The One Who Remained in the Depths of the Ocean (10,099 Words!)

"What do you mean, a marriage proposal? Who asked you that...?"

Jiang Cheng stared blankly at Xiao Xiao's warm smile, "Wait, it's not about whether I asked you or not, how did you propose?"

Who is Yang Jia?

"She's a goddess-level figure who's beautiful and mysterious, everyone in high school had a crush on her but never even dared to dream about her. What makes a loser like me stand out? Is it because you're handsome?"

"Damn! He really is very handsome..."

"..."

Jiang Cheng's mind raced, his expression shifting from awkward to conflicted, before he forced a smile, "Con... congratulations!"

"Um... when did you two get together?"

"..."

Looking at Jiang Cheng's expression, Xiao Xiao smiled and said, "It happened after the last gathering."

"At the time, she saw that all my high school classmates were doing well, and I was the only one who was doing poorly, so she took care of me, took me home, and introduced me to a new job."

"We collaborated a few times, went through some things, and then... she confessed her feelings to me."

"..."

Jiang Cheng's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "She confessed to you?"

Xiao Xiao nodded. "Mm."

Jiang Cheng couldn't even imagine how much enviable content Xiao Xiao had just shared. At that moment, he thought of Xiao Xiao's state at the class reunion, and seeing him now, he felt a pang of discomfort, as if a hundred mice were crawling all over his heart.

Mingming she knew she shouldn't keep asking, that it would only make her feel worse, she couldn't help but blurt out, "That's really, really good..."

What kind of job do you do now? Are you still just staying at home playing video games?

"..."

"I'm not playing anymore."

Xiao Xiao smiled and shook his head, saying, "I've changed jobs quite a few times. At first, I carried boxes at the dock, then I went to a bar, and now I've found a new job."

"The salary is decent, the bonuses are quite high, and they also provide housing."

"..."

"House allocation?"

Jiang Cheng looked a little confused: What jobs still provide housing these days?

But the expression on her face became increasingly out of control. She was Mingming on the verge of tears, but she could only force a smile and say, "It's great, it's great. When are you getting married?"

He chuckled as he spoke, patting Xiao Xiao on the shoulder. "We're old classmates, I have to give you a big red envelope!"

"Thanks, it doesn't have to be a red envelope, a simple one is fine too..."

Xiao Xiao looked at Jiang Cheng and also put on a smile.

He thought of the spiritual ocean that Yang Jia had told him about, and realized that it was not just an ocean, but also the spiritual world of each individual, which was as deep as the ocean.

Furthermore, just as people have the instinct to swim towards the surface of the sea, they also have the instinct to whitewash ugly ideas and create a false sense of peace in reality.

Just like Jiang Cheng at this moment, Xiao Xiao Mingming sensed the shock, anger, resentment, and jealousy in his heart, but Jiang Cheng would only smile at him, congratulate him, and even give him a red envelope.

If you only look at the surface, right now, my relationship with Jiang Cheng is just like old classmates meeting again, sharing my joy and receiving his praise?

What's inside a charming person's heart?

Those twisted desires and malicious thoughts were ugly, terrifying, deformed, and bizarre, more horrifying than any Aberrant Creature.

The strangers live in a twisted and bizarre world, filled with writhing tentacles and grotesque monsters, so they often want to escape and avoid too much contact with this world.

But why become a stranger if you want to see these distorted things? Just look into the depths of people's hearts.

"Call..."

Xiao Xiao suddenly felt that his understanding of the world had deepened.

I'll let you know when the time comes.

He could already sense a tearing force outside the hotel, knowing that his guests had arrived.

He politely greeted Jiang Cheng and then went into the private room he had booked. Although there was only one guest this time, and only five or six people including Lin Bo's group, he had specially booked a large private room that could seat twenty people. He entered the room first and sat down in front of the door. He lowered his eyes slightly and felt the oppressive atmosphere outside the hotel slowly entering the hotel and gradually approaching the door of his private room.

When he sensed the presence entering the room, Xiao Xiao looked up.

He saw an old man at the door of the private room. He looked very old, but he was in good spirits and his eyes were bright.

His clothes were simple yet sophisticated, and he wore elegant black-rimmed glasses.

