Xing Tie: Wait a minute! How come Weng Xing has two saviors?

Kerudela was silent for a moment. Her gaze swept almost imperceptibly toward the blurry outline of the Temple of the Three Phases of Destiny in the distance.

"The 'Lord of the Blazing Sun'—your brother—told the 'Lord of Destiny,' also known as Tibo, about your past."

She spoke slowly, each word seemingly carefully chosen, "As a ruler, it is my duty to care for my subjects. So, I listened to some of your stories. However..."

She paused, then refocused her gaze on Bai Mo with a probing curiosity: "I've noticed that you always seem to acquire your powers effortlessly, without ever paying any price for them. Isn't that, in itself, a great deal of 'luck'?"

Bai Mo fell silent. The cheers and laughter of the crowd in the distance seemed to be his only response at that moment.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice so soft it almost disappeared into the wind: "Perhaps."

He neither defended himself nor admitted it.

Bai Mo walked alone on the long steps leading back to his residence.

When the soldiers patrolling along the way saw him, they all stopped immediately, bowed their heads in respect, and their eyes were full of awe and worship.

He nodded slightly, his steps unwavering, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.

The words of Crydella, spoken with a mixture of inquiry and admiration, still seemed to echo in my ears: "Lucky."

A barely perceptible smile touched the corners of his lips; it wasn't joy, but a bitter smile tinged with weariness. Luck?

It was at this moment that a cold, mechanical notification sound, one that only he could perceive, resounded once again deep within his mind:

[A duplicate folder was detected. Do/Do you want to overwrite the old folder?]

The voice was sharp and abrupt, interrupting his thoughts more than once today alone.

Bai Mo responded almost subconsciously with a mentally exhausted command:

"No. Create a new folder based on the old folder... and add '1' to the end of the name."

The moment the command was given, a fleeting, indescribable feeling washed over him. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, all that remained was a deep weariness.

His lodgings were arranged in a secluded palace. Pushing open the door, the room was dimly lit, with only a few rays of daylight filtering through the window outlining the hazy contours of the furniture.

He went straight to the bed and threw himself heavily onto the soft fabric, as if trying to bury all his thoughts and weariness. However, just as he closed his eyes, attempting to seize a moment of peace—

A cheerful, manic voice, yet with a strangely cyclical tone, suddenly rang out in the silent room:

"Hahaha, Aha, what a disgrace! Aha, what a disgrace! Aha's mask has been soaking in the bathtub for almost a day, and nobody noticed! Hahahaha!"

Bai Mo suddenly opened his eyes, his body tensing instantly as he warily scanned his surroundings. That laughter… was it Aha? But… why did he detect a hint of almost aggrieved accusation in it?

“Aha?” He sat up, his voice trembling slightly. “How did you end up in Onpharos?”

The laughter immediately rang out again, as if it were right next to his ear: "Hahahaha, Aha has found some great fun, of course we have to explore it! Explore it!"

Chapter 162 Bai Mo: What to do when Onfaros makes a fuss?

Bai Mo frowned deeply: "Then, Aha, could you...?"

His words were interrupted by an identical, perfectly measured tone: "Hahahaha, Aha, you've really lost face! Aha, you've really lost face! Aha's mask has been soaking in the bathtub in the room for almost a day, and nobody has noticed!"

"...Aha has discovered something really exciting, of course we have to explore it! Explore it!"

Bai Mo remained silent for a moment before finally noticing the source of the sound.

He rose and walked to the ornately decorated bathtub in the corner of the room. The water was clear, and at the bottom lay a brightly colored red mask with an exaggerated expression.

At this moment, the mask was opening and closing mechanically and repeatedly reciting those two sentences, like a pausing phonograph, or rather... a poorly designed repeater.

"Hahaha, Aha, you've really lost face..."

Bai Mo bent down and reached into the cool water to retrieve the mask. Water droplets slid down the mask's comical curve.

It remained open and closed in his palm, repeating the same words that received no response.

He stared at this so-called divine "gift" for a long time, and finally shook his head helplessly, realizing that there was no power in it at all.

Bai Mo tightened his fingertips, seemingly wanting to crush it, but in the end he thought about it and put it away.

It was definitely not because he discovered the mask had suddenly become incredibly sturdy the moment he pinched it.

Okay then. That's so typical of Aha.

But... this embodiment of chaos appeared here not merely to throw down a noisy, repetitive mask.

