The dark green smoke was shrouded by the night, but its strong corrosion made the surrounding buildings look like chocolate melting in the sun.

Originally, a large number of Evil Fallen were approaching this building, but with the approach of a certain figure... all the Evil Fallen scattered like birds and beasts, terrified and desperate to escape.

In this city, freemen were indeed the ultimate symbol. But even freemen have things they fear.

Urban legends.

Freemen should not keep pets; freemen should not make friends.

As long as one could follow these two points, they could avoid the other two urban legends.

But today, as everyone was busy running errands for Gu Qingyu, many mechanical roars came from the zoo.

And another urban legend, the Ghoul with an Odd Face, became active in the city.

"I smell the scent of bonds!"

"So delicious, I’m craving it!"

"Hahahahaha... let them become your friends just like us!"

Countless tumor-like growths were engraved with various faces.

It was difficult to discern which face was the true face of this monster.

Following the scent of "bonds," the Ghoul with an Odd Face had already locked onto the scents of Bai Wu and Wu Jiu.

Bai Wu and Wu Jiu each had a freeman with them, preparing to escape this place.

Their strength was enough to contend against the whole city, but who knew whether there were any rule-level execution weapons in this city?

Therefore, the best method was to head to a place the Evil Fallen dared not approach.

In the night sky, Bai Wu and Wu Jiu moved as if they had conquered gravity, jumping continuously between buildings.

In the process of their aerial rush, Wu Jiu glanced back only to see that the building they left behind had turned "gooey."

The intense corrosion was comparable to the Sequence Absolute Dissolution.

But this type of corrosion was invisible; it could only be smelled, a nauseating sour stench.

"What a delicious friendship! It’s simply a delicacy unseen before in this city!"

Wu Jiu lacked sight, but his Heart Net allowed him to perceive even the most subtle things.

Behind him and Bai Wu was a cloud of green smoke capable of devouring everything.

Wherever the green fog passed, all buildings corroded as if they were cream cakes under the scorching sun.

And the creatures were corroded by the mist in an instant.

"Did acid rain get upgraded to acid fog? Troublesome."

Bai Wu and Wu Jiu gradually pulled away from the monster, but they only managed to create some distance and could never truly lose the monster.

With his exceptional vision, Bai Wu could even see the various faces in the dark of night.

The Ghoul with an Odd Face behind him was like a multitude of faces and tumors pieced together.

It reminded one of those giant mosaics made up of countless smaller images...

Bai Wu had to think of something beautiful to fend off the unpleasant stench.

Although this stench also meant there were fewer Hunters, and no Evil Fallen or citizens dared to come close, the threat posed by the Ghoul with an Odd Face was not to be underestimated.

Just as Bai Wu and Wu Jiu saw the enormous, cold mechanical walls of the zoo, the Ghoul with an Odd Face suddenly reached out its hand.

In the midst of spatially jumping in pursuit, the Ghoul with an Odd Face and Bai Wu and Wu Jiu were hundreds of meters apart.

But in the moment the Ghoul with an Odd Face reached out, the hundred meters were nullified.

The massive arm stretched a hundred meters in an instant, and many of the tumor-like growths on the hundred-meter arm still lacked faces.

Bai Wu remembered that this guy had the Mutation Entry "Gigantification."

But obviously, the enemy’s ability had advanced one step further, becoming partial gigantification.

An ability that would make countless men envious.

As the hand was about to catch up, Wu Jiu, now close to the zoo, made ready for battle.

Bai Wu said loudly,

"Even if you eat these people, it can’t fill the void left by Bai Xiaoyu, can it?"

The hundred-meter-long giant hand came to an instant halt, as did the figure that had been relentlessly chasing in the high skies, which also completely stopped.

Wu Jiu and Bai Wu returned to the ground, looking at the gigantic and hideous monster, as well as the corroded and chaotic city alleyways behind it.

Bai Wu reassessed the former disciple of Cain.

"Dandelion, long time no see."

Among the many disciples of Cain, Elijah was a servant, and Dandelion was a disciple.

Cain treated Dandelion more like his own disciple.

The ghoul with an odd face before him was indeed Dandelion.

"The scent of me and the captain has actually been well controlled, but we were unable to shake you off, combined with some of your strange words earlier, as well as what has been described in the ghost stories news, it seems you can smell the relationships between people?"

Many faces began to slowly shift positions, those faces continuously wriggling and deforming on Dandelion’s body, until one face, angrier than the rest, emerged:

"Who are you?"

"I’m Bai Xiaoyu’s boss. My name is Bai Wu."

"Impossible, he doesn’t have a boss, he doesn’t have any other relationships; he only has me as a friend!" Dandelion raged.

