The Trolley Problem

It's blocked?

Li Qing actually managed to block Red Hot Chili Pepper's attack?

No, it's not just about blocking.

This was suppression; Li Qing used the purest power to suppress Red Hot Chili Pepper!

Polnareff's expression became incredibly interesting.

Red Hot Chili Pepper, being caught up in the situation, couldn't see clearly, while he, as an observer, could see the situation perfectly clearly:

Li Qing did indeed launch a surprise attack while Red Hot Chili Pepper was overly focused.

But he didn't use Echoes Act or Golden Bell Shield.

He used his own two legs to run at a lightning-fast speed, and with that extreme speed, he rightfully suppressed his opponent!

That arrogant, Red Hot Chili Pepper was actually suppressed at its most prized speed.

Akira Otoshi, who thought he was the fastest man in the world, soon encountered someone even faster than him.

Based on Polnareff's observations and comparisons.

This is no longer Li Qing.

This is practically a human-shaped Star Platinum!

Li Qing is no longer someone who has surpassed the limits of humanity, but someone who has surpassed the limits of Stands.

The highest rating of A on his Stand panel no longer accurately describes his speed and power.

"So strong."

"If they have that kind of power and speed, then the Red Hot Chili Pepper is nothing to worry about!"

Upon realizing this, Polnareff's eyes immediately filled with boundless hope.

I feel a little bad for those old friends.

But Polnareff knew that he probably wouldn't be able to reunite with them this time.

Because Li Qing has acquired the power to turn the tide.

Without a doubt, he's leveled up!

"Etc."

"Li Qing has leveled up."

How did he get promoted?

"Who did he kill in that brief half-minute?"

Polnareff's expression went from astonishment to surprise, then to delight, and then suddenly became complicated, even tinged with fear.

Giorno and Li Qing didn't hide their conversation from Polnareff when they were chatting in the attic, so he knew very well:

Li Qing is indeed about to level up.

But upgrading requires sacrificing the life of the Stand User.

Li Qing and Giorno had only been gone for less than half a minute.

The Nijimura brothers are still hiding in this house; they certainly won't become sacrifices.

Yoshikage Kira was from the Higashikata Family, which was not far away, but he was not a weakling to be slaughtered, and it was impossible for him to be dealt with by Li Qing in such a short time.

So, whose life did Li Qing use as a sacrifice?

Are there any other Stand User around here?

"Difficult... is it possible?"

Polnareff's expression turned extremely ugly:

Kira and Nijimura have been ruled out, leaving only the following Stand User in the vicinity:

"Giorno".

Polnareff uttered the name in a daze.

He suddenly remembered that when he and Giorno left the Nijimura house together earlier, Giorno had deliberately stopped and picked up a fruit knife from the table.

At first, he thought Giorno wanted to use the knife for self-defense, but then he had a feeling that something was wrong:

What can a small fruit knife do when faced with Red Hot Chili Pepper?

Polnareff had never been able to understand this problem, but now...

Fruit knife, Giorno, Li Qing's public announcement of the "deny" mechanic this morning, and the upgrade conditions Li Qing mentioned in the attic.

These scattered clues suddenly connected into a complete logical line, which pointed straight to the only possibility.

Only this answer can explain why Li Qing was able to level up, return the item, and save him so quickly:

Giorno

"Did he sacrifice his life to save me?"

Tears welled up in Polnareff's eyes without him even realizing it.

He hadn't cried like this in many years.

That single explanation, that cruel answer, was too much for his wounded heart to bear.

"It's happening again. It's happening again."

"Have I watched my companions depart for me once again?"

Polnareff collapsed to his knees, clenching his Riot Games tightly.

What an absurd fate!

He had suffered countless pains because of that man, but now he was saved by that man's son who gave his life.

"Giorno!!"

Polnareff looked up to the sky and roared, tears streaming down his face.

Through his blurry, tearful eyes, he could even vaguely see Giorno's golden soul smiling and waving at him.

"That."

"Mr. Polnareff".

A very familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind Polnareff:

"Just tell me if you need treatment, there's no need to shout so loudly."

"Well?!"

Polnareff's surging emotions froze for a moment.

He turned around stiffly, only to find that the familiar boy was standing right in front of him.

"You... you're not dead?"

Polnareff said, both surprised and delighted.

"Yes, I'm not dead."

Giorno slightly parted the corners of his mouth, revealing a rare, gentle smile:

"It's a long story."

Half a minute ago.

Giorno covered Li Qing's hand, letting the sharp blade slowly approach his throat.

The knife tip was getting closer and closer to his neck.

The next second, this sharp blade will pierce Giorno's throat deeply.

Li Qing will also gain the experience he lacked, and, carrying Giorno's life, achieve final victory.

But at that moment...

Li Qing suddenly burst forth with a burst of strength, angrily throwing the blade in his hand aside.

Giorno was no match for Li Qing's strength.

Li Qing couldn't bring himself to do it; he absolutely couldn't force him.

"Li Qing."

Giorno did not reprimand Li Qing for his impulsive, childish tantrum.

He simply said in that calm tone:

"Accept reality; this is a decision you have to make."

"I know"

Li Qing clenched his Riot Games tightly.

A dark glint appeared in his lifeless eyes, making his pupils, already shrouded in shadow, appear even more sinister and terrifying.

"I've made up my mind—"

"I will never kill you, no matter what."

"If I could only save one person, I would choose to save you."

