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Chapter 1071: Just an Observer

"The designated scenario "The Lord of the Rings" is open"

Zhao Wuji now realizes the important difference between insiders and outsiders. It is much safer inside the game and growth is much faster, but once you are targeted or once you are trained, it will be an endless cycle.

"Don't mess with this Li Jingling anymore"

His eyes went dark, and when Zhao Wuji opened them again, he found that the sharp wind was blowing snowflakes against his face. He subconsciously raised his hand to block it, and the metal wrist guard made a crisp sound. Zhao Wuji thought unwillingly: "A woman's heart, indeed - changed again."

"Hey, what are you daydreaming about?" A bearded soldier poked his waist with the hilt of his sword. "Lord Aragorn is coming soon. Cheer up!"

Aragorn? Zhao Wuji's brain suddenly became clear. He looked down at himself - silver and black armor, a long sword at his waist, and a white tree emblem on his chest. This was the attire of a Gondor soldier. He suddenly turned around and looked outside the city. On the distant horizon, the darkness of Mordor could be vaguely seen covering the sky, and on the nearby Pelennor Plains, thousands of tents were being set up.

"Is this Minas Tirith? The eve of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields?" Zhao Wuji muttered to himself, his voice trembling with shock.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" The soldier next to him frowned, "Were you scared by the Orc raid last night?"

Zhao Wuji didn't answer. His temple suddenly felt a sharp pain, and a strange memory flooded into his mind: he was John, an ordinary soldier in the Third Company of Gondor. His parents died of the plague five years ago, and he joined the army just to make a living. These memories were so real, as if he had really lived in this world for more than 20 years.

[Ding! Extras safety system activated successfully]

A line of translucent blue text appeared before his eyes. Zhao Wuji blinked.

[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King] Identity confirmed: Gondor defender (background character)

[Main Mission: Complete the scenes specified in the script and wait for the plot to end naturally]

[Warning: Any attempt to change the main storyline will be resisted by the world's correction force]

[Special Tip: This system is a security protection system for extras. The host can obtain gold coins by influencing the plot. The gold coins can be used to exchange for survival time and special props]

"System, how do I go back?" he asked anxiously in his heart.

[Method 1: Complete all script contents and return naturally]

[Method 10000: Accumulate gold coins to exchange for "Return Ticket"]

[Current gold coins: 0]

Zhao Wuji looked at the astronomical return fee in despair: "If you don't want me to go out, just say it directly. Why make it so warm?"

According to the plot of the movie version, after the Battle of the Pelanno Plains, there are a series of events such as the Battle of the Black Gate, the destruction of the Lord of the Rings, and the coronation ceremony. It will take at least a few months to stay in this world. As a background character, it is almost impossible to accumulate enough gold coins.

A horn suddenly sounded from under the city wall, interrupting Zhao Wuji's thoughts. He looked over and saw a group of dusty rangers passing through the city gate. The man in the lead had black hair and a resolute face. It was Aragorn.

"Look, it's King Elessar!" the soldiers around him whispered excitedly.

Zhao Wuji stared at the Holy Sword of Anduril on Aragorn's waist, and a bold idea suddenly emerged - if he could influence the main storyline, would he be able to accumulate gold coins quickly?

[The host is trying to change the plot, which is dangerous]

"Fuck, the insiders don't even have the freedom of thought, they are just pure that?"

[Side quest released: Remind Aragorn of the secret of the Undead Army]

[Task reward: 20 gold coins]

[Risk warning: world correction forces may intervene]

Zhao Wuji took a deep breath and suddenly knelt on one knee when Aragorn passed by: "My lord! I heard that there is a cursed army in the deep valley of the White Mountains. They may be able to help us fight against the darkness of Mordor!"

Aragorn paused, and looked sharply at the strange soldier with his grey-blue eyes. The surrounding guards also looked over in surprise, and the air froze instantly.

"Soldier, where did you hear this news?" Aragorn asked in a deep voice.

Zhao Wuji felt his throat tighten. “I read it in an ancient book, sir. It is said that only the descendants of Isildur can lift their curse.”

Aragorn's expression became extremely serious. Just when Zhao Wuji thought he had succeeded, a familiar smell of tobacco wafted over. A gray-robed wizard walked slowly towards him, leaning on his staff, with a gleam of wisdom under his hat.

