6. Self-Preservation Faction: This one is pretty easy to guess, right?

(Deep sea, earth’s core, lonely voyage):

7. Purification Faction: Actually, this is a derogatory term, originating from the hostility and mockery of the Azure Alliance toward this group. Similar to the Adventists in the classic novel "The Three-Body Problem," they await the arrival of apex beings to cleanse humanity’s ugliness, to destroy or rule and enslave humans. At the same time, in some respects, they are even more ruthless and extreme than the Adventists in "The Three-Body Problem."

Two main related organizations appear in the book: 1. Purgatory of Innocence (relatively low-level, more about venting and personal desires); 2. Snow Lotus (meaning that even if humanity ceases to exist, the snow lotus still blooms). This organization is more high-end, more philosophical, and will give rise to a charismatic "villain" in this book.

Among them, some follow blindly; some act out of resentment; some truly worship and yearn for advanced civilizations, longing for enlightenment; some willingly accept enslavement, hoping for dependence, evolution, and the continuation of life (which is why there are quite a few wealthy old men among them).

……

Section Three: On Character Development

Suddenly, I want to talk about character development. Because if this kind of thing is directly explained in the main text, or shown through dialogue or inner monologue, it would be awkward—extremely, extremely awkward—so I’ll just treat this as a writing summary.

Let’s talk about Henry.

First, let me mention a recent part I’m quite proud of, in the content related to the Banner War, where I designed a three-layered, silent progression:

Preceding plot: Henry was near home, gave up going home, and rushed back to join the battle.

First psychological layer: He wanted to protect the people in his small team and the teammates of 1777, and for this reason, chose to rush back.

Here, after the action takes place, there’s a description of a psychological conflict: after displaying near top-level combat power, because of his desire to protect 1777, Henry wanted to stay and fight with the regular squad. He stayed, remained with 1777, but after his psychological need was fulfilled, he only felt a bit relieved, not happy.

This presents his internal self-conflict.

Second psychological layer: After entering the battlefield, the logic here is that if it was just to protect 1777, Henry didn’t need to go all out like that.

But at this point, in the few minutes before entering the battlefield, I first used William Carter’s perspective to describe that his expression was off, then used James Lane’s perspective, with a word to describe him: guilt.

What’s shown here is that Henry Clark is beginning to feel a sense of responsibility because of his abilities—not just responsibility for his squad and those around him, but a more universal sense of responsibility.

So, someone as stingy as him, for the sake of those unfamiliar foreign comrades, to reduce casualties, went all out as soon as he entered, and kept going, kept swallowing metal blocks, until blood streamed from his seven orifices.

Third psychological step: Robert Reed and the act of picking up the banner.

There are two points to consider here: from Henry’s perspective, was there a risk of Robert Reed dying? What does it mean to have the Azure banner on one’s shoulder?

So why did I choose to portray these two points through a state of mental confusion?

Some might think acting in a confused state seems insincere.

Actually, it’s not. In fact, when someone is already in a daze but still thinks to do this, still remembers that the banner must not fall this time, it actually shows that this mindset has already gradually formed in Henry’s heart, only he himself hasn’t clearly realized it yet.

Looking further, as soon as he regains his senses, he immediately goes after the flagship—was it really just for the metal blocks? On this point, I wrote a line earlier, not sure if anyone noticed: Henry knows that he can threaten the flagship, and with him there, there will be far fewer casualties.

That’s the three-layered progression.

So, why didn’t I just write that Henry directly thought: I want to be a hero, I want to fight desperately, I can sacrifice myself?

First, because that doesn’t fit the character. Writing it that way would be too awkward, even feel fake and empty (and of course, it doesn’t fit my own tendency to get embarrassed in writing).

Second, let’s review Henry’s identity and journey:

Henry isn’t a transmigrator, not omniscient or omnipotent, he’s just a rural kid who failed the college entrance exam, 19 years old. And he was forced to come to Azure, came with resentment.

There’s a small detail set up in a major plot earlier: the new recruit David Bolton valued most was Henry, but who was his true friend across generations? It was Kevin West.

Why? Because for the Azure power structure, Henry is extremely hard to approach and open up to.

Not sure if anyone noticed, but it was only after David Bolton’s sacrifice that Henry Clark gradually started to become friends with James Lane—this is actually a psychological shift.

He has always been wary of the Azure power structure.

Remember his attitude the first time he met, swaying and indifferent, keeping people at arm’s length? This had nothing to do with gender, just that he could tell her status wasn’t low. It wasn’t until later, after spending time together at Institute 2, that he finally said: from now on, we’re friends.

But that was personal.

Overall, the coercion from Samuel Grant, the evil of the Alphonse family, made Henry unable to let go of his wariness and distrust of the Azure power structure, so he couldn’t fully identify with Azure, nor be completely willing to sacrifice for it.

So, for whom would he make such a proactive choice? The answer is: the ordinary people of Azure.