I'm bad, but players love me

As if his secret had been touched upon, Dim avoided answering the question and continued, "Do you know what Yun Shuo looks like? If I take you there, you have to treat me to a meal."

She forced herself to remain calm and pointed to a nearby beer hall. "Don't worry, I won't go anywhere expensive. This place will do."

[Have you seen the wanted poster? I'm looking for the person on the wanted poster.]

"He's from the ELO organization, can you catch him?" Suddenly, his eyes caught something, and without hesitation, Rick said to Ah Dai in a flattering tone, "Are you someone sent by the city lord?"

[Yes.] Seeing the sudden change in the other person's expression, Ah Dai knew that he had found more than just a useless NPC.

"I have a way to force him out, but it may require some effort from you, and the money..."

[I'll give it to you.] Ah Dai scratched his neck in the present moment, feeling empty-headed. He was just an NPC, so he could just run away when the time came.

Dim's eyes lit up immediately, and his hungry stomach growled twice. "Take me out for dinner, and I'll tell you right away!"

Chapter 37: I’m a master at cursing ELO

Beer halls have always been the most lively places in the civilian area. Because most of them are located on the border, they are also rare places where civilians and the poor can eat and drink together at the same table. People naturally think that the air here will always be filled with the aroma of malt and the sound of conversation.

But when Ah Dai walked in, the few people in the tavern immediately turned their eyes to her, as if she was some rare and exotic animal in the world. Their eyes moved with Ah Dai's every move, and those staring eyes were full of suppressed dissatisfaction and anger.

The air was suddenly so quiet that it was almost frozen. In this situation, Dim slipped through the crowd as fast as a mouse and went straight to the innermost bar. He skillfully jumped onto the old high stool, slammed the table, and shouted for food and drinks.

Ah Dai felt inexplicably creepy. The people here gave her a non-human feeling, but she didn't think much of it and just attributed it to a model error. She even complained in the live broadcast room: "I'm not used to the fact that Di Ugly never has such a small bug."

I felt like the atmosphere was off. It felt like a haunted house, completely dissonant.

Those people are like robots, their eyes follow you wherever you go. Even if they're just looking at the table, it's not that scary.

"Why do I feel like the ugliness is intentional? If ELO is a cult, places like beer halls would be easy to proselytize to. Maybe everyone here is a believer in ELO."

Dim couldn't wait to enjoy his first meal in many days, while Ah Dai started talking to the tavern owner standing at the bar.

Compared to those people with strange gazes, the boss who had been here methodically wiping wine glasses and performing repetitive actions was obviously much better. She actively popped up a dialog box and asked, "Is this the masterpiece of ELO?"

"I don't understand what you're saying." The boss put down her cup. "You shouldn't be here dressed like that." She said with a heavy voice, "This is a slum."

[I remember this was supposed to be the civilian area. Shouldn't it be called the Civilian Area?]

"Isn't this your masterpiece?" After the boss said this, although his expression did not change, A-Dai clearly felt that the other party was angry.

The boss continued, "After that damn system was released, there were no civilians in the world. Where would the civilian areas come from?"

Ah Dai heard a loud thumping sound on the table, and she immediately took off her headphones. She subconsciously glanced behind her, and when she saw nothing, she carefully turned her view to look behind her character. Those who had been sitting there stood up one after another, pounding their tables. The "bang bang bang" sound was terrifying.

"I was so scared! No one said that 'A Crisis of Faith' had any horror elements. This inexplicable sense of weirdness was really scary. The sound of knocking on the table was like someone banging on the door."

[My cabinet has moved. I won’t watch it anymore. Bye.]

What system is this? Does anyone know?

[It seems that this system was issued by Ella to prevent the further development of the ELO organization.]

Does anyone know the details of this system? It doesn't seem like a good thing.

[It doesn't matter. With just these few of them, Ah Dai can handle them all with one hand.]

Why do I feel like this boss is trying to stir up trouble? It didn't seem that serious at first, but as soon as he spoke, the people behind him went ballistic.

Just as Ah Dai was about to start a fight, the troublemaker said solemnly and in a low voice, "Everyone, sit down. It's not worth it to risk your life now."

Dim kept her head down. She just wanted to have a meal and didn't care about these things. Of course, it would be even better if she could find a job through Ah Dai, a guy who looked very high in status.

Ah Dai still wanted to communicate with the boss, but she was very frustrated when she stopped talking halfway. At this point, she was even thinking about the possibility that the ELO organization was the good guys, and Ella and the others were the real villains.