He was carrying a long stick that looked like a cane or some kind of detection instrument, with some traces of electronic devices on it.

The moment Xiao Xiao saw him, he had a feeling that the person in front of him fit the public's image of a university professor, but was obviously the kind of professor who was very stubborn, inflexible, and not very good-tempered.

As for Lin Bo, who was hunched over and cautiously following this person, secretly giving him meaningful glances, Xiao Xiao completely ignored him.

"Hello, Doctor Anti."

Xiao Xiao stood up and extended a friendly hand to the old man who entered the room. "On behalf of Black Gate City, I'm here to welcome you."

Doctor Anti, with his deep-set eyes, walked slowly over, shook hands with Xiao Xiao, but did not say a word.

His eyes remained fixed on Xiao Xiao's face, occasionally glancing at Lin Bo, as if he were thinking to himself, "Is this kid really the cold-blooded monster I heard about from Lin Bo?"

But Lin Bo had already obediently sat down, his eyes downcast, seemingly focused on only one question:

When will the food be served?

"..."

Xiao Xiao chose the largest private room, but in fact, it wasn't a very good occasion.

The Minghe Hotel, in Black Gate City, is at best a mid-range establishment, mainly known for its lively atmosphere.

People walked back and forth outside the door from time to time, and children played around from time to time. Outside the window was a bustling commercial street, with people coming and going. The interior decoration of the room was a bit old, and there seemed to be a thick layer of oil under the table.

All of this seemed to suggest that Xiao Xiao was indeed very polite, but not really that polite.

If he really wanted to treat him well, he would at least have to arrange a private venue like the Red Eyes Club, where everything and every service could be considered high-end.

Doctor Anti felt awkward sitting in such a lively and down-to-earth setting.

He possessed a reclusive quality that distanced him from people and even from the world. Yang Jia himself also had this quality, but this doctor was dozens of times stronger than Yang Jia. It was a lonely quality that made him not easily return to the human world.

He seemed somewhat out of place in his surroundings.

If his perception is like an invisible tentacle, then the rejection and disgust he feels from the surrounding environment at this moment forces him to retract even that tentacle.

He simply sat down indifferently opposite Xiao Xiao, then slowly raised his head, stared into Xiao Xiao's eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"Did you kill Yang Jia?"

"..."

Xiao Xiao nodded, his expression calm, so calm that it even looked like there was a hint of a smile hidden at the corner of his mouth, "Yes."

Doctor Anti's expression darkened further. "Why?"

Xiao Xiao stared at him intently and said, "Because in that situation, the only way to try to save her was to kill her first."

Doctor Anti frowned. "And then?"

Xiao Xiao also let out a soft sigh and said, "It failed."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became somewhat oppressive, as if there were invisible spiritual forces crackling and tearing each other apart in the air.

Xiao Xiao wasn't a very good liar, but his Mind Burst ability made it easy for him to learn. Besides, the answer he was giving Doctor Anti was not entirely unfounded.

When he tried to save Yang Jia, although he had this plan in mind beforehand, he was not confident. Therefore, at this time, he simply told Doctor Anti about another possibility of the plan.

Doctor Anti seemed to be suspicious at first, but he kept staring at Xiao Xiao's face without seeing anything.

This composure made him lose even the urge to press for specific reasons; only his inner dissatisfaction raged, as if anger was building up.

The group members around Lin Bo exchanged glances and quietly slipped out to use the restroom.

Lin Bo also wanted to go, but after being glanced at by Doctor Anti, he had no choice but to sit obediently in the chair, as nervous as a mummy, with only one question on his mind:

When will the food be served?

"..."

Doctor Anti was silent for a moment before whispering, "Young man, do you know?"

"Yang Jia is a student of the Dante Organization and also my student. The Dante Organization is not like the Hell Organization, which is prone to causing trouble and acting unreasonably, but we will not allow our members to be killed casually."

"..."

Faced with his questioning, Xiao Xiao could only nod and say, "I understand."

"If only we had a better way back then."

"..."

"After all, you killed someone from Dante Organization, and even kept a Mysterious Guidepost in secret without Dante Organization's permission."

