287: Everything Goes According to Plan

The train came to a smooth stop at the platform.

"We have arrived at the Holy Land Garilinov Stone Valley."

Li Aoz spoke calmly, interrupting Caramel Snail's thoughts. He shook his head, stood up, grabbed his weapon, and followed Li Aoz off the train.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, step.

When Li Aoz set foot on this land, the cold wind blowing from the sea in the distance became gentle. Nature's favor was released here without reservation. Every footprint was accompanied by butterflies. The whole forest valley echoed with the melodious songs of birds. For a moment, Caramel Snail even doubted that she had stepped into the wrong movie set. It was as if she had not entered "Star Abyss" but the finished film of a fairy tale princess.

"Sometimes people feel very dissatisfied."

As Li Aoz walked, he said to Caramel Snail:

"The path of the [Dominator] emphasizes the cultivation of [charm] as the core quality, but as a result, people think of them as a group of gigolos who do not work hard."

"But, Li Aoz, you've also worked very hard."

"My approach to effort is different from that of others."

Li Aoz said calmly, "No matter which path you take, you accumulate experience through training and learning."

The [Destruction] system emphasizes physical training and strength cultivation; there's not much to say about it, diligence can make up for lack of talent.

The Department of Fine Arts requires continuous study and learning to arm one's mind with wisdom.

[Strange] It requires an extremely strong will to endure the harassment of ghosts while honing one's spiritual abilities.

Those who engage in plundering also need to repeatedly face death and constantly participate in battles in order to plunder enough resources and become stronger.

The healer of "redemption" needs not only knowledge but also a strong physical body, which means that one needs to temper both mind and body.

Only the path of "Domination" requires you to become more attractive than others, to compete with the entire world for favor, in order to more effectively control Aoneng and wield the power of the universe.

Caramel Snail scratched its cheek. "Uh, now that you mention it, the [Dominator] system does sound a bit..."

"It's a bit like a powerful minister vying for the emperor's favor, isn't it?"

Li Aoz said:

"Other professions are like laborers, producers, or protectors, but the [Dominator] lineage is born to be managers and rulers. In the eyes of other professions, domination is something anyone can do; as long as you are strong enough, everything will submit."

Caramel Snail didn't refute this, because from a player's perspective, that's how it all seemed.

"Strength determines everything."

"But in this universe, sometimes the stronger you are, the closer you are to destruction."

Li Aoz said calmly:

"The sun burns eternally, illuminating all things in the universe, but it will eventually become Red Giant Star and fade away. Even black holes will evaporate and cool. The laws that are said to be unchanging may change in another universe. The closer one gets to the pinnacle of glory, the closer one is to falling from grace."

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Caramel Snail asked curiously. "Weren't we just talking about the path to enlightenment?"

"Because in reality, each path has its own unique rules. Everything that exists must conform to some kind of rational law, and everything that conforms to the law must also exist. The differences between paths can never be erased by the phrase 'strong enough,' nor can they be forcibly twisted together to create fusion."

Li Aoz put his hands in his pockets, paused, and said, "But strength is indeed useful—because it can erase those who create differences."

"Ah, that's why we see people of the [Strange] path constantly hunting down the descendants of other paths on this planet."

Caramel Snail understand this principle:

"Since the differences in the [paths of cultivation] are too great to be erased or merged, then the only option is to eliminate those who follow the same path."

"Although the process is bloody and cruel, it is the closest to civilization and the most rational approach."

Li Aoz said:

"But do you think this is the right thing to do?"

"... Of course, that's not right."

Caramel Snail recalled the Redemption Army and the cannibalistic mutant [Overlord] path inheritor she had encountered before, and for a moment she wavered:

"Because I am not their compatriot, I can understand them, but... I cannot accept this outcome."

From our perspective, both sides have problems.

"In its pursuit of order, the Church sealed off the skies, hunted down other paths, and gradually robbed people of their rights, ultimately transforming itself from a protector into a master who enslaves others. This is certainly problematic!"

"The rebels trampled on morality in their fight for freedom, massacring church members and even killing civilians. They opposed for the sake of opposition. Their actions were hardly any cleaner than those of the church, were they?"

"So," Li Aoz said, "Xia Beiluo chose rock and roll."

"Using music as a language, we can communicate with people on both sides, hoping to build a bridge between us, ease tensions, and find a balance between reform and tradition."

"The Garilinov Stone Valley is said to be a sacred place, where if you stand deep within the valley at sunset in autumn and make a loud noise, the whole world can hear you."

"If she sings here, the whole world will hear her voice; that is probably the purpose of her pilgrimage."

Caramel Snail suddenly realized.

"So that's how it is. No wonder. Her performances along the way were all to use music to resolve people's conflicts, to get the church to compromise with secular society, and step by step, to get people to take to the streets and become more open."

Caramel Snail sincerely admired her. "As a young girl, she really has courage. If it were me, I feel like I would die of embarrassment just thinking about having to speak and sing for the whole world."

"That's why people need heroes."

Li Aoz said, "People don't actually worship heroes, but rather they worship the idea that represents something within themselves. People are always hesitant, and that's when someone needs to step forward."

