Most personality disorders manifest and switch without warning, but after years of conscious training, Mo Tan is now able to buy himself about five minutes of buffer time. These five minutes are not to be underestimated; they are the crucial minutes that prevent him from being forcibly sent to a mental hospital.
During this period, he will briefly possess two personalities simultaneously, and the one about to emerge will immediately suppress its noticeably unusual traits and emotions, making a smooth transition…
After all, no matter which personality it is, they are all Mo Tan himself, sharing the same memories, identity, and intelligence. Although their individualities differ, they are not completely distinct people crammed into the same body.
Strictly speaking, there are four.
The first personality was shaped by Mo Tan later on. He is relatively moderate and gentle, has the same interests as his peers, is more meticulous, and has a few ordinary friends with whom he gets along well. This is also the Absolute Neutral Black Vatican from the Innocent World.
The second personality possesses a mind that drifts across countless channels. Unlike the former, his actions have no specific purpose. If one had to say what he sought, it would only be that indescribable joy and satisfaction he spoke of. If he had been born in a different era, such a person would either be a carefree wanderer playing in the human world or a crazy, deranged terrorist or revolutionary.
The third personality is hard to describe. To call him a saintly mother would be inaccurate, and Mo Tan is a male. To call him a saintly father would be infringing. In short, he is a moral paragon in every sense. There's no need to mention his hatred for evil. If Mo Tan could consistently maintain this personality, combined with his intelligence, he could even get a green card and run for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in that wicked capitalist country. At the very least, if he were to transmigrate, becoming a Holy Knight who punishes evil would not be a problem. But one point must be emphasized: uprightness does not mean foolishness. Justice backed by wisdom will not only avoid being exploited but will often expose the filth in various dark corners even more.
As for the last one…
No one is willing to recall it. It is the personality that Mo Tan himself sealed away from the very beginning. It might indeed exist, but it is the most unnecessary one. All of Mo Tan's personalities share an absolute consensus on this point.
Getting back to the main topic…
Mo Tan had played mental simulation games before, but because his mind would fluctuate violently during personality shifts, even with a five-minute buffer, he would still be forcibly disconnected afterwards. This time, however, he was wrong about both the beginning and the end.
Disconnection was correct, but it was an instant disconnection without a buffer.
Relogging was also correct, but he was prompted by the system to go through the character creation process again…
"Hahahaha~! This is simply too interesting!" Mo Tan, standing on the stone platform for the second time and looking around at the void, was stunned for a long while before bursting into laughter: "Even though this game hasn't made me find any 'true self,' it's surprisingly interesting!!"
As if déjà vu, nine large doors descended from the sky.
This time, Mo Tan didn't hesitate at all. He walked directly to the door he had tried before, the one labeled "chaotic neutral," and chuckled, "Open."
Rumble!!
As if long-awaited, the door trembled and opened, its rapidly opening leaves seeming to welcome him inside.
"Or perhaps the true 'me'…" Mo Tan chuckled softly, "can be directly explained by the four words 'chaotic neutral'?"
He stretched his neck and walked into the door as if impatient.
The system's voice still came from the darkness…
【Your alignment is -- chaotic neutral. This stance is irreversible. Calculating your initial talents, race, and abilities】
"A complete individualist, avoiding authority, hating restrictions, challenging tradition…" Mo Tan softly recited the DND definition of "chaotic neutral" from his memory: "Is it 'true Chaos' then…?"
【Calculation complete. Your initial character data is:】
Race: The half elf
Gender: Male
Alignment: chaotic neutral
Talent: Chaos (extreme emotions will grant you extra damage and success rate), Cunning (Cunning School level +3), Sophistry (makes others more likely to believe you)
Basic Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 8, Wisdom 9, Constitution 4
Civilization Attributes: Eloquence 8, Charisma 8, Knowledge 8, Leadership 5
Combat Attributes: Cunning School Level 3
"Tsk tsk, it's all me, but the difference is really not ordinary." Mo Tan didn't show any sign of feeling unfairly treated this time, and he didn't know why he was so happy.
【Please name your character】
"Tan Mo, no need to confirm again, if it's wrong, it's wrong~" Mo Tan said with a chuckle, actually just wanting to confirm the system's intelligence. As for the name, he didn't care at all.
【Do you want to adjust your appearance?】
A slender male figure with most human features, but with emerald green hair and eyes, appeared before Mo Tan. He naturally looked exactly like him.
"You really didn't reconfirm the name, smart~" Mo Tan praised, then said, "No need to change much, just dye my hair back to black."
The long green hair of The half elf model immediately turned black. This time, Mo Tan was satisfied.