"Ah, Gandalf!" Aragorn turned and greeted.

The old wizard's gaze stayed on Zhao Wuji for a second, just a second, but it made him feel like he was falling into an ice cave. Gandalf smiled and blew out a smoke ring: "My dear Aragorn, the soldier is right. In fact, I was planning to discuss this with you. However." He tapped the ground with his staff, "Perhaps these confidential military information should not be discussed openly on the city wall?"

Aragorn nodded as if he suddenly understood something: "You are right, let's go to the council hall to discuss it in detail." He patted Zhao Wuji on the shoulder, "Thank you for your loyalty, soldier. What is your name?"

"John, my Lord."

"Good soldier, John," said Aragorn, and he left with Gandalf.

[Warning! World correction force intervention detected]

[Task judgment: Partial success]

[Reward: 5 gold coins (25% of the original reward)]

[Note: Gandalf the Grey Robe has shown initial interest in the host]

Zhao Wuji stood there in a daze, sweat oozing from his forehead. He had indeed affected the plot just now - Aragorn knew the information about the army of the dead in advance. But the appearance of Gandalf made this change seem like part of the original plot. What was even more terrifying was that he seemed to have attracted the attention of this Maia.

As night fell, Zhao Wuji lay on the bunk bed in the barracks, staring at the newly unlocked [Mall] option on the system interface. The cheapest "One-Day Survival Card" required 10 gold coins, and he only had 5 now. He had to try again.

"To-morrow Frodo and Sam will reach Minas Morgul," he thought to himself, "if I can warn Faramir beforehand."

[New side quest released: Stop Faramir from capturing Frodo]

[Task reward: 30 gold coins]

[Risk level: Medium]

Zhao Wuji clenched his fists.

Minas Tirith was shrouded in gray fog before dawn. Zhao Wuji left his post under the pretext of patrolling and quietly slipped towards the ruins of Osgiliath. According to the plot of the movie, Faramir would set an ambush there today to capture two "halfling spies".

He crept along the broken wall, and the cold water seeping from the cracks in the stone soaked his boots. In the distance, the roar of the Anduin River could be heard faintly. Zhao Wuji touched the sword at his waist, unsure if he really dared to confront the generals of Gondor.

[Host's hesitation detected]

[Tip: The mall has a limited-time special offer of "Persuasion Enhancer" (the effect lasts for 1 hour), only 40 gold coins are needed, and 50 can be borrowed]

Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth and exchanged the potion. A bottle of gleaming blue liquid appeared in his hand. He raised his head and drank it all. He immediately felt a coolness in his throat and his mind became much clearer.

The ruins of Osgiliath were even more dilapidated than in the movies. Broken stone pillars leaned into the swamp, and vines covered the rotten wooden beams. Zhao Wuji hid behind a half-collapsed wall and saw that Faramir's rangers had ambushed everywhere.

There was a rustling sound in the distance, and two short figures appeared on the river bank. Even from a distance, Zhao Wuji could recognize that they were Frodo and Sam - Frodo was pale, and Sam looked around vigilantly, still holding the elven dagger in his hand.

"Now!" rang out Faramir, and the rangers sprang from their hiding-places and surrounded the two hobbits.

Zhao Wuji took a deep breath and strode out of his hiding place: "Stop! Lord Faramir!"

All eyes were on him. Faramir narrowed his eyes and said, "Who are you? Why are Gondor's soldiers deserting their posts?"

The drug began to take effect, and Zhao Wuji felt that his words were automatically organized into the most powerful form: "My lord, I am John of the Third Company. These two hobbits are not spies, but ring bearers! Capturing them will only bring disaster to Gondor!"

Frodo turned even paler, and Sam's eyes widened in astonishment. Faramir's expression changed from anger to shock: "What did you say? The Ring?"

"Yes, sir." Zhao Wuji knelt on one knee, "Your father, the Prime Minister, will be tempted by the ring. If you take them back, Minas Tirith will face a catastrophe!"

Faramir laid his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Soldier, do you know what you are accusing me of?"

Just when the atmosphere was tense, a melodious flute sound suddenly floated from the river. Everyone turned their heads involuntarily to look - a small elven boat was floating down the river, with the golden-haired Legolas and the dwarf Gimli standing on the bow.

