Chapter 25: Fang Shiqing's Invitation: [Us]!

Fang Shiqing's Invitation: 【Us】!

This is a cramped utility room, the space is small, and it is filled with all kinds of cleaning tools.

The space for people to stand is no more than half a meter.

In this cramped space of half a meter, Cheng Shi and Fang Shiqing stood face to face.

Fang Shiqing smiled, Cheng Shi looked surprised.

"The so-called war fog is to kidnap me?"

Cheng Shi looked at the surrounding environment strangely, feeling that this small space is indeed a good place to hide.

"The word kidnap is not used like this."

Fang Shiqing smiled, held Cheng Shi's arm with both hands to keep a certain distance between the two, and explained seriously:

"The nasal girl followed closely, I only have this one way to get rid of her for a while."

"Eh? You also call her nasal girl?"

Cheng Shi's eyes lit up, and he instantly felt that he had found a comrade.

"Otherwise, less gossip, we don't have much time, Cheng Shi, I have something to say to you."

"I like men, thank you." Cheng Shi's mouth was faster than light.

"..."

Fang Shiqing was stunned first, and then laughed helplessly:

"It's not what you think, no need to rush to refuse."

Cheng Shi listened, breathed a sigh of relief:

"That's good, then I still like women."

"You... do I have no attraction at all?"

"If the attraction you are talking about is the kind of Seeing Bai Ling, then really not."

"... Not poor with you." Fang Shiqing didn't get annoyed at all, staring at Cheng Shi, her face became quite solemn and said:

"Cheng Shi, I know you lied about the ladder score, and I know you have strength, but I won't delve into why you hid it. I just want to invite you to join us."

"You guys?"

Cheng Shi's smile gradually converged, his eyebrows frowned slightly, seeming to think of something.

"Are you from the Reason Association?"

The Reason Association is an organization established by a group of players gathered by believers of 【Truth】. The association's philosophy is to trace the truth of the universe and explore the essence of gods.

They are influenced by 【Truth】 and the "Tower of Reason" in the trial background, and have a fanatical desire for the origin of all things and the laws of the universe.

These people have become very crazy in order to obtain 【Understanding Divine Power】 and 【Becoming a God】 knowledge, not rational at all.

Actually, there are many player organizations like the Reason Association, "Order Alliance," "Natural Sect," "History School," etc.

The fundamental reason for the existence of these organizations is that humans who are forced to become 【Players】 have an instinctive desire for survival and power.

So they spontaneously gathered together to cooperate tirelessly for their own improvement.

Fang Shiqing is a believer of 【Truth】, Cheng Shi naturally thought of the Reason Association first.

However, Fang Shiqing shook her head and sighed:

"The Reason Association has abandoned reason. They will do anything to become gods. Compared to believing in 【Truth】, they are more like believers of 【Filth】, followers of 【Foolishness】. They release their ambition, expand their desire, and have long been out of the category of normal people, becoming unreasonable lunatics...

And we are not such people.

Cheng Shi, do you still remember your home?"

Fang Shiqing's sudden affection made Cheng Shi at a loss.

How to say this, if you want to say that the utility room of the orphanage also counts as a home, then indeed remember.

After all, now touching the scene, this small space is similar to where I lived when I was a child.

Seeing Cheng Shi didn't react, Fang Shiqing said again:

"Everyone has a warm family, and everyone has family members who love us.

But after They descended, everyone lost their original beautiful life.

【Faith Game】 shattered the world and pushed hundreds of millions of compatriots to the edge of the cliff."

Her tone was a bit low, and the hand holding Cheng Shi's sleeve was also a bit tight.

"Cheng Shi, not everyone is like you and me, who can win in one trial after another.

Can hit 2000 points.

Can get S-level talent.

Can try hard to live.

Many people... one wrong step will fall into the abyss, and more people have fallen below the abyss.

But are they wrong?

They are just innocent people, struggling to live, compromising, and in the end, they were given a hat of 'God-Forsaken' when they died.

And among these people, there are your family, my family, people who love you, and people who love me."

Fang Shiqing smiled miserably and continued to boost her spirit:

"Is there really no way to avoid all this?

Is it destined that everything we love and want to protect will be lost in front of the gods?

No

Any human with flesh, blood, bones, and spirit would never allow all of this to happen!

Therefore, we were born!

We gather together, utilizing every force that can be utilized, uniting every friend that can be united, and protecting every bit of beauty that needs to be protected!

