His father narrowly escaped, and after returning, he never spoke of the opposition again.

Until not long after, his father’s behavior became increasingly bizarre.

He always saw his father muttering to himself something like, ’Those who offend the gods, die!’

At first, it was fine, he just occasionally appeared dazed while mumbling these words.

But gradually, his mind and actions grew more peculiar.

The people in the village said he was mad, some even said he was cursed.

His father didn’t live very long; by the fifth year after emerging from that place, his health failed and he lay bedridden, unable to set foot on the ground.

He watched his father deteriorate day by day, nearing the end of his life.

On the night before his father died, his father suddenly called him in.

At that moment, he saw his father, who should have been unclear-minded, with eyes incredibly lucid.

His father told him he must find what was lost, or great calamity would befall them.

After saying this, his father reverted to his previous state.

His mouth endlessly muttered, ’Those who offend the gods, die!’

He didn’t understand what his father’s words meant, and after his father passed away, nothing happened for years; he married and had children.

However...

Soon after his child was born, inexplicably, they fell seriously ill and died shortly after.

The first child was like this.

The second child met the same fate...

He recalled his father’s words.

But what was lost?

How to recover it?

He knew nothing.

He went through everything of his father’s and finally found some clues.

Everything pointed to that place in ’88.

He decided to go once more.

Following the route documented by his father, he successfully entered the underground, finding the place they once researched.

He also found some recorded documents.

He took everything and studied it slowly, eventually understanding what his father’s words meant.

He found the records of the people from back then.

It took him a long time to find them.

The anonymous email was sent by Gan Lu at his behest.

The Boat Captain was also killed by him.

During a communication outing with the Boat Captain, he killed them all.

Xiao Qiu’s body was brought over by Gan Lu; whenever dissatisfied with arguments, she’d lag behind to get the body.

Xie Ningfeng and Xiao Mo were easier.

This place appears convoluted below, but once the right path is found, reaching here is easy.

With the map left by his father in hand, moving below was like a fish in water.

"I just didn’t expect... to see people from back then." Uncle Min stared complicatedly at Xin Zhu.

This person... how can he live so long? Even his appearance hasn’t changed.

But now none of that mattered, everything was about to end.

Those who offend the gods, die.

"My grandfather left nothing when he passed." Brother Gao frowned after hearing it all.

Besides those enticing words.

Nothing was left at all.

Uncle Min looked up at him, his gaze deep: "That thing is inside your body."

"...What?"

Inside his body?

Uncle Min’s gaze swept past Lan Chen and Yao Qing: "The reason you survived is because of the things they stole."

The crowd: "..."

Although they understood Uncle Min’s words individually, when put together, it made little sense.

Uncle Min’s gaze drifted to the luminous tree in the center: "Everything should end, what is not yours will never belong to you."

"What thing... make it clear!" What do they have on them?

Uncle Min’s eyes turned unfocused, like those villagers seen before in the Illusion Realm.

His cracked lips parted slightly, and the words, like a curse, spilled from his throat: "Those who offend the gods, die!"

Chuzheng stepped back, grabbing Xin Zhu’s hand.

The luminance of the tree was brighter than before and continued to intensify, lighting up the entire space like daylight.

At this moment, Gan Lu moved.

She shifted and shoved Chuzheng aside, sprinting towards the nearest Lan Chen, and pinned him against the edge of the light beam in a few swift moves.

"Mm..."

Xin Zhu’s body suddenly went limp, collapsing toward the ground.

"Xin Zhu?"

Xin Zhu clutched his head, his face devoid of color.

So painful.

That voice...

It’s here again.

It was like a demonic hum, endlessly echoing in his ears.

So painful...

Chuzheng’s brows slightly furrowed, she decisively and swiftly knocked Xin Zhu out.

[...]

Are you a devil?!

"Ah..." Yao Qing fell to the ground, his face pale: "Gan Lu... Gan Lu... Don’t do this."

"Sorry." Gan Lu grabbed Yao Qing, pressing her to the luminous tree’s edge.

The blinding light was so dazzling that eyes couldn’t open, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

Brother Gao was also dragged over, yet Gan Lu didn’t care about Li Tian.

Gan Lu slit the wrists of the three, letting the blood drip directly onto the luminous tree.

"No..."

"Gan Lu, you can’t do this!"

"Mmm..." Lan Chen’s mouth was still gagged, he could only glare angrily, unable to do anything.

Gan Lu said nothing, her face cold as she prepared to walk away.

At this moment, Li Tian, who had been still, suddenly lunged at Gan Lu.

Li Tian had seemed utterly terrified before, so Gan Lu didn’t expect her to pull such a move, and with no guard, she stumbled into the luminous tree.

"Ah..."

Where Gan Lu’s skin touched the luminous tree’s branches, it seemed scalded by something, sizzling with blisters.

But quickly, those wounds healed visibly fast.

This healing speed... faster than Xin Zhu’s.

"Brother Chen... Brother Chen..."

Li Tian had somehow freed the rope on her hands, and at that moment, she untied Lan Chen.

Gaining freedom, Lan Chen immediately moved away from the luminous tree.

Chuzheng, holding Xin Zhu, discreetly tripped him as soon as Lan Chen got up.

Dragging Li Tian along with him, both were caught by the approaching Gan Lu.

Lan Chen was no match for Gan Lu, pressed once again at the tree’s side.

Chuzheng patted an imaginary red scarf, hiding her achievements and fame.

So the question arises...

Should I save that Thank-You Card or not?

While Chuzheng pondered over saving the Thank-You Card, the luminance of the tree suddenly intensified.

A piercing white light assaulted her vision, rendering it a white blur, obscuring everything.

The light was similar to that inside the Illusion Realm.

But this light seemed corrosive.

Chuzheng could feel the stings on her skin, making her extremely uncomfortable.

The ground trembled slightly, and Chuzheng swiftly used her Yin Xian to create a safe space.

Chuzheng heard screams from inside, voices cracking—she couldn’t tell who screamed.

They had to leave here!

The existence of the luminous tree itself was peculiar, who knew what special powers it might truly wield?

The Good Person Card shouldn’t remain here any longer.

With this thought, Chuzheng promptly picked up the person, searching for an exit.

Rumbling—

The ground’s tremor intensified.

Chuzheng identified the direction they had entered from and immediately headed that way.