Chapter 95: What matters the most?
The ASUV rolled through the roads and allowed Jaden to better look at the world. That had been infested by the horrors he or the people of his past world had only read in fantasy novels or dreamt of in fantasies no less vivid than reality.
Just as he expected, the grass was only greener until one looked beyond the sectors. Even the outskirts were comparatively better than the lands ruled by the horde of dread and fear.
Most of the infrastructure, whether buildings or roads, lay in ruin. The wildlife that inhabited the place was as harrowing as the creatures that made their homes there.
Jaden knew that if this were a fantasy story, this world would have been named hell instead of the mortal world or realm.
The world had no name—because there was no longer a reason to give it one. People had lost too much, they had suffered too much, so that things like giving a name to something felt... meaningless.
Giving a name to something would also give it an identity. The place that was just some land would no longer be ’just’ land; it would be something greater, something personal.
As humans, we fear losing what is ours. That is why they choose not to name things anymore, not to make them theirs, so they would not fear losing them, because survival had become their top priority.
As Jaden thought all of this, his eyes unknowingly shifted towards Maria.
’Maria is strong. The marquise is probably stronger, so are the dukes, the kings, and the sovereigns... but are they enough? Are they plenty to defend the heaven of humanity?’
Jaden did not know... he could not know. But he knew something, and that they were not enough. The dream realm is much more harrowing than being stopped by a few humans.
He heaved a sigh and looked at everyone present in the ASUV as he thought.
’They have fought to survive each moment of their life... so why was I the one chosen for the system?’
The more he found out about this world, the more he thought of himself as a parasite. He wasn’t supposed to be here... he wasn’t supposed to have the abilities he has. He should have died that day.
Jaden lowered his head and looked at the devouring pups, which were still sleeping.
’What would have happened to these two if I had died that day?’ He questioned himself.
His expression was dark as he continued to stare at the world outside. Maria, who saw from the rear-view mirror, frowned and asked with concern.
"Are you feeling unwell, Jaden?"
He turned his head towards her and answered solemnly, "No."
She stared at him for a moment and questioned.
"What do you think matters the most in our lives?"
A thoughtful look appeared on Jaden’s face as he thought of an answer based on what he had gleaned of this world. A few moments passed as he answered doubtfully.
"Survival and strength?"
Maria smiled faintly and shook her head; her eyes glowed with unusual wisdom as she responded.
"It’s the people. You are currently with people who have the leisure to think of others, which is why you can do the same. But, if you were with people who have to fight for a single loaf of bread or cloth to cover themselves, you would not be thinking of doing the same; instead, you would be thinking of how to get more food or cloth from us." She spoke slowly, pausing to let everything sink in before continuing.
"What we or the dukes, the kings or the sovereign want is to build a world where everyone can think of others, not just of themselves."
Her words of wisdom resonated within the ASUV like the voice of something divine. Jaden stared into her eyes for quite some time before asking, "Would that change anything? The dream realm is simply too dangerous for us... no matter what we do."
Maria nodded at his question and asked her own, "So, what do you suggest we should do? In a world where horrors walk hand in hand with survival... Only trust can help you survive. Remember, no one survives in the dream realm alone."
Jaden shifted his gaze to Lane and Jamie; Both wore dark expressions. However, he could also see the flame of defiance burning in their eyes. He stared into their eyes for a moment as he tried to understand how one could fight something knowing that they couldn’t defeat it.
In the end, he simply looked at his palms as he mumbled darkly, "Maybe I am the odd one?"
Maria, who heard his mumble, began to laugh as she spoke.
"Haha! No, you are not. We are the odd ones instead... even after everything you have been through, you are still a human. We, on the other hand, are beasts who wear the skin of humans," she responded in a laughing tone, in a hearty tone. But just like always, Jaden was able to see through it.
At this point, he felt as if... he could read everyone here much more easily. It felt foreign, but he knew that it could be something he obtained from the system. He moved that thought to the back of his head and stared at Maria.
’She acts as if it doesn’t anger her...’
However, he didn’t voice that; instead, he simply leaned back in his seat and mumbled in his head.
’Maybe I was transmigrated with the system to help everyone? To make this world a better place... Heh. I am talking like some hero... but if I have the power to make this world a better place, then why shouldn’t I?’
He turned toward the window, just in time to see an owl with black feathers staring at him. He narrowed his eyes as he thought.
’Isn’t that the owl—’ However, before he could finish his thought, their eyes met and his vision darkened.