Gu Rong looked at Lu Li sitting on the tree branch, his eyes wide with amazement.

Then his small voice piped up excitedly: “Lord Devil!!!”

Although Gu Rong himself hadn’t realized it, after several instances, he and Lu Li had become quite familiar, already considering Him as a friend deep down.

Seeing Gu Rong still so excited upon seeing Him, Lu Li raised an eyebrow slightly, and the pair of animal ears on His head also twitched slightly.

Gu Rong blinked his big eyes, his gaze seemingly unintentionally glancing at Lu Li’s animal ears. He, a tiny little thing, still held suspended in mid-air, resisted the urge to raise his hand and touch his own head, clasping his small hands together, looking obedient and well-behaved.

Gu Rong himself possessed divine strength, so he wasn’t surprised that Lu Li could lift him with just one finger. Lu Li was holding onto the hood of Gu Rong’s little sweatshirt.

[Wow, wow, wow, Lord Devil is here!]

[Hahaha, how can you use one finger to hold Zaizai? Doesn’t Zaizai have face (pride) anymore? [Gift Points]]

[Zaizai still covets Lord Devil’s animal ears! Staring so eagerly! Probably wants a pair too!]

[Speaking of which, what exactly is Lord Devil’s origin? Why hasn’t anyone dug it up after digging for so long?!]

[Must be god-level! Equal to or higher than the game’s existence! [Gift Points]]

–

Seeing Lu Li remain silent, Gu Rong took the initiative to speak, his voice crisp and tender: “Lord Devil, how come you are here?”

Lu Li replied casually: “Passing by.”

Gu Rong: “Huh?”

Lu Li didn’t explain further. Holding Gu Rong by the hood, He placed him down to sit on the tree branch beside Him. The two cubs sat side-by-side. Gu Rong was a year younger than Lu Li, a full size smaller overall, and also shorter.

Gu Rong called out to 006 in his mind twice, but received no response. 006 had been blocked again.

After sitting on the branch for a while, Gu Rong couldn’t help but speak again: “Lord Devil, what are we doing sitting here?”

Lu Li crossed His arms, gazing at the churning sea of clouds in the distance. His voice was clear, but his tone carried laziness and arrogance: “Weren’t you hiding from them?”

Gu Rong: “?”

Huh? How did Lord Devil know?

While Gu Rong was still confused, Lu Li had already grabbed his hood again, leaped down with him: “Since you don’t want to stay here, let’s go down then.”

Seeing this scene, the livestream chat screamed ahhhh, their hearts flying out in fright. That high, just jumping like that?

However, the next second, the screen shifted. Lu Li had already flashed with Gu Rong to the ground. Paradise was left far behind, separated by a sea. Before them stretched an endless field of rapeseed flowers.

–

Vast fields of rapeseed flowers bloomed brilliantly and passionately. Two small figures walked one after the other on a small path. Gu Rong, small fists clenched, rushed forward with his head down. Behind him followed Lu Li, unhurriedly.

Gu Rong’s little face was flushed with anger, clearly upset.

Lu Li’s idle voice came from behind, the end tone rising: “Little follower, who allowed you to walk ahead of This Lord?”

Gu Rong huffed, even stomping his little feet. Zaizai walk ahead!

Gu Rong said, “Lord Devil, why always grab Zaizai clothes! Choked Zaizai neck! Hmph!”

Lu Li delivered a heart-piercing blow: “What neck do you have?”

Gu Rong: “…”

Gu Rong huffed again, even angrier. He ran dadada before, now he charged forward tututu, his little legs moving incredibly fast. He plunged headfirst into the rapeseed field and quickly disappeared.

Lu Li remained completely unhurried, not chasing after him, still walking slowly behind with His hands tucked in His sleeves.

The livestream chat was dying of laughter.

Why is Zaizai’s every action so comical!

In less than a minute, the little dumpling who had rushed ahead ran back by himself, his small face beaming with excitement, having apparently forgotten the previous unpleasantness. Heixiu heixiu, he ran up to Lu Li and said: “Zaizai saw many eggs ahead!”