If you think about it carefully, Yun Shuo didn't do anything bad. His main crime was targeting the players, but no matter how you look at it, ELO seems like a cult.

Ah Dai fell into deep thought. Too much freedom isn't good, after all. Just like when gender is too free, people end up with different genders. The sheer number of plot options leads some people to see "Crisis of Faith" as a sweet romance game, while others force it into a complex power struggle, even having to consider who is ultimately right.

Perhaps, playing without thinking is the correct answer to this game?

"Dim, why are those people angry?" After leaving the beer hall, Ah Dai asked the only person who had smiled at her so far.

Of course, Dim knew why. It was because you bastards levied such high taxes that I, who used to only need a broken bowl to eat, was reduced to robbery. But could he say it? After that, putting aside her life, her bright future was definitely doomed.

So she just flattered him, "These people have been brainwashed by ELO. They just complain about everything all day long, and never reflect on themselves. So many people have enough to eat, so why can't they? It's because they're not working hard enough."

Bah, damn the effort. The little money I earned was gone before I could even warm it. Can hard work ever make up for this? Dim cursed inwardly.

That's why he was so focused on finding an opportunity to climb up. As long as he could enter the house of a noble lord, he would have no worries about food and clothing even if he became a dog. Isn't that better than being a human being in such a poor place where you are starving?

Ah Dai inexplicably felt that this kind of rhetoric seemed familiar, but she didn't notice anything wrong at the moment, and wanted to continue asking questions, so she just replied with "Continue".

Of course, Dim knew what these people liked to hear. He was very good at cursing ELO.

"You don't know, this ELO is truly evil. They force people to join ELO everywhere. Once you join, you have to work, and only if you work can you eat. And not only do you have to work yourself, but you also have to help others. Especially that ELO leader. He's always missing on weekdays, but he's always there during the robberies. Can you guess why?"

【Why? 】

"They're picking things for the first place. I heard that when ELO left, all the people's homes were emptied out, leaving nothing behind. Especially when they encountered nobles, they killed and burned everything. Tell me, aren't the people in this ELO organization extremely evil?"

Chapter 38: The Glory of Humanity

To make a good impression, Dim pulled out all the stops, even painting a white face as black. As long as he could survive, there was no shame in doing anything. That was his motto in life.

"ELO has a resounding reputation, but you also have to look at what we've all been through because of it. Life was originally pretty good for everyone. Even if it was hard, it had some purpose. At least we were able to survive and raise our own children."

As she spoke, tears began to fall from her face. She tightly grasped Ah Dai's hand and said, "Looking at your appearance, I know you must be a good person. Please, no matter what, even if it means letting me work as a servant in your house, please give me a job."

Fake crying was easy for Dim. When she dimly saw Ah Dai's moved expression, she knew that her goal had probably been achieved, so she crawled to the ground more pitifully, trying to kiss Ah Dai's boots.

There are always some nobles who are children raised in high towers. As long as you cry in front of such people, you can easily get what you want.

It seems this guy is just a bit harsh in words, but in reality he is a kindhearted fellow. The corner of Dim's mouth, hidden under his arm, curled up slightly.

But Ah Dai cares more about other things. [You mean, the civilian area has become like this because of the ELO organization? Not because of Ella's system?]

"Yes." Dim raised his head with tear-stained cheeks. Although he didn't know who Ella was, he knew she was a noble. So he thought carefully, "In the beginning, everyone in the civilian area had enough to eat. After the ELO organization showed up, many people's homes were robbed, and gradually they couldn't get enough food. Now they can only eat two meals every three days."

"I'll drink three cups for my hesitation. Okay, I finally know what Di Chou is planning. He's going to play us like clowns. This commander is clearly trying to intensify the conflict and brainwash us on this basis. That's why you have no idea who is telling the truth and who is lying in the early stages."

"I feel like I can't stand it anymore." Ah Dai clenched his fists in anger. "This ELO is obviously making fun of those who have nowhere else to go."

"Do you remember the concept of 'divine power'? According to official settings, the gods are the true rulers of this world. They're just lazy, so they let humans rule their own countries. That's why there's a rule that prohibits war between the eight nations."

"This proves that it's impossible for humans to defeat the gods. Under this premise, 'man can conquer nature.' Materialists, at this point, can only grudgingly admit that 'atheism' is a thing of the past. So, what are you thinking about ELO doing this completely unwinnable thing? They're truly beasts!"

What's wrong? The emperor takes turns, and this year it's my turn.

