After 18 Years of Silence, Now My Words Are Divine

Chapter 65

Chapter 65: The Calm Before the Storm III

6:00 AM.

As the first rays of sunlight completely drove away the gloom of night.

That voice—the one everyone both anticipated and held in awe—rang out on time above the heavens.

In that moment, the world went still.

【Hello! My dear warriors!】

【After a day apart, it feels like a lifetime! We meet again, on this beloved Day 4!】

That insufferable Sky Screen, still carrying that infuriating, bubbly energy that made people want to smack it.

【Though I don't know whether you've missed me, today!】

【In addition to the leaderboard rewards, I've also brought you a piece of absolutely wonderful news!】

【And that wonderful news is…】

【On Day 5—that is, tomorrow at noon, 12:00 PM—we will be opening a one-of-a-kind, Global Trade Convention!】

【By then, even if you're a newcomer, you'll be able to experience the trading system that veteran players normally use! Share resources, barter goods!】

The moment these words fell, survivors across the globe erupted.

Trading!

This meant that junk in their hands could be turned into treasure—it meant the flow of resources, it meant hope for survival had multiplied!

However, the system wasn't finished speaking.

【Prepare yourselves well, warriors!】

【Especially that one who's suspected of cheating and exploiting Bugs to stock up… I'm talking about you! Don't look away! I can see you!】

Buzz!

The instant the words landed, inside the RV—aside from the newly arrived Hoshino Hikari, who looked completely bewildered—Chen Tong, Yu Shishi, and Liu Yuqing, even Yekaterina, all reflexively turned their gazes toward Jiang Nan sitting in the main seat.

Suspected of cheating?

Exploiting Bugs?

Who exactly this referred to—it was practically No Words Needed.

Jiang Nan ignored the peculiar stares from everyone inside the cabin.

Like someone without a care in the world, he leaned expressionlessly against the sofa, looking toward the rankings floating in the void, along with the rewards about to be distributed.

'A Trade Convention, huh…?'

'That's… rather interesting.'

Those 8 map hard drives in his hands—it looked like they'd sell for a good price.

Immediately after, the ranking data was released to thunderous impact!

【1st Place: No Words Needed (Huaxia Nation)】

【Location: Eerie Island (Grade S)】

【Battle Record: Defeated Watchful Scarecrow (Grade S Boss) × 1】

【Score: ???】

——————

【2nd Place: Arielia Alice (Eagle Nation)】

【Location: Eerie Island (Grade S)】

【Battle Record: Defeated Wandering Corpse (Grade E) × 16, Defeated Water Ghost (Grade C) × 1】

【Score: 9500】

——————

【3rd Place: Muraguchi Kazusu (Sakura Nation)】

【Location: Eerie Island (Grade S)】

【Battle Record: Defeated Tyrant (Grade B) × 1】

【Score: 5000】

——————

【4th Place: Silk-Stocking Desperado (Huaxia Nation)】

【Location: Eerie Island (Grade S)】

【Battle Record: Defeated Starving Wraith (Grade C) × 1, Defeated Insurance Ghost (Grade C) × 1】

【Score: 3000】

——————

……

The leaderboard scrolled further and further down.

Until 19th place, where a familiar yet unfamiliar name appeared.

——————

【19th Place: Lone Warrior·Yang Wei (Huaxia Nation)】

【Location: Eerie Island (Grade S)】

【Battle Record: Defeated Wandering Corpse (Grade E) × 3】

【Score: 300】

——————

Upon seeing this name.

Guo Shuai in the driver's seat jolted violently.

He stared at that name, tears of excitement swirling in his eyes, almost spilling over.

His hands trembling, he touched the two characters "Yang Wei" on the screen and choked out:

"Old Yang! Can you see this!"

"I didn't disgrace you! I fought my way into the top 20 carrying your name!"

"One day, I will make the name 'Yang Wei' known throughout the entire Savage Realm!"

"Let the world remember you! Know that you were a hero!"

"……"

Beside him, Wang Meng watched Guo Shuai moved by his own sentiment, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

He pushed up his glasses, started to speak, stopped himself, stopped himself again and started again, and ultimately couldn't hold back.

"That… hey, Old Guo."

"Is there any chance, do you think…?"

"That Yang Wei's spirit in heaven… actually doesn't want you to do this?"

Guo Shuai sniffled, waved a hand, and declared with righteous solemnity:

"Bro! Don't sweat the small stuff!"

"As long as his name goes down in history, what does a little misunderstanding matter!"

Saying so, he excitedly looked toward his rewards column.

"Quick, let's see what the Sky Screen gave me! The stuff's pretty decent!"

"Oh?"

