Unlike the other mbers of his combat unit, Wei Tianyang’s status was exceptional, and it took him less than one evening to resolve a disaster that could have destroyed Prussia. Leona’s office couldn’t possibly fail to acknowledge this.
That very night, Wei Tianyang was arranged to stay at a hotel in Bailin City that only accommodated foreign guests.
He enjoyed his dinner, and the waiter’s discreet hint whether he needed to invite a few girls to keep him company was also refused.
It was already the middle of the night.
Wei Tianyang had not stayed at many hotels, but he felt that luxury hotel rooms all seed much the sa.
The hotel was situated on a hill far from the city center, and outside the window that was open one could overlook the bustling night scene of Bailin City. Viewing the city from this angle was like observing a miniature scene through a glass ball. It was pretty, yet it also felt detached.
He still missed the days when he carried his pack on his back, walking step by step on the streets of Qiyang City—ssy shops by the roadside, uneven pavents, the sour stench in the air, people’s curses and laughter, occasional passing vehicles.
That was reality.
Now, his living conditions had improved far too much.
Improved so much that he had never even imagined having such a life in his past.
But also, he had lost a certain sense of reality.
He rembered how in the past, the sound of his mother struggling to cook, the clanging of the spatula and the lid, the noise of the neighbors, and the murmur of the waste river would greet him as he lifted the door curtain upon arriving ho...
And now? Waiters would bring the dishes to the door, fetch the utensils after the al, and the room would always be spotless. He didn’t even know when these people would co in to clean...
Everything was so clean, as if it had never been used.
Wei Tianyang leaned on the windowsill, gazing at the night view of Bailin City under the moonlight, and suddenly his yearning for his mother surged in his heart.
"Let the whole world rember your na..."
His mother had once hoped so much.
"I did it... Mom..."
Wei Tianyang pursed his lips and clenched his fists tightly.
In the past, an accountant at any random logistics company would have wanted to push him around, but now Presidents of various countries had to be sensitive to his mood.
Returning to Yin Country used to be a dream, and now, Yin Country’s Emperor had to writhe and moan beneath him.
In just five short years, everything had turned upside down.
Baphot saw the concerns in Wei Tianyang’s mind. It had already disconnected from objective reality, arrogantly sprawling itself on the bed.
"Greater aning? What is that?" Baphot wondered.
"That’s sothing you don’t understand," Wei Tianyang said without looking at it, as if talking to himself.
"What about justice and fairness then?" Baphot continued to inquire.
Only then did Wei Tianyang turn his head to look at the Black Mountain Goat.
Seeing him frown, Baphot sensibly rolled off the bed and knelt on the small rug in front of the fireplace.
"Justice... what exactly is it... I can’t explain that clearly either," Wei Tianyang said.
Is helping the weak justice? But this explanation clearly conflicts with another type of behavior.
Sotis, for a better outco, soone has to pay the price.
But who wants to be the sacrifice?
However, reality will not have a perfect answer.
Small kindnesses can help the weak, but it’s only with ruthlessness and decisiveness to make the most correct and rational choices that everyone can benefit.
Greater aning isn’t justice and fairness, it’s the goodwill that makes this world a bit better. This goodwill could be casual assistance from ordinary folk, or the compassion of politicians.
"If that’s what greater aning is, then I think it’s equivalent to no aning at all," Baphot sneered after hearing Wei Tianyang’s thoughts.
"What is your world like then?" Wei Tianyang asked.
"World? I do not understand the aning of the word, just as I do not understand other terms like ’ti,’ ’love,’ ’justice,’ and ’fairness.’ These are all concepts invented by creatures like you," Baphot responded.
It lay on its side, allowing its belly to be ward by the fire, then it found that the fire had no heat, only an animation displayed within black glass, and this annoyed it.
"For , greater aning is to defeat all ’characters’ and occupy a position at the ’conclusion’ of the ’grand narrative,’" Baphot said.
"That’s too specific... What exactly is a grand narrative? It sounds much like the novels in our world," Wei Tianyang said.
"Narrative is existence. Existence is reality," Baphot got back up on its knees.
"So you’re saying, in this story, there are many many characters, but not everyone will necessarily have an ending?" Wei Tianyang asked.
Baphot nodded. "Every existing creature has their own ’Chapter,’ and after the ’climax,’ so creatures will disappear forever."
"Disappear forever... why?" Wei Tianyang asked.
"There is no why, that’s just how narrative reality is," Baphot looked at Wei Tianyang.
"Then... humanity... our Chapter, have you seen it? What happens next? Will we be sifted out by the climax?" Wei Tianyang asked.
"I do not know, nor do I care. You should also not care about this; you’re no longer a resident here, you have your own Chapter," Baphot conveyed telepathically.
My own Chapter...
He rembered!
Wei Tianyang suddenly recalled that during his confrontation with Chen Ran in Libitelli, he had an out-of-body experience in the car and saw the words beneath the veil.
He had changed his own actions and avoided a bad ending...
"I... I rember now," Wei Tianyang murmured to himself.
"So, there’s only one greater aning, to make sure you have a place in the ending," Baphot seed to be smiling.
"Wait a second... what happens after the ending?" Wei Tianyang said.
"You will face a aningful death," Baphot replied.
Wei Tianyang was startled...
If the ending ans death... then what’s the difference from being sifted out by the climax?
"Damn it... What’s the difference?!" he said angrily.
"It’s different," Baphot shook its head.
Then, it added, "Being sifted out ans being completely erased from the ’grand narrative,’ while having an ending ans becoming a part of the ’grand narrative.’"
Wei Tianyang said, "I still feel there’s no difference, because in the end... they’re all dead..."
"At least, your existence will continue with the ’grand narrative’ instead of being denied even the fact that you ’existed.’"
"You are born ’within the narrative,’ act and feel. Wouldn’t it be a pity, in the end, if you couldn’t leave anything behind?"
Baphot shook its horns and rubbed its face on the rug, as if itching.
Wei Tianyang was lost in thought, gazing at the moon in the night sky, lost in reverie.
"I’ll consider it," Wei Tianyang said.
"Consider what?" Baphot expressed confusion.
"Changing my definition of greater aning," Wei Tianyang said.
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