092. The World
Li Aozi waited a few days before the narrative-level civilization transferred the money to his account. Constance apologized for the delay.
After deducting handling fees and interstellar customs expenses, he had 2.5 million Amcoins left.
The money was secondary; the main issue was the wasted time.
By the time Li Aozi stepped out of the Stargate, it was already a day after the public beta had begun. Fortunately, he had discussed the situation with Yavanna in advance. The players' tasks were underway, and Yavanna's role as a guide seemed to be going well.
He spent a few hours in the well-organized ruins. The players were busy hunting and building their camps, leaving the ruins empty, devoid of returning activity.
He didn't see any sign of Yavanna.
"Miss Yavanna—Yavanna—"
Li Aozi called out using gravitational waves, but there was no response.
[Perhaps something urgent came up.]
He walked to Yavanna's tent, where she had left him a note explaining she had gone out on urgent business and asked him not to worry if he returned.
—Although she probably didn't realize that as a [Star Echoer], he had powerful interstellar communication abilities. If he wanted, he could force the entire Star Abyss to listen to his one-man comedy routine.
[Such an obvious excuse... Is she avoiding me? Or is there some unspeakable issue?]
Li Aozi stroked his non-existent chin, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic footprints on the ground.
[No, she's definitely avoiding me.]
He recalled Yavanna's strange, pallid white hair and the eerie, web-like patterns in her terrifying eyes—traits that reminded him of the [White Knight] Yuhelai he had recently encountered.
Combined with his earlier detection of the celestial weeping phenomenon, it was clear that [Society] had invaded White Candle Star.
With so many clues adding up, it was hard not to speculate.
[Could Yavanna be a citizen of the Hidden Society?]
Li Aozi paused in thought but didn't voice his suspicions.
[Society] is the cancer of the universe, and every citizen is a cancer cell. No matter how well they act normally, once [Society] itself descends, they merge into its consciousness, losing individuality—or rather, becoming omnipresent.
So, what was there to say?
If Yavanna truly was a [Society] citizen, he would calmly kill her with his own hands.
[Society] and Star Abyss civilizations cannot coexist. They are predator and prey. Countless civilizations have been devoured and annihilated, becoming mere extensions of [Society].
Li Aozi refused to be one of them. He didn't want his body and consciousness consumed by the same [Society] that killed him, with his traits stolen and used as weapons or equipment.
That would be too tragic.
However, before taking action, he decided it was better to observe Yavanna carefully.
He already had the transcendent knowledge to seize talents, ensuring that [Subject Resonance] would fall into his hands no matter what.
Yet, when it came to Yavanna, he felt something indescribable.
This girl had followed him all the way from the Frost-Plated Republic to the Outside World, then from the Outside World to another planet, and now she had built him a cozy base.
But now, why was she avoiding him?
—He decided to make her death swift and painless.
A sudden impulse struck him, flashing the thought through his mind, but he quickly suppressed it.
[It's that guy… planting a psychological suggestion in me.]
Li Aozi hurriedly fed Truth Serum to his mind. After a moment, the resonance-induced impulse faded.
Whew…
Li Aozi exhaled deeply. Things were back under his control.
If Yavanna truly was a [Society] citizen, it would mean the real Yavanna had long been dead, replaced by a spore inheriting her memories and will.
Just like the forgeries.
Li Aozi sat on Yavanna's bed. The air still carried traces of her scent. He glanced at the table, where a half-finished windbreaker sat, and found himself momentarily distracted.
In her free time, Yavanna would sit here, illuminated by a makeshift animal fat lamp, meticulously and swiftly crafting stylish garments.
The effort involved was immense, and even among Frost-Plated girls, few would go to such lengths.
Scanning her bed, he noticed Yavanna's attention to detail. Despite the simplicity of her setup, she had crafted cute decorations and stuffed dolls, adding a touch of life to her otherwise plain room.
He picked up a butterfly doll and found a handwritten note on its wings:
'I don't want to become a spider. I want to flutter past him like a butterfly. He surely wouldn't dislike that.'
Yavanna didn't have a habit of keeping a diary. Even after thoroughly searching her room, Li Aozi found nothing suspicious. Not even the [Eye of Truth] revealed any clues—though he did find plenty of spider silk, it held no valuable information.
Li Aozi sat in silence for a few minutes, returning everything to its original place. He lay on Yavanna's bed, staring at the tent roof with his nonexistent eyes, unsure what to say or how to feel.
As he lay there, ripples suddenly appeared in the void. Jenia strolled over and plopped onto his lap, poking his stomach and giggling:
"Yo~ Handsome boy, what's wrong? Feeling down today? We just pulled off a super badass victory! Jenia gave you plenty of face, didn't she? Excited yet?"
