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Chapter 1570 Final Chapter: Crossing the Sea [43] "Reeds".

Chapter 1570 Final Chapter: Crossing the Sea [43]: "Reeds".

Hui Bi looked at Li Ziqi and said calmly:
"Do you know who I am?"

"I know," Li Ziqi said somewhat fearfully. "You're the executioner in the Disciple Game, a staff member. Why did you find me? Did I break some game rules?"

“No. I’m here to give you an opportunity.” Hui Bi took out a seed, which transformed into a stream of light and entered Li Ziqi’s body.

“This thing is called ‘Seed of Pleasure.’ Once you digest it, it will boost your abilities in all aspects and make you an exceptionally outstanding person.” Hui Bi took out a document: “Li Ziqi, a professional actress from a poor background, has a mother and a younger sister, right? Once you digest this seed, your appearance and acting skills will skyrocket, and becoming a big star will be no problem. I believe they will be proud of you.”

Li Ziqi's perspective trembled: "Why did you help me?"

Those emerald green eyes revealed a complex emotion: "You can interpret it as pity. I pity you powerless people and want to help you realize your dreams. You don't need to doubt whether it's true or not. Anyway, you have nothing left, and I don't want anything from you."

Li Ziqi pursed her lips: "If I digest the seeds in my body, can I become the best actress?"

Hui Bi nodded: "Of course, I've investigated your past... Think about what you've been through before. The agreed-upon salary was snatched away, and you were restricted to acting in war dramas because you were considered a lower race. Idol dramas and art dramas were all out of your reach... Hehe, do you remember how you got that injury on your collarbone?"

Li Ziqi touched her collarbone, where there was a hideous scar.

She recalled acting in a war movie where, despite being told it was a prop explosion, it turned out to be a real one. As a small-time actress, she had no adequate protection, and shrapnel grazed her skin. The director simply said, "I'm so sorry, it's for the sake of effect. Just bear with it, and we'll add some meat to your lunchbox later." Meanwhile, big stars Zhou Sheng and popular young actress Lanmei protected their teeth.

Because they are of a lower race, no matter how good their acting skills are, they will never become a big star in their lifetime... Which audience wants to see a lower race active on the screen?

She was a member of the Heavenly Silkworm Moth Clan, with a short lifespan and a fragile body, unlike those lucky ones who were born with long lives.

“However, once I digest the ‘Seed of Pleasure,’ it will transform me into a genius. I no longer need to fantasize about becoming a hero; I am the hero myself…” Li Ziqi took a deep breath and nodded.

……

The scene ends here, but Su Ming'an could foresee what would happen next: Li Ziqi had digested something Hui Bi had given her. That thing could cause a person's abilities to advance by leaps and bounds.

Su Ming'an suspects that it was a trap deliberately set by Hui Bi. Hui Bi deduced that Su Ming'an might become Li Ziqi, so she planted a trap in Li Ziqi's body.
This must have happened two or three days ago.

It seems I must be careful when I encounter Hui Bi in the future.

Su Ming'an cleared his throat and began to speak: "My name is Li Ziqi, and I am a child actress..."

She was an ordinary girl.

She has a great talent for acting and dreams of being a hero, dominating the screen, but she is always relegated to playing minor roles.

She was targeted by a popular young actress, who made her run around buying coffee every day, and she was bullied and verbally abused.

She received a meager salary and boxed lunches, wore smelly, cheap clothes, and was summoned and dismissed at will.

She came here seeking a chance to become a big star, hoping to become famous in this life-or-death game.

—Although Su Ming'an hadn't read all of Li Ziqi's memories, he could roughly deduce these details about Li Ziqi. To ensure the accuracy of the story's logic and to prevent himself from being exiled, he filled in the gaps himself.

The others did not doubt the story and cast sympathetic glances at him.

“That’s the situation of lower races…doing the hardest work for the least money, and having to work many times harder to gain the same respect as higher races.” Zhou Sheng coughed and looked at Su Ming’an: “If we’re still alive when the game ends, I can give you some acting opportunities.”

...The big star is actually a nice person.

Unfortunately, Zhou Sheng's injuries were too severe, and no one knew whether he could pull through.

Next up was Tianying. She chuckled and twirled the razor blade in her hand: "You think you're worthy to hear about my past?"

"Enough with the nonsense," Lu said calmly, twirling the silver spear in his hand.

One man twirled a knife, the other a gun; they sat together, like a two-person comedy act.

"Hmph..." Tianying crossed her arms and said, "It's just that Little Lemon wants to hear it. This grandma isn't telling you."

“I had a very ordinary childhood. My father didn’t love me and my mother didn’t care for me. The only thing worth mentioning is that I saw my father die with my own eyes. He had a heart condition. That day, I went home to get something and happened to see him having an attack. His medicine was on the table, but he couldn’t reach it. He looked at me with pleading eyes.”

"I hummed a song, ate cookies, and watched him die little by little."

She remained silent for a while, seemingly finding little joy in this cathartic act.

"You all know what happened after that. In order to survive, I did many things that angered both heaven and man."

"I'm done."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Su Ming'an beside her, leaned close to his ear, and whispered:

“I know that someone like me will not die a good death. Those vengeful spirits will come to claim my life sooner or later. Even if I am arrogant and domineering today, I may die at the hands of some child tomorrow. I have killed too many people, but I will not harm the children of that family, so I have left too many roots of hatred.”

