Why Are You Rewarding Him?

"Mom, that sun seems to be following us, why?" Little Elena peered out the window, looking through the tinted glass at the fist-sized fireball in the sky.

"I don't know either." Glory continued driving towards the warband meeting center, which was about a hundred meters away. She took out sunglasses from the car's storage compartment and gave a pair to Elena, telling her adopted daughter to protect her eyesight and not to stare directly at the sunlight, "Haven't you ever seen the sun before?"

Without hesitation, Elena replied, "I don't know, I don't remember at all. I only know that there's such a thing on TV and in cell phones. I never thought that one day it could fly all the way to Lieyang Fort —does it like you? Wherever you go, it follows!"

Glory glanced out the car window--

--The sun's trajectory seemed to be exactly as Elena had said. It wasn't that it was too far from the ground, nor was it the kind of illusion where "the moon moves, so do I." Maddes seemed to have been following Glory all the way through most of the city of Lieyang Fort.

"I don't know, I'm not sure."

Elena pressed on, "Is that the Lord of Cinder? Mother Glory, it eats people, can a monster that eats people become a king? Does Ming De also acknowledge it?"

Glory pondered that it was probably the essence of the BOSS within her that was attracting Maddes. At the moment of transforming into the blazing sun, Maddes had to abandon all his fantasies, endure immense pain, shed his mortal body, and become a pure spirit in the environment of strong electricity and magnetism. Perhaps he had already lost his self-awareness and would only seek more fuel to maintain the nuclear reaction.

At this point, Maddes may have already used the War King as fuel, mistakenly believing this was a good opportunity to add fuel to the fire, and thus followed behind Glory.

According to the records in the Arcane Library, there are many new generation Cinder King units, among which are such chaotic and ignorant suns, which hang in mid-air like observation balloons, resembling bright lamps. They are also called "King of Fire" by researchers, referring to the shape of these suns. They resist the natural winds in the cave and are forever fixed at one point. Without the help of other life, they will remain stationary.

The Lords of Cinder near Eureka Volcano City are completely different. They are typical "Monsoon Lords of Cinder," which travel around the world in cycles following the ocean currents of the Pompeii Sea. They possess enormous energy and have a record of adding fire only once every hundred years.

The Lords of Cinder, also known as the "Nest Lords of Cinder," originate from the rooftop of Blackland Prison in Yellow Bull Town. These tiny suns can reverse their form and return to human shape, absorbing the psionic energy of the prisoners in Hedland to fuel their fire.

The method Maddes used to become king was the form of "Nest King". The basic principle is also very simple: obtain an indestructible and indestructible body, and then collect elemental matter through [carnivorism]. After obtaining enough elemental matter, ignite it using any method.

The Lord of the Cinder could restore him to human form during the fire-addition cycle, Maddes firmly believed that this divine power could resurrect his servant. However, there were too many dangers and obstacles on the road to becoming king. Because of his carnivorous nature, he had almost forgotten what his servant's name was. He was no longer the original passenger; he had become a mass of spiritual entities.

"Mom?" Elena looked at the distracted War King and asked tentatively, "Mom? Are you listening?"

Glory snapped out of her reverie, "Where were we?"

Elena: "Does a good cat like the Lord of Cinder? Or a man-eating monster?"

The King of Cinder stands shoulder to shoulder with the other three kings, all being helpful companions to good cats.

However, Ming De never acknowledged its legitimacy; he only recognized that it was reasonable but not legal.

This logic only applies to the beasts themselves, not to humans. The methods used by the Lords of Cinder to collect elemental matter are mostly simple and brutal. Maddes is a typical example; he first ate human flesh and then thought about how to become the sun.

You might ask, can the King of Cinder eat something else?

That's possible, but as for the human race, especially psionic beings, their population base is much larger than that of other intelligent life forms.

Just like in a food chain, Homo sapiens occupy far too many ecological niches. When the Lord of Cinder takes a bite, the food he can choose from is far too few. He can easily find himself biting into a human with exceptional psychic talent.

"Do you like it or not?" Glory had never actually asked the BOSS this question before, at least not directly.

The BOSS also faced this kind of questioning, and its response to humanity was--

This is a shortcut, and shortcuts often come with sacrifices. Although the shortcut is there, we can't put up signs telling people there's a shortcut; that would be very dangerous.

"It acknowledges it, but it doesn't like it," Glory could only reply. "Sunlight is extremely precious to the underground world; it's of immense significance."

Elena, not understanding the mystery, then asked, "Is it really that important?"

Glory asked Elena to do the math, "For projects related to biology and environmental modification, we need sunlight to nurture the body. Children who get sunlight will be taller and stronger. The regional medical and agricultural departments can save on the production capacity of calcium products and redirect it to other areas to improve people's quality of life."

"Sunlight can kill bacteria and the Vita Imprint. This part of the Universal Elixir and White Lady's products has transformed from daily necessities into health products and supplements for regional sports. Children can not only live, but also live healthily and bravely. Before, they could only barely survive, but now they can fight against the monsters."

