All dreams sink to the bottom of the lake.
...even time is frozen here.
The entire battlefield fell silent, and only the rumble of the city-state's engines could be heard. The wind stood still at this moment, stiff and faded like the giant monster with its hands stretched out.
Shadows fell from the sky, along with the cold, covering everyone with a dark coat. They stood around that person, like sculptures, without trembling, they just felt that something was missing in their hearts. Dots of white fluttered in the air, spinning, falling on the giant's body, as if melting into the body and disappearing.
A familiar song seemed to be heard in the distance.
At this time, the cold wind blew by, blowing Valentine's forehead hair. He raised his head, and the dark sky was reflected in those light red eyes, as well as the slowly falling snow.
In the endless dark clouds, Valentine's eyes saw the sadness that can only occur in people, as thick as ink but not overbearing.
A snowflake fell on his face, crystal cold.
Someone is coming to pick up the Patriots.
"Snowing……"
More and more snowflakes were falling from the sky. Rosemary stretched out her hand to catch these white elves, and a little coolness seeped into her palms.
"This grandpa..."
The black body was covered with a white coat. He was still standing on the land, standing straight and not falling. Kelsey looked at the Patriot who had lost his life. His expression was not as cold as usual, but a little more plain.
She has seen too many life, separation and death, and she has long forgotten how to express those emotions.
"The whole body is more than 60% crystallized."
Kelsey's eyes swept across the dimmed Originium crystal, and she came to the conclusion that she was an expert on ore disease.
"Even a creature like Sakaz cannot move an inch."
Sarkaz is naturally susceptible to infection and has a higher affinity for Originium techniques. But after all, they are creatures living under this sky with other people, and they cannot violate the rules of the human body.
"His consciousness has escaped..."
Kelsey raised her head slightly and met those eyes that had lost their color. Even though he had lost his life, his eyes were still open, staring at the short girl in front of him, as if he would come back to life at any time.
"However, the golden and iron will continued to be carried out and passed on to the body."
More than half of his body was transformed into Originium crystals. It was a miracle that the Patriot didn't break into pieces and fall down at this moment.
"…Bodro Kasti."
She whispered the awesome name like a farewell.
The black claws stopped in front of Amiya's face and would not move any further. Her eyebrows were lowered, and her eyes were filled with regret as she looked at the Patriot.
"Hate, regret, hatred..."
"That's all gone."
The low voice echoed in the ruins and reached everyone's ears.
"The last thing is anger."
Even though he was dead at this moment, Amiya could still see the remaining emotions in this tall body.
"The Frost Star is unwilling to suffer. The hostility towards Tallulah's actions, the endless nostalgia for Ursus and Kazdaele..."
Like fire burning.
"Fire and undying anger. Anger for all the injustice and the deaths of those around us... Anger for a fate that would play tricks on everyone."
Even if he was engulfed by this fire, even if he knew his fate, he never lowered his head.
Valentine remembered the time when he had just faced the Patriots. At that time, I was wrapped in anger, and so were the patriots. Under the heavy shield, he said those words that vetoed the opponent, fundamentally denied his thoughts, used Originium skills and De Shuang to destroy his actions of resisting fate, and finally let him die here.
However, even at the moment before death, Valentine could feel that the patriots had never looked down upon themselves, nor on everyone present.
In his will, anyone who resists his progress is nothing more than an ant. Even if the opponent is extremely powerful, they will eventually make way under the shield and halberd.
Arrogance, the highest level of contempt.
It can make people envious, jealous, and even resentful. But it will never show the impatience and disdain that people show when faced with the ridicule of obscene faces and unpleasant voices.
Unfortunately……
He meets the man who is destined to kill him.
The patriots resisted, the patriots failed.
But even so, this tall warrior also left a very deep impression on Valentine. Not only is it an unstoppable force, but it also has a stubborn body that cannot be broken even by death.
In the face of force majeure like "fate", all people can do is accept it. But some people bent down and buried their heads in the sand; some stood up straight and stared at the storm until the last moment.