"When the day comes that I die... Little Lemon, you are the only person I care about, please promise me."

Those rose-colored eyes gazed at him:
"Promise me that my death will be beautiful and pure."

"I was dirty my whole life, but at least I'm clean in the end."

Su Ming'an made no promises.

He doesn't make promises lightly, let alone that Tianying really... there's no way he can accept it. Last time, the scene of Tianying standing in the poison gas and laughing wildly, the scene of the poison gas killing many people, was still vivid in his mind.

He didn't answer, but something was stuffed into his hand. When he picked it up, he saw it was a silver heart made of tin foil.

"The only time I ever did crafts was when I was a child, before my dad became an alcoholic. He took me out to do crafts." Tianying lowered her head and smiled, a rare happiness on her face: "I'm clumsy, so I can only make such a crude heart. I don't like this design. It's too naive, as if I have so much love."

She waved her hand dismissively, "It's too much trouble to carry around, so I'll give it to you."

Su Ming'an stroked the tinfoil heart, then put it away. If he threw it away in front of her, the reversal effect would probably increase her favorability towards him.

She was too good to him.

This left him with a slight bitter taste.

“…I’m the only person you care about, but what if your caring is wrong?” he said.

"Huh?" Tianying was taken aback.

Before she could speak, it was Lu's turn to speak.

But Lu didn't speak. He simply circled the area once, then suddenly drew his gun, aimed it at the most ordinary-looking girl, and pulled the trigger.

"boom!"

The girl fell, turning into a charred corpse that looked exactly like a demon.

"Ding dong!"

Congratulations on clearing the level!

The game's completion notification sounded, the door opened, and it led into a bottomless darkness.

"Why her? How did you determine that?" Everyone stood up, staring in astonishment at the blue-haired man blowing on the gun barrel.

Lu twirled his pistol and said calmly, "Each of your stories is somewhat interesting, except for hers, which is too ordinary. And in this game, ordinary people and boring stories are the least useful, because the person at the top doesn't like to read them."

The group looked at each other in bewilderment, only to realize that the road was incredibly impressive.

"Alright, the game's over, I'm leaving." Lu turned and walked towards the open door.

Su Ming'an got up, intending to follow, but suddenly heard a piercing shriek.

—It sounded like a sickle slicing through the air, piercing flesh.

Lu stopped at the doorway. Beneath the deep door, he held a silver pistol, his black gloves gleaming with leather.

"Tick, tick..."

The bright red color dripped from his leather gloves.

He stood upright for a moment, then slowly fell backward, revealing a large, penetrating wound in his chest.

"Wow--"

A crescent-shaped, light blue scythe was drawn, spurting out a blinding line of blood.

—A person with long, slightly curly, light blue hair appeared out of nowhere and killed Lu with a single blow.

He/She wears a mask adorned with intricate floral carvings, its two sides curving upwards like eaves, encircling the head. A magnificent white robe is embroidered with key and flower patterns. One hand holds a crescent-shaped, pale blue scythe, like a blooming flower, while the other holds an arm-length, knife-like flower branch, like frozen snow. The entire person seems to radiate light.

This design is so beautiful, it's like an orchid mantis.

Su Ming'an's first reaction was surprise at the grand spectacle, and his second reaction was the sight of blood.

The man exuded a strong visual attraction, and Song Ziyi, whose mind was not firm, was already dazed and laughing foolishly, completely ignoring the fact that this man had just killed someone.

Even though it was just a form that had split off from the road, it still possessed the strength of a Sky Nightingale, yet it was instantly killed.

There are such powerful players in the Disciple game? Su Ming'an had no idea what happened here in the previous playthrough.

"Who are you?" Qianqin tried to negotiate.

The pink-haired man remained silent, then raised his blade again, aiming at the next person.

Without hesitation, Tianying grabbed Su Ming'an and ran: "Run! The later it gets, the more insane people there are, killing indiscriminately. Now there's someone even crazier than me!!!"

Her teeth were chattering as she spoke, and Su Ming'an could tell she was genuinely afraid. She had vowed to be fearless of death, but faced with an enemy far beyond her wildest expectations, it turned out she was still afraid.

However, at some point, the original main door had been closed, and the only open door was the one blocked by the pink-haired man.

Tianying gritted her teeth, completely disregarding her image, and led Su Ming'an under the table, like a writhing worm.

"Hey!" Su Ming'an called out.

"Keep your voice down!" Tianying covered his mouth: "At times like this, it's best to leave it to a righteous idiot like Qianqin. A scheming person like me only knows how to hide. Only in this way can I survive, and only in this way can you survive!"

On the platform, Qianqin indeed charged forward head-on.

Her skin turned golden, and her eyes turned a volcanic red. She held a holy sword in her hand, and the sound of rustling leaves could be faintly heard.

Ginkgo leaves, a race whose lifespan is measured in thousands of years, a race that is almost ageless and immortal, a golden race, an immortal race.

Plant-type races may not have high innate combat power, but their long lifespan is enough to transform a little girl who can't even lift a sword into a brave and fearless warrior wielding a sword.

When she raised her sword, it was as if she had returned to the battlefield, as a saint, raising the fluttering banner of victory.

"Song Ziyi, Fu Wenwen, Zhou Sheng...you all hide!" Her eyes blazed like fire as she turned her head and said, "Hui Zi, Tian Ying, if you have any fighting ability, please help..."

However, behind her, there was only Tianying hiding under the table and Huizi nowhere to be seen.

