Chapter 346

"Huh? Why is your wording so harsh?"

"Lin? System, what exactly did you say?"

Zhao Si felt he was still more concerned about the simulated protagonist, and this active command was something he had considered.

So in the whole command, aside from the initial abuse of the Blood God Son being not good, everything else is fine; after all, it didn't let Lin Liu commit suicide, nor let Lin Liu start a slaughter, the plan emphasizes efficiency and practicality.

As long as Lin Liu carries it out faithfully, then no one will be harmed; this is indeed the best strategy!

But Lin Liu's reaction was…… uh, a bit too intense.

Since the problem isn't with his own strategy, it must be the system's communication issue.

And facing Zhao Si's doubt, the system remained quite calm: 【If judged from the player's perspective, this system has no problem at all; your command was indeed delivered faithfully.】

【Although Lin Liu himself had some resistance to the strategy, his actual acceptance was relatively high; having been a lord of heaven and earth in a past life, he wouldn't have a character flaw on this issue, and he can discern the strategy's merits and flaws.】

Zhao Si scratched his head:

"You mean, you also have no problem? Then where is the problem?"

【The problem lies with Jiao Ming.】

"Ah?!"

Zhao Si stared blankly, how did it get dragged onto Lao Jiao again? It's been two seasons already……

【The system's "active command function" exists precisely to prevent the protagonist from rebelling again; thus it is mandatory, and if the new protagonist has a tendency to rebel, they will naturally receive a stern warning.】

【Lin Liu's abnormal reaction is actually due to the warning, producing a reverse psychology; the player need not worry too much.】

After the system's disclaimer explanation, it finally dispelled some of Zhao Si's doubts, but he couldn't help muttering: Lao Jiao may be dead, yet seems not dead; the simulation game no longer has his trace, yet his legend still influences the later generations of the simulation……

After venting, Zhao Si couldn't help but ask:

"Then Lin?"

【No need to worry; just wait for him to figure it out himself.】

【Furthermore, we've only just begun; in this round, for him to figure it out, there will be many more mindset twists to go through……】

"Huh? Is this considered a spoiler?" Zhao Si keenly noticed the key point from the system's seemingly offhand explanation: "We've only just begun?" Could it be…… there's still a big event?!

……

【Big event?】

【You don't have that feeling yet.】

【As for the mindset issue, although you're still resistant to the coercive threat from higher-dimensional existence, over time you've gradually relaxed your mindset, because the strategy itself actually has no problem.】

【Anyway, your ultimate goal is to safeguard the lives of all beings in the eternal wasteland and the dream realm, while preserving your own life on that basis.】

【And if you follow the strategy, the above requirements can not only all be met, but also greatly save time and energy—running forces, founding a new dynasty, implementing construction…… all unnecessary; a single Blood God Son can solve all problems.】

【The only problem is that it slightly overlooks human rights, but…… who cares, as long as we can save them, what are human rights?】

【Thus you gradually eased your mindset, while restraining the discomfort from your nature, and wholeheartedly pushing the large-scale brainwashing strategy you would never have pursued in your past life……】

【……】

【Starting from the age of three, you began implementing your brainwashing plan.】

【And toward those you brainwashed, you didn't interfere too much; you just let them continue normal life while maintaining daily incense offerings to you, never forgetting to make offerings!】

【Thus, large amounts of high-quality extreme incense continually poured onto your dharma form……】

【You still used the Blood God Son's extraordinary function to complete the condensation of your dharma form; the resulting dharma form, just like in your past life, is a blood-red wrathful deity.】

【However, I don't know if it's because the incense thoughts you received this life are especially extreme and pure, but this dharma form, which was normal aside from looking a bit frightening in your past life, now has a hint of unspeakable wickedness……】

【As for this wickedness, it's hard to specify, and you can't say exactly what harm it has, so you just pretend not to notice it.】

【But as the saying goes, those involved are confused while observers see clearly; although you don't feel it, others can perceive it……】

The mother looked at her son, who was alone basking in the sun in the courtyard; at five years old he should have been playing with peers, but now he seemed to show an indescribable loneliness……

After a moment's thought, the mother asked concernedly:

"Xiao Liu, why don't you go play with them?"

