is it true that the gods will not come back?" Yamada pressed the earpiece and shouted amidst the majestic gunfire. He is covered in armor, which is the Civet Gundam he exchanged for points in the ruined world.

"Su Mingan said no! Believe him!" Isabella's nearly hoarse voice came from the headset. The battlefield was so noisy it was almost hard to hear.

"Road! Can we take off? We can only get the special medicine and the Immortal Talisman into the air at the same time, and activate the artificial rainfall amplifier, and then -" This was Alger's voice.

 “To escort—” Lu’s voice was also indistinct.

The blue moonlight caressed the Holy City compassionately, and the knights and priests of the steam age—as well as countless Holy Allied troops, firmly guarded the defense line. The knights' faces were covered in iron armor, cold and determined.

The land beneath our feet was their home for generations before it was reduced to steel and concrete. 】

Meng Xunjia Yi Zhongyu, Bu Xiuwei, Qiu Gui, Yang Qiulu, and Mu Tianrui are surrounded by the light of talismans and seals. They are the vanguard of the battlefield.

　　——They chirp and sing. Even if they are hunted and killed, they still sing with their hoarse throats. 】

Xiao Ying brought people from the old Holy See here. Although people didn't like them, they were indeed a powerful supporting force.

 Subsequently, there was a huge group of players—in this war, the most motivated ones turned out to be the players. The top players on the list, Eli, Agnes, and the Lighthouse Cult of Burris, all joined with a group of powerful NPCs.

  【Until—they are hunted to death. We became the last "Nightingales". When none of us can sing, our throats still make noise. 】

 The army from Louyue Kingdom. Commanded by General Yi and led by Fengyun Swordsman, they had only one reason to join the war - to fight for His Highness the First Prince.

Mo Yan led a group of people from the Guwu family to protect the left and right wings.

Finally, there is the black magpie of Huomulier, holding the sword of destiny. Although he and Su Ming'an had not met this week, he came when he heard that people were about to rush into the Holy City.

As early as the period when Su Mingan was investigating the Ark Project, Noel, Yamada Machichi and others were acting silently. They did not show their brilliance during the period of the tower, because they have been accumulating. When Su Mingan declared a divine war on the night of the sixth day, they were ready to start a war at any time.

"Su Ming'an is alone in front, so dangerously confronting the gods. We can't just wave the light stick." This is what Yamada Machichi said on the sixth day.

Su Mingan seems to be alone, but in fact, he has left his presence in every force.

 The Human Self-Salvation League, there are people who disobey the gods. In the City Guardian Department, there are the Li Yuxuan family who are determined to recover history, and there are subordinates of Su Shize, the fire spreader. In the old Holy See, there were Xiao Jingsan and Xiao Ying. Even among the Holy Alliance Army and the Church, there is the goddess Alice, the knight Wendell, and even Alger among them.

 Institute of the Central Research Institute, including Lin Yunting and Isabella. Mercenary Alliance, there is Yue Yue. The ancient martial arts family includes Yi Zhongyu and Mo Yan. There is also Bronte of Assante, the Black Magpie of Humulier, the Diplomat Road of Niyi Democratic Alliance, the Lighthouse Cult of Burris...even the players scattered all over the world will have a group of forces behind them. .

Su Mingan’s investigation was not in vain. The progress of the Dream Patrol, the Ark Project, the story of the Firebringer, the myth of the old gods... already gave him a good foundation for starting the war. That's why Chao Yan thinks - this is indeed the best week.

The moment Mizushima Kawa pointed his sword at Su Ming'an.

 —The people's artillery fire rushed towards the holy city.

 Noel sat on the bell tower, looking at the chaotic war.

 The battle was getting intense, but he never took action.

 These days, he has been leading all the forces. It can be said that all the achievements are attributed to him. However, he felt confused at this moment.

 “Am I...me?” He couldn't confirm the answer.

  He looked at his fingers. The puppet silk was like an arm and he was using it as if he had used it countless times. However, he couldn't confirm that he was really himself, or... Noel.

 Golden hair, blue eyes, elegant manners and blue roses, intelligence and good reputation... these constitute Noel's characteristics. However, when he approached the black cat just now, the black cat backed away warily.

 …It’s like Su Mingan had warned the black cat in advance to be wary of Noel.

 It seems that Su Mingan thinks that this is Nolf Noir.

　　　…”

Noel looked at the white dove flying high in silence.

“—The coordinates have been locked in the sky. We need a person or a team to **** the special medicine and the Immortal Talisman up.” People’s voices rang through the headset.

“—Can’t we use remote means?”

"-No. It's too variable and needs someone strong enough to **** it up, otherwise it can easily be cut off midway. Moreover, it takes a while for the rain to fall. If the Immortal Talisman Seal is taken away by the enemy midway, the rain will stop immediately. "

“—The Lord of the Black Magpie Kingdom of Homulil provided us with a bomb. It is said to be a destructive weapon that he has prepared for a long time. As long as it is ignited, most of the Holy City will be in flames."

"-In this case, as long as the special medicine is sent up and the bomb is ignited, the Immortal Talisman Seal will not be taken away in a short time." Isabella's calm voice came out.

“—This requires sacrifice. If this plan is implemented, the people escorting the Immortal Talisman Seal will also be killed."