"It seems we have arrived at the right time." Legolas jumped lightly onto the shore and glanced at the crowd, "Aragorn sent us to pick up our two hobbit friends."

Faramir frowned. "Aragorn? The ranger? How could he—"

"Because he is the true heir to the throne of Gondor." Gimli interrupted gruffly, "Besides, I don't think Gandalf will be happy to hear that you are thwarting his plans." Faramir was obviously shaken when he heard Gandalf's name. Zhao Wuji's heart was filled with alarm bells - Legolas and Gimli should not be here at all! This is the intervention of the world correction force!

[Warning! Major plot deviation detected]

[Correction Strength: 89%]

Frodo suddenly spoke up: "Lord Faramir, please believe me, the Ring must be destroyed. Aragorn and Gandalf have been helping us."

Faramir was silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "Okay. But if Gandalf doesn't give me a satisfactory explanation," he waved his hand to signal the rangers to retreat.

Legolas gave Zhao Wuji a meaningful glance: "Interesting soldier. I have never seen such an insightful ordinary person in Gondor."

Zhao Wuji was sweating profusely. The elf's intuition was too sharp.

[Task judgment: Failure]

[Correction compensation: 2 gold coins]

[Note: The host has attracted the attention of Legolas Greenleaf]

On the way back to the city, Zhao Wuji kept reviewing what had happened. The appearance of Legolas and Gimli completely disrupted his plan. What was even more terrifying was that they seemed to be guided by some force to "correct" the plot.

"System, what is going on? Why is it that every time I try to change the plot, the original characters will intervene?"

[Answer: This world has an automatic correction mechanism.]

[Key modifier: Gandalf Grey (Maia)]

[Correction methods: fate guidance, coincidence arrangement, memory fuzziness, etc.]

Zhao Wuji suddenly realized. No wonder every time he tried to change something, Gandalf or characters related to him would appear at the right time. This wizard is not only a guide in the story, but also an "administrator" who maintains the direction of the plot in the world rules.

"No wonder there are so many magical changes in the script, it should be the side effect of this kind of thing"

Night fell again, and Zhao Wuji returned to the barracks exhausted. His gold coins were now only -30, less than at the beginning. But this failure gave him a new idea - if directly confronting the correction force didn't work, maybe he could try a more covert way.

He opened the system mall and browsed through various props. Suddenly, an inconspicuous item caught his attention:

[Plot Observation Glasses] (Price: 20 gold coins)

[Function: View the original script and character lines of the current scene]

[Note: Predict the direction of the plot in advance to avoid the risk of revision]

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he needed! But the price of 20 gold coins made him hesitate. According to the current progress, he needed to successfully complete at least two intermediate tasks.

[New side quest released: Save an important character in the Battle of Paliano]

[Task reward: 50 gold coins]

[Risk level: High]

Zhao Wuji stared at the mission description, his heart beating faster. The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was one of the most brutal battles in the movie, King Theoden and many Rohan cavalrymen would die in the battle. If one of them could be saved.

"Tomorrow is the big battle," he muttered to himself, "I must succeed this time."

The sound of horns before dawn resounded throughout Minas Tirith. Zhao Wuji stood on the city wall fully armed, looking at the darkness coming from the eastern horizon - it was an army of tens of thousands of orcs, holding torches, like a moving sea of ​​fire.

The bells in the city rang rapidly, and women and children were sent to a safe area. Zhao Wuji was assigned to the third echelon, responsible for the defense of the middle section of the city wall. This position was ideal - he could clearly see the battle in front of the city gate, but he would not be involved in the fight at the first time.

"System, activate mission tracking mode."

A translucent blue arrow appeared in his field of vision, pointing to somewhere outside the city. Zhao Wuji squinted his eyes and saw that Rohan's cavalry had already lined up on the plain. King Theoden's white horse was particularly eye-catching in the morning light.

The drums of war sounded, and the vanguard of the orcs began to charge. Thousands of arrows were fired from the city walls, and a black rain of arrows fell into the enemy camp. Zhao Wuji mechanically drew his bow and shot arrows, but his eyes were always fixed in the direction of King Theoden.

Suddenly, there was a piercing scream in the sky, and a huge shadow swept across the battlefield - the Ringwraiths rode on fallen beasts and swooped down to attack the King of Rohan.

