Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

The traveling magician who happened to pass through the village, the blue water droplets dancing at her fingertips, were like stars illuminating her gray world, giving her direction for the first time and leading her to begin learning magic...

After learning basic water magic, they left the village and met three energetic young people in an unfamiliar town, forming an adventure party... until that tragic battle, when one of their companions fell forever, and the party disbanded...

Then, she traveled across the ocean to the Central Continent, met all sorts of people, and learned about the existence of the Magic University.

So she enrolled at the magic university. It was her first time sitting in a bright classroom, listening to systematic and exquisite magical theories; the shock and emotion she felt then remain unforgettable to this day…

Excellent grades didn't bring only joy; they also brought undisguised envious glances from those around her. In the dormitory, she and her friends squeezed onto a small bed, sharing their girlish secrets and cheap snacks…

During her school years, she constantly struggled to make ends meet, so she took on various part-time jobs while continuing her adventures. Until that figure appeared—Junior Chen Ming!

His smile, his strength, the tenderness he unintentionally revealed... were like a light in the darkness, allowing her weary heart to once again feel the warmth of home...

These scenes flashed through my mind like a final farewell.

But in reality, the horde of menacing monsters is already upon us...

"No...don't come any closer..."

Driven by the instinct for survival, Loki made a final struggle, waving her wand wildly like a drowning person flailing their arms.

As the last vestige of magic within her was forcibly squeezed out, it transformed into a faint, almost invisible icicle that shot towards the nearest monster. Exhausted, she could no longer hold her wand, which fell to the cold, damp ground.

There was nowhere to retreat! The cold rock wall pressed against her back, cutting off her last escape route.

The monsters roared, their muddy claws raised high, and a deathly wind swept over them!

She will be torn to pieces, devoured, and left without a trace!

"Help! Someone... someone save me!!"

A desperate cry pierced his throat, filled with endless fear and resentment.

However, all that responded to her was the bloody wind of approaching monsters.

I'll never see my mom and dad again...

This thought, like a cold tombstone, weighed heavily on her heart, becoming the final regret of her life.

She squeezed her eyes shut, her body stiff with extreme fear, awaiting the tearing pain to come...

One second... two seconds...?

The expected pain did not come.

Time seemed to stand still.

An eerie silence enveloped everything; even the nauseating roars of the monsters, the squelching of the mud, the cracking of bones... all sounds vanished!

[Am I...already dead?]

Is it because you died instantly that you didn't feel the pain?

Is this endless silence... the world after death?

With that thought in mind, Luo Qixi mustered her last bit of courage and cautiously opened her eyes.

The scene that came into view was beyond her imagination!

ice!

The ultimate in ice!

It was a world made entirely of pure, translucent ice crystals that exuded a chilling aura!

The horde of monsters that were baring their fangs and lunging menacingly just a moment ago now seemed to have been paused by the god of time!

They maintained their pouncing, roaring, and claw-waving movements, yet their entire bodies were covered by a thick layer of hard ice, which, under the eerie green phosphorescence of the cave walls, refracted an eerie yet sacred light.

Throughout the entire hall, as far as the eye could see, all the monsters—whether they were close at hand or pouring out from the distant passageway—had all been transformed into frozen works of ice art!

"Snap... Crash!"

A crisp cracking sound broke the silence.

Not far in front of Luo Qixi, a tall ice sculpture suddenly collapsed from the inside, and the white skull embedded in the mud rolled out and fell onto the ground, which was also covered with white frost, and shattered into dust with a "crack"!

Immediately following, like a chain reaction, all the ice sculptures in the hall began to emit a series of fine cracking sounds, and the core skulls fell and shattered one after another!

This phenomenon can only occur when every cell, inside and out, is instantly and completely frozen at absolute zero!

Compared to her [Frost Nova] which could only freeze the surface, this was simply the work of a god! It was an absolute crushing of power!

Of all the people Luo Qixi knew, only one person could cast ice magic of this level.

Could it be him?

Just as Luo Qixi was speculating, a familiar voice, like heavenly music piercing through the gloom, gently and clearly entered her ears: "Thank goodness, you're alright..."

Upon hearing this, Luo Qixi suddenly looked up!

A figure, like a god of light descending to earth, gracefully flew over the silently crumbling ice sculptures of demons! Twelve enormous and magnificent wings of light unfurled behind him, their gentle yet powerful light enough to dispel all darkness, illuminating the entire gloomy, frozen hall as if it were daytime!

