Chapter 96: Chapter 96:- Almost There
It was at that moment that Null began to understand: he wasn't as powerful as he believed. His strength, his abilities—everything came from Xu Yuan. If Xu Yuan wanted to, he could take it all back without hesitation.
When Xu Yuan asked him, What is the purpose of your existence?, Null froze.
The question struck a chord he had never dared to touch. What was the meaning of his existence?
Was it to seize this body? To claim what didn't belong to him?
If that were the case, why did he fail, no matter how hard he tried?
He was born as a shadow—a fragment of darkness cast by the light. A shadow always followed its source, tied to it, dependent on it. Wherever the body went, the shadow trailed.
It could stretch long, shrink small, or twist into strange forms. Yet no matter how it changed, its very existence was tethered to the source.
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt.
'So... I'm destined to follow him forever?'
His voice trembled as he spoke, a mixture of resignation and defiance. The reality was suffocating, but undeniable.
'Why must I be the shadow? Why?!'
Null had always known his power. From the moment he awakened, he felt invincible. That confidence, that pride, had become the core of his being.
But now, this cruel truth—that he was nothing more than an attachment—shattered his ego.
For someone as proud as Null, this was a blow he could hardly bear.
He didn't want to accept his fate, but he couldn't change it. And that, more than anything, was what tormented him.
Null felt like a deflated balloon, utterly devoid of his previous arrogance. He was at a crossroads: one path led to pride, the other to survival.
If he chose pride, he'd fight to the bitter end—even if it meant his own destruction.
If he chose survival, he'd have to swallow his pride, accept his role, and resign himself to always trailing behind Xu Yuan.
'Why should I have to choose..."
Though proud, Null wasn't mature in a true sense. His stubbornness kept him from realizing he could take both paths—if only he embraced his nature and adapted.
Unconsciously, he'd already made his decision. The moment he began negotiating with Xu Yuan, bartering his time in the shared body, Null had been chipping away at his own pride.
From an equal split of 50-50 to a meager 9-1, every step was a surrender. He just hadn't realized it yet.
But Xu Yuan knew. Null's pride was cracking. The endgame was approaching.
———
Xu Yuan couldn't hear Null's thoughts directly, but he could feel the turmoil. The chaotic energy swirling within him was proof of Null's internal struggle.
Null's pride had always been his defining trait, but Xu Yuan's words had pierced through that armor.
Once Null truly accepted his dependency on Xu Yuan, the transformation would begin.
When someone is utterly defeated—when they face their own powerlessness and accept the harsh truth—you can give them what they've always desired.
And that was when they would truly submit.
That was Xu Yuan's plan all along. Break Null's defiance, shatter his ego, and then rebuild him as a loyal companion.
"Looks like it's almost time," Xu Yuan muttered with a faint smile.
He had invested so much effort into taming Null, and now the results were finally showing. Soon, Null would be ready.
———
Meanwhile, the game world continued to evolve.
Since the latest update and the introduction of the Epic Siege MOD, Minecraft had undergone a significant shift.
Previously, the game had been relatively simple compared to other titles—especially for those who didn't delve into Redstone mechanics.
But after the update, and with official tutorials on Redstone systems now available, everything changed.
Players who once struggled to understand Redstone now realized its limitless potential. The game's complexity skyrocketed, rivaling even the most intricate simulations.
The addition of a free combat mode and the enhanced monster mechanics of the Epic Siege MOD pushed the challenge even higher.
Coupled with a deliberate marketing campaign, the game attracted new audiences who thrived on strategic gameplay and intense battles.
Even players who had previously dismissed Minecraft as "childish" were now joining the fray. The game's popularity soared to unprecedented heights.
In a dimly lit rental apartment, a man stared at his computer screen, seething with resentment.
Ever since he was fired by Zero Point Studios, Mo Jiang had been consumed with bitterness.
He had expected the HIM incident to cripple the company, leading to mass player exodus.
But reality was cruel. The game's popularity hadn't dipped—it had soared higher than ever.
What angered him even more was how easily players had moved on.
Even the once-outraged Cloud Soar Guild had simply rebranded, changing their names and continuing as if nothing had happened.
In the end, the only one who suffered was Mo Jiang.
"Guess I'm just the sacrificial lamb, huh?" he sneered, his voice dripping with venom.
Fueled by rage, Mo Jiang climbed into his gaming pod. His fingers danced over the console, lines of code appearing rapidly on the screen.
"You got rid of HIM? Fine. Let me bring something even worse into your perfect little world!"
Despite what had happened, Mo Jiang didn't think he was entirely at fault.
When Zero Point's higher-ups assigned him the task, they only emphasized resolving the HIM issue—not saving the Yonghui Guild.
He wasn't a customer service rep. His job was fixing code, not hand-holding players.
Besides, even if he'd prioritized saving them, HIM would've still been there, ready to strike again. His approach was logical—fix the root problem first.
But logic didn't matter. Someone had to take the fall, and Mo Jiang was the unlucky scapegoat.
He couldn't change the past, but he wasn't about to let Zero Point walk away unscathed.
"I'll show them what 'incompetent' really looks like," he muttered darkly.
Mo Jiang wasn't just a programmer—he was a hacker. A damn good one.
And he still knew the ins and outs of Zero Point's systems. Breaking in would be child's play.
He didn't care about the consequences. All he wanted was chaos.
"If I can't enjoy this game, then no one will!"
With a twisted grin, he began crafting his masterpiece—a virus designed to unleash a new nightmare.
Not HIM, but something far worse. Something that could never be removed.
"Entity 303… let's show them what true fear looks like."
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