Chapter 4

Listen, listen, listen to the cause and effect, or rather, the existence of fate. If there is no external influence, the apple will eventually fall, rot, and turn into seeds for the next year.

However, if a farmer comes to collect the apple, then, for the orchard and the apple itself, it is a matter of course, because the farmer is also part of the orchard, and being harvested is the apple's predetermined fate.

But if a traveler from a distant place passes by the orchard and casually takes the apple, then the apple leaves with the traveler, and the farmer cannot pick that apple. Everyone's fate is altered by the traveler's actions.

And the traveler from another world is the one who, with a casual act, changes the trajectory of everyone's fate.

His actions, however, are not on the timeline of this world. His alteration of the originally unchanging fate ultimately leads to a series of chain reactions.

There is a cause and effect, and the fate that follows is borne by the traveler.

And my system collects and converts it into evil/good points, and then, based on my personal will, it influences the world through a mechanism similar to a wish spell.

Of course, this is just my own research, which may be correct or incorrect, but a chance encounter with a game guidebook from another world adds some possibility to this hypothesis.

"Ashen Hell Battle is the name of this game, and this guidebook from the lottery system records the details of this classic game that has been running for thirty years."

And the name of the continent where I am now... is Ashen.

Is the world we live in just a game in another world? I have no sighs or surprises, as the parallel world view, dreamers who dream of another world, and prophets who transcend time and space are already precedents, and the common knowledge of the Ashen continent is enough to explain everything.

And the hell... seven large-scale version updates represent the seven upheavals of this world.

In the seven apocalyptic disasters, the continent became a hell on earth. When I, full of confidence, believed myself to be a hero from another world, capable of changing everything, I was surprised to find that after the third version update, Roland Lam was actually the name of the final boss.

"Grand Demon Roland Lam, with his demon army, returned from the abyssal hell, vowing to take revenge on all life. The endless undead and demons ravaged the entire continent, countless lives were lost, and countless nations were destroyed."

Roland Lam? Isn't that my name? I actually became the final boss who destroyed the world!?

Reality is not a game; the devil is not necessarily defeated, or rather, what reason did I, once known as the Son of Light, have to become a chaotic and evil demon?

But all of this did happen. The deepest darkness of the Holy Cathedral, the betrayal of trust, the kicking of the fallen by the royal family and nobles, all led to my gradual departure from faith and descent into darkness as a hero and holy knight.

But since I know that wretched fate, as a traveler who controls my own destiny, how could I let it happen?

So, I did more things, trying to change my fate.

As a traveler burdened with the power of cause and effect, changing one's personal fate is not difficult, but changing the trajectory of the entire world is not so easy.

After a series of "coincidences," my efforts were in vain, and I failed. The tide of history, after easily crushing me, returned everything to its starting point.

Now, after dying and dying again, I survive as a lich, naturally unable to become the demon king who aims to destroy the world. Unfortunately, my foolish twin brother, Caven Lam, has taken my place, doing many shocking things, and ultimately, walking alone into the gates of hell.

Perhaps, before long, I will face the demon king named Caven Lam.

Therefore, no matter what, I must live on, even with this incomplete, soul-damaged body, I must live until the day Caven returns.

Therefore, no matter what, I need power, regardless of where that power comes from, regardless of whether that power is righteous or not...

"This is my vow, Roland Lam. I must clean up my own mess! So, even if I dirty my hands, even if I resort to any means, I must obtain enough evil points to resurrect myself, increase my power, and properly deal with that foolish brother."

"Lich Lord, excuse me, is this related to the current situation? Before getting carried away, please return to reality and look behind you."

When I was feeling passionate, my companion beside me poured cold water on me.

I looked back, and the dark elves chasing us were already close. Their eyes, which had not slept all night, were full of bloodshot, and their originally charming faces were twisted with hatred. Given this extreme hatred, it was not the time to reason.

"Don't run, you bastards!"

"I will tear you apart alive!"

"Hehehe... Give me that bone, give it to me! It's my dowry, thirty years of hard work, and one night back to the starting point!"

"Momo has already bought kelp and chili peppers, and tonight we will have rib soup... The ribs in front, did you hear that? You are today's main dish! Stop for Momo!"

It seems the hatred from yesterday's big explosion was quite high. Not running would be foolish, so I cast a levitation spell on myself, indirectly speeding up my steps.

This time, the stakes were high. If caught by the fully armed city management team, even if only the bones were left, they might still be fed to the dogs.

But I was not the only one being chased.

"Bea brothers, why are they chasing you too? Did you sell fake goods again?"

