Chapter 88: with translation of chapter title

You scammers are just a bunch of weak, incompetent scammers!

You bunch of trash! Do you really think listening to him will spare you?!

Don't bother saying whether that trash can deal with the monster; even if he does, he'll treat you like dogs!

Deng Lian, tied to the flagpole, cursed wildly; even if he were to die, he would not want to die bearing curses.

Even his death would be a wedding dress for Lin An—how could he accept that?

You bunch of lackeys aiding evil! He can frame me today, and tomorrow it'll be you tied up here!

On the podium, the leadership behind Lin An remained silent; few felt sympathy for Deng Lian, only hostility.

After all, everyone just wants to survive; the monster was released by you, not by Lin An.

Can't you just obey and stay alive?

Who knows what will happen later?

Old dog Huang Zheng! You damn well won't die a good death!

Even as a ghost, I and Li Hua will never let you off!

I'll watch you be eaten bit by bit by the monster! I'll wait for you to be buried with me!

I tell you! No one can stop that monster!

No one!

Under the spread of Deng Lian's psychic power, his curses echoed across the square; many who refused to believe his betrayal became emotionally agitated.

I don't believe it! Elder Brother Deng is definitely not that kind of person!

I don't believe it either! Elder Brother Deng nearly died in the monster's mouth trying to save us!

The students of the Institute of Technology were the most agitated; Deng Lian had always appeared neutral, and no one would believe he wanted to seize power.

Among the Awakened Ones guarding the crowd, some showed a hint of reluctance on their faces.

But under the monster's threat, they could only believe Lin An had a solution.

On the podium.

Huang Zheng was sweating profusely, constantly trying to calm the crowd, but his words were pale and powerless.

Weeping, wailing, cursing, screaming.

Lin An remained expressionless, ignoring the trainees below who were almost on the verge of rioting.

He had previously arranged for the Awakened Ones to separate and monitor the trainees, precisely to prevent a possible riot.

Lin Dui.

Zhang Tie, under the shared psychic power of Wen Ya, had consecutively activated two flesh-healings and was now fine.

He spoke up doubtfully over the team channel:

Why not just kill Deng Lian and save him from farting here?

If he dies, won't there be no evidence against him?

If we keep letting him rant like that, I think those students will believe him. After all, we're outsiders.

Wen Ya also looked at Lin An, though she had a vague guess as to his purpose in doing this.

Lin An's expression was calm; he glanced at the time and then spoke slowly:

Let Deng Lian live, let him speak—what does it matter?

There are no perfect lies in this world, and I don't need to waste energy fabricating any.

In the Apocalypse, I don't need appeasement tactics, nor do I need to soothe and persuade them.

What we will implement must be high-pressure violence.

After tonight, there will inevitably be a purge; I need everyone to fear me.

The crowd is foolish, blind, selfish—easily provoked.

I don't need their voices, nor their approval; I only need them to obey my orders unconditionally!

I want Deng Lian's blood; I will tell the High Level Awakened Ones. No matter how clumsy the lie, as long as I want it.

You will die.

I want to appear as a savior, merely to give them an excuse for self-consolation.

When people cannot resist, even if I am a false savior, they will cling to me like a drowning man clutching at straws and force themselves to believe.

Deng Lian's betrayal is merely to give them an outlet for their emotions later.

In the future they won't be able to resist me, but they can vent their hatred onto him.

Even under future high-pressure, painful conditions, they can also find an excuse to console themselves.

I, Lin An, have saved them, so I am not a tyrant.

Zhang Tie was somewhat doubtful, his mind a bit slow to catch on.

Lin An gave a gentle smile.

This example is simple: just like a good person who does good deeds all his life but makes a small mistake before death, people will see him as a hypocrite, utterly wicked.

And a bad person who does evil all his life, but one day his conscience prompts him to do a good deed, people will see him as having repented, with good intentions.

Human nature can sometimes be this absurd and laughable.

Jing Tian's eyes flashed with an inexplicable gleam as he looked at Deng Lian tied to the flagpole.

Moonlight slowly shrouded everything in a layer of blood mist; there were still six minutes before the monster broke the seal.

Just like these people behind me.

Has Deng Lian never risked his life for the institute?

Even if the seal is broken, essentially without Deng Lian they would already be dead.

But that doesn't stop them from standing with me, despising him, and slandering him.

Zhang Tie opened his mouth, but for a long while he couldn't get a word out; after a long time he muttered under his breath.

"Lin Dui, I feel like we're the villains. But we're clearly here to save them..."

Lin An gave a light chuckle and patted him on the shoulder.

"Sometimes, necessary sacrifices and lies are unavoidable."

"After all."

"Kindness and goodness......"

"But they cannot save the world."