Vol-2: 121. The Last Night

121. The Last Night

Li Aozi closed his journal, the gloom in his heart dissipating significantly.

The campfire cast an orange-red hue on his face, the beautiful sparks dancing like butterflies. Not far away, some carefree players were causing a commotion, gathered around Du Zexin's mecha and posting screenshots on the forum.

"Wow, Gundam! A man's romance!"

"That design is clearly from Armored Core, you fake fan!"

"Du Zexin, are you a [Mechanist] mentor?"

Faced with these chattering players, Du Zexin, whose consciousness was residing in [Future Watch], seemed a bit bewildered.

"Are these little guys yours?" Du Zexin pointed at the level 10 players. "Their strength is decent, but what are they talking about—hey! Don't spray paint on my armor! And you—why are you taking off your clothes while drinking?!"

The wrinkles on Li Aozi's face gradually faded, his youthful beauty returning. He rubbed his stiff facial muscles and waved his hand.

"These little ones have their unique abilities. Don't treat them like ordinary people."

"Special abilities?" Du Zexin picked up one unfortunate soul with his fingers and held him in front of a monitor. His eyes lit up, scanning him for a while. "Everything seems normal, but... you're right, I can tell they're not the same as us Blue Star humans."

"Uh... put me down!"

Caramel Snail was on the verge of tears. He had just driven all the way from Nuliang City, only to be picked up by a 20-meter-tall iron giant. His feet were dangling, and he shut his eyes tight, trembling in fear.

"You can call them 'Descenders.' They have great potential. I plan to take them into space." Li Aozi said with a smile.

Into space!

The players were thrilled at the sound of that.

For days, the players from the Murloc Guild had been grinding, leveling up, rushing to complete quests, and competing in the Triangle Town arena, working diligently.

During this time, thanks to the players' hard work, Lord Oakland made a fortune and managed to eliminate several nearby bandit dens, even laughing in his sleep.

However, there was one regret: since the Murloc Guild initially made the information public, most professional players and large guilds later joined in. In the final selection for entry into space, none of the 31 guild members made the cut.

The final selection of 25 players included four professional contestants:

Veteran contestant 'Yu Tianxiao' from Skydome—he appeared ordinary, dressed like a corporate drone [Mechanist], always amicable, seemingly harmless.

Li Aozi glanced at his profile: impressive, with the closed beta only halfway through, his main class was already level 12, and he had a level 3 [Hacker], maxing his overall level.

And this was a [Mechanist], one of the harder classes to level up in the early stages.

No wonder they used to say in the past life that Yu Tianxiao played PvE like he was cheating—he really had some skills.

The contestant sent by Old Dry Guy was an ID called [LGY] Galiton, who had reached level 10 [Warrior]. Surprisingly, he didn't have a secondary class but had a lifestyle class—[Chef].

[Chef]... Li Aozi couldn't help but twitch his mouth.

Based on his experience, early-stage [Chef] creations were usually quite disheartening.

Delicious, non-toxic, beneficial effects—early cooks could only have two of the three.

Unfortunately, Li Aozi glanced at Galiton's class knowledge—great, he hadn't even learned [Basic Nutrition]. Hopefully, these players would fend for themselves.

There were two other professional contestants, one being [XXG] Cumin Powder, captain of the Spicy Chicken Girls team. Her character had green and pink gradient short hair, looking quite cyberpunk, and her arm had an expensive recoil-reducing implant.

It had to be said that professional players indeed had skills. Li Aozi looked at her equipment, estimating it was about the same as his initial bank-burning starting funds.

Normally, as a female player among a group of tough men, Cumin Powder would stand out, but her punk look wasn't to everyone's taste, and most kept their distance.

The last contestant surprised Li Aozi—a player named [IP] Night Sword Bearer from the Infinite Pioneers.

Not to mention, his upright, old-fashioned nickname stood out in a crowd of chaotic player names.

Clearly, he was a young man with a heroic aura, wearing a samurai outfit and tied-up hair. But when placed among cyborgs, pig mask-wearing musclemen, and wasteland-coated cool guys, he was the oddest one.

