"Well, Ciyou, my boy?"
"Have you decided what to choose?"
Hearing the Human God's question, Cui Ciyou did not answer immediately.
He slowly raised his head. Within those deep eyes...
There was a bone-chilling calm.
"Human God, since today..."
"You've already decided to stop speaking in riddles."
"Then, before I answer your question..."
"There's one last thing I want to ask. Why...?"
Cui Ciyou's voice was calm and clear.
"Why are you 'helping' us?"
"Why are you 'helping' me? Why are you 'helping' Roxy?"
"I believe that pure kindness, offered without expecting anything in return, might exist in this world."
"But I absolutely refuse to believe that anything like that could come from you, Human God."
A cold smile curved Cui Ciyou's lips.
"To quote an old saying from our world-everyone comes and goes in pursuit of gain."
"You've gone to so much trouble."
"You've explained so many of this world's 'truths' to me."
"And you've been so 'kind' as to show me the 'only' path to survival."
"So what do you stand to gain?"
"Or rather, what do you want me to do for you... Human God?"
That question struck at the heart of it all-the Human God's motive.
The Human God, that constantly shifting mass of mosaic pixels, briefly froze again.
Then the Human God burst into his most delighted, uninhibited laughter yet.
"Ha... hahahaha!"
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant, Ciyou, my boy!"
"You really haven't disappointed me!"
"You've finally asked the right question!"
"Of all the questions, this is the most fundamental, most crucial one!"
The Human God seemed to shed all his pretenses.
Like a candid "schemer," he openly admitted:
"You ask why I'm helping you?"
"It's simple."
"-Because helping you also means helping myself."
At that moment, the Human God's voice became profoundly solemn and majestic.
As