"The scorching sun will bake the city's waterways, and the underground waterways will have distinct boundaries as the sun shines. Urban planning will become clear at a glance, allowing for the construction of houses and the planning of different functional areas according to the sun, unlike before when houses and roads were everywhere. Transportation will also gradually improve, so that relatives or lovers separated by distance can cross the entire city in a few tens of minutes."

"The sun will create a relatively complete water cycle system within the cavity. The water is dried by the sunlight, the water vapor rises into the air, and when it encounters cold air as it leaves the area, it turns back into rain and falls again, eliminating the need for the dome's condensation system for artificial rainmaking. The electricity generated from this and the manpower needed to maintain the condensation system can be used for other purposes."

"The most amazing standard for scientific research in the world is time."

Glory parked the car and, while inside, shared with Eileen the little bits of knowledge she had learned from the Arcane Library.

"Once we figured out milliseconds and microseconds, controlled these units of time, and enabled machines to understand the meaning of time, we were able to control switches within these time units and manufacture components using printed circuits. This ushered in the golden age of electricity and atomic energy."

"Once we understand picosecond and attosecond time, control these timings, and make machines understand their meaning, we can wield enormous power, enabling plants to live without sunlight. But that's not possible yet."

"The sun remains an invaluable treasure; Lieyang Fort, by possessing it, possesses the future."

"This city was originally a penal Place of Exile for criminals. One by one, demons fled here, started families, and formed villages and settlements."

"Because it was a vital waterway to the Kurbo Gold Mine, it became a barren port, surviving on customs duties and tolls. Everyone living here had to rely on the City Hall's purchasing decisions to decide what to eat and what to wear."

"The sun can change all of this; it can make it start anew."

Glory said this--

"--This is the shortcut the good cat mentioned, relying on a Lord of Cinder with a strong will. In humanity's binary view of good and evil, these Lords of Cinder are absolutely evil man-eating monsters, but once they embark on this path of seeking the truth, there is no turning back."

"If we don't set them on fire and send them to heaven, those who die in their mouths will become innocent victims who died in vain."

"Ming De never advocated this method of becoming a king. It was never what it wanted to see, nor was it a concept it created. If it were made known to everyone and these kings of firewood were to be sung about as heroic legends, there would probably be no place for the weak to hide in the world. They would all be used as firewood and fed to the kings of firewood."

"Oh, sun!"

"It is such a beautiful and powerful existence that it can burn away all the sins committed by mortals. It can be created with the lives of thousands and maintained by hundreds of psionicists. It can continuously and gently care for a city with a population of one million. In an ancient underground city, this would be the eternal treasure of a nation."

Elena seemed lost in thought, no longer looking at the dazzling fireball, but instead turning to stare at Glory.

"Mom, did your brother, the gunsmith, also become the sun?"

Glory didn't understand at first and thought Elena was talking nonsense, "The Gunsmith is not the Lord of Cinder."

Elena knew the story of the gunsmith; although the name was young, it was more dazzling and legendary than that of the other VIPs.

"He was like a meteorite, rushing into the underground world and disappearing in an instant, leaving only a trace, and then nothing more."

The little girl muttered to herself, her little eyebrows furrowed.

"He also makes people strong; he is always giving, but asks for nothing in return—isn't the sun the same?"

Seemingly realizing she had said something wrong, Elena immediately pursed her lips and became nervous.

"Mom, I didn't mean it, I didn't. I didn't intentionally bring up your family's painful memories. I..."

Glory patted the little girl's head, her thick cotton gloves draped over Elena's hair, brushing past the dyed red hair to reveal the brown roots.

"His mission is complete, Elena. You know we siblings are all Chinese, right?"

Elena: "I understand! I know! The instructor at the Valhalla Palace taught me! He mentioned it, otherwise how would I speak Chinese!"

Glory: "Many ancient Chinese sayings reveal a stubborn and unyielding spirit."

"Some say that if one hears the Way in the morning, one can die content in the evening."

"Some say that righteousness lies in willingly sacrificing oneself; this is the true meaning of human nature and natural law."

"Some say that one cannot have both; one must sacrifice oneself for righteousness."

"It is said that life between heaven and earth is like a white horse flashing past a crack in the wall, gone in an instant."

Did your trainer teach you these things?

Elena shook her head, unsure and confused.

When Glory talked about Xue Ming's story, she returned to that role. Sometimes she couldn't tell which mask she was wearing. B·Side's ability was not only to change her appearance, but also to change her hormones and thought patterns. This made her feel lost and confused, and the Jiang Xueming that others talked about became a stranger.

I Wen Bucai, once shared this experience with Liuxing. There are some things you won't know how awesome you really are until you do them yourself or listen to what others say. Wu Song probably thought the same thing when he killed the tiger. Perhaps he never imagined he had such ability.

Glory said blankly, "I've always felt that it was just my duty, something I should do. The name 'gunsmith' doesn't have any special meaning."

"Your duty?" Elena quickly replied, "I was asking about the gunsmith, who should be my uncle according to seniority, right?"

