Learn one small skill every day

"He did what anyone who knows the door and the knocker would want to do."

"Using the pattern of tasks posted by the door, create your own tasks to lure those who knock on the door in and kill them."

"He also considered taking revenge on the door, but he could never truly understand the nature of the door's existence. In the end, he created Noah's Ark, a tomb for those who knocked on the door. After renaming it the Endless Energy, he kept allowing those who knocked on the door to enter and complete the task of finding parts under his extremely demanding requirements."

Faust sighed: "The outcome is obvious. The captain won't live more than a day, and the lucky ones might live two or three days."

"If that's the case, then why did he go to such lengths to create these ministers and secretaries? Doesn't he hope to build a prosperous and civilized city?"

"There's quite a lot you don't know. I've already done enough by telling you Noah's motives. As for what Noah is thinking, do you think I would know?"

"Speak, what do you want to know?"

“Hey, I won’t beat around the bush anymore. You’ve been to the Shadow of Yar dungeon, and the Moon Sword in your hand is the best proof. As far as I know, this sword should be the exclusive sword of Kasumi Kurumi, a legendary weapon she obtained in the Shadow of Yar dungeon. Why is it in your hands? Either you completed the dungeon, or you have an extremely good relationship with Kasumi Kurumi, so that she was willing to lend you her sword.”

Bai Miao rarely detected jealousy in Faust's tone.

"Xia Hong Hu Tao has never even glanced at me. You probably don't have a very good relationship with her, do you?"

Bai Miao was certain that if he answered that he had a good relationship with Hu Muyao, Faust would give up everything to fight him to the death.

"I completed the Shadow of Yar dungeon, but I've never heard of Crimson Walnut."

Faust's tone relaxed: "That means you've been to Abyss Street, and you have the Aleph-level item Abyss Howl... Getting an Aleph-level item so early must have made you a big shot that others look up to, right?"

Then Faust's tone became somewhat agitated: "Ha, now that you mention it, how did you manage to get through the gates of Abyss Street before Xia Hong Hu Tao that day?"

"I don't understand. You should have been at school that day doing your homework and practicing problems, full of confidence in the college entrance exam and fantasies about the future, believing that the college entrance exam was still the only way for you to get ahead in this world."

Why did you rush to the rooftop and enter Abyss Street before Xia Hong Walnut?

"Why can you be the one knocking on the door so far ahead of others, while I can only climb up step by step, eating the scraps left over by others, several versions later?"

Jealousy, hatred, anger.

Faust expressed his emotions without any concealment.

Chapter 224 The Only Possibility of Liberation

Faced with Faust's jealousy, Bai Miao simply shook his head slightly: "You can't think like that. You should think that only I, who entered the door earlier, can stand in front of you like this now. You've been on the ship for so long, you're bound to encounter a version of yourself like this."

Faust stood there, stroking the pillar in front of him. After a long while, he snorted, "You're right. For me, you are a possibility that will inevitably exist."

"It's not easy to reach a consensus with you. You probably want revenge against Noah, but Noah is already dead. What are your plans?"

Faust simply countered, “If you were bound by someone for such a long time, what would you want to do? This ship, including its ministers and secretaries, is his creation, existing solely for his desire to hunt down the knocker.”

"Of course I will do everything in my power to prevent Noah from realizing his value."

Faust's feelings toward Noah were beyond what hatred could measure.

"That's another thing I'm curious about. Why are you cooperating with him so much? You could have chosen to tell the captain on duty everything, work together to find a way to get you out of trouble, and take revenge on Noah along the way."

"But you didn't do that. Instead, you became Noah's accomplice, helping him hunt down the knockers."

“You’re mistaken. Why would you think I’m going along with him? I’m just thinking that if Noah really comes back one day, then I can enjoy him properly, right?”

“I will definitely separate every nerve in his body perfectly, so that he can feel pain from head to toe. I will make him feel that even death is kind.”

Faust couldn't help but sneer at this point.

As the saying goes, those involved are often blinded by their own interests. Bai Miao suspected that when Faust had such thoughts, he had already fallen into Noah's trap.

The belief that Noah will return someday is the same expectation of all ministers and secretaries, isn't it?

Is it possible that Faust was created based on himself, another minister specifically to deal with captains?

This means that Faust himself did not realize that he was not the original self, but a copy.

It's just a copy with the original's complete memories and personality.

Perhaps Faust will never see his Captain Noah.

However, his hatred will inevitably have extremely serious negative effects after he leaves.

Perhaps once he realizes that Noah's desire to build a thriving metropolitan area is not unfounded, he will do everything in his power to stop it.

So, is the root of the problem still with Faust...?

"Your mind has been corrupted by Noah."

Bai Miao said calmly to Faust.

"Impossible, I have always maintained an independent mind."

Faust persisted.

"After you were captured by Noah, did your thoughts remain continuous? Can you guarantee that you didn't undergo any strange experiments or surgeries under Noah's hands after you were captured?"

"The scariest thing is that you don't even realize your own thoughts have been manipulated."

Bai Miao's words were piercing to the heart, and Faust stood there dumbfounded, clearly caught in a great dilemma.

Once he became part of the ship, he could no longer prove that he was independent.

Faust also realized this after Bai Miao's few words.

The two men had very similar thought patterns, so Bai Miao could easily guide Faust to think in the direction he wanted.

