Chapter 117: Enemy to You? It's a Grand Plan to be My Enemy (Ten Thousand Words!)

Black snowflakes drifted down from the sky, leaving black marks on people's palms.

"... It really is tragic."

Observing a building that was currently burning, Louis could not help but sigh with emotion.

Nearly half a month had passed since the Antarctic Battle, which resembled a war in heaven; the earth-shattering conflict between the Star-Bearers and the forces of Chaos had left wounds on the Antarctic Continent that were deep enough to reach the bone even now.

The pale golden Veil fluttered in the sky, tattered and torn; it looked like an elderly person struggling to maintain their composure, breathing heavily, trying hard to keep their body from shattering. Countless lights representing Chaos rubbed against each other in the sky, forming a brilliant yet fleeting iridescent aurora.

Standing on the ruins of the Antarctic Pivot, Louis, acting as a player reporter, frowned as he looked at everything before him.

The players and the Star-Bearers had ultimately survived this new round of struggle with tenacity, but that once-bright existence—the Veil that had spread across the entire edge of the Antarctic Continent—had been torn open by a massive rift.

The use of psionics had once again become a dangerous measure; players could only use relatively clumsy methods once more to transport supplies from the direction of Liming Yaosai, which was controlled by the Elves, to fill and patch the gaps. And to be honest, the situation this time had also caused a very huge impact among the player community.

The previous Chivalrous Expedition was still a war that players could understand, but the Antarctic Pivot war had already reached a scope that the players could not comprehend.

Spraying Chaos Poison Fire, Subspace Rifts composed of iron filings from the Sword of Khorne that had fallen from the sky appeared all over the Antarctic Continent, constantly spitting out vicious curses into reality. Countless demons organized themselves into groups, launching attacks against the Star Forts that the players still had remaining.

From a grand strategic perspective, Antarctica was no longer the backyard of the demons; their terrifying targeted barriers had completely collapsed. Now, Antarctica was merely a continent with a low temperature, but one where there were many ways to adapt to life. Countless demons were completely destroyed in that impact, and the brilliant golden scars still grazed the edge of the Antarctic Continent, burning with intense flames.

"... That area is called the Holy Fire Wall; the demons don't dare to cross over it at all."

A young male voice rang out from behind the reporter, Louis.

Wearing leather armor and looking somewhat refined, the man was pushing up his crystal glasses, also standing on the ruins, looking out at the shattered Antarctic Pivot with deep emotion.

Just a short time ago, this place had been a scene of prosperity. Countless ribbons of praise from the Star-Bearer Lord hung from the sky, and a pale golden light enveloped the entire Antarctic Continent, dyeing everyone's gaze with a gorgeous gold. The players even felt a sense of honor, doing their utmost to maintain the continent's operation.

In just a short time, the Antarctic Pivot had even been built into a large city no less significant than Hope City. This was certainly the great power of the Star-Bearers' psionics, but those grassroots players and the players who had not yet gone ashore on Albion Island had also contributed a great deal. Official forces were mired deep in Hope City, while large factions were engaged in deceit and competition on Albion Island; now, the Antarctic Continent was their hope.

But this hope had fallen into despair in the blink of an eye. As far as the eye could see, the once-bustling commercial streets and various districts were left with nothing but broken walls and ruins, and the demons' poison fire was still burning within the city.

The curse of the Subspace made repair work unsustainable; from time to time, hiding demons would appear, attacking those production safety teams, leading to the deaths of dozens or hundreds of people before escaping. That war inside the Antarctic Pivot had almost destroyed all of the players' mechanisms and sense of security.

The players who were still here now were, more or less, caught in a state of confusion in their hearts.

They blindly believed that after being suppressed, the Star-Bearers were definitely the leaders who would guide them toward a better era. However, that war, which surpassed their imagination, had shattered many of the filters in the players' hearts.

The Star-Bearers had still won, and that great Star-Bearer Lord had even left a massive scar on the earth to prove his great power. Countless demons also dared not truly occupy the fortress held by the Pale Army, so they could only take their anger out on the players. But the problem was that the players were the ones who had paid the most.

