I, holding a long sword in my hand, only know one move

Rick answered coldly and put the luggage on the ground.

"Kelong, did anything happen during my absence?"

"Call me sister! How many times do you have to tell me, you guy-"

The girl known as Kelon pouted. While correcting Rick's title, she nodded vigorously: "It's okay, at least nothing serious enough to have to be reported happened. By the way, take off that dirty cloak and rawhide quickly." Come down, I’m going to take it and wash it!”

She patted Rick's dusty head unceremoniously and said to him.

"Ale, you too, thank you for your hard work!"

Kelon took over the cloaks and many equipments from the two men, and then discovered that there was a missing person who should also be present.

Before she asked the question, Ya Lei had already answered her: "....If you want to ask Ivan, he is dead."

Ke Long's expression was distorted, and at this moment, another voice came from the side of the square.

"dad!"

Rick looked back and saw a young girl stumbling over.

Seeing the girl, Ya Lei opened his mouth, then gritted his teeth.

She ran up to the three of them out of breath. As soon as she saw Rick, a smile immediately broke out on her face and she asked loudly: "Where's Dad?!"

"..."

Rick didn't answer.

Those bright eyes were very similar to those of her father - she was Ivan's daughter.

"Nonna...."

"Rick, where is Dad?"

Nonna asked again, pulling on Rick's clothes, her cheerful expression vaguely revealing an uneasy look.

——————————

The fire crackled softly, and occasionally two or three sparks shot out from the bright yellow flames accompanying the licking of food.

Cheng Rang and Yi Wang are sitting cross-legged on the ground. Here is

A very hidden cave.

During these two days, Cheng Rang confessed to the man in front of him with a very simple and crude reason: "You can inspect me at will until we can establish basic trust between us."

"Whether you believe it or not, I am just a traveler from a world you don't know. My purpose is also very simple, to witness some history that needs to be witnessed, and to ensure the survival of humanity on this planet."

"As you can see, I'm human too."

Under the steel ruins composed of the goblin airship that crashed to the earth, Cheng Rang lifted his hood and showed his appearance to the man who was wary of him in front of him.

——Without any other racial characteristics other than human beings.

"It's just that I'm stronger than you, that's all."

The black-haired man who called himself "Cheng" smiled and patted the white long knife hanging on his waist. Under Iwang's gaze, the black eyes similar to those of the boy named Rick were flashing. A light that Ivan couldn't explain.

Those are two completely opposite looks.

If Rick's eyes can be called gray-black abyss, covered with the fog of reason like frozen water, then the man in front of him who calls himself Cheng, what he has in his eyes is what Ivan has never seen. The only things I have ever seen are the twinkling lights like the stars in the sky.

It is precisely because of his belief in never giving up that Cheng Rang was able to emerge from the maddening eternal cycle and become the strongest.

It was precisely because he had a more optimistic view of everything in this world than he did, and had the confidence and power to control his own destiny, that made Yiwang slowly let down his guard.

He is a truly strong man, whether it is the power he possesses or the strong heart, he is a strong man that makes Yiwang can not help but admire and surprise him.

And it was only now, after Yiwang accepted the food handed to him by Cheng, that he spoke his name for the first time.

"Evan."

"Um?"

"My name, you can call me Yvonne."

After Cheng Rang heard this, he seemed to be slightly stunned for a moment, then he laughed and nodded gently: "Okay."

In fact, what made Yiwang more concerned was that, apart from his surprise after he saved his life, his initial hostility towards the man in front of him inexplicably decreased as time went by.

It was as if I trusted his words unconditionally.

He had also suspected that Cheng Rang had manipulated his thoughts or used magic, but this was immediately denied.

If he had that kind of ability, given his human physique, he would not be aware of it. This is the minimum mistake, and a truly strong person would not bother to do this.

Iwang could only attribute it to the charm exuded by this man... Although it is a bit strange to say this, it can only be explained in this way.

Cheng Rang slowly breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Yiwang sitting in front of the warm bonfire, gradually starting to chat with him.

Glancing at the information on the system screen, Cheng Rang felt that his persistent efforts to increase his favorability were finally in vain.

[Faction favorability: Human 65]

This means that individuals of all human races will have a friendly initial impression of Cheng Rang, which can unconditionally reduce the hostility of the human camp towards them and enhance trust.

This is the camp favorability system started by Cheng Rang for the first time. Starting from the 45 points of favorability at the beginning of the human camp, he eliminated violence in HL and kept his name. After more than a year, he finally got it. Above 60 points, enter the friendly ranks.

