Su Bai was no saint.
He never had been. Even though he had never taken the initiative to hurt anyone or indulged in slaughter, that did not mean his heart was pure and unblemished.
No matter how strange or absurd the world humans walked through, they would always instinctively cloak themselves in camouflage. That mask called "kindness" not only put their fellow humans at ease, but also lulled the Strange Creatures that believed they controlled everything into dropping their guard, mistaking the humans before them for weak, ordinary prey.
In his previous life, Su Bai had walked alone beneath the Red Moon with his Vengeful Ghost Puzzle. Back then, he had worn no mask, nor had he needed one. Though he, too, stood against the Strange Creatures, the other human players had seen him as cold, with even a hint of cruel amusement.
But in this life, the true battlefield of the Nightmare World was still taking shape. Su Bai could not yet leave the other human players behind, so that friendly mask remained useful to him.
For Su Bai, however, wearing the mask was not merely an act. Deep down, he also enjoyed the feeling of being a "Regular person," a "Regular player."
But when events approached a point beyond which he could no longer yield, when he realized he no longer needed to disguise himself, endure, or back down, he would tear off that mask without hesitation.
It was as though he had once again set foot on those streets drenched in the Red Moon's light, where no path led to survival, and become the lone wanderer who had to give everything just to stay alive.
The Mother Tree of Life's body, once covered in countless lush green branches and leaves, seemingly a symbol of hope and new