Now, looking at the scars and charred remains all over the ground, and seeing some players walking numbly through the ruins, sobbing in low voices from time to time, they finally realized that this world was not the play-as-you-please amusement park they had imagined. This world contained terror and enemies. Their savings from years in the game, their efforts and struggles in this world, were very likely to vanish into thin air after a period of time.

"There is still hope. The Star-Bearers are still transporting wealth and supplies; they don't intend to abandon this place. New front lines and towers have also been erected, but the problem lies with us."

Beside Louis, the man who was familiar with everyone sighed as he looked at the city that was still a mess after half a month, picking up a piece of black carbonized wood from the ruins under his feet.

This seemingly worthless piece of wood had originally been lying there quietly. But when it was in the man's hand, it suddenly burst into a dark red flame, let out a curse, and vanished. It only left behind scorched marks on the man's hand, along with a handful of ash.

As if the scorched palm did not belong to him, the man sighed and reached out his other hand toward Louis.

"Hello, war reporter Louis. I am Matthew of the player neutral organization, the Observer. I know you, the busy man who rushed over from Kalimdor. It was really hard on you to pass through the Domain Glacier, but unfortunately, even coming to the Old World, there is nothing good."

"... I have never seen anything good."

Looking at the man who was releasing friendly signals, Louis looked at his palm suspiciously, finally giving up and reaching out to shake it, then taking the opportunity to stand up and look at the chaotic ruins.

"Currently, eighty percent of all players are demanding that the original organizers refund the loss of supplies, but that is an impossible thing. The supplies destroyed in this war have reached an astronomical figure, and player organizations cannot go to the Star-Bearers to demand material replenishment. For them, this is daily life..."

Yes, this was the daily life of the Old World.

Watching those non-player NPCs—no, they should be called the indigenous people—dragging charred corpses out of the houses with numb expressions, then uniformly throwing them into the fire outside for secondary cremation, Louis always felt something inside him dying.

This was the true appearance of the Old World. In the past, the players had lived a bit too easily. They had not left any marks on this world, nor had they truly lived seriously and diligently in this world. They were just here to play, just enjoying this kind of life, hoping to get a sense of stimulation that did not exist in the real world.

But now, with the official forces suffering a crushing defeat, and the big companies and big factions fighting each other on Albion Island, some slow-witted players were also beginning to realize that this world was probably of great use.

So they began the journey to Antarctica with great enthusiasm, and finally faced the truth of this world.

The Old World had always been full of deceit and blood.

Even those indigenous people dragging the dead had no expressions of surprise; they only felt sorrow for the passing of their relatives and anger at the surrounding environment, while that kind of sudden sense of accident was completely absent.

This was daily life; this was a part of life. The players also finally realized what a lucky link the Star-Bearers they had encountered were. They also finally realized what those seemingly interesting demons meant for this world.

"It's quite shameful to say, but in fact, only until now have I had the feeling of truly living in this world. Because my time and life have been invested in this, and I have suffered irresistible losses."

Matthew jumped among the ruins and soon leaped down from the wreckage that was several meters high.

The scorched palm gradually began to heal, showing inhumanly rapid regenerative abilities. And Louis saw it in his eyes, and he also knew which deity this guy with the golden light on the back of his hand belonged to.

The Star-Bearer Lord.

Although this mysterious existence claimed that he was not a deity and showed a considerable degree of favor and acceptance toward players, there was enough evidence to prove that the Star-Bearer Lord was a deity who had gone mad and was walking in this world.

According to the data and information compiled by players over the years, combined with the truth about Chaos that they had recently learned and some historical records provided by the Star-Bearers, players on the forum believed that the Star-Bearer Lord was very likely the opposite of rationality and construction, the most powerful dark god who governed madness and destruction.

He could live in reality and create the Soul-less, which could only appear at the end of the apocalypse. And he had a pathological, deep-seated hatred for Subspace creatures, and even had a friendly attitude toward players, who were complete visitors from another world. Various self-contradictory behaviors, coupled with his habits, made the players who decomposed the positive and negative meanings of other Chaos Gods believe that they had found the true identity of the Star-Bearer Lord.

Many players standing on the side of Chaos believed that the Star-Bearer Lord was probably the representative of destruction itself, a symbol that this world had completely headed toward an end and had begun to plan for the final reckoning.

