Chapter 1431: Chapter 813:
"Sophistry!"
"Letâs not talk about useless things." Li Angâs expression turned serious, "You can think of it as a transaction. Help me win a battle, and I will return your normal life, instead of being stuck in this void space. Xie Lian, youâve met Ye Lixiao. You know I can do it and that itâs not like the Divine Birdâs human weapon project, where people are used as tools."
"You call this a transaction? Itâs clearly a threat! Why donât you tell us what youâll do to us if we refuse?" Xie Lian still wasnât buying it.
In truth, her prudence and vigilance, like that of a hedgehog, were her true nature. In her youth, it was by relying on this prickly hedgehog demeanor that she showed fierceness and protected herself and her sister.
Of course, in front of Li Ang, it was useless.
Hearing Xie Lianâs skepticism, Li Ang fell silent for a moment.
His silence made the two opposite feel unsettled.
After all, even Xie Lian understood that she actually had no leverage. Their lives were entirely in Li Angâs hands. In other words, even if Li Ang was threatening them, what could they do? The most important thing was that the sisters had no grounds to refuse.
Yet, the situation wasnât completely without options.
At worst, they could part ways. If they end up finished, so be it; Li Ang would also lose his help. Although they couldnât be sure of their irreplaceability, judging from Li Angâs words and his insistence on choosing them, obviously, their uniqueness was undeniable.
Li Ang understood this point as well and similarly didnât want to part ways, which would mean losing two important allies.
He slowly spoke, "I wonât threaten you. What I seek are companions to fight alongside me, not unwilling participants coerced into helping. In fact, even if you donât agree, I wonât do anything to you. You can continue to survive safely here. But... to be honest, in this small space, even if youâre just consciousnesses, can you truly call it living? I can offer you more."
Before the sisters could react, Li Ang continued, "This deal is fair and just. The futures you once imagined, are they merely two souls with nothing, spending their lives in a virtual space together? If thatâs the case, whatâs the point of arguing? Why didnât you settle for basic sustenance in virtual entertainment back then? Save money, save resources, all the sameâliving a drunken dream."
"Easier said than done. Did we have that opportunity back then?"
Xie Lian habitually retorted with a hint of sarcasm. But in reality, Li Angâs words hit home with them.
At this moment, Xie An remained calmer. She said, "Mr. Li Ang, I feel your sincerity. What you said is indeed reasonable, but actually... my sister and I have each been living in the corners of our respective mental worlds for many years. This life is lonely and helpless, but weâve grown accustomed to it. Nowadays, weâre better off than before; at least we have each other. Isnât that right? If things can be better, we are certainly willing to strive, but... we canât afford to pay a higher price."
"Price? Youâre already in this situation, what else can you lose?" Li Ang raised his question.
The sisters looked at each other again, and Li Ang instantly understood.
At the same time, Xie An provided the answer Li Ang had already comprehended: "Each other."
Li Ang said, "I understand."
He truly understood.
In the past, this sister duo might have been considered to have nothing. But now, through twists of fate, they reunited, and thus, they possessed the most precious thingâeach other.
They couldnât be said to completely distrust Li Ang, more so had no rapport with him. Mr. Li Angâs current words sounded nice, talking of companionship and a bright future, but when it comes time for real combat, who knows if formerly adversarial Li Ang wouldnât betray them, whether as cannon fodder or scapegoats, it wouldnât be a good end.
He pondered for a moment and said, "I understand your concerns, but sincerely speaking, I canât give you guarantees. When it comes to battles, no one can say theyâre absolutely certain to win, Xie Lian, you must understand that if I dared to assure you here, that indeed would be deceiving you. Honestly, if it was a surefire battle, I wouldnât need your help."
"What I can do is strive to make information transparent. I will clearly inform you who weâre up against, what kind of battle I predict weâll face, and what preparations have been made."
"Alright, Mr. Li Ang, please explain it to us carefully." "I understand this point; if it were about dealing with enemies in the real world, I wouldnât need your help. But this time, what I aim to confront are enemies surviving within Sky Net. Your current state happens to be what I need."
"Enemies within Sky Net?" The Xie Family sisters were even more puzzled.
Xie Lian laughed loudly: "Li Ang, have you gone mad? How could there be enemies within Sky Net? No, there arenât even âpeopleâ in Sky Net, right?"