The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing.

Chapter 587 The Law of the Dark Jungle
The people in the settlement noticed that their leader, Rick, had been acting strangely lately.

In the past, he always used the excuse that "I still need to analyze the situation and cannot be disturbed by others" to communicate with almost no one except when he went out to do missions. He never wandered around the settlement, and even when he ate, it was Kloni who delivered the food to him.

According to Kloni, it seems she was afraid that being too close to the other person would affect her own judgment when asking them to 'die'—something everyone could completely understand.

But now, he intentionally wanders around the gathering place every morning and afternoon.

Besides that, it can also laugh.

Force a smile at everyone you meet, even though it looks worse than a grimace, it is still a smile.

He used to look so bitter and resentful.

...No, although everyone in the settlement is like that, whether their homes have been destroyed, their family members have died, or for some other reason, they always show genuine smiles when they get along.

Since becoming a leader at the age of 13, Rick has always presented himself as shrewd and ruthless, with his vacant eyes as if he were dead.

However, now he can only manage an awkward smile.

Thinking about it carefully, the change in him should have happened after Zun Zun arrived, right?
"laugh."

"!?"

Seeing Rick force out an ugly, pale smile, Chloe couldn't help but shudder. She dropped the bag in her hand and hurriedly ran over, touching his head with her hand, her face still showing anxiety.

"What's wrong, Rick? Are you feeling unwell? Or has your brain been fried and confused?!"

No, that's not it!

Rick slapped Chlorine's hand away, rolled his eyes in annoyance, and then glared at Zun Zun, who was snickering beside him.

Kloni looked at him with concern, and Rick pursed his lips before reluctantly speaking in a muffled voice.

"It's punishment."

"……punish?"

Then, Rick refused to speak, and it was Zun Zun who explained to Chlorine with a smile.

"It's the punishment for losing the game. I often play chess with Rick, and as the winner, I require Rick to walk around the settlement every morning and afternoon and smile at everyone he meets."

“I-Is that so…”

Klonie blinked, not understanding why Zun Zun would make such a strange request, and more importantly, why Rick would abide by such an agreement when he could easily renege and pretend nothing happened.

"Because... if you lose the game, you have to accept the punishment."

Rick said this suddenly, and he was very serious about it.

For gamers, accepting punishment for losing is a must.

"Uh……"

Chloe probably didn't understand the connection either, but she was still very pleased.

Because Rick's expressions became more varied.

No longer cold and indistinct, like a walking corpse.

She was really touched.

Rick was just an 18-year-old boy. He wasn't actually as cold and calculating as he appeared; he just kept his emotions locked away.

The hopes of the entire village rested on one person, and the constant pressure to survive made him depressed and paranoid.

Klonie and the others also knew.

Therefore, he kept telling Rick not to bear it all by himself, but to let it out properly.

But their methods were wrong.

This is like telling a bald programmer that he will grow hair as long as he gets enough rest, while completely ignoring his mountain of unprocessed code.

Zun Zun then used his foresight to find a solution.

Use games.

Chess is still Rick's favorite and most proficient game.

Then, they beat him to a pulp.

Unwilling to admit defeat, Rick became even more energetic, constantly and actively playing chess against Zun Zun in an attempt to win. Although he still hadn't won a single game, the pressure he had accumulated gradually dissipated in the process.

Chloe's eyes welled up with tears.

"Don't, don't cry, Kron!"

"Call me Chronie! But Rick did this... Sister, I... Sister, I...!"

"Uh!"

The tears seemed to be flowing uncontrollably.

Zun Zun thought Rick would say something comforting, but to his surprise, the guy turned and ran away as if he were scared, his staggering steps showing that he was very guilty.

It's clear he rarely talks to people; he doesn't even know how to comfort a girl.

Klonie wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Thank you, Venerable Venerable."

"You are welcome."

He smiled.

The girl seemed embarrassed by her blunder and awkwardly wiped away her tears with her hand.

Just then, Rick's shout came from afar.

"Zun Zun, what are you doing! You've already wasted enough time today, come here quickly!"

"Coming right now!"

Oh, and there's one more change.

That means the relationship between the two has improved.

Just like how I felt we could be friends the moment we met, or how I sensed his character from his swordsmanship, Rick and Zun Zun also sensed each other's thoughts through playing chess, and their thoughts clashed.

Rick is cautious and meticulous, always striving to make each move the best it can be. Although he sometimes abandons pieces, he only does so when absolutely necessary or when there's no other way out. It's precisely because of this that he always loses to Zun Zun. —He still can't let go of anyone.

