Chapter 686

"You still agreed?!"

Hearing Yang Yixie's words, the others couldn't hold back and slapped the table as they stood up.

"No, how could you agree? My brother's words go in one ear and out the other—whatever he says is what goes."

Qi Hengyu shouted especially loudly; when it came to arguing with his own brother, that was the only thing he was good at.

"After all, they said they'd negotiate this with the authorities, and no matter how you look at it, I won't lose out."

Yang Yixie merely yawned as if nothing mattered, not really taking this to heart; he is no longer the Ying Duo who used to be chased all over the world by Chi Jinan alone in the slums, and the others are no longer the insignificant nobodies who couldn't stop the opponent's offense even with all their might.

They have all come to such a peaceful world, but others simply can't fathom why Yang Yixie would agree to Qi Junyi's words.

Since the last time a few people were brought here by Meng Kexin, they occasionally drop by or make plans to hang out nearby; Shen Zexi calls this team-building.

Previously, the "version answer" gathered together just to carry out mercenary missions; whether mercenaries will still exist later is another matter, but if Shen Zexi keeps doing this, the "version answer" will soon become a tour group.

Hmm... why not get them to rename themselves the Phantom Brigade? Anyway, these people's understanding of modern things is still limited, so it wouldn't be good to scam them.

Anyway, they've already checked off two-thirds of the most famous spots in Shoudu.

"Come to think of it, you haven't been resting well lately, have you?" Luo Jinyou noticed a dark circle under Yang Yixie's eyes, but Yang Yixie just waved it off casually.

"It's probably from staying up late gaming; it couldn't possibly be from dreaming about eating squid sashimi."

Fang Zhiyan ended up like this: except for a fragment of its tentacle carcass that was fished up and sent to the lab, it was truly reduced to ashes.

Hmm, looking on the bright side, maybe this guy's soul won't even be accepted by this world; maybe it'll just get kicked back into the game world to wander as a lonely ghost.

The authorities have been monitoring the interactions between the two worlds, but the last backlash seemed truly to be the final struggle; the two worlds are drifting further and further apart, and maybe after a while they'll completely lose track of each other.

Only then will they truly bid farewell to that world that carried countless memories and countless pains.

This long and painful ordeal seems finally to be approaching its true end.

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《Official new weapons will be tested in the wilderness, claiming to have eliminated most hidden dangers, though nearby cities might experience slight tremors... 》

The authorities seem to be vaccinating the citizens.

Chi Jinan and Ying Duo's duel site was chosen in a very remote wilderness, and it had indeed previously served as a test site for some weapons' power.

Given Ying Duo's previously demonstrated power, that should be enough, but just in case, the authorities have still taken some precautions.

If someone saw an abnormal interweaving of red and green light, they could perhaps use it as an excuse to give a demonstration.

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"What are you thinking about?"

Several people walked side by side on the way back; Zhiruo's mother was especially happy about their visit, and each time she would divide up some of the freshly made pastries for them to take home.

Qi Hengyu was eating happily; Chen Mo Zhi had been called over by Meng Kexin to help, while Shen Zexi and Luo Jinyou both looked worried.

"No, just feel that something's off."

"What's wrong... wait, could that kid be hiding something and not letting it go?"

As Shen Zexi said that, Qi Hengyu recalled the scene from when Ying Duo had summoned them out before.

What is it that he thought he had lost long ago—the old family photo—was repaired by Ying Duo using some unknown method and then handed to him; Shen Zexi seems to have obtained some data from the Dome, while Luo Jinyou is the most extreme.

Ying Duo directly obtained a video clip, saying it was a fluke result; the two people in the video are unmistakably Luo Jinyou's parents as he remembers them. That day, when he went home, this kid alternated between choking up and forcing himself to say he hadn't cried, only falling asleep very late.

That video was prepared by Ying Duo to prevent Luo Jinyou from being completely overwhelmed by Mutation, but Luo Jinyou turned out far stronger than anyone imagined, and in the end the video was never used.

No longer mixed with any ulterior motive, from this moment on it is simply a parents' love that has crossed time and space, delivered like a miracle.

Qi Hengyu wouldn't admit it, but seeing that damaged photo, repaired by Ying Duo through some unknown means and sent back to him, he almost couldn't hold back his tears.

But no matter how Qi Hengyu pressed them, Shen Zexi and Luo Jinyou didn't know how to respond.

"... Well, it's just a bit strange," Luo Jinyou replied, giving the same answer as Shen Zexi.

The more time they spent together, the more they realized that Yang Yixie himself also shared many of Ying Duo's lawless, arrogant, and unrestrained traits; frankly, the Ying Duo they knew was simply Yang Yixie after he had completely let loose.

Rather than superficial disguises, they instead first recognized each other's true nature.

Although Yang Yixie only mentioned it offhand, anyone who has entered his domain should know how distorted this world looks from his perspective in the game.

Moreover, what's unbelievable is that at first Yang Yixie controlled the game remotely via his phone; who would have believed that when they saw the game screenshots on his phone, those crude pixel blocks were actually them?

Luo Jinyou had previously defeated enemies in Ying Duo's domain; that feeling is completely different from fighting a person in reality—it's pure Blood Bar numbers and ability harvesting, with skill feedback giving only the thrill of killing enemies, causing one to overlook that the opponent is just as alive as oneself.

Although they can kill enemies without hesitation, they also regret the loss of innocent lives.

Although the authorities also said they wouldn't pursue it, who can guarantee they can get past that mental hurdle themselves?

Those who can read people's hearts often overlook themselves.

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Ha——

Yang Yixie yawned, and he casually tossed his glasses to one side.

He isn't someone who enjoys killing, but he also knows the weight of life—people don't have time to regret past choices; they only have time to plan for the future.

After washing up, he just flopped onto the bed; after a night of sound sleep, he still has to go and settle things with Chi Jinan.

Ying Duo carries too many grudges; he can only resolve them one by one, as long as they don't threaten this place.