The mother's sudden question made Lin Liu, who was spacing out alone, slightly startled, but he still obediently replied: "I don't want to play with them…… they're too childish." Childish?

The mother found it somewhat amusing:

"Our son is the youngest among his peers in the clan, how could he still say others are childish……"

But upon careful thought, Xiao Liu is indeed much more mature than his peers; other families' five-year-olds are everywhere playing wildly, fishing, diving, boating…… each one more enthusiastic, causing them to be scolded by adults daily, and if not beaten for three days they'd have to tear off the roof tiles!

But our Xiao Liu never does those annoying things; at the age when he should be rambunctious, he behaves remarkably quiet, quiet to the point of not seeming like a child.

He is also very sensible, often doing chores within his ability, and in front of his parents he always appears obedient and lovable.

This is typical "precociousness"; if the family had the means, she would no matter what let her son go study to seek an official position.

Unfortunately…

Mother sighed in her heart: although the family had some savings, the matter of studying was still far from being affordable; people say "poor scholars, rich warriors," but can the "poverty" of landlords and rich peasants be the same as that of common folk? Among farming and fishing households, whoever truly believes in "poor scholars, rich warriors" is surely being fooled…

In short, the son probably really couldn't play with peers his age.

But Mother still said earnestly: "Xiao Liu, Mother knows you are precocious and look down on other children."

"But playing is also something you should have at your age; how can a child not play with others? Listen, go find Lian Toutou and them to play!"

Lin Liu listened helplessly and could only reply: "Yes, Mother…"

Under Mother's loving gaze, Lin Liu slowly left the courtyard…

But he did not go find playmates as Mother said; instead, he alone came to the beach and sat, gazing blankly at the golden light where sea and sky meet, and sighing to himself: "It's not that I don't want to play with them…… clearly it's that they don't want to play with me……"

Although, given Lin Liu's mental age, he really had no need to mix and play with a bunch of brats, but in order to avoid startling his parents and relatives as much as possible, he still wanted to be as much like an ordinary child as possible.

Just as in his second life, although he was already a sixty- or seventy-year-old elder in his first life, at the beginning of his second life he still replicated the entire fate trajectory of his first life, ultimately entering the stage of worldly affairs with the identity of an ordinary person.

Now, although Lin Liu's future plans have undergone drastic changes compared to his previous life, he still wishes to spend this precious childhood and adolescence as an ordinary person.

So he not only did not deliberately separate himself from others, but earnestly wanted to play with them! However, while he was willing, they were not.

Thinking how his peers avoided him like the plague, even his wife at the moment didn't want to see him, Lin Liu felt somewhat helpless.

"Do I really attract that much hatred…"

Just then, Lin Liu tilted his head and looked toward the distant group of brats chirping and playing by the sea…

Grandpa just wouldn't believe this evil!

Lin Liu steeled himself, rose, and strode toward them…

【Your approach quickly drew their attention!】

【Thus, the brats who had been playing nonstop suddenly screamed and scattered like birds and beasts…】

【You: …】

【This is even more exaggerated than seeing a monster.】

【You, cursing under your breath, simply sped up, grabbed one of the slower brats, and shouted: "What are you running for! Am I really that scary?"】

【The frightened brat nodded, then burst into tears with a wail…】

【You: …】

【You laughed in anger, your temper already bad, and now being humiliated to your face, you, fuming, pulled out a Blood God Son, intending to brutally infuse this hateful brat with "loyalty" and "favor."】

【But in the next instant, your movement suddenly stalled, as if your whole body had frozen.】

【That brat, who had almost been unable to repay the "favor," also seized the chance to break free from your grip, fleeing while wailing miserably…】

【But you obviously have no time to worry about him now; you just stand there dazed.】

【After staring for a long while, you finally looked again at the Blood God Son offspring in your hand that you hadn't thrown down, and, though you were used to it, you suddenly felt it scorching hot.】

【You instinctively loosened your grip, letting it fall onto the sand…】

【"I… I…"】

【You also collapsed to the ground, your eyes full of bewilderment: now you seem to understand why they kept their distance from you…】

……

(End of chapter)