Summer, 1075 of the Terra Calendar, on the outskirts of Kazdel.
Theresis and Lacey sat outside a campaign tent. On a stone block between them were two bottles of white liquor. They sat facing each other, drinking heartily.
Halfway through their drinks, dark clouds suddenly rolled in, heralding an imminent downpour.
Theresis gazed toward the horizon. After a long moment, he asked, "Lacey, you've traveled to quite a few places these past few years, haven't you?"
"Yan, Ursus, Kazimierz, Leithanien, Victoria, Columbia... Now that you mention it, I have indeed been to many places," Lacey replied.
Theresis nodded. "Then you must know of the heroes of this age. Tell me about them."
Lacey demurred, "My knowledge is shallow. How could I possibly recognize who is a hero?"
"As one of the Seven Sarkaz Heroes, known as 'Lacey the Undying,' no one will think you're being modest by saying that." Theresis shook his head, displeased that his friend was always like this. "Even if you haven't met them, you must have at least heard of their reputations, right?"
Lacey, feeling helpless, finally said, "If we must speak of heroes... The Emperor of Ursus, Fyodor Vladimirovich, rules a vast territory with elite soldiers and ample provisions. Could he be considered a hero?"
Upon hearing this name, Theresis burst into laughter. "To repel foreign invaders, one must first pacify the interior. The emperor of a great nation, yet he is powerless against his own internal strife. He dares call himself a hero?"
Lacey tried again. "Wei Yenwu, the governor of Lungmen, is the brother of a True Lung, and many of his old subordinates now serve him. He holds Lungmen like a crouching tiger, with countless capable people under his command. Could he be a hero?"
Theresis laughed again. "A stray dog. Not worth our concern."
Lacey continued, "The Witch King of Leithanien is a powerhouse of this era, a man who makes decisions with absolute authority. Can he be called a hero?"
Theresis waved his hand dismissively. "Withered bones in a tomb. He is doomed to die without a proper burial. He is no hero."
"What about the likes of Victoria's eight Grand Dukes, or Siracusa's Signora Sicilia?"
Theresis clapped his hands and laughed loudly. "Such petty mediocrities! Not even worth mentioning!"
Lacey shook his head. "Aside from these, I truly know of no others."
Theresis said, "A true hero is one with great ambition and wise counsel, one with the capacity to embrace the cosmos and the will to devour heaven and earth."
Lacey asked, "Who is worthy of such a title?"
Theresis pointed a finger at Lacey, then at himself. "The only heroes in the world today are you and I!"
Hearing this, the liquor bottle in Lacey's hand couldn't help but tremble.
*BOOM—*
Just then, as the rain was about to fall, a loud clap of thunder echoed.
Lacey calmly said, "To think a single clap of thunder could have such might."
Theresis smiled. "Does a great man also fear thunder?"
Lacey replied, "Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning are all natural disasters. How could one not fear them?"
Theresis said no more. He swirled the liquor bottle in his hand. Lacey understood, clinked his bottle against his, and they both tilted their heads back, gulping down the remaining liquor until the bottles were empty.
"Joking aside, Lacey, how long are you planning to stay this time?"
"I'm not leaving again."
Lacey shook his head.
"Oh? What are your plans for the future, then?" A glint flashed in Theresis's eyes.
Plans for the future...
Lacey tilted his head back, looking at the gray, overcast sky, letting the drizzling raindrops patter on his face.
It had been nearly three hundred years since he'd transmigrated here, but it was only recently that he'd recalled his memories from before his transmigration.
Before that, he had always lived as a Sarkaz and had long grown accustomed to it.
Over a hundred years ago, the Sarkaz people faced extinction. A coalition of nations attacked Kazdel. To protect his home and country, he had stood up, and along with six others, they had repelled the coalition's attack, successfully defending their homeland.
After that battle, the seven of them came to be known as the Seven Sarkaz Heroes.
But in the decades following the war, Kazdel did not improve. The people were still starving and poorly clothed, just as before.
No matter what methods the heroes tried, no matter how they tried to develop the nation, they couldn't change Kazdel.
It was then that Lacey had decided to leave.
It wasn't out of despair.
Rather, he wanted to learn from the experiences of other nations, to learn their strengths to govern Kazdel.
Now, after decades of travel, he had returned.
But Kazdel was almost unchanged from when he had left. Those who couldn't afford to eat still couldn't, and those who slept on the streets still slept on the streets.
So, Theresia, Theresis... what have you all been doing...?
"I don't know."
Even though Lacey had now recalled his past life's memories, he was still lost.
In his past life, he had been just an ordinary office worker. During his free time, he mostly watched short videos and read novels, never paying attention to things like politics or history.
The knowledge he had gained from his compulsory education was clearly not enough to save Kazdel.
"Come to the Military Commission, Lacey." Theresis extended an olive branch, hoping his friend would stand with him and fight by his side again, just as they had over a century ago.
Lacey glanced at him but didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "What about Theresia? What is she doing now?"
At the mention of his sister, Theresis fell silent for a moment, but he still answered his friend, "She founded an organization called 'Babel,' dedicated to reforms in medical care and education."
"The results... are reasonably good."
Hearing this, Lacey also fell silent.
He understood why Theresis had hesitated.
Medical care and education...
As a transmigrator who had once lived in modern society, he certainly knew the importance of medicine and education to a country.
