The Righteous Player(s)

Chapter 733: Madmen’s Journey

After being freed from restraints and treated for wounds, Jacob just sat there, looking at Annan with some confusion.

“Do you trust me so much? I even arranged a ritual against you before… I had just surrendered to you not long ago…”

It hasn’t been a minute yet.

The middle-aged man with hair the color of dry grass opened his mouth, as if about to speak, but then hesitated.

—You have misunderstood. It’s actually because you don’t understand how strong I am.

Annan thought silently in his mind.

Even if Jacob really teleported them to the enemy’s encirclement, Zorgen would start killing them and Suuankou would start bombing everywhere.

Only in places where there was no need to worry about friendly fire or harming innocent civilians, would the Destruction Wizard’s DPS be exceptionally high.

Suppose the party was in danger.

Annan could have simply placed a teleportation waypoint right there, then offered free teleportation and unlimited revives, and proceeded to write the main storyline’s script right on the spot…

Oh no, terming it as the main mission is not enough.

For the players to establish a teleportation waypoint, three people were required to tackle a nightmare that might span for a week. However, that was actually a restriction Annan imposed on the players. The purpose was to encourage not to forget leveling up, while simultaneously purifying the local nightmares as a good deed and earning some reputation.

He could set up teleportation waypoints as easily as reviving players, without any restrictions.

The requirement that teleportation consumed experience was an additional rule set by Annan. The purpose was to limit the high-frequency movements of players… thereby controlling them to stay in a specific area for an extended period and integrate them into the local community.

If Annan had truly granted unlimited teleportation and resurrection priviledges and even encouraged them to kill, the players would have become the fourth disaster, sweeping fearlessly across the land like locusts. In this world, the dead did not respawn… If the players had truly gone mad, even just six hundred of them would have been enough to flatten the entire world.

When locusts were solitary, they were gentle, adorable, and even edible. But when the density of locusts became too high and they turned into social creatures, then they became destroyers.

In a sense, the same goes for the players.

Annan had confirmed it many times… This world should be grateful that it was Annan, the planner, who mastered the Book of Divine Transporter, rather than some world-destroying archdemon who completely misunderstood the players.

Without proper guidance on the players, a four-page Book of Divine Transporter was enough to assemble a demon army that would take the joint efforts of the entire world to stop them.

Annan was naturally the player’s supporter.

But in reality — players were also backing Annan up.

From this perspective, Annan effectively restrained the power from the “Book of Divine Transporter”. However, he didn’t use ritual or curse to limit it… but rather through his will and conscience.

Allowing the players to run rampant in this world would, of course, reward rapid resource collection and their swift growth.

However, this meant that many innocent people would die, and the world would plunge into chaos.

Ganging up to attack wizard towers, teaming up to assassinate transcend being without any grudges, assaulting high-ranking hunters guarding national borders, engaging in illegal smuggling and even going on a rampage when caught, deliberately plundering villages to attract the regular army, attacking ordinary people or destroying buildings to test their skills, infiltrate properties to plunder, robbing merchants or damaging railways, grave robbing to steal the wealth of the deceased — these were all conceivable scenarios of a ‘certain future’.

Just like it was impossible to expect players to obey traffic rules in the game.

However, Annan utilized [affection rating] and [teleportation and death cost experience and levels] to restrain the players, leading them to gradually integrate into this world… and ultimately decide to embark on a path of glory and nobility.

Annan wouldn’t identify him as a kind person just because of that.

However, he refused to become a despicable person either.

Players committing evil deeds without any concerns was not their fault. Since they were not originally from this world, and the mechanics allowed them to do so… they were just role-playing. At most, it was a sin of ‘ruining the gaming experience of others’.

Yet, Annan held the ability and authority to guide the players. He had the means to reverse this possibility — if he was aware of it but chose not to act, then that would be Annan’s sin

Just like “herding wolves”.

Players… or rather, these souls summoned from the other side of the dream world by the “Book of Divine Transporter”, these visitors from other worlds given simulated bodies by the “Book of Divine Transporter” were Annan’s herd.

Certainly, Jacob wasn’t aware of this at all.

He didn’t know about the Book of Truth, let alone how scary the players were.

In his opinion, Annan was merely a Young Duke who dared to enter the enemy’s lair with “only five” subordinates.

On this basis, he also began to worry about Annan’s safety.

“How about I send you their address? Your Majesty, you could first dispatch troops to station there, then go in for interrogation.”

“—Then, if we have their specific locations.” Annan turned to Zorgen and asked, “Can the Frost Beast army defeat them?”

