First Player

“Suppose a tram is about to fly past. On the left rail are the teammates you care about, and on the right rail are hundreds of millions of civilians. Su Mingan, what decision will you make?”

 “I will destroy the tram.”

“What would you do if the trolley were indestructible?”

 “Stop it.”

 “The trolley is so heavy and unstoppable that you cannot stop it.”

“There will always be a way, destroy the tracks, smash the wheels, stop the drivers... there will always be a way.”

“No. The tram will run over them in the next second. You can’t do this.”

 “Then there is another way.”

"What?"

 “I’ll stop it.”

“The tram doesn’t care about your face. Even if you wave to it, it won’t stop.”

“I mean, I went to stop it. I went to stand on the track. It ran over me and it might be difficult to move forward.”

　　　…”

 …

 “Su Mingan, you have to know that you are very important.”

"I know."

“Since you are in this position, you must be prepared to make trade-offs. Be decisive and not idealistic. So the correct answer is that when the tram comes, whether you pull the lever or not - you are correct.”

“...are all correct? Whether I run over the person on the left or the person on the right...I am always correct? So this question has such an answer?"

"Yes. You have to know that it is because of your existence that the railway track is divided into two ends. Otherwise, no one would survive if the tram ran over it. Your thinking perspective should be, 'I successfully saved the people at one end. ', rather than 'I killed one of the people on one side'. This is the savior's thinking, otherwise the number of cruel decisions like this will become more and more frequent, and you will be crushed to death by more and more guilt."

　　　…”

“Someone has to pull the lever, right?”

　　　…”

"Ignore the voices that are criticizing you, because whether you pull the lever or not, someone will criticize your behavior—ignore the voices. You know, only if you keep, keep, keep pulling the lever... There are more and more 'people on the other side of the tracks' that you save."

　　　…”

"Do you understand it?"

"Chao Yan. In fact, I have understood this truth from a long time ago. Ever since I killed other players in competitive dungeons, there have been many voices insulting me. They said that I... deprived them of their future and relied on my own The powerful will judge other people’s lives arbitrarily.”

“You have the highest weight, and you have the highest success rate in making a wish. Only by making a wish can civilization be preserved, and you should do so.”

"Chaoyan. In fact, I understand most of what you said. When things really happen, if I really can't stop the tram, I will definitely be the one who pulls the lever. But I will think... is there anything else? Are there other opportunities and ways to save everyone? I have the time authority of the old gods, so I can go back. If I keep going back and find a way to stop the tram, maybe... I don’t have to keep going. , and kept pulling the lever."

Chaoyan was shocked.

 While teaching Su Mingan, she gradually discovered that this nineteen-year-old **** did not understand everything. In fact, his mentality is very similar to that of the savior in the universal sense, and he does not need her to teach him too much.

 He understands trade-offs and measurement, and he also knows how to pull the lever to maximize benefits. When the tram is coming, he will not miss the opportunity because he is soft-hearted, nor will he be at a loss because of stupidity. He will make decisions more firmly than anyone else. However, what is different from others is that in those few seconds of thinking time, he will constantly and constantly think about whether there is another way.

In the black and white paint called rationality, calmness, and indifference, he added a little more color called "idealization". This color will not affect others, but only expresses his feelings with a child-like innocence and seemingly fragile Helplessly against this black and white world. Use a newly grown sprout to block the sky that is about to overturn.

Just as he was making a choice, he gave her a somewhat naive and unexpected answer - because I have time authority, I don't have to pull the lever and stack my own body high enough to block the tram. Compared with other people's answers such as "I killed the driver" or "I blew up the tram", it seems more naive, but more feasible - because he can really do it.

Chaoyan thought, maybe, she could keep this innocence. This is what sets him apart from other leaders.

 This is precious and uniquely personal.

 But Chaoyan still had to help him get rid of some... softness belonging to a nineteen-year-old youth. Because many times, they don't even have the chance to stand next to the tram. If you indulge in idealized salvation, you will only burn yourself.

“…hold this sword, it means ‘judgment’.”