So for the benefit of everyone, one must resist this kind of monster and not let destruction spread, and so on.

However, everyone was just talking about such things; the players would not actually believe it.

"The composite fortress built by the Star-Bearers did indeed have an effect, but the demons were indeed stronger than we expected. Normally, we should be waiting to jump into the sea at the Antarctic Pivot now, but the Star-Bearers' fortress temporarily added a layer within the player area to help us resist the demons."

"So no matter what those Subspace scums say, we can still tell who is good to us. The Star-Bearers did not choose to leave, but continued to support the construction of the Antarctic Pivot."

"At the same time, he also helped us fight against Chaos and enemies on Albion Island and in Hope City; even if he is an enemy, we should wait until he betrays us, shouldn't we?"

"... That is your one-sided statement, but I will record it."

Louis looked at the man whose palm had completely healed and looked like it had returned to its original state, and gave his answer very cautiously.

As a new type of profession, Louis had always valued his professional quality. He had no special talents; all he had was courage and the ability to endure hardship. Then such a war reporter was most suitable for him. There was no need to exaggerate anything; just report it as it was. But one must never play to the gallery.

If a war reporter had his own choices and stylistic biases, and reported these things conditionally, in an era where everyone could be a war reporter, his disappearance could almost be said to be inevitable.

So Louis did not intend to listen only to this man's words, but chose to listen selectively.

But...

Looking at the scorched houses around him, and even the shadows he saw inside that appeared in human form, left with only charcoal and ash, Louis still could not help but frown.

Even if they were players, the pain that should exist would still exist. For their own selfish desires, the Chaos-aligned players leaked information to the demons, leading to the great chaos in the entire Antarctic Pivot, and even triggering changes in the firmament, making the entire Antarctic Continent instantly uninhabitable; no normal player would accept such a thing.

Even in reality, many players had already begun to issue private arrest warrants.

Although the law does not stipulate what kind of punishment there is for reporting demons in the otherworld, and the official attitude toward demons is somewhat ambiguous, the players' anger must be vented.

In the end, what law can determine, or what law has binding power over such otherworld things, is completely uncertain. No one knows what the future will look like, nor does anyone know what logic lies behind this strange world; everyone is taking it one step at a time.

And in this situation where Order has collapsed, everyone often chooses the most primitive method.

Since you destroyed my home, I will kill you.

"……The Star-Bearer Sect is using its private name to search for those Chaos players. Claiming to conduct talks, but in reality, it is a manhunt. This behavior has already gone seriously overboard, don't you think?"

"I am a regular guy, reporter Louis. You shouldn't be asking me about such things."

Watching Louis, who was trying to remain neutral, Matthew shrugged. Only the charred remains under their feet let out an imperceptible moan.

"As long as I can get by and have superpowers, that is better than anything else. You should be asking those players who destroyed the entire construction of Antarctica for their own selfish desires, and even boasted on the forums that they wanted to help Chaos destroy the Star-Bearers."

"They also have the right to choose. Players are free; whether it is the Chaos side or the Star-Bearer side, they have the right to choose their own stance."

"……"

Walking on the road formed by charred remains, Matthew stood in place, then turned to look at the somewhat evasive reporter Louis. Then he revealed a somewhat pitying smile and gently patted his shoulder.

"Are you looking for reasons to convince yourself, reporter Louis? I know that as a reporter, you must start from a neutral and objective perspective, but many times this is impossible. This is not a question of a reporter's professional ethics, but rather that many times, if you can't do it, you just can't; there is really no way to do it."

"You are insulting my professional ethics!"

As a former unemployed person who now survives as a game war correspondent, Louis flushed and roared in a low voice: "As a reporter, I cannot just read out the news from one side! I will definitely maintain my neutral stance and adhere to my professional code; this is my way of survival! I want you to retract that statement immediately!"

"Sorry, I am not mocking you, Mr. Louis. It is just that seeing their actions, any Human would not be able to endure it. You haven't seen their actions, otherwise, you wouldn't be able to remain neutral either."

Walking on the road full of ashes, Matthew looked at the angry reporter Louis beside him and suddenly said softly:

"What if I told you that this was originally a district where the Star-Bearers protected women and children?"