In his previous life, Valentine wanted to be such a person, standing like a bamboo in the strong wind without falling. But that was just a thought. He overestimated himself and ended up living like most people, with his back bent.
Now in this world, Jiao Zhengyu forcibly raised his starting point, pushed him hard, and forced the boy who was unwilling to take steps to rush onto the track. When facing the dangers of the Terran world in the future, can he be like a patriot and not take a step back?
"In fact, resisting fate is tantamount to resisting everything. It is everything that contributes to the concept of 'fate'."
"Bodro Kasti's wrath is directed against the entire land."
Kelsey's voice reached Valentin's ears, and a feeling of fatigue emerged in his heart and gradually spread throughout his body.
Spirit, will, destiny...
In this short period of time, too much information was transmitted into his brain, making this little dragon man who had never experienced this feel a little tired. For Valentine, understanding the words that these people just said about predicting fate is more tiring than fighting with the patriots.
At this moment, he really wanted to sit on the ground and sleep, even if he just closed his eyes and squinted for a while.
But this was a battlefield after all, and there might be arrows flying toward his head in the next second. Valentine could only brace himself and wait for the final result.
But he didn't want to continue standing here like a piece of wood and listening.
In these enigmatic words, apart from the prophecy, there is really nothing important.
"PhD."
Valentin looked at Noah beside him and raised his hand.
"The battle should be over now. I want to find the gun I just threw away."
During the battle, Valentine, who was surrounded by anger, threw the M500 back very gracefully after firing the last two bullets, then picked up the double and rushed towards the Patriots, completely ignoring the pistol. Where will it be thrown.
Now that he is more handsome, it's time for him to get the gun back.
Otherwise, Jiao Zhengyu could trick him to death.
Although she can put the pistol directly into the mental space, it is an ability given to her by Raphael after all. It is a kind of trump card and cannot be used easily in front of outsiders.
If you take out a big revolver out of thin air, others will only think that you are good at hiding things. But if you disappear a big revolver out of thin air, then the matter will be serious.
"be safe."
After scanning the surrounding environment, Noah nodded slightly to Valentine and agreed to his request.
Valentine was indispensable in the battle, but now the shield guards had no intention of starting another fight, and he was relieved to let the ace nanny leave.
It is said that he should pay attention to his safety. The most important thing Valentine should pay attention to is the safety of people like them...
But Valentin didn't know this. He only knew that if he didn't get the pistol back, Jiao Zhengyu would have to ask him to sign a contract of sale. As an artificial intelligence, this guy is qualified, but if you look at him as a businessman, Valentine can only give him full marks.
Also comes with a street light and rope.
———————Hang the capitalists————————
"I am not an inhumane capitalist. As an artificial intelligence, I am very considerate of the agent's feelings."
On top of the ruins, Valentine stepped on the rugged gravel, looking for the silver that he had thrown away not long ago.
He could only remember a general direction, and the rest could only rely on his eyesight and luck.
I hope no one picked up the pistol.
"Yes, yes, you are not even a human being."
Valentin said a few perfunctory words, squatted down and carefully explored the gaps between the ruins. He threw away the pistol at the beginning of the battle. In the next few seconds, he was punished by the Patriots' marching mode, and he directly smashed a path through the ruins. If nothing happened to the pistol, it should be on both sides of this passage.
Some gravel had been dug up, and there was still dried blood on it.
"I won't let you sign the deed of sale. The most I can do is give you a loan and let you use the source stones you find later to buy the lost M500."
Thick black lines descended into the world again, and Jiao Zhengyu appeared behind Valentine. His slender cat eyes stared at his coat covered with scratches and blood, showing a harmless smile.
"It's just a little bit of interest added."
Valentine heard a voice behind him. He turned around and glared at the guy, picked up a piece of gravel and threw it behind his back.
The sharp stone did not hit Jiao Zhengyu's body, but passed directly through it, as if it had hit a holographic projection, without any feedback from the hit.
"Profiteer."
In an instant, he remembered what the patriot had said about King Sakaz rewarding his men.
"I'm not here to argue with you..."
"Then you are here to cause trouble for me."