Wang Meng leaned over to look—and his pupils immediately contracted.

"This is… a Cursed Object?!"

In Guo Shuai's hands, there was now an old-fashioned kerosene lamp emanating a faint, eerie blue-green glow.

Because it had been distributed as a Sky Screen reward, its information could be read without Liu Yuqing's Appraisal.

【Item】: Fog-Dispersing Lantern

【Type】: Cursed Object

【Grade】: Grade C

【Function】: Once lit, disperses eerie fog within a 50-meter radius and reveals all invisible units.

【Uses】: 50 (lamp oil must be replaced after reaching zero)

【Note】: Trust me, you don't want to know what the lamp oil inside is made of, heh heh.

Guo Shuai nodded, stroking the lantern with fondness.

"That's right! It's a Cursed Object!"

"It can disperse fog! What do you think? Pretty impressive, right!"

Wang Meng nodded emphatically, eyes burning with eagerness.

"Absolutely! In a place like this, visibility is life!"

"Sure, we haven't run into large-scale fog yet, but it's always better to be prepared! This thing could save lives at a critical moment!"

"Heh heh, Brother Wang, you're thinking the same thing I am."

Guo Shuai grinned honestly, then made up his mind:

"Then I'll bring it to the boss right now! The boss charges at the front—visibility matters to him most, he's definitely going to be happy."

Saying so, he was about to stand up and walk toward the rear cabin.

However.

Before he could even get to his feet, a message suddenly popped up on the main control panel.

【Don't give it to me.】

【Keep it for yourself. Protect yourself and the ones in the back.】

Seeing these words, Guo Shuai froze.

He sat back down in his chair, and instead looked somewhat dejected, head hanging low.

"Brother Wang… does the boss think I'm too weak?"

"Did I perform poorly somewhere? He won't even give me the chance to offer tribute…"

Wang Meng sighed at the sight, patted his shoulder, and comforted him.

"You're overthinking it, Old Guo."

"The boss is doing this for your sake."

"You're currently the only combat power we have here besides the boss."

"The boss keeping the reward for you means he wants you to improve your survival ability—he doesn't want you dying so easily."

"Think about it—if you go down too, who's going to protect me?"

Guo Shuai, upon hearing this, felt the light reignite in his eyes.

"Yeah! Brother Wang, you're right!"

"The boss trusts me! He handed his back to me!"

"Phew… I feel so much better hearing you say that."

Guo Shuai looked out the window toward the Sky Screen, his eyes turning deep and melancholy.

"It seems… I really have been a bit too afraid of losing things lately."

"I don't want to watch the people around me die in front of me again—the way Old Yang did…"

Anyone present could see Guo Shuai's inner knot.

He still couldn't let go of the past, couldn't let go of Yang Wei who had died in the Wheat Field, and couldn't let go of the version of himself who had once been a coward.

Wang Meng sighed and said nothing more.

A wound of the heart like this—an outsider couldn't counsel it away. He could only let him work through it slowly on his own.

……

And on the other side.

Jiang Nan, standing before the RV's main control panel, was thinking the same thing.

He had long since noticed Guo Shuai's problem.

That fellow who seemed like an optimist, jokes always on his tongue—he had actually been living inside enormous guilt and shadow all along.

His inner wound made him desperate to prove himself, made him always recklessly charging to the front.

It looked like courage—but in truth, it was… a desire for release.

'Seems like he walked out of that Death Wheat Field…'

'But in reality, his soul… still lingers there, guarding that Scarecrow, unwilling to leave.'

Jiang Nan reflected inwardly.

'PTSD—Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A mental illness. Not easy to treat.'

'Even for me, with something like this, perhaps all I can do is what little I'm able—try to give him some sense of security.'

'But it's fine. Let things take their course.'

'As long as he's alive, who knows—maybe one day he'll get better.'

Pulling his thoughts back.

Jiang Nan turned his gaze toward his own palm.

The real priority right now…

Was this.

There, lying quietly, was an evil straw doll no bigger than a hand.

【Item】: Scapegoat Straw Doll

【Type】: Single-Use Consumable

【Grade】: Grade S

【Function】: Once stained with the user's blood, it will automatically activate 10 minutes of unconditional, unlimited damage substitution.

【Note】: 10 minutes of being a real man/woman—if you don't believe it, come try it yourself!

Even death itself could be absorbed.

'Grade S… Scapegoat… no, it should be called an Invincibility Item!'

Jiang Nan's pupils contracted slightly.

Unlike the Grade C Cursed Straw Doll he had obtained near the wilderness earlier.

This was a genuine extra life coin!

A divine artifact worth an entire extra life!

'With this…'

'Going forward, I can afford to play even more recklessly.'