"……?"

"This was once the best-protected long street district of the Antarctic Pivot, with dozens of hotels and buildings inside. When the war began, it was guarded as a protected area for women and children."

Walking on the street full of black charcoal, Matthew looked at the surrounding collapsed areas, maintaining the state of being destroyed amidst the black snow, and spoke softly like someone talking in their sleep. His gaze looked toward a distant place, where a Golden Curtain blocked all the flames and suffering.

The Star-Bearers had planned the district system from the very beginning and required players to continue the district defense planning as much as possible.

These Golden Curtains hanging down from the sky would act like gauze, blocking the Chaos pollution and spatial teleportation erupting within an area inside this block. But because the consumption was truly too great, the players were unable to maintain it, so such district barriers only existed within this core area.

This was once the guardian deity trusted by all players, yet the reason why all players were angry, and even willing to make them pay the price in reality, was that this protection had been destroyed.

"I also know that players have the right to choose, but I just don't understand. I don't understand why they did this."

Looking at the area around them that had been burned to pitch black, Matthew looked at Louis and said softly: "Chaos players, in order to achieve their own promotion, launched a Magic summoning ritual here, causing everything here to die completely. Thousands of women and children, all women and children, all dead. What would you think?"

"That night was too chaotic. The Star-Bearers' portal was interfered with by the joint spellcasting of those Chaos players and caused a huge explosion. The overloaded spiritual energy caused the spiritual energy suppression devices in the surrounding districts to lose their effect. And then? It was those scums continuously casting spells, continuously making demons appear, continuously destroying our homes. They are just a bunch of beasts who take pleasure in destroying other people's lives and destroying this world."

"Especially when you are outside watching this protected area raise its barrier, only able to watch helplessly as artillery fire bombs the demons inside, watching those demons slaughter women and children while you are powerless, what would you think? Maybe what you are stepping on is the corpse of a great mother who was protecting her child?"

"！！!"

"So I have already been very restrained, reporter Louis. Let's talk as we walk."

Watching reporter Louis, who jumped up as if electrocuted with a look of shock on his face, Matthew smiled and continued walking on this land full of charred remains and ruins.

It was just that walking a little further, one could still see some other shadows. Some indigenous people were staring blankly while sifting through a handful of ash, or simply collapsed on the ground, being submerged in the black snow like corpses. These people who had lost the hope of survival looked numbly at the destroyed street, unable to even make a sound.

They were even the later batch. The earliest batch even included those who committed suicide directly at the street corner, and those who chose to jump into the cold sea.

During the rising period, with their careers and lives cut in half and their wives and children all dead, some people lost the courage to live. And many of the remaining ones, just like now, lived on numbly like walking corpses.

However, looking at those dazed indigenous people, Matthew proposed a perspective from another angle.

"But this war still has its benefits." "Benefits? What benefits?"

"Benefits regarding reality."

Looking at the men kneeling on the ground crying, Matthew looked at the sympathetic Louis and said softly:

"In Antarctica, there are currently over 300,000 players directly participating in the war, and many players have even been injured or died multiple times. We have been in a peaceful world for too long and haven't seen the cruelty of war for a long time. But now, the war from the otherworld has given us a painful lesson."

"The battlefield is not for playing with toys, and our world is not as simple as a game. Your actions will not necessarily have good results. Now, countries around the world have begun to gradually maintain anti-war sentiments. Haven't they?"

"If it weren't for this, you wouldn't have come here from Kalimdor."

Holding a steel bar that had been half-charred under the great power of the Subspace, Matthew looked at Louis, who seemed unable to accept it, and stated his thoughts very seriously.

"War is a very terrifying thing. We built the legendary city with our own hands, and built our own city-states with our own palms. In the flames of war, it turned into foam and shattered in the blink of an eye. One's own hard work and all wealth were burned into black smoke in the flames. Don't you think the war here is very educational?"

"……That is because the fire hasn't burned to our heads yet."

"It is precisely because the fire hasn't burned to our heads that more people have woken up. We cannot continue to fall apart like this. Perhaps having the players' abilities will just allow us to understand each other."