The moment Luo Qixi saw Chen Ming's familiar face, her heart suddenly started racing!

Thump! Thump! Thump! ...

The rapid pounding of her heart, like a drumbeat, roared in her ears, drowning out everything else! Blood rushed to her head like a burst dam, and she could clearly feel her cheeks burning hot! All the fear, despair, and coldness were replaced at this moment by an even stronger emotion!

It's him!It's really him!

The last figure to appear in her flashback, the man she dreamed of and longed to be close to!

A miracle occurred, rescuing her from the abyss of despair...

Chapter 204: The Legendary Assist King

Chen Ming landed lightly beside Luo Qixi, his toes touching the ground, and the twelve wings of light on his back instantly retracted, turning into a soft halo and dissipating.

His gaze immediately locked onto the golden light membrane surrounding the girl, which was now covered with tiny, spiderweb-like cracks.

(Thank goodness...)

A strong sense of lingering fear welled up in his heart, almost making him choke on his breath.

If he hadn't sensed the intense fluctuations of the [Divine Protection] at the critical moment, and hadn't disregarded the danger of the maze collapsing, smashing through all the walls in his path to reach the scene.

This outermost layer of defensive magic will probably collapse completely in the next second!

Thinking of the 100 layers of defensive magic remaining on Luo Qixi, Chen Ming felt a chill in his heart no less than that of the ice sculptures filling the hall. The consequences... he dared not think about them.

His tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and Chen Ming let out a long sigh of relief. His gaze quickly and carefully swept over Luo Qixi's entire body—confirming that the girl was not injured, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and a huge sense of relief at having regained what he had lost overwhelmed him.

Without thinking, he instinctively took a step forward, opened his arms, and tightly embraced the slender figure that was still trembling slightly.

"Huh? Huh...!"

Having just been pulled back from the depths of despair to the human world, Luo Qixi's mind was still reeling from the immense shock of surviving the ordeal and the overwhelming emotion of seeing Chen Ming.

This sudden, firm, and warm embrace completely shut down her brain, leaving only the most direct physical sensation—his arms were wrapped around her shoulders and back, strong and powerful, carrying a reassuring sense of protection.

A unique scent belonging to Chen Ming entered her nostrils. It wasn't an overpowering fragrance, but it strangely soothed the last trace of fear deep in her soul, bringing her an unprecedented sense of security.

This warmth and sense of security was like opening a floodgate, unleashing all the pent-up fear, grievances, and immense joy! Luo Qixi could no longer contain herself; she hugged Chen Ming back with almost all her might, as if trying to completely immerse herself in this irresistible warmth.

She buried her face deep in Chen Ming's broad chest, greedily inhaling his breath, her voice heavy with sobs, whimpering intermittently:

"Finally... I've finally waited for you... Just now... I was so scared... Waaah... I thought... I thought I was really going to die this time... Waaah... Waaah..."

Hot tears quickly soaked the front of Chen Ming's shirt.

[Ding! Luo Qixi's affection level +9, current affection level 100!]

Looking at the system's favorability indicator, Chen Ming sighed with emotion—the hero saving the damsel in distress is indeed one of the most effective tactics for winning over beautiful girls. The reason why a tactic is a tactic is because it is effective and always works.

The usually strong, calm, and even somewhat independent Luo Qixi, after escaping death, finally shed all her armor and revealed her softest and most vulnerable core.

Chen Ming held the girl in his arms, who was crying like a lost child, and his heart was filled with pity.

Her figure was so slender that it seemed as if a gust of wind could blow her away. She looked so thin that there wasn't an ounce of excess fat, but when we hugged her tightly, we could feel an incredible softness and sense of dependence, like holding a frightened little animal that had finally found shelter.

"I...I..." Luo Qixi sobbed in his arms, speaking haltingly as if trying to pour out all her grievances, "I've been...I've been waiting for you...I've been...struggling so hard...waiting for you to come..."

Her voice was trembling with lingering fear.

Chen Ming's gaze swept across the densely packed, ferocious ice monsters in the hall, especially the traces of those continuously surging from the depths of the passage. Just imagining her alone, surrounded by this endless tide of death, made his heart clench.

What kind of despair must that be?

He tightened his arms around the girl, gently stroking her long, smooth blue hair with his other hand, comforting her, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's all over! I'm here, everything's alright now."

