Chapter 303: The Trolley Problem
Blocked, blocked?
Li Qing actually blocked the attack of Xinhong Lajiao?
No, it's not just about blocking...
This is suppression. Li Qing used the purest power to suppress the spicy red pepper!
Polnareff's expression became extremely interesting.
Xin Hong Lajiao couldn't see clearly because she was in the middle of the situation, but as a bystander, she could see the situation clearly:
Li Qing had indeed taken advantage of Xin Hong Lajiao's excessive concentration to launch a surprise attack.
But he did not use echo strike or golden bell cover.
He used his legs to run at lightning speed, and suppressed his opponent with that extremely fast speed!
The arrogant spicy red pepper was actually suppressed at its most proud speed.
Ming Yinshi, who thought he was the fastest man in the world, soon encountered someone who was faster than him.
According to Polnareff's observations and comparisons...
How can this still be Li Qing?
This is basically a human-shaped Star Platinum!
Li Qing is no longer an existence that exceeds the limits of human beings, but an existence that exceeds the limits of a stand.
The highest rating A on the stand panel can no longer accurately describe his speed and strength.
“So strong…”
"With this kind of power and speed, there's nothing to worry about with Spicy Red Chili Pepper!"
After realizing this, infinite hope suddenly welled up in Polnareff's eyes.
Although I feel a little sorry for those old friends.
But Polnareff knew that he might not be able to reunite with them this time.
Because Li Qing has already obtained the power to turn the situation around.
There is no doubt that he has upgraded!
"etc…"
"Li Qing has upgraded."
"How can he upgrade?"
"In that short half minute...who did he kill?"
Polnareff's expression was first surprise, then surprise, and then it instantly became complicated, even with a hint of fear.
Giorno and Li Qing had not avoided mentioning Polnareff when they were chatting in the attic before, so he knew very well:
Li Qing is indeed about to upgrade.
But upgrading requires the life of the Stand User as a sacrifice.
And just now Li Qing and Giorno were gone for less than half a minute...
The Nijimura brothers are still hiding in the house over here, so they definitely can't be sacrificed.
Kira Yoshikage was in the Higashikata family not far away, but he was not a weakling who could be slaughtered at will. It was impossible for him to be dealt with by Li Qing in such a short time.
So, whose life did Li Qing use as a sacrifice?
Are there any other Stand users around here?
"Could it be that..."
Polnareff's expression became extremely ugly:
Kira and Nijimura have been ruled out, so the only Stand user left is...
"Giorno."
Polnareff pronounced the name stupidly.
He suddenly remembered that when he and Giorno were leaving the Nijimura house, Giorno deliberately stopped and took a fruit knife from the table.
At first he just thought Giorno wanted to use the knife to defend himself, but then he felt something was wrong:
What can a small fruit knife do in the face of spicy red peppers?
Polnareff has been unable to figure this out, but now...
Fruit knife, Giorno, the "counterattack" mechanism that Li Qing mentioned in public this morning, the upgrade conditions that Li Qing mentioned in the attic...
These scattered clues suddenly connected into a complete logical line, which pointed straight to the only possibility.
Only this answer can explain why Li Qing was able to upgrade, return, and save him so quickly:
"Giorno..."
"Did he sacrifice his life to save me? "
Tears welled up in Polnareff's eyes without him noticing.
He hadn't cried like this in years.
That only explanation, that cruel answer, was too much for his scarred heart to bear.
"It's like this again... It's like this again..."
"Am I watching my companions leave for me again?"
Polnareff knelt on the ground dejectedly, clenching his fists tightly.
What an absurd fate this is?
He had endured countless pains because of that man, but now he was saved by that man's son who sacrificed his life.
"Giorno!!"
Polnareff howled to the sky, tears streaming down his face.
Through his tearful eyes, he could even vaguely see Giorno's golden soul smiling and waving at him.
"that…"
"Mr. Polnareff."
A very familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind Polnareff:
"If you need treatment, just tell me. There's no need to shout so loudly."
"well?!"
Polnareff's surging emotions paused for a moment.
He turned back stiffly, only to see the familiar boy standing in front of him alive.
"You, you're not dead?"
Polnareff said in surprise and joy.
"Yeah, I'm not dead."
Giorno slightly grinned, revealing a rare gentle smile:
"It's a long story..."
※※※
Half a minute ago.
Giorno covered Li Qing's hand and let the sharp blade gradually approach his throat.
The tip of the knife was getting closer and closer to the neck.
In the next second, the sharp blade will pierce Giorno's throat deeply.
And Li Qing will also gain the experience he lacks, and achieve the final victory with Giorno's life on his shoulders.
But just then...
Li Qing suddenly burst out with strength and threw the blade in his hand aside angrily.
Of course, Giorno couldn't compete with Li Qing in strength.
Li Qing couldn't bear to do it, he definitely couldn't force it.
"Li Qing..."
Giorno did not blame Li Qing for his impulsive behavior, which was like a child throwing a tantrum.
He just said in a calm tone :
"Accept the reality, this is the decision you have to make."
"I know…"
Li Qing clenched his fists tightly.
A dark luster appeared in his lifeless eyes, making his pupils covered with shadows look even more gloomy and terrifying:
"I have made this decision—"
"I won't kill you no matter what."
"If I can only save one person, I will choose you."
