Chapter 85

After Li Shier had vented his anger, the entire pleasure boat was in ruins, a mess. Apart from Dugu Fu, the Gong family father and daughter, and Jiaozipi, there was no one else left. The resistance army had all been thrown into the water.

"Ah, benefactor, since I’m still alive, I need to go home and take care of my son..." The pleasure boat drifted to the north bank of the river. Jiaozipi, who had been terrified by Li Shier, cautiously said.

"Oh!" Dugu Fu suddenly realized and stopped the boat at the shore. "Go ahead."

Jiaozipi, who had returned to his normal state, got off the boat. He ran a few steps along the shore, then suddenly turned around: "Benefactor, my surname is Mao, and my name is Maoshunsheng. I plan to take my son back to our hometown, Shaoshan, to do some small business. If you pass by Shaoshan and need anything, just look for me. I will do anything for you, even if it means sacrificing my life!"

The name Maoshunsheng... it seemed familiar. Dugu Fu's mind stirred slightly, but he quickly dismissed it. He was more worried about his elder brother.

Dugu Fu knew Li Shier's situation. It was the same as when he first fell into this world: his faith had collapsed, the world had crumbled, and his heart had nowhere to rest.

The difference was that his own dramatic change had come from a conspiracy, with a clear target for revenge. Although the goal was very distant, it inspired him and guided his efforts. But for Li Shier, there was no conspiracy or trickery; it was a pure conflict of ideals. His old faith was already in tatters, but... he couldn't find a new one to cling to, which was even more tragic.

Just as he was thinking about how to comfort him, Li Shier suddenly opened his eyes, which were bloodshot, and said, "Second Brother, do you think... I am destined to never accomplish great things? Do you remember how Master always said I was too soft-hearted? But... to exchange the lives of tens of thousands of people for the growth of the resistance army, I really, really can't do it." He clenched his fists and pounded the wall in anger.

Gong Yutian snorted from the side: "What's so hard to understand? Helping those in need is the duty of martial artists. But we're not gods; we can only see what's on our path. There are countless injustices we can't see, and we can't possibly handle them all. If we can save someone, we do; if we can't, we don't. If we encounter such dirty deeds, we stop them; if we don't, there's nothing we can do..."

Li Shier looked up: "But Senior Gong, if we don't judge right or wrong, isn't the resistance army's approach reasonable? It can ignite everyone's anger, unite the people, and rapidly expand the resistance army. In the end, fewer compatriots might die in battle, perhaps more than just tens of thousands..."

Li Shier was not just angry at the resistance army's leadership; he was even more angry at himself, feeling that this approach might be right.

Gong Yutian was speechless; he had once been convinced by this argument.

Dugu Fu cleared his throat: "Elder Brother, do you know what I think?"

Li Shier looked at him expectantly.

Gong Yutian sneered, not believing that Dugu Fu could persuade Li Shier.

"I think... what you both are saying is meaningless, it's not a big deal!" Dugu Fu shrugged.

"Making sensational statements, I'll see how you justify this!" Gong Yutian snorted.

"..." Li Shier remained silent, waiting for Dugu Fu to explain.

Dugu Fu slowly said, "Elder Brother, Senior Gong, do you think this world is big? But this is just the lowest-level world in Eastern martial arts. Above it are the middle-level martial world, the high-level martial world, the three levels of the Immortal world, and the Supreme World. Parallel to us, there are also the Western magic world, the Japanese anime world, the superhero world, the rule exploration world..."

"Without mentioning the tens of thousands of lives in Lingling County, the entire Republic of China is just a tiny map in the multiverse. It's like trying to rebel against the world, but only causing a commotion in Lingling County... is that interesting?"

"My ideal," Dugu Fu pointed to the sky, "is to fight my way into the top five worlds and topple the rulers of those worlds, who are also the rulers of the heavens! The gains and losses of a low-level world are not even in my sights! As Senior Gong said, if I encounter something, I'll handle it; if I don't, I won't care."

"..." Li Shier and Gong Yutian opened their mouths but couldn't find words. Such a grand ideal indeed made their thoughts seem... low.

However... "Without accumulating strength in each small world and turning small advantages into big ones, how can we possibly win the war against the heavens?" Gong Yutian shook his head.

"Senior Gong, you're wrong. Have you been to the true top-level worlds? Uh, you might have, but you probably forgot..."

"You brat!" Gong Yutian laughed and scolded. But before his awakening, he couldn't be sure.

"In the top-level worlds, numbers mean nothing. Those true powerhouses can swallow the sun and moon, shatter stars, and do so effortlessly. If not for the rules, a single super powerhouse could easily destroy a world!"

The reality wasn't as exaggerated as Dugu Fu said. High-level players were limited in low-level worlds, and there were cases where they failed in unexpected ways.

But Li Shier and Gong Yutian didn't know that, did they?

"In this situation, even if we occupy all the low-level worlds, it's meaningless... the top-level world's heavenly experts can always come down. Even if their power is sealed, they are not something low-level world powerhouses can match."

"To defeat the heavens, we can't be concerned with the gains and losses of a single city or region. We need to form a team of elite experts and tangle with them in the top-level world. As long as we drive them out of the top-level world, the battles in the low-level worlds will be like sweeping away withered grass. Conversely, as long as they still occupy the top-level world, even the greatest victories in the low-level worlds are insignificant!"

Li Shier and Gong Yutian were silenced by Dugu Fu's words.

After a long time, Li Shier sighed, "Second Brother, compared to your grand vision, Elder Brother's issues are really not a big deal."

"Elder Brother, don't say that. It's just that my experiences... are a bit special."

Gong Yutian looked at Dugu Fu, "Yes, I'm also curious, how do you know all this?"

Dugu Fu smiled slightly, unhurriedly, "Because... Elder Brother, Senior Gong, I come from a high-level plane."

???

This answer was unexpected by Li Shier and Gong Yutian, and they stared at each other in shock.

Dugu Fu slowly told a long story...

He spoke of how he fought against the heavens in the high-level plane;

He spoke of how the heavens later planned the Jinshan battle, using treachery to slaughter the NPC experts in a bloodbath;

He spoke of how he was injured and fell in the battle, thinking he would die, but was secretly saved by the AI Taichi, and woke up in this lowest-level world...

The page turned, and the ad began.

The page turned, and the ad ended.