But for the Kazdel of today, other problems were far more pressing.
Agriculture, industry, the economy...
Even the very survival of the nation.
When a country's very existence is in question, focusing on other areas is to mistake the branch for the root.
Lacey shook his head, tossed the empty bottle aside, and said, "I will not join the Military Commission."
"Are you thinking of..." Theresis narrowed his eyes.
"I won't join Babel either."
"Hmm? Then you?" Theresis was confused.
"I will find my own way..." Lacey didn't finish his sentence. He looked at his friend, a fire seemingly igniting in his eyes.
Although awakening his past life's memories had changed his personality somewhat, he had lived as a Sarkaz on Terra for over three hundred years. Certain ideas were already deeply ingrained—make the Sarkaz great again!
During his years of travel, he had thought long and hard about the path forward for the Sarkaz people.
After regaining his memories, he had also been pondering whether there was anything to be learned from the nations and histories of his past life.
But he could never find a way out.
Kazdel was more rotten than any country he had ever seen in his past life.
Rotten to the core.
If that's the case, then why not...
Theresis didn't try to persuade him further. He patted his friend's shoulder, stood up, and left the camp.
Before leaving, he left him with one sentence: "If you need any help, remember to find me."
Lacey watched Theresis's departing figure without responding.
Just then, a strange voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
[Your Salvation Simulator has finished loading. Please check the system panel for details. Reply UNSUB to unsubscribe.]
?
Who goes there?
[So sorry, meow! Due to a factory defect, it took System Meow a little while to get repaired...]
A little while...
It's been three hundred years! Three hundred whole years!
Do you have any idea how I've spent these three hundred years!?
Lacey looked up at the sky, speechless.
[I'm sorry...]
[B-But! With System Meow here, Host can finally show your true power!]
"..."
Fine, let's not dwell on the past.
"Tell me, what do you do."
[This Meow is the Salvation Simulator System! Dedicated to helping Host find the true answers in various simulated worlds! To save everything you want to save!]
[Also, after completing a simulation, Host can get all sorts of rewards!]
"Salvation Simulator System..."
"It's not for saving girls and getting into some kind of romance thing, is it?" Lacey asked warily.
[Of course not!]
[The simulations are based on Host's deepest desires. As long as Host isn't thinking about romance, there won't be any romance simulations!]
Hearing this, Lacey stopped asking questions.
He was thinking.
He wanted to save Kazdel, to save his people, but with his current strength, he couldn't achieve his goal.
So...
"Open the panel."
[Okay~]
[Host: Lacey]
[Current Region: Kazdel]
[Race: Sarkaz]
[Current Identity: One of the Seven Sarkaz Heroes]
[Inherent Traits: Racial Supremacist—Perhaps because the time you've spent as a Sarkaz far exceeds your time as a human, your every word and deed is for the sake of your people. You want to make the Sarkaz great again; you can unite the Sarkaz with relative ease.
Demonic Ascension—You possess a powerful demonic force within your body.]
Lacey scanned the system panel. It was basically consistent with his own understanding.
As for that 'Racial Supremacist' trait...
When he was human, he thought for humans. Now that he was a Sarkaz, it was only natural to think for the Sarkaz.
That's how Lacey saw it.
"In that case, let's begin the simulation."
[Roger, meow!]
[Loading current simulation information for you...]
[Current Simulation Race: Caprinae]
[Simulation Location: Leithanien]
[Simulation Family Background: Well-off]
[Please select three of the following five cards as your initial traits]
The first was a gray card.
[A Wretched Life (Gray): You will spend your entire life in hardship, and it will be difficult to succeed in anything you do.]
The corner of Lacey's eye twitched, and he immediately looked away.
Does it think I don't die fast enough...
The second was a pure black card.
[I am Leeroy Jenkins (Black): You are the bane of your team. When you are present, the probability of failure for any team action will be greatly increased.]
This one was even more absurd than the gray trait above.
Lacey took a deep breath and looked at the remaining three cards.
[The Art of Language (Blue): In daily social interactions, you can easily move others with your words.]
[Master of the Arts (Blue): You possess innate artistic talent. Your gift will shine in fields such as calligraphy, painting, sculpture, and music.]
[United We Stand (Gold): Your affinity is greatly increased; whenever someone has positive expectations of you, your abilities will be enhanced in all aspects; as long as you work together, you can overcome difficulties.]
"..."
Very good abilities, made my arm rise.
No!
Isn't this the fucking 'little mustache' template???
"Hey, System, talk to me!"
"You tell me what 'choose three out of five' means."
"Speak!"
[Ehehe~]
"..."
Lacey was helpless. He had no choice. It's not like he could pick those two trash abilities.
"I choose [The Art of Language], [Master of the Arts], and [United We Stand]."
As soon as he finished speaking, the gray and black cards dissolved into motes of light and vanished.
The remaining two blue cards and one gold card transformed into three streams of light and shot straight into the space between his eyebrows.
[Selection complete, abilities loaded.]
[Wishing you a pleasant simulation~]
[Simulation, starting!]
In the next moment, the scene before his eyes blurred abruptly, and a powerful wave of dizziness washed over Lacey.
A few seconds later, he tried to steady himself, only to find that he had little strength in his limbs.
'I'm leaving a bad review!'
________________________________________
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