Bai Wu remembered that Dandelion possessed a powerful regenerative ability; if they were to really fight, it would be quite a hassle for him.

Especially in this heavily mutated world, heaven knows whether his regeneration ability had further improved.

Having stumbled upon him by mistake, Bai Wu figured that even if he hid inside the bizarre zoo, the other party would dare to follow.

So, Bai Wu decided on the spot to "deal with" Dandelion right here.

"When you were still human, you had an organ transplant once, and inexplicably, you developed a strange connection with Bai Xiaoyu."

"There are many people in this world you’ve met, and some have tried to be very good to you, but unfortunately, they can never compare to Bai Xiaoyu."

"Eating the other person allows you to gain their friendship, is that it? Hmm, it’s probably not just friendship you obtain, but perhaps other relationships as well."

Without Prayle’s Eye, by relying on fragmented information around him, Bai Wu could still make deductions.

Dandelion’s reaction also confirmed Bai Wu’s words.

A rare Mutation Entry - Social Devouring.

The ability to eat another person, while imprisoning their soul within one’s own body.

This entry seemed to have no combat effect but was particularly suitable for psychotics craving what they couldn’t have.

It was the kind of entry that "yanderes" who believed "as long as I kill you, you can be with me forever" would covet the most.

Dandelion craved friendship.

He killed his parents, thus he gained their recognition, and their faces were on his left and right shoulders.

He killed the girl who once confessed her love to him, and her face was on his hips.

No matter how he abused them, those imprisoned souls would always smile at him, seemingly able to understand him forever.

If you need a certain bond, just eat the other person.

Jealous of someone’s friendship? Envious of their love? Then go eat them.

Turn everything into a part of yourself.

That was Dandelion.

A monster with a mentality even more distorted and twisted than the creatures in the reality Bai Wu came from.

But Bai Wu was clear, just as Yan Jiu shared similarities with Yan Jiu from that world, and Hong Yin with Hong Yin from that world,

so too did Dandelion. As long as he found the similarities in Dandelion, he could psychologically break him down. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

This was just Bai Wu’s speculation.

If it failed, he would have to fight him. The battle would surely be troublesome.

But it seemed Bai Wu had guessed correctly.

"Look at all these faces of yours, so densely packed, covering your entire body; you’ve really eaten quite a number of people, haven’t you?"

"They’ve always been with you, must be lively, right? Very lively indeed. These souls you’ve imprisoned, they would sing your praises whenever you need, and they would constantly try to cheer you up whenever you felt lonely."

"But you’re still lonely, aren’t you?"

Bai Wu actually took a step forward.

Wu Jiu was taken aback, confusion welled up inside him. What was this strong sense of déjà vu all about?

Why did the phrase "It’s my turn now" automatically pop up in my mind?

It was indeed Bai Wu’s turn at the moment.

This scene gave Wu Jiu an inexplicably familiar feeling.

As Bai Wu advanced further, Dandelion stepped back, the green acidic fog behind him growing more intense. The buildings behind him were melting slowly like viscous liquid, along with some creatures that hadn’t managed to flee in time.

But the green fog did not cross Dandelion, it did not approach Bai Wu.

Dandelion’s eyes widened:

"How do you know these things?"

Bai Wu ignored him and continued:

"You should be happy, after all, a selfie for you is a family portrait."

This insult from the Origin World was a realistic description of Dandelion.

"But something is still missing..."

"That heart belongs to him. You could devour worlds to obtain all the emotions you crave, but without someone’s friendship, you find every emotion bland."

Dandelion’s obsession with Bai Xiaoyu had already reached an extreme level of morbidity in the real world.

In this world, it would only become more distorted.

Just like Yan Jiu from both worlds, their similarity was their fondness for Bai Wu. Therefore, Bai Wu deduced that Dandelion from both worlds was very obsessed with Bai Xiaoyu.

Bai Wu’s words were like a sharp sword:

"If only you could eat him, by devouring Bai Xiaoyu, you would be able to gain his friendship."

"I believe there must be a voice inside you saying this to you."

"I believe you’ve also thought more than once about whether you should eat Bai Xiaoyu. After all, eating him would solve all your problems, wouldn’t it?"

As Bai Wu moved closer, Dandelion continued to back away. Their roles seemed to have changed in this moment.

Wu Jiu felt an inexplicable urge to applaud, as if the phrase "You’re truly impressive, Bai Wu" was about to spill out.

Watching the painful expression emerge on Dandelion’s face, while all the other faces showed horror, Bai Wu showed no intention of compromise:

"But you just can’t do it."

"He’s too kind, so kind that even a monster like you can’t bear to harm him."

"Perhaps by devouring Bai Xiaoyu, you might obtain his friendship, but would that really be from Bai Xiaoyu? It would only be from the twisted rules."