She put her calloused fingers on the back of the young man's hand and supported his hand.

 In front of them was a man kneeling on the ground.

 The man is a common man who incites others not to believe in gods. He was not bewitched by the shadow, nor was he deceived. He simply wanted to believe that there was a conspiracy behind the Millennium Plan. This kind of mentality puzzles Chaoyan - this kind of person always has conspiracy theories about everything and always thinks the worst about people.

 In the past, men could be spared because the people he spread rumors were just common people like him, and they could not be washed away even if they were splashed with dirty water. But this time it was different... the people he spread rumors were gods.

 This was a public trial, staged under the scorching sun.

There was a rough friction feeling between his fingers. Under the scorching sun, Chaoyan held Su Ming'an's hand and raised the sword. A long and diagonal shadow stretched out behind him, fluttering, fluttering, as if a myth had been added to it, and you could really hear the flapping sound of angel wings.

Chaoyan’s duty is the right wing of the old god, that is, judging good and evil.

The blade is raised - this sword is the sword Chaoyan obtained in the second world game. The wings at both ends of the hilt are raised, and the sword body is intertwined with gold and white, and can cut mountains and seas.

"-It's all because of you! It's because of you!" Perhaps because of his mortality, the man raised his head and looked directly into Su Mingan's eyes, daring to look at the god: "-It's all because of you... I am separated from my family. It's all. Because you casually complimented my flowers on how beautiful they are, I was forced to grow them. In order to please you... they would do anything! I couldn't be more angry, I, what's wrong if I just say a few words... should I die! ?”

 The dust of the times falls on everyone like a mountain.

 A casual glance from the **** is like a burning fire when it falls on everyone.

Su Mingan casually praised the flowers. In the eyes of the generals, it was an imperial edict. In order to make him happy, without his order, it was natural that those who cultivated such beautiful flowers would have to live with flowers for the rest of their lives. Just to cultivate flowers that are more pleasing to the gods and show the attitude of the local people to obey the gods.

 A man was forced to be a gardener, but he didn't dare to object, so he did something even more wrong - he was always used to spreading rumors, so it didn't matter if he said a few words about God. He began to lose control of his mouth and dumped his anguish and malice on the people around him. Who would have thought that in exchange for greater achievements, someone would hand over his rumors.     No one has done anything seriously wrong. Su Ming'an's praise was not wrong, the local people's arrangement of work was wrong, and the man's private rumors were wrong, but it was not a fatal mistake. But when they are brought to the table - it is a fatal mistake that must be judged.

　　Do not slander the gods.

Do not incite the masses.

　Do not despise the law.

If you let him go - everyone in the future can spread rumors about the gods for personal reasons.

 So the angel raised his pure white wings. Plop, plop. Like the holiest, most just, most representative white dove, flying high towards the flawless sky -

 The holy sword was chopped down.

 “Shua!”

 The people's eyes were filled with enthusiasm that was unfamiliar to Su Mingan, and they were cheering for the trial. It is a kind of fanaticism that advocates justice, expresses oneself eagerly in the group without concealment, and spreads as fast as a disease. People who were talking eloquently yesterday are now crawling on the stage like ants, kneeling and begging for mercy. This sharp contrast is enough to give the onlookers a pleasure.

 The cycle of judgment and hatred continues.

 Under the guidance of Chao Yan, Su Mingan struck down one sword, one sword, and another. Most of these sinners are guilty of sedition. Most of them deserve to die, and a small number of them do not. But in this special environment where the Ark has just set sail - there is no room for internal incitement, and all punishments are severe.

 “Lord God!” “Lord God!” “Lord God!”

 He heard cheers.

 Everyone is staring at the judgment attentively, looking forward to the coming of absolute rationality. Chaoyan remained expressionless, holding his hand, and without any mercy or hesitation, he struck at the sinner who was angry, sad, desperate, or loudly telling how many children he had.

 Regardless of age, gender, or identity.

 This is different from Su Mingan’s separate trial.