Lu Li: “?”

Gu Rong had run through the rapeseed field, and a few tender yellow petals had fallen onto his hair, contrasting with his snow-white little face, making him look even more like a porcelain doll. Lu Li glanced at the petals.

Seeing Lu Li didn’t react, Gu Rong directly grabbed Lu Li’s small hand and pulled Him forward. Lu Li paused slightly, looked down at the hand holding His, but didn’t shake it off.

Gu Rong had always been bold. He feared Lu Li eating him before, but ever since Lu Li said He wouldn’t eat Zaizai and even gave him ancient clothes, he wasn’t afraid of Lu Li anymore, secretly considering Lu Li a good friend. After all, being the only one his age, Gu Rong naturally felt closer and more comfortable with Lu Li than with adults.

Gu Rong pulled Lu Li through the rapeseed field to a small patch of tender green plants. Gu Rong pointed his little finger at the ground, his face excited: “Lord Devil, look! Zaizai saw an egg!”

Lu Li swept His gaze over it. Indifferent.jpg

Livestream Chat: …?!

Forgive our ignorance, but since when was a radish’s nickname ‘egg’?!

Beneath the tender green leaves of the field lay white radishes, about the size of eggs. Half of them were exposed above ground, indeed looking very much like eggs at first glance. Although Gu Rong had eaten radishes before, he had never seen them growing in the ground. But he had eaten boiled eggs, thus mistaking the radishes for eggs.

Lu Li said, “What a coincidence. I saw a field of radishes.”

Livestream Chat: Hahahahahaha!

Huh? Radish? Gu Rong scratched his little head: “This is radish, not egg?”

Lu Li clearly wouldn’t answer such a boring question. Gu Rong bent down, poking his little head closer to look. He had never seen an egg grow grass on its head either. Could this really be a radish?

Gu Rong grabbed the radish leaves with both small hands, then tugged at the hem of his own clothes, signaling Lu Li: “Lord Devil! You hold Zaizai’s clothes! Pull radish!”

Lu Li: “…”

An egg-sized radish requires two people to pull?

Lu Li remained silent for a moment, still maintaining that posture, not moving at all: “Didn’t you forbid This Lord from grabbing your clothes?”

Seeing that he couldn’t command Lu Li, Gu Rong didn’t get angry either. He pulled out a round little radish himself. After pulling one, he pulled another, offering one to Lu Li: “Lord Devil, give!”

Lu Li: “…”

Lu Li looked at the small radish covered in dirt. Although his face clearly showed disgust, He still reached out and took it.

Gu Rong held the radish by its leaves, swinging it, saying: “Lord Devil, give Zaizai clothes, Zaizai give you radish. Future, you Zaizai’s good friend!”

Lu Li looked at the small radish in His hand, remaining silent, his thoughts unknown. Gu Rong, however, was already swinging his little radish, dadada running forward again happily.

–

While Gu Rong and Lu Li were running around playing all over the mountains and fields, back in Paradise, everyone was frantic with panic. The good little cub, gone just like that, vanished into thin air! This was truly too absurd!

Major Mu led people to search the entire Paradise, also notifying Dr. Bai to bring people over to inspect the elevator – could the elevator have suddenly mutated into a Mutant and swallowed their Little Savior? But after inspection, the elevator was completely normal, just an ordinary elevator, not a Mutant.

Feng Ting also personally came to inspect the situation, but found nothing. Paradise itself was the largest Mutant. If Paradise had swallowed the little cub, then the cub was likely already doomed.

The players, after their initial shock, quickly calmed down. Mainly because the babysitting trio remained very calm, seemingly completely unworried about the little cub. Seeing this, the others also relaxed.

Lin-dalao, having infiltrated the NPC leadership, had the most information. He explained to Zhuang Yu and Shen Hanxiao: “They decided to use the spatial folding prop to let the cub retrieve the pages. The cub likely hid first.”

