Free Web NovelChapter 496: Chapter 243: The Hero Who Refuses to Save the World (Part 2)
His body began to uncontrollably tremble, teeth chattering, wanting to speak, yet finding himself unable to form even the most basic syllables. The soldiers behind him fared worse, nearly plummeting from the air.
Cold sweat soaked the officer’s luxurious uniform. The shadow of death was so tangible, crushing all his arrogance and reliance.
Seconds of dead silence felt as long as a century.
Finally, the Aerial Patrol Inspector mustered all his strength, squeezing out an expression uglier than crying. His voice was dry and hoarse, with an undisguisable fear: "It is... it is I... who have eyes but fail to see... offended... offended Your Excellency... please... please allow passage..."
He almost signaled with both hands and feet to his subordinates to shut down the array. The azure barrier flickered a few times, then quickly dissipated into the air.
"You’re giving up the 500 Gold Coins?"
Ye Mingqiu revealed a playful smile on his face.
He could sense that although this Aerial Patrol Inspector was extremely frightened, there was still malice hidden deep inside, a malice suppressed by fear but would emerge to plague at a future opportunity, lurking deep within the soul.
"No need, no need."
The Aerial Patrol Inspector hurriedly nodded and said.
"Good, then let’s let bygones be bygones."
Ye Mingqiu said.
Upon hearing this, the Aerial Patrol Inspector and the soldiers behind him felt as if they had been granted amnesty, but before they could rejoice for long, Ye Mingqiu spoke again.
"So, let’s discuss the compensation for intercepting us."
Ye Mingqiu flexed his muscles, his terrifying aura slowly rising again, blood-red killing intent burning like fire, quietly erupting, gripping the soldiers’ hearts once more.
He smiled and said, "I really like a saying, ’courtesy demands reciprocity.’ Since you requested 500 Gold Coins from me, I’ll ask for a return gift of 5000 Gold Coins."
"Fi... Five thousand Gold Coins?!"
The Aerial Patrol Inspector’s eyes widened, almost spitting blood. Demanding 500 Gold Coins was already exorbitant, asking for 5000 was pushing someone to their death.
He forced a bitter smile, saying, "Well... could you show some leniency? After all, we haven’t caused you any substantial loss, have we?"
"I just said the same thing."
Adira suddenly spoke, the smile on his face unusually bright, mimicking the Aerial Patrol Inspector’s tone, "500 Gold Coins, not a single one less."
"Now, 5000 Gold Coins, not a single one less." Ye Mingqiu said, his expression cold, leaving no room for negotiation.
....
Ten minutes later, the Golden Boat restarted, instantly transforming into a golden dust speck, disappearing into the horizon beyond Iron Ice City, as if it had never been there.
On the Golden Boat, Ye Mingqiu looked at the large bag of Gold Coins before him, resting his chin on one hand, muttering to himself: "5000 Gold Coins... he really could come up with them."
"Of course, this guy has been robbing others here daily, backed by the array and his position, his pockets are overflowing with wealth... maybe we could have asked for more."
Adira laughed as he spoke, slightly pressing down the wind-blown corner of his coat, continuing, "But with people like this, the more face they lose, the more resentment they harbor. Though he won’t confront us directly, he’ll surely report us with embellishments. Trouble may very well await us in Frost Speech Forest before we even arrive."
Nearby, Modus, who had remained silent, also raised his eyes slightly, gazing at Ye Mingqiu, seemingly awaiting his response.
Ye Mingqiu stood at the bow of the boat, the fierce wind blowing his black robe into a billowing flurry, the corner of his mouth slightly upturned, as if he foresaw something amusing, laughing as he said, "If his superiors are just as ignorant and incompetent, they might as well offer me more treasures and wealth."
Adira and Modus exchanged smiles. Others may not know what kind of person the Blood Erosion Tyrant is, but they know very well; he is a tyrant who emerged from a mountain of corpses and sea of blood, a ruthless man who dares to kill without hesitation.
Then, Ye Mingqiu asked, "If I recall correctly, isn’t the world facing an apocalypse right now? Why then would they still hinder people in such a time?"
"A bunch of ignorant, incompetent swine."
Modus spoke unusually, a cold glint flickering in his eyes, continuing, "The Black Tide crisis is not the first to descend upon this world, but each time it comes, there are Heroes who strive with all their strength to save the world, suppressing the Black Tide completely."
"So, they started becoming accustomed to it, they slacked off, no longer handling it with the seriousness of before, waiting for salvation like a numb herd of swine... it’s simply trash."
"...."
Ye Mingqiu was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is there truly no one with wisdom in this world? Anyone with enough foresight should be able to predict the terror of the Black Tide crisis, right?"
"Of course, the top-level folks are very smart, and it’s precisely because of their intelligence that the current scene is so chaotic, the world so unbearable."
The Minstrel Adira sneered, his gaze turning towards the distant snowy mountains, as if an endless snowstorm also raged within him, speaking, "The Black Tide is a world-level calamity, saving the world requires Heroes to forge the path, top craftsmen and Rune Mages to create Stabilizing Stones from Raw Stones to suppress the Black Tide."
"However, the nobility covets the power of the Heroes, seeking to gain benefit from the salvation, hoping the journey to salvation reshuffles the world, elevating them to even higher rungs. So they develop their strength and influence, tightly controlling every Raw Stone, holding every top craftsman and Rune Mage in their grip."
"They view the Raw Stones, craftsmen, and Rune Mages as their assets. Should a Hero wish to save the world, they must negotiate with them, obtaining these resources and network power from their hands; otherwise, they cannot overcome the Black Tide calamity."
Adira’s voice gradually softened, his gaze shifting towards Modus beside him, smiling as he said, "And the Hero born in this Black Tide, he seems not so eager to save the world."
"I have nothing worth protecting."
Modus spoke with a heavy voice, keeping his head down as the fierce wind scattered his black hair, allowing his unkempt beard to grow freely.
He turned his gaze to the two, saying, "My parents who raised me have died, my beloved companion was taken away, and when I found her, she had been tormented to death by the nobles, and my grandfather who raised me was beaten to death by a Tax Collector."
"My dearest ones are all gone. Saving the world is not an important matter to me."
"Then why embark on the journey?"
"Because I wish to witness."
"Witness?"
"Yes."
A fierce flame ignited in Modus’s eyes, his voice trembling with excitement, "I want to see what kind of expressions those nobles will have when they encounter a slacking Hero, a Hero who halts when faced with difficulties, not achieving their goals, merely resting wherever, playing at leisure."
"What if they don’t get anxious?"
"Then I’ll wait. I have ample patience. I own far less than those nobles. They have their ambitions and schemes, but I don’t, I have nothing. I don’t care if the world perishes, I solely wish to see them when their confidence and arrogance are crushed by reality, wouldn’t that be quite interesting?"
Modus chuckled lowly, as if in mockery, yet the mockery held a tint of sadness.
"I see..."
Ye Mingqiu began to gradually understand why the Black Tide disaster in Moros World wasn’t as terrifying as imagined, and yet it still required Spiritualists to be summoned for salvation.
It turns out, the Heroes of this world are sick, severely at that. When Heroes no longer wish to save the world but wish to see the despair on the nobles’ faces in the process, then the world is likely not far from its end.
"Doo~doo~"
Adira hummed a tune while smiling, having no intention whatsoever to advise the Hero. This Minstrel wasn’t serious, probably not much different from the Hero.
If nothing unexpected happens...
This world is indeed truly doomed.