The Bea brothers are notorious swindlers within the greedy goblin race, selling anything for money, including contraband and fake goods, and without a business license to save money and avoid taxes.

Of course, such illegal merchants have been hit by the city management team multiple times, and in the process, we have established a deep revolutionary friendship.

"Who knows what's wrong with these women. It seems someone offended these crazy women badly. Since yesterday afternoon, they have been conducting a city-wide dragnet, with slogans like 'to legally and swiftly crack down on criminal elements' and 'to severely punish illegal merchants and prostitutes, and return a beautiful blue sky to Sulfur City.' Bah!"

Golden Tooth Bea, the older brother and a master of engineering, had his thick hair shaved off, clearly unhappy about the unjust disaster.

In my view, although he looks unremarkable, he is already a 59th-level earth goblin engineer, just one step away from the 60th-level gold stage.

"These women are too strong. A small city management team, and all of them are plate-armored paladins and holy sword knights, with excellent equipment. Not only are they clad in dwarven mithril heavy armor, but with the dark elves' resistance to magic, they are as hard as steel cans. The team leaders even have a handful of artifacts. This kind of equipment and lineup could participate in a divine war. What are they doing as city management?"

Silver Hook Bea, the younger brother, had his clothes burned, and his precious alchemical equipment was destroyed during the arrest, making him extremely angry.

A 57th-level grand alchemist should be good at healing, but when associated with goblins, they are somewhat unreliable.

At least in my memory, the potions Silver Hook made would explode if taken, and the other half? They would explode even if not taken!

"Endure it, the cursed gold coins. Their equipment wasn't this good before! When I find out who cut off our supply and sold them such powerful equipment for a small profit, I will make sure they can't survive in Sulfur City."

"Who else? Besides the big orange-headed dwarf on Flower Street, who else could make this level of mithril heavy armor? When I have time, I will smash his shop and stop him from harming us!"

So, I kept quiet. If my comrades knew that their holy swords were bought from me, and I even got a commission for selling the heavy armor and enchanted it for them, they might not want to be friends anymore.

"Old Bull, what's wrong with you? They usually don't bother you much, did you commit a crime recently?"

Running alongside us was a tall minotaur warrior, with a square face and a simple smile, his eyes full of righteousness and confusion, seemingly unaware of why he was being pursued.

"No, I just asked them for some milk. Their breasts are so big, they must have a lot of milk. Isn't it normal for minotaurs to drink milk? Isn't it normal for nature-loving minotaurs to go naked? Why are they chasing me with swords?"

Although his square face looked upright and his voice carried a sense of injustice, he was a pervert. Despite his current righteous and confused appearance, he was still a pervert who loved to run naked.

At that moment, he was still naked, his strong and wild body causing screams from the women on the street, and he kept waving his arms and some object in greeting...

"Pervert Minotaur is out again!"

"Mom! So scary! I won't be able to get married!"

"Where? Where? Let me see what size toothpick is swinging around. Oh, oh, oh, not bad for a minotaur, it's not a toothpick, it's a wolf's tooth. Minotaur in front, stop, let me try it."

The screams and mysterious voices from behind made him even more pleased. As he ran, he made various bodybuilding poses, causing more screams.

Although he is a pervert, others might not know, but in my eyes, the minotaur Snow Hoof is actually an 89th-level legendary grand warrior, probably one of the top in the strong Sulfur City.

But no matter how strong he is, he is still a pervert... because it is important, I will say it twice.

"Damn! They actually have blessed silver arrows! The Imperial Holy Sword of Auros, the Sword of Angel Slaying, I X, they actually have over a dozen unnamed holy swords against evil. The luxurious Auran Empire is not as ridiculous as they are."

Running at the front was Lillith Milan, known as the Night Prince, famous for her romantic but not promiscuous nature, and the underground lover or dream lover of many noble ladies in Sulfur City.

However, the usually graceful and dignified Lillith was in a terrible state. Even as a 72nd-level gold-stage blood knight, she could only be crushed by the steel cans.

Yes, it is her, not him... her nickname is Crazy Wild Lily, the romantic Milan, the mobile obscene object, the female pervert.

Due to the joint suppression by the city management team, we formed the Free Gentlemen's Alliance (known as the Pervert Alliance), with the naked minotaur king, the mobile obscene object, and the explosive brothers as our other titles.

When our comrades were caught one by one in the "legally and swiftly crack down on criminal elements" campaign, we, the stronger members of the alliance, became the last survivors.

"Water-brain crazy lich! Liches are at least legendary, use a disintegration spell to get rid of those women."

"If it were three hundred years ago, I could try... now my phylactery is damaged, and my control is reduced. I can