“—There are sacrifices every second, this cannot be avoided, it can only be done as soon as possible.”

"—I can drive the Civet up there." Yamada Machichi's voice was also very calm: "The Civet has a lift-off function, and my personal combat power should be enough. There is no other candidate. You can help me stop the angel." "-Machiichi Yamada, don't go, the Peak Alliance can't lose you." Isabella's voice.

The headset is noisy. Noel suddenly laughed softly and jumped down from the bell tower.

Hand in hand with the bomb, Yamada Machichi is preparing to launch the Civet into the air. His hair was disheveled and his body was covered in burn marks.

"I'll do it." Noel supported him: "You are not strong enough."

This is a do-or-die plan, the higher the combat power of the escort, the better.

He ignored Yamada Machichi's efforts to stay, pushed Yamada Machichi away directly, and sat in almost self-destructively. At this moment, he probably knew that he was not the real Noel, and the real Noel would not be so impulsive. So what is he?

 On the first night, he came down wearing a flowing fairy dress with wide sleeves and invited the best friend in his memory to go on an adventure. He once killed a fake Yamada Machichi in the Experimental City of the First Tower.

 But he did not expect that he might also be a fake. He had never felt that some of his words could have been fabricated by gods in advance.

"Noel, you can't go. If you die, the points with such a weight will be..." Yamada Machichi said with a face full of confusion.

And Noel stretched out his hand, through the glass screen of the Civet, and touched the tip of Yamada Machi's nose.

 Squinting his eyes, the eyes in the vast sea condensed into a thin line.

"Fake. They are all fake." Noel smiled: "The appearance can be disguised, the voice can be adjusted, the memory can be instilled, and the strength can be implanted. You - maybe you are all fake. You helped Su Mingan so selflessly - what drives you But it's not your true emotions, but the implanted passion and love. Maybe... none of us are real."

 “What are you talking about?” Yamada Machichi knew that there was a big gap between his IQ and Noel’s. But I really didn’t understand these words.

Noel waved his hand.

"If I die and no equipment drops, then I will know who I am." Noel raised his lips: "A fearless, passionate adventurer who is keen on exploring the unknown, such a character setting - risking his own life just to find out the answer to a question. Yamada Machichi, tell me - the real Noel, would he do this? Do I have freedom at this moment? "

Yamada Machi stared at him blankly.

  The Civet was launched at this moment.

Facing the recorder, Noel slowly raised his hand and made an "ok" gesture. At the same time, he blinked his right eye and smiled slowly.

 In his memory, this means - "No need to save me".

Even if the Civet is blown up, the image of the recorder will remain for Su Mingan to see.

Is a secret code?

I guess so.

Maybe this is just the result of the gods' observation. Maybe this code has other meanings, but he is probably not Noel, so he doesn't know.

 He looked out the window, the blue moon was silent, and the flames shot straight into the sky. Xinghe stared at him, the moonlight caressed his blond hair, and the scenery outside the glass was particularly gentle.

 He touched the puppet silk in his hand. In fact, he already knew the answer to the question. It was just the emotion rooted in his heart that told him to stop being this "Noel".

You will make him confused, you will make him doubt, you will make him not believe even the first code word.

 He is the last nightingale, but you are not. You are a trap fabricated by the gods... to completely silence the nightingale.

 A free and proud bird should not accept being controlled by others, even if it is a counterfeit product.

 When the Civet reached the top, all the noise disappeared.

Noel faced the recorder and hugged the bomb tightly.

“I thought of a memory, and that feeling was already very vague. After all, it was an implanted memory, not my personal experience.” Noel said softly:

“In my memory, a person very much like me once said that he would not die for justice because he was a bird.”

“I am also a flying bird, Su Mingan. Even though I don’t know who I was before I became ‘Noel’. But the memories of getting along with you in my mind tell me that flying birds should be in the sky.”

"I tell you with my death - I may not be Noel myself. Please remember - others may not be themselves, even if they don't know it."

"Although the probability is infinitely low, if you find out that I am really Noel... you can go back and save me. But if I am not Noel..."

 The fire burned in his hands.

“Just remember that a bird died in the sky.”

With tears streaming down his red eyes, the blond boy smiled lonely in front of the cold recorder.

“…because it has also forgotten its name, age, appearance, family and [history].”

 When the first burst of fire broke out on the Civet, the first drop of rain fell from the sky.

Even until his death, the bird was still attached to the forest described by the old gods.

imagine you are walking in a forest with dappled sunshine, with green leaves hanging down and flowers in full bloom, walking among mountains and flowing water, and when you raise your head, spring peach blossoms fall on your shoulders.

A brilliant fire exploded, pieces of iron fell to the ground piece by piece, and the Civet was torn into pieces.

 “唰唰唰—”

 The rain dropped the second drop, the third drop, and the fourth drop.

 The iron block smashed down the second, third, and fourth pieces.

 Finally, the Civet completely disappeared in the flames.

The raindrops connected into a line, and the line squeezed into a thick rain surface. Then there was a loud "crash-" and a heavy downpour fell from the sky, covering the entire land.

Su Mingan raised his head. The last ray of moonlight lingered on his forehead, and then fell softly.

 The rain covered me at this moment.

Blood and water slowly flowed into the earth along the black knife pierced through his heart, as if the sea was returning.