Jiao Zhengyu was choked by Valentine before he finished speaking.
"No, it's about exchanging life experiences."
He raised his head with a confident look on his face, completely unaffected by Valentine's behavior just now.
"Um……!"
Valentin gritted his teeth and moved a big stone away, but did not see the shadow he thought. He clapped his hands, glanced at Feilin, who was almost raised to the sky, and gave him a back look.
“I’ve heard enough life lessons.”
His voice was punctuated by the sound of gravel being moved.
"Just now."
"What fate, the meaning of life..."
Another big stone was moved away, and among a pile of steel bars and rubble, Valentine saw the familiar black color. It was the polymer grip of the M500. He found the pistol he had just thrown away and avoided the fate of being exploited by Jiao Zhengyu.
"What's the use?"
He picked up the pistol, put his index finger into the trigger guard and turned it like a cowboy, and then threw it in the direction of Jiao Zhengyu. Jiao Zhengyu raised his hand, and the M500 flew directly to his palm as if it was alive. He held it tightly and disappeared in the next second.
"Just like this gun, it belongs to you after all."
Valentine raised his chin.
"We belong to this world after all."
“No matter how many plans you make and how many dreams you have, you will eventually be forced to change the direction of progress due to sudden accidents and unchangeable facts that have already happened.”
Just like Sakaz's prophecy, the patriot finally died in front of Amiya.
He found a random place to sit down, stretched and relaxed in this still world.
There are many dangers outside, but there is only comfort in the spiritual world.
Valentin already understood the truth just now. If it hadn't been for that wind, he wouldn't have come to this land, nor would he have met these people, let alone changed his mind and walked out of the shadows.
This was not in Chen Yue's plan.
"But the world will also change because of people."
Jiao Zhengyu sat next to Valentine, covering his back with his right hand. Immediately afterwards, the tattered clothes on the little dragon's body returned to their original state in an instant.
"You mean Amiya?"
Not far in front of Valentine and Jiao Zhengyu, the thin girl was standing in front of the tall shield guard. It seems that Jiao Zhengyu's arrival did not disturb the flow of time in the real world, but "kicked" him and himself out of that world, watching these people as a bystander.
"Yes, the prophesied devil, the one who enslaves the world, brings suffering to this land."
Jiao Zhengyu sighed.
"If we really want to talk about who is suitable to be my agent in this world, Amiya is probably the most suitable. She herself was chosen by the world and stood passively in the center of the vortex."
"After understanding my responsibilities, I took the initiative to stand in front of everyone and shouldered this burden."
"Then if you don't come to her, come to me."
Listening to what Jiao Zhengyu said, Valentine suddenly felt a little angry, as if he was jealous.
"I didn't say she was the only one chosen by the world."
"And the regulations do not allow me to find people from this world as agents. I can only find people from other worlds. So I picked a planet that is most closely related to the world of Terra and searched for it. Finally, I locked you."
Jiao Zhengyu's words aroused Valentine's interest. From the moment he first came to this world, he wanted to ask why this truly omniscient artificial intelligence chose him instead of choosing someone with a more noble spirit to complete this great thing.
"Then why did you choose me?"
"Do you know why the world of Terra has the deepest relationship with Earth?"
He did not reveal the answer directly, but asked a question.
"because……"
Valentin thought for a while and soon thought of the answer.
"The mobile game "Arknights"?"
In his memory, the only thing related to the earth and the continent of Terra, which is full of beast-eared girls, is this game.
After all, this is the basic world view of "Arknights".
"That's right." Jiao Zhengyu snapped his fingers: "You are much smarter than before."
The little dragon man tilted his head.
For a moment, he didn't know whether this artificial intelligence was praising him or hurting him.
"People in this world can't choose, and neither can people in the parallel world. The one most closely related to the little broken ball of Terra is the Earth. I can only go there to find an agent."
"Here comes the problem again. There are two ways to get people from another universe to come over. Either bring the whole person over, or just bring over a soul and find a body for him in this world."
