Chapter 65: Standing on the Pinnacle of Morality

In the evening, after soaking in a medicinal bath, Tang Shen logged off. Showering, eating a nutritional meal—it was all a routine he could perform with his eyes closed by now. However, when he logged into the game forum, he immediately noticed something was off. Today, the forum had exploded with hundreds of thousands of new posts, all in a single day.

Nearly every thread revolved around him.

Those who had previously given up searching for him were now on the hunt again, their offers for information rising tenfold, as though gripped by madness. Of course, there were also those who assumed the moral high ground, calling for Tang Shen to step forward. The post he had just opened was especially popular, pinned at the very top.

The title read: “We Call Upon the Great Player Monkey D. Roger to Step Forward and Save All of Humanity—Please Share Your Leveling Guide! Players are struggling to survive in this game world; they are beaten, insulted, and some even die every day. As the top player, you have a duty to lead us to the pinnacle of humanity. Even the God of War himself has said this is the true path of human evolution. We hope you can align with his ideals and bring light to humanity’s future. Even if doing so may harm your personal interests, this is for the greater good! We hope you can be as great as the God of War.”

The content was eloquent, righteous in tone. In short, they wanted Tang Shen to reveal how he leveled up, invoking the name of the God of War to flatter him, comparing him to the strongest legends of humanity. Yet beneath it all was a veiled threat: if he refused, he would be branded a traitor to humanity, someone who sacrificed the good of all for personal gain.

Tang Shen read every word, his eyes growing colder with each line. He could see the malice of the poster as clearly as day.

Perhaps someone without much experience in the world might be delighted by such praise, being compared to a legendary figure who once stood at humanity’s summit. But what Tang Shen saw was a deep, calculated malice.

If he remained silent now, his reputation would be destroyed. People would see it as their duty to denounce him—a malicious intent, obvious to anyone who had seen the world’s true face.

If selfishness was the measure, these people were the most selfish of all.

They attacked and vilified you from their moral high ground, trying to make you sick with their righteousness.

Tang Shen had already seen through the darkness of human nature in his previous life.

He had witnessed things far more disgusting than this: keyboard warriors running rampant, disregarding your efforts and attacking you for sport.

A self-made billionaire could work tirelessly to build his fortune, yet when a disaster occurred somewhere unrelated, people would connect the two, insisting the billionaire should donate, even demanding he give up everything for charity, listing off other philanthropists as examples.

Isn’t it laughable? Yet such people exist in reality.

Tang Shen scrolled down.

First comment: “Supporting the original poster, Monkey D. Roger should step forward.”

Second comment: “Agreed. Since he’s won the title of top player, he has the obligation to lead all humanity.”

Third comment: “Idiot OP, how can some unknown player be compared to the God of War?”

Fourth comment: “He should just reveal his leveling guide. That so-called top player is way too selfish, not even a single word from him.”

Fifth comment: “Definitely another selfish jerk, only thinking of his own interests, not humanity’s.”

Sixth comment: “I also hope the top player steps up to lead, but honestly, it’s unrealistic. If it were me, I wouldn’t come forward either.”

Seventh comment: “The guy above is an idiot. Selfish jerk, case closed.”

Eighth comment: “I agree with the above.”

Ninth comment: “Number six is so selfish. If it were me, I’d definitely share the guide for the sake of humanity.”

Tenth comment: “Exactly, he should share it. If it were me, I’d do it, and even the government would reward you.”

Eleventh comment: “He should come forward. He’s already level 10, he should help out those who are struggling. Everyone will remember his kindness; he’d be a hero to humanity.”

Twelfth comment: “Since the first kill day, I knew this idiot top player would never step up. Don’t ask me how I know; someone like that could never be a national hero, not a shred of selflessness.”

...

Thousandth comment: “So disappointed in this top player. All this time, still not a word. I misjudged you.”

...

Ten-thousandth comment: “Top player? Just garbage. Selfish to the core, will never understand what selflessness means.”

...

Hundred-thousandth comment: “That’s it, enough! I supported the OP at first, but it’s clear this top player has no such spirit. To compare him to the God of War is an insult. He’s just a lucky piece of trash. If I ever find out who he is, I’ll hound him to death if it kills me, or at least make his life hell.”

...

Tang Shen read through post after post. At first he felt a twinge of emotion, but the more he read, the calmer he became.

A cold aura seemed to emanate from him, and deep in his eyes was a profound contempt.

This was the ugliest side of humanity on full display.

Hardly anyone spoke well of him; most looked down on him, criticizing him from the supposed moral high ground.

Few took a rational approach.

And where was the shortcut, anyway? He had leveled up only by slaying one fierce beast after another. His strength had been earned through sweat and blood.

Laughable! Utterly laughable!

Selfish? Of course he was selfish.

But how could humans not be selfish?

He was still far too weak. If he dared reply as the top player, countless factions would immediately zero in on him, surround him, control him. Then the struggle between those powers would begin—for what? To possess him? To seize his method of leveling up, to make him serve them.

Would he be greeted with the admiration and respect of players everywhere?

Nonsense! Anyone who believed that was hopelessly naïve.

His wings were still not yet strong enough; to expose himself now would be to lay himself on the chopping block.

In this age of declining magic, strength was everything.

The government now existed only to maintain basic order among humans; it was those at the pinnacle who truly ruled from the shadows.

Only when you stood at the summit of humanity did your words and your contributions count as real.

History is written by the strong.

Otherwise, you were just a toy for those powerful families and mighty individuals.

An ant had no right to speak of righteousness, of sacrifice, or of freedom.

Every post he opened was either desperately searching for him or slandering him.

Even those few who saw the truth were swept up by the tide of insults online, joining the chorus.

No one would have a good impression of him, because people were, at the core, selfish.

Everyone thought the top player should share his leveling guide so all could benefit.

Malice and negativity surged like a tide.

Some players even went so far as to report him to the government—wasn’t that hilarious?

But such laughable things were happening right now.