There was always no one behind Qianqin, but fortunately she was used to it and was not afraid.

With a whoosh, Qianqin stopped calling for help and slashed at the masked man with the holy sword.

She was fearless; she was the only one who stood up here. What would the weak do if she didn't?
Since she has the ability, she should do it.

This is the creed that the Radiant Knights have always adhered to.

"Ding dong!"

At this moment, the War God Dragon King's voice was triggered once again, and a scene appeared before Su Ming'an, who was about to come out from under the table.

……

“…But I refuse.” Li Ziqi rejected Hui Bi.

"Why?" Hui Bi was completely taken aback by Li Ziqi's reason for refusing. She asked in astonishment, "You don't want to be a submissive actress either, so why not seize this opportunity, make rapid progress in your talent, become an outstanding superstar, step onto the dazzling stage, and make everyone envious of you?"

Li Ziqi gave a slightly shy yet determined smile: "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, executioner, but do you know something?"

"Hmm?" Hui Bi tilted her head, with several colorful tassels hanging down from her mask.

“My idol is the legendary warrior Qianqin, not the big star Zhou Sheng,” Li Ziqi said.

"So what?" Hui Bi said. Did he still care who her idol was?

“So—” Li Ziqi raised her hand and slowly patted her thin chest:
"You're mistaken about something. What I want to be is a soldier, not a star."

"It's just that because my race is too vulnerable, the recruiting office didn't approve my application, so I chose to make war films."

"I didn't go to war to make blockbuster idol dramas or fantasy dramas."

"The weak silkworm moth wanted to be a warrior, to know how to use weapons, how to run on the battlefield, and how to protect her mother and sister. And acting was the only way for me to get in touch with this world."

"So, the glamorous superstar vision you described doesn't actually appeal to me."

Hui Bi tilted her head and said, "So what? After you digest this seed, you don't have to be a star. You can become a powerful warrior instead, no problem."

Li Ziqi shook her head and gently took out a razor blade from her pocket:
“I know you are the executioner of the Disciple Game. Many participants have been killed by you. This blood-red magic circle under your feet is probably the reason for your evil deeds.”

"To activate this magic circle, you need some sacrifices? For example, those who have digested the 'seed of pleasure' you gave them and are immersed in their rapid advancement in talent. When they achieve success, you will drag them back here, kill them, and irrigate the magic circle with their blood?"

“I have nothing at home except a lot of worthless old books. I happened to see a description of this magic circle. It is an evil magic circle that needs to draw blood from countless people.”

"What do you intend to do with it? Massacre a city? Start a war? Or... something even more terrifying?"

She picked up the razor blade and stood up.

Hui Bi was quiet for a while. He hadn't expected that an ordinary girl would recognize this magic array. She was so smart; she hadn't been blinded by desire and quickly understood why he had shown her kindness.

"What do you want?" Hui Bi said calmly, noticing the girl take out a razor blade. "Now that you know the situation, what can you do?"

"You're not going to let me go, are you?" Li Ziqi said with a wry smile.

“Of course, now that you know the function of the magic array, you can’t leave this room. However, I will give you a painless death,” Hui Bi said.

"Here, only I can stop you..."

At this moment, Li Ziqi clearly realized one thing.

She could no longer leave the room; she was just an ordinary person, and Hui Bi only needed one sword to kill her.

The only difference between her and ordinary people was that she had read more books and knew that she had been inexplicably drawn into an evil sacrificial ritual.

The man before her was not an angel offering opportunity, but a devil. She was the only one who realized this.

If no one stops him, even more people will be deceived by him, succumbing to his lust for money and desire, and ultimately being harmed by him...

Furthermore, once the magic array is formed, it could potentially cause mountains of corpses and seas of blood...

Since she was destined to die here, she had to stop him. Otherwise, many more people would be harmed by desire.

Once this idea is formed, all choices become easy.

She raised the small blade and took a deep breath.

She is trembling.

She was scared.

"I can't do anything but act. My only dream is to go to the battlefield, but I only ever get injured by cheap explosives in war dramas..."

The tiny blade gleamed, its light reflecting into her eyes.

In a daze, under the wrong refraction of light, it looked like an extremely long white blade.

Hui Bi looked at her, seemingly ignoring her resistance.

The girl held up this "white blade," her malnourished and thin body resembling a frail stalk of wheat challenging a demon.

A strong wind blows, and the wheat stalks stand tall.

"It's no use. Put down the knife, and I'll give you a painless death," Hui Bi said calmly.

“Mr. Mask, since that’s the case, why don’t you draw your knife?” Li Ziqi smiled.

"..." Hui Bi remained silent.

"Is it true that this magic circle requires the deceased to die willingly?" Li Ziqi's legs trembled, but she still smiled: "Mr. Mask, do you know why my idol is the Holy Maiden Qianqin?"

"I don't care," Hui Bi said calmly.

Li Ziqi started talking, as if stalling for time, as if trying to buy herself one more second of breathing:

"My idol, Qianqin, is famous throughout the northern countries for her deeds."

“When I was very young, the spirited saintess Qianqin visited my hometown.”

"The saintess riding on horseback, wearing a helmet and armor, brought not war, but bountiful ears of wheat and agricultural techniques."

"The food saved my sister and me from starvation and also brought that radiant and dazzling figure into my eyes."

She smiled, trembling as she raised her sword.

He spoke calmly, while simultaneously gripped by agonizing fear.

