"I've heard the rumors. And I think the rumors are most likely true."

Hearing that, Ping Pong was even more confused.

"Then why would you still…"

Ping Pong's words had only reached halfway when Steve interrupted him and countered with a question.

"If the one who wins the trial is you, after obtaining power sufficient to dominate this world, what will you do?"

This one question from Steve immediately stumped Ping Pong. Ping Pong thought for a long time, but didn't utter even a single word.

Seeing this, Steve smiled and said, "Although I love this game world, in the end, I am just a player."

"I know very clearly that this is just my harbor, my peach blossom spring, the place I use to escape reality, it is not my home."

"One day I will no longer need this harbor, or the burden of reality will force me to give it up."

"Then, as the one who wins the trial, should I be responsible for the real world, or for this game world?"

"This game world is not ordinary. So many conscious beings have already appeared. If I abandon managing this world, what will happen to them?"

"But if I devote myself to this world, then how should I face the real world?"

At this point, Steve let out a long breath.

"Actually, I'm also very selfish. I hope this game world can always survive, and always be beautiful."

"Years later, maybe because of many factors, I'll be forced to leave."

"But I hope, when I happen to remember this game world, whether it's mentioning it to a friend, or seeing a short video of it..."

"When I want to pick up all the memories from this game world again, this game world will still be there."

"HIM will still be there. Those conscious creatures will still be there. Everything will still be there."

"They will still be just as beautiful as in my memory."

At this point, the expression on Steve's face gradually became relieved.

"This wish of mine, only HIM can help me realize it."

"Because this is his home."

Steve's heartfelt speech deeply moved Ping Pong, who was standing to the side.

There were two reasons why Ping Pong was moved.

One, he could finally follow Steve's train of thought.

Second, the things Steve said resonated with him greatly.

Ping Pong had also played many games, and he could indeed empathize with Steve.

In the heart of every gamer, there must be one favorite game. It may not be the most popular, nor the best, but you just can't let it go.

Naturally, you will have spent a lot of time and energy in that game.

But as time passes, whether due to real-life reasons, or due to game operation issues, or other various factors, you are forced to quit.

Even though you no longer play the game, you still occasionally check its updates.

Although you no longer log in, you still hope the game continues to run, and that many people like it.

Because to you, that game is beautiful, it carries your youth and too many beautiful memories.

So even if you've already quit the game, you still hope it can preserve that beauty.

You still hope that one day, on a whim, when you log in again, even if the game has changed a lot, those memories of yours are still there.

Whether it's the gear in your hands or the pet you worked so hard to catch, though these have become "tears of the times," they are memories you can't give up.

Seeing them, you can recall those happy days from before, days that can no longer return.

Ping Pong had followed Steve for so long, so he naturally understood what this game meant to Steve.

Thus, he could understand Steve's thoughts.

Just as Steve said, even if you gained power strong enough to rule the entire game world, so what?

Players are ultimately players, they don't belong here. This is only their paradise, not their home.

They can't stay here to protect it forever.

At first glance, it seems really cool to gain such power. But this isn't an ordinary game, it's a game world where creatures have awakened consciousness.

To obtain that power means to shoulder a responsibility too.

A responsibility to maintain the game world and protect those living beings. Such a responsibility is not something one "person" can bear.

Therefore, the most suitable person to receive this power is HIM.

Just like Steve said, this is his home, he will give his all to protect it.

Moreover, he didn't protect this world for the sake of gaining power. He had already silently protected it for a long time.

———

[Outside the Trial Grounds]

Steve's speech not only moved Ping Pong greatly, but even the players outside the trial ground were full of emotion at this moment.

"Have to say, Steve really sees things so clearly. It's exactly like that..."

"Whew... scared me to death! I was so afraid Steve might suddenly go against Xu Yuan! Luckily, he didn't let me down!!"

"Now I kinda look forward to what Steve will do after learning about Hi... the new rules set by Xu Yuan! Feels like he'll definitely cooperate fully!"

"To be honest, I didn't know much about HIM before, just thought he was way above us. But after seeing how Xu Yuan acts, I'm truly convinced..."

"Yeah, feels like Xu Yuan transcends being human..."

"The HIM who once silently protected us from the shadows is now Xu Yuan, fighting with all his might to safeguard this world in the open. Bros! Who else gets this feeling?!"

Steve's words undoubtedly earned him countless fans.

At the beginning of the trial ground, players' stances were mostly with Steve or Grayfist.

Although the truth that HIM had been protecting the game world all along had already come out...

Players didn't think they were on the same side as HIM.

Naturally, they'd lean more toward the player side.

So at first, players basically supported Steve or Grayfist. They also more hoped Steve or Grayfist would win the trial.

After all, these two represented the players. Their victory would clearly be beneficial to the player faction.

But gradually, after learning Xu Yuan's identity, seeing the things he did, hearing his beliefs and views... Players subconsciously started siding with Xu Yuan.

Because they found Xu Yuan wasn't "competing."

He was doing what was beneficial for the world, maintaining its ecosystem, and answering the calls of the people.

He didn't care at all about winning or losing.

And precisely because of that, Xu Yuan truly won over the players' hearts.

Players may not even have noticed that they even felt relieved Steve didn't want to compete for the final victory.

In their hearts, they had already accepted Xu Yuan as the rightful winner of the trial.

———

[Inside the Trial Grounds]

"Boss, I understand."

"HIM really is the one most suitable to receive that power."

Once he figured it out, Ping Pong also let go of his desire for gain. He fully understood and respected all of Steve's decisions.

Seeing this, Steve nodded slightly, then as if noticing something, looked around.

After a moment's thought, he seemed to make a decision.

He muttered a few things to Ping Pong and the others, and then a player stepped forward.

He then held up two doors and slowly walked into the rainforest, shouting as he went.

"I mean no offense! We want to talk about cooperation! We can provide the resources you need!!"

Have to say, this Nirvana Guild player's voice was pretty loud.

That voice probably carried three to five miles.

Naturally, that booming voice quickly drew the attention of the Black Blade members in the rainforest and the monsters on the edge.

Though some of the guarding monsters couldn't speak, they could still understand the players' words.

After hearing what the Nirvana Guild player said, they seemed a little hesitant.

They all looked toward Black Blade.

"Boss... what do we do?…"

"Seems like it's someone from Nirvana Guild again? Didn't they probe us once before?!"

"Roar... roar roar..."

"Kill or not kill?!…"

At this moment, Black Blade was also in a bind.

Currently, the rainforest was just an empty shell. Naturally, Black Blade didn't want to make enemies now.

The Nirvana Guild player had entered under the pretense of negotiation.

If they killed him, it would be a declaration of war.

But if they didn't, it would clearly violate the new rules, because this was Nirvana's second intrusion.

Just as Black Blade was hesitating, the player suddenly flipped the two doors he was holding.

Now, facing Black Blade's people, on the surfaces of the two doors appeared two large characters seemingly written in red dye, [Kill Me]

Black Blade was startled upon seeing this. After glancing at Steve outside the rainforest, he seemed to understand something.

Then he immediately ordered, "Kill!"

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator

🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.