Chapter 207

Furthermore, their coordination was simply too seamless.

Before one person could finish half a sentence, others would seamlessly pick up where they left off; sometimes, there was no need for many words—a mere exchange of glances or a slight physical touch was enough for those around to immediately understand and take over, as if they shared some invisible, unspoken consensus.

Qi Xing witnessed with his own eyes two men on the street complete a cargo handover just by touching cheeks, fully understanding the task without needing any verbal explanation.

Further ahead, a barber was trimming a customer's hair. When the phone rang, he answered without even lifting his head. At that very instant, an old man who had been sitting by the door chatting got up, walked into the shop, skillfully took the scissors, and continued the unfinished trim as if nothing had happened. The entire process was as smooth as if it had been rehearsed a thousand times.

Every islander on this island could play everyone else's role; it was as if they were on a stage where everyone had read each other's scripts and memorized all the lines. Everyone could seamlessly step into another person's role to finish the remaining work, without any need for requests or instructions.

Whether they were tour guides, waiters, barbers, chefs, or stunt performers, no one needed to ask "Who am I?"—because everyone was part of the islanders.

Everyone knew what the others would do next, as if the entire island were a massive organism, and these people were merely cells and nerves switching positions—reacting precisely, flowing seamlessly, with everything as natural as cellular replacement.

Qi Xing had been puzzled before, but now he fully understood—no wonder an island with a population of twenty thousand could have its own television channel!

If there were twenty thousand all-around, multi-skilled experts who could seamlessly hand over work, wouldn't it be a very simple matter to produce television programs on the island?

—Even the programs were surely made primarily for the tourists to watch.

This was far beyond the level of mere "mutual understanding."

This was…

Qi Xing looked toward this small paradise city, blurred by lights and swirling with fragrance, and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

—Everyone here was smiling, yet Qi Xing could not clearly see any of their faces.

"What's the matter, Master Leipu, looking so hurried?"

Back in the hotel room, Island Master Xue Ning was already waiting. Seeing the change in Qi Xing's expression at a glance, she wore an intrigued expression.

"You clearly know the reason."

Qi Xing glanced at the two girls behind him, the Blonde Girl and the Brown-haired Girl,

"The intelligence received by the islanders is all consolidated to you, isn't it?"

"It's not as convenient as you think."

The Island Master chuckled, shaking her head,

"Master Leipu, we are human after all, not some sci-fi insectoid race, and we don't have telepathic connections—if you observe carefully, you will notice that everyone touches each other before handing over work; normally, without active physical intimacy, it's impossible to directly learn someone else's skills."

"But that is precisely why it is scientific. Body language is just one form of communication. The islanders have simply been improved and optimized to be able to communicate with each other very efficiently."

After saying this, Xue Ning walked over, hugged the Blonde Girl, and kissed the Brown-haired Girl. In an instant, she understood what Qi Xing had seen on the island and guessed what he was thinking.

"You two step down for now."

She said to the two girls, letting them leave.

Subsequently, without waiting for Qi Xing to ask, the Island Master took the initiative to explain: "That child was indeed brought here by me from outside the island—simply put, she was sold by her family."

Qi Xing immediately frowned: "Sold?"

"She was originally born into a poor family in Greece. Her family owed debts that kept rolling over and getting bigger, making life almost impossible to sustain. Creditors would come to smash their door every other day, and neighbors stopped paying attention to them."

Xue Ning explained calmly,

"Later, her father got drunk and died in an accidental fall, making the pressure of repaying the debt seem even more endless. It just so happened that I was looking for new blood suitable for joining the island, and I thought this child was quite good."

She paused here, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curling at the corners of her lips.

"She said she came voluntarily, saying it was for her family, to lighten the burden at home—but Master Leipu, you should understand that so-called 'family expectations' are sometimes just another form of coercion."

Qi Xing did not refute this, only furrowing his brows, because he truly understood this concept.

So Xue Ning continued calmly: "If I hadn't chosen her, this child's fate would only have been more miserable. You also know that for a girl like her, there aren't many 'choices' in the outside world."

"Are there many choices here?"

Qi Xing retorted,

"I originally thought that everyone on the whole island was truly 'voluntary,' all merged into one, but now it seems that's not the case. There must be at least some people who feel resistance to unlimited █."

"It's just a very small minority of new blood absorbed, they just need time to adapt." The Island Master raised an eyebrow, "They will naturally adapt in a few years. In fact, I don't force them to integrate."

"Give me a break."

This remark actually made Qi Xing laugh,

"I know best what it means to be 'voluntary' in name but 'coerced' in reality. Island Master, if you want to play this word game with me, relying on your age advantage isn't enough."

"Human beings don't even have 'margin for error' here, so how can you talk about 'choice'?"

She said there was no coercion on this island, and of course, there wasn't.

There were no arguments, no conflicts, no contradictions here; the people on the island couldn't have contradictions—because they were already as one, everyone moving in the same direction, in perfect unison, as if it were meant to be. How could there be contradictions?

Potatoes placed into a pot to boil, boiled for a long time, boiled until soft, naturally merge together. They are still potatoes, just turned into a whole pot of mashed potatoes, no longer individual potatoes.

How could this be called coercion?

If they were all born this way, then Qi Xing didn't know if it was good or bad, and it was hard to judge: you are not the fish, so how do you know the joy of the fish? Becoming a pot of mashed potatoes might truly be happier than being an individual potato?

—But, at least there were still a very few who hadn't been boiled down yet. There were always some people who still had a faint "I don't want to" lingering in their hearts, yet they were unable to refuse.

This island was indeed a paradise.