Li Aozi didn't answer.
He picked up a strand of spider silk and examined it under the [Eye of Truth].
[Target concealed, true information unavailable]
Yavanna could avoid him, but she couldn't hide forever.
"Hmph! Ignoring me? Fine, no more playing for you. Hmph, other people beg me to unleash the Divine Sword's power, but you? Take it or leave it."
Jenia pouted, crossing her arms:
"Starting now, I'll ignore you for ten whole minutes. Countdown begins—nine fifty-nine, nine fifty-eight, nine fifty-seven—"
"I feel like I dreamed of something I shouldn't have."
Li Aozi suddenly stretched out his hand, muttering self-deprecatingly:
"I'm the sun, giving warmth and light, but those who come close to me only burn to ashes. One by one, those who approach or admire me meet bad ends. Some die for me, and some will soon be killed by me."
He left some thoughts unspoken.
[I actually thought… Yavanna might have a good ending.]
[Ha… But she's a citizen, a hidden one at that.]
[The only good society is a dead society.]
[But this is Yavanna. A girl who openly admires and relies on me.]
Since his conversation with Nikita, Li Aozi had been reflecting on his actions and choices.
'Leoz is Li Aozi; Li Aozi is Leoz.'
Atama Shiv's words echoed in his mind.
Was the Truth Serum-fueled version of himself the real him, or was Li Aozi his true self?
Was he Li Aozi, Leoz, or just playing the role of Leoz?
He could achieve far greater things by acting purely rationally and devoid of emotion. But would such actions truly align with his core?
Acting now and killing Yavanna would be the wisest choice, eliminating future troubles.
But wouldn't that make him no different from that cold, unfeeling traditionalist buried deep in his subconscious?
"Leoz is Li Aozi; Li Aozi is Leoz…"
The Vanlenkov mission was an exception. Not every situation offered such choices.
Li Aozi chose to return to campus life to calm his emotions and rediscover his true self.
"I think if you were a bus, your fuel consumption would be a teammate every 100 kilometers."
"Hey—Jenia, tell me: the world loves me so much. It gave me a handsome appearance and great power. Why hasn't it given me friends and care?"
"Are you brain-dead?" Jenia glanced at him disdainfully. "Why can't you skip friends and just love the whole world?"
"Love the world?" Li Aozi was puzzled.
"Once, 'Sharpfang Peak' told me: People only love those who love them. No matter how deeply you love, it's for yourself. Just like mithril and copper merge only to forge something new."
Jenia thought for a moment and said:
"If you say the world loves you, giving you beauty and Omega Energy—why don't you love the world that gave you so much?"
"What is the world?" Li Aozi asked. "To Sharpfang Peak, what is the world?"
"Hmm, I remember it said: The world is water, air, earth, sunlight, and motherly love. It's everything you touch and everything that touches you."
Jenia rested her chin on her hand, pondering before finally adding:
"The only way to love the world is to pursue and achieve goals, enabling you to truly exist in the universe and its relationships. Abstract, right? Honestly, I don't fully understand it either. In practice—civilizations love people, but gods love the world."
Li Aozi remained silent for a moment.
"Between people and the world, what did Sharpfang Peak choose?"
"Hehe, that's why I adore Sharpfang Peak—it's the most eloquent blacksmith in the universe."
Jenia proudly replied:
"It said: A world with people is my world."
"Mortals shouldn't question divine choices. Gods never make mistakes. Their only flaw is not being strong enough."
[A god's only flaw is not being strong enough…]
"You're not a god yet, but if you play with Jenia, I could grant you power like a god's—all you need to do is keep your divinity…"
"—I've decided."
Li Aozi stood up.
"Huh? Were you even listening to me—?"
"Miss Yavanna, can you hear me?"
Li Aozi clenched his fist, projecting his voice through gravitational waves, speaking calmly:
"I know you have your reasons for avoiding me. You don't trust me, and that's okay. I understand."
"What I want to say is—don't worry. I'll always trust you."
"If Yavanna Huskisin has any issues, I, Li Aozi, will personally clean up the mess. No one else but me will take your life."
"This isn't about should or shouldn't. I can, so I will—if you trust me, I'll keep trusting you."
"No matter what happens, remember this: Yavanna Huskisin, you are of great importance to me."
High [Intelligence] often brings suffering. The clearer one sees the world, the more disappointment and disgust they feel, leading them to [Society]'s corruption, falling into its fold.
But Li Aozi wouldn't let it end like that.
He had the power to hunt Society. He'd done it in his past life, and this time would be no different.
He chose to trust Yavanna. If anything went wrong—even the slightest hint—he'd kill her to prevent disaster.
If nothing went wrong, he'd ensure Yavanna lived a peaceful and happy life until her natural end.