Looking at those numb figures kneeling on the ground, and those nameless tombstones stacked layer upon layer nearby, Matthew's voice was full of a vigorous strength.

"I am afraid that the resources on our home planet will last less than fifty years, but everyone is still fighting and killing each other for shallow and short-term interests. Our future was once bleak, but now with such a control group, perhaps we can welcome a better tomorrow."

"A better tomorrow…… I hope it will be like that. Being able to start this war in the Old World might indeed be a good thing, as you said. At least everything here is acceptable to the players."

"We must unite and cooperate; we must build a better world here. What I want you to see is these truths."

Standing still in the empty square where there were not many people, Matthew took the thoughtful Louis to the bottom of a sculpture.

It was a sculpture that looked exquisite and small, without too much decoration.

It was just a very simple sculpture of a mother holding a child. But underneath, it was filled with a sentence written in every language that the Old World and the players could find.

【They remember what Chaos did】

The black characters were carved into the base of the sculpture like wounds. Bunches of white flowers were piled around it. And now some players were silently mourning around the sculpture, then looked at Matthew and Louis, nodded, and walked toward the busy repair site in the distance.

And in the surroundings, there was also a body hanging that looked bloody and blurred. The corpse of a Chaos player who chose to end their own life was hanging above, like some kind of mysterious ritual.

Perhaps in reality, this behavior could be called crazy and bloody, but for some reason, everyone felt it was very fitting.

Amidst the black blizzard and the Golden Curtain, the mother holding the baby and the corpse with a ferocious expression intersected into an absurd picture. But in this picture, no matter any individual, any organization, or any person, they all tried hard to leave their mark on this world.

Whether good or bad, just as said at the beginning, Chaos players can indeed make the choices they want in this world. And players can naturally execute the things they want in this world.

Including, hanging this Chaos scum on a cross to be tortured forever.

Game matters are solved in the game; one thing is one thing.

"Those Chaos players on the forums who cry and complain that they are just playing a game, saying they just want to find fun, will not tell you the truth of what happened here. Their entertainment, their so-called fun, is this kind of thing. You ask me why I joined the Star-Bearers? Because no matter what, this is human."

Looking at the stiff corpse, Matthew sighed, took a small white flower from his bosom, and placed it in front of the mother's statue. Then he turned to look at the silent reporter, Louis.

"The Star-Bearer has never truly failed us, nor has he ever truly harmed anyone. Except for Chaos. At the beginning, we thought Chaos was innocent, but now I believe that Chaos must die."

"Even if it is for the sake of the old, the weak, the women, and the children who were killed on this street by those so-called players looking for fun, I want them to receive the punishment they deserve."

"They committed evil deeds without knowing it; they should not exist in this world."

Taking a deep breath, Matthew turned around, aimed his palm, which was radiating golden Runes, at reporter Louis, and made his vow with a sincere expression.

"I know that as a war correspondent, you must know their location, and I also know that they will surely cry about their innocence, look for so-called loopholes, and say that this is just a game—is it something a human would do to hurt others for the sake of NPCs? And other words like that."

"So I want to ask you, reporter Louis, to tell them that I will find them in this lifetime. Then I will kill them, crush everything they have, and let them taste the cruelest punishments in this world."

"If you ask why, to use their own words, this is just a game, why take it so seriously?"

"Us killing you is also just a game. You aren't going to be a sore loser, are you?"

————————————————————————————

"——I see you guys are the ones who really can't afford to lose, Lizardman."

Looking at the individual in front of him that looked like an enlarged lizard, with almost no anthropomorphic structure visible, and who could turn invisible using an innate ability, Li Ang let out a helpless sigh.

Lizardman, servant of the Ancient Ones, the most loyal servant.

Back when other races had no concept of anything, the Lizardmen were created as servants and deputies to help implement the Great Plan of the Ancient Ones.

Honestly, Li Ang really felt that this was the Lizardmen farting to gild their own faces. You say you are a deputy and a servant, but if you call out to the machines of the Ancient Ones, do they answer? You say there is a Great Plan, and that you have always served the Great Plan, so can you tell me what the Great Plan actually is?

