Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 131: Incorporate

Chapter 131: Incorporate

"You don’t remember me?"

Qiu Ran laughed.

Anna was flipped onto the ground by a punch, and the stingingly hot burn on her face made her instantly sober up.

"ZX—140..."

She muttered, trembling as she reached out to brush her burned cheek.

Even the accident of the ZX—102 experiment had not destroyed half of her face like this.

"My face—you bitch, you actually dared to disfigure my face—"

She lunged at Qiu Ran like a madwoman, flailing wildly.

Slap!

Qiu Ran landed another heavy slap on her half-charred face.

"You can’t even remember my name... and you detained me for three years."

Qiu Ran’s eyes were filled with red-black rage, her palm reddened, the air distorted around her, but her heart remained as cold as ice.

"Three years!"

She lifted her hand, grabbed Anna’s disheveled hair, and set it ablaze, searing the scalp and driving Doctor Anna to scream like a lunatic.

"You bastard! Animal! Scum! Trash! Go to hell!"

This woman, who had never fought before and had always been cheerful and kind, was now as fierce and violent as a lioness, pinning down her opponent and smashing her fist into her face.

"This punch is for Nomi, that sweet and kind child who was murdered by your Ersha Armament!"

Bang!

Doctor Anna’s head hit the ground, seeing stars.

"This punch is for Xeno, who was just an infant when you dragged her to experiment, and you stripped her of her own body!"

Bang!

Qiu Ran tore off a piece of Anna’s clothes, held it in her fist, ignited it, and with a fist of angry flames, she hit Anna’s face again, tearing flesh apart and leaving a charred stench of rotten pus to flow uncontrollably.

"This punch is for my younger brothers and sisters, whose lives at their most critical moment, because of your mistakes, were stolen away!"

Thud!

Qiu Ran raised her fist, no pain coming from her burned palm compared to the sorrow in her heart. What was this bit of physical pain compared to that?

The fiery punch fell once more, landing on Doctor Anna’s chin, charring the remaining half of her face, and as her head turned to the side and she was about to pass out, Li Aozi suddenly lifted his hand, took out an adrenaline shot from his pocket, popped the slim needle, and jabbed her in the neck.

"Argh—"

The intense pain made Doctor Anna wake up instantly, her pupils dilating and contracting violently. Li Aozi took the opportunity to grab his long sword, picked the right spot, and plunged it into her right eye socket.

Sss!

"Ahhhhhh—Ahhhhhhh—"

Under extreme lucidity, Doctor Anna’s eyeball was entirely plucked out by Li Aozi.

Qiu Ran stood up, her emotions running high and uncontrolled, fortunately, she had let out some steam when facing Nodley before, and now she knelt on the ground, struggling to calm down for a long time.

Her three years were not important, what mattered was that her siblings’ lives might have been destroyed.

In the future, whenever they see other college students with respectable jobs, they will remember those three years of high school, the most helpless time when they needed someone the most, and their eldest sister, who should have been the pillar of the family, had disappeared without saying goodbye, living a carefree life somewhere else.

They would enter and leave the exam halls alone, with no one to take them, and on the night before the exams, when other candidates were scraping every second to study and answer questions, they would be working part-time, otherwise, they wouldn’t even afford tomorrow’s meal.

"It doesn’t matter what happens to me... my life is destroyed, but my siblings are good people, they shouldn’t have to suffer like I did."

Qiu Ran hugged her head, and for a moment, she knew that even if she went back.

Three years of separation, for the fast-paced modern society, everything had changed.

If they saw each other again, would they still remember her?

Or, would they forgive her?

Qiu Ran’s crying made Li Aozi nod with lowered brows, his expression somber.

He could hardly imagine that there was such a person in the world—even at this moment, Qiu Ran was still thinking of others.

This woman, always optimistic, foolish, simple, and kind-hearted, bore a pressure far greater than he had thought.

Or rather, it was precisely because she had always lived for others that she could remain indifferent about her position at the bottom.

Her hope for the future was simply because she had already despaired of the country and society of Frost Plated.

Despair.

Li Aozi clutched his chest, and the echo of Nomi’s firm oath seemed to ring in his ears once more:

"I, well, I am just a dumb and clumsy one, the instructor said I’m often underachieving, just a little wild cat that can fight and kill."

"But even this wild cat can’t tolerate the world becoming like this."

"I don’t know if others will have better choices, maybe there will be new tyrants, new officials, and the world will get worse—but I’d rather make mistakes hundreds of times than maintain the status quo."

And the memories of the body he occupied, "Li Aozi" when he was alive.

——In early September, his mother from the countryside, who had not called in a long time, called to issue him an order: with the family poor, after finishing technical school, get a job to pay off debts, and then support his younger sister through high school.

He left his hometown with less than 200 Derbys in cash, went to work as a security guard in the county town to earn money and even had the foolish dream that once he saved enough, he would get a cybernetic implant and become a Bounty Hunter of GTB.

But the irony was, even though he was at such a low stratum, he wasn’t even allowed to harbor resentment, which ultimately attracted a Spirit Monster and led to his doom.

Poor people are not even allowed to complain about their poverty; instead, they get scolded with "Why don’t you work hard? It’s your own fault for being poor."

Life is a marathon, and some Frost Plated People are born at the finish line. They don’t have to run at all; they just ride in their D2000 hover cars, dancing and drinking wine inside, and after tasting a few bites of fruit from a thousand derby greenhouse, they casually throw them to the ground.