"It’s merely granted by the Mutation Entries on you. You’ve never truly been recognized by Bai Xiaoyu."

"So the moment you devour him, you may get Bai Xiaoyu’s friendship, but you will also permanently lose your true self."

"That said, we’re both fighting against distortion, aren’t we? You are not much better than anyone else in this city."

"They are bound by their identities, struggling against the twisted rules, and you are bound by the loneliness inside you, growing more fearful that one day you won’t be able to resist eating him, right?"

"So you keep devouring others, shifting your focus constantly, how contradictory you are."

A series of accusations enraged Dandelion:

"I will kill you! I’ll kill you! Who the hell are you?"

The terrifying green fog seemed about to sweep over Bai Wu in an instant. Wu Jiu, looking at Bai Wu’s calm posture, confirmed that the Ghoul with an Odd Face was in impotent fury.

He touched his inner pocket, intending to take out his notebook and record Bai Wu’s performance.

But then he doubted himself, why was he doing this?

Bai Wu didn’t notice the Captain’s reaction, or he certainly would not have been able to hold back a laugh.

Bai Wu was exceptionally serious at this moment:

"I am not your enemy, though I could be, but I think you will want to know how you can gain Bai Xiaoyu’s recognition. After all, how could Bai Xiaoyu have a boss?"

Dandelion didn’t speak, which was tantamount to acknowledging it.

"I come from another world, a world that also has Bai Xiaoyu and you, and I’m quite familiar with both of you."

Bai Wu seemed to have anticipated Dandelion’s reaction, so he added:

"You must have noticed that today, someone kidnapped the Freemen. Don’t you find that odd? The reason these annoying Freemen are despised is that no one can oppose them."

"Everything in this city serves the Freemen, look, we have two Freemen right behind us; we are the two outsiders who have kidnapped the Freemen."

"Only outsiders can act unfettered by the rules of this city, only we can break the set pattern and attack the Freemen."

"Most importantly, you should be well aware whether what I’ve said about your past with Bai Xiaoyu is true. There shouldn’t be anyone else who knows about your past, right?"

Dandelion remained silent, and it took a long while before he slowly began to speak:

"What should I do?"

"The answer is simple, release Bai Xiaoyu, let him live freely."

"That’s it? Are you mocking me?"

"Just try it. After all, Bai Xiaoyu can’t escape this city, nor can he escape your sight; you could follow him like a lovelorn fool, silently trailing him and protecting him from unseen corners, whatever you wish. I don’t understand your twisted world very well, but I do understand Bai Xiaoyu very well."

"He’s the kind of fool who returns tenfold what kindness is shown to him, the kind of saint that all scorn, an idiot who feels sympathy for the worst and evilest people in this world who have absolutely nothing to do with him."

These words seemed like insults, but in reality, they were compliments.

Dandelion found this quite agreeable; that was indeed the kind of person Bai Xiaoyu was.

This world and the real world still had many things that did not match up.

For example, the one imprisoning Bai Xiaoyu wasn’t Cain; it was Dandelion himself.

"So just release him, and don’t commit evil deeds anymore. If you can’t even do this for Bai Xiaoyu, then you’re just indulging in your own desires, aren’t you?"

"So set him free. When he learns that there is someone who is always thinking of him, someone who is exceptionally good to him, he will also reciprocate the favor."

Bai Wu had finished speaking.

Without waiting for Dandelion to react, he turned and left, exposing his back to the enemy behind him.

Wu Jiu, though his eyes were closed, was certain that the other party’s murderous intent had dissipated, so he didn’t say much.

The two figures gradually vanished into the night.

Inside the zoo, the mechanical roar grew louder.

It was a long time before the two of them could no longer smell the sour stench that Wu Jiu finally spoke:

"Will he do it?"

"According to my understanding, he should, but it doesn’t matter. This is just a gamble. If we lose, we keep the status quo."

"And if we win?"

"If we win..."

Bai Wu looked up at the yellowed page of the book.

"If we win, then we’ve gained the recognition of a second Guardian, and I should have more chips to deal with the Will of the Well World."

Wu Jiu didn’t understand but was greatly shaken.

By then, the silhouettes of both had reached the interior of the zoo.

The mechanical gates closed slowly, the neon lights flickering with a welcoming message.

A blue-eyed rabbit hopped toward Bai Wu and Wu Jiu.

Its ears were as long as a rabbit’s should be, but its short tail had become a winding key.

A rule from the Zoo of Aberrations surfaced in Bai Wu’s mind—Rule ninety-nine:

[When approached by a blue-eyed rabbit, please do not dodge; the consequences are your own to bear. They are gentle animals and will circle around you three times dancing, but be warned, if it doesn’t stop after three circles... escape at light speed, otherwise, you bear the consequences.]