Hearing this, the two instantly understood.

Gu Rong not retrieving the pages now was likely because he was worried they couldn’t clear the instance.

Consequently, both sighed again.

Carried through by the dumpling every time, truly ashamed.

Zhuang Yu said, “Just don’t know where the dumpling is now.”

Shen Hanxiao smiled: “Don’t worry. With the little ghost’s strength, he’ll be fine.”

–

Gu Rong and Lu Li spent the whole day wandering and playing together, completely unaware that others were searching frantically for him. Lu Li could teleport, even more useful than Gu Rong’s identity cards. Wherever they wanted to go, they could arrive instantly.

Before sunset, Gu Rong asked Lu Li to take him to the whale. The two cubs sat cross-legged on the whale’s back.

Gu Rong put on his small helmet and protective suit. Even if the whale plunged into the sea, his clothes wouldn’t get wet. Lu Li, however, had no protective measures but seemed completely unaffected.

Just as the two cubs appeared, a helicopter flew over, hovering above the whale. Major Mu, Feng Ting, Dr. Bai, and Hopu were on the plane, along with all the players. Everyone could only see Gu Rong, but not Lu Li.

Major Mu held the loudspeaker: “Little Savior!”

Gu Rong looked up and waved his small hand at the people in the helicopter.

Seeing Gu Rong safe and sound, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They didn’t know where the Little Savior had run off to all day, but now that he had been found, there was no need to press further.

Since they had the spatial folding prop, there was no need for Xie Lingjiu to mentally manipulate the Holy Horse over.

Elder Hopu made a prayer gesture and said, “Retrieving the Revelation pages will cause Paradise to collapse, and the sea will pour in. The helicopter might suffer some impact, but everyone’s safety will be guaranteed. Please, everyone, sit in your seats and fasten your seatbelts.”

Shen Hanxiao asked: “Then what about the little ghost?”

Hopu smiled: “No need to worry about the Little Savior. God will protect him.”

Shen Hanxiao: “…”

Why does that sound… unreliable?

Wu Yao looked at Mu Xingye, who was fixed in his seat by the safety belt, and smiled towards Xie Lingjiu: “If I remember correctly, Xie-dalao has some grudges with this guy? Wouldn’t it be better to just leave him in Paradise to fend for himself? Why did Xie-dalao bother bringing him along?”

Hearing this, the other players’ gazes also shifted over. Mu Xingye hadn’t woken up. The sleeping pill Gu Rong had fed him had worn off, but when Xie Lingjiu carried him onto the plane, he treated him like a rag, throwing him violently inside, hitting his head and knocking him unconscious again.

Logically, it would be best if Mu Xingye remained permanently trapped in this instance, unable to clear it. No one else cared about his life or death, yet Xie Lingjiu, who had a grudge against Mu Xingye, had dragged him onto the plane.

“Because,” Xie Lingjiu’s eyes were deep and unfathomable, his emotions hidden. He completely ignored the probing gazes of the crowd. “He cannot die here.”

Everyone: “…”

What did that mean? Did he not want him to die, or was it that even death couldn’t happen here?

What the players didn’t know was that the game forum already had hot posts digging up the past grudges between Xie Lingjiu and Mu Xingye. The forum was already boiling over.

[Wo cao! Wo cao! Look what I found! I think Mu Xingye would be better off staying in this instance! Otherwise, he’ll definitely regret waking up! [Link Attached]]

The link provided an all-around analysis, presenting evidence proving that Xie Lingjiu was actually the dalao player harmed by Mu Xingye in “Museum of Oddities”! No, to be precise, he was a smurf account split off from that dalao player. Just like the BOSS in the “Cave Monster” instance split off Xiaoshan’s smurf account due to excessive pain, Xie Lingjiu was the dalao player’s smurf account, while his main account was still an exhibit in the “Museum of Oddities”!

[Wo cao! Shocked my whole family!!]