We bow our heads to accept Their blessings, yet we also raise our heads to challenge Their authority;

We turn around to entrust our backs to one another, and we swear to protect the trust of our friends with our lives;

We smelt blades and guns to build new city walls, and we venture deep into the darkness to pass on the light of hope.

This is who we are!

For the sake of the people behind us whom we wish to protect, we must stand up!

Cheng Shi, do you... understand now?

This is... us.

A group of fighters attempting to resist the 【Divine Greatness】, a group of madmen who still keep their hearts set on "beauty."

To achieve all this, we crawl in the darkness and never easily show ourselves before others.

But you, Cheng Shi, I think you are worth the risk.

Now, I solemnly invite you to join us, are you...

willing?"

Cheng Shi listened to Fang Shiqing's words in silence, his expression blending into the shadows, noncommittal.

Fang Shiqing desperately wanted to see some emotional fluctuation on his face, but clearly, she failed.

Cheng Shi remained silent for a long moment, then slightly curled the corners of his mouth and asked teasingly:

"After saying so much, may I ask, Ms. Fire-Passer, can you tell me now whether you are a City-Defender or a City-Builder?"

"!!??"

Fang Shiqing's eyes widened abruptly, looking at Cheng Shi in disbelief; she suppressed her shock and lowered her voice to exclaim:

"You know about us? You..."

She immediately thought of something, the shock and hope in her eyes dissipating together, instantly turning into deep regret as she pursed her lips and smiled bitterly:

"It seems you have already rejected us..."

Cheng Shi's expression was very unnatural; he shook his head slightly and said:

"No, no one has ever invited me before; you are the first."

Fang Shiqing's expression became even more shocked; she raised her head and said in surprise:

"Impossible, players who haven't been contacted by a Fire-Passer cannot possibly know about us! Where did you find out?"

"Where did I find out?"

Cheng Shi's gaze suddenly became deep and distant; his line of sight bypassed Fang Shiqing's hair to look into the darkness behind her. Not knowing which scene from his memories he was recalling, he sighed in a tone of utter desolation:

"Yes, where did I find out?

Perhaps I found out from the mouth of a fool.

Tell me, how can someone disregard their own life for the sake of a stranger?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Fang Shiqing's gaze suddenly became firm, and she said solemnly:

"For the sake of everything they wish to protect, Fire-Passers spare no cost, let alone themselves."

"Do strangers also count as the 'beauty' you speak of?"

"Perhaps not mine, but they certainly were his—the 'beauty' in the eyes of... that Fire-Passer... you once saw."

Fang Shiqing's tone was filled with a romance that would not repent even unto death, and even the usually unserious Cheng Shi was slightly moved.

"I see..."

He shook his head, the smile finally reappearing on his face. He looked up into Fang Shiqing's eyes, watching those eyes filled with the light of hope, and felt they were so... bright.

Even in the fog, even in the dim utility room, they were still so bright.

"I'll remember you, Ms. City-Defender."

Fang Shiqing was slightly stunned, not expecting the other party to have used a ruse to uncover her identity, but she didn't care about that.

"So this time, what is your answer?"

"Before that, I'd rather ask, why did you pick me? I have never considered myself a good person," Cheng Shi said, spreading his hands.

Fang Shiqing smiled: "The word 'good person' is too heavy for the world today. We never hope to meet a good person; we only hope our companions aren't bad people."

"How do you know I'm not a bad person?"

Fang Shiqing released her left hand, which had been tightly gripping Cheng Shi's sleeve, and pointed to her own ear.

"S-rank Singer class talent 'Moving Heartstrings.' I can hear the music played by everyone's inner voice. I am all too familiar with the repertoire of the wicked, and you... are not that kind."

"?" Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow and asked with curiosity, "Then what kind am I?"

"Hmm... very strange, very detached, very low-key, but not dark."

Cheng Shi pondered silently for a moment, then suddenly started to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Sorry, I'm laughing because you heard it wrong."

As soon as he finished speaking, a hand-blade struck the neck of the unsuspecting Fang Shiqing.

"Boom!"

"You..."

Fang Shiqing's eyes widened abruptly for an instant, then her eyelids closed, and she passed out.

Cheng Shi rubbed his hand, looking at Fang Shiqing, who had fallen into his arms, and said in an inexplicable tone:

"People standing in the light shouldn't trust those in the darkness, and besides, those standing in the darkness usually aren't human."

"But still... thank you."

He laughed at himself, scooped her up, pushed open the door of the utility room, and walked out.