"But isn't a hero great because of his/her actions? People like heroes because of their deeds."

"That's hard to say. Sometimes, they just see themselves as an extension of their own spirit, as a source of motivation."

"Just like you must be a great hero to the Azure Planet People and the White Candle Star people. People admire you a lot."

"Hero is no easy title, kid—the birth of a hero can be deadly."

As they talked, they arrived at Stone Valley. The woodland was elegant, the streams were clear, fallen leaves and green grass kissed each other, and the air was filled with the romantic atmosphere of golden autumn. It was a kind of lonely prosperity, subtle and gorgeous.

Li Aoz and Caramel Snail walked side by side into the Stone Valley. The cliffs on both sides were as magnificent as ocean waves. As they walked through them, the thunderous sound of their heartbeats and footsteps echoed, creating an incredibly awe-inspiring atmosphere.

Having reached this point, we have finally arrived at the end of our journey.

Ding—

The sound of the guitar being tested suddenly surged, drawing their attention back to the ground: in the deepest part of their vision, a girl was sitting alone on a rock, holding a silver guitar. She coughed softly twice, and as if sensing their presence, she looked up at them.

Hello everyone.

The girl smiled and said, "More and more people are making pilgrimages. Many people came yesterday, but their voices don't travel far. Today is the best day. Singing on this day will be heard all over the world."

"You must be Xia Beiluo?"

Caramel Snail stepped forward and sized up the girl: she looked like a typical sunny girl, with a fair face as cute as a doll, and long, golden, wavy hair that reached her waist, making her look incredibly glamorous. She carried various small accessories and had very little luggage, only a luxurious mountain bike.

"You guys are Xia Beiluo's fans, right?"

The girl understood:

"I am Xia Beiluo."

Caramel Snail are delighted:

"Great! We've been looking for you, hoping you could lend us the lucky charm we have—"

Yes and no.

' Xia Beiluo ' put her guitar aside, stood up, Caramel Snail looked at the two people who had arrived. She nodded and said in a deep voice, "The great Rock and Roll revivalist, the secular leader of Violet Star - Mentor Xia Beiluo, was born in Suro City in 032 and was tragically murdered by the church extremists in 049 at the age of 17."

"After her death, fans who had listened to her master tapes were awakened. We gathered together, took up her guitar and her ideas, and were determined to carry out 'understanding and resistance' to the end."

"Xia Beiluo is dead, but we don't want her to leave—today is September 19th, the 50th anniversary of her immortality."

The blonde girl said, "I have come to pay my respects and make a pilgrimage as the 7th generation ' Xia Beiluo '."

"After Xia Beiluo's death, her actions did not end, her career continued, her songs will resound forever, Xia Beiluo!"

The Caramel Snail stood on the ground, its mind almost buzzing as it went completely blank.

"Li Aoz".

Caramel Snail looked at the boy beside her, her voice trembling:

"You knew all along... didn't you?"

What do you mean?

"You knew all along that the real Xia Beiluo was dead, you knew all along that the little boy would be killed by me, you knew all along that there would be cooking oil and salt in that camp, and which foods were edible... From the moment we landed, you knew everything."

The Caramel Snail said, "This planet must have been frozen in time long ago."

"You're right, I know everything."

Li Aoz calmly raised his head and looked at him. "Including the true face of this planet."

"This planet?" the blond ' Xia Beiluo ' asked curiously, "Are you aliens?"

Li Aoz and Caramel Snail ignored her and stood facing each other.

Welcome to Violet Star.

Li Aoz opened his arms:

"The full name is - Melodycal, a small-to-medium-sized parasite [Melodycal Society]".

"Fifty years ago, this planet was already parasitized. A girl named ' Xia Beiluo ' was copied as a meme, and the entire planet has been basically invaded by 'rock and roll' culture, which is irreversible."

"Li Aoz... you know everything, why have you been lying to me all this time..."

"Because that's the plan," Li Aoz said. "The mission is triggered by two people. To obtain the ' Soul Casino,' you can't carry any weapons. You have to discreetly infiltrate the civilization, make contact with the memes, and then track down the Primarch to take the Soul Casino."

Caramel Snail stared blankly at Li Aoz: "As far as I know... there is only one way to destroy the parasitic civilization."

"Niu, I've told you before—the path of the Overlord Class is for those born to be rulers."

As Li Aoz spoke, streaks of scorching iron rain streaked across the sky above Violet Star, and cheers erupted from the players in the game's public chat channel.

"We spent 60 days traveling through every city, visiting all the places where people gathered, and collecting all the information coordinates. I just sent them all to the X Fleet."

Warships appeared in the sky orbit, pointing their magnificent cannons at the earth.

"Everything is going according to plan."

The Caramel Snail's pupils constricted, and it cried out, "No—"

Li Aoz kept his mouth shut. His main body, far away on White Candle Star, had been transmitting information through Gravity Wave. Now, the moment to give the order had finally arrived, "Tactic Two, Orbital Bombardment!"

The next moment, scorching magical light descended from the sky over every populated area on Violet Star.