Doctor Anti looked at Xiao Xiao, whose face was calm, and suddenly said, "The Dante Organization has people specifically responsible for deciding how to handle this matter, so I will no longer interfere."

"I rushed back to reality this time because I heard about her accident and wanted to save her, but I didn't expect that I was still too late."

"As for now, I have no other requests, I just want to take her body back."

"..."

"A corpse?"

Lin Bo and the others had already heard Doctor Anti's request, but this was the first time Xiao Xiao had heard it. His eyes flickered slightly as he asked, "Is it her body, or the body of the Mysterious Source?"

In response to Xiao Xiao's question, Doctor Anti replied with a deep gaze, "It's all the same."

Xiao Xiao shook his head. "That's impossible."

Doctor Anti's gaze darkened slightly, but perhaps because he thought of Lin Bo's previous account, he suppressed his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "Then perhaps, let me see her body."

"If what you say is true, that her body has been torn to pieces by the mental turbulence, let me see the body of the Mysterious Source; it's the same."

"That relates to a study I'm currently working on."

"..."

Xiao Xiao had already thought these questions through in his heart, and immediately shook his head. "That's impossible."

Normally, if Yang Jia had really died, her body would have been, to some extent, the body of the Mysterious Source. It was only because she was resurrected that the body of the Mysterious Source fell down separately.

However, this also created some problems. Not to mention letting the old man take her body away, Xiao Xiao wouldn't even let him see the body of the Mysterious Source, because he wasn't sure if the old man could see any clues from it.

Yang Jia's decision to hide at this point stemmed from a genuine feeling, without any specific reason.

But Xiao Xiao unconditionally supported her decision.

Therefore, when Xiao Xiao met Doctor Anti on her behalf, he had to cover for Yang Jia and prevent anyone from noticing the problem.

Perhaps because Xiao Xiao's refusal was too decisive, the atmosphere in the room instantly became oppressive.

Doctor Anti sat there silently, but Xiao Xiao could feel the anger surging within him. He stared intently at Xiao Xiao, his gaze heavy as if it could crush the very air around Xiao Xiao.

But Xiao Xiao remained completely still, as if he couldn't feel the pressure of his gaze.

After a long silence, Doctor Anti suddenly gave a slight, cold laugh, "Unquenched Heart?"

"Young man, I can guess the function of the Unquenched Heart, and I can also sense that you are now in a state of semi-fusion with this city."

"But do you really think that as long as you hide in this city, I can't do anything to you?"

"..."

Hearing the obvious threat in his words, Xiao Xiao slowly raised his head and looked at him. After a while, he suddenly laughed and said, "Since you know this is my city, how dare you talk to me like that?"

Whoosh!

As the two of them continued their sharp exchange, the atmosphere in the private room suddenly plummeted to freezing point.

Even outside the private room, or rather throughout the entire hotel, everyone felt a sense of oppression, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on them.

The members of Lin Bo's group had already come out of the restroom. Sensing the atmosphere, they exchanged glances and then went back in unison, each occupying a stall.

Meanwhile, Lin Bo, inside the room, stared intently at the cup in front of him, his inner turmoil nearing its peak.

"Damn it, when are we going to serve the food?"

"..."

At the same time, or rather, while Xiao Xiao entered the hotel and was waiting for Doctor Anti to arrive, several other things were happening in Black Gate City.

Immediately after Xiao Xiao made those two phone calls, two teams began their operation.

A black team, composed of fully armed personnel, each driving a tall, dark special operations vehicle, sped out from various bases in Black Gate City. They overtook other vehicles and ran red lights along the way, quickly reaching their designated location. Then, the rear roof of the vehicle slowly opened, revealing some instruments resembling pot lids. Under the guidance of professionals, they quickly adjusted the angles and parameters, slowly pointing towards a location centered on Xiao Xiao.

At another location, several vans sped forward, causing a commotion and a cacophony of curses and shouts on the road.

Not far from the private room where Xiao Xiao was, his high school classmate Jiang Cheng, unlike his usual high-profile and excited self, appeared sullen and unhappy throughout the entire gathering. He had been drinking in silence for half a day, and the depression and anger on his face could no longer be suppressed. It was as if a layer of harmonious and friendly skin had been torn away, gradually revealing the layer of malice beneath. Suddenly, he smashed his wine glass hard, splashing wine all over his face, and said hatefully to the people at the table, "Damn it, I just ran into a guy I really hated in high school, and now I hate him even more."

