NPC.

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Nodding his head, Tian Xing then proceeded to explain to Sophia the reason for his presence. One story led to another, and before he knew it, he was already having lunch with her entire family. Because of that, he began explaining how their existence works. He clarified the difference between true souls and false souls, explaining as best as he could that they were also living beings, with no real difference from regular players who had false souls. This revelation caused the family to cry and wail in agony and resentment, realizing they had been slaughtered like animals simply because players felt like it. Tian Xing consoled them, telling them it was very rare to encounter truly innocent people.

Because every selfish person, at the end of the day, is taking something from the innocent. Recalling an enlightenment he received from Emma Frost about how, initially, there was no such thing as subtraction and division, Tian Xing laments that her words are true because the universe itself is the best example of this. The abundance of elements in the air, created through addition or nuclear fusion, shows that from the first Big Bang, the One Dao gave rise to the Ten Thousand Things, resulting in countless wonderful and majestic creations.

Throughout the process of creation, there was never a moment of subtraction or division—only addition and multiplication—making the universe always filled with an abundance of Qi, Jing, and Shen. It was only when sentient beings arrived that the concepts of subtraction and taking from others were introduced, marking the beginning of an era where wealth and property were hoarded.

These beings failed to realize that resources meant for innocent people, who do not wish to take what belongs to others, are taken by force or unknowingly, creating a scenario where the innocent starve and suffer hunger simply because the luck and destiny that should have been theirs was already claimed by others.

When he accepted the fact that he was no more than a killer who took something from other innocent beings, Tian Xing sighed, realizing that his claim of not hurting innocent people was merely a coping mechanism to avoid the full weight of that truth. Telling the family that even one small action can lead to a series of events, he showed them many possible fates: one of them taking a coin from the middle of the street could cause a child to starve thousands of years in the future. Because of this, the NPC also let out a long breath, sharing his complex emotions.

But still, their destiny now is to be the victims themselves, like that starving child. That's why they hold the moral high ground, able to criticize others and resent their perpetrators. What he hoped for them was that they wouldn't become single-mindedly driven by hatred alone, because in the grand scale of infinite reincarnations, whether right or wrong, they would be no better than the players who let their minds be consumed by bloodlust, but were too cowardly to accept the truth of killing living beings.

After talking with them for a long time, Tian Xing finally asked Sophia's father, "So, do you want every NPC in this entire city and their families to be brought with us?"

After finishing that depressing conversation, Sophia's father nodded and answered, "Yes, Tian Xing sir. I want every acquaintance and subsequently their acquaintances to be able to live and breathe without these restrictions placed upon us. But I know, sir, that you don't have the time for that, and I wouldn't dare to ask more since you have already been so benevolent to us. So, at least, good sir, bring every NPC you find along the way when you get out of this place."

Nodding his head, as this was just a minor task for him, Tian Xing said, "Okay then, I will do my best to free your people and subsequently reincarnate them into better lives where they can be happy. I too have a bit of a heart and don't want to see them stuck with just this single fate."

Letting out a breath of relief, Sophia's father stood up and bowed deeply, "Then, as the representative of all my people, I thank you for everything you will do for us, good sir. Your benevolence will be remembered through many incarnations of our lives."

Shaking his head and sipping the tea he had brewed himself, Tian Xing replied, "No, don't thank me. Thank Tao for granting me this chance to free you. Also, don't remember my kindness, as I don't want to be remembered or revered for this act. If you wish to repay this gratitude, just give back something that Tao once had, and I will be satisfied with that."

Nodding again, Sophia's father said, "I will, good sir, we will."

After drinking the tea until it was empty, Tian Xing stood up and said to the parent of eight children, "Okay then. I will start the procedure to put all of you into a slumber and subsequently bring your memory data with me. Although this operation will not hurt you, you should keep in mind that the brief lapse in your consciousness before you wake up again will take some time. Because of that, the things you know in this world might be different when you are alive and well, should you wish to return to this Dao World."

Seeing the entire family nod, knowing he had already explained this multiple times, Tian Xing and his wife Margarita tapped their Golden Branch and Silver Branch twice on the ground to sever the predetermination that NPCs in the area had, which bound them to a single fate of data. They then began to download all of the memory data into his artifact treasure, which would later act as a catalyst to attract their true souls.

Turning toward his wife Margarita, Tian Xing said, "Let's go, my melody. This warning might have already alerted the owner of this world to the theft of his property, so it's not good for us to stay here where the owner has the home-ground advantage."

Nodding and placing her hand on her husband's elbow, Margarita replied, "Yes, my symphony, let's get out of here."

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