 When judged alone, he can slowly consider whether these people deserve to die and whether the punishment can be reduced as appropriate. But it's different now. It's Chaoyan who takes him. He doesn't need to think or consider. He seems to have just become a cold and hard sword, a stone statue representing the old gods, catering to every accusation, and constantly , constantly... slashing downwards.

 The last sinner he knew.

When Xinyue stepped onto the stage, everyone fell into silence - who would have thought that the host could also become a sinner on the judgment stand.

The woman with rose-red hair smiled, curling her broken hair with her fingers, and her hands were white and delicate, painted with red pink cocoa. She wasn't forced to her knees, she wasn't pleading or crying, she just stood silently...like a stone pile.

The angel pronounced sentence upon her:

“—Eighth Manager Xin Yue. You accidentally recovered your memory during a time travel. You deliberately approached the overlay of a high-dimensional being and conspired with him for a long time. Do you have any refutation of this matter?"

 For the person in charge, Chaoyan will ask an additional question about the intention of the behavior.

Xinyue’s eyes stayed on Su Ming’an. Even though he was wearing thick-soled shoes, Chaoyan was slightly taller than him, and his arm rested on his arm, as if he were holding a sword from behind.

"...I have no refutation. There is no refutation." Xinyue smiled:

“At that time I was tired and I didn’t want to obey my fate, so I went off the fixed route. It was really my fault, I had nothing to say. Let’s do it.”

Chaoyan’s finger joints were slightly bent, and Su Mingan felt the bones of his hand being tightened.

 She didn't say anything, but he seemed to have understood, and the sword blade was slightly raised.

"We can't be sure whether you have been bewitched by the overlapping shadow. Considering your previous achievements, we will give you two choices." Chaoyan said: "First, die, but before death, I will help you store the life hard drive so that you can A smooth reincarnation. Second, stay in the Holy City for the rest of your life and do not interfere in anything."

"Is there any other choice?" Xinyue suddenly laughed, with a look of relief on her face: "Let me... not be resurrected again, not... live anymore."

 She is tired.

 Life after life, reincarnation... It is said to be a blessing, but it is not a curse. A curse that...even death cannot escape. She had no problem with anyone, it was just that she was tired of working, so she took the initiative to commit the crime.

 Ordinary people commit suicide and die. For people like her to commit suicide, they have to destroy their own souls.

This is the curse that will follow them for eternity—[responsibility].

Chaoyan said nothing.

 The holy sword was slashed, and Su Mingan closed his eyes. He suddenly understood why Xinyue was controlled by the gods after a thousand years, just like the fake Nuoer and Su Lin were controlled... because they were created by the gods and were fakes, not the reincarnation products of a thousand years ago.

 “Shua!”

 Plop, plop.

The sound of the angel's wings flapping seemed to be louder.

 He closed his eyes and did not look, but the light spot in his mind silently increased. He would not throw Xinyue into reincarnation and decided to let her go free.

At this moment, he suddenly felt as if he had truly become a **** and could even control the reincarnation of others.

 After returning to the room, Chaoyan's hand slightly touched his chin, asking him to look directly into her emerald eyes.

She stared into his eyes, as if she wanted to tell him the truth of "this is power, but also responsibility", but after staring at him for a long time, perhaps seeing the fatigue in his eyes, she said nothing and quickly loosened her fingers. opened.

"...You seem to dislike this kind of occasion." She straightened his sleeves and wiped off the blood: "...I really shouldn't have let you hold my sword. Making those decisions will cause you pain, Even gods don’t have to worry about everything. I can just do those things.”

 “You shall be bright and righteous...rest, I will do it for you.”

　　After that, she never took him to the judgment seat again.

During this period, Xiao Ying often came to play with Su Ming'an, shooting darts, shooting guns, blackjack... Xiao Ying tried various tricks to win over Su Ming'an, and seemed to want him to relax. While dealing with the Millennium Project, Su Mingan and Xiao Ying had some fun.

Until the early morning of the fifteenth day of the dungeon, the player Lu Meng suddenly vomited blood and fell down.