Chapter 114 It would be nice if time could stop

[You have been promoted to 'Second-level Old-time Chess Player'. The attribute bonus of the second-level Old-time Chess Player is: Spirit +4. Your current total spirit attribute is 40 points.]

[Congratulations on becoming the world's first special sequence player to be promoted to the second level! ]

"That's true..." Anson Lu said, "After all, at this point, who else but me can reach level 15?"

He opened his personal panel and looked at the changes in the sequence skills of the second-level former chess player.

[Second-level old chess players will gain a brand new sequence skill. ]

[Sequence skill four, Chess Soul: Select a chess piece, make it immune to incoming damage and control for the next 3 seconds, and increase the main attribute of the chess piece by 4 points (the value is affected by the spirit attribute of the old chess player).]

[Cooling time: 1 hour]

Anson Lu raised his eyebrows, "My current spirit is 40 points, but I only added 4 points to the chess piece. Divided by 10, it's a bit too little."

Fortunately, in addition to the useless attribute bonuses, "Chess Soul" can also make chess pieces immune to damage and control.

Moreover, he could tell at a glance that this sequence of skills was compatible with "King Protection".

"King Protection" transfers all the damage and control he suffers to the chess pieces, and "Chess Soul" makes the chess pieces immune to damage and control. The cooperation between the two can only be described by the four words "flawless".

[Second-level Old-time Chess Player's sequence skill - King Guardian, can be used multiple times (can be used up to twice within ten minutes, and the interval between each use must be more than 10 seconds) (after using it twice, it will enter a cooldown period of 30 minutes)]

"Twice?" Anson Lu rubbed his eyes. "Is this true? Then I really won't be afraid of assassins anymore."

He read it several times before he confirmed that he was not mistaken - yes, the King Protector can now be used twice within ten minutes. Although there is a 10-second interval requirement, it doesn't matter at all.

Now, the weakest "survival ability" of the old chess players has a triple guarantee: 1. The pocket storage of the alien kangaroo, 2. The first use of "King Protector", 3. The second use of "King Protector".

In addition, there are many changes after reaching the second level.

[1. The right to purchase some exclusive items for "Old Chess Players" in the store has been unlocked.]

[2. The number of available chess squares for the second-level old chess player has been increased from 8 to 10.]

[3. After being promoted to the second-level old chess player, if the chess type is forcibly reclaimed, the reclaimed chess pieces can be used again after 10 minutes.]

The most important of these is undoubtedly the change in the number of occupied squares allowed.

If there are 8 squares, then after Anson Deer arranges a full set of stone chess sets and lays out the field once, the remaining 2 squares are only enough to place the floating fish and jellyfish in the tank.

But if there are 10 grids, after Anson Deer uses a full set of stone statues to pave the field and releases the duo in the tank, there are still 2 full grids left - at this time he can let the alien kangaroo and the Arctic Ocean Lighthouse to ensure the safety of the duo in the tank.

This is a qualitative change in fault tolerance.

The third change is also very important. Originally, the cost of chess piece death and forced chess piece retrieval was the same - the chess piece could not be used again until 30 minutes later.

But now, the cost of forcibly retrieving the chess piece is that it can only be used again after 10 minutes, which is completely different from the cost of death, so this instruction has its reason for existence.

In the future, as the chess library expands, there will be more and more occasions where you need to recall chess pieces and change tactics.

Anson Lu turned off the panel and murmured softly:

"Well, the upgrade sequence is complete. Next, I will wait for the meeting with Lorenzo tomorrow. I must discuss the matter of Julius with him and see how the law enforcement team will arrange it. Otherwise, this hidden danger will only grow bigger."

After all, Julius is at least the third-ranked player in the world.

If he really went berserk, the damage he caused would be much greater than David Kench's - his [Hand of Devouring] sequence sounds a lot more powerful than [Ape of Purgatory].

Anson Lu lay on the bed, staring at the yellowed ceiling, sorting out his next plan.

The face of the Icelandic girl suddenly flashed before his eyes.

Since Yuri came to Shangshi, he hardly spoke to her. They both did their own things. Since he had promised to accompany her skiing, he certainly couldn't break the agreement.

After all, no matter how miserable it is to be in Iceland, at least you can go skiing...

