This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 218 On the road

Regardless of how others view Nie Weiyang, his self-assessment of his past actions has always been...

[A messenger].

He was a messenger sent by people from the previous timeline. The information he provided was not his private property, but everything that people had obtained by burning their lives.

The title of Guardian of Hope should belong to all the ordinary people who shed blood and sacrificed their lives for it, not to a... 'lucky one' like him?
Jiang Lixin's smile faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression, and his gaze indeed changed.

He shook his head: "Comrade Nie, being too modest is not a good thing. In a time of chaos and uncertainty about the future of humanity, what you are providing is not 'some information,' but a roadmap."

"It saved us from countless possible detours and sacrifices, and showed us where to direct our efforts and where to strike. This is the importance of information. The significance of this gift lies not in how exquisite it is or how grand its name is, but in how many people's gratitude it represents. Please accept it. This may not be your achievement alone, but you must accept this gratitude."

His words were resounding and carried undeniable weight.

Nie Wei felt his gaze and saw the undeniable sincerity within it. He said nothing more, simply nodded solemnly, and put the wooden box into his backpack.

"...I understand. Thank you for your kindness, Hirato, and thank you for your efforts."

Seeing that Nie Weiyang accepted the gift, Jiang Lixin smiled again, and the atmosphere eased.

"That's right! So, about going to Heito..."

“I’m on my way,” Nie Weiyang said. “And I do have some ideas about the logistics network and the cleanup plan.”

If we can dig out the servers of the previous civilization in advance, we can build not only a logistics network, but also the Internet!
When that time comes, a true period of rapid development will inevitably arrive, and the various settlements currently scattered outside the areas directly controlled by the government will surely return to the city.

No human being who has experienced modern civilization can resist the allure of returning to the internet age. No friction, no negotiation—they will naturally merge back into their original communities!
A glimmer of hope flashed across Nie Weiyang's eyes.

When people are truly united and work together towards a common goal, they will surely be able to propel the wheels of time forward. Although he doesn't know exactly how far this will ultimately go, he is full of anticipation.

"Good! Great!"

Jiang Lixin seemed very happy. "You can decide on the specific itinerary. If you need anything, you can contact me or Pingdu at any time through any post station. We will make all the necessary preparations to receive you."

"This bridge, and the major outposts along the way, will keep you on your way."

With the business settled, the atmosphere between the two became even more harmonious.

After exchanging a few more words about the safety situation along the way and some known large threat strongholds, Nie Weiyang took his leave.

Jiang Lixin did not force him to stay, but personally escorted him to the other side of the bridge and instructed the soldiers stationed there to record Nie Weiyang's travel information and provide him with the highest level of convenience.

As Nie Weiyang's figure disappeared at the end of the road, Jiang Lixin slowly withdrew his gaze and whispered to his adjutant beside him, "Seeing is believing... He's a very interesting young man; his eyes are so special."

"I hope he has a safe journey."

……

Nie Weiyang rode his bicycle alone.

The river breeze was gradually replaced by the wind of the wilderness, and the scenery of the rolling mountains was quite different from that of Zhongzhou. But in his mind, the crown called [Guardian of Hope] still lingered.

"Everyone is united..."

Nie Weiyang repeated the word softly, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. He didn't feel qualified to wear that title, nor did he intend to.

The roar of the engine sounded particularly lonely in the mountains. The crown named Guardian of Hope lay quietly in his backpack, but the name kept echoing in his mind.

The logic behind Heiji's gift of this generous present to him is not hard to deduce: they must have obtained some records or descriptions of [proof of trust] when they received the crown, and thus deduced that he might possess it.

This crown, in the hands of others, is merely a flashy but impractical ornament; only when combined with a symbol of trust can it unleash its true power.

After all, the requirements for generating a Trust Certificate are extremely demanding: "In a public hazard event of level 3 or above, simultaneously become the highest contributing individual and the most trusted individual on average." In the new world, apart from high-intensity lone wolves like Nie Weiyang, it would be difficult for normal people to consistently earn this.

However, Nie Weiyang currently has no Trust Tokens; the Trust Tokens he previously possessed were used to upgrade the Heart Crystal Fragments.

His concern for the crown stemmed not from its magnificent appearance or the illusory glory it symbolized, but from something else entirely—

He gained the [Dry Blood 1] state after resisting his bloodlust, and its description explicitly states: "As a human, a crown will place you on the selection list."

'Crown'...

The connection between these two words and the actual crown in my hand is too jarring.

This information did not appear at all last week.

Is it a variable brought about by the new playthrough? Or is it because he, this reborn butterfly, flapped his wings, triggering a chain reaction in a deeper, earlier timeline?
Or perhaps this was actually a gift from some other force, simply given to him through Heito?

If this is the option, then Nie Weiyang can be certain that this must be what the Zhiren Xinhai (a person's inner world) said to him.

If it is indeed the mind of a Homo sapiens...

What exactly are they trying to say?
What kind of person do they want him to become?

Protecting hope, but whose hope are we protecting?
The sea of ​​my heart now contains countless souls of visitors from Earth.

Did those souls influence the delivery of this gift to him?

In the new world, the unknown often means greater potential dangers.

Especially when this unknown is associated with purposeful words like 'selection' and 'list,' Nie Weiyang sensed something unusual.

He was certain that Pingdu was indeed full of goodwill, but was there something else behind it? What was the ultimate end of the trial brought about by the Bloodstain effect? ​​Was this so-called crown a reward, a key, or... a shackle?
He must get to Pingdu as soon as possible.

It's not just about the logistics network and cleanup plan; it's about going to the heart of China's information and talent pool, and leveraging the resources there to thoroughly investigate the truth behind these matters.

This sudden variable must be brought under control, otherwise it may become a fatal hidden danger that erupts at some point in the future.

Nie Weiyang twisted the accelerator sharply, and the Lucky Sign let out a deep roar, its speed suddenly increasing, like an arrow released from a bow, shooting towards the vast northern horizon.

The mountains rushed past, and the wind whistled in my ears.

Since setting out, his goal had never been so clear: Hirato. He had to reach Hirato as soon as possible.

(End of this chapter)