This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 263 Public Spirit and Private Desire

The boy nervously pushed up his glasses, glanced at Li Duo beside him with a bright smile, took a deep breath, and said in a low but clear voice: "...I want to study aerodynamics."

Seemingly worried that people might think his choice was too impractical, he added quietly, "...Perhaps it might be helpful. Don't let my past as the class representative for Chinese fool you; I'm also very good at math and science..."

This choice clearly echoed Li Duo's dream. Xiang Feng gave him an approving look, thinking he was a reliable and cooperative child... wait, something seemed off about these two kids...

Yang Wuji paused, as if gathering his courage, and spoke again, this time steer the question away from the main topic: "By the way, Mr. Xiang, you mentioned... Mr. Nie often frequents the old city..."

"If we go, what kind of gift should we bring him?" A faint blush rose to his face, and his voice lowered, yet it carried an undisguised admiration: "And... I think, if possible, I'd like to learn how to fight from him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Duo suddenly realized what he meant and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes! There are also gifts! And battles! I almost forgot about that!"

Seeing the aspirations in the two young people's eyes, Xiang Feng felt a surge of emotion.

Nie Weiyang has unknowingly become a beacon in the hearts of so many young people.

He smiled and said gently, "Gifts are all about the sentiment. Old Nie doesn't care much about these formalities. Perhaps you find something meaningful to be a small gift, and that's fine too."

"As for learning combat..." He glanced at Yang Wuji's determined eyes behind his glasses, "Once we arrive in Gushi, there will be a systematic arrangement. As long as you are willing to work hard, there will always be opportunities."

Under the sunlight, the two young people nodded vigorously, filled with anticipation for the future and a hint of excitement at meeting their idols.

……

Pingdu is the core area buried deep beneath thick layers of rock.

In a large, brightly lit, and exceptionally solemn conference room, the heavy atmosphere almost solidified.

A group of people sat around a huge circular conference table.

Among them were elderly men with white hair and sharp, hawk-like eyes, and middle-aged men in their prime, their brows furrowed with a mixture of composure and weariness. They were the decision-makers of Pingdu, and indeed, of all of China. At this moment, the topic of their discussion concerned those criminal traffickers who were like parasitic tumors, and the Golden Lord behind them.

The weight of the topic made everyone's faces serious, but everyone present had extremely high initial mental strength, and regardless of their profession, they all focused their attributes on mental strength, so no one left the meeting room.

"...We must find their source and sever the chain of profit, otherwise..."

Before a simply dressed elderly man could finish speaking, the heavy soundproof door to the conference room was interrupted by a rapid knocking.

With a slight frown, a middle-aged man near the door replied in a deep voice, "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and a young officer in a dark uniform, his face flushed with urgency, strode in. He didn't even have time to catch his breath before standing at attention and saluting, his voice filled with barely concealed urgency:
"Reporting to the commanders! The observatory has issued an urgent report: an unusual celestial phenomenon has occurred!"

All eyes in the conference room instantly focused on him.

The young officer took a deep breath and continued his report: "Observations show that the night sky is undergoing massive changes! The range and intensity of the fluctuations far exceed any previous records! The specific cause and... and subsequent effects are currently completely impossible to determine. It is speculated that... the 'barrier' has malfunctioned!"

After he finished speaking, the conference room fell into a brief silence.

Almost simultaneously, the strange scene from not long ago flashed through the minds of everyone present.

On the system interface, there was a lock that had been quietly opened, and within it, the sword and shield badge belonging to Administrator Number Two flashed.

That was no ordinary system notification. And its timing was so close to the celestial anomaly reported by the observatory at that moment... There must be a connection between them that they did not yet fully understand.

The decision-makers exchanged glances, all seeing the same solemnity and realization in the eyes of the others.

"Understood." The old man sitting in the main seat spoke slowly, his voice steady but carrying a hint of unnoticed heaviness. "Continue monitoring, and report any new discoveries immediately."

"Yes, sir!" The young officer saluted, turned, and strode away. The conference room door closed again, shutting out the outside noise. But the heavy atmosphere inside was even more pronounced than before.

A middle-aged man with glasses and a scholarly air pushed up his glasses and said slowly, "It seems that the Second Administrator's reappearance in Zhongzhou is not just about dealing with a world boss."

"He... might be adjusting something we don't know about. Something related to the game system."

"You guys are saying, is it possible that the game administrator is actually the boss himself?"

“And the changes in the starry sky…” another general with a resolute face interjected, his eyes sharp, “whatever these changes mean, they will inevitably have an immeasurable impact on the global situation, especially on those enemies hiding in the shadows.”

"Our action plan will probably need to be adjusted accordingly."

All eyes turned once again to the massive strategic map, which marked the known threats and power distribution. The original plan to strike against the criminals now seemed to need to be reconsidered within a larger and more unpredictable context.

From their perspective, every decision carries immense weight.

Unknown celestial phenomena hung like a sword of Damocles, reminding them that the challenges facing humanity were far more than just the visible enemies.

The real storm may have only just begun to reveal the edge of its clouds.

……

Above the silent mountains, under the deep night sky.

The sky was no longer the dome adorned with false stars, but had transformed into pure darkness.

There were no stars, no moonlight, not even the outline of clouds. The natural sky had been erased, leaving only a chilling emptiness.

Administrator Number Two stood silently before this all-consuming darkness, his jet-black armor seemingly blending into it. Only the gold-trimmed, scarlet goggles and the crimson cloak fluttering behind him served as his sole landmarks in this absolute darkness.

He slowly raised the hand that had been supporting him.

Above his palm, the point of spiritual light carrying the remnant soul of Ping Xingdou and the pure souls of other warriors began to gently rise, as if summoned by some invisible force.

They were heading to a realm inaccessible to ordinary people, beyond the boundary between life and death—the Netherworld.

They will go to the sea of ​​human hearts, to return to their compatriots who have died in the past year...

But as it ascended, Ping Xingdou's soul outline gradually became clear from the aura.

His face held the bewilderment of someone experiencing birth for the first time as he surveyed the dark world. His soul emanated a dark yet exceptionally vivid color, as if it had gathered all the unlit starlight in the night sky.

It was an immense, almost tangible, burning obsession, like an invisible propulsion system, supporting him, binding him, and making him resist the final guidance of the Netherworld.

He gradually came to his senses, looked up at the sky, and instead of going downstream like other resting souls, he stubbornly ascended upwards in a manner almost like a moth drawn to a flame!
Even if one's sense of self is eroded.

Even if the soul is broken.

He absolutely had to go and see—to see what lay beyond the planetary barrier!

Whatever lies beyond the heavens, whether it be hope or despair, truth or nothingness, birthplace or burial ground...

He absolutely had to see it with his own eyes!

at this time--

In just a moment, the seemingly eternal chaos and darkness suddenly receded!
(End of this chapter)