In that brief moment, Li Qing had already made a difficult and cruel decision in his mind:

If they don't upgrade, Polnareff and the Nijimura brothers, who remain in place, will surely die.

To upgrade, Giorno's life must be sacrificed.

So this is essentially a choice: choose to save Polnareff and the Nijimura brothers, or choose to save Giorno.

One option is to save 3 people, and the other is to save 1 person. It seems like the former should be chosen.

However, for Li Qing

Brothers Hongcun, who are you two?

Why should I sacrifice my best friend for two guys I've just met?

These two were immediately ruled out, leaving only Polnareff and Giorno on either side of the scale.

This remains an incredibly difficult decision.

Polnareff is already a trusted and recognized partner of Li Qing.

This middle-aged man had already won Li Qing's favor with his wisdom, strength, courage, and optimism.

If he could, Li Qing would absolutely be willing to sacrifice himself to save Polnareff's life.

But, but.

The sacrifice to be made now is not Li Qing, but Giorno.

He was the boy who had been with him through thick and thin ever since Naples.

Without Giorno, he would probably have become food for Meat Chunk long ago, and would have died on the very first afternoon of his transmigration to another world.

"I can't do it. I can't trade your life for someone else's."

"Everyone has selfish desires, and even among friends, there are degrees of closeness and distance."

"If Mr. Jotaro were to make this choice, on one side would be a close friend he's known for over a decade, and on the other, a foreign boy he'd only met a week ago."

"I think if he had to choose, he would definitely make the same choice as me, right?"

Li Qing clenched her teeth and used these words to comfort her own heart.

But he knew that no matter how high-sounding his reasons were, the decision he made today would cast a shadow over his entire life.

Polnareff, the companion he abandoned, will become an eternal torment he can never escape from now on.

Even so, Li Qing gritted his teeth and said:

"No matter which option I choose, it's wrong, so I can only act according to the option I want to choose!"

"So, Giorno."

"Let's run!"

"."

Giorno remained silent.

He stared at Li Qing with a complicated expression before speaking in a deep voice:

"Li Qing, you're still pretending to be stupid."

"You should know that we can't escape Red Hot Chili Pepper's pursuit at all."

"This Morioh is full of cables and wires; that guy can turn himself into electricity and travel through them—"

"No matter how fast you run, can you outrun an electric current?"

"And Mr. Polnareff couldn't hold off the enemy for long. After he fell, the enemy would soon be chasing us down along the power lines."

Giorno slowly revealed what was on his mind.

Li Qing's expression immediately became extremely subtle, as if his thoughts had been read.

"I know everything you're thinking."

"You want to bring me as close as possible to Mr. Jotaro."

"When Red Hot Chili Pepper catches up, you'll cover their retreat just like Mr. Polnareff did."

"You want to use this life-saving relay to give me more time to escape, but the price you'll pay is your life."

Giorno revealed all of Li Qing's thoughts.

He completely dominated the debate, and his words left Li Qing with no room for rebuttal:

"The multiple-choice question you're talking about was actually wrong from the start."

"Actually, on one side of the scale is me, and on the other side are you, the Nijimura brothers, Polnareff, and an opportunity to eliminate the enemy once and for all."

"I know exactly what to choose when it's 1 against 5."

"And Li Qing."

Giorno paused slightly, his gaze becoming increasingly complex:

"You want to save me, and I want to save you too."

"."

Li Qing was completely speechless.

Indeed, if he doesn't upgrade now, he'll really have no choice but to resort to that life-saving relay method to deal with Red Hot Chili Pepper.

It's not just Polnareff who will die; he might also be among the victims.

Even so, he still wanted to choose this option.

However, Giorno saw right through his intentions.

"If you don't kill me, I will end my own life."

Having seen through everything, Giorno began to use this extreme method to force Li Qing to make a "rational and correct" decision.

"Damn it. Why did this happen?"

"Do you really have to force me to make such a cruel decision?"

Li Qing's body trembled violently.

He couldn't imagine what would happen next, nor dared to predict the choice he would make at the last moment.

He began to hate his own weakness to the point that he needed his best friend to threaten him with his life or offer him as a sacrifice in order to survive.

And so, Li Qing was plunged into endless suffering.

Giorno, standing in front of him, could also feel this pain.

The two stood there in silence, frozen in place, as if the whole world had stopped at that moment.

However, time does not actually stand still.

The Earth continued to rotate as usual, and at that moment...

Just like countless peaceful afternoons in Morioh in the past, a passerby strolled leisurely along the roadside.

Li Qing certainly wasn't in the mood to pay attention to an ordinary passerby.

In fact, having been preoccupied with life and death all the way, neither he nor Giorno were in the mood to pay attention to their surroundings. They only knew that they had not escaped far, but they did not realize that they had escaped to the area near the Higashikata Family.

But that passerby knew.

He was just an ordinary resident nearby.

He couldn't feel the pain of Li Qing and Giorno; to him, the journey was so leisurely and pleasant.

Familiar streets, familiar air, and familiar neighborhood landscape—

"Hey, Angelo!"

Following a recently popular local custom, the passerby cheerfully greeted the ugly sculpture by the roadside.

This soft greeting was like a thunderclap, instantly rousing the two dear friends who were facing a life-or-death separation.

"Um?"

Li Qing and Giorno both looked up at the same time.

A powerful sense of perception and a sharp gaze locked onto the roadside stone at the same time:

"Angelo?"