[A dalao is indeed a dalao! Even reduced to an NPC, the smurf account split off can still become a dalao!]

[Everything Mu Xingye had was stolen! Including his face isn’t his! He stole Xie Lingjiu’s?]

[So, Xie Lingjiu originally looked like Mu Xingye now? Mu Xingye stole his face?]

[Damn it! Mu Xingye still has so many fans now, isn’t it because of this face? Treating it like a fandom circle! Turns out the face isn’t even his damn own!]

[My heart aches for Xie Lingjiu! But the dalao is really too strong! His alt account could make it into the server’s top 50! Amazing!]

[What did Xie-dalao mean just now? Saying Mu Xingye can’t die here… Does that mean he has already arranged his ending? Blind guess: “Museum of Oddities”! That’s Mu Xingye’s final destination.]

–

The game forum was buzzing with gossip. The instance also entered a state of intense anxiety. Everyone sat properly in their seats, holding their breath, awaiting the final judgment.

Major Mu was initially worried about how Gu Rong would retrieve the pages, but seeing Gu Rong sitting cross-legged on the whale’s head, holding a fishing rod in his small hand, looking confident of victory, his heart felt vaguely uneasy, but ultimately he chose to trust Hopu’s prophecy and believe in the Little Savior.

Gu Rong’s fishing rod could handle the weight of at most three sharks, but couldn’t lift this whale. However, he could use the fishing rod to fish for the pages. With a light touch of his small hand, the fishing rod’s description appeared above it.

[Fishing Rod: Level 2 item, can be extended or shortened (maximum ratio 1000), can accurately hook the target selected by the holder (must see target), maximum load 3 sharks’ weight.]

Gu Rong could indeed see the Holy Horse, but it was too far. The whale was too heavy, heavier than 10 sharks, impossible to lift. So, the fishing rod could only be used to fish for the pages.

Major Mu cooperated with Gu Rong, using the spatial folding prop to pull the Holy Horse from the unreachable horizon closer.

Gu Rong, with sharp eyes and quick hands, flicked the fishing rod. First, he accurately hooked the glowing page in the Holy Horse’s belly. After getting it, he cast the rod again, hooking the page in the whale’s belly.

The instant Gu Rong took the pages, the endlessly galloping Holy Horse missed its footing on the air, instantly falling from mid-air with a whinny, plummeting into the sea. And the whale, after its final leap, seemed to have all its life force drained, no longer drawing a perfect arc, but falling vertically into the deep sea, splashing up giant waves.

Just as Hopu had prophesied, Paradise, soaring into the clouds, instantly began to collapse, like toppling skyscrapers, only on a grander scale, the visual effect even more stunning. The sea began to churn violently, the entire world shaking precariously – mountains crumbling, tsunamis rising, the earth cracking apart.

“Is this really saving the world? Why does it feel like destroying it?”

Hopu reassured the people: “Don’t worry! The Little Savior will definitely save us…”

The helicopter immediately rushed towards Gu Rong, but encountered huge waves and began to shake violently again. Everyone was tossed about, dizzy and confused.

With a “BOOM!”, the haze-covered sky instantly unleashed a torrential downpour, and the world was submerged in rain…

–

Gu Rong obtained the Revelation pages, but piecing the fragments together would still take time. The world’s collapse occurred within a brief few seconds.

Gu Rong also fell into the sea. He wore the protective suit and small helmet – props obtained from the previous instance. His entire body was sealed tightly and protected. He could breathe freely underwater, unaffected.

But the seawater was turbulent. Gu Rong was tossed around uncontrollably. The Skull Ghost Ship transformed into the shape of a giant octopus, like a behemoth, standing firm and immovable upon the sea. In the torrential rain, it looked mysterious and terrifying.

Gu Rong was swept up by an octopus tentacle and escorted onto the octopus’s head. Gu Rong’s small body staggered slightly before he steadied himself.

The sky was dark, and the rain continued to fall.

Gu Rong wiped the water from his small helmet with a hulu sound, looking left and right: “Lord Devil! Lord Devil?”