However, this was not a paradise for the "individual," but a paradise that had dissolved all "selves" with the integration of happiness.

In an instant, in this hotel room with only Qi Xing and Xue Ning,

The Demon King and the cult leader glared at each other, swords drawn.

Their eyes met, and a layer of transparent static seemed to float in the air, carrying a tension that could ignite at any moment.

Master Leipu and the leader of the White God Believers, their auras were like clashing sword blades, the air seemingly frozen in their silent gaze.

Even so, there was no hostility in Xue Ning's eyes.

" 'Individual,' 'freedom'… these are not as important in my values as they are in your mouth."

Suddenly, she sighed,

"Even if they don't adapt, they can at least survive on my island, right? That's better than starving to death in their original homes, isn't it?"

"Master Leipu, these big principles of yours are just empty talk. Ultimately, the Silver Coin Messenger has to trample on others' free will anyway. Becoming the king of the new world chosen by the White God is just how it is."

"Is there any way to satisfy everyone?"

There was indeed some truth to this. Flowing out of the new world meant conquering the old world and rewriting it; this act was inherently about trampling on the will of the people in the old world. In other words, it was tyranny.

If one really had to care about everyone's consent and accept everyone's opinions, Qi Xing might as well run for President of Earth.

But now, having this pointed out by the Island Master, Qi Xing instead grinned.

He laughed quite arrogantly.

"I am Master Leipu, who looks down upon the foolish masses, the best in the world, capable of making black holes climax with my █!"

"Do you expect 'mutual understanding' and 'reasoning' to change the Demon King's mind?"

This time, it was Xue Ning's turn to be speechless.

Different eras and situations naturally have different morals. People of the Shang Dynasty might feel that human sacrifice is noble, while modern people view it as cruel; post-modernists might feel that liberating desires is human freedom, while modern people conversely cry out that it is depravity.

Everyone can reason, and everyone has their own logic. But in the end, no matter how high-sounding, righteous, or seemingly reasonable and advanced the arguments are—

—would Qi Xing be willing to have sex with a man?

Could he accept his wife having sex with other men?

If he doesn't want to, he doesn't want to. To hell with all your bullshit logic.

Sometimes, "I don't want to" itself is the entire reason.

So, is it time to fight?

Is it time for their second confrontation to begin?

Qi Xing was already prepared.

However, Island Master Xue Ning shook her head, raising her hands as if surrendering: "I can't beat you, there's nothing to fight about."

"Master Leipu, do you have any options to offer us? A way out that is feasible for us?"

Qi Xing raised an eyebrow: "What were you planning to do to me originally?"

"Nothing special." The Island Master said calmly, "I just hoped to persuade you to assist me in promoting the rules laid out on this island, step by step, to the world."

"I am a universalist. All humanity will become one, using █ as a means to eliminate misunderstanding, conflict, and pain."

"But to achieve such earth-shattering change, we need a hero—a hero who uses absolute power to suppress dissenters. Master Leipu, your █ and [Dominator] power naturally possess such strength."

The Island Master sighed,

"But looking at the current situation, you won't agree, and trying to persuade you through dialogue is impractical."

She paused, her gaze frank, as if she were sincerely asking Qi Xing for advice:

"What do you intend to do with us? Should I send all the children who don't like to █ away from the island? But you know, many of the new blood I select from outside are children who originally had problems in their families."

"Children without parents, poor children, children subjected to violence in orphanages, eyesores in their families, children with no place in school… the places they would return to are definitely not peaceful."

Although it was a surrender, Xue Ning still looked at Qi Xing with interest, seemingly very curious about what answer he would give.

Qi Xing's answer was very simple:

"You keep giving them money."

"Huh?"

For a moment, even Xue Ning was stunned.

Her usually calm smile showed obvious wavering and confusion for the first time.

"… This request of yours is too unreasonable."

She said softly, as if confirming whether she had heard correctly,

"I have to send them away while continuing to support them? I don't owe them anything, on what grounds?"

"On the grounds that I haven't wiped your entire island off the map yet."

"On the grounds that I am allowing the others on this island to continue existing as they are now."

Qi Xing's expression was indifferent,

"Coexistence, not extermination—you can ask the people I've killed over the past ten years if I'm not being very reasonable this time."

"As for the future, when I have collected thirty silver coins and am about to create a new world, how this island changes… we'll talk about that then."

Silence.

For a long time, Xue Ning didn't speak again, her eyes complex.

She wasn't afraid, but she clearly couldn't treat this conversation as a philosophical debate anymore. At this point, it was obvious that Qi Xing wasn't here to reason.

…Isn't this just demanding tribute and allegiance in exchange for allowing them to maintain independence? What kind of suzerain overlord is he?

But this could indeed be considered a form of coexistence.

After thinking for a while, finally, the Island Master asked again: "The silver coin in the labyrinth…"

"I am definitely taking that."

Qi Xing said decisively. This was not up for negotiation.

Silence continued for a moment, then the Island Master sighed.

"… Then let's wait until you can conquer the labyrinth and obtain the silver coin before we talk about subsequent arrangements."

She said it lightly, her expression regaining a bit of composure.

But even for just a split second, Qi Xing could detect that her state of mind had changed.

Would she honestly watch Qi Xing slowly clear the labyrinth and take the silver coin away?

Qi Xing didn't believe it at all.

Let me see how many tricks you still have hidden under your skirt.

Volume 5: Welcome to █ Paradise!: 190: The room where you can't advance without taking initiative.

That night.

Qi Xing did not sleep. He sat cross-legged, meditating in the hotel room all night, remaining vigilant the entire time.