But Shangshi is in the east of China, where there is no snow. There is no trace of snow all year round.

Anson Deer looked at the clock. It was 9 o'clock in the evening.

He turned on his phone and searched for Sapporo International Ski Resort in Hokkaido to confirm whether "night skiing" was possible there. The answer from Baidu was - yes.

Fortunately, Sapporo's ski resort allows night skiing, so I can go there with her now...

Moreover, I can use the travel voucher mechanism to come back directly tomorrow morning without delaying the meeting with Lorenzo.

Anson Lu got up from the bed, took a shower in the dormitory, changed into a light blue winter suit, pushed open the dormitory door, walked to Yuri's dormitory, and knocked on the door.

"Are you there?"

"exist."

The door opened quickly, and the girl's snow-white hair was tied into a ponytail behind her head.

Her clear eyes stared at Anson's cheek without any evasion. Such an unambiguous and direct gaze, yet not aggressive, was like an Arctic penguin curiously observing humans.

Anson Lu waved his right hand wearing a plush glove, "Let's go to Hokkaido for night skiing. You don't like crowded environments, and neither do I. This is a perfect spot."

"But... I don't have a travel voucher."

The girl untied her hairpin, and her snow-white hair fell down and hung behind her fair neck.

"I have three, is that enough?" Anson Lu summoned the travel bag panel and turned to her.

"Um."

"Here, one for you."

Anson Deer initiated a trade request, nonchalantly dragging a travel scroll toward the panel.

Yuri stretched out his slender fingers, clicked to agree to the transaction, and obtained a travel coupon.

She returned to her dorm and picked up her skis, not taking the rest of her equipment with her because she didn't need it.

"I'll go first. Don't leave me alone at the ski resort." Anson Lu yawned, "Use the travel coupon, Hokkaido, Sapporo City, Sapporo International Ski Resort."

"Use the travel coupon to Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort."

The girl's voice fell and her figure disappeared on the spot.

Ten minutes later, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort.

It was dark at first, but suddenly LED lights lit up on the white snow slope. These were lights specially prepared for night skiing, and the light was a little hazy under the touch of falling snow.

"I just asked the administrator for a set of ski equipment. Is it cool?"

Anson Deer stood in a big letter position, showing off his ski equipment.

"What did you exchange it for?"

Yuri rested his hand on his chin, motionless, examining his equipment.

"15 Evolution Coins. That person is a player. He gave it to me without a second thought." Anson Lu shrugged. "Uh. Now one Evolution Coin can be exchanged for at least 200,000 yen."

"I got scammed. This set costs at most 20,000 yen."

"It doesn't matter. I don't need that little money."

"So stupid..."

"Yes, yes, let's ski," Anson Lu picked up the skis and stepped on the snow, "This is my first time skiing. I'm poor and have never left that small county."

Yuri looked at his penguin-like walking posture and said, "I'll teach you."

"I'm waiting for you to teach me, but if you can't skate faster than me, don't hit me with the ice pick!"

"I prefer... to build a wall of ice in front of you."

"That's fine. I surrender."

On the deserted snowy trail, the snow-white leaves swayed in the wind like the tide. The dim light fell down the slope, illuminating the boy's slightly clumsy figure at an angle.

In five minutes, Anson Deer fell at least 10 times.

Yuri followed him on his snowboard and told him the secrets of skiing in a clear and cold voice.

She seemed to be very interested, always observing him with the same eyes as an Arctic penguin observing a human being, without any concealment - as if she wanted to imprint this person's rare clumsiness into her mind.

To be used for future ridicule or future recollection.

However, she doesn't have that much time left, so every minute and every second is very precious.

"No, I'm really not good at skiing."

Anson abandoned his snowboard and fell to the ground in a big belly. The cold snow brushed his cheeks and slid into his back through the gaps in his coat, giving him a chill.

Yuri put down his skis and gently sat down next to Anson Deer.

Her hair seemed to blend into the snow, her fair cheeks were still shining white in the snow, and her eyes, as clear as the aurora, were gazing at the sky.

In winter, there are not many stars in the sky of Hokkaido.

"Thank you for skiing with me." The Icelandic girl whispered.

Anson Deer's breathing was almost buried by the snow. "I have to thank you. I slipped so hard that you couldn't have fun."

