"Also, don't expect me to save Mingtai Temple. I've already made my plan very clear to you, and I've made my choices." Shi Yin crossed her arms, expressionless. "And perhaps it could be a coincidence, but I really can't go."

Kita Kiyokawa: "Why?"

“Because Nan Zhu and Freya were folded into another world by space, I have to go and bring them back. This is no easy task.” Shi Yin said frankly, “Mingtai Temple… to be honest, even if I go, it won’t change anything.”

"There are three ways to solve this. First, I'll call Tyr for help. But by the time he gets here, he won't be able to meet your needs."

"Second, I am completely liberated. As I just said, I can no longer use the term 'completely liberated'."

"Third, I used more power to solve this problem, but the remaining few mirror zombies are also keeping a close eye on me. I don't want to increase the difficulty of the human level. Increasing it from three stars to five stars will kill more people."

"So, do you understand? When the trolley problem arises, most people will either not make a choice or be conflicted, but I will, and must, choose the majority." Shi Yin looked earnestly at Kita Kiyokawa: "It's just that I'm a bit selfish; I will put as many people as possible who want to stay on the majority side."

Kita Kiyokawa: "I'll go."

"Huh?" Shi Yin didn't understand what Bei Qingchuan meant.

“You go save Nan Zhu and Freya, I’ll go to Mingtai Temple.” Kita Kiyokawa and Shion looked at each other, their gazes gentle and calm.

“Going there is just suicide, Bei Qingchuan. You can’t accomplish anything no matter how hard you try.” Just like the naive me in the past, Shi Yin frowned: “Since you can’t do it, just stay put. Your kind of sacrifice is just self-indulgence.”

“But you are very sad.” Kita Kiyokawa’s expression was equally serious: “I noticed before that you would always stare out the window during breaks from work, and you would pinch the corner of your notebook when you were anxious.”

"Naive!" Shi Yin's face darkened. "This has nothing to do with me, Bei Qingchuan. We must make the right choice!"

“Shiyin, now it’s just the two of us, so you can tell the truth.” Bei Qingchuan took a step back: “You’re very sad, but you can’t fight for your life in this position, so I’ll go for you.”

"...This is absurd! You only have one life. Even if I could be reborn, the people I bring back wouldn't necessarily be the original versions of you." For some reason, Shi Yin was extremely irritated: "Obeying them would have allowed you to live longer!"

“That’s not how it is.” Kita Kiyokawa lowered his voice: “Shi Yin, you blame yourself for being a villain. You all think I’m very noble, but I’ve never thought I was any better.”

I've read many books hoping to change the world, but whether before or after the apocalypse, I'm just a drop in the ocean. I feel pity, but I also stand idly by.

I don't want it to be like this, but I'm the one who feels empathy, I'm the one running around everywhere, and I'm also the one who's powerless.

Kita Kiyokawa actually felt sorry for Tokine, even though he had no right to pity anyone.

He just felt that a little girl should be at an age where she needs to be taken care of, but instead she was burdened with unrealistic desires that were out of reach for ordinary people, staring at a painful and resentful past, while shouting about victory and moving forward.

It's as if this is how you can achieve salvation.

But there was clearly nothing in front of me.

Therefore, he must do his best, even if it is just a fleeting piece of firewood, but it can help the flame burn for one more second, just like the moment a moth flies into a flame, because the flame will be exceptionally bright because of the burning.

He was willing to be a moth drawn to a flame.

Just like every insignificant and nameless warrior in the wars of the Yanlong Kingdom over thousands of years, they fought against all kinds of encroachment on the Yanlong Kingdom. Even if they left nothing behind, they would stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods with their flesh and blood and fight their way out.

Just as some chapters are destined to be lost to time, perhaps not glorious or dazzling enough, they still undeniably existed.

“Shiyin, you are an inextinguishable flame. You cannot make the choice of being an ordinary person, so let me take that choice and work hard for you.” Kita Kiyokawa’s voice was deep and firm: “That way, you will have tried your best.”

"You! Tsk... whatever." Shi Yin clicked her tongue lightly: "Hey, Bei Qingchuan, don't treat me like a child."

Kita Kiyokawa paused, taken aback.

Bei Qingchuan and Shi Yin hadn't known each other for very long, and to be honest, Bei Qingchuan didn't really feel like the girl in front of him was a big shot.

Shi Yin's appearance is so deceptive that if you didn't look into her eyes, you would think she might just be an introverted young girl.

"I'm sorry," Kitakami Kiyokawa apologized honestly.

"Tsk, what kind of God of War are you?" Shi Yin turned around, not wanting to pay attention to this person: "Bei Qingchuan, although it is offensive to say this, to me, you are the children."

"Perhaps that's true, but I'm sorry, I probably can't truly empathize with that." Kita Kiyokawa couldn't imagine what it would be like to be reborn more than a thousand times; even the expert team couldn't assess it.

If we're really counting by age, is Shi Yin over a thousand years old? Probably not, since the number of years she's lived in each of these thousand-plus reincarnations is different, maybe even tens of thousands of years.

Human lifespan is only a little over a hundred years, so we don't really have a sense of what life can be like for hundreds of years.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to question you. I just feel that someone has to make another choice to prove you’re right.” Kita Kiyokawa sighed. “Or rather, I have my own selfish reasons. I’m not reconciled. Even as an ordinary person, I want to make a choice, even if it might mean death.”

"Alright, go if you want. I'm not going to go with you. Dying is your own business." Shi Yin waved her hand: "I promise you the freedom to choose the truth."

After all, it's like an ant trying to shake a tree.

A stone thrown into the sea can't make a splash, and it might actually cause unexpected consequences, which is a good thing; otherwise, the repeated rebirths would be meaningless.

Knowing more about the possibilities allows us to prepare for the next one.

Shi Yin pressed her temples; she was getting impatient. If one day she really couldn't wait any longer, she would ignite the "roots" of the earth.

She is very vengeful and unreasonable, lacking in both reason and morality.

"Thank you." Kitakami placed his right fist over his heart and clenched it tightly. This was the military salute of the Yanlong Kingdom's superhumans, solemn and powerful, just like the salute all superhumans give when they join the national team and face the national flag.

I solemnly swear to dedicate everything to the fight against the apocalypse—power, life, and everything I possess—to never betray my country, to remain loyal to it, and to fight for the survival of humanity and the Flame Dragon Kingdom.

Like moths drawn to a flame, the torch is passed on from generation to generation.

Shi Yin didn't turn around, and Kita Kiyokawa didn't hesitate any longer; the two of them walked in opposite directions.