Cheers were heard again, but this time it was louder. It was clear that it was not the World Maker making a façade this time. There seemed to be plenty of those who were eager to return to the old world. Now that a chance was presented to them. How could they resist?
"No! He is lying! He won't do that! He won't return the world to its previous state. He is just using you all! You can't trust him!" Wilted shouted. But since she couldn't do mana manipulation, her voice was drowned by the cheering. "Listen to me! How can you people trust him just like that?! He caused you all to be here, why would he send you back?"
"Save your breath," John said to her. "You won't persuade them. You can't prove he is lying."
"But he is lying!" Wilted exclaimed.
"I know, but you can't prove it. Or, do you have some irrefutable proof you can show here? Or, can you do what he did, turn the day into night? If you can, don't hold out."
"I… I can't," Wilted answered with a defeated tone.
"How the heck did he do that anyway? I thought the world system should prevent him to pull shit like that?" John asked.
"He must have hidden a code to do that inside the program. The turning of the day didn't affect gameplay. It didn't harm players or NPC nor alter the landscape, that must be why the world system missed this hidden code."
"I beg to differ," Bowler said. "If we are in the middle of a fight with vampires and the day turns into the night, we will be in a shitshow."
Wilted gave Bowler an annoyed glance. She continued, "Anyway, he won't be able to do it again. The second turning where the night turned back into the day. It was not his doing. It was the world system quickly correcting the error. Whatever code he had hidden would have been deleted by now."
"It had served its purpose," John said. "He must have planted that hidden code for this very purpose, in case he needs to convince the public."
"Yeah… Everybody believes him now," Bowler added.
"It is just a simple magic show, it doesn't prove his claim as a creator! I can't believe everyone bought into his lies just like that," Wilted complained.
"That's true, but what he offers is something that people want. Sometimes the masses choose to believe what they want, even if deep down they know they are being lied to. The masses are stupid," John said. "We have too many examples of it happening in our old world's political campaign. Candidates spouting lies and giving empty promises, but people still buy into it. Why? Because what if this time it is real? The people don't want to risk missing the opportunity. They hope that it is real. They want it to be real. Hence, they fight to support those who give them the promises. Right now, his lies bring people more comfort than your truth."
"Then… Are we going to let him recruit the masses just like that?" Wilted asked.
"Of course not," John grinned. "If he uses lies to give people what they want, we use the truth to give people what they want."
"Huh?" Wilted couldn't understand what John meant by that.
John didn't bother explaining, he cast a spell instead. The World Maker's members who were guarding the stage were immediately alarmed. Was John starting a fight?
John disappeared. He reappeared on the stage. He had cast Teleportation. Some of the World Maker members on the stage immediately ran to him.
"Hey, hey, hey! Is this a convention or a conference? You said you would let others speak, didn't you?" John called to Master.
The World Maker members who had been approaching John stopped and turned to Master, waiting for his decision.
"Or are you not yet finished speaking?" John asked. "If so, then I apologize. I thought with all that 'Stand with me!' You are done speaking and others are allowed to speak. If you are not done yet, please continue. I will stay here waiting."
The World Maker members who were ready to grab John gave him side-eyes. 'Stay here waiting? Aren't you supposed to be down there waiting?'
Master just stood there looking at John in silence.
"Take your time. I will wait for you," John said. He then started whistling.
The World Maker members who stood around him looked at Master with eyes that said, 'Please! Give us the order to whack him.'
"Let him speak!" Master finally spoke. He went back to his chair and sat.
"You hear your master. Begone, please. Dogs aren't allowed on stage," John shooed the players around him away.
Those World Maker members gritted their teeth but didn't dare to attack without Master's approval. They walked away grumbling.
"People of the old world!" John's voice echoed. The ability of his voice to travel to the furthest audience didn't lose to Master. "In case you don't know me, let me introduce myself. I am Saint John! The leader of the number one guild in this world, Everlasting Heavenly Legend! The Royal Advisor to the best country in this world, Themisphere! And the smartest person in this… Well, I'm not delusional enough to say in this world. Let's just say, on this stage."
The crowd laughed. It was mainly the members of Everlasting Heavenly Legends and its allies who laughed. But as people said, laughing was contagious. Some who didn't find John's words funny also ended up laughing.
"Hmph!" Mistress harrumphed unhappily. Saying something like that was the same as insulting them.
'Don't need to heed the words of a fool,' Master sent her a message. 'Let him say his piece. Our people still need time to get into position.'
"Before I begin, I want to ask the great Liguritudum Ruler some questions first," John said.
Master frowned. What was this clown playing at?
"You said you pulled everyone into this world using your machine, is that correct?" John asked.
It took Master several seconds before he decided to play along. "That's correct," Master answered.
"When you caused that phenomenon. It happened to everyone at the same time. So, I assume your machine can't select certain people to be sent back. Either everyone goes back, or everyone stays. Is this also correct?"
"… That's correct. That's why I arranged for this convention, so everyone can decide," Master answered.
"Thank you for your answers," John said. He then addressed the audience, "Everyone! You have all heard the offer from the Liguritudum ruler. Now, let me also give you an offer. My offer is… Are you ready for this? My offer is for you to stay in this world…!"
The entire crowd was silent.
"I know. Some of you might think, what the hell kind of offer was that?" John said. "Then let me ask you, what's so good of our old world? Don't misunderstand me, there is good in our old world, of course. But let's be real, there is also much good in this world. One example, Bryan… Bryan! Where the hell are you? Ah! There you are, come up here, please."
A man walked toward the stage but was stopped by the World Maker members. These members looked at Master, asking for his approval. John and the entire audience also turned to Master.
Master waved his hand, indicating his people to let this Bryan pass.
After Bryan walked up the stage, John said to him, "Bryan, tell everyone here who you are and what is your job in the old world?"
"Uh… My name is Bryan. As to what my job was… I didn't have any. I'm unemployed because I'm a cripple," Bryan answered.
"Cripple as in…"
"I have no hands."
"No hands!" John exclaimed. "Now, don't get me wrong. Cripple doesn't mean you can't get a job. There are plenty of motivational stories of cripples being successful in our old world. But, hey, let's face it. How many cripples actually succeed? Even if they do, they have to fight twice or thrice as hard. They are already handicapped and they still have to put in more effort than everyone else, not to mention the prejudices from everyone around them. Where is the fairness in that?!"
John paused for a bit before he threw Bryan another question, "Bryan. When you are pulled into this world and found that you have hands again. What was your thought?"
"I… I thought it must be a miracle…," Bryan answered.