Yuri opened a panel, on which a countdown was ticking - 4 months, 17 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes, 39 seconds.

Anson Lu looked away, and the time dropped from 39 seconds to 38 seconds, and then to 37 seconds.

He knew what the numbers meant, but he still asked:

"What's this?"

"The fourth skill sequence of the Snow Country Walker is a countdown..."

She didn't continue. Anyway, with Anson Lu's ability, he would probably understand.

Anson Lu suddenly felt that the winter in Hokkaido was so cold that it could bury people here. The administrator turned off the LED lights one by one, and the entire ski slope fell into sudden darkness.

"Are you afraid of death?" he asked in a low voice.

"I lack that kind of emotion." Yuri's voice was emotionless, and the tips of his ears were a little red from the wind.

"...Four months." Anson Deer climbed up from the snow and shook off the snow on his body. "Well, just in time before the arrival of the World Boss. At least I don't have to worry about the destruction of the world."

"Very good..." Yuri paused, and suddenly said: "The crow said that the closer it is to you, the easier it is to discover your indifference. If it does not keep a distance from you, it will be sad when it is pushed away."

"He is really immoral, but I also tell others about him behind his back, saying that he is a complete charlatan and that we should stay away from him, otherwise he will make us sick." Anson Lu said nonchalantly.

"So, you said the same thing as he did?"

"What do you mean?"

"I look nice on the outside, but I'm cold on the inside and feel like no one is important."

Anson Deer was silent for a while, buried his hands in the snow, and asked softly:

"what you think?"

“Perhaps, you are such a person.”

"Are you disappointed? My behavior towards you is just to make my disguised personality logically consistent."

"Even so, you are the first person to approach me." Yuri said, "Besides, it doesn't matter if it is like that. I don't have emotions like 'sad' and 'disappointed'."

"That's true. You're like a robot, so I won't hurt you."

"Robot?" The Icelandic girl put her hand on her chin, as if examining herself.

Anson Deer shrugged his shoulders and said self-deprecatingly: "That's a good point. I feel very relaxed when I'm with you, but it's different with others. I have to try to keep a distance from them."

"That being said, this is the first time..." Yuri whispered.

"First time what?"

“Because of this lack of emotion, it makes people closer to me.”

"I like to be with people who have no emotions," Anson Lu smiled, "Maybe because I am such a person myself."

"I have thought about it and tried to understand you." Yuri picked up a notebook and gently opened it, "But just like... I can't understand my mother, I can't do it."

"You don't have to understand me." Anson Lu exhaled a breath of white air, "I'm really bored. After my parents died, I have no interest in anything. I feel...very bored.

Well, just plain boredom.

When people get close to me, I pretend to be a fool and let them fool me. I feel relieved if they are happy.

What do you think a savior should be like? Then I can be that way, what a leader should be like, calm and composed, tolerant and generous, occasionally adjusting the atmosphere and caring about everyone's emotions.

In fact, I feel that all of this is extremely boring. I don’t even know what the meaning of living is. It’s just that...if I die, the world may really collapse.

So, even though it’s tiring, I still have to pretend to be serious and shamelessly lead everyone to save the world. Doesn’t it sound pretty self-righteous? "

"I can't understand why you would tell me this without any precautions." Yuri said softly.

"Well..." Anson Lu scratched his hair, "I guess so. Since you have no emotions, I won't hurt you, so I can say it clearly... I'm a fucking rotten person, don't get close to me."

"So, my lack of emotions is a good thing for you?"

"no."

"I'm studying, researching the emotions that normal people should have, but that seems to make me further away from you."

Anson Lu was stunned, "What kind of statement is this?"

"If I change, you'll close yourself off to me, just like you do to everyone else," she said.

A sudden silence fell between the two of them.

The snow in Hokkaido fell endlessly, and the woods rustled like a white ocean. The footprints left by the two people on the snowy path became fainter and fainter, as if they had never existed.

"I killed a person. It was the first time I killed someone since I was born." Anson Lu suddenly said, "I also learned about this person's past from various angles...

He was a soldier who was abandoned by his country, lost his identity, couldn't find a job, and had been wandering. But even so, he remained kind for many years.