The others, also excited by the alcohol, exclaimed, "Let's go find him!"

A group of people excitedly carried bottles of liquor out, surrounding the most depressed Jiang Cheng. The closer they got to Xiao Xiao room, the more visible the cracks in their skin became, as if some kind of monster was about to crawl out from under their broken skin.

Having said all that, Doctor Anti's anger became increasingly difficult to conceal.

He did not underestimate Xiao Xiao. After learning about Xiao Xiao's past from Lin Bo, he had already put away his contempt. He could also sense Xiao Xiao's power at this moment.

He didn't know the specific function of the Unquenched Heart, but he knew that Xiao Xiao had entered the fourth stage of enhancement. People at this stage could be called taboo. Of course, for someone of his level, taboo was not insurmountable. However, outsiders at the taboo level often had one characteristic: they were good at creating an environment that was advantageous to them. So, it was fine in other places, but it was best not to fight him in his own territory.

At this moment, he kept his eyes on Xiao Xiao, wanting to see what he was going to do.

But in the end, Xiao Xiao did nothing.

Just as the atmosphere became extremely tense, and Lin Bo was about to yell at the waiter to bring the food, the door to the private room was suddenly kicked open with a "bang".

Jiang Cheng, slightly intoxicated, appeared at the doorway, his skin peeling off, and shouted, "Xiao Xiao!"

"Crack crack crack crack..."

At the same time, four clear voices rang out in succession throughout Black Gate City.

The instruments, which had already reached the designated location and had been adjusted in angle, were activated simultaneously. Instantly, countless invisible rays of light intertwined and enveloped the area within a radius of two to three kilometers centered on the Minghe Hotel.

If viewed in a way that allows one to perceive an invisible force field, one can see a giant, interwoven white net covering that area.

At the same time, several vans arrived at the entrance of Minghe Hotel, parked in a row, and a large number of thugs armed with knives and sticks ran out of them.

A pink-haired girl with white Rabbit Ears stepped out of the extended black sedan at the front, followed lazily by four girls with a lazy yet extremely dangerous demeanor.

"Um?"

After Jiang Cheng broke into the room, his skin had almost completely peeled away, revealing the bizarre and ferocious monster beneath.

But at that very moment, the invisible force field outside was activated. Jiang Cheng's expression froze for a moment, the cracked skin on his body disappeared, and he himself was slightly stunned. He glanced at himself holding the wine bottle in his hand and looked at Xiao Xiao, who was sitting at the head of the table.

Doctor Anti and Lin Bo also noticed a subtle change at the same time, and their expressions turned slightly serious.

Doctor Anti picked up his cane, which was inlaid with some kind of sophisticated instrument, tapped it lightly, and looked at the numbers displayed on it, his expression slightly grim.

"What are you doing?"

He looked at Xiao Xiao, his expression unreadable.

Xiao Xiao looked at him slowly and said, "Let me remind you of your feelings as an ordinary person."

"I know you've all been living in the mental world for too long and have forgotten what it's like to live as an ordinary person in the real world, so I'm letting you relive that experience."

"..."

Before the words were finished, a series of footsteps sounded from the stairwell outside the door. Then, someone roughly pushed aside Jiang Cheng and the others who were crowding at the door, and a Rabbit Boss dressed in pink with Rabbit Ears on her head walked in. Behind her were fierce-looking thugs and four elite members who carried submachine guns, axes, or daggers. They skillfully lined up and surrounded everyone in the room.

"Oh dear, we just had such a lively party, how come you're already making me, the boss, fight for you again?"

The Rabbit Ears glanced around the room with a smile, then sat down next to Lin Bo, its arm instinctively draped over Lin Bo's Lin Bo, startling him.

"Thank you, boss."

Xiao Xiao thanked the Rabbit Ears, then looked at Doctor Anti and smiled, "I am, after all, a person of some standing and status in Black Gate City, with friends in both the legitimate and criminal worlds."

"You're a researcher, yet you threaten me to my face. Aren't you afraid I'll chop you up?"