Bai Mo's fingertips tapped unconsciously on the table. A Destruction Envoy seeking to destroy "destruction," and a Consciousness Envoy seeking to annihilate "consciousness," were both placed before Aha...

Which one will bring more "fun"?

The answer is obvious.

Both can bring a lot of fun.

For Aha, this is probably a carnival feast that he cannot miss.

But for those of them caught up in the feast, Aha's appearance often meant... the situation was becoming more chaotic and dangerous than ever before.

The next day, before the light of the machine at dawn had completely dispelled the chill in the room, visitors arrived uninvited.

Cerberus stood outside his door, dressed casually, yet still unable to conceal the majesty befitting Caesar. She cut to the chase, her gaze intense:

"Lucky Lord, your next target should be the Titan of the Ocean, Fagina, right? How about I personally lead the attack?"

Bai Mo was adjusting his cuffs with his head down. Hearing this, he didn't stop what he was doing, and didn't even look up at her.

"Let's not talk about that now, Kerudela '1'." He spoke calmly, as if mentioning an ordinary codename, "When do you plan to reclaim and hand over the flame of 'Law'?"

Crydella visibly choked. She seemed surprised that the other person would bring it up so directly, and with that strange suffix. A mixture of annoyance and guilt flashed across her face.

"None of your business?" Her voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of bravado as if her secret had been exposed. "Since I've already agreed, I will keep my promise and offer up the flame of the 'Law' with both hands! Caesar—I will never break my word!"

Bai Mo finally raised his eyes, his gaze calm yet penetrating, staring at her for a long time without looking away or uttering another word.

That silence itself was more powerful than any questioning, as if it could see into all the weighing and hesitation in the depths of her heart.

Under Bai Mo's watchful gaze, Krydella still left.

Krydella entered the Temple of the Three Fates in Janusapolis alone.

The massive palace doors slowly closed behind her, emitting a deep echo that shut out all the noise from the outside world.

The hall was utterly empty, except for the dim light cast from the dome, which illuminated the enormous and ancient scales in the center—a symbol of the Titan of "Law," representing cold and ruthless absolute fairness.

She walked step by step toward the scales, her heels clicking on the polished marble floor, the sound amplified in the endless silence, as if each step was a pivotal moment in her destiny.

She stopped before the scales, gazing up at the enormous, empty golden pans. Her figure appeared both small and resolute before the grand creation.

"Son of man..."

A magnificent, inhuman voice, seemingly woven from countless rules and laws, resounded throughout the palace, shaking the air and even her very bones.

Are you sure you want to restart the trial of "the law"?

Krystra took a deep breath, straightened her back, and her scarlet eyes burned with an unwavering flame.

“That’s right.” Her voice was clear and firm, echoing faintly in the space. “I have resolved to trample the Law…under my feet.”

“You should know,” the Titan’s voice was flat, stating only an immutable rule, “Everything has a price. If you desire the fire of the Law…”

The slight pause in the sound amplified the pressure.

"...then a corresponding price must be paid."

One of the golden scales on one side glowed slightly, and a ball of light, brimming with immense power and ancient laws, slowly emerged—that was the spark of the "Law" Titan.

"I have already placed the Titan's flame on one side of the scales." The majestic voice continued, like a final ultimatum, "And you... how many 'equivalent chips' are you prepared to place on the other side of the scales?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world.

Bai Mo opened his eyes.

What came into view was not the cold stone wall where he was staying, but an endless sea of ​​flowers bathed in warm sunlight.

A gentle breeze carries a refreshing fragrance, and flowers of all colors sway gracefully, stretching to the horizon.

Further away, several familiar little figures were running and playing happily in the flower field.

Little Xilian, with her pigtails and a clear, bell-like laugh; and Little Bai'er, who stumbles along but has exceptionally bright eyes...

Bai Mo's brows furrowed instantly.

He had only tried wearing Aha’s noisy mask for a moment out of sheer curiosity… how did he end up in such a place?

Reason told him that this was definitely not true, and it was most likely that the joker was behind it.

He wanted to go forward and investigate, to find out the source of this illusion—of course, merely to find out the situation, and definitely not because a strong impulse suddenly welled up in some corner of his heart:

First, I'll play a trick on my brothers, try lifting that adorable little Bai'er up high, then pat Xiao Xilian's head, and finally hear them call me "Big Brother" in their soft, sweet voices...

