Chapter 169: A Puppet’s Allegiance

’Let’s analyze the situation. First, X_X thinks that I’m an unorthodox player, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We can use this misunderstanding to our advantage and manipulate him into becoming a useful ally.

’Second, we can threaten his creations to force him into obedience, since he seems to be deeply attached to them. Although absorbing him might cause his creations to revolt, that shouldn’t be much of a problem. If they refuse to follow the rules, we can simply enforce them through sheer force.’

Liam calmly examined the situation, considering the various possibilities that lay before him. There was no need to start a conflict from scratch when he could simply take advantage of what already existed, especially when his opponent had practically handed him a weakness on a silver platter.

’Altering is better than starting from the beginning.’

With that thought in mind, Liam finally broke his silence.

"X_X, I indeed invaded your planet."

"Why?" Double X immediately interrupted him, his voice trembling with disbelief. "I didn’t do anything wrong!"

Liam observed the player standing on the opposite side of the curved golden table, his expression remaining as indifferent as ever. The other player seemed genuinely confused about the reason behind the invasion, as though he couldn’t comprehend why someone would attack him without provocation.

’He’s exactly like me before. Just thinking of this whole planetary selection as some sort of game, without understanding the consequences of his actions. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he got manipulated in the previous timeline as well.’

Liam had once possessed a similar mindset, although his circumstances had been different. Back then, he had been more concerned with developing his planet and experimenting with its inhabitants than with the possibility of other players targeting him, and it had taken him a considerable amount of time to understand the true nature of the competition.

However, he had long since abandoned that naivety.

"You truly are naive," Liam said, a faint smile gradually appearing on his face. "Don’t you remember that this is a death battle between all of us? There can only be select few winner in the end, and the rest will be eliminated. Tell me, Double X, don’t you want to become a god as well?"

His voice was calm, almost gentle, yet there was something deeply unsettling about the way he spoke.

"I don’t want to become a god!" Double X shouted, his voice cracking under the pressure. "I just want to live with my goblins!"

For a moment, Liam said nothing.

Instead, he leaned back in his chair and examined the other player, as though he had just discovered something particularly interesting.

"Do you love your goblins that much?"

"Yes!" Double X answered immediately, his hands clenching into fists. "I watched them grow from nothing! I remember when the first eight goblins appeared on my planet, when they could barely survive on their own, and when they started building their first shelters. I watched them learn how to hunt, how to protect one another, and how to raise their children."

His voice gradually became steadier as he spoke, and the fear on his face was slowly replaced by something else.

"I was there when the first goblin learned to use a tool properly. I watched them struggle through their first winter, and I saw how they celebrated when they finally had enough food to last them through the cold. When the little ones were born, I watched them grow up, too. They would stumble around their villages, fight over the smallest things, and cry whenever they got hurt, and I was always there to watch over them."

Double X lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

"Even when they made mistakes, even when they fought among themselves or did something stupid, I couldn’t bring myself to hate them. They’re my children, you know? They might not know that I exist, and they might never understand how much I’ve done for them, but that doesn’t matter. I don’t need them to worship me, and I don’t need them to build temples or offer sacrifices in my name. I just want to see them live their lives, grow old, have their own children, and continue living on my planet."

He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice becoming increasingly emotional.

"Sometimes, I even spend hours watching them sleep. I know it’s strange, but I can’t help it. Whenever something threatens them, I feel angry, and whenever one of them dies, I feel as though I’ve lost a part of myself.

"I’ve even thought about changing their evolution just to make them live longer, but I was afraid that changing too much would take away the things that make them who they are. I don’t care if I never become a god, Liam. I don’t care if I lose this competition. As long as my goblins can live peacefully, that’s enough for me."

The room fell silent.

Liam stared at Double X for several seconds, his expression barely changing as he listened to the confession.

’Weird.’

He had expected some degree of attachment, considering how desperately Double X had reacted to the invasion, but he hadn’t anticipated this level of devotion. It was almost disgusting how deeply the other player had immersed himself in the lives of his creations, to the point where he was willing to abandon the ultimate prize of the planetary selection for their sake.

Nevertheless, Liam had no intention of judging him for it.

If anything, this only made the situation more convenient.

"Then you don’t want to see them die, do you?"

Double X’s expression stiffened.

His teeth ground against one another as he looked at Liam, his hands trembling with a mixture of anger and helplessness.

"...Yes."

"Then you have two choices." Liam’s smile disappeared, leaving behind an expression so cold that even the atmosphere around him seemed to grow heavier.

"Work under me, obey my commands, and help me become stronger, or refuse and watch me destroy everything you have ever created, including every single goblin you love so much. I don’t care how many generations you’ve watched grow, how many kingdoms they’ve built, or how desperately you want to protect them. If you stand against me, I’ll erase them all without hesitation."

He paused, allowing his words to settle into Double X’s mind before continuing.

"So choose carefully. Your answer will determine whether your creations continue to live or become nothing more than another forgotten remnant of this competition."