To be honest, this Instance was incredibly difficult.

It was no exaggeration to call it Nightmare-level.

There was only one path to victory. The players had to find a way to make Lou Yu willing to save them. Any other attempt at self-rescue was futile within her inner world.

If the world’s master did not permit it, no one could dream of leaving.

When Lou Yu was still playing the role of Troupe Leader Yu, she had admitted that they were not the first group of players. She had even grown accustomed to new ones arriving every year.

Among the countless players who had come before, some must have tried to use their teammates’ bodies to craft the 【Five-Flower Melody】 puppet.

But the Instance remained uncleared, proving that method was a dead end.

To unravel the knot in Lou Yu’s heart and convince her to save them, the players first had to make her realize her true identity. They had to awaken her from the illusory performance.

Of course, the most crucial part was the 【Heart Like Fire】.

Without this item, her 【Five-Flower Melody】 puppet could never be crafted. A puppet made from the bodies of other players was simply incapable of summoning Yu Ji’s soul.

In other words, this Instance was impossible for anyone but Wu Wang to clear.

After all, the lost 【Heart Like Fire】 wasn’t even in the Instance. It had found its way into the real world.

Wu Wang toyed with the cane in his hand.

“So, scholar boy, let me ask you one more time.”

“You have some kind of ace up your sleeve that guarantees you won’t die, and that’s why you’re so fearless, right?”

At that moment, the other three players were standing obediently by the well. Lou Yu was using a writing brush to paint something on their faces.

Faced with Wu Wang’s question, the scholar boy played with the black-and-white paper effigy in his hand and smiled faintly.

“Who knows?”

This paper effigy was not one of his items. It was a parting gift from Lou Yu.

【Overlord Paper Effigy (Epic, Consumable Item). After use, you can summon Prince Xiang from the opera to fight for you for two minutes.】

【Note. My strength plucks up mountains, my spirit shadows the world. But the times are against me, and my steed will not run.】

Without a doubt, this was a top-tier Epic item. Prince Xiang’s combat prowess was beyond question, and the one summoned by this effigy wouldn’t be taken down by a simple game mechanic like Troupe Leader Yu had been.

The two-minute limit seemed short. But for any enemy facing it, the scene would be an absolute catastrophe. Just imagine, “the Prince says nothing and only keeps swinging his fists.”

If this were listed on the 【Spirit Calamity APP】, it could probably be exchanged for several Epic items.

The scholar boy’s answer was reasonable enough, but he had underestimated Wu Wang’s methods.

Wu Wang was silently staring at the scholar boy’s forehead. A moment later, he smiled knowingly.

The brain is a cheap organ. If you don’t mention something, it won’t think about it.

But if you deliberately warn it—do not, under any circumstances, imagine a pink elephant—your brain is already picturing what a pink elephant looks like by the time you finish the sentence.

Right now, the scholar boy’s mind was focused on Wu Wang’s question.

【A paper person, of course, cannot die.】

When Wu Wang saw this sentence, he understood everything. This guy was really something else.

“Farewell forever, you paper monster.”

The smile on the scholar boy’s face slowly vanished.

In the next second, the opera mask Lou Yu had painted on his face suddenly lit up, and his entire body began to fade.

【The scholar boy has successfully left the Instance.】

The system notification echoed in the ears of the remaining players. This time, it was a true success.

Zi Jin examined the mask in her hand. It was also a gift from Lou Yu.

【Nuo Opera Mask (Epic). Wearing this mask allows the player to conceal their aura, disguising them as a member of the Yin World.】

【While in use, it can also summon a masked ghost to appear in the Yang World and obey commands.】

【The masked ghost cannot be eliminated by normal means. Even if exorcised by purification methods, another identical ghost can be summoned again after a 5-hour cooldown.】

【Note. Humans know the terror of ghosts, but ghosts know the poison in human hearts.】

It was another powerful piece of equipment.

She looked at Wu Wang with a complicated expression. She extended her hand for a handshake.

“I’ll remember this favor,” she said frankly. “Let’s add each other as friends.”

Zi Jin was no fool. Although this Pending Death character was strange and unpredictable, this Instance would have been impossible to clear without him.

