That's a real shame.
The outcome was decided almost instantly!
The King of Qin looked at the ice sculpture before him, a genuine expression of regret on his face. "I don't know who you are, but I truly don't want to kill you. I've watched you grow up, from feigning ignorance as a child, to studying diligently to enter the capital, and finally changing the landscape of Jiangnan single-handedly."
"Really, I love the Jiangnan you've transformed. It's the world I once dreamed of creating. I couldn't achieve it, but you did. For a moment, I even wondered if I should follow in your footsteps and perhaps we could pursue our dreams again."
The King of Qin walked up to the frozen Chen Qing. The black ice made Chen Qing unable to move, even though he now possessed the power of the West Sea War God Ao Zhen.
"Don't struggle. Since you're part of the company, you should know what this is. This is the Xuanbing of the Heavenly Extremity Abyss, a divine power from the statue Ink Abyss. It's a power that can freeze even space. Don't even mention you; even the Dragon King would be meat on a chopping board if frozen by this."
Upon hearing this, Chen Qing's eyes dimmed. He had already surprised them enough, but he knew from the fact that his opponent could easily enter and exit his hurricane barrier that his chances of winning were not very high. He just didn't expect the gap to be so obvious.
The Xuanbing in the Heavenly Extremity Abyss truly lives up to his reputation as someone who almost changed the world; he even possesses something like this.
Maybe this is how it will end?
A hint of helplessness flashed in Chen Qing's eyes. In fact, he could sense that the other party was sincere, and the method the other party proposed was not wrong from the perspective of a modern person.
After all, to them, the humans here are just NPCs. Besides, they weren't exactly innocent victims who hadn't given anything in the first place. Being betrayed and utterly disappointed is perfectly understandable.
Even I cannot guarantee that those who worship me now will not betray me in the future.
But does that mean we should completely abandon them and turn them into pigs?
Chen Qing isn't a saint, but he genuinely couldn't do it.
He had lived in this world for twenty years. His mother had raised him with great difficulty, and his older brother and sister-in-law had devoted half their lives to supporting his education. They weren't NPCs; they were his own blood relatives!
Xu Hu's loyalty to him was genuine, and the people of Jiangnan's love and respect for him were also genuine; they were all living, breathing people, and their feelings were all true.
Are we really going to abandon them just because of what might happen in the future?
Chen Qing couldn't do it. He considered himself a sophisticatedly selfish person, but he simply couldn't do it.
As the King of Qin approached, Chen Qing closed his eyes. Losing was for the best. He couldn't bring himself to kill his friends from his previous life's Development Team anyway. This was for the best.
It's not that I didn't try; I really tried but still failed. You can't blame me for that, right?
Chen Qing thought this idea was a bit weak, but what other options were there given the current situation?
That's all.
How long are you going to keep your eyes closed?
"Um?"
Chen Qing was stunned. When he opened his eyes again, he suddenly realized that the ice on his body had shattered at some point. And the one who did all this was Ziyue, who was originally supposed to be on the side of the King of Qin of Qin!
"You"
" Ziyue?"
Both of them stared at Ziyue in astonishment. At this moment, Ziyue unleashed all her magic, and only then did Chen Qing realize that Ziyue's true magic was actually a forbidden technique of the Outer Heaven Demon Statue, and it was even related to time and space!
Back when the King of Qin and his group sealed the Outer Heaven Demon Statue, it seems they got quite a few good things!
"I'm so sorry, Laoda!" Ziyue looked at the other person weakly, "I really didn't know you were planning this. If you had told me earlier, I should have broken up with you long ago."
"Why?" King of Qin stared intently at Ziyue. "Have you not given up on the human race? How did they treat us back then? Have you forgotten?"
"I haven't forgotten," Ziyue said with a bitter smile. Back then, those soldiers who were originally extremely loyal had completely forgotten their past kindness because of a few scheming words and the fact that the King of King of Qin was a demon. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't heartbroken at that time.
But over the years, the warmth of humanity, the kindness I've received from people along the way—it's true that I was taken in by simple and kind villagers after escaping from the sorcerer family, and that I've been treated well by so many people.
The people in this world are real, with flesh and blood, with kindness and hunger. I have lived here for tens of thousands of years, and with these people for tens of thousands of years. Now you want me to treat them like pigs, letting those extraterrestrial beings slaughter and exploit them, and even planning for us to become the ones who exploit pain and death.
I can't do it.
Ziyue looked at the other person. "Perhaps... I'm just not cut out for great things. I just can't bring myself to be ruthless."
"Are you insane?" the King of Qin roared. "Can't you see what's going on with the people around us?"
" A Li has almost no memories of modern humans. The Elder Heavenly Secrets and the Mr. Five Poisons can't continue their Samsara either. If Samsara, they'll completely lose themselves. Don't you understand? This isn't just a matter of morality; we can't afford to lose. We've already walked the path of supporting humanity once; we can't afford to stumble again. If we lose again, we'll have no chance left!!"
" A Li." Ziyue murmured to herself. A Li's memories were very confused. Every time she lost her memories, the demon's bloodlust would flare up and she would want to eat people. But after eating people's hearts and livers, she would be in unbearable pain once her memories returned!
