The boy and the old man talked a lot, mostly the boy talking and the old man listening.

Finally, the old man looked at the boy.

"Make your decisions bravely, and let history judge whether they are right or wrong."

After the old man finished speaking, he looked at the little boy again, his eyes full of encouragement and trust.

...

As the dreamlike scene faded away, Zhizi reappeared out of thin air.

The black suit gleamed with a cold sheen in the dim light.

Seeing that the sadness on Lu Fan's face had faded and been replaced by a calm and resolute expression, Zhi Zi couldn't help but feel curious.

"Have you made a decision?"

Tomoko's voice was completely flat, like a mechanical melody.

Lu Fan's emotions had calmed down, and he couldn't help but smile knowingly as he asked, "Which side do you think I would choose?"

Tomoko slowly shook her head, the movement somewhat stiff: "Emotions are elusive and immeasurable, I cannot know your thoughts. But I hope you choose the Wilderness World side, I can tell you, if you choose this side, they all have a chance to come back to life."

After saying that, Zhizi raised her hand and waved it gently in the air, and a huge screen instantly appeared.

The screen showed a dense array of culture jars, their transparent bodies shimmering under the light.

Inside the jars were sleeping human bodies, as if waiting to be awakened.

"You should have already witnessed the wonders of memory cells. By simply implanting memories into these bodies, all of humanity can come back to life. At that time, the two worlds will be restored to one, and these people can safely come into this world and continue to exist."

Tomoko continued to explain, a hint of barely perceptible expectation in her voice, "Now, make your choice."

As she spoke, Tomoko handed over a white remote control with only two buttons on it.

"Red means you destroy this place; green means you destroy that place," Zhizi explained the remote control's functions precisely.

Lu Fan took the remote control, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said half-jokingly, "If I press both buttons at the same time, won't you explode?"

Tomoko:......

After a brief silence, Lu Fan's expression turned serious, and he asked, "Is the 10,000x return still valid?"

"exist."

Tomoko answered succinctly.

Lu Fan gave a teasing smile: "Now that I am the Swordholder, it's not too much to ask for a few small requests, is it?"

Tomoko remained largely unmoved: "Okay."

"That's good. Can you do me a favor and get all the contestants together?" Lu Fan's tone left no room for argument.

Tomoko nodded calmly, then waved her hand gracefully in the air.

In an instant, space seemed to be distorted, and all the contestants appeared here like phantoms.

They looked at each other blankly, completely unaware of what had happened.

Some people tried to leave, but were ruthlessly blocked by a blue light curtain that emitted a ghostly glow.

Some people began to scream in panic.

"What's going on! Where am I?!"

"Let me out, then I can go home, right?"

"He's Chinese, it must be him who did this!"

"Let us out!"

"I want to go back!!"

...

Lu Fan seemed not to hear the noise and turned to walk straight out of the room.

Upon seeing Lu Fan emerge, An Lan and Ling Yue immediately rushed over to greet him.

“…Lu Fan?” An Lan asked cautiously, her eyes full of concern.

Lu Fan smiled, gently tucked the messy hair from An Lan's forehead behind her ear, and said tenderly, "I'm sorry, I always make you worry."

Looking at Lu Fan's calm yet somewhat unusual state, An Lan couldn't help but laugh, but tears welled up in her eyes. She forced back her tears and said, "It's good that you're alright."

"But I still have things to do. I'll come find you after I'm done."

Ling Yue stepped forward, intending to say something, but swallowed his words back.

He simply patted Lu Fan's shoulder forcefully, a pat that was heavy and full of his complex emotions and trust.

An Lan seemed to have guessed something and stepped forward to give Lu Fan a hug.

Lu Fan also held her tightly.

He felt that a hug was the most restrained yet most passionate way to say goodbye, because when you hug, you can't see each other's tears.

After a long while, An Lan let go of his hands and then turned her head away from him.

Lu Fan remained silent for a moment...

Then, Lu Fan turned around and went back into the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Zhi Zi stared silently at Lu Fan, her internal chip working at high speed, trying to analyze his behavior and thought process: "Your state is strange, and the states of the other two are also strange."

Lu Fan smiled but did not respond directly. Instead, he said, "Give me a weapon that can kill without drawing blood."

Zhi Zi didn't ask any further questions. She handed over a weapon as thin as a cicada's wing and introduced it: "This is a metal-like particle sword. If a creature is injured by it, it will dissipate into particle form."

Lu Fan took the weapon and looked coldly at the trapped contestants through the light screen.