He would protect the boy who was wandering with him, find food for him, and didn’t mind going hungry himself. Even though he was almost going crazy from illness, he still had a smile on his face and treated the world with tenderness.

"Do you feel guilty towards him?" Yuri turned his eyes away.

"No..." Anson Deer said calmly, "I don't feel any emotions, as if I wasn't the one who killed him. I don't even feel a little guilty. I just felt that I should have done that."

"should?"

"I often just rely on my intuition to do things. For example, I play the role of a person who is usually careless but stands up at critical moments and has a strong sense of justice and responsibility.

Then my intuition will tell me what kind of judgment and behavior this kind of person will make when faced with a certain situation, and then... I will do that. "

"intuition…"

"Well, I've been like this since I was a child. My intuition is very strong and I've almost never made mistakes. It has helped me fool around with many things."

Anson Deer paused and whispered:

"I feel like a robot, acting according to a set program. Crow also said the same thing to me. He said that I simply act according to the set 'values', but I don't care about anything in my heart."

"There's no chance you'll care about me." Yuri's snow-white hair swayed gently.

"Well, I don't care." Anson Lu lowered his dark brown eyes, "Just like I don't care what happens to the person I killed, I really don't care. Anyway, everyone will die, sooner or later, what's there to care about?"

"That's good." Yuri said without emotion:

"If you don't care, you won't get hurt. I approached you with the premise that I would die. If my leaving would hurt you, then maybe I wouldn't want to get close to you."

Anson Deer was stunned for a moment, and said sarcastically:

"You are obviously a person without emotions, but you are afraid of others getting hurt. You dare not get close to me because of this matter. Are you too arrogant?"

"When my kitten died, I felt a little... empty." Yuri whispered, "I think this kind of emptiness is 'sadness' for others. I don't want to be anyone's emptiness."

"blank……"

Anson Lu raised his head and looked at the white sky. If one day, his memory of Yuri was left with only a blank, would he feel sad, or would he still be numb?

"It's quite funny to say that. I don't care about anyone, so your death won't be a burden to me. You can approach me with peace of mind..." Anson Lu said self-deprecatingly:

"Because you have no emotions, my indifference will not cause you any harm, and I can stay by your side with peace of mind."

"Yes, that's right." The Icelandic girl did not deny it.

"I say, we really are a strange pair, a weirdo brother and sister."

"Brother and sister...why can't they be sister and brother."

"Because I'm the eldest brother."

"…oh."

"Please, don't accept these inexplicable things. I was just joking." Anson Deer fell on the snow and said helplessly: "The two of us are really twisted freaks..."

"have no choice."

"What?"

"I am observing and studying the emotions that normal people would express. Your emotion at this moment should be called..." Yuri closed the small notebook and said calmly: "Helpless."

"Yes, I feel helpless about myself and about you."

"What about others?"

"numbness."

"Helpless, isn't it better than being numb?"

"Yes, congratulations. You are indeed very special in my heart. You are an inexplicable existence that makes me helpless. You are not like others who can only bring me simple numbness."

"Thanks."

"...You're welcome." Anson Lu responded helplessly.

Silence and coldness enveloped the ears of the two. Yuri's eyes were fixed on the ticking countdown. The numbers passed by every second like snow passing by the sky.

"Do you feel lonely when you think about death?" Anson Lu suddenly asked.

"Won't."

"……oh."

"But the feeling of wanting to understand a person makes me feel lonely," Yuri put his hand on his chin, "I realized... I still can't really get close to that person."

Anson Deer retorted, "Please don't put the problem on me. Even if I'm not here, you're still hopelessly lonely."

“Before, I never felt lonely.”

"So, my presence makes you feel lonely?"

"……Um."

"What a strange logic."

“…”

“…”

“………”

"If time could stop..." Yuri fell into the snow and closed his clear eyes, "That would be great."

The countdown representing death was ticking in the snow. The cold snow failed to stop the passage of time. The white world seemed like a pair of big hands, about to bury the boys and girls sleeping in the snow.

"There is no such good thing in the world..."

Anson Deer closed his tired eyelids, and everything returned to deep darkness.

"Good night," he said.

Their heads were touching, and they were clearly sleeping so close to each other, yet they seemed as far away as if there was a galaxy between them.

"Good night," she said.

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(End of this chapter)