This was the most composed ordinary person Huibi had ever seen in the face of death. Perhaps it was because she was an excellent actress; she concealed her fear and despair, and portrayed confidence and composure very well.

“From that moment on, I thought that when I grew up, I must get close to the battlefield, get close to that saint, thank her in person, and ask her how to turn hostility into friendship, and how to make the world a world without war…” Li Ziqi said, adjusting her voice.

The words the saint spoke in the wheat field at that time overlapped with Li Ziqi's trembling voice at this moment.

"What I am doing, and what I consider the work of my life..."

The saintess raised her gleaming holy sword, displaying heroic spirit and unstoppable momentum.

The girl held up a small, rough blade; she couldn't even own a sword of her own.

The saintess bravely charged forward, riding her warhorse, with thousands following her.

The girl walked forward timidly, and no one knew who she was or what her name was.

The saint's voice was firm.

The girl's voice trembled.

"[...I wield my sword, severing the 'evil karma' that devours homes, devours hope, devours smiles!]"

"[...even if I have to use my blood as a shield, my spine as a plowshare, and my bones as a fortress!]"

Suddenly, Hui Bi noticed that Li Ziqi's aura suddenly surged!

—It turns out she was stalling for time because she was digesting the "seed of pleasure"!
This was not proof of her submission, nor was it a sacrifice to the magic circle. Rather, she was actively absorbing the seed in order to gain a surge of power—to attempt to destroy the masked man and the magic circle!
Since she's already been chosen as a sacrifice and will die sooner or later, she might as well die before she dies...

"Mr. Mask." Li Ziqi raised the knife, trembling.

“Your information is correct. I’m a small-time actor, constantly being bullied and paid so little that I can’t even support myself… I have to bow and scrape, always having to read people’s faces. If one day I could become a big star, it would be something I’d laugh in my wildest dreams…”

"But, but... my idol once said, 'Never reach the summit at the cost of harming others!'"

"Such a towering peak will collapse sooner or later; it will be pushed down by reeds and ants sooner or later!"

“Mr. Mask, I am indeed a coward. So, I’m afraid this magic circle will suck people’s flesh and blood, I’m afraid this magic circle will bring war, and I’m afraid my mother will be affected by the war.”

"So, precisely because I am so afraid... that I will stand in front of you and raise my knife!"

She bit her tongue, and realized that her legs were so weak that she could barely stand.

"Heh...that sounds nice." Hui Bi said indifferently, "You are just a member of the Heavenly Silkworm Moth Clan, a lowly race, while my race is far superior to yours. You cannot wield your sword against me."

The racial divide is like an insurmountable chasm.

Under the overwhelming pressure, Li Ziqi tried her best, and the fear of the predator was enough to overwhelm her. Constrained by the food chain, she could not bring herself to swing her knife at him no matter what.

However, the next moment, Hui Bi noticed that Li Ziqi's eyes suddenly became firm.

“Mr. Mask, have you ever heard of… getting into character?” Li Ziqi smiled. “Right now, I am ‘Saintess Qianqin’.”

...She actually pretended to be the saintess Qianqin by "getting into character" in order to resist the pressure from the higher races.

This kind of acting skill is truly astonishing.

She was no longer a servile actress, no longer an outsider constantly watching people's faces... She was...

Li Ziqi recalled her favorite movie, "The Saintess of Eden," which tells the story of the saintess Qianqin's century-long conquest and eventual pacification of war. She had only played a minor role, a character killed by explosives, while a star of a higher race played the lead role. But, but…

Countless nights, she would stand in front of the mirror, pretending it was a camera, pretending she was the female lead Qianqin, and practice the most exciting scenes from the movie countless times.

As a member of a lower race, she didn't even have the chance to audition. But this time, for the last time in her life, she finally got to perform in a play that she was proud of.

She closed her eyes and fully digested the seed within her body. In an instant, a powerful force surged forth.

She opened her eyes, raised her white blade, trembling all over, and, mimicking a line from her favorite movie, hypnotized herself into believing she was the saintess Qianqin, thus resisting the predator's oppressive aura—

"I am Qianqin, the Saintess of a Hundred Battles!" she roared hoarsely.

"On this judgment, your crimes are—!!!"

With all her remaining strength, she slashed at Hui Bi—

……

"clang--!!!"

There was a crisp sound.

The sword struck the sickle, sparks flew, and a piercing sound echoed!
"...Who exactly are you!?" Qianqin was forced back by the terrifying power, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and stared at the pink-haired man.

After a thousand years, her strength had become extremely powerful, but even so, she still felt that the person in front of her was unfathomable, as if he could kill her with the next blow.

The pink-haired man did not answer; a fierce wind raged, and a scythe came slashing down.

Qianqin gritted her teeth, refusing to back down, and raised her long blade high.

She had a premonition that she might not be able to withstand the next attack, but she could not retreat. There was nothing behind her, and if she retreated, those ordinary people would die.

Such a bloodthirsty madman is far more terrifying than Sky Nightingale. If we don't stop him here, once he goes up, there will be rivers of blood, no one will survive, and all the contestants will die.

She must become a shield blocking this way, a Great Wall.

She has the ability, so she has to do it.

“Now that I have decided to protect them, I will not break my promise. This is the creed of the Radiant Knights—'Once you decide to take up the heart of protection, you will never back down,'” Qianqin thought to herself.

Call me stupid or inflexible, it doesn't matter. This is my belief, and I will never forget it.