However, in the next second, Wu Wang pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. Printed on it was a QR code.

“Just transfer the money, boss. A few million or ten million will do. Why talk about favors? Money is more practical.”

The moment he took out the paper, Zi Jin’s face darkened. She silently withdrew her hand.

After sending a friend request, she vanished on the spot, just like the scholar boy.

【Zi Jin has successfully left the Instance.】

Wu Wang just shrugged.

“See? Women are so duplicitous. She talks about repaying a favor, but the moment I ask for a transfer, she runs off.”

Ding!

The words had just left his mouth when he heard the sound of a QR code being scanned.

Turning his head, he saw Xiaoxiao squatting down, scanning the payment code in his hand.

“What the hell!? What are you doing!?”

“Transferring money. Are you that short on cash?”

“…”

Xiaoxiao smiled as she keyed in a string of numbers. So you get unhappy when someone actually tries to transfer you money?

Wu Wang shook his head and sighed.

“Is there something wrong with your brain? Where would you get a signal here? I’m just messing around. Now get lost.”

However, Xiaoxiao reached up and wiped off the opera mask that had just been painted on her face. To the bewildered gazes of Lou Yu and Wu Wang, she sighed.

“No need. I’ll stay too and see what you’re up to. I’ll die if I go out anyway.”

“I might as well choose my own final resting place.”

She was on the verge of being unable to suppress the curse of the 【Child’s Heart Lock】. She couldn’t guarantee she would remain conscious for even a few seconds after leaving the Instance. She might as well stay here and take a gamble. What if there was still a sliver of hope?

To be honest, before entering this Instance, Xiaoxiao had already arranged all her affairs. If she went missing for more than twenty-four hours, all the assets under her name would be transferred to someone she trusted.

Furthermore, the agent for the 【Continental Hotel】 in her city would receive an address, the place where she was currently living. Then, according to the service she had paid for in advance, all information at that address would be completely erased.

She had made every preparation. Now, all she wanted was to fight for a chance to live.

Seeing Xiaoxiao like this, Wu Wang didn’t stop her.

Instead, it was Lou Yu who frowned.

“Miss, I can sense a certain power within your body. It is twisting and changing your body and mind.”

“I can help you place some restrictions on it to slow down the distortion.”

Plop.

Xiaoxiao suddenly lunged forward, hugged Lou Yu’s thigh, and wailed.

“I was wrong! You’re my new mother and father! Saving a life is the greatest of meritorious deeds!”

If one could live, no one wanted to die.

And from Xiaoxiao’s current behavior, one could see her curse was indeed on the verge of spiraling out of control. It felt like if this dragged on any longer, she would really turn into a child who just called out for her mom.

Lou Yu said nothing, only reached behind the girl’s back and took out a puppet, the item obtained earlier in the Puppet Garden.

Then, she pricked Xiaoxiao’s finger. Using the brush in her hand, she dipped it in the blood as ink and painted a lifelike face on the puppet.

It was, strikingly, Xiaoxiao’s own face.

The next second, Xiaoxiao, who had begun to regress into a childlike state, suddenly froze. A look of astonishment flashed in her eyes as she slowly stood up.

“That strange feeling of being cursed… it’s gone?”

She hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time. It was as if a great stone that had been pressing on her heart had finally been lifted.

Seeing this, Lou Yu shook her head.

“It has not disappeared. I have merely used the puppet to bear the curse in your stead.”

“Remember, you cannot be more than ten chi away from this puppet.”

“And it will only last for three months before it dissipates. You must find a solution yourself within this time limit.”

These words immediately brought Xiaoxiao crashing back to reality.

Sigh… forget it. Having more time to live meant having a better chance of finding a way to break the curse.

Xiaoxiao still thanked Lou Yu and sighed with emotion.

“Let’s just say that fortune-telling old man was right. An extension is better than nothing.”

“Hm? A fortune-telling old man?”

Wu Wang’s ears perked up like a rabbit’s. He floated like a ghost to a spot behind Xiaoxiao, took a sheet of Talisman Paper from his inventory, and asked, “Does this look familiar to you? Tell me about the fortune-telling old man, and we’ll call your debt to me repaid.”