Although the current situation is strange, well... since we're here, we might as well make the best of it. Wouldn't it be a waste not to take advantage of this opportunity and betray Aha's "kind intentions"?

Chapter 163 Bai Mo: No! I can't be a big brother anymore!

A smile played on Bai Mo's lips as he took a step forward. However—

His forehead slammed solidly into a completely transparent yet incredibly hard wall, producing a dull thud.

"Lucky Lord~ Do you still think you're lucky?" A hesitant voice, suppressing a wicked laugh, suddenly came from the mask hanging at his waist.

Bai Mo winced and touched his forehead. It was just a normal bump, but a huge, bright red bump, almost like an animation effect, swelled up on his forehead at a visible speed, and it throbbed painfully when pressed.

He lowered his head, looking at the red mask at his waist that was chuckling, and his eyes turned cold.

With lightning speed, he ripped off the mask, grabbed it without mercy, and slammed it against the transparent wall again!

Duang—！！！！

A louder, more exaggerated crash echoed through the sea of ​​flowers.

"Aaaaaaahh ...

Even more comical was the fact that a large bulge had also appeared where the mask should have been on the forehead, even larger than the one on Bai Mo's head. Whether it was red or not was unclear, since it was already red, but its size was truly astonishing.

"Hahahaha! Bai Mo! You're really—so hilarious!!!"

The scream had barely faded when the pained expression on the mask vanished instantly, replaced by an even more manic and hysterical laugh, as if the impact had brought unparalleled pleasure.

"Alright, Aha." Bai Mo stretched out his finger and lightly poked the still conspicuous bump on the mask's forehead. "What exactly do you want by going through all this trouble to bring me to this godforsaken place?"

The expression on the mask twitched for a moment, then forced out an exaggerated smile: "Hehe, Aha wants you to relive the best times of the past! How about it, aren't you touched?"

"Really?" Bai Mo raised an eyebrow, his tone full of doubt. "You're that kind? Or is it some kind of scam again..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt an irresistible force pushing him from behind!

He lunged forward uncontrollably, and the transparent barrier in front of him shattered like fragile glass, turning into countless glittering fragments that dissipated into the air.

The moment he crossed the barrier, a strange sense of dizziness swept over Bai Mo.

He was astonished to find that his field of vision was rapidly decreasing, and the surrounding scenery was rapidly "growing larger".

He subconsciously raised his hand, only to be met with a pair of fair, delicate, childlike hands.

Bai Mo's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't be playing the role of a scheming... no, he was a caring older brother to his family!

"Oh! Little Bai Mo is here too!" A clear and cheerful voice rang out. Little Xi Lian, holding Little Bai E's hand, ran closer like two butterflies. "Come on! Sister Xi Lian will let you and Bai E play together!"

After crossing the barrier, he seemed to be immediately "discovered" by Xi Lian and Bai E.

"Little Bai Mo~, what are you standing there for?" Xiao Xi Lian tilted her head, her smile brighter than any flower in the sea of ​​blossoms. "Do you want to hear a story today, or do you want to play hide-and-seek?"

Looking at the scene before him, even though Bai Mo knew perfectly well that it was all a false illusion woven by Aha, his heart still felt as if it were being tightly gripped by a warm yet sour hand.

He couldn't help but stagger forward.

Even when he tripped over something hidden in the flowerbed, he didn't stop at all. He just stubbornly and stumbled toward that dazzling halo—towards the softest and most precious memory in his heart, his childhood.

The scene shifts subtly.

The aroma of food and the warm, inviting atmosphere of "Lianmo Bistro" in Janusapolis fill the air.

Behind the cashier, young Xi Lian was smiling as she collected the bills and skillfully gave change. From the kitchen came the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables; it was young Bai Mo bustling about.

Unlike reality, young Bai E was moving between several dining tables, carefully but with an undisguised curiosity serving dishes to customers, eliciting good-natured chuckles from the adults.

"Xiao Mo, today is your and Xiao Er's 19th birthday! Although your cooking is indeed delicious, today, the kitchen must be handed over to your dad and me! Do you understand?"

A gentle yet undeniable voice, filled with Bai Mo's deep longing, rang out, "Listen to your mother, go and have a good chat with your friends. They're here to celebrate your birthday, don't neglect them."

Bai Mo felt a gentle yet firm force push him out of the kitchen.