"Considering that this world is full of beast-eared girls and beast-eared men, and humans with no racial characteristics are likely to be dragged and sliced into slices, I chose the option of finding someone to wear the soul. When the time comes, I will find a soul for this soul. Just the physical body will do.”
"As for why you."
Jiao Zhengyu looked at Valentine's face and showed a funny smile.
"Because when you fell into the mud with a 'snap', the 'Valentin' of this world also died."
"You provide the soul and he provides the body. It's perfect."
…
Valentine thought this guy was too casual.
"You don't even think about whether the soul you are looking for is too..."
He frowned, raised his right hand and shook it slightly in the air, his eyes wandering, as if he was racking his brains to think about something.
This little dragon man is trying his best to think of a nice derogatory word to describe himself.
After all, he knows what he used to be like. But Valentin still feels a little uncomfortable if he really wants to harm himself.
"I know what you mean."
Jiao Zhengyu's hand held Valentin's arm, interrupting his thoughts.
"I also want to choose, but everything must be according to the rules. The rules let me choose you."
"To explain it in the simplest language..."
"Among the tens of thousands of people who have turned into meat pies with you, you are the only one who has played "Arknights"."
Valentine was stunned.
"The agent must have some way of contact with the world that needs to be saved when he was in the original world, otherwise he can only change people."
"Why would I choose a planet connected to the world of Terra to choose my agent? That's why."
At such a moment, Valentin suddenly felt that the bad luck he had endured for twenty years on earth was in exchange for an opportunity to travel to a different world when he was twenty years old.
He realized it.
"Hey, wait a minute."
After chatting for so long, Valentin suddenly remembered something Jiao Zhengyu had just said.
"You said Amiya is not the only one chosen in this world?"
"right."
Jiao Zhengyu nodded.
"Then what do you mean..."
"The other person is you, the one chosen by me."
Blue eyes stared at Valentine, never so seriously.
"You and Amiya will be the two biggest variables in the world of Terra."
…
For some reason, Valentin didn't feel any heaviness at all when he heard such heavyweight words from Jiao Zhengyu.
It's like a joke.
"Every world and every era will produce the chosen ones. At the beginning, it is a person, and then it becomes a nation, a country. When you look back at the chosen people in history, you will feel..."
Jiao Zhengyu narrowed his eyes.
"It's like reading a novel, no logic."
"But he did exist and those things happened."
Valentine thought of a certain great figure in modern Chinese history and his glorious deeds.
"What can you say? I can only say that he is lucky and has a good mind. What else can you say?"
"But here's the key."
The slender nails tapped the stone, pulling Valentine back from his memories.
"It is rare to find talented people in the world, but why are there only a few people who have accomplished such a magnificent undertaking that is so shocking that ghosts and gods are weeping?"
"Luck, or that 'fate' is the most important thing."
“But just because you’re lucky, can you say you’ve been chosen by the world?”
Valentin didn't understand what Jiao Zhengyu wanted to express.
"Do you know how luck affects a person?"
The little dragon man shook his head, his big eyes full of question marks.
"It is caused by the interaction between countless people and the things created by countless humans at the same time."
Jiao Zhengyu said this awkward sentence word for word. Looking at Valentin's cute face, who was busy talking about it, he began to explain in detail again.
"for example."
"It suddenly rained when you went out this morning, and you got soaked all over. As soon as you ran to the company, a banana peel slipped on the ground, and your leg was crushed and fractured. You called 120, and when you were waiting for the ambulance to come, you I was bitten by a rabid dog with too much khaki, and ended up paying extra money for rabies vaccination at the hospital.”
"You died just after the vaccination, and you died in the hospital bed without even paying."
"Isn't this unfortunate enough?"
Jiao Zhengyu pinched Valentin's face and rescued him from the ZZ state just now.
"...It's really unlucky."
After saying that, he twisted Jiao Zhengyu's arm.
"If you break these bad luck apart, you will find that the so-called bad luck is entirely due to the influence of other people."
"It rains because of the artificial rainfall carried out by the local government. The banana peels are thrown by your colleagues. The comminuted fractures are because you neglect to exercise and your bones are too poor. The khaki is too mad because some unqualified guy took the pet away." I brought the company here before I tied the rope, so I ran out after being frightened by others."