Even that magpie, whose lifespan is only twenty years, has lived to this day, and even that lazy junior brother has been scheming for a thousand years; she can't fall behind them.

She raised her sword.

She stared intently.

"I am Qianqin, the Saintess of a Hundred Battles!"

She wields her emotions as a sword; when her emotions are running high and her blood is boiling, she can unleash a powerful strike.

She shouted slogans, mobilizing all her emotions and will, and the holy sword gathered an incomparably dazzling light.

This was a strike that embodied all her beliefs and will, a strike delivered with all her might!

"—Your crimes are hereby judged!!!"

……

"clang--!"

Li Ziqi coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Her blade pierced Hui Bi's collarbone, leaving a wound, while Hui Bi's black sword pierced her chest.

"Why do you think you can use the power I gave you to resist me?" Hui Bi said calmly. Li Ziqi's all-out attack only caused him slight pain, not even enough to be considered an injury.

Even though Li Ziqi is immersed in the role of "Saintess Qianqin", she is still just an ordinary person. It is her first time even wielding a knife. How can she possibly defeat the powerful Huibi?

Li Ziqi collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. In an instant, she snapped out of her acting role, and blood gushed from her chest.

She was in so much pain, it was excruciating. Even when she was hit by a low-quality bomb, it didn't hurt this much... But Saintess Qianqin would never shed a tear because of the pain. She was a great actress and could not let the pain "break the character".

“Mr. Mask, you don’t seem to have noticed, I’ve already… won a round.” She was in pain, but she smiled, spitting out blood.

“You…” Hui Bi then realized that Li Ziqi’s attack was not aimed at his collarbone at all. The moment Li Ziqi sat down, she used the blade in her hand to slash a point on the magic circle.

That was the weak point of the magic array.

What incredible luck did she have to discover the weakness of the magic array?

But Hui Bi knew this was no accident.

Previously, there had been others like her who had tried to rebel, but none of them knew the weakness of the magic array. Coincidentally, this time, she had happened to read an ancient book, and she knew.

If the real Qianqin were here, she could break this magic array with just one sword. Unfortunately, it is Li Ziqi sitting here. Her small blade only caused some minor damage to the magic array, which will need to be repaired for some time.

Unfortunately, she was just Li Ziqi.

Fortunately, she was just Li Ziqi.

Her death here will not cause much loss to the world, but if the Holy Maiden Qianqin were to die here, countless people would fall into the abyss without being saved.

An ordinary-looking girl slumped to the ground, her head bowed.

Her razor blade fell to the ground, too weak to swing again, yet a smile remained. Because she had achieved her goal.

Even if it's just a little bit of damage to the magic circle.

“My… mother… once said something…” She lowered her head and slowly finished her line.

This was the only performance in which she could play the role of "Saint Qianqin" with dignity. No audience member would question her, and no director would insult her.

"Nobility and...weakness...cannot coexist."

"Because the powerful have the right to bestow pity and demonstrate their own nobility. The weak, on the other hand, struggle just to survive, wishing they could become dogs, clinging to the legs of the strong and begging for mercy..."

They say that only the strong are qualified to become saints.

The weak, on the other hand, struggle just to survive. The weak, like Shi Ying, had no choice but to cling to men and endure countless humiliations just to live to this day.

They say only the rich can be philanthropists.

The poor struggle to even feed their families. Some, like Lin Hejin, couldn't afford medical treatment, and their brilliant manuscripts could only be burned to ashes.

They said that ordinary people like you should just accept your fate and live your life like dust.

They said, "Give in."

They said, "Give up."

They say that idealism is just a utopian fantasy, a pipe dream for fools.

They said you should go back to your cramped bed, back to your gloomy life, and drift through life aimlessly, instead of having any unrealistic dreams.

"But... if this world is so cruel, why..." She coughed up blood intermittently, then laughed:

“I, the Holy Maiden Qianqin, have distributed all my wealth to the civilians suffering from the war.”

"Miss Tianying distributed all the money she had stolen to the poor people in her hometown."

"A manuscript by Mr. Lin, who was terminally ill, became the hope for a new world."

"Mr. Ran Bo, who was despised by everyone, became the father of the Lin clan."

"I saw... a story recorded in an old book... even a very weak girl resolutely stood in front of the townspeople to prevent them from summoning the invaders... in the end, she was hacked to pieces..."

"I saw... people who, despite being very poor, adopted stray animals and gave them food..."

"I saw... an old lady who was willing to give her life for others during the disaster..."

"I saw it... a mother who, when the earthquake struck, propped up a stone wall and used a smartphone to leave a will for her child..."

They said you can't just see the filth in the world.

You saw rigid racial classes, cold acceptance letters, colorful resumes thrown in the trash, men and women wielding knives in the street, mockery in the office, and a tired mother who couldn't even afford to buy an extra vegetable.

But you also saw it: the mother and child cuddling under the lamplight, the delicious strawberry pastry in the shop window, the kitten circling around you, the elderly couple embracing tightly in the hospital, and the bowl of hot porridge your mother cooked with the few vegetables she had.

She is an ordinary person with a narrow perspective; she cannot see many things.

She couldn't see what the floating islands in the sky looked like, what kind of golden hoes the rich used to dig the ground, or how far the wings of the Celestials could fly.

But she also saw a lot.

She saw that even a small blade or a description of a magic circle that she had seen by chance could have the power to make her a "saint".

She is a "saint".