Faust understood this, but he had no way to counter it.

Because his heart was filled with the flames of revenge.

"So, what do you think I should do? Do the opposite of Noah's plan? Don't kill the subsequent captains, so that his hunt for the Knockers completely fails?"

Bai Miao shook his head: "But that would leave behind a captain who would never be able to find the three parts. You know that apart from me, very few people can meet this demanding condition."

"It's not that there aren't many people, it's that there are no people. I'm certain that it's impossible for anyone to find the three missing parts on Terra. Terra is too big. Moreover, when sailing at sea, if you can't constantly adjust your course, you won't know where you're going."

"So my advice to you is to commit suicide, so that you can be completely free."

"The only thing you can do to disobey Noah is to give up the false life he has given you. At least in the last moment of your life, you chose to be yourself."

Faust suddenly burst into wild laughter.

"After all that talking and all this, you just want to kill me? I know you don't trust me, but I didn't expect you to distrust me to this extent."

Bai Miao looked at Faust with pity: "Do you really think I'm fooling you?"

"Faust, do you still not realize your status as a captive, a prisoner?"

Bai Miao sighed: "When Noah discovered your identity as the one who knocked on the door and completely bound you to this ship, the original you was already dead. You are now perhaps just a program with Faust's memories. Your desire to kill Noah and your anger for revenge against Noah were also pre-set by him, just to make you work harder for him."

Faust, feigning nonchalance, retorted, "Then if I die, won't I still be unable to deal with the captain?"

"No, I will create a new minister to take your place and be in charge of cleaning up the captain."

"Then, what's the difference between me now? Noah can still fulfill his wish."

Bai Miao said regretfully, "We can't take revenge on a dead man. You know this better than I do, but you still stubbornly believe that Noah will return one day. That's where he's using you. As long as you're alive, you can't escape Noah's control over you."

Faust, as if all his strength had been drained, leaned weakly against the pillar: "In other words, I had fallen into his trap from the very beginning."

“You have lost your physical body, your freedom, and your will. Why would you think you can still take revenge on a dead man? Every thought you have may have been instilled in you by Noah beforehand.”

As Bai Miao spoke, he tossed out a pistol.

Faust looked down at the gun on the ground, then looked up at Bai Miao: "This thing can't kill me."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand, and the pillar slowly floated to the side of him.

"I know you want to take my lock and key, but unfortunately, I won't leave it to you."

As it spoke, the pillar pierced through the indestructible walls of the Endless Energy Ship, and together with the chains attached to it, flew into the unknown.

"I've applied an information blockade with a lock, so it's impossible for you to find the locations of these two items using pathfinding skills."

"It seems you have made up your mind."

Faust's relinquishment of his own lock and key signifies his intention to launch a final act of rebellion against Noah, using his own life as a sacrifice.

This is the final swan song of a loser.

“I don’t know how much longer you can stay here, but if I’m gone and you’re gone, no one will be able to find the anomaly for the minister to resolve, and the ship will run out of power. I hope you can build a replacement as soon as possible.”

Then Faust smiled with relief and said, "I have indeed lived on this ship for too long, so long that I have almost forgotten my memories of being human."

He walked up to Bai Miao and looked him over carefully: "Although I don't know if you suggested that I commit suicide out of selfish motives or if you were really giving me advice, what you said is true. This is the only thing I can do to resist Noah. As long as I am alive, I will never give up to torture and kill the captain, because I believe from the bottom of my heart that as long as I keep killing, Noah will always return."

"But that would be falling into Noah's trap. He is not the one who knocks on the door, and he cannot live forever. His physical body perished more than a hundred years ago."

"In that sense, I should thank you for proposing such a solution for me, allowing me to completely break free from this damned cycle."

Faust reached out to pat Bai Miao's shoulder, but stopped mid-air: "But don't misunderstand, I can't help but get angry when I see your face, so only half of what I said to you earlier is true. Figure it out yourself."

Faust stabbed his hand into his own chest: "I am dead, I am free, and perhaps one day you will make the same choice."

"I'll give you some final advice, and what follows is entirely true."

"The further you go, the fewer possibilities you have. If you still have a choice when flying towards the sun, I suggest you choose the lock. The essence of the key is struggle, making everyone who chooses the key fight each other and grow stronger through the struggle. There is only one path to choosing the key, and that is to fight, fight continuously, until you become the only one left."

"I don't know the essence of locks because I haven't met other lock holders, but I can sense that both locks and keys have flaws. Perhaps choosing a lock will lead to a different path."

"But you have both."

Bai Miao still admired this guy to some extent.

He accomplished something that no one else could do.

"Having both only gives me an advantage when I'm dealing with a single key. I haven't fully utilized the power of the lock and key, or perhaps I just came at the wrong time..."

Faust's figure gradually became blurry, and his words were tinged with regret: "If only I hadn't trusted that woman so much... It's a pity I won't be able to see you get tricked by that guy."

"I've already killed Zhao Ling."

Faust's eyes widened: "Then your situation is really very different from mine."

"It's...quite enviable..."

Bai Miao watched quietly as Faust turned into specks of white light and melted into the walls and floor of the captain's cabin. Then, some specks of light gradually emerged from the floor and reformed into his form.

The two looked at each other.

Chapter 225 Reaching a Consensus