Xiaoxiao turned her head and saw Wu Wang’s serious expression. After observing the talisman carefully, she nodded.

“I’ve seen it. Back when that fortune-telling old man was reading my fortune for an Instance, he drew a similar Talisman Paper. The brushwork is very much alike.”

With that, she recounted her encounter with the old man to Wu Wang. When she mentioned that he could predict future Instances, Wu Wang grew more and more certain.

That guy was the Fortune-telling Old Daoist who tricked Second Sister into going to Yin Fate Village!

Damn you! I’ve caught your trail! Sooner or later, I’ll follow someone’s internet cable and find you!

Thinking of this, he sent Xiaoxiao a friend request and smiled.

“You should know my master, 【Yan Shuangying】, right? He has a way to solve curses. Let’s add each other, and I’ll talk to him about it later.”

At these words, something in Xiaoxiao’s mind suddenly clicked.

Wait a minute… could it be that when the Fortune-telling Old Daoist said I could find a way to break my curse in these three Instances… he was actually referring to the person I would meet?

Although she hadn’t gone to the 【Old Days’ Battlefield】, both the 【Masquerade Ball】 and the current 【Anecdotes of the Pear Garden】 seemed to point to one person.

【Yan Shuangying】!

It’s really that great master! So he was the one who could lift the curse!

Xiaoxiao was thrilled and quickly accepted Wu Wang’s friend request. She couldn’t help but feel a little emotional. If only she had noticed this earlier, she might have had a chance back in the 【Masquerade Ball】. To think she had gone around in circles, only to realize she had almost missed her only path to survival.

“I admit my tone was a bit harsh earlier.”

“Big sis, can you still send me out now?”

Xiaoxiao believed that a great woman knows when to yield and when to stand firm. Now that she had a way to solve her curse, who would stick around to watch the apocalypse with a madman like 【Pending Death】?

She then asked with some uncertainty, “Can you really get out of here alive? Why don’t we leave together? If you die here, how am I supposed to contact your master?”

“Daijoubu, I’ll win,” Wu Wang said with a smile.

He then walked to the side of the well, looked down, and reminded her, “If you’re going, you’d better be quick.”

This was Lou Yu’s inner world, and the Ghost Gate Pass at the bottom of the well had not been re-closed after Yu Ji returned. He could already guess what Lou Yu planned to do next.

Having said his piece, Xiaoxiao didn’t try to persuade him further. She quickly had Lou Yu repaint the opera mask on her face.

Her whole body dissolved into light and vanished on the spot.

【Xiaoxiao has successfully left the Instance.】

Only after watching everyone leave did Lou Yu turn to look at Wu Wang.

“Mr. Descender, what is this surprise you spoke of? There is still time for me to send you away.”

However, Wu Wang did not answer the question directly. Instead, he asked about something else.

“Let me guess. After we leave, you plan to throw yourself into the well and commit suicide to accompany Yu Ji in the Yin World, right?”

Lou Yu was silent, but she did not deny it. That was exactly what she was thinking.

Since she could not bring Yu Ji back to the Yang World, and she herself was contaminated to the extreme and on the verge of collapse, she might as well take the initiative. While she still had a sliver of sanity, she would throw herself into the embrace of the Yin World. Perhaps she could still catch up to the recently departed Yu Ji on the road to the underworld.

Just as Xiaoxiao had said, she would choose her own final resting place.

“Since you’re going to die anyway, why not go back and take a look?” Wu Wang smiled. “Go see your original world.”

Faced with his suggestion, Lou Yu was a little confused. What was there to see in that cruel, indifferent world where human life was treated like grass?

“Come on, let’s go see it together. The surprise is there.”

The atmosphere had already been built up to this point. Lou Yu sighed and nodded in agreement.

So be it. She would take one last look at the Opera God’s Righteous Garden in the real world, the place that had raised her. Its current desolation and ruin were what it deserved.

Rumble—

The stars began to fall from the sky. The earth began to wail. The buildings started to collapse.

This was Lou Yu’s inner world. The moment she decided to leave, it naturally crumbled and vanished. But the eerie well and the blood moon in the sky remained completely unchanged.

“What… what’s going on?”

When Lou Yu returned to the Opera God’s Righteous Garden in the real world and stood high on the rooftop to gaze out, she discovered that the desolation was not confined to this place.