It's not "Saintess" Qianqin, but "Saintess" Li Ziqi.

She proved that nobility and weakness can coexist.

……

"cough--!"

The pink-haired man's scythe pierced through Chiko's body.

Qianqin coughed up a mouthful of blood, and the holy sword in her hand fell to the ground.

...I still couldn't beat them. Why were they so strong...?

Qianqin's vision blurred, and she fell backward.

At that moment, she saw a figure suddenly appear behind the pink-haired man before he could draw his scythe.

—It's a nightingale!

The girl's full head of red hair flew in the wind, her face showing a mixture of conflict and fierce determination, as she slashed down with her sword:

"Damn it, I've finally found my chance! Die, you pink-haired man!"

At the same time, Hui Zi darted out from under the table, picked up the badly injured Qian Qin, and rushed towards the door.

—To strike Qianqin, the pink-haired man had already moved several steps away from the gate, no longer blocking it. While Qianqin faced the enemy head-on, Huizi and Tianying were constantly looking for an opportunity to lead the people to escape.

It turned out that there was someone behind Qianqin.

"She really thinks she's a saint, determined to die in battle." Tianying spat. She didn't actually want to fight; she just wanted to quietly escape with Xiao Ningmeng. However, the only combatants present were her and Hui Zi. If she didn't act, the pink-haired man could kill Qian Qin and block the door, preventing anyone from getting out.

...Oh dear, what a pity. If only I could have quietly escaped while others sacrificed themselves.

"Shh!"

The moment she slashed down, Tianying sensed the terrifying aura of the pink-haired man; this was definitely not an enemy she could handle.

"Holy crap! Run!" She turned to run.

For a moment, she saw Little Lemon running towards the gate.

The silence lasted only a moment; the next instant, she turned around and met the pink-haired man's scythe.

"clang--!"

Her full head of red hair flew up.

……

"Shh!"

Hui Bi drew her sword, and blood spurted out.

Li Ziqi fell to the ground, her pupils gradually dimmed, blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, and her breathing became weak.

"Ding-dong!"

As her heartbeat grew weaker, she touched her chest and found a small pendant.

This was a gift from her mother when she came of age. Due to financial difficulties, her mother could only buy a pendant at the market and personally engraved the words "Mom's proudest star, Ziqi" on it, making it look like a bootleg gold medal.

Whenever she was verbally abused by the director or bullied by others, she would clutch the pendant tightly and tell herself that her mother was still waiting for her at home, and that she should not resist, not get angry, and not lose her job.

My mother said that ordinary people can only find work by enduring hardship.

My mother said that ordinary people can only eat if they suffer.

But Mom, are the lives of those who have no talent wasted from the very beginning?
Can't ordinary people shine? Are ordinary people destined to live their entire lives like dust?

"...Mom...I'm sorry...I...can't go home tonight." The ordinary-looking girl smiled as she slowly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"But...I really..."

"She played the role of... a real saint..."

"The magic circle I broke... at least... can buy some time... some people will be saved..."

"My name is Li Ziqi, and I'm a young actress..."

She was an ordinary girl.

She has a great talent for acting and dreams of being a hero, dominating the screen, but she is always relegated to playing minor roles.

She was targeted by a popular young actress, who made her run around buying coffee every day, and she was bullied and verbally abused.

She received a meager salary and boxed lunches, wore smelly, cheap clothes, and was summoned and dismissed at will.

She came here seeking a chance to become a big star, hoping to become famous in this life-or-death game.

However, the story that followed was completely different from what Su Ming'an had written.

She encountered Hui Bi and was drawn into a sacrifice. Faced with the desire to become a big star, she did not succumb, but instead—

To become the most tenacious reed.

They tried to trip up the powerful beast.

……

"boom!"

The moment the door burst open, Su Ming'an glanced back.

He had to leave. Li Ziqi's body was too weak, and the War God Dragon King Yin was silent. This pink-haired person was really unexpected. He had to rush to the third underground level as soon as possible, get Su Liujin's information, and then start over. Otherwise, everyone would die here with nothing.

When he turned around, he saw Tianying's red hair fluttering in the wind.

He only had time to see her rose-like eyes, filled with self-mockery and bewilderment, before her knife was severed in an instant by the pink-haired man, as fragile as a reed.

"Aha……!"

Having lost her weapon, she was powerless to fight back. She raised her middle finger, making a vicious gesture at the pink-haired man, yet she did not back down an inch.

"Pink hair, you son of a bitch! You bastard! You bastard!" She used incredibly vicious profanities to give the pink-haired person the middle finger: "Speaking of which, why did I fall for Little Lemon? I'll never understand it even if I die!"

"However, it feels quite good, like drinking strong liquor! So this is what 'love' that my alcoholic father was talking about feels like. It's such a headache..."

She looked up, knowing she couldn't escape; the pink-haired man's scythe came crashing down on her head.

For the first time, her eyes, which had always been shrouded in silt, shone with a vibrant flame. She seemed to see Little Lemon smiling in the light.

She hated her shrewish mother, her alcoholic father who ignored her, the filthy passersby who despised her, and the men who treated her like a dog... Little Lemon's smile and her fluttering heart were things she had never experienced in her entire life.

For the first time, she felt the warmth of that "love," the burning heat of the flames in her heart leading her to mistakenly perceive happiness, like sunlight finally illuminating her wounded body. It was like drinking a large gulp of strong liquor, scalding her until she trembled all over.