Suddenly, as if receiving some special signal, Zhizi abruptly looked up at the sky.

In the city, the people who were initially panicked were suddenly overjoyed and wept tears of joy.

All the nuclear bombs disappeared into the sky and appeared in the wilderness.

Tomoko's originally calm voice now carried a hint of doubt and confusion.

"It seems you've made your decision, but I don't understand why you chose this path. That place is already rotten to the core, and I believe you can sense that. Even if you save them, China will inevitably be targeted by other countries in the future. Even if it survives by chance, it will inevitably begin to collapse from within. Right now, China's development is unstoppable, and I believe you understand the principle that things will turn around when they reach their extreme."

“You will not become a hero either. I believe you have heard the saying ‘humanity does not thank Luo Ji.’ When war breaks out, you will be the object of people’s scorn. People will think that you are being targeted because you made the country develop too fast.”

Zhizi continued, trying to persuade Lu Fan to change his mind, "But this world is different. You will be regarded as a hero. Under the management of my intelligent system, humanity has truly achieved freedom, and there is no discrimination, no gap between rich and poor, no conflict. They will live on for a long, long time."

Zhi Zi kept asking questions, bombarding Lu Fan with a barrage of words, but Lu Fan just smiled calmly.

"Don't you think about what will happen to Big Black, Lightning, and the monkeys if you destroy this world? They are about to give birth to their own civilization with your help. I don't believe you have no feelings for them. They will all die because of your actions. If you regret it now, it's not too late."

Zhizi threw out her last card, attempting to shake Lu Fan's resolve.

Lu Fan didn't answer, but instead asked, "Will An Lan and Ling Yue get home safely?"

Tomoko paused for a moment, then replied, "Yes, but you..."

Lu Fan breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. As for what you said about China being targeted, don't worry, that won't happen."

Although this country has its corruption, darkness, and injustice, I believe it will get better and better, because on that land, there is a group of simple and strong people.

"I believe that the majority of people in this world are willing to work hard."

After saying that, Lu Fan gripped the particle lightsaber tightly and resolutely stepped into the light curtain.

He pulled a card from his pocket; it was that precious 10x critical hit card.

"activation."

[In the next 24 hours, users' rebate multiplier will be multiplied by ten.]

Lu Fan looked up and saw that two-thirds of the more than one hundred contestants harbored ill will towards him.

To be precise, it was malice toward his country.

The blood-red, malevolent light was dazzling and could not be concealed by his ability to perceive malice.

The United States and the land of cherry blossoms are the first to be affected.

"I never expected this to happen on my first use."

Lu Fan took a deep breath, his chest burning with a fierce fire, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. Without hesitation, he drew his sword and charged forward.

In a daze, the nightmare that had haunted him for so long resurfaced, with countless people baring their teeth and claws as they pounced on him, roaring that he should pay with his life.

But at this moment, he felt no fear.

He really didn't have any good ideas; he was a fool.

But idiots have their own methods...

If there is any bad karma, let one person bear it.

If one side in a war is completely driven out, then the war will not happen...

[Wilderness Survival Announcement]

[American athlete Azu triggers 10,000x return]

[One hundred million people in the US will have their necks broken randomly]

[Sakura Country's Hikawa Okazaka Triggers 10,000x Return]

[One hundred million people in Japan will randomly suffer broken necks]

...

At this moment, the people of China were also speechless.

In other countries, lives are being lost one after another.

The world is changing.

Perhaps it's time for a change.

...

Meanwhile, An Lan and Ling Yue waited quietly outside.

The air seemed to freeze instantly by an invisible hand, and the surroundings were eerily quiet.

Only the cold announcements kept ringing out.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at this moment, and every second felt like an unbearable ordeal.

Finally, after 30 minutes, the tightly closed door slowly swayed and opened little by little.

Lu Fan walked out with a weak yet satisfied smile on his face, his steps unsteady.

His body was covered in wounds, each one shocking to behold. His clothes were tattered and soaked in blood, the mottled bloodstains telling the story of the harrowing battle he had just experienced.

He also lost his sight.

Upon seeing this, An Lan's eyes instantly reddened, and tears of heartache streamed down her face like a burst dam.

She was powerless to help with this level of injury, and that was the most painful thing.

She rushed forward without hesitation, her hurried steps filled with endless worry and concern.

Lu Fan reached out and groped around, and An Lan quickly caught him.

"I'm here...I'm here..."

Lu Fan could no longer hold on, his legs gave way, and he collapsed into An Lan's warm embrace, saying weakly, "I'm sorry, Teacher An, I'm afraid I can't be your husband anymore."

