Dispute

Although Xiahou was reluctant to ruin the mood, he couldn't resist the urge to make a snarky comment.

"So, did you never think about running away right after using it? Or do all you so-called heroes only think about sacrificing yourselves to move the people who survive? Just like Tony Stark. There were plenty of people who could have made The Snap for him."

"But he had to do it himself, and then he died... leaving behind Pepper Potts, his daughter, and Spider-Man! Sure, he moved a lot of people and saved the world, but afterward, there was no more Iron Man!"

Hannibal suddenly cut in. "Wait, by Tony Stark, do you mean Tony Stark? I remember him being a playboy, wasn't he? How did he become Iron Man?"

Xiahou was speechless. "Does that matter?" he said irritably. "Besides, that's in the future. It's only 2004! He doesn't become Iron Man until he's kidnapped in 2008! And it's almost another twenty years before he makes The Snap! We're talking about Blade right now, okay?"

Hannibal gave an awkward laugh, but still spoke up in Blade's defense. "I think Blade is right. It might be unfair to him, but if it were my choice, I'd do the same! Someone has to do it, don't they?"

Hearing that, Blade's impression of Hannibal immediately improved. He felt that although Hannibal had a bit of a smart mouth, he was unexpectedly to his liking, and his gaze softened considerably as he looked at him.

Xiahou was even more speechless, and immediately argued back. "It's not a question of whether to do it! It's whether there's any need to do it that way! When there's a better choice, you don't have to play the lone hero! Wasn't the Nightcrawler Squad formed to wipe out vampires?"

"And I've joined you too. Couldn't I just keep Drake occupied while you use Daystar? Blade could take the chance to leave Daystar's range first, then come back to clean up the battlefield. Why does he have to think about sacrificing himself?"

Seeing the mood getting worse, Field hurriedly spoke up. "Xiahou, wait! I only said I wasn't sure whether Daystar would affect Blade. We haven't confirmed that it will definitely hurt him!"

Xiahou took a deep breath, then looked at Blade and said to everyone, "I'm only taking issue with Blade! What he said showed contempt and pity for you. It makes it sound like you couldn't possibly do this without him!"

"It makes him look so noble, while completely dismissing everything you ordinary people, ordinary people who are risking your lives, have done!"

"A person's self-sacrifice is most noble only when it's a choice made because there's no other way!"

"But when there's clearly a solution and he still chooses to do this, it shows he doesn't trust us! That's arrogance and self-righteousness!"

"In my world, the soldiers and the government who protect us ordinary people always choose unity and cooperation first when something happens, but when lives have to be given, they never hesitate either."

"So, Blade, I hope you'll think this through carefully! You're not indispensable! At least, in the Marvel Universe I know, you're one of the weakest heroes. Most of them might not have appeared yet, but in a few more years, superheroes will start appearing in droves!"

After Xiahou finished speaking, he paid no further attention to the others present. He just gave Blade a long look before walking out of the room.

After Xiahou left, everyone simply thought over what he had just said.

Hannibal also spoke to Blade. "Xiahou is right. We may be ordinary people, but we have the same goal. And I want to say that maybe you should trust us more! Don't you think? Whether you admit it or not, we're teammates now!"

Hearing Hannibal say the same thing, Blade began to reflect on whether he really was wrong. But he had always fought alone and had been betrayed many times.

In particular, the betrayal by his own mother had made him rarely trust anyone. Maybe he really was wrong!

Seeing Blade lost in thought, the others said nothing more and all chose to leave, giving him enough space to think it through for himself.

After leaving, Xiahou went up to the rooftop. As he watched the turbulent sea in the distance, his mood rose and fell with the waves.

He thought that it really was just like the real world. Movies and real-life education taught most ordinary people to put individual heroism first, while the wealthy and those at the top engaged in all kinds of dirty dealings.

Before entering this game, he had also seen plenty of news and videos about Great America starting a tariff war. When problems arose within the country, it passed its own losses on to other countries.

And it keeps proclaiming its own righteousness. How ridiculous! He was also particularly annoyed by Blade's attitude just now. I haven't even started causing trouble as a player, and he's already come here to put on a show of compassion in front of me.

Xiahou was still staring absentmindedly at the sea when someone suddenly patted him on the shoulder. He turned to see Abigail standing behind him with two bottles of alcohol.

After handing Xiahou one bottle, she opened the other and took a sip. "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly get so angry?"

Xiahou opened his bottle and took a sip too. Hmm, it doesn't taste good at all. It doesn't have the rich, mellow flavor of baijiu back home.

Then he replied, "I just can't stand his attitude. You're clearly in greater danger than he is, yet he acts as though he's the only protagonist!"

Abigail smiled when she heard that. "That's not worth getting angry over, is it? Your reaction was too strong!"

Xiahou thought for a while, then placed a hand over the right side of his chest.

"Maybe... I was affected by that dream I had earlier!"

Abigail looked into Xiahou's eyes and asked, "Was it the owner of that heart? I remember you said his name was Siegfried, right? Can you tell me his story?"

Xiahou looked at Abigail as she stared at him, then silently turned his head away. But he began recounting Siegfried's past in Fate.

After recounting the story for a while, Xiahou took a sip of water and said to Abigail, "So, don't you think these so-called heroes are all a bunch of fools? Even after they die and become Heroic Spirits, when they appear again, it's not for themselves, but to die once more for someone else's wish?"

After hearing the story, Abigail felt a pang of distress, but she still answered Xiahou's question. "But that's exactly why people sing his praises, isn't it? Just like you! Aren't you saddened by what he went through?"

"No! I just can't understand him, and I won't become him! Even in this game, the most I can do is refrain from deliberately hurting others!" Xiahou hurriedly clarified what he thought.

Then he added, "Even if I become a hero, I won't be one bound by someone else's will! I'll be a hero for fun!"

Looking at the sea, Abigail replied softly, "That sounds nice too!"

After the two of them stared absentmindedly at the sea for a while longer, Abigail patted Xiahou.

"We should go. Maybe after we've wiped out the vampires, we can get everyone together and go sea fishing?"

Xiahou thought that sounded good too. At the same time, a side quest notification popped up on his quest panel.