Li Aozi remembered this poor kid quite well, but not because of his skills... let's just say Night Sword Bearer was a very special professional player.

Five times in five years, he was runner-up, the champion's perennial runner-up, always the last to qualify in solo matches, and out in the second round.

His debut year, he reached runner-up, faced the version's golden boy, and accepted his fate.

The second year, he changed clubs and was overshadowed by a rookie from his old team, begrudgingly accepting another runner-up.

In the third year, he was recruited back for his command abilities but lost in the finals when the dueling champion of that year pulled off a flawless combo with low health.

The fourth year, he returned with a vengeance, only to be bombarded by a targeted strategy, his teammates floundering and exposing his weaknesses, and he was once again runner-up.

The fifth year, he came back stronger with a top-tier team and God-tier gear, only for his weapon to be stolen at the start by a [Plunderer] from the opposing team, who then used it against him.

His gameplay was solid, but his record always gave the impression that he was half-hearted. Some even suspected match-fixing because his individual performance was decent, but his overall record was just too strange.

Eventually, people started saying, 'Are you pulling a Night?' whenever a teammate seemed to be sabotaging the game.

The two streamers weren't familiar to Li Aozi, not colleagues he recognized.

The rest were main forces from major guilds.

Due to the version cap on player levels, most professionals weren't too interested in going to space. They still had quests, resources, and reputations to grind, crucial for enhancing their skills and combat power quickly.

But major guilds were different. Their goal was to monetize game assets quickly. Heading to space meant exploring a new map, the most profitable venture, so they pooled their elite talents together, aiming to rake in profits in space.

Although Du Zexin didn't fully understand the players' value and potential, seeing them willing to pay for basic knowledge or buy what he considered scrap equipment, he agreed.

Li Aozi sat on the side, waiting for Du Zexin to upgrade his biopool while continuing to inject Awakened Potions to accumulate gene fragments.

The 25 players gathered, and after renting some Omega Energy from Li Aozi, another few thousand experience points were added. Although it wasn't much to Li Aozi, raising pigs is a long-term investment; he wasn't in a hurry.

Sooner or later, players would get hooked on drawing and renting Omega Energy.

Du Zexin hadn't truly killed the [White Knight], and the threat of the Hidden Society still loomed. But after crossing paths once, he had some ideas for countermeasures.

"Without Aether Blood, Youhelai is no match for me... I need a body that can resist Aether toxicity."

He had nearly killed Youhelai, but this implanted body couldn't withstand the Aether Blood's judgment.

Li Aozi fell into contemplation.

Finding a C3 Luka-type Cosmic Human body compatible with Aether toxicity was now too late, not to mention that even replacing a cybernetic lung on-site wouldn't work—cybernetic implants required a 72-hour advance booking, with 48 hours post-surgery during which strenuous activity was prohibited.

However, the absence of a C3 Luka-type body didn't mean there were no alternatives.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number:

"Ms. N4, about our previous cooperation, can we add one more condition?"

"Yes, I need a biological clone."

"Expensive? That's not an issue. I can pledge my Omega Energy. Controlling gravity is nearly irresistible to researchers…"

"Haha, don't worry. Why would I deceive you? Omega Energy is important to me, but this is all for your sake."

Li Aozi chuckled and put down the terminal.

"Who did you contact?" Du Zexin asked as he upgraded the biopool, turning the monitor towards Li Aozi.

"The person in charge at Abyss Heavy Industries."

"What do you need from them? You're not buying fertilizer."

"You'll find out soon."

Li Aozi stroked his chin and squinted.

He suddenly realized he had a talent for selling dreams. It was one thing for players to fall for it, but now Du Zexin and even N4 were getting drawn in.

Not bad at all.

Seeing Li Aozi's confidence, Du Zexin said:

"You'd better cherish this night. It might be your last on Blue Star. I might never see you again."

"What, feeling reluctant now?" Li Aozi nudged his armor, laughing. "Dumbass, I'm going to space, not heaven. Why's it the last night?"