Although this was his first real contact with the Lizardman race, thanks to the tireless treasonous actions of the Phoenix King Orivien, Li Ang was already aware of basically everything the Elves knew. Regarding this arrogant race that possessed a certain sense of special superiority, Li Ang had many things he wanted to say, but they were stuck in his throat and he didn't know how to get them out.

Because there were too many things about the Lizardman race worth mocking. Although fighting against Chaos was indeed a great thing, and perhaps nothing could be better, this was the Lizardmen after all.

The moment this Lizardman came up, he said, "You destroyed the Great Plan of the Ancient Ones," and then wanted to kill Li Ang himself.

What is this situation? How did I destroy the Great Plan? Can your Great Plan even predict a transmigrator like me? Then your Ancient Ones are really something, can you explain why you didn't leave behind detailed instructions?

If you had even a single language, my Comprehend Languages could handle everything. Would I have to struggle so bitterly here in Antarctica, force-feeding technology with magic? Thinking of this, Li Ang felt a surge of anger as he looked at the arrogant Lizardman before him. He hadn't even asked what was going on yet, so why did the Lizardman come knocking? You were watching when I attacked Antarctica, right? Why did you just watch?

"I am truly fed up, I am sick to death of you scum. Can't you understand my frustration? I don't want to deal with you at all, whether it's Chaos or so-called Order; your Great Plan is worth less than dog shit to me. I just want to execute my plan here, do you understand?"

"The Great Plan... must not fail!"

Under the terrifying psychic suppression, that chameleon Lizardman struggled continuously, like a fish drowning in mid-air.

Perhaps on the ground, looking at his astonishing jumping power and rapidly waving claws, this large lizard could likely dart out several or even a dozen meters in an instant, decapitating any living creature in the blink of an eye, or executing them from a distance with a blowpipe.

But this was in mid-air, and no matter how he struggled, there was nowhere to gain leverage. His lung structure was also constrained by invisible psychic power, leaving him hanging in mid-air, maintaining a half-dead state.

"You... are an unstable factor that destroys the Great Plan! In Antarctica, you destroyed the heritage of the Ancient Ones! You must be erased!"

"Destroyed the heritage of the Ancient Ones? I must say you should thank me! If I hadn't closed that damn portal, would you even know there was an Ancient Saint Relic inside? And I also know that this thing has been transmitting information outward. This thing is a monitoring hub, and the console and Anti-Gravity Module are with you, right?"

Looking at the large lizard that kept its mouth shut and only thrashed about in mid-air, Li Ang felt his spirit becoming increasingly exhausted.

This thing wasn't even the first assassin to come looking for him.

Not two days after Li Ang returned to Antarctica, several strange Lizardmen had snuck into his territory. Because they were carrying weapons and attacked without a word, Li Ang had simply crushed them to death.

As it turned out, after crushing them, something very strange happened, because the Lizardmen hadn't sent any hostile signals to Li Ang at all! According to common sense, if a major power were truly provoked or something, there would definitely be all sorts of counterattacks and hostile messages.

But after crushing these Lizardmen, there was absolutely nothing; this matter was bizarre to the point of absurdity.

That was why this interrogation session, where Li Ang restrained this Lizardman, occurred.

However, just as the most pessimistic prediction suggested, these cold-blooded monsters had no tendency or direction to communicate, only speaking to themselves about their Great Plan and what the so-called Ancient Ones said.

What did the Ancient Ones say? If you really had a Great Plan prophecy book, could the Elves not know about it? But the Elves have clear records that the Ancient Ones were basically good-natured people who left for unknown reasons after messing around, and then the planet was sealed. These people didn't say anything either; where did your Great Plan come from?

You can't say that your family holds the sole right to interpret all the words of the Ancient Ones, right?

"I have no interest in your red tape and your so-called Great Plan, and I don't disdain hiding my thoughts and my actions. I want to walk out; I want to walk out of this planet."

"The Planetary Shield is also a part of the Great Plan! How dare you destroy the arrangements left by the Ancient Ones!"

"If the Ancient Ones you speak of could truly predict my arrival and appearance, they should also know that I would definitely smash this Planetary Shield to pieces. And you know very well that I am afraid I really can do that. And I will spare no cost to achieve this."