In fact, Cheng Rang didn't even expect that this thing could come in handy in this situation.

If the system hadn't dinged him in the background, he would have forgotten about it!

The two just sat by the campfire and chatted quietly. Cheng Rang also learned that Yiwang also had a wife and a lovely daughter that made him proud.

"But if you don't go back, you can imagine how sad Nonna will be, right?"

"Yes." Iwang smiled bitterly and turned the bonfire with the wooden stick in his hand.

He was not surprised at all that Rick would inform his daughter of his "death" in an almost cruel way.

————————

"Listen to me, Nonna..."

Ya Lei spoke unbearably, but was stopped by Rick with his hand. Kelon, who also wanted to stand between Rick and Nonna, was also glared at by Rick.

Rick first touched his chest gently, as if to confirm something, and then he said in his usual calm and emotionless tone: "Evan... your father will not come back."

The girl opened her eyes wide, as if she couldn't understand what he said.

But after Rick said this, he didn't say a word, and the girl staggered away from Rick.

Tears instantly appeared in the corners of her eyes, and her small lips couldn't help trembling.

".....Why?"

silence.

"Dad said he would definitely come back, and he asked me to be a good boy and wait for him to come back! I have a good boy... I obviously kept my promise, why doesn't dad come back?!"

"Because he's dead."

"fraud!"

Nonna's scream echoed in the cave.

Even just imagining it makes Yiwang feel heartbroken.

.......

Cheng Rang stood up and extinguished the slowly burning bonfire, and said to Yi Wang: "Since you are still alive, you must abide by the agreement you made with your daughter. You don't want to be a father who breaks your promise, do you?"

"Yes, after all, they are the meaning of my life."

Yiwang completely buried the extinguished bonfire until no trace of his previous visit could be seen, and then he nodded slowly.

"Let's go back."

Chapter 5 Heart Lock (Part 1)

When did it start?

Rick listened to Nonna's cries in front of him and thought inadvertently - even if he heard such a sad voice, his heart would not be moved.

"Dad made an appointment with me... and said he would definitely come back!"

"Yiwang also wanted to abide by the agreement, but when we encountered a demon species, he stayed behind to be used as bait."

"I don't care! Why hasn't dad come back?!"

Nonna was right. No matter who she was protecting or why she died, that reason had nothing to do with her at all.

Because my favorite dad has not come back, this fact will not change.

"Dad clearly said that humans will win!"

"Of course we will win. This is why Ivan is fighting for power. He protected us just to let everyone win."

When did it start?

I became able to say such insincere words as if nothing had happened.

Nonna's little face was twisted together from crying.

"That's not a victory! If it's that kind of victory...then it's better to die as Rick!"

"\u003e

"Nonna!"

The skinny young woman, Nonna's mother, and Ivan's wife heard the sound and rushed over. She stumbled over, took her daughter's hand, and looked at Rick.

There was neither resentment nor hatred in that look, and Rick unconsciously touched his chest again.

It's okay...no problem...

"Rick."

Marutan called Rick's name in a hoarse voice.

I'm sorry - the words came out of his mouth reflexively, but Rick swallowed them back.

"Yiwang acted as a bait to let us escape. If he hadn't done that, we would have been wiped out. Moreover, he believes that by successfully bringing back this harvest, he can protect you and Nonna."

"..."

"Thank you, Rick." Marutan's body trembled slightly, tears sliding down her cheeks.

She bowed to Rick very slowly, and then returned to the settlement holding her daughter who had lost her father.

Before leaving, Nonna looked back at Rick and clearly told his true identity.

--"fraud."

It was as if his shoulder was smashed up a mountain in an instant, and the feeling of falling internal organs made Rick want to vomit, but Kelong, who was knocked into his arms, hugged him tightly with rough movements, making him almost lose his balance.

"It's great that you're okay, welcome back."

"Yeah, I'm back."

Then she pushed the two of them as if she was deliberately changing the subject.

"You two are going to stink so much, go take a shower!"

"Take a shower!"

Alei cheered, and Rick whispered: "I'll just wipe it, don't waste fuel."

But unable to resist Kelon's persistence, Rick finally sighed and walked away.

.......

In the fine black and gray snow, two figures walked silently one after the other, leaving a series of long footprints.

The two of them had spent a day traveling through the wilderness and arrived at a forest where even the wind had not caressed them. Ywang, who was leading the way, suddenly staggered.