【Character creation complete. Tan Mo of chaotic neutral, welcome to Innocent World】
Control of his body returned, a familiar sense of déjà vu, but this time, both the surrounding environment and Mo Tan's own state of mind were completely different.
Opening his eyes, he found himself on a regular small town street. There weren't many people, mostly cultivators carrying hoes or hunters in simple gear. The races were very diverse; there were dwarves, halflings, trolls, Lizardmen, and others Mo Tan recognized or didn't, yet they all seemed to live in harmony.
"Tsk tsk, compared to reality where even different skin colors can be a reason for attack, this is truly a simple and unadorned world~" Mo Tan muttered to himself as he slowly strolled, "Although it seems trouble will appear very soon…"
The reason he said this was because he saw the guiding quest given by the system.
【--Prevent the Necromancer Mei Di. Le Wen from causing the Bone Plague in Maple Sugar Town】
No matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem like a normal beginner's guiding quest…
But Mo Tan didn't care; in fact, he was even a little happy~
"Hey! Buddy!" He suddenly greeted a human male who was bending down to pick out some kind of red vegetable, smiling as he asked, "Can I bother you for a moment?"
The other party looked at Mo Tan with some confusion: "May I ask who you are?"
"A Bard, from a very distant place." Mo Tan naturally made up a story, then his tone suddenly became a bit low: "Of course, before I started wandering, I also had a stable place to live, that warm place called home… until… Oh, Ai Li, why did it have to be you…?"
He sighed faintly, stopping his words, then smiled bitterly and apologetically at the middle-aged man who was clearly somewhat bewildered: "Sorry, I always inadvertently think of those things…"
"No, buddy, I should be the one to apologize." The other party sighed with a 'I also have a past' expression: "So, what can I help you with?"
Mo Tan whispered, "I heard there's a Mage in our Maple Sugar Town. If possible, I'd like to chat with him for a bit. After all, Bards also have times when their inspiration runs dry. Children always get tired of stories about dragons and knights, so…"
"A Mage?" The middle-aged man frowned and hesitated: "In our Maple Sugar Town?"
"That's what I heard." Mo Tan's expression remained unchanged.
Perhaps it was because his facial expressions were too rich, and his acting too superb, or perhaps it was due to his initial charm of 8 points, but the human uncle, who was originally in a hurry to buy groceries and go home, took it quite seriously. He stroked his chin, pondering and muttering, “I really don’t remember there being a wizard in town…”
“Oh, that’s right!” Mo Tan slapped his forehead. “I remember his name was… Medi?”
“Mr. Medi?” The man exclaimed softly, “He lives outside the town. He is a gentle old man who occasionally comes here to buy necessities. He… is he a wizard?”
Mo Tan blinked. “Where does he live?”
“The two-story wooden house on the east side of town, he… huh? Where is he?” The uncle had just handed two copper coins to the shop owner, and when he turned back, the young man with a story had Disappearance.
…
Medi. Le Wen was using a quill to sketch something on a crumpled piece of parchment, his expression focused and serious. Two minutes later, the old man let out a long sigh, stretched, and then turned around with a smile, “I’ve kept you waiting.”
Mo Tan, who had been leaning against the door for a long time, shook his head. “I haven’t been here long, and besides, watching you busy yourself with these futile efforts isn’t boring.”
“Futile efforts?” Medi scoffed. “Do you think I’m taking notes, young man?”
Mo Tan walked into the house without any guard. After stopping in front of Medi, he shook an index finger. “Because you haven’t heard of the deductive method, I won’t bother to explain too much. In short, I learned from certain characteristics about you and the furnishings in the house that your wife probably died of illness several years ago. I also determined that there was nothing underground by walking around the decorative tombstone in your backyard, plus…”
“Plus what?” Medi’s eyes gradually turned cold, and he casually stroked his ring.
“Plus the aura of death I felt before even stepping into the house.” Mo Tan walked around Medi and sat in his chair, crossing his legs. “It’s enough to prove that you are preparing an incredibly foolish resurrection ritual.”
Only this one point, he lied. With Mo Tan’s current strength, he couldn’t feel a thing. The so-called ‘aura of death’ was entirely imagined through the guiding quest.
But Medi did not know…
It was the first time someone had exposed his identity to his face since he became a Necromancer three months after his beloved wife passed away seven years ago!
【Medi. Le Wen】
Race: Human (NPC)
Gender: Male
Level: Bone Controller Level 9, Priest Level 11
Alignment: chaotic neutral
Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 3, Wisdom 41, Constitution 15
Combat Attributes: Undead Knowledge Level 7, Holy Light School Level 15, Arcane School Level 10
Skills: Flesh Perception, Bone Splitting, Bone Spear, Bone Shield, Painful Curse, Undead Summoning, Insight, Strong Arcane Prism, Purification (cannot be used), Luminous Light (cannot be used), Wisdom Blessing (cannot be used).
