The end of the world is approaching, I'm handing myself over to the country.

Lin Mo didn't reply, but simply pointed to a chair next to him.

"Mr. Chi, no rush, let's sit down and talk slowly."

Upon hearing this, Chi Zhengyang sat down.

He took a deep breath, preparing to start with Zhou Jian's matter.

Lin Mo spoke first: "You came to me because you think I don't trust you, right?"

In one sentence, he directly revealed the most fundamental purpose of Chi Zhengyang's trip.

All the groundwork that Chi Zhengyang had prepared was instantly shut down by this blunt question.

He looked up and met Lin Mo's dark eyes.

Lin Mo seems different today than usual.

Exceptionally calm, its surface serene and still, yet it seemed to see through everything.

After a few seconds, Chi Zhengyang slowly nodded in acknowledgment.

"You learned about Ainz Ooal Gown through Zhou Jian, but you didn't ask us directly."

"This makes us have some... doubts."

"I swear on my life, you can always trust us."

Lin Mo gave a wry smile.

He picked up a cup from the table, poured himself a glass of water, and pushed it in front of Chi Zhengyang.

"This is not a matter of trust."

He spoke calmly.

"There are some things that, before you're absolutely certain, the fewer people who know them, the better."

Lin Mo took a deep breath: "We don't know how Ainz Ooal Gown obtains information."

"But one thing we all know is that Ainz Ooal Gown has a very strong ability to gather intelligence."

Lin Mo picked up his water glass and took a sip: "I always feel that he knows more than we imagine."

This was the first time Lin Mo had left the safe zone since arriving here.

Moreover, he was being extra careful, not even stepping out of the safe zone.

Even so, Ainz Ooal Gown still found out.

The other party even took action in response.

If it weren't for the sparrow's help, losing an arm would have been the least of my worries.

What exactly is Ainz Ooal Gown's purpose?

Based on the information currently available...

Ainz Ooal Gown did not attack anyone.

He even helped Zhou Jian.

This shows that Ainz Ooal Gown can befriend everyone else, so why does he only target himself?

Seeing Lin Mo's appearance, Chi Zhengyang's last remaining doubts vanished.

This time, he was just too nervous.

Indeed, facing an unknown being like Ainz Ooal Gown, even the slightest disturbance is enough to make one's nerves taut.

"I just don't want some misunderstandings to create a rift between us," Chi Zhengyang said slowly, taking the initiative to explain.

If suspicion arises among those at the core, it will be fatal.

Lin Mo nodded slightly: "Of course I trust you, it's just that too many things have happened recently, and my mind is a bit confused."

This is the truth.

If he didn't trust Chi Zhengyang, he wouldn't have contacted him in the first place.

Trust those you employ.

Moreover, even for the sake of the Dragon Kingdom, Chi Zhengyang would stand firmly with him.

It all started with the end-of-month assessment and then the malice that Ainz Ooal Gown revealed.

These things have kept Lin Mo in a state of high tension.

Chi Zhengyang expressed his understanding.

"It's normal to have a lot to do."

He reassured us in a calm tone, "Take it slow, find the clues, sort things out one by one, and you'll eventually figure it out."

"If you really have any questions or need my help, feel free to contact me anytime."

I mean anytime.

Lin Mo nodded again, expressing his gratitude without saying anything more.

After a brief silence, Chi Zhengyang suddenly changed the subject.

"There's actually another matter I wanted to discuss with you this time."

Lin Mo raised her head and looked at him.

Chi Zhengyang's expression turned serious. He organized his thoughts and then asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"Do you remember, two days ago, this person on your shoulder..." He glanced at the sparrow, "...did he say something?"

【? 】

The sparrow tilted its head, clearly not understanding how the topic had suddenly shifted to it.

"Two different existences cannot coexist in the same spacetime..."

"I took that to heart."

Chi Zhengyang ignored their reactions and continued speaking.

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he had some vague guesses.

Chi Zhengyang spoke without pausing, his voice unhurried and deliberate.

"So we found the real-world Ainz Ooal Gown, Zhang Heng."

In an instant, the general store became eerily quiet.

Lin Mo was stunned for a moment.

The Ainz Ooal Gown of the real world?

These words were like a bolt of lightning, splitting open a rift in his chaotic thoughts.

Countless fragments of information were frantically reassembled at this moment.

Zhang Heng found Ainz Ooal Gown in the real world...

The outline of a bold, almost insane plan instantly took shape in Lin Mo's mind.

He blurted it out, which was less a question and more a confirmation.

"So you want to use him to replace Ainz Ooal Gown."

Chi Zhengyang nodded frankly, acknowledging the plan.

"That's right, that's the situation."

"My original plan was to tell you after everything was fully prepared."

"Let the real Zhang Heng enter 'Wasteland Era'."

"Let's see if we can directly eliminate Ainz Ooal Gown, this unstable being, by exploiting the conflicting nature of the rules."

Chi Zhengyang's plan was nothing short of earth-shattering.

Salaries are drawn from the bottom of the pot.

He wanted to eliminate this uncertain existence from its very source.

Lin Mo's brain was working at lightning speed.

This plan... is absolutely insane...

"But now..." A look of confusion and seriousness appeared on Chi Zhengyang's face.

"The Bone King suddenly attacked you. I'm wondering if our actions created a butterfly effect, leading to all these consequences..."

This was his second, and most important, purpose for coming here tonight.

Chi Zhengyang suspects that he changed history, triggering a butterfly effect, which led to Lin Mo being targeted.

Before Lin Mo could process this information, the sparrow on his shoulder suddenly flapped its wings and joined the conversation.

Have you ever heard the term "correcting past wrongs"?

Its voice echoed in the quiet grocery store, devoid of any emotion.

Lin Mo and Chi Zhengyang both looked at it at the same time.

[To change the established reality and reverse the course of time and fate involves too many uncertainties.]

The sparrow's small, black bean-like eyes calmly looked at Chi Zhengyang.

This is something you, who have never had control over time, could not have accomplished.

The sparrow did not pause; it seemed to be simply stating an objective fact.

Look up, the apocalypse is still here, so how can you be sure that everything you're doing wasn't something that was bound to happen?

Those who underestimate time will ultimately be looked down upon by time.

And you are the same, self-righteous yet unaware of your own ignorance.

Chi Zhengyang: "..."

【Oh.】

The sparrow let out a mocking laugh.

Also, don't even think about killing Zhang Heng and getting away with it.

The sparrow flapped its wings, its tiny, beady eyes sweeping over the two of them.

Lin Mo: "..."

This system must be infested with roundworms.

The thought of killing Zhang Heng had only flashed through his mind for a moment, and before it could even form a complete plan, it was already exposed and rejected.