"..."

Doctor Anti's eyes were already filled with deep anger.

Lin Bo, standing nearby, cast a pleading look at Xiao Xiao: "Do we really have to go this far?"

He had worried in advance that Doctor Anti's fiery temper and a certain unyielding request would cause a conflict between him and his old friend in Black Gate City.

But he never expected that Black Gate City would openly threaten this important figure.

Moreover, the method of making threats is so simple.

Xiao Xiao did not choose to directly confront Doctor Anti, firstly because he himself might not be a match for him.

At the very least, even if he wasn't eliminated, someone of Doctor Anti could easily leave, meaning all his trump cards would be uncontrollably exposed to Doctor Anti, which contradicted Yang Jia's instructions.

However, faced with Doctor Anti's firm demands, Xiao Xiao could not simply give in, so he chose this method from the beginning.

Using some technology from the Black Forest Biological Laboratory, a powerful mental barrier was set up within a radius of two to three kilometers.

Black Forest had already mastered this technology and had even used it on Xiao Xiao in the hospital before. However, it was too difficult to fully implement the technology and it also had many drawbacks, so it was essentially a useless technology.

For example, in the area set up by Xiao Xiao, it is difficult to summon the Enhancement Element and fantasy creatures of all the strangers. However, it is not absolute. If Doctor Anti is strong enough, it is still possible to break through this barrier. But as long as he dares to do so, Xiao Xiao may seize the opportunity to make a move, and he will suffer a great loss. If Doctor Anti does not forcibly break through this barrier, then he is just an ordinary person inside this barrier.

As Xiao Xiao said, he was just an old man who did research.

If an elderly person like this were to be chased and attacked by gangsters, what recourse would they have besides kneeling down and begging for mercy?

Of course, Xiao Xiao might not actually want to kill him.

But the threat he's making now is simply too much; even Lin Bo doesn't dare imagine the consequences if this threat gets out...

As one of the four great mentors of the Dante Organization, he was surrounded and severely beaten by a group of thugs from the natives in Black Gate City. Where could he put his old face?

He was genuinely worried that Doctor Anti wouldn't be swayed by Xiao Xiao's threats and would actually resort to violence...

If this old man makes a move, I, as the group leader of Dante Organization, will definitely have to follow suit. But these pink-clad girls around me, although pretty, can be quite painful when they hit someone.

As for Jiang Cheng standing next to him, he was even more dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at Xiao Xiao across the table, who hadn't even glanced at him, then looked at the group of pink-clad thugs, and then at the bottle in his hand.

Suddenly my knees went weak, and it felt like I was dreaming.

Doctor Anti was furious!

He looked at the menacing gangsters around him and found it utterly ridiculous.

This group of people, these natives, are no threat whatsoever to outsiders. They are not even ants. Normally, he could shut down their brains with just a glance.

But now...

... He decided to endure it.

His eyes were cold as he slowly raised his head to look at Xiao Xiao and said in a deep voice, "Leaving that thing behind will only bring trouble."

Xiao Xiao knew he was referring to the corpse of the Mysterious Source.

He neither confirmed nor denied it, but simply smiled.

"Young man, I know what Kuang Juemin wanted to do back then."

Doctor Anti suddenly said in a deep voice, "He wants to enter Hell, find the singularity, shut it down, and end this chaotic and insane mess, but..."

"... His idea is too naive."

"..."

Xiao Xiao paused slightly, then asked curiously, "Why?"

Doctor Anti paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "This is not something you can understand."

"But I can tell you this: don't think you're special. Whether it's the Dante Organization or the Hell Organization, there are people like you. You've been working behind closed doors in Black Gate City, and many of your strange ideas are things we've already tried or even experimented with, but we all felt that this path wouldn't work, so we gave up. Black Gate City is just one of many cities that isn't particularly outstanding. What makes you think you can complete such a massive project?"

"I'm really angry that I came here, but you don't need to be hostile towards me."

"Because taking away the Mysterious Source is actually for your own good."

"..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Xiao frowned and said, "You have resources and strength, yet you do nothing."

"We want to do it, but you won't allow it, and you won't tell us why..."

"..."

He paused briefly, then turned to Doctor Anti and asked, "Do you think this is reasonable?"