“There is no problem.” Zorgen replied in a low voice, “Paying a certain price is acceptable… The power of the Frost Beasts cannot be resisted, but the soldiers controlling the Frost Beasts will suffer casualties.”

“If they haven’t hidden any traps or special weapons, with my command, the casualties should be able to be kept below 300 — of which over 280 will be human soldiers… The war will end within two weeks.”

What he meant was that the loss would only amount to 20 Frost Beasts.

It was a negligible price to pay.

Those who joined the Frost Beast troops were mostly serious criminals. They were merely expendable. Only a very few young people would risk their lives to join the Frost Beast troops and come into contact with Frost Beasts.

…But that’s too slow.

Two weeks’ worth of time…

If the other party wants to destroy or trigger something, we won’t make it in time.

“Let us first create an opening from the inside.” Annan said calmly. “The capable should bear more responsibility — I am not like my father. Don’t underestimate my fighting capability.”

“They should not have died here. At least not in a battle against their own kin… The Northern Brotherhood engaged in forbidden research, colluded with the corrupt, and studied Frost Beasts, violating multiple taboos. However, until they truly raised the banner of rebellion… their armies, their staff, and their guards were still my subjects.”

“Thus, at least I should kill them myself.”

Let me take responsibility alone for this crime.

Annan said solemnly.

…Bearing this responsibility personally?

Jacob’s pupils shrank slightly.

Such bravery and magnanimity stirred Jacob’s heart profoundly.

He finally realized…

Annan was a ruler of a completely different type than the astute and politically savvy Ivan.

He also gave up advising against Annan.

He captured the unwavering determination in Annan’s eyes.

Is this reckless bravery without strategy, or the courage to lead from the front? Let my own eyes be the judge.

Jacob thought so. He smiled sincerely.

“Is there any wine, Your Majesty?”

He straightened up and asked softly.

“—We have Blood Thorn Wine.” Zoya answered, “Isn’t this a specialty of the Frangell Province? You can’t buy it elsewhere.”

There was a hint of hostility in her words.

Blood Thorns Wine was indeed a specialty of Frangell Province and could not be purchased elsewhere. However, that was not because it was in short supply… Instead, it was because it tasted awful.

That was because the blood thorn wasn’t a fruit but an herb that could make the heart beat faster.

The last time Annan heard about blood thorns was “Blood Impulse Decoction” sent by Salvatore.

This was a decoction made from blood thorns as the main ingredient, mixed with the two cursed materials “berserker’s blood” and “mad bull’s blood”. It was boiled in an iron pot for five hours under the influence of the Alteration Magic.

It could temporarily boost one’s strength and trigger bloodlust. However, if not used skillfully, it could come with some side effects — such as loss of reason, high blood pressure, or liver damage.

The blood thorn wine was also harmful to the liver and unpleasant to drink.

It was extremely sour, tasting like unripe kiwi. After drinking it, the body briefly became stronger… If described in terms of attributes, it would be at a level of [Strength +0.5].

But the discomfort in the stomach and dizziness that it brought after drinking couldn’t be compensated for by that 0.5-point strength boost. It was more of a substitute for strong liquor among the hardy people in the regions facing food scarcity.

“Well, this will do.” Jacob took the bottle from Zoya without hesitation.

He didn’t pick up a glass but instead lifted the bottle and guzzled it down — the wine flowed down his chin, soaking his chest.

It was a gulp that couldn’t taste anything, like swallowing a bitter broth in one go.

It was less about savoring the wine and more about bolstering himself, just seeking that hint of drunkenness.

Regardless of the outcome, he thought, this mission would undoubtedly leave its mark in history.

With only five guards by his side and a young Grand Duke who was just 15 years old, he had accepted the loyalty of the foreign spy who had just attempted to assassinate him. He was willing to let the spy transport him deep into the territory of the hostile noble who wanted him dead.

There was no Gold Rank transcender to escort him, nor was there a cardinal bishop. No Soul Snatch Magic was cast on Jacob to rob away his will either.

However, everything was based on the reason that he didn’t want the criminals in the Frost Beast army to kill each other with his own people.

…What an arrogant and foolish ruler.

Jacob took this as a ceremony. He first drank to the Drinking Deity and the Valley Wolf. If they were to fail, then all of this would be offered to the other side of the Valley Wolf — Tragedy Writer.

This was what a drunkard would do!

Jacob raised his head and the potent wine poured into his throat — making his heart race.

He drank a bottle of blood thorn wine in one gulp.

“I’ll go with you.” Jacob whispered firmly.

A hazy thought came to his mind.

Ah, even after so long…

I still feel uncomfortable drinking Austere-Winter wine.

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