Watching the Lizardman thrashing more and more in mid-air, Li Ang sighed with some fatigue.

"You claim to be the descendants of the Ancient Ones, and then you threaten me here? I am your enemy? It is your Great Plan that is my enemy! Have you repaired any of the Ancient Ones' creations in all this time? Can you reshape such miracles?"

Stomping his foot, a crisp chime rang out throughout the entire Observatory, as if in agreement with Li Ang's will.

As long as it was controlled by Li Ang's power, even the heritage of the Ancient Ones had to bow down, or even react in accordance with his actions. But it was very clear that the Lizardmen did not know this; they only watched as the creations of the Ancient Ones made strong reactions under Li Ang's will, as if submitting.

The plot of their master's legacy being used by a stranger, and the stranger using it even better than they could, made the Lizardman's eyes almost spit fire.

According to common sense, the Lizardmen were a race calm to the point of being cold-blooded, but Li Ang felt strong emotions from the Lizardman in front of him, even with magic added to it.

To be able to anger a cold Lizardman into manifesting magic, perhaps even the Elf King couldn't do such a thing.

But for Li Ang, this was not good news either.

This meant that this thing didn't believe his words at all, but instead had made up its mind to kill him.

Li Ang himself would have liked to just grit his teeth and stomp his foot, giving the Lizardmen a harsh lesson to remember. But some of the descriptions of the Lizardmen made Li Ang hesitate for a long time.

The Anti-Gravity Module, floating units, and many other legacies of the Ancient Ones inherited by the Lizardmen. If these things were calculated, perhaps the guys within this planet might be a little difficult to fight. But since the Lizardmen were not directly counted as a hostile unit, Li Ang believed that there might still be some consensus or misunderstanding between the two sides.

"What the Great Plan actually is, I don't know, but I know my duty is to eliminate all Chaos and destroy the homes that those monsters rely on for survival. I want to escape this planet; those scum from the Subspace are objects that must be destroyed. From this perspective, we might be united. It is because of their influence that I chose to destroy the Planetary Shield."

Looking at the Lizardman whose eyes were splitting with rage, Li Ang expressed his views and opinions very sincerely, using the psychic power of Comprehend Languages to pour his will into the mind of the Lizardman before him.

"So, I don't have to damage the Planetary Shield; there is actually another way, which is to exterminate all of Chaos. As long as this world is no longer disturbed and polluted by the Chaos Gods, then I can also normally figure out a way to get out on this planet. I don't even need to damage your Ancient Saint Relic."

"...... Then what are you going to do?"

"I can try to warp the entire planet out, or tear a spatial rift inside and outside the shield. That way, I can get out without damaging the shield."

Li Ang said with a sincere face:

"Of course, there are dangers; it might tear the planet apart or cause Subspace to backflow. But since you don't want anything to happen to the shield, this is the only way. Actually, I quite like this Planetary Shield too; as long as I study it clearly, I can also execute the Great Plan. I've long wanted to be a Lizardman; give me a chance to go to Lustria for an assessment, how about that?"

"You damned Subspace lunatic——"

"It won't work? Then there's nothing to talk about; I'll find your other faction when the time comes."

Looking at the Lizardman who was cursing, Li Ang looked at the subtle prompt on his system with some regret.

"Notification: You have obtained a clue to an Ancient Saint Relic. You may begin a series of explorations to uncover the mysteries of the Lustria continent, trample those ancient indigenous inhabitants underfoot, cause these decaying guardians to fall completely, and seize the legendary Star Gate into your own hands!"

"Notification: You have reached the Industrial Age and may begin your great exploration! You can deploy multiple armies to explore the mysterious Lustria; perhaps you will encounter unexpected surprises."

"Do you accept the exploration quest: Unveil the New Continent—Lustria?"

... To be an enemy of the Great Plan? If he accepted this quest, then it would be the Great Plan that was an enemy to him.

If he remembered correctly, the prototype for this thing was supposed to be a place that was quite taxing on the scalp. He wondered if the Lizardmen had enough scalp to go around.

Looking at the series of options and notifications provided by the system, Li Ang glanced at the various prompts and system help, then cast a subtle look at the oblivious Lizardman.

It should be fine now...

(End of this chapter)