Ironclad Group Chat: Red and Black Lists Engraved with Heroic Epics

Gopher said wistfully, "Perhaps it's the path of 'power.' But Miss Liuying, please do as you please; I won't consider anything else today."

"Do as you please?" If I were in his position, what would I do?

Examine the fireflies closely.

Beside the sculpture holding a scepter, a line of text flashes: “The guilty must be struck down with the power of the strong, with stones. How can justice be demonstrated if the wicked cannot be dishonored?”

Before the sculpture of a man raising a wine glass, several phrases linger: Deceive him, for even when there is no way forward, and if you wish to give people hope, do not reveal your inevitable death.

[Potio: Of course I'll choose might! Those little cuties need that! Deception? Giving them my smile is a complete waste!]

[Star: Do I really have to choose one from these?]

[Silver Wolf: If it were Firefly to choose... ha, is there even a question? She'd definitely choose the former. But, is there even a side quest element to this? It's impossible for a choice made now to affect later developments, right? This is a bit of a deliberate attempt to create suspense.]

[Jing Yuan: Not necessarily. The Star Core Hunters' organizational structure is... very flat. Therefore, it's normal for them to have some misunderstandings about political maneuvering. In reality, the results of these two aspects may not be that different.]

[Mikhail: As for Gopher, both of these were choices he had previously despised; choosing either would be painful.]

After hesitating for a long time, Liu Ying finally chose the left side. She climbed the ladder of power, reaching higher and higher.

On the other side, the steps representing "deception" are collapsing one by one as she climbs them.

Her... or rather, the dreamer's path of turning back, crumbled after he made his choice.

"The path not yet trodden cannot be retraced," Gopher sighed. "Even in a dream, this remains true..."

As the firefly climbed the last step, what she saw first was the end of deception. The path was blocked and collapsed, but the result was no different.

Gopher said, "It seems that we are all just taking different paths to the same destination. The role of human will is truly negligible."

[Star: Jingyuan was right after all?]

[Jingyuan: Hmm... just based on experience.]

[Star: This tone...please tell your story!]

[March 7th: Wait, look, what's that? Nanook! Did he do the same thing as Pinocchio?]

[Star: Hiss~~ How come it's everywhere? @Gopherwood, how many destinies did you drag into this... Oh, I almost forgot, I think it was said that the Star Core was most likely something created by destruction.]

As the firefly looked around, her eyes were immediately drawn to the image of the Destroyer Star God on the giant screen.

Nanuk's body was scorching and bursting, but his expression remained as calm as ever.

Her heart skipped a beat: "This is...?"

Gopher Wood slowly turned his head, and the scene gradually turned yellowish, replaying the scene from that year.

The Dreamer appeared in the form of a Night Thrush, slightly puzzled by the arrival of the family's envoy: "Nanook personally manifested, and the Infinite Chieftain perished as a result... I already knew of this that shook the world. Why bother a messenger from the [Master's Family] to personally travel to the border?"

The family envoy, named Xingzhao Tune, said coldly, "Just by the way, I've come to bring punishment—the crime is yours."

"...?" Gopher was utterly bewildered: "I nearly died before, and I still can't reveal my true form. Why am I being punished for no reason after returning to this place?"

The messenger said, "You have already confessed your crimes."

Gopher was even more bewildered: "Huh?!"

[Star: No, where's the crime? I didn't hear that.]

[Qingque: Shouldn't reinforcements arrive at a time like this? What's the point of punishing the wounded for no reason?]

[Potio: Are all the people in this family this quick-witted?]

The messenger said, "Even if he is just a branch leader in a remote area, the family will not tolerate his incompetence. Not only is he unable to control the situation, but he is even killed. If Nanuk had not appeared, the [Infinite Chieftain] would have been sent to Pinocchio to wipe out the villain."

……

Everyone in the Milky Way was taken aback.

[Star: I... I really didn't expect this. Even though our positions are completely different, I can't stand it anymore. Isn't the Dream Master acting entirely according to the principles of harmony? Even if there are problems, shouldn't this be an inherent problem of the family, or even of harmony itself?]

[Potio: Stop spouting hindsight now, having the Infinite Chieftain wipe out his precious villains. If you really cared that much about Pinocchio, would Gopher have acted like this? Even if the Infinite Chieftain couldn't come, what about the Qi Xiang Choir... and what about that other thing? They clearly didn't want to come! Brothers are on your side, and you're playing mind games with your brothers?]

[Crydella: Heh~ Interesting. Being punished for incompetence is perfectly reasonable anywhere in the galaxy. But the family severely punishes Gopher, yet opens its doors to those hypocritical villains, only to punish them after trouble arises. Such a discrepancy... I can't say whether the reasons behind this are as noble as she claims. Oh, and there's something else that interests me. Since any atrocities committed by villains are forgiven after swearing an oath of faith and harmony, shouldn't acts of rebellion, followed by a few prayers to Hipe, also be forgiven?]

[Silver Wolf: Oh wow? There are bugs to exploit?]

[Yao Guang: Judging solely from the perspective of the relationship between the Immortal Ship and the family, I'll tentatively assume this reflects the family's extremely strict treatment of officials. But personally... hmph.]

Exclusion? Or some darker political struggle? Or is the family's thought process just that peculiar? It's impossible to know. But many people in the galaxy, especially those who have a good impression of the "seven-day weekend," were so angry that they laughed.

What kind of people are in that family? Why is Gofemu suffering a double blow from both the people he saved and the main family?

So far, all the pressure on Gopher Wood comes from its own people? Are you kidding me?!

"Does being a good person mean you get a gun pointed at you?"

"Holy crap! My blood pressure is rising. Is this teammate even human?!"

……

"But you have survived by sheer luck, and that is why I have set out. You must personally settle this matter and reclaim the lost reverence—not for yourself, but for the family."

Upon being suddenly confronted with such accusations, Gopher felt somewhat suffocated in his dream. He lowered his head and said, "...I was born hastily and lacked the strength to do so."

The messenger said indifferently, "Therefore, your sins will be punished with [gift]—"

"I hereby bestow upon you another sin. Its evil is so great that once it is known, the name Gopher will lose all meaning, and you will live as if you were dead."

[March 7th: Wait a minute, I'm a little confused, what kind of punishment is this?]

[Sunday: In short, reveal the family's past mistakes and scandals to Mr. Gopher, thus torturing his conscience and leaving him with no way to hide his shame.]

[March 7th: I'm even more confused now. Let me sort this out. You mean, tell Gopher a lot about the bad things someone else did, and then make Gopher feel ashamed?]

[Sunday: Yes.]

[March 7th: Hiss...]

[Fireworks: Hahaha, didn't expect that, did you, Gopher? Look at your self-righteous saintly demeanor, you think you can save the entire galaxy? Didn't expect that, did you? Actually, our whole family are bastards! So-and-so kills and commits arson everywhere, so-and-so abandons his father and son. You're hanging out with this bunch of bastards, so you've been a bastard for a long time too. How about it, scared? Ashamed? Hahaha...something like that?]

[Sunday: This explanation... is too simplistic.]