The main purposes of switching to God’s perspective to show Medi’s attribute data are as follows.
First, if Medi wanted to, he could easily eliminate Mo Tan in minutes.
Secondly, with his Undead Knowledge of only Level 7, it is completely wishful thinking to bring someone who has been dead for many years back to life.
And finally, what I want to say is that, in specific circumstances, data is not the only standard that determines the outcome…
“Give me a reason not to kill you, young man.” Medi said softly, staring into Mo Tan’s emerald green eyes. The ring on his left middle finger flickered slightly, and the barrier that had been set up around the small house for many years had already unfolded, eliminating the possibility of Mo Tan escaping.
However, the latter had no intention of escaping at all, but instead suddenly burst into laughter!
“Ha! Hahahahaha~!” Mo Tan, who had been calm and composed, suddenly exaggeratedly covered his face, and his other hand trembled as he pointed at Medi, laughing breathlessly: “Ha, you… you actually… hahahahaha… asked the most foolish question. This is truly disappointing. Honestly, Medi, you’ve disappointed me so much!”
Medi looked at him coldly, his gaunt right hand grasping at the air, and a pale bone spear instantly appeared, locking onto Mo Tan’s heart. He said in a deep voice, “What do you think I should ask?”
The reason he didn't immediately kill Mo Tan was because the 【Flesh Perception】 and 【Insight】 he had quietly activated on the latter as soon as he entered the house showed no abnormalities. This proved that the other party was either fearless or a complete madman, so out of apprehension, Medi did not immediately act, but continued to probe.
“I think you should ask me if there’s a real way to revive your wife besides those clumsy, useless efforts…” Mo Tan shook his head, his face full of an expression of disappointment. “Or, if you were smarter, you would directly ask me to revive her.”
His demeanor was relaxed and natural, his tone was calm, his heart rate was normal, his muscles were relaxed, his smile was composed, and his gaze was steady.
The results of insight and perception feedback to Medi were also like this. The person in front of him was not lying. He was just stating a fact, a fact that made his passionate heart gradually sink…
“Please don’t make that kind of face~” Mo Tan shook his head. “The bond between soul and body is incredibly complex and doesn’t allow for a single oversight. The knowledge and resources required to resurrect a person far exceed your meager imagination, Medi.”
The old man’s expression was no longer composed at this time. He roared with a ferocious face, “You mean I will definitely fail? Mana will never come back?!”
It must be said that Mo Tan’s combination of various messy knowledge, ambiguous bluffs, and his actor-level acting skills had already made Medi a bit crippled…
“You have to ask her first.” Mo Tan, taking advantage of the fact that the other party most likely couldn’t do it, said in a very inciting and leisurely manner, “Only then can you create a highly compatible vessel and not cause your beloved to be annihilated~”
Medi’s eyes instantly dimmed. He stroked the ring on his hand and said tremblingly, “I can’t do it. Although I can feel her, I can’t communicate with Mana’s remnant soul at all. Even after becoming a Necromancer, I still can’t do it…”
“See, that’s where your foolishness lies.” Mo Tan sneered, “I’ve said so much, don’t you understand why I’m here?”
“You…” Medi suddenly looked up. “You want to help me?”
“Drink it~” Mo Tan casually threw out a bottle, and after the other party subconsciously caught it, he said, “It will allow you to temporarily communicate with souls. You have five minutes. Next, I will help you complete that resurrection ritual.”
Medi looked at the flask filled with clear liquid in his hand with an uncertain expression, and narrowed his eyes at Mo Tan. “Why should I trust you?”
“You have no choice.” The latter smiled confidently. “Or you can try attacking me, and then in a few seconds, you’ll be reunited with your wife as you wished. Of course, I’m not sure if you’ll still have a soul left then.”
Medi fell silent. Rather than attributing all of this to a madman’s prank, he would rather believe that everything the unfathomable young man in front of him said was true…
“I am not a philanthropist.” Mo Tan’s expression gradually turned cold. “After your long-cherished wish is fulfilled, there will be many new tasks waiting for you to complete. So, stop wasting time…”
“If my wife is resurrected, I am willing to be at your disposal until my life burns out.” Medi nodded, pulled out the cork, and drank the liquid in one gulp.
Mo Tan smiled, a very happy smile.
【Holy Water?】
One-time consumable
Effect: Increases your magic recovery speed for ten minutes
【Note: Devout individuals can transform ordinary water into holy water through prayer.】
…
Chapter 3: End
