Xu Huai

Yi's words undoubtedly left Chen Fan at a loss.

His identity had been exposed?

What was he supposed to do next?

How would his bargain-bin mother treat him?

Report this matter to the church, or pretend nothing had happened?

For a moment, countless questions flooded Chen Fan's mind.

"Click..."

Just as Chen Fan's thoughts ran wild, the sound of a door opening came from next door.

Xu Huai, who had just stepped out of her home, was clearly startled by the sight before her—Chen Fan stood in the hallway outside her door with a gloomy expression, muttering incomprehensible words under his breath while raising his right hand to gesture at empty air.

He looked as though he had been possessed.

"Chen Fan?"

Xu Huai instinctively took half a step back, watching Chen Fan warily. Her hands even rose before her chest in a defensive posture.

Hearing the cool female voice, Chen Fan suddenly snapped back to his senses. "...S-Sister Huai?"

"Don't call me Sister Huai. We're not close."

Xu Huai coldly shot back without expression, turning to push open her door and head back inside. "And don't act crazy outside my door."

"Wait!!"

Seeing Xu Huai turn to close the door, anxiety immediately appeared in Chen Fan's eyes.

He instinctively reached out for Xu Huai's shoulder, trying to stop her from going inside. "Sister Huai..."

The next second, Yi's Electronic Synthesized Voice rang out in his mind.

Chen Fan! Watch out!!

Almost simultaneously, tremendous force came from his arm.

Bang!

As the world spun around him, Chen Fan felt intense, dull pain in his arm and chest.

After a brief bout of dizziness, Chen Fan looked through the Holographic Projection before him, which had somehow turned blood-red, and roughly understood his situation—he had fallen onto a dusty concrete floor.

One fair, slender hand tightly twisted his right arm behind his back, while the other pinned the back of his neck.

Working together, they prevented any attempt he made to rise up and resist.

"One final warning. We're not close, so don't bother me."

The woman's voice remained as calm as ever, but her words sent a chill down his spine. "There are plenty of cases where God Chosen died by accident. Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're God Chosen."

Chen Fan's eyes flew wide open, and his expression froze completely.

There were plenty of cases where God Chosen had died?

Could it be...

Amid his shock, Yi's voice sounded in Chen Fan's mind, carrying a clear note of exasperation.

This unit warned you beforehand. How did you fail to react?

Warned him?

With that little time, what normal person could have reacted in time?!

Chen Fan loudly complained in his heart about Yi's unreliability. Quit with the sarcastic comments and help me first!

I know you're in a hurry, but don't be hasty.

This girl is no ordinary person. Her grappling techniques have received specialized training, and her strength far exceeds that of an ordinary person.

Yi's Electronic Synthesized Voice continued in his mind. She had already held back.

Therefore, theoretically speaking, this unit believes she will not try to kill you for the time being.

Theoretically? For the time being??

Before Chen Fan could react, Yi cheerfully added:

Of course, more importantly, in visitor mode, this unit lacks permission to deploy any lethal weapons. At most, it can play a holographic horror movie to startle her.

Holy shit!!!

The instant he heard that, Chen Fan felt completely numb.

Who the hell had he offended? He only wanted to ask for some information—did she really need to react this strongly?!

"Don't move. You can't break free."

Xu Huai maintained her hold as she crouched down and stared into Chen Fan's eyes. "Speak. What exactly do you want?"

"Cough, cough..."

Suppressing the pain in his arm and back, Chen Fan coughed with difficulty. "Sister Huai, I-I was just passing by..."

Xu Huai sneered.

"Passing by?"

"Do you think I'd believe that?"

"Did Aunt Shen embarrass you, so you came here to reclaim the dignity of being God Chosen?"

Chen Fan: "...???"

A misunderstanding!

A huge misunderstanding!!

What the hell was the dignity of being God Chosen anyway?!

Seeing the bewildered look on Chen Fan's face, Xu Huai fell silent for a moment, then discreetly eased the force in her hands. "What? Was I wrong?"

Chen Fan nodded repeatedly. "S-Sister Huai, I just wanted to ask you a question..."

Before he could finish, Xu Huai increased the force in her hands again.

"Hiss..."

Feeling the sudden, intense pain, Chen Fan's face turned livid as he sharply sucked in a breath.

"Still refusing to tell the truth!"

"A question?"

"As God Chosen, if you have questions, you should ask the god you worship, not me!"

"Tell me honestly, what exactly are you trying to do?!"

The pain did not muddle Chen Fan's thoughts.

On the contrary, beneath the pain, his mind became increasingly sharp.

All the information he had obtained from the original owner's notes and the surrounding environment intertwined in his mind, finally forming a perfect closed loop.

Chen Fan gritted his teeth, a hint of ruthlessness appearing in his eyes.

I'll gamble on it!

He glanced sideways at Xu Huai behind him. "Do gods truly exist in this world?"

At that moment, he no longer called her Sister Huai, instead addressing her directly by name. "Xu Huai, you should know what I mean!"

"W-What?!"

Shaken, Xu Huai instinctively released both hands.

Freed from her restraint, Chen Fan swiftly climbed to his feet.

After taking several deep breaths, he glared with bloodshot eyes at the horrified Xu Huai.

"The god we worship, Its true identity... mmph!!!"

A faint fragrance rushed into Chen Fan's nose as a warm, soft hand firmly covered his mouth, stopping the earth-shattering words that were about to leave it.

"Have you lost your mind?!"

Xu Huai lowered her voice and shouted into Chen Fan's ear. "You dare casually say such blasphemous things about the gods? Do you have a death wish?!"

Seeing Xu Huai's flustered expression as she looked around in every direction, a trace of amusement appeared deep in Chen Fan's eyes.

He knew he had won the gamble!

Just as he had guessed, Xu Huai knew something about the truth of this world.

In a sense, she did not hate Chen Fan himself—she hated his identity!

Although the original owner's notes did not state it outright, Chen Fan could still infer one thing from between the lines:

Before he became God Chosen, Xu Huai and Chen Fan's relationship had not been bad—otherwise, the original owner would not have called her Sister Huai in his notes.

After making sure no one was nearby, she steadied herself, and her voice calmed slightly. "Don't say anything yet. Come inside with me, then we'll talk."

Only after Chen Fan nodded in agreement did she slowly remove her right hand.

Under Chen Fan's gaze, Xu Huai reached out and pushed open the door, then tipped her chin toward him.

"Go in."