The Dark Red Mist saw this and did not react for a long time.
In the end, it transformed into the Stick Figure again. Opposite the Stick Figure, it conjured up a token.
Then... the Stick Figure knelt before the token, its wings fluttering incessantly.
Though the image was silent, it was obvious that this ignorant life-form was begging the Artifact Spirit to spare it.
The Big Head Butterfly spun frantically, nearly turning into a spindle. "Fuck, fuck, fuck... I'd kneel?"
"First One, I absolutely cannot stand for this... who the fuck is it looking down on?"
"I don't want to compete with this Artifact Spirit. It's a senior, but... does it even know how to carry out digital intrusion?"
Qu Jianlei found it a little hard to accept as well. He glanced at the Soul Nourishing Wood token. "I foretold Nebula's outcome. That was honest enough, wasn't it?"
"More than honest—you scared it," the Artifact Spirit replied, caught between laughter and tears. "Didn't you see it kneeling to me?"
"Cough, cough-cough, cough-cough-cough, cough-cough-cough-cough-cough..." A violent burst of coughing echoed in Qu Jianlei's mind.
Qu Jianlei struggled to shut out the noise. "So how do you plan to... handle it?"
"The simplest way is to erase it," the Artifact Spirit answered without hesitation. "It's still young and knows nothing, so it will not suffer."
"But we ultimately share the same origin, and I cannot quite bring myself to do it. So I'll have to trouble you with this, First One."
Could you try being a person for once... Qu Jianlei was speechless.
Fine, my mistake. I forgot... you're not a person at all! Qu Jianlei raised an eyebrow. "Can't it be kept?"
"Keeping it... wouldn't be difficult," the Artifact Spirit answered after some thought. "But as you know, it has