"Ah, yes, you're aloof, you're great, you're using other people's lives as a stepping stone to your own throne. Do you consider yourself one of those aristocrats about to fall on hard times, or those commoners living in constant fear, or those ELO members about to become cannon fodder?"

[By this calculation, apart from that idiotic commander, no one is having an easy time.]

[Nobles aren't necessarily good people, but they're called "nobles" anyway.]

[Originally, I just wanted to play off the Western Fantasy's Sibu Xiang. If you don't want to call me City Lord, you can always call me Prime Minister. Be flexible. He's the one in charge anyway.]

[Everyone had been living well for hundreds of years, living and working in peace and contentment, enjoying a peaceful and happy life. And then, in less than ten years, you, ELO, have made life miserable for everyone, and you're still here to criticize me!]

[It's obvious that Di Chou has a distorted outlook on life by doing this.]

After all, it's just a game, and the villain's role is pretty clear. Plus, he's got abilities that ordinary people can't achieve, which makes him seem incredibly charismatic.

[What's so charming about this? If you could really win, I'd still say, "History is written by the victors." But you're such a loser, you're destined to lose. What are you even doing?]

Ah Dai watched the heated debate unfold on the barrage, and he couldn't help but grow increasingly indignant. "Those low-level ELO members aren't any good, and the high-level ones are utter trash. I'm putting this out there: if I encounter any ELO members, I'll just go on a killing spree! My gun is thirsty!"

Dim's face, which Ah Dai had secretly despised for its ugliness, now shone with wisdom. What does it mean to "remain untainted by the mud"? Isn't there someone here who hasn't been brainwashed by ELO?

Faced with such an outstanding young man who was not only sober but also wanted to work hard, Ah Dai naturally agreed to her request. If "Faith Crisis" was not really high-tech enough to choose the tone of communication, Ah Dai would have wanted to talk to her in a clip voice.

However, she still had the mission of "annihilating the ELO cult," so she had to hurry up and do what needed to be done. [You said you had a way to force Yun Shuo out. What was it?]

Dim was originally happy that he could work as a worker in a noble's house, but Ah Dai's sudden question caught him off guard. The topic changed too quickly.

"Yes, of course I have a way. But...if there's someone else there, could you please let her go?"

Dim carefully observed Ah Dai's expression. She was indeed very scared, but after thinking about the friendship they had shared for so many years, she gritted her teeth and said, "She is my long-time friend. She just strayed into the wrong path. She has only been in ELO for less than a week. Please spare her life."

Dim knew that since Awen hadn't returned for so many days, he must have either died or joined the ELO organization. Rather than death, he would rather believe that Awen had successfully joined the ELO organization.

[Is she your friend?] Ah Dai looked at her and felt how dazzling the brilliance of human nature was.

Some people have caused countless families to fall apart and countless people to die because of their own selfish desires, while some people, even if their lives are in danger, will still care about their friends and believe that the other party will change their minds.

"I will, Dim. Now, tell me your plan."

"Go over there, there's a slaughterhouse. I once saw human fingers in the trash can there. Those fingers were obviously from aristocrats, so they must be connected to the ELO organization and help them dispose of a lot of corpses. Maybe they even sell them."

Dim pointed to the end of the road and said, "And I saw this 'Yun Shuo' going there last time, so it must be right."

Chapter 39: Kill them one by one

Ah Dai couldn't see any trace of the ELO organization in this place. The biggest difference between ELO members and actual cult members was that they were extremely easy to spot in a crowd - their angry and suppressed expressions and extremely tense mental state made them stand out like a wolf among a flock of sheep.

But the atmosphere in the slaughterhouse was completely different. Everyone's face was numb, and only the occasional angry conversation could make their expressions lively.

They just mechanically repeated their movements, working diligently until the sun went down. Blood soaked each of their palms, and the smell of blood also seeped into the palm lines.

[Are you sure they are members of the ELO organization?] Ah Dai looked at these people who were immersed in the class atmosphere. To be honest, they didn't look like people who would join the ELO organization at all. She even felt that they didn't care about ELO at all.

"Yes." Dim stared at everyone who was working with their heads down with a sly look in her eyes. She took the lead and loyally cleared the way for Ah Dai. Even if a passing dog dared to look at her, she would glare back. Such an overbearing way of walking soon taught her a lesson - a large pool of dead fish fell on her.

"Fuck you, don't you know where to look?" Dim cursed without even opening his eyes. Seeing the other party nodding and apologizing, he immediately used the "get ahead of others" trick he learned when he was a gangster. "Why didn't anyone teach you? Well, I'm here to take over my duties and teach you a lesson!"

