Volume 1 - CH 20

Today, I thought of a question. Why am I here?

In this city, my student life revolves around three places: cafeteria, classroom, and home.

I worry and distress about my grades. I think about my cloudy future, and feel some sort of reverence.

Why am I sitting here, thinking about my mortality? According to my molecular physics textbook, Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, anything can exist nearly anywhere in the world. Why am I here, then?

Undoubtedly, my birth is a wonder. All of my ancestors had to do certain things at certain times exactly right, and couldn't be a little bit off.

Think about it. If any of my family tree's genes had one microscopic irregularity, my fate would be drastically different.

I wouldn't appear on this world at all. Someone else will take my place.

This means that every single one of us, is some sort of miracle.

All the people, all the families in this country bonded together to create what is now China. Everyone alive and dead today contributed to the building of our nation.

The world's 221 countries form the entire history of humanity.

Besides humans, there are also animals, plants, insects, bacterium…. They've been on this planet for far longer than we have, and are the origins of life.

Life's existence depends on the creation of Earth. Even that was random in random.

In this Goldilocks' zone, the temperature is just right, our planet can have a magnetic field, and form an ozone layer and atmosphere.

It's just like a Garden of Eden, given to us by God.

Yet, the theory of the Big Bang completely exhausts our logic.

What was before the origin of the universe? What kind of genius scientist can explain that to me? At the moment, there aren't any research or explanation that make any sense whatsoever.

However, reality is that we humans have created our own world, and rise from the Stone Age, forming societies and culture.

The reason why we exist here, is because of what the essence of time has given us, the truth of existence.

….

Of course, there are accidents. If there are irregularities in the law of nature, then the universe will lose its balance, and become short-lived.

An example would be the "Elena's Murmur" I held in my hand.

Ignorantly, I thought that its only ability was replenishing a great amount of health, while consuming extremely low mana. But when I used my warrior's short-sword, and hacked the cougar to half its health, the staff recovered little to no health at all.

One swipe by the cougar can waste a sixth of my health. However, when I tried to use my staff, I could only recover to a ratio of the monster's remaining health.

So that means, the amount I heal is tied to the foe's health. The consumed mana, however, was so low that I might as well be able to use it infinitely.

Then, as long as I don't get one-hit by the enemy, they could never kill me. But the moment I try to harm them, my healing will be tied to their remaining health, and eventually die first.

"The player uses the staff to expel magic, ending all sides' desires for combat."

I finally understood its meaning. As long as I only recover health with my staff, I won't die in battle. But as soon as I attack the opponent, I'll die first in the end.

So, I will never be able to kill the Adult Cougar before my eyes. My normal staff couldn't recover the damage of its swipes, and the "Elena's Murmur" could only recover to one-sixth of its remaining health.

If this keeps up, I'll be in no shape to recover health. Once I fall into its one-hit zone, I'll die immediately.

"What kind of bullshit is this!"

I stopped attacking. This dumb ability doesn't seem to have any use other than self-protections. I should just let it kill me, and respawn at the Amateur's Village. I'll get my old staff back, and return to farming Cougar Cubs.

"Just kill me now, let me go back killing those stupid cubs. I don't want to test for finals in this mood…"

But at that moment, a violent burst of fiery-red light blasted by my head, and instantly scorched the cougar to ashes.

"HoneyGrapefruitTea, Lv. 2 Mage. Acquired Cougar Skin x1, XP +10."

"Hehe, what kind of name is DrowningFishSpit?"

My chat box dinged with cute, pink letters.

Her character skipped in front of me.

"What're you doing? You just stole my Cougar!"

I angrily typed.

"You weren't getting anywhere with that sword, anyway. As payment, I'll take the spoils, haha!"

Her pink font and tone was starting to annoy me.

"Are you blind? Not only could I kill it, you wouldn't last under me, either." I jested.

"Then come at me. I don't mind sending you back to the village."

Her tone was still condescending.

I quickly drank some health and mana potions. I was well-prepared for this, lest some troll player caught me off guard.

Miraculously, the "Elena's Murmur" was surprisingly effective against the low-mana, high-damage mage.

The mage first carelessly fired a fireball. The spell dropped my health bar to just a few points. Fortunately, I picked up on some magic-defense experience points recently.

I replenished my health to its max with "Elena's Murmur".

"You're kidding me…."

The girl was obviously shocked by my recovery speed.

I smiled evilly, and sliced at her mage. A quarter of her health was gone, just like that.

Mages' defenses are surprisingly low. I grew confident in my abilities.

"What's giving you so much health?!"

She clearly didn't know my staff's ability.

The mage drank her potions in a big hurry, and started raining hell on me with spells and attacks. To maintain the ratio, I didn't retaliate with my sword swings.

"This is bullshit…"

At last, the mage used up all her mana potions, and became powerless.

"Don't come close…"

She started to sound afraid.

"Didn't you hear what I said? This is power. To think that you were making fun of me, so foolish…."

I drew my blade and walked to her, swinging it slowly.

"Can you please not kill me, I haven't died once yet…"

The chat box became flooded with emoticons.

"Nope."

I kept my light smile.

What kind of girl will play online? I'll tolerate a 40-year-old basement junkie opening a girl's account, but a pink font and emoticons? I just can't stand people like you!

I cut down.

"Aaah—"

She acted like it actually hurt.

I struck again.

"Aahh—Please don't! I'm begging you…."

"Enough, man. It's just a game, not life or death."

This person is really retarded.

To have such a glass heart, and carelessly provoking people to fight? Talk about digging a hole for yourself.

….

At the last strike, I, a petty Shepherd, experienced the victory cutscene. I felt absolutely unstoppable.

"DrowningFishSpit, Lv. 1 Shepherd, eliminated HoneyGrapefruitTea, Lv. 2 Mage."

"Acquired: Cougar Skin x34, Cougar Steak x76, XP +1000"

"Congratulations, DrowningFishSpit, you've become Lv. 2 Shepherd!"

….

Existence is truth. Whether you make use of it or not, is your choice.

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