But for Qiu Ran, for the original ’Li Aozi’, they were already spitting blood while carrying their family members and running at full speed.

...............

This was no longer a game.

Nomi had died, Xeno had been tortured for many years, Qiu Ran’s home might also be unreachable now, people were enduring suffering...

This wasn’t just some virtual data, blood was flowing, rage and sorrow were pulsing through veins, hot as fire.

"Whether I admit it or not, I can no longer regard this place as a virtual world. Everything I see, the emotional upheaval they bring to me, and the sorrowful encounters of the era—if this is false, then what is real?"

It was the first time Li Aozi truly realized this fact.

"Nomi, thank you."

To Nomi, and to many others who had given their all to overthrow Frost Plated, for the former players, it was but an inconsequential plot.

But it is only by truly immersing oneself that one can experience the silent roars filled with blood and tears, the deafening cries of the people at the bottom.

Nomi, Qiu Ran, Xeno, Doctor Chen Siqi, Dmitry’s family, many people from the Outer World... and ’Li Aozi’.

They all suffered exploitation and torment by Frost Plated and the Four Nations.

[I am not a savior, nor a kind person, but precisely because of that, I should do something that can make this world seem more agreeable to me, something that makes me feel more comfortable.]

Qiu Ran didn’t dare to think too much, but the reality was there, the examples around her were too numerous.

Her younger brother might no longer be able to afford the economic strain of continuing his studies, would work on construction sites, took out a student loan, worked in a factory for a few months, only to be replaced by AI.

Then he would work as a sorter, in real estate sales, and even when he was down and out, the only option would be to become a GTB Bounty Hunter, exchanging life for money, and to earn even more, take on debts, and replace his own organs and limbs with weapons.

They did the dirty work of murder and looting, always at risk of losing their heads, just to make ends meet.

And his always lovely and pretty younger sister, for work and livelihood, would become a Dancing Girl and a singer, or even a prostitute, contract diseases, work hard in exhaustion, and ultimately die tired in the space beneath the bed.

They shouldn’t have lived like this.

They should have become respectable civil servants, physicians saving lives, teachers educating the young, engineers building the future, lawyers advocating for the wronged, many people who could contribute to society and yet lead happy lives, not become bloodthirsty fugitives, exploited laborers, and prostitutes.

"It’s all, my fault... If I had been by their side, such things would never have happened..."

Qiu Ran buried her head, silently crying.

Just then, she heard a calm conviction:

"Doctor Anna, I thought you had some skills, but what now? You can’t even handle a broken finger and a few punches—look at Qiu Ran! She took so many hits for others, she’s had it hard."

Qiu Ran froze, she lifted her head.

She saw Li Aozi remove Anna’s eyeball and then raise the long sword high, like a judge lifting the gavel of conviction, saying solemnly:

"This cut is for Qiu Ran."

Anna could no longer utter a word, flames seared her head and vocal cords, she could only watch the blade fall with her one remaining eye.

————————

[Main Quest has been triggered—"Frost Plated Bone White"]

[Type]: Destroyer

[Time Limit]: never rest ’til die

[Mission Difficulty]: Splendid Story

(Note: Splendid Story—a magnificent epic. Under this difficulty, regardless of whether you are successful, once the progress reaches over thirty percent, it will significantly impact the national, ethnic, and regional civilizations. The people will have a strong reaction and transformation due to your actions, even a spiritual awakening and enlightenment.)

(Such missions are irreversible. Once chosen, it is a fight to the death. You will permanently break with the enemy faction, they will hunt you down day and night, and use the internet, public opinion, and other means to mentally oppress you, which will affect how the people around you view you. For your mental health, please choose wisely.)

[Introduction]:

"Gods and buddhas only keep the rich safe, while frost platings only cover the bones of the poor."

Frost Plated is rotten to the core, disgustingly vile, it could even enrage you, a narrow-minded refined egoist.

Anyone with even basic cognitive ability should stand up and destroy this demon country.

First it’s the farmer’s land, then the women’s wealth, followed by the men’s power, and even the lives of infants and children. Lastly, they aim to take everyone’s soul.

You won’t regret it. If you fight against the Four Nations, rather you should be proud.

If you die, if you fail, you will become a legendary figure of the past.

If you win, if you succeed, then you are an epic hero whose deeds will be remembered forever.

Go ahead, light a fire, drive away those black crows. They are eroding the souls of the people along with the cockroaches and maggots.

May your courage and conviction never fade.

[Settlement Conditions]:

A."Historical Progress"—Eliminate the current government of the Frost Plated Republic.

Reward: [Class Promotion Voucher] *1—Forcefully promoted one class without regard to conditions and level restrictions.

B."Desire for Change"—Rebuild the cultural and social structures of the Frost Plated People, allowing them to return to a normal life.

Reward: [Omega Level Arcane Energy Amplifier] *1—Evolves the grade of one of your Arcane Energies to Omega Level.

C."Ending the Evil Result"—Permanently eradicate the problems of Frost Plated and the Outer World, ensuring that Frost Plated People do not overcorrect.

Reward: Omega Level Arcane Energy [Electromagnetic Force - Induction]

[Special Note]: Once this task is initiated, it cannot be terminated, please choose carefully—

[You have chosen to accept this task.]

[The future is open before you. I wish you fortune in your campaign.]