Remembering her constant vomiting and her miserable state, Ziyue's gaze hardened once more.
"The days you spoke of, the days of eternal life, A Li doesn't want them!!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a purple light suddenly appeared, and all the black ice around the King of Qin melted away in front of his eyes. Seeing this, Chen Qing did not hesitate and once again used his most familiar sword technique with his wind sword to slash over!
" Heavenly Secrets!!"
King of Qin roared, and a beam of white light shone down from the sky, instantly sealing off almost everyone. The Heavenly Secrets outside the hurricane had clearly activated an unknown technique, turning Ziyue and Chen Qing, who were trapped inside, pale and unable to move at all.
" Bai Tutou, how dare you!!" Ziyue roared angrily.
The old man outside trembled in fright, and said with a wry smile, "Don't always make things difficult for me like this."
"Ignore her, I won't touch her. Kill Chen Qing, and all problems will be solved!"
"You dare lay a hand on me?!" Ziyue roared, "I'll skin you alive!!"
"I," Heavenly Secrets looked at Ziyue, then at the King of Qin, and couldn't help but smile bitterly, "What's going on here?"
" Bai Tutou?" Chen Qing stared at the old man outside the hurricane, the legendary Mr. Sinkhole, and exclaimed, "You... you are Bai Xiaochun?"
The Elder Heavenly Secrets was about to make his move, froze, staring intently at Chen Qing: "Who are you?"
"Hey bald guy, if you play Vayne again, I'll confiscate your keyboard!"
Chen Qing's sudden and inexplicable words stunned the old man of the Heavenly Secrets. But seeing the light shining on Chen Qing turn black, he dared not delay for a moment. He transformed into a beam of white light and crashed directly into the light that Chen Qing was about to be corrupted.
" Lao Bai, have you gone mad?!" King of Qin roared, and even Ziyue was stunned!
But everything happened too fast, there was no time to stop it. With a loud bang, the entire hurricane exploded, and Chen Qing and Mr. Heavenly Secrets were almost instantly sucked into something like a black hole!
" Chen Qing!"
Ziyue wanted to help, but Heavenly Secrets quickly shouted, "Don't come over! This is Heavenly Secrets Cave. Who knows where this news will get? It might even spread throughout the world! Don't get caught up in it! A Li still needs your care!"
The name A Li made Ziyue abruptly stop in her tracks.
"Then why aren't you coming out?" Ziyue shouted hurriedly, then looked around. "Where's the Laoda?"
"He's not your Laoda!" Chen Qing finally couldn't hold back anymore and said, "I am!!"
Ziyue: "."
Mr. Heavenly Secrets glanced at Chen Qing, then at the King of Qin, whom he had ejected from the void, and was filled with suspicion.
Actually, he had suspected it for a long time; there were some things about his Laoda that weren't quite right.
But this guy in front of me isn't quite right either. Who's the real one?
" Ziyue, you disobeyed the Laoda today. Be careful, those people in the Development Team are all die-hard loyalists to the Laoda."
"You come out first!" Ziyue said anxiously.
"I can't get out, so I'll have to go with this kid. I can't guarantee I'll come back. Take care, and be careful of the Laoda, but also be careful of those guys who are about to descend. You stole the Void Technique; it will come after you the moment it arrives. As for this kid, don't worry, I'll find out who he is!"
Chen Qing frowned as he listened. He had heard of the Heavenly Secrets Cave before. It was a real pitfall, and if what the other party said was true, the two of them could really be teleported to other worlds!
Without hesitation, Chen Qing immediately activated the Divine Path conferment.
By imperial decree, Ziyue is hereby appointed as the Supreme Emperor of the North Pole of the Central Heaven, temporarily assuming the duties of the Principal God!
Chen Qing used all the Power of Faith he instantly gained on Ziyue without hesitation.
"What is this?" Ziyue was stunned when she sensed the surging Power of Faith.
"Hold the line in Jiangnan!" Chen Qing, with half his head dragged into the Heavenly Secrets Cave, could only shout with difficulty, "Since you don't believe him, then guard this place for me. I'll be back as soon as possible, I promise I'll be back as soon as possible!"
Ziyue looked at Chen Qing and was momentarily stunned. A memory from her past life flashed through her mind. Pu Yunchuan, that guy, seemed to like making her work overtime in her past life.
Every time he goes out for social events, he makes me stay behind while he goes out to enjoy himself, leaving me stuck in the office working overtime. He always says the same thing: he'll be back as soon as possible.
But it seems he's never broken his promise; he always packs himself some delicious food and then works overtime until the middle of the night.
"Then come back as soon as possible." Ziyue smiled, "I'll only keep watch for the first half of the night!"
I only keep watch during the first half of the night.
Chen Qing froze, then laughed. This time he believed it; the other person was indeed Mu Ling'er.
In the early days of the project, she was always on duty until the early hours of the morning.
Hopefully, this guy will still be as reliable as before.
I've revised this chapter several times today, but I'm still not entirely satisfied with it. However, my eyelids are just too heavy to keep going, haha...