But when she wiped the slime from her eyes, she was stunned. Thinking of the noble standing behind her, she immediately stood up and tried to distance herself from him, saying evasively, "Awen? You really joined ELO?! I told you ELO wasn't a good thing! Come with me!"

Awen had just joined the ELO organization not long ago. He was very passionate and could not bear to hear any bad words about ELO.

She glared at him unhappily, and withdrew her hands that were about to help Dim pat his body. She squatted down and cleaned up the dead fish. "Why should I go with you? Are you going to continue to be a gangster?"

Dim never thought that Awen would treat her like this one day. She had always been the one looking down on Awen. Even if they had quarrels, Awen was always the first to apologize to her.

"I'm doing this for your own good!" Her eyes were red, but she still chose to explain the interests involved to this idiot. "Don't worry, the person behind is a very important person. She has already promised to introduce us to servants and will forgive you for joining the ELO organization. She doesn't intend to kill ELO completely, she just wants to kill a man named 'Yun Shuo'."

Awen was hugged by Dim and bent down, and was forced to whisper to her. When the word "Yun Shuo" reached her ears, Awen's hands clenched tightly, and the clothes she was holding were almost pierced with two holes.

With red eyes, she looked at Dim, who was still talking about how good he was to her without noticing anything, and asked sinisterly, "Are you saying this woman wants to kill Yun Shuo?"

"Probably," Dim shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe they'll capture him and torture him. It's normal for nobles to have some perverted habits."

Normal? For the first time, Awen realized how much he had changed these days.

If it were in the past, after hearing these words, she would have agreed with the normality of this matter with a look of indifference, but now she felt a chill all over her body. How could such nonsense as "it is normal for people of high status to torture people of low status" come out of a person's mouth.

Awen tried hard to control his trembling body caused by excessive anger, and asked again in a hoarse voice: "What do you want me to do?"

"Do you know where Yun Shuo is?" Dim hadn't expected Awen to answer, so she said disdainfully without hesitation, "With your level of skill, it's impossible to know where someone like him is. He's a high-ranking member of the ELO organization, worthy of being on a wanted list. But even so, I have a way to lure him out."

"How are you going to lead it?"

Dim gave her a look that said, "Are you a fool?" and said with disdain, "Of course it's killing people. As long as the value of the people killed is high enough and enough people are killed, I don't believe he won't come out. Don't they, ELO, claim to 'never leave anyone behind'? So what's wrong with sacrificing for civilians?"

Awen clenched her teeth. She really wanted to spit at the smug face in front of her. Every word she said seemed to be squeezed out of her throat with difficulty. "Those are civilians! What did they do wrong?"

"Wrong, was I born a commoner?" Dim didn't turn around, so he naturally missed Awen's face, which was purple with anger. She looked around at the people around her as if selecting food, muttering to herself, "Who should I kill?"

But when she turned around, she was surprised to find that Awen was looking at her directly with eyes as if he was looking at his mortal enemy.

Dim was startled and felt cold all over. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Awen stood up, and she suddenly calmed down. A heavy burden fell from her heart. She said softly, "Once, you were one of those people who were killed inexplicably one day."

"The past is the past, and the present is the present." Dim carefully observed every change in Awen's expression, but found her so peaceful, as if her previous resentment was just an illusion. So she said, "If you can find Yun Shuo and bring him here, there will be no need to kill anyone."

"Okay." Awen picked up the large basin of fish on the ground. "Can you wait while I take the fish over first? I'm still working, so I should at least tell the store owner."

Dim felt a little uneasy when she saw the man's humble look. She started to chat in an attempt to warm up the atmosphere between them. "You really found yourself a job?"

"Yeah. It's the family where we stole chickens together before. Last time, the lady asked me if I wanted to work for her. There was no salary, but food and lodging were provided."

"Hey," Dim waved his hand dismissively, letting out a rather dignified snort. "When we become servants of aristocratic families, that's when life will be better. You won't have to think it's a favor to be provided with food and lodging like you are now."

Chapter 40: Anonymous Diary

"Awen is back? Who are these two?" The aunt smiled and walked over confidently. She quickly helped Awen lift the heavy basin of dead fish.

Dim keenly noticed the hostility hidden in the deepest part of the aunt's pupils when she seemed to have just glanced at her. This hostility, which was different from the familiar contempt, made her alert instantly.

"Who are those two people outside?"