Feeling the promise in his words, Luo Qixi hugged him even tighter, as if trying to squeeze out all her fear and leave only this solid support.

Then, she slowly raised her little face, which was a mess of tears and snot.

Despite her disheveled appearance, her sapphire-blue eyes, brimming with tears, shone exceptionally bright, burning with a desperate intensity. She gazed intently into Chen Ming's eyes, her heart pounding in her chest, almost leaping out of her throat, but she took a deep breath, summoned all her courage, and spoke clearly, though her voice trembled:

"Chen Ming... I... I've liked you for two years now! And now I like you even more! Please don't leave me, I want to be with you forever!"

The girl's confession was straightforward and passionate, carrying the unreserved sincerity of someone who had survived a catastrophe.

Chen Ming was not surprised by this—once the favorability rating exceeds 60, there is a slight chance that the girl will confess her feelings to him. The higher the favorability rating, the higher the probability of being confessed to! When the favorability rating reaches its maximum value, it is only natural for the girls to open their hearts.

Chen Ming has now experienced several girls who have a high level of affection for him confessing their feelings to him, so he is quite experienced in this regard.

He gently grasped Luo Qixi's slender shoulders with both hands, slightly widening the distance between them, just so he could gaze more clearly into her eyes.

Chen Ming's gaze was focused and earnest, without the slightest hint of frivolity, clearly responding to her equally sincere feelings:

"I like you too, Luo Qixi."

These words, like the warmest sunshine, instantly dispelled the last trace of gloom and unease in Luo Qixi's heart. Tears welled up again, but this time they were tears of happiness.

A radiant smile, tinged with tears, bloomed on the girl's face. Then she closed her eyes, as if welcoming a long-awaited kiss that would seal their love.

Chen Ming gently stroked the back of her head with one hand, while gently lifting her chin with the other.

He lowered his head slightly and gently pressed his lips to the girl's slightly cool, soft lips.

It tasted a little salty because of the tears, but it didn't matter.

It was a brief but incredibly tender kiss, devoid of any lust, filled only with tenderness, comfort, and promise.

As their lips parted, Luo Qixi slowly opened her eyes. Her face was no longer disheveled with tears, but instead radiant with a blush like the morning sun.

She stared blankly at Chen Ming, her eyes still somewhat dazed, as if she was still immersed in the incredible sensation she had just experienced.

Chen Ming smiled and gently wiped away the remaining tear stains on her cheeks with his fingers, then looked around the hall filled with ice sculptures of demons.

"We go home."

He said in a gentle voice.

After all, his purpose in coming here was only to rescue people, not to conquer the maze. Besides, there's not much benefit in conquering the maze in this world.

Now that we've rescued the person, it's time to go home.

Upon hearing this, Luo Qixi nodded vigorously, her voice slightly hoarse but incredibly excited: "Yes! Let's go home!"

...Instantaneous teleportation...

Accompanied by familiar flickering lights and spatial fluctuations, Chen Ming and Luo Qixi instantly appeared in the mansion located in the magical city of Sharia.

Jin Bisha, Yin Yue, Linia, and Prusena, who had been on high alert, breathed a sigh of relief almost simultaneously.

They quickly gathered around, their faces filled with concern and relief.

"What exactly happened?"

Jin Bisha asked first, as she had just sensed Chen Ming's unprecedented anxiety.

Amidst the worried gazes of everyone, Luo Qixi composed herself and recounted in as much detail as possible how, while doing a regular gathering quest in the Hailstorm Forest, she had ventured into an ancient cave to avoid a blizzard, accidentally stepped into an ancient teleportation array trap, and was instantly transported from a forest 200 kilometers north of Sharia to the third level of that terrifying S-class demon labyrinth 600 kilometers away... and the despair she experienced afterward.

"...So, you were tricked by a teleportation trap?"

Linia's eyes widened, and Prusena also showed a knowing expression.

After hearing this, everyone was both nervous and amused.

Loki's Saint-level magical prowess is undeniable, but she occasionally reveals a bumbling, absent-minded quality in her daily life and adventurous alertness. Such bizarre experiences, though extremely dangerous, somehow... fit her "style" perfectly when they happen to her.

After recounting her ordeal, Luo Qixi couldn't help but look at Chen Ming with curiosity, her sapphire-like eyes filled with confusion and lingering fear: "Chen Ming, how...how did you know I was in danger? And how did you find such a distant maze so quickly?"