"If I had never seen the light..." she murmured.

...Now, do I still fear returning to the darkness where no one loves me?

Please don't leave me.

Please don't hate me.

The next moment.

"Shh!"

The beautiful head flew into the air.

As if slicing through a block of tofu, the pink-haired man's scythe easily shredded her.

The remaining impact force poured into Tianying's body, and the terrifying power tore her slender body apart in an instant, causing blood to burst and limbs to fly everywhere.

……

"When the day comes that I die... Little Lemon, you're the only person I care about. Please promise me."

Those rose-colored eyes gazed at him:

"Promise me that my death will be beautiful and pure."

"I was dirty my whole life, but at least I'm clean in the end."

……

"Whoosh..." A foul stench wafted over.

Internal organs and blood were spilled all over the ground. Tianying's body parts were torn to pieces and fell to the ground with a crackling sound, like splashing mud.

The pink-haired man flicked his scythe, clearing away the blood-stained blade.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhou Sheng, Hui Zi, Qi Meng and the others finally ran out the door.

No one expected that the most wicked guy would give them time to escape.

……

"Cough cough... Ah..."

Li Ziqi lay in a pool of blood, slowly closing her eyes.

She gazed at the masked man through her blurred vision.

It's such a pity that such a wonderful play, such an immersive performance, a textbook-perfect portrayal of "Saintess Qianqin" that deserves to be recorded in film history, was performed by only one audience member.

After destroying the magic array, she was finally able to break free from acting and no longer fear Hui Bi's oppressive aura.

"In this world..." she smiled slowly, clutching the pendant her mother had given her:

"I love acting the most."

"Because... if I said I don't like acting... I like the battlefield..."

"Then... then if I really become a great hero on the battlefield, one general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand, so many deaths will make my name a hero..."

"Then let me... just be a small-time actor..."

Even child actors can become "saints".

She is a member of the silkworm moth family, a short-lived, fragile, and powerless species. However, some researchers have found that this insect's appearance, with its leaf-like wings, resembles a ginkgo leaf.

The silkworm moth and the ginkgo leaf are worlds apart; the former has a lifespan of only a few decades, while the latter lives for eternity.

Even if no one cares about you.

Even if no one remembers.

Even if she dies here, no one will know her name.

Even if she spends her entire life just as someone else's starting line.

At least, nobility and weakness coexist.

She played a great "warrior," and she gave a performance that was so captivating that even Rovasa's most famous diva could not have played it as well as she did at that moment.

“Are you… very angry…” Li Ziqi said in a low voice, “Mr. Mask…”

“No.” Hui Bi lowered her eyelids and examined the area. “As an ordinary person, even if you exert all your strength, you can only damage a corner of the magic array, which will only delay me for two or three days.”

"Cough..." Li Ziqi gasped for breath.

“But,” Hui Bi said slowly, “even if our positions are contradictory, I still want to say one thing… as an ordinary person, you are a good actor… no, a good soldier. Your performance moved me.”

“What… well.” Li Ziqi slowly lowered her eyelids: “I didn’t… perform… just to… move you…”

She did it so that she would have the courage to wield her sword.

She did it to prove that nobility and weakness can coexist.

It is not only the rich who are qualified to do good deeds.

It is not only the strong who are entitled to be noble.

"Mom..." she kissed the pendant:

"I...I won't be going home...for dinner tonight..."

“Mr. Mask, even if… it can only buy you two or three days… I believe… someone will discover this magic circle and stop you during this time…”

"...Cough!"

After one last cough, the girl stopped breathing.

The pendant was stained red, and blood pooled on the ground.

Hui Bi lowered her head, her mask gleaming with a weary, cold light.

There are far too many things in this world that make people feel resentful.

Some people have connections and can easily quell the darkness, yet they choose to become accomplices to the wicked and aid the wicked. Others struggle their whole lives but can only dig out a small ray of light, yet they resolutely dedicate themselves to this cause.

Some people grabbed kitchen knives and charged into the streets shouting, while others donned firefighter uniforms and silently rushed into the inferno.

Some people drove large trucks recklessly through parks, while others drove ambulances day and night to the disaster area.

Some people desperately want to transform from a ginkgo leaf into a butterfly, while others spend their entire lives only hoping to transform from a silkworm moth into a ginkgo leaf.

But alas, fate is fickle, and the winds blow fiercely; do they know—

……

Ye Changqing.

Butterflies and moths are ephemeral.

……

"Justice is my sword!"

"The victory of slaughter is but a fleeting clamor on the ruins; the foundation of peace is built by hand through countless moments of refusing to succumb!" On horseback, the spirited young woman's voice was torn with excitement, yet solidified by conviction. "It lies not in distant covenants, nor in the gifts of the strong, but in the heart of every ordinary person, in every act of courage against injustice and oppression—"

"【hold fast!】"

She waved a bright red flag, its surface inscribed with the words "victory".

In the wheat field, a black-haired girl on the verge of starvation frantically stuffed thin porridge into her mouth while gazing at the radiant saintess Qianqin giving a speech.

She... is so beautiful.

Even with scars on her cheeks, rough and dark skin, and a hoarse voice, the saint giving her speech appeared so beautiful and majestic in the eyes of the young girl.

"I must become that kind of person too..." Young Li Ziqi thought to herself, her stomach aching terribly from hunger.

"[Fellow countrymen! Soldiers! People! Hear my command! I am the Holy Maiden of Eden, Knight Qianqin!]" Qianqin waved and called out.