As far as the eye could see, there was not a single soul. The once prosperous and thriving capital city had become a ghost town.

The city guards who loved to make life difficult for the common folk, the indifferent neighbors, the high and mighty nobles and officials she remembered… they were all gone.

All that remained was an empty city, like the wreckage recorded in some fragment of history.

“What you feared, what you loathed, what you loved.”

“It’s all gone.”

Wu Wang shrugged helplessly. It was just as he had expected. From the moment the Abyss God’s aura descended upon this Instance, the core of this world had begun to be eroded.

“Look at it from another angle. More than half the world is being buried with you and Yu Ji.”

“The scale of your burial escort is much grander than any emperor’s.”

At this moment, catching a key phrase from Wu Wang’s mouth, Lou Yu immediately spoke.

“More than half the world? There are still people who aren’t dead?”

Hearing her increasingly agitated tone, a smile appeared on Wu Wang’s face.

Yu Ji, oh Yu Ji, you spoke too soon. Your wife hasn’t really changed that much. She is still that good person, filled with kindness in the depths of her heart.

Even in this state, she still cares about the life and death of others. If it were anyone else, they might have been delighted to see this damn world destroyed.

“There are definitely still people alive. The erosion hasn’t completely covered the world yet.”

“Otherwise, this place would have been gone long ago.”

This was not just Wu Wang’s guess. The Abyss God’s Mark was telling him so. The Red Vertical Pupil on the inside of his wrist was sending signals of hunger to him through the Vision of Truth. It wanted to devour the presence here before that presence completely consumed the world.

Lou Yu’s expression was complicated.

“The surprise you wanted me to witness… was the suffering I created with my own hands?”

In her eyes, all of this destruction was because she had rashly used the power of that Extraterrestrial Object. That was the only reason the nation, and even the entire world, had suffered this calamity.

Wu Wang shook his head.

“This isn’t your fault. From the moment that thing landed here, the ending was already decided. Even without you, the current situation was only a matter of time.”

“In fact, you even helped restrain it for a while. Your wholehearted acceptance of The Twisted, your erroneous inner world, attracted its curiosity and slowed the speed of its erosion. That’s what gave the original world a chance to hang on by a thread.”

With that, he rolled up his sleeve, his expression turning serious.

“If I could end all of this, would you be willing?”

Hearing this, Lou Yu nodded without the slightest hesitation. Her tone was resolute.

“Please, you must stop the ravages of that celestial object, and let the survivors rebuild their nation and civilization on this land.”

Wu Wang’s expression was complicated. He sighed.

“Do you know what lesson humanity can learn from history? It’s that humanity never learns any lessons.”

“Even if the nation is rebuilt, it will still be an era that eats people, perhaps even more so than before.”

“Even so, you won’t regret it?”

Faced with Wu Wang’s pessimistic view, Lou Yu had no way to refute it. Her own experiences proved it. The ones who had killed her and Yu Ji were not simply the old troupe leader and the Prince. It was this bastard, man-eating era.

However, in the face of this despairing era, Lou Yu still smiled and nodded.

“Yes. Yu loved this world, and so do I.”

Her smile was as beautiful as a crescent moon.

“Even in the coldest of nations, kindness will always exist. They can change this era, even if it takes a very long time.”

She still stood on the side of the “good” within her heart.

In response, Wu Wang just silently walked to the edge of the well and stuck his wrist inside.

Abyss God’s Mark, dinner is served.

Just as it had devoured the other auras in 【Fight Back to School】 and 【Chronicle of the Desolate Village】, it began to frantically tear at the Abyss God’s aura at the bottom of the well.

As if sensing something, Lou Yu, who had already wholeheartedly accepted the Abyss God’s aura, felt the Vertical Pupils on her body begin to struggle. Her expression grew more and more pained.

She still asked, trembling, “But you… if you help me…”

“After I pass away, I will have no power left to send you away…”

“What is to be done…”

In response, Wu Wang just shrugged nonchalantly.

“It’s fine. Someone will come to pick me up.”

All of this was within his calculations.

And if nothing went wrong… the person coming to pick him up was a true heavyweight.