Zhao Wuji dropped his longbow and rushed to the steps of the city wall. The soldiers around him screamed and tried to stop him, but he had already rushed down.

There was chaos at the city gate, with Gondor soldiers fighting the orcs who had broken through the defenses. Zhao Wuji drew his sword, cut down two orcs who were blocking his way, and ran towards King Theoden.

"For King Théoden!" he shouted the Battle Cry of Rohan, hoping to attract attention.

Théoden was fighting the Ringwraiths, and most of his guards had fallen. The claws of the monsters tore the king's banner into pieces, and the old king's white hair fluttered in the wind, still waving his sword bravely.

When Zhao Wuji was still three hundred yards from the battlefield, he saw Eowyn disguised as a soldier approaching quietly. According to the plot, she would kill the Ringwraiths and save her uncle - but then Theoden would still be seriously injured and killed by another wave of attacks.

"We must go faster!" Zhao Wuji panted and ran faster.

At this moment, a gray figure suddenly appeared in front of him. Zhao Wuji was unable to brake in time and crashed into it, but was gently held up by an invisible force.

"Be careful, young soldier." Gandalf straightened his helmet, with a strange light in his eyes. "The battlefield is not a place to run around."

Zhao Wuji felt cold all over: "Lord Gandalf, I must go and save King Theoden!"

"Oh?" Gandalf raised his white eyebrows, "How did you know that King Theoden needed help? And" his eyes became sharp, "You are a Gondor soldier, why do you care so much about the King of Rohan?"

Zhao Wuji was speechless. A loud noise was heard in the distance—the Ringwraith's monster was stabbed in the throat by Eowyn, and it let out a dying wail. But then, another monster swooped down from the clouds and went straight for Theoden.

"No!" Zhao Wuji wanted to go around Gandalf, but found that his feet were rooted and unable to move.

Gandalf tapped the ground with his staff. "Something has to happen, John. Or Zhao Wuji?"

Zhao Wuji was struck by lightning. The wizard knew his name! His real name!

"How could you?"

Gandalf's expression suddenly softened: "Don't be afraid, traveler from another world. I am not your enemy. But you must understand that some threads of destiny cannot be cut."

While they were talking, King Theoden was hit by the monster, and the white horse neighed and threw him off. Eowyn screamed and rushed to her uncle, but it was too late to prevent the tragedy.

【mission failed】

[Correction compensation: 5 gold coins]

[Note: Gandalf Grey Robe has confirmed the identity of the host]

Zhao Wuji's legs softened and he fell to the ground. Gandalf sighed and tapped the ground with his staff again. The sounds of fighting around him suddenly became distant, as if separated by a layer of frosted glass.

"Listen, child," Gandalf crouched down to look him in the eye, "I know where you come from, and I know what you want to do. But the fate of Middle-earth has already been woven. Every time you interfere, the Dark Lord will notice your existence sooner."

Zhao Wuji's voice trembled: "What should I do? I just want to go home"

"Fulfill your destiny." Gandalf stood up. "Not to change the story, but to bear witness to it. That is why you were really sent here."

In the distance came the lamentation of the Rohan people--King Theoden was dead. Gandalf looked in that direction, with sadness in his eyes.

"Now, go back. Remember, sometimes the best help is to let nature take its course." The wizard waved his staff, and Zhao Wuji felt dizzy.

When he regained consciousness, he had returned to his post on the city wall. The soldiers around him seemed not to have noticed his absence, and the battle continued as if time had been turned back a little.

【Special Tips Unlock】

[Host's true identity: plot observer]

[Main task change: record plot deviation value]

[Reward mechanism adjustment: 1 gold coins can be obtained for each 10% deviation value recorded]

Zhao Wuji looked at the battlefield blankly. Gandalf's words and the system prompts finally made him understand the truth - he never came to change the story, but to witness how the story resists change.

The Battle of the Black Gate, the destruction of the Ring, the coronation of Aragorn, and other major events were bound to happen. His task was just to observe how the world maintained its own destiny.

A gold coin fell from the air, making a crisp sound in his palm. Zhao Wuji smiled bitterly and held it tightly. The way home was still long, but at least he now knew the right direction in this script.