Chapter 109

"I have a friend," Li Daoran began.

"Hmm," Yuan Muye glanced at him. Usually, when someone starts a sentence that way, it is safe to assume the friend is purely imaginary.

"Don't speak," Li Daoran said, sounding dissatisfied.

"Fine," Yuan Muye nodded.

"Right, I have a friend who loves to take the fall for others. Even when something has nothing to do with him, he always insists on shouldering the blame," Li Daoran said after a moment of thought.

Yuan Muye remained silent.

Li Daoran looked at him, and kept looking at him, until finally, unable to bear it any longer, he said, "Say something."

"Didn't you tell me not to speak?" Yuan Muye replied.

"Are you really over sixty? I feel like you're younger than me," Li Daoran remarked, noting how rarely he felt an age gap between them.

"I don't really want to talk to you. What's wrong with being over sixty? Did people in their sixties ever offend you?" Yuan Muye said, pretending to bristle with indignation.

"Do you often sneak onto the SkyNet forums?" Li Daoran asked.

Yuan Muye didn't answer him.

"So what happened to your friend? He likes being a scapegoat? Does a person like that actually exist?"

"It's not so much that he likes it. It's just that he does the things others are afraid to do, makes the decisions others are afraid to make, and takes responsibility for the mistakes others commit."

"The way you put it, that 'other person' is you, isn't it? What's the matter? Do you feel guilty about him? Is he dead?" Yuan Muye looked at Li Daoran.

"He's not dead, but he might as well be. Tell me, what was he thinking? Didn't he know the consequences?" Li Daoran asked. Naturally, he was talking about Chen Ming. The first time they met, Chen Ming had threatened to kill him—was that something an ordinary person would dare to do? Had Li Daoran been a vindictive man, the grass on Chen Ming's grave would have grown three feet high by now. Or rather, it was questionable whether he would even have a grave at all.

Later, Chen Ming guided Li Daoran through the most difficult initial period. Later still, when Li Daoran made a mistake on the starship, Chen Ming took all the blame, claiming it was his teaching and that he had authorized it.

After they entered the battlefield, it was again Chen Ming who suppressed internal dissent and backed Li Daoran with all his might.

It wasn't that Chen Ming was always right, but he genuinely considered Li Daoran’s interests. He understood Li Daoran’s heart, knew his thoughts, and stood on the same side. Li Daoran wanted to do something for him, but he realized there was nothing he could do. So, he needed to find someone to confide in—or perhaps confide in the whole world—because he knew that at this moment, everyone could hear his voice. He had to speak up for Chen Ming.

"What you're saying is so vague, I don't understand any of it. If a person does something knowing the consequences, they must have their reasons. Since you're asking me this, you clearly agree with his actions, so why are you asking me?" Yuan Muye shook his head. Li Daoran’s words were half-concealed, but he could hear the dissatisfaction in them. As for who that dissatisfaction was directed at, he didn't know.

Li Daoran took a deep breath, his mind struggling. He didn't know if he should say what came next, or if it would bring danger to himself or all of humanity. But he had an instinctual feeling that this old man—this teacher—was worthy of his trust, more so than Liu Meng.

"What I'm about to say might scare you, but I choose to trust you. Teacher, can you help me?" Li Daoran looked at Yuan Muye solemnly.

Yuan Muye frowned, looking at the earnest, serious expression on Li Daoran's face, and remained silent for a long time.

Li Daoran held his breath, waiting for an answer.

"No, Li Daoran, you cannot do this," David said, his voice firm and deep, as if he knew exactly what Li Daoran intended.

"Indeed, it is too risky. Li Daoran, you cannot gamble the fate of all humanity on one person's trust," Natasha added gently.

Charles said nothing. If it were useful, the two of them would be enough. If it weren't, his presence wouldn't change anything.

However, he said to Hou Liang, "Li Daoran is preparing to tell Yuan Muye about the Water Blue Star. Are you not going to stop him?"

Hou Liang held his phone. He knew that this phone could transmit his voice to Li Daoran's ear, but he remembered Chen Ming, who, while on the verge of death, had told him to listen to everything Li Daoran said and not to try to stop him. He couldn't stop him now.

He thought back to what Li Daoran had just said about seeking justice for Chen Ming. Finally, his brow furrowed deeply on his resolute face. His hand tightened instinctively, and the phone, unable to withstand the pressure, deformed with a snap. The screen shattered, parts flew everywhere, and the sharp pain in his hand made the furrowed brow suddenly relax. *I suppose I'm not suited to be here,* he thought. *Boss, when will you come back?*

After a while, Yuan Muye smiled and said, "You almost had me fooled, kid. Go ahead, let's see what could possibly scare me. Don't tell me you're the son of Li Qing?"

Li Daoran rolled his eyes. He didn't know about others, but he certainly knew of the Great Xia God of War, Li Qing. "You're underestimating me. Prepare yourself mentally. Once I say it, you'll be on this pirate ship with me. You won't be able to run. If you try to run, I'll kill you."

When Li Daoran said the last sentence, he stared fixedly into Yuan Muye’s eyes, leaning in close to prove he wasn't joking.

Yuan Muye genuinely felt the threat. The kid was serious. What kind of secret could it be that required such caution? As he thought this, he felt an unexpected rush of excitement. A jolt of electricity seemed to flash through him, making him feel that today, he might finally find the secret he had been searching for all his life.

"Tell me," Yuan Muye swallowed, his voice trembling slightly.

Li Daoran looked at him with a strange expression. He was threatening to kill the man, so why did Yuan Muye look so excited? Was this some kind of climax? Feeling a bit uncomfortable, he pulled back slightly.

He spoke slowly: "Actually, there are two voices in my ears right now, constantly telling me not to tell you. Perhaps, if it were possible, there would be hundreds of millions of people begging me not to say it. But I'm in charge now. In the past, I never dared to make my own decisions, but today, I trust you. I am the one chosen by fate, right? No one can control me. Perhaps, one day, you all will wish that Chen Ming had killed me back then. Heh."

Yuan Muye watched Li Daoran, who seemed like a madman, but said nothing, because he realized these words didn't seem intended for him.

"I am not from this world, Teacher." Li Daoran revealed a faint smile. As he said those words, he felt a sudden sense of relief in his heart.

David put down his phone and slumped into the sofa, offering a bitter laugh. "See? I told you, we can't restrict him. Other than Chen Ming, he doesn't listen to anyone. To him, we are all outsiders. The only thing that can restrict him is his own heart."

"Chen Ming was right," Hou Liang said. Only now did he understand what Chen Ming had meant.

"Now, we can only hope that Li Daoran has gambled correctly this time. If he can really make this Yuan Muye keep the secret in the Daoran World, it wouldn't be a bad thing. After all, we never intended to hide our existence forever, did we?" Natasha, though she had been trying to dissuade Li Daoran earlier, began to comfort the others now that the deed was done.

"It's too early," Charles said.

Indeed, they had never intended to hide the existence of the Water Blue Star forever, but it was too early. Li Daoran held too few chips; exposing it now was far too dangerous. It was truly unwise.