Chapter 25 Destruction and Humanity (1/2)

“It’s the same,” Wen Jiubo said calmly.

“The same?”

“Whether it’s planned or an impulse, murder is murder, there is no excuse. The moment you decide to kill a fellow human being, motive becomes unimportant, and the only thing that drives you… is instinct.”

“Killing is an instinct?”

“Yes, it is. It’s also called murderous intent.” Wen Jiubo lowered his head. Although he spoke eloquently, he did not look happy about it from his expression. “Whether it is to kill a person or to kill a group of people, the intent is the same. There is no reason other than murderous intent. If you quarrel with someone, angry or sad, those are your emotions. You want to beat up or hurt someone really badly, that is your emotions. However, if you think, ‘Ah, I can kill this person’ during the process, the moment you have that idea, you’re no longer influenced by your emotions.”

“By then, what drives you is just pure murderous intent,” Wen Jiubo said.

I felt lost after hearing his words. However, though reluctantly, I gradually understood what he meant.

“That’s why I said, whether we’re talking about the motive behind a murder or the concept saying that work is mandatory, it’s only an excuse that human beings make up in order to maintain social stability. If the police or the murderer doesn’t seek a motive after someone has been killed, then we can only consider the murderer to be a madman.”

The murderer would only be treated as a madman…that’s true.

If one believed that killing was an instinctive act, he would be treated as a madman. Because his or her worldview wouldn’t fit in our society.

“Then, let’s go back to the topic about the person who wants to destroy the world.” Wen Jiubo adjusted his posture. Now he looked lazier and more languorous. “Do you still believe that there is no one in the world whose pure intention is to destroy the world?”

I became uncertain. I tried very hard to recall every word Wen Jiubai said, trying to find any arguments that I could use to refute him.

After all, I did not want to lose hope for this world.

“No, my opinion hasn’t changed,” I said.

“Oh?” Wen Jiubo narrowed his eyes. It seemed like it surprised him. “How so?”

“You mentioned before that society formed as a result of human selfishness, as everyone wants to stay alive in this world, right?”

Wen Jiubo nodded.

“That is to say, everything comes from our own selfishness. Many seemingly inconceivable things, including murder, are in fact human nature concealed by social morality, which I agree with. But destroying the world is something different,” I said. “Destroying the world is different from killing people. Even if the murderer can’t extend his own life by killing the victim or can’t gain any benefits from it, he won’t lose anything either——Erm, it’s another story if he gets caught. But destroying the world is different since the culprit will also lose his own life, won’t they? So will the culprit still do it although his survival instinct and his selfishness are against it?”

“Gu Yu.” Wen Jiubo looked at me with a faint smile. “Even after everything I told you, you’re still unable to think of human beings as animals.”

“Ah?”

“Human beings are animals, but they are definitely different from ordinary animals. They can think. Of all the creatures in nature, human beings are the only one with the ability to think, to recognize the time, to think about the future and the past.”

I frowned. “But monsters are also…”

“Monsters are just extensions of human beings,” Wen Jiubo replied casually. He skipped my question and went on, “In nature, human beings are the only species able to end their own lives based on their free will. In other words, they are the only animal who can through reflection decide that they shouldn’t stay alive.”

This was indeed true…

“Then, why do you think that no one believes that the world needs to be destroyed?” Wen Jiubo looked at me.

“Do you really think someone could draw this conclusion?” I was surprised.