In that instant, Li Qing had already made a difficult and cruel trade-off in his mind:
If they don't upgrade, Polnareff and the Nijimura brothers who stay where they are will die.
To upgrade, Giorno's life must be sacrificed.
This is actually a multiple-choice question: choose to save Polnareff and the Nijimura brothers, or choose to save Giorno.
One option is to save 3 people, and the other option is to save 1 person. It seems that the former should be chosen.
But, for Li Qing...
Brothers Nijimura, who are you?
Why would I sacrifice my best friend for two guys I just met?
The weight of these two people was eliminated at the first moment, and the only ones left on the two ends of the scale were Polnareff and Giorno.
This is still an extremely difficult decision.
Polnareff has become a companion recognized and trusted by Li Qing.
This middle-aged man had long won Li Qing's favor with his wisdom, strength, courage and optimism.
If possible, Li Qing would definitely be willing to sacrifice himself to save Polnareff's life.
But, but…
The sacrifice now is not Li Qing, but Giorno.
It was the boy who had been with him through life and death since Naples.
Without Giorno, he would have become food for the meat and died on the afternoon of the first day of traveling to the other world.
"I can't do it. I can't exchange your life for someone else's."
"Everyone has their own selfish desires, and friends have their own closeness and distance..."
"If Mr. Jotaro were to make this choice, on one side is a life-and-death friend who has known each other for more than ten years, and on the other side is a foreign boy who has just known each other for a week..."
"I think, if he had to choose, he would make the same choice as me, right?"
Li Qing gritted his teeth and used these words to comfort his soul.
But he actually knew that no matter how plausible the reasons he found, the decision he made today would be a shadow in his life.
Polnareff, the companion he abandoned, will become his eternal pain that he will never be able to get rid of from now on.
But even so, Li Qing gritted his teeth and said:
"This choice is wrong no matter which one I choose, so I can only act according to the option I want to choose in my heart!"
"So, Giorno..."
"Let's run quickly!"
“…”
Giorno remained silent.
He stared at Li Qing with complicated eyes, and then said in a deep voice:
"Li Qing, you are still playing dumb."
"You should know that we can't escape from the pursuit of spicy red pepper."
"There are cables and wires everywhere in Morioh Town. That guy can turn himself into electricity and travel through the wires—"
"No matter how fast you run, can you run faster than that electric current?"
"And Mr. Polnareff can't hold back the enemy for long. After he falls, the enemy will soon follow the wires and come to us."
Giorno slowly spoke out what was in his mind.
Li Qing's expression suddenly became extremely subtle, as if his thoughts were seen through.
"I know everything you're thinking."
"You're trying to get me as close to Mr. Jotaro as possible."
"When Chili Pepper comes after you, you will intercept her just like Mr. Polnareff did just now."
"You want to use this life relay method to buy me more time to escape, but the price you pay... will be your life."
Giorno expressed all of Li Qing's thoughts.
He completely took the initiative in this debate, and his words made it impossible for Li Qing to refute:
"The multiple-choice questions you mentioned were actually wrong from the beginning."
"In fact, on one side of the scale is me, and on the other side are you, the Nijimura brothers, Polnareff, and a chance to eliminate the enemy once and for all."
"1 vs 5, I know exactly what to choose."
"Also, Li Qing..."
Giorno paused for a moment, his eyes becoming more complicated:
"You want to save me, and I want to save you too."
“…”
Li Qing was completely speechless.
Indeed, if he doesn't upgrade quickly, he will really have no choice but to use the life relay method to deal with Spicy Chili Pepper.
By then, it won't just be Polnareff who will die, it's very likely that he will be one of them as well.
But even so, he still wanted to choose this option.
But Giorno saw through her thoughts completely.
"If you don't kill me, I will kill myself."
Giorno, who saw through everything, began to use this extreme method to force Li Qing to make a "rational and correct" decision.
"Damn...why is this happening..."
"Do you really have to force me to make such a cruel decision?"
Li Qing's body was shaking violently.
He couldn't imagine what would happen next, nor did he dare to predict the decision he would make at the last minute.
He began to hate his own weakness to the point that he needed his best friends to threaten and sacrifice their own lives in order to survive.
In this way, Li Qing fell into endless pain.
Giorno, who was standing in front of him, could also feel this pain.
The two of them just stood there in silence, as if the whole world had stopped at this moment.
However, time has not really stood still.
The earth is still rotating as usual, at this moment...
Just like countless peaceful afternoons in Morioh Town in the past, a passerby walked along the roadside at a leisurely pace.
Li Qing certainly wasn't in the mood to pay attention to an ordinary passerby.
In fact, he and Giorno, the way, were not in the mood to pay attention to the surrounding environment at the moment. They only knew that they had not escaped far, but did not notice that they had actually escaped to the area near the Dongfang family.
But the passerby knew.
He is just an ordinary neighborhood resident.
He could not feel the pain of Li Qing and Giorno. To him, this journey was so leisurely and comfortable.
Familiar streets, familiar air, and familiar community landscapes——
"Yo, Angelo!"
As is a recent local custom, the passerby cheerfully greeted the ugly sculpture by the roadside.
This gentle greeting was like a thunderclap, which cheered up the two close friends who were experiencing a life-and-death separation.
"Um?"
Li Qing and Giorno raised their heads at the same time.
Powerful perception and sharp eyes locked onto the stones on the roadside at the same time:
"Angelo?"