"As for the last vaccine, it was because the manufacturer made a fake vaccine. Your immune system was weakened due to your irregular daily routine and you died immediately without even making a sound."
"What these people did happened to rub off on you, causing you to have a bad day and lose your life."
Jiao Zhengyu's explanation was extremely detailed, and Valentin understood what he wanted to express.
"Then what do you mean by being chosen by the world..."
"The world is alive. These countless people and countless things are the life of the world. What they show by working together and influencing each other is the consciousness of this world."
"When these things manifest themselves into someone, that's how the world treats that person."
Jiao Zhengyu raised his left hand.
"This is people."
He raised his right hand.
"This is the world."
Then, he put his hands together and intertwined his fingers.
"Mutual influence, inseparable."
"But..." Valentine looked at his hands and frowned.
"After all, the impact of human beings on the world is very small, right?"
"That's why someone is selected to stand out from countless ordinary people and stand at the top of the social class, affecting everyone and the entire world."
"Why do heroes emerge from troubled times? That's it. The world is afraid of death, and chaos is a precursor to death. He needs to choose one person to influence everyone else and keep himself alive."
"Some people are selected, but they cause more chaos, and then they are cool. There are many examples on the earth, and the most classic one is the mustache."
"Some people were chosen to try to end this chaos, and then they succeeded, bringing peace to the earth and allowing the world to continue to 'live'."
Jiao Zhengyu looked at Amiya in the distance.
"If the world of Terra wants to continue to 'live', it must choose someone to end the chaos. Amiya is one, and so are you."
"When the Patriots reached out to Amiya just now, it was the world making a choice."
"The Patriot wants to kill all of you, right? The prophecy also says that he will be killed by the Demon King."
Valentine nodded.
"But he clearly had the chance to kill this 'devil' before he died, so why did he stop again?"
"this……"
A lot of words that Jiao Zhengyu just said have already made Valentine a little dizzy. He hasn't digested those theories yet, and he doesn't know how to answer the questions raised by the other party at this moment.
"You can say that the Patriot gave up and ignored his 'fate'; you can also say that he died just when he wanted to crush Amiya's head."
"But when Amiya shows up, doesn't it mean that she is lucky?"
"Look at the people around her, as well as the operators under Rhode Island. Victoria's crown prince, the actual person in charge of Kalan, she herself is also the heir of King Sakaz. This is how she will reach the top of the world in the future. The foundation for ending chaos.”
"And you have begun to influence the world in a subtle way."
"I?"
Valentine raised his finger and pointed at himself.
"You should still remember Raphael's identity, right?"
Jiao Zhengyu waved his hand, and the angel girl with a faint light appeared behind Valentine. The Blade Angel was stunned for a moment when he saw the suddenly changed environment, but soon found Valentine and sat next to him.
"One of the Four Saints of Lateran..."
The soft golden hair passed through Valentin's fingers. He flicked the girl's long hair and understood what Jiao Zhengyu wanted to say.
The Saint of Lateran, this identity is definitely the one with the highest gold content in a city-state full of religious beliefs. Rutland could be the plaything of these four girls if they wanted to.
The word "holy" is not something that can be used casually in an orthodox religious country.
This means...
"It may take a little effort for that girl to hold the power of Rutland in her hands, but it will definitely not be difficult."
"And you have already lived in her heart. Rounding it off means that you have mastered a city-state."
"The key is that Raphael was brought to your door by herself. Unlike Xing Yihuang, who was found for you by me, he was 'sent' to you by the world."
"And that Trotsky is also the result of your own influence. If you look at the future of the world, it will definitely be a world of red flags. Maybe he will die on the road, maybe he will be your help in the future, maybe he will become the new sky The Chosen One.”
This exchange was completed in Valentine's mind, they did not say it openly.
"In the future, you will either help Amiya or other chosen people complete this undertaking, or you will stand on their opposite side and compete for the highest power."
"There is always one person who will win. As for whether it is you..."
Jiao Zhengyu disappeared.
"Who knows?"