Glory: "Oh! Oh, oh, oh, right? My brain just went blank for a second, I didn't get it."

Elena continued, "Mom, your brother is dead, aren't you even a little bit sad?"

Glory couldn't relate; she was the gunsmith, so the conversation seemed off.

"That's enough for now, little girl. I'm going to the office. Are you coming with me? It might be dangerous, and I'm afraid I can't protect you."

Elena immediately shrank into her seat. That was the mighty War King, and War King said he couldn't protect her anymore. There was no need for her to seek death.

"No, no, no! I'm not going!"

After thinking it over, Glory finally decided to talk things out with Elena.

Do you think gunsmiths are heroes?

Elena, afraid of upsetting the War King, replied casually, "Yes, I guess so."

This girl has always lived in the dog-eat-dog world of Lieyang Fort. All her beliefs White Shark Association, and some of them were also influenced by George Joshua's values.

A dead hero is not a hero at all; defeat is equivalent to the greatest evil; and history is written by the victors.

This concept is deeply rooted in the hearts of everyone in Lieyang Fort, influencing generations of them, and it is difficult to change in a short period of time.

This is why the local militia and soldiers of Lieyang Fort turned into cannibals. There is no sun here, no light to refer to, and no moral standards. Might makes right, and actions are based solely on results and interests, without regard to right or wrong, good or evil.

Even if they had studied the Six Arts, they did not understand what the scriptures meant by "seek only self-preservation and do not harm others."

Only later generations, like Clark Sean and Banner Ibge, understood what the gunsmith was like and what the anonymous people were.

After Glory left, Elena pondered these things carefully and finally understood them.

--She heard that the nameless man had spent those two thousand days and nights wreaking havoc on the land ravaged by the Madness Butterfly Sect, fighting violence against violence, as if it were a matter of one group of mountain kings killing another.

But upon closer examination, this is definitely not a simple matter of changing sides; it's not!

Which mountain bandit chief would be so reckless as to wage a protracted war? Aren't these nameless warriors afraid of collapsing and dying along the way?

Which battle was easy and simple? Can you say it was foolproof and without any danger to life?

In which major offensive, in which victory can we confidently say that we will definitely see the final triumph?

She only saw these three hundred-odd cities return to the embrace of Ming De. But when the heroes first embarked on this path, how terrifying, how arduous and distant the journey must have been! She only knew that the heroes in stories always won, and they were great because of their victories, but what about before victory? How did they overcome the bitterness and fear of facing defeat?

The gunsmith did not stop; he died while escorting Pellegrini Tuan, sacrificing himself to protect the students.

The War King did not stop either; the nameless people were still running around. The White Shark Association's conquest had just ended, and they had gone their separate ways after holding a wedding for Victor.

Elena finally understood what Glory meant by "class sisters"—it had nothing to do with money, their wealth, or their current social status.

The nameless and faceless people step forward not for themselves. There are countless brothers and sisters still suffering and crying out for justice, and these nameless people will rush over as fast as they can, regardless of the outcome, without being swayed by personal gain or loss, and without fear of death.

"Mom, I can't go anymore, I have to go see my mom."

Elena, blinded by concern, rushed out of the car and headed towards the rally center.

Upon arriving at the assembly center, the receptionist couldn't find the War King, Elena couldn't find him either, so she looked towards the Golden Beetle Defense Center next door.

At a glance, you could spot Glory holding a bloodstained rope, wielding the knot like a whip.

"Are you trying to accuse him of murder, arson, and rape?"

Glory stood on Jin Ge's head, holding a long rope in one hand—the same rope that had bound the Horse-Faced Monkey boy, now stained with the blood of innocent people.

"You want this car thief to take the blame for all the crimes on this list? Thirty-three charges?!"

Glory glared angrily, and waved her hand—

--The whip was like a vicious python with eyes, lashing fiercely at Yin Ge's smooth buttocks, leaving a bloody wound.

"Is he the Monkey King? This guy can create clones? He can pluck a hair from his body and summon his monkey followers to help him commit crimes?! Tell me, how did he achieve this KPI? Three days? Or four days? Thirty-three major cases!"

Jin Ge's head was being stepped on by Black Immaculate, and he kept begging for mercy.

Yin Ge was barely breathing; his sternum had been fractured by the War King's kick, and he lay sprawled on the general affairs counter of the defense center.

Their adjutant leader, on the other hand, spoke in a weak and powerless tone.

--Chen ShouGong looked kind and had a mustache. He came up to dissuade him.

"Madam, let me tell you, don't bully my soldiers like this! This is going to cause problems! I'm not a pushover! Let's talk this out, we can discuss anything. Even if this little black guy didn't do it, it's fine. Tomorrow I'll go to the nursing home and grab a few uncles and aunties, we'll settle on a resettlement fee. What kind of behavior is this? You're so good at fighting, which faction are you from? There's a procedure to follow when someone comes to vouch for someone, and besides..."

The palace guard's adjutant glanced a few more times at the whip in the War King's hand.

Why are you rewarding him?