Chapter 151: Different Levels of Thought

Meanwhile, noticing Zhang Lingyun’s sudden shift in demeanor, the colorful experience orb was also momentarily stunned. However, as if realizing something, it abruptly looked toward the tunnel connecting to the Block Kingdom's mine, and upon catching sight of Mo Fangyuan, wore an expression of "as expected."

Only, Mo Fangyuan's pixelated eyes prevented him from reading the expression on the experience orb; otherwise, he too would have understood the implication.

"Ah—well, Your Majesty, why did you arrive so quickly..."

Zhang Lingyun's alternating states of icy aloofness and naive innocence left Mo Fangyuan temporarily struggling to adapt.

"If I hadn't hurried over here, would I just let you run wild and frighten a good friend of our Block Kingdom?"

Uncertain of what Zhang Lingyun's current mental state actually was, Mo Fangyuan used a rare, unusually gentle tone to speak with her.

"But..."

"Be a good girl, go back first. I'll handle things here..."

Mo Fangyuan had no grasp of Zhang Lingyun's current psychological condition and was unsure when her personality might abruptly flip again. This high degree of unpredictability could interfere with his in-depth communication with the colorful experience orb, making her absence the most appropriate arrangement.

"Be a good girl, there are important matters here now, head back up first!"

Mo Fangyuan persuaded her with an even gentler tone. Zhang Lingyun had never witnessed such a scene before, and her face flushed beet red on the spot.

Zhang Lingyun used to be a man!
Zhang Lingyun used to be a man!
He was a man!
He was a man, damn it!

"So what if he was?"

Through three years of executive governance, Mo Fangyuan's thick skin and mental fortitude were no longer what they used to be.

They had reached a terrifying realm comparable to bedrock.

"A man? Heh! So what? As long as it benefits the Block Kingdom, what does it matter if I fence with a muscular bro?"

"O-Okay!"

Seeing Zhang Lingyun flee in a flustered panic with a blushing face, Mo Fangyuan’s expression returned to calm. He turned around, controlling his facial pixel muscles to form a smile even more human than actual humans.

"My friend, we can now discuss matters pertaining to win-win cooperation, promoting the development of our friendship, and establishing an unbreakable interest-sharing relationship..."

Pulling a log table and two log chairs from his inventory, he quickly placed them down on the obsidian surface and made a polite gesture of invitation.

"Ah—what?!"

The will inhabiting this mysterious stone pillar felt its worldview beginning to collapse.

This wasn't right at all! The kings described in the books of the Block People were supposed to be handsome, elegant, empathetic, deeply respectful and courteous toward ladies, witty and humorous... So why was the king right in front of him completely different?

Mediocre in appearance, utterly lacking in elegance and poise...

As expected, the stories inside books were all lies!

Mo Fangyuan had no idea what the consciousness within the stone pillar was thinking; he merely maintained the highest level of vigilance, "looking three steps ahead for every single step taken," utilizing his entire reserve of knowledge to anticipate what this non-biological entity was about to do or planning to do next.

He simply did not know that the experience-orb-like stone pillar consciousness came from the depths of the earth—it was narrow-minded, simple-minded, and completely devoid of any defense mechanism.

"Hello there, my exotic friend, and welcome to the sacred and inviolable territory of our Block Kingdom. I am Mo Fangyuan, the king here, and we welcome every friend with friendly intentions to our country..."

Mo Fangyuan’s language was sharp and aggressive, directly declaring this lava lake region to be the territory of the Block Kingdom, where no creature was permitted to reside without authorization, and that this outsider had already crossed the line.

"You really are the king..."

However, the attention of this stone pillar consciousness seemed not to be focused on the main points Mo Fangyuan had raised, but rather on the astonishing fact that Mo Fangyuan actually was a king.

"What is it trying to do?"

Hearing this entity immediately express opinions about "himself being a king" the moment it spoke, Mo Fangyuan’s brain raced at lightning speed.

First: Is it trying to deny my identity so it can refuse to communicate with me?
Second: Or could it be that it has already perceived how crucial I, as the king, am to the Block Kingdom, and wants to assassinate me?
Third: Is it planning to bewitch me with power or something else, and then exploit my status as king to destroy the Block Kingdom?
Fourth: Has it somehow learned some confidential information about the Block Kingdom in advance...

Faced with this entity's single remark of "You actually are the king," Mo Fangyuan analyzed countless trains of thought and the hidden meanings behind them.

Building upon these thoughts, Mo Fangyuan then formulated several distinct possible responses.

"I am the king, elected by the people. They trust me, they love me..."

Time was limited, and ultimately Mo Fangyuan chose to use this direct statement to hint at the following to the experience orb:

He was not the most critical component. Even if he were to die, countless others would still arise from among the masses to lead the Block Kingdom forward. Any plan attempting to destroy the Block Kingdom by assassinating him was doomed to fail. On the contrary, killing him would mean bearing the fury of the block people, placing the assassin permanently on the Block Kingdom's "red list" and making them an eternal enemy of the populace—a loss far outweighing any potential gain.

"Oh, so he was elected by other people. No wonder he doesn't look like much..."

The stone pillar consciousness said this with a tone of disappointment yet secret relief.

"Hmm?"

In Mo Fangyuan's eyes, this single sentence represented far more than its literal surface meaning.

"Elected by other people? Is this implying that the people of the block are petty and weak?"
"Looking ugly? Is it mocking my lack of capability and trying to use a reverse psychology challenge against me?"

Secretly pondering the implications of this phrase, Mo Fangyuan broke it down into several uniquely interpreted translations.

"Looks do not matter; a beautiful soul is the only truth."

Ignoring the insult, Mo Fangyuan met it tit for tat, subtly implying: *Even if my capabilities aren't earth-shattering, my will is steadfast and my spiritual ideals are grand, just like the block people. We are still vastly superior to some worthless rock that's been bolted down here for who knows how many years.*

"Oh~ so that's why you were able to become king?"
"It's starting! It's starting!"

Mo Fangyuan knew that the consciousness of the stone pillar was about to launch a fierce, direct offensive against him, and he had to be even more cautious to prevent any loopholes in his speech.

"This fellow seems somewhat lacking in intelligence, doesn't he?"

The stone pillar consciousness wore a look of utter puzzlement. Didn't this Mo Fangyuan say he wanted to engage in friendly communication? Why hadn't he initiated any actual conversation yet?

"Yes, but also no... The power of the people is infinite; I merely conformed to the will of the populace..."
"So you bring them happiness?"
"Achieving happiness is a right the people are destined to attain; I merely guide them..."
"..."
"Oh dear, can you talk about something interesting for a change?!"

Meeting the stone pillar's remarks blow for blow, Mo Fangyuan was completely stumped by this particular line. He racked his brains but failed utterly to figure out what on earth it was supposed to mean.

Sensing that the atmosphere had turned bizarre, an absurd notion blossomed within Mo Fangyuan's mind.

"Could it be that I've been overthinking this the entire time?"