Doctor Anti pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "If I tell you the reason, would you be willing to let me take away the body of the Mysterious Source?"

Xiao Xiao said, "I'm not willing."

The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point once more. Lin Bo trembled, having completely given up any hope of controlling the situation, and simply stared blankly into his mind:

"Shall we serve this dish again today?"

"..."

It's okay if you don't agree.

After a long silence, Doctor Anti slowly stood up, looked down at Xiao Xiao, and said, "Perhaps I was too hasty. You have already done some things that others find dangerous."

"But the threat is actually not that great."

"Kuang Juemin's plan is indeed ambitious, but it requires far too much, which is something that your city simply cannot provide, just as Black Gate City itself cannot produce millions of points..."

"In particular, now that you've chosen this plan, don't expect anyone else to help you."

"..."

At this point, he suddenly chuckled and said to Xiao Xiao, "Besides, have you ever wondered why the Hell Organization designated your Black Gate City as a forbidden zone of Hell?"

"Could it be that he's afraid of you?"

"..."

"So..."

Xiao Xiao listened, a thought suddenly struck him, "On some levels, the Hell Organization and the Dante Organization actually share the same attitude?"

Just now, he did think of something. Since the Dante Organization was so secretive and unwilling to cooperate, could he ask the Hell Organization for some help? After all, although the people in the Hell Organization were abnormal, they were easy to talk to.

Now, Doctor Anti's rhetorical question made him realize that perhaps this path was also blocked.

It should have been clear long ago that the Hell Organization remained in the Mist Sea, while Dante Organization's research was mostly conducted in the unknown.

There is an essential similarity between the two.

To be honest, at this moment, Xiao Xiao also felt a little frustrated, just like Yang Jia felt a great sense of powerlessness after she glimpsed those secrets.

Black Gate City not be the leader at any level, but ironically, it is the only one that is truly going to do it now.

His ability to Mind Burst allowed him to subtly digest this sense of powerlessness. Although he was mentally forcing himself to remain composed, his facial expression betrayed no flaw. Instead, he smiled and addressed Doctor Anti:

"Want to make a bet?"

"..."

Doctor Anti was visibly taken aback. "Hmm?"

"I am a Collectors."

Xiao Xiao smiled at him and said, "You know, Collectors often need to... take a little risk."

"So, I understand what you, as an elder, were implying to me. But we absolutely have to do this. You think we can't succeed, but we're determined to give it a try."

"In that case, why don't we make a bet?"

"If we can build this ship, will you tell us the secrets you know?"

"..."

Doctor Anti was also surprised that Xiao Xiao would bring this up. He paused for a moment, then smiled, "I know about your bet with the Hell Organization, young man."

"Those lunatics like to gamble, so they'll choose to bet with you, but we, the Dante Organization, are rational and won't gamble with you."

"..."

Xiao Xiao listened with some surprise and glanced at Lin Bo.

Lin Bo lowered his head deeply, very worried that Xiao Xiao would reveal that he had also participated in the gambling match.

"However, if you really refuse to listen to advice and insist on going down this path."

Doctor Anti spoke slowly, paused for a moment, and said, "Then you probably don't need us to tell you, you'll understand what we're worried about."

"Although, by then it might have been too late."

"..."

After saying these words, he slowly turned around and walked towards the door.

The thugs brought by Rabbit Boss couldn't understand what was being said at the scene. They only realized that the person they were going to kill was the old man in front of them. Now that he was about to leave, they should have stopped him. However, even without using his alien abilities, Doctor Anti had an aura that made people not dare to underestimate him. The thugs subconsciously stepped aside and let him walk downstairs. Lin Bo sat there blankly for a few seconds, then hurriedly got up and chased after him. Xiao Xiao, on the other hand, breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief, lowered his head, and seemed to be thinking about something.

"It seems that the world I yearn for is also full of contradictions..."

The Rabbit Boss smiled and glanced at the silent Xiao Xiao.

Do you still envy this world?

Xiao Xiao looked up at her. This boss had always dreamed of entering the world of strangers, even if it meant being bought and becoming a slave.

But now, she no longer needs to do that. She has been activated in a way that is different from that of outsiders or natives, forming a different level of being who has mastered the power of distortion.