"This plan seems crazy no matter how many times I look at it. Even if you're the one proposing it, I can't instantly accept it."

Ignoring his teasing, Du Zexin's joints twisted, the axles turning, and he slowly lowered his head to nearly eye level with Li Aozi.

"I once dreamed of escaping the surface, and you did it for me. You dared to dream and act beyond what I could fathom. I don't even know what else to say… Maybe, I need to change my convictions."

"I don't know, Du Zexin. Your path should be yours to choose, and I can't and won't interfere."

Li Aozi shrugged.

"You can't decide your origins and circumstances, so you have to strive to change the future. It's like a marathon—you just have to keep running."

"But what if I sprint all out and still can't catch up to others' starting lines?"

"Then the problem isn't you—it's this screwed-up race."

Li Aozi habitually reached for a cigarette, only to remember he'd quit for Alexia. He shook his head and said:

"Du Zexin, ancient people couldn't imagine a future without a sun, nor that future people would use nukes to reach space… Times and environments limit your progress. If you can't win on this track, go dive, go swim."

"Maybe you're right," Du Zexin said. "Li Aozi, thank you for talking to me. I haven't opened up to anyone like this in a long time… You're my first friend."

"I'm honored," Li Aozi replied.

"I want to give you this."

The mecha cockpit opened, and a chip appeared on the computer screen:

"I've uploaded my consciousness to this Lotus chip. If one day, I'm no longer myself, then—"

"Don't say that, it's bad luck."

"I'm a materialist," Du Zexin said. "Li Aozi, trust me. Just promise me this."

"…Alright, I trust you, Xiao Ze."

"This chip stores my soul and personality. If this mecha can't withstand the pressure, take this Lotus chip, and bring it back to Gemini City, Hive Apartments, West Road, No. 210. The room code is 1204."

"Is that your birthday? December 4th?"

"You don't need to worry… Li Aozi, take this chip to the server. You'll receive a big reward."

Du Zexin continued:

"I also gave a copy to Ms. Yavanna, so don't worry. I have backups. Don't worry, I'm afraid of death, Li Aozi, don't worry, I'm scared to death."

He said "don't worry" three times, but Li Aozi still felt like he was saying his last goodbyes.

"…Say no more, Meibi, you'll be fine. You still have to change that shitty Frost-Plated."

"Yeah, my country—it's rotted to the core, but I still want to change it. The future of 600 million people shouldn't be turned into a farce by that moronic Mai Dewei hag."

Du Zexin paused and asked:

"Li Aozi."

"Yes?"

"I suddenly realized, I don't want to go to space anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I'm no longer afraid of the future."

Du Zexin placed his hand on his chest armor:

"I've found the courage to face it—the courage called responsibility. With it, I suddenly feel powerful."

"Come on, you just said you're a materialist," Li Aozi teased. "Now you believe in subjective initiative?"

"It's not contradictory, Li Aozi. No flowers grow on Frost-Plated's circuit boards, but people will still praise the future in front of a fake sun. Someone has to face this ugly world, this disgusting rock-bottom mess, and then…"

"And then?"

"I'll use guns and cannons to destroy it and rebuild it brick by brick on its ruins."

Du Zexin's electronic voice was emotionless, yet he spoke the most romantic words:

"And finally, I'll love her to the fullest. I think, a Blue Star like that—I wouldn't fear, I wouldn't hate, and I wouldn't need to run away, nor want to go to space."

"Frost-Plated, Tianhuan, Zhengxu, Red Arrow… everything on Blue Star is overshadowed by Calamity. But even without Calamity, there would still be wars, plagues, hunger, death… I've seen it, I've seen it all…"

"You've seen it? What are you talking about? What did you see?"

Li Aozi grew wary and pressed for answers:

"Du Zexin, who showed you all that?"

"It doesn't matter—I think, Li Aozi, I mean, I think I understand now. What Blue Star needs most isn't old technology, but hope. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, this world can still be saved."

In the electronic eyes, Li Aozi's silhouette was reflected:

"Li Aozi, please bring hope back to us."