In fact, right after successfully resisting that fierce mental shock just now, Notch was already completely clear-headed.
He immediately made a firm decision to draw a line between himself and D, determined not to have any more involvement with him.
So Notch had no interest at all in listening to anything D had to say.
However, when he heard D bring up the events of those years and saw the sudden change in D's facial expression, Notch could not help but fall into a brief moment of distraction.
If Notch had not noticed the subtle change in D's expression, then the moment he realized D was trying to bring up those old matters again, Notch would have interrupted him without hesitation and would never have given D even the slightest chance to explain.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, this was obviously just an excuse D made up to stall for time.
Even if D really explained what happened back then in detail, the truth in it would probably be only half real at best, and its credibility would be pitifully low.
However, in that very instant, the expression on D's face made Notch hesitate.
If it had to be described, rather than saying D's expression had subtly changed, it would be more accurate to say that in Notch's eyes, D's entire face seemed to have gone through a complete transformation.
Although D's facial features still looked the same as before, his expression was completely different from the past.
It felt like a person with multiple personalities was switching seamlessly from one personality to another.
D's appearance looked no different from before, but his inner temperament and the aura he gave off had completely changed.
At this very moment, the D standing in front of Notch had become a total stranger in his eyes.
This sudden and drastic change caused an indescribable fear to surge from deep within Notch's heart.
Because he knew very clearly that the person standing before him now was the real D, the D who no longer hid anything and had taken off all disguises.
And from D's presence, one could clearly feel an unshakable determination, as if he had already made up his mind to be completely honest with Notch and lay everything out without holding anything back.
More importantly, Notch sharply sensed that D was not in a state of giving up recklessly after having his lies exposed.
On the contrary, he gave off the confidence and calmness that only a victor would have.
He was not trying to talk as a defeated loser in an inferior position, but was confronting him with the posture of a victor standing above.
Because of this, Notch felt his heart tremble. D must have already confirmed something, and those things must be beneficial to D, otherwise he would never have shown such a drastic change in such a short time.
Notch frowned tightly and stared deeply at D, constantly thinking through every possible situation.
Time passed second by second, as if the whole world had frozen at this moment.
Finally, after a long and repeated process of thinking and confirming, Notch slowly opened his mouth and broke the silence with a low and steady voice.
"Originally, I would never have believed a single word you said."
He paused and stared into D's eyes with a piercing gaze, as if trying to see straight through him.
"But it looks like you no longer have any need to lie."
When Notch's words reached D's ears, D froze slightly, and a trace of surprise that he could not hide appeared on his face.
He never expected that Notch would be able to see so quickly and so accurately into his true thoughts.
And judging from Notch's attitude at this moment, he had clearly already prepared himself to be honest and lay everything on the table.
Seeing this, D first shook his head helplessly, then shrugged lightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he replied, "Haha, I have to admit, after all these years, you're still just as smart as before. Many things only need a single glance for you to see through."
After hearing D's praise, Notch's originally calm face shifted slightly, and an indescribable expression appeared on it.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he asked with a half-smile, "Oh? Really? Then by your meaning, you must be much smarter than me."
Although Notch's tone sounded calm, there was a trace of sarcasm hidden within it.
He then continued, "After all, there are so many complicated things in this world, and I can easily see through their true nature at a glance."
"Yet when it comes to you, the one closest to me… I have never been able to clearly see your true face or what you really think."
Without a doubt, Notch's words were clearly sarcastic, yet unexpectedly, D took them as a different kind of praise.
At this moment, D happily accepted Notch's so-called "praise" completely and responded with a smile.
"Of course!"
"I've always been smart, always smarter than you!"
At that moment, D's eyes suddenly changed. The eyes that had just been full of pride instantly became fierce and sharp.
He stared fixedly at Notch, his resentful gaze like a starving wolf, as if he might devour him alive the next second.
At the same time, he shouted through clenched teeth, "Then why can everyone only see you?!"
"Why does everyone only revolve around you?!"
"Why do all the spotlights focus on your head?!"
D's chest rose and fell violently, and the way he looked at Notch became more and more vicious, like he was staring at a sworn enemy he could not live under the same sky with.
Even though Notch gave him no response at all, he did not care in the slightest and continued speaking on his own.
"Do you remember those poor kids back in the old neighborhood who followed you around every day?"
"They didn't want to play with you long ago."
"It just so happened that you moved away and didn't see how they followed behind me like obedient puppies."
"Oh… and…"
"After you moved, do you really think those rich boys around you actually respected you?"
"The things they said about you behind your back were filthy."
"And…"
"Do you really think that the Minecraft you created was the result of you alone? How many of my ideas are in it? How many of J's ideas are in it?"
"You took all of it and claimed it all for yourself!"
"And what's even more ridiculous is that later you even pretended to invite us to develop this game together."
"Did you really think I would follow behind you like a fool for the rest of my life?"