It can be said that she now holds a position second only to herself within the Hell Legion of Black Gate City.

"I'm not envious now, I'm enjoying it..."

The Rabbit Boss slowly extended his finger, bringing it close to the light to admire it. "It's so captivating, this feeling of no longer just staying on the surface, but diving into the deep sea..."

"So, what was it you were planning to do with this old man?"

"Do you need my help?"

"..."

Xiao Xiao's heart skipped a beat: Of course, he couldn't let Rabbit Boss help him with this favor.

She herself was fascinated by this power, and now what is Black Gate City trying to do? Isn't it precisely to go to the starting point of everything and end all this chaos and distortion?

She had only just gained this power, and he was already telling her that he wanted to restore everything to its original state?

However, it was her behavior that suddenly made Xiao Xiao realize a problem. "Even someone like Rabbit Boss is fascinated by the changes and power brought by the Mysterious Source, so what about the others?"

"Most outsiders probably want to escape because they can't bear being dominated and controlled by the Mysterious Source."

"However, not all outsiders are subjugated. Some have long since transcended this level. The stronger they are, the less threat the Mysterious Source poses to them. They can even turn the tables and threaten the Mysterious Source..."

"So, what do these people who have gained immense power but are no longer under their control consider themselves?"

God?

"..."

"..."

"It looks like I need to go back and discuss this with Yang Jia."

Xiao Xiao silently thought about it and stopped thinking about the problem. Instead, he looked up at Jiang Cheng, who was squeezed in a corner, holding a wine bottle in his hand. He tried to sneak out several times, but was scared back by the burly thugs.

A polite smile spread across his face, "You've come to offer a toast?"

Jiang Cheng was already sweating profusely from fright. Hearing this, he froze for a moment, then hurriedly nodded, "Yes, yes, I'm here to offer a toast."

Xiao Xiao smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "But we haven't served any food or drinks yet."

"It's... it's okay."

Jiang Cheng bowed awkwardly. "I'll go back first... no, how about I treat you? I'll go call the waiter to bring the food."

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

Xiao Xiao thanked him, then said to the Rabbit Boss, "In our line of work, there's a custom of treating our brothers to a meal after we've brought them over to help, right?"

The Rabbit Ears glanced at Jiang Cheng, then covered its mouth and laughed, "Yes, that's right!"

"Then let's have the brothers sit down and eat. Eat and drink well, and bring out the most expensive dishes. Don't be shy."

Xiao Xiao smiled and stood up. After making some arrangements, he didn't greet Jiang Cheng again and walked towards the door. The Rabbit Boss followed him out curiously and said:

"I didn't realize you were so skilled, yet you still adhered to the rules of the martial arts world?"

"..."

If it were just a matter of a meal, there would be no need for the Rabbit Ears to come out and ask a question, but Xiao Xiao simply nodded to her and smiled, "We're all human, of course we should abide by human rules."

Sensing that Doctor Anti had left Black Gate City, Xiao Xiao walked along the bustling streets, where pedestrians and vehicles flowed by quickly on both sides, as if it were an illusion.

He already had a vague idea of what was going on.

Reality is like the surface of the ocean; everyone lives on the surface, hiding what lies beneath.

But some people are different. Some are willing to stay in the deep sea because, although they are accompanied by repression and madness, they can see and control everything on the surface of the sea. So, what should they do in the face of this problem?

He found his answer with almost no Mind Burst.

I long to return to the surface of the sea, which is why I feel comfortable communicating with Yang Jia, because we are essentially similar.

Yang Jia was unwilling to endure the feeling of being restrained and deceived. What about herself?

He thought to himself, perhaps it's just because he's been at the bottom of the sea for too long.

Thinking about this, he dialed Yang Jia's number. "Your teacher has already left, but we had a pretty good chat."

Yang Jia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "So how do we handle things after this?"

"Actually, it's quite simple."

Xiao Xiao said, "We already have the Dragonbone, all we need is to make money, points. We need a lot of points, and we need to earn a massive amount of points even if we're prepared for no one to help us."

"It sounds difficult, but don't worry."

"I already have a preliminary plan..."

Another 10,000 words to follow!