……

This is a dimly lit room.

It was also the place where the two discussed things. Although it looked like two ordinary people on the street boasting about important matters of the kingdom, for the human race, which was already walking a tightrope, no information could be missed.

Rick spread out the map he had been working on.

"Look, this is the world map and strategic deployment that has been deciphered. It seems that the goblin race is planning to attack the forest elves."

"After all, it's a conglomerate that spans three different continents; everyone would want a piece of the pie."

"Besides that, there's this on top."

"Oh?"

Actually, the goblin attack on the forest elf is a big deal, after all, the three major groups in this war are the goblins, the forest elves, and the winged creatures, and they are the main combatants.

According to intelligence, the goblins have discovered that the forest elves seem to be developing an extremely terrifying and powerful spirit destruction technique, and they plan to organize a battle to investigate in the near future. Several plans and routes were also provided.

Of course, their gathering places are not on these routes, so they can live a peaceful and secluded life.

"What do you think, Venerable One?"

"...It must be true."

—The Zeroth Protection of the Void.

This is probably what goblins are afraid of.

"Although it seems like mere speculation, it's probably not entirely baseless. Otherwise, the goblins wouldn't have mobilized their army to the front lines to exert pressure first."

"Feel the same."

Information about the Forest Elves is extremely valuable and invaluable. Since no items can be found on the battlefield, the gathered knowledge lacks detail. After all, they don't need tools; they can solve everything with magic that requires no tools.

“Your Excellency…”

"Are you asking if I can understand or explain it? I'm sorry, I can't explain it without seeing the actual object, but if it's general magic... well, I'm probably a bit stronger."

"So-so."

Rick sighed.

As humans, the ability to use magic is already astonishing, let alone reaching a basic level—but that's not enough. In racial wars, individuals cease to be individuals; the magic they wield is the result of the combined efforts of dozens or even hundreds of people, its power almost equivalent to a full-force attack from a god-like race.

"Even so, I can still destroy it."

"Hey!"

"That's true. However, I still can't change the situation. Rick, you should know why, right?"

"........."

Rick's face showed absolutely no joy.

Zun Zun had told him long ago that he could kill a pillar god single-handedly, but what good would that do?

He couldn't face a group of gods all by himself.

Even if there were a way, any change would trigger an attack from all races once the battlefield was already clear. And if fragile humans possessed the power to overturn the chessboard... no, even just move the pieces, it would trigger a full-scale attack from other races.

This is an alternative form of the Dark Forest Theory.

When they're unsure whether you'll make a move, the other party will strike first.

Silence filled the room.

That seems a bit too much.

“Richard. In my original world, there were no gods, winged beings, goblins, or forest elves; there were only humans. And without a doubt, humans successfully ascended to the position of world dominance.”

"...What are you trying to do? Are you trying to show off, or to make me jealous? Give up, I'm not in the mood for that."

"No, no. I wanted to ask you what your reasoning is."

"Ok?"

"In that world, humans couldn't match the strength of elephants and lions, the speed of zebras and cheetahs, or the endurance of horses and ostriches. Yet, humans still became the apex predator. There's only one reason: since humans find it both laughable and absurd—"

Zun Zun's deliberately drawn-out tone successfully piqued Rick's interest; he seemed quite interested in the reason as well. He looked like he was also thinking of some lofty explanation, but—

"It is a slot that can be made from whatever materials are available and can be used with any weapon—a pair of skillful hands that drive all animals to despair."

"……hand?"

“That’s right, it’s hands. Almost no animal has these dexterous hands. If you want to fly like a bird, you make wings; if you want to swim like a fish, you make oxygen tanks; if you want to be as aggressive as a lion, you make weapons. With just your hands, you’ve succeeded at the top of the world. So, Rick…”

He then looked at Rick, who was deep in thought, and slowly spoke.

"With magic inferior to that of the forest elves, physical strength inferior to that of the orcs, and even dexterity crushed by the goblins, how can the human race possibly become the world's dominant species?"

"...Unfortunately, I have no ambition to become the world's hegemon; I just want to live a peaceful life."

"But Rick, you should know that too, right?"

Zun Zun casually moved the chess pieces placed on the table, using them as amusement for the two of them.

"As long as you're on the chessboard, you're bound to become your opponent's target, aren't you?"

"Well."

Rick remained silent.

"Speaking of which," Zun Zun said, holding up the chessboard, "Would you like to play a game?"

"Hey, we're currently working on a plan that's being discussed!"

"So? Want a plate?"

"……Come."

Really fragrant.

(End of this chapter)