His voice was hoarse and tired, as if he had used up all his strength.

An Lan felt as if her throat was blocked, and she couldn't say anything. She just held him tightly and walked out step by step.

After crossing a mysterious boundary that emitted a soft blue light, they returned to their familiar sanctuary.

An Lan did not head towards the villa, but instead helped Lu Fan to the somewhat simple brick house and gently sat him down on a bamboo chair.

This is where the story begins.

Are you angry?

Lu Fan spoke with difficulty, asking with a hint of caution.

An Lan gently shook her head, her voice choked with emotion: "No."

"Hehe... Well, that's good. I've never treated you as a substitute or anything. I just fell in love with you twice."

Lu Fan forced a smile onto his pale face, trying to reassure An Lan.

An Lan sat up straight, slowly reaching into Lu Fan's pocket and pulling out a pair of exquisite gold rings.

These rings were carefully crafted by Lu Fan using gold he had found a long time ago. He had kept them hidden in his pocket, careful not to take them out, but An Lan actually knew about them a long time ago.

"Hehe...you found out."

Sensing An Lan's movement, Lu Fan spoke somewhat embarrassedly, offering a weak smile.

An Lan remained silent, but gently and firmly placed the ring on Lu Fan's and her own ring fingers.

The ring shimmered with a warm glow in the dim light, as if it were a testament to their love.

Lu Fan smiled happily and slowly leaned back on her shoulder.

He could feel the warmth in An Lan's hand, and he knew she was crying.

An Lan felt the warmth on his shoulder, unable to distinguish whether it was blood or tears; he was crying too.

Gradually, Lu Fan's consciousness became increasingly blurred, but he didn't know what to say.

He felt that no matter how he said goodbye, it wouldn't be worthy of their first meeting.

“Teacher An, let me… recite a poem for you…” Lu Fan said weakly.

“Okay…” An Lan suppressed her grief and replied softly.

""Leaving a Farewell Wife"

We've tied our hair together... to become husband and wife, cough cough... our love is unwavering. Joy fills this evening, tenderness and perfect timing..."

As Lu Fan continued reciting, his breath grew weaker and his voice grew softer.

She fell into a deep sleep on Anlan's shoulder, as if entering a dreamland without strife or pain.

An Lan and he leaned on each other, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto Lu Fan's clothes, and her voice trembled.

"Cherish the spring blossoms with all your might, and never forget the joyful times. If I live, I will... return; if I die, I will... forever yearn for you..."

[Wilderness Survival Announcement]

[All survivor players are returning soon, please be prepared.]

The next moment, blue light particles began to appear on An Lan's body, like countless stars gathering together—a signal that she was returning home.

Red light particles began to appear on Lu Fan's wounds. The two types of light particles intertwined and intertwined in mid-air, as if telling a story of reluctance and longing.

That was the way home for her.

It was also the way he would go home.

...

Watching countless nuclear bombs, which should have been in another world, fall like meteors.

Tomoko stood quietly in place for a long time before letting out a slow sigh.

"I hope your death can truly take away some of the decay."

He then manipulated the void with his fingers.

[Wilderness Survival Announcement]

Chinese athlete Lu Fan died due to extensive bodily damage and excessive blood loss.

Chinese contestant Lu Fan triggers a 10,000-fold return.

[The Chinese people who commit heinous crimes and violate heaven and reason will die from bodily injury and blood loss.]

Then Tomoko raised her hand and slowly removed the pure white mask from her face.

Beneath the mask was a face exactly like Lu Fan's!

Lu Fan from the Wilderness World went there, and from there he came to the Wilderness World.

Both were people without a hometown, and were pushed in different directions by the torrent of fate.

He suddenly became very curious about what Lu Fan had seen in the memory hall and what made him make such a decision.

With this question in mind, he turned and walked towards the room full of secrets.

Countless people gathered together, creating a cacophony of noise that surged in like a tide, making it impossible for him to hear anything clearly.

I could only vaguely hear people saying that today is a day worth commemorating.

He followed the flow of people and slowly moved to the front of Chengtianmen Square.

The noise here was even louder, and people's faces were filled with excitement and anticipation, as if they were eagerly awaiting some important moment.

Finally, everyone shouted a slogan.

Then, his eyes instantly welled up with tears, which streamed down his face uncontrollably.

Having spent so much time in the virtual world, he almost forgot the only solution to save it.

No need for further explanation, those four words will forever remain in people's hearts.