Lu Li stood on a highly arched octopus tentacle, hands tucked in His sleeves. Amidst the storm and heavy rain, He remained completely unaffected. His body wasn’t wet, and the hem of His robe only swayed slightly, as if a barrier separated Him from the entire world.

Lu Li spoke in a very ordinary voice, yet it clearly penetrated the wind and rain, reaching Gu Rong’s ears: “I am here.”

Gu Rong’s little ears twitched. He turned his head and met Lu Li’s gaze on the octopus tentacle.

Gu Rong could control the Skull Ghost Ship with his thoughts. He was just about to command the octopus tentacle to bring Lu Li over to stand with him on the octopus head, but found the octopus motionless; he couldn’t control it!

Gu Rong paused, stunned. Unable to control the tentacle, he equipped the [Hanged Little Ghost] identity card, flapped his little arms, flew towards Lu Li himself, and landed steadily beside Him.

Lu Li looked at His little follower, his expression dark and unreadable.

Gu Rong said: “Lord Devil, Zaizai got the pages! Can get the Devil’s Key! How many Devil’s Keys are there?”

Gu Rong had asked this question before, but Lu Li had said back then, You will know when the time comes.

Now, Lu Li was silent for a moment, then spoke: “You have gathered them all.”

Gu Rong’s eyes lit up. He immediately took out all the Revelation pages. At the torn edges of the four fragments, points of fluorescence shone. Then, they automatically joined together into a complete blueprint.

The previously blank parchment now showed the patterns of five keys, identical to the Devil’s Keys Gu Rong had collected. And beside the keys, text also appeared.

Gu Rong was a little illiterate, but strangely, the text seemed to have been deciphered; he could understand it directly. The Revelation only contained one sentence: The destruction of the old world is the beginning of the establishment of the new world.

Gu Rong understood vaguely. Just as he looked up, wanting to say something to Lu Li, he found the world, which had been collapsing moments ago, had now frozen still.

The scene before his eyes completely solidified – people, objects, fragments, wind, waves, rain, including the half-collapsed Paradise in the distance – all were in a state of suspension, as if the pause button had been pressed.

In this world, besides him and Lu Li, everything else was frozen, including time itself.

Gu Rong asked: “Why everything stop moving?”

Lu Li said, “Little follower.”

Gu Rong turned his head to look at Lu Li. Sensing that Lu Li had something important to say, he didn’t speak but quietly looked at Him.

Lu Li was silent for a moment, then said only two words: “Go home.”

Gu Rong’s eyes widened. But Lu Li, just like every time before, His figure gradually became transparent like thin mist before him, slowly dissipating, until He vanished.

Gu Rong stared blankly: “Lord Devil?”

But he received no response.

The spot where Lu Li had stood was now empty.

After a long while, Gu Rong withdrew his gaze from the void and looked down at the Revelation page in his hand. The text on the Revelation page enlarged one by one, became thinner, paler, and also slowly evaporated like smoke.

Finally, the Revelation page disappeared from Gu Rong’s palm, replaced by a tiny little Devil’s Key.

[Congratulations Little Zombie Zaizai, for completing the task. Reward: 1,000,000 points, Devil’s Key *1.]

[Three-second countdown. Opening channel to the Old World. Please prepare…]

[3, 2, 1…]

Before Gu Rong could react, a blindingly hot white light flashed before his eyes. He was blinded and couldn’t open them.

An unknown amount of time passed. He heard the faint sound of wind and cheerful birdsong nearby.

Gu Rong snapped his eyes open. The scene before him had completely changed. He was previously standing on an octopus tentacle, but now, the octopus was gone, the sea was gone, and the half-collapsed frozen world had disappeared.

He was in a room both familiar and strange— His own room. From when Daddy and Mommy were still around, before the apocalypse arrived, before he became a Little Zombie, when he was still a human cub.

The wallpaper was warm yellow, the windows bright and clean. The entire world was bathed in sunlight.