"Luo Zhen?"
"President?"
"Big Brother?"
"Daddy?"
Seeing Luo Zhen suddenly fall silent, everyone exchanged glances, growing uneasy.
That was because the atmosphere Luo Zhen was giving off now made them all understand.
"Did... something happen?"
Kirito asked uncertainly.
Hearing that, Luo Zhen did not ignore Kirito. Instead, after a moment of silence, he nodded.
"More or less."
Luo Zhen put it that way for the time being.
"Is it troublesome?" Sinon immediately asked. "Do you need our help?"
The others nodded repeatedly as well, clearly voicing what was in their own hearts.
But...
"If you want to call it troublesome, then it certainly qualifies." Luo Zhen spoke calmly. "Unfortunately, none of you can help."
Luo Zhen said it so directly that everyone was rendered speechless.
"What do you mean? How would you know we can't help if you don't tell us?"
Klein was the first to lose his patience and spoke up angrily.
Luo Zhen raised his head and looked at everyone before letting out a sigh.
"Don't take it the wrong way. I'm not looking down on you. It's just that, in truth, you really can't help." Luo Zhen smiled bitterly. "Let me put it this way: this matter is far more serious than the original SAO and old ALO incidents combined. If we fail, it won't be a matter of several thousand or several hundred deaths. It will be a matter of tens of millions of lives."
"Wha...!?"
Hearing Luo Zhen's words, everyone present sucked in a sharp breath.
"Tens of millions of lives?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"This... this..."
Silika, Liz, and Xing all cried out in shock.
It was not just the girls. Even everyone in the entire 'Red Wings' wore stunned expressions, and the lively cheers that had continued until moments ago vanished without a trace.