Her armor shone like the sun:
"The world has reached its most dangerous moment. Evil spirits are eyeing our peace. My warriors and I promise you that we will vanquish all evil, vanquish all darkness, vanquish all delusion! Weak people, follow me!"

"[With my body, my sword, and my life—I will forge a Great Wall for you!]"

"If even one of you decides to dedicate yourself to justice and light because of my speech, I will be deeply grateful and genuinely proud!"

—Dialogue from Act 37 of *The Saintess of Eden*, featuring the Saintess Chiharu.
……

"—Split up and run!" Hui Zi called out to the others after rushing into the tunnel.

There's only one pink-haired person, and even if they all joined forces, they couldn't defeat him. To avoid total annihilation, they must split up and run away!
Su Ming'an immediately chose a direction and ran to the right. In that instant, he thought... so this is what it feels like to be a regular player.

Living in constant fear and powerless to fight back, even with their comrades dead, they could only run forward desperately.

"..." He clutched the tin foil heart that Tianying had just given him and put it in his upper pocket.

Her love was wrong, and her sacrifice was a product of that wrong. Yet, even though it was wrong, she somehow managed to do something "right" amidst all the mistakes.

What exactly is love?
—It is the humble who sacrifice themselves for the greater good, facing an insurmountable enemy.

—The strong, adhering to their principles, become an unyielding fortress.

—Or perhaps the darker side rushes towards death for the sake of a burning passion in their hearts?

Everyone has a different interpretation of this answer, and Su Ming'an has witnessed it time and time again.

To date, even he himself can answer this question, and has proven it countless times through his own actions.

……

"despair."

Extremely light footsteps.

In the darkness, Hui Bi knelt down and slowly covered Li Ziqi with a white cloth, covered her unclosed eyes with her hands, and wiped away the bloodstains on her cheeks.

He stood up, examined the damaged magic array, and sighed.
"...It will only delay things for two or three days at most. This is something you'd risk your life to destroy."

"Take the opportunity I gave you and enjoy the life of a big star for a while, wouldn't that be better? You already have a terminal illness, you just don't know it. You only have a few months to live..."

"You're working yourself to the bone, honing your acting skills, hoping to one day become a leading lady. But don't you know? In this world, capital is everything, and ordinary people have nothing without health..."

He was silent for a moment, then picked up the necklace around Li Ziqi's neck and glanced at its place of manufacture:

"The Kingdom of Lichen... Karta District... Poler Town... a barren town, seemingly destroyed by war..."

"Is your mother... really alright...?"

He stood silently for a while, then slowly removed his mask, revealing a face with faint tear stains.

He looked at the girl's pale face, at her last smile.

The gold pendant jingled, engraved with the words "Mom's proudest superstar, Ziqi".

She was a great actress and a great warrior.

An ordinary person, a battle-hardened saintess.

A moth, a leaf.

A single reed, a mountain.

“I will send your body away, but I can’t guarantee that the organizers will bury you properly. They might even use your body again, letting players possess you…” Hui Bi slowly hung her cheap pendant back up, onto her tearful, smiling face.

"...Even now, I still can't understand it."

"What exactly does the 'love' you speak of look like?"

"Why is it that makes you, all of you, my brother, my younger brother, my sister, that otherworldly person surnamed Su, and everyone in the world... risk their lives?"

……

"If you have never seen the light in your entire lives..."

"Wouldn't that mean you wouldn't hate darkness so much?"

……

"despair."

Su Ming'an ran into a room.

The room was extremely dark, with no light from any direction.

Suddenly, a series of footsteps came from behind. It was Hui Zi carrying Qian Qin, followed by Zhou Sheng and Fu Wenwen. It seemed they had chosen the same path as them.

Forget about Hui Zi, why are Zhou Sheng and Fu Wenwen following me?

“Li Ziqi… I remember now! I’ve heard your name before, you were a supporting actor, and you acted very well!” Zhou Sheng, panting weakly, gave Su Ming’an a thumbs up and praised, “You just lack resources, but your acting skills are absolutely top-notch! I believe in your character! I’ll follow you! When we get back, I’ll give you excellent film and television resources, make you my leading lady, and you will definitely become a new generation of superstar!”

“I think you’re a good person, so I’m following you…” Fu Wenwen also said.

Su Ming'an didn't say anything and quickly locked the door.

He looked around for a candle, but tripped over something.

"Let me light it up." Zhou Sheng said breathlessly, his fingers lighting up the light. It turned out that his ability was to control light.

Through the small halo of light, Su Ming'an saw two blood-covered corpses at his feet. The corpses' pupils were filled with terror and confusion, and their necks had been cleanly severed in two.

"...Hmm?" His mind raced the moment he saw the corpse's face.

A small Su.

A dog starry sky.

Beneath them was a magic array that was nearing completion.

Li Ziqi sacrificed the two days that had been delayed.

This allowed Su Ming'an, who had possessed the body, to discover the magic array.

……

Li Ziqi lay in a pool of blood, letting out her last breath. Through her bloodshot eyes, she stared at the empty ceiling.

"Mr. Mask, even if... it only buys you two or three days... I believe... someone will discover this magic circle and stop you during this time."

"Even if only...the protagonist can solve the predicament...at least...I can be...a foreshadowing that allows the protagonist to shine..."

"I am a reed, but a reed... can also become a knot that trips up a giant beast..."

"This is... all I can do..."