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

Only when the heavy door of the grocery store was completely closed, shutting out all the noise and unbearable conditions outside, did Lin Xiu feel as if all his strength had been drained away, and he slumped to the ground from his kneeling position.

He slowly raised his head, his face, covered in dust and tear stains, displaying an almost distorted bewilderment.

The chatter of the surrounding players continued, but it had become indistinct, as if it came from another world.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his flesh, and he didn't even notice the blood seeping out.

"I know... I know it's all fake..."

A beastly growl escaped his throat, more like a tearing away of his last fig leaf than a defense.

"That was all a scam by Sun Ye, even that 'Ling'er' was fake..."

"But what can I do!"

"I have no way to help it..."

At this point, Lin Xiu could no longer hold on. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his head with both hands, and let out a suppressed and desperate sob.

"Only by believing, only by believing that all of this is real, can I feel that Ling'er is still by my side... Only by believing that she is alive, that she is still waiting for me..."

"Why didn't you appear sooner... If you had appeared sooner, Ling'er wouldn't have died... She wouldn't have died..."

"It's all your fault, you're a bastard! No... I'm the bastard..."

The cries were intermittent, filled with regret and resentment, and were eventually drowned out by the gradually returning voices of people in the square.

Lin Mo didn't even glance at any of this, nor did he bother to pay attention.

The door of the general store was the boundary of his world.

What happened outside the door was none of his concern.

Helping Lin Xiu was Lin Mo's own intention, but the person Lin Xiu cared about was already dead; a fake is a fake.

Those who have died cannot be brought back; we can only accept it.

You can never wake someone who is pretending to be asleep. Perhaps soon, Lin Xiu will fall into the same trap again.

The store was as quiet as ever, a world apart from the hustle and bustle outside.

The light in the air distorted slightly, and a figure appeared out of thin air, staggering before barely managing to stand.

It was Zhou Jian who had been rescued.

At this moment, he was wearing clean clothes, and all the wounds he had suffered from the torture had been completely healed by the power of the rules, leaving no trace whatsoever.

But his whole being was like a piece of paper that had been pulled out of the water and dried in the sun—pale, fragile, as if it would crumble at the slightest touch.

Those once sharp, sword-like eyes are now shrouded in a lingering weariness.

Lin Mo handed him a glass of warm water.

"I'm so sorry to have made you suffer so much."

Zhou Jian didn't immediately take the water glass; he looked up and met Lin Mo's gaze.

Lin Mo could clearly see that beneath that weary, dark cloud, a tiny spark of light still lingered.

Even though the person in front of me was tortured beyond recognition, he did not forget his identity or what he was supposed to do.

Zhou Jian shook his head and said in a hoarse voice, "You don't need to apologize to me."

A gentle smile appeared on his face, though it seemed somewhat forced due to his weakness.

"Everything is for the sake of the Dragon Kingdom."

Although he didn't say anything, Zhou Jian could guess that the sudden appearance of a large number of players in the Withered Territory, and his ability to be rescued so quickly, were definitely directly related to the mysterious shopkeeper in front of him.

Lin Mo, however, disliked this tacit understanding.

He shoved the water glass into Zhou Jian's hand: "You probably still don't understand me. I'm the kind of person who dislikes speaking in riddles."

Lin Mo smiled and continued speaking.

"Many stories I've heard and seen involve misunderstandings arising from a lack of clarity between the parties, ultimately leading to enmity. I won't let such a stupid thing happen to me."

Before Zhou Jian could react, Lin Mo spoke up and pulled out everything hidden under the table.

"The reason I haven't taken action before isn't because I didn't want to save you, but because I lack the coordinates for 'Netherworld Heaven'."

"And your existence is like a signal tower."

"As long as you are alive, as long as you are still in that place, the aura of this world that you possess will continuously send back faint spatial beacons to me."

"A single beacon cannot provide a location, but thousands upon thousands of beacons stacked together can outline the spatial coordinates of the entire withered territory for me."

Zhou Jian froze on the spot, somewhat surprised that Lin Mo would explain these things to him.

I never expected Lin Mo to be so direct.

Lin Mo shrugged, looking nonchalant: "It wasn't a secret to begin with, so there's nothing to hide."

Zhou Jian understood the reasoning, but his hand holding the water glass paused slightly.

His understanding is that all actions should be taken in accordance with orders, but sometimes he prefers this more lenient approach.

And at this moment, he finally understood completely.

He understood that every bit of torment he endured was not a meaningless sacrifice, but rather a coordinate that would pierce the enemy's heart.

He was not a discarded pawn, but the most crucial and irreplaceable element in the entire plan.

At this moment, all the pain was given a completely new and cruel meaning.

He looked up at Lin Mo, smiled solemnly, and then nodded.

There is no need for thanks.

Because they are the same kind of people.

Lin Mo nodded in return, acknowledging their mutual understanding.

"Go back and get some rest for a few days. You've really worked hard these past few days."

After finishing the water in his glass, Zhou Jian seemed to have recovered somewhat. He nodded and turned to leave.

But after taking only two steps, he suddenly stopped.

He didn't turn around, but asked in a tone that was a mixture of weariness and solemnity.

"Store Manager."

"These past few days, I haven't been completely oblivious. I've noticed that withering... she seems to be searching for something."

Zhou Jian's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable gravity.

"For that thing, withering might do something beyond the realm of reason."

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo's face revealed a naive smile.

That smile was pure, clean, and without any impurities, yet it inexplicably made Zhou Jian feel at ease.

"It's alright," Lin Mo replied casually, "Then let them come."

Zhou Jian looked at Lin Mo and laughed along.

The two weren't exactly familiar with each other, but sometimes, trust isn't built with many words.

A nod, a smile, is enough.

Only after Zhou Jian's figure completely disappeared from the entrance of the general store, and the heavy door once again separated the inside and outside into two worlds, did a sparrow flutter its wings and emerge from the top of the shelf.

A sparrow landed on the counter, tilted its head, and sized up Lin Mo with its small, black bean-like eyes.

Aren't you curious about what Zhou Jian was talking about?

Lin Mo was slowly wiping a glass, showing no surprise at the appearance of the sparrow, and didn't even pause his work.

"...Isn't that obvious?"