Digging Out Your Heart to Taste It

"I do!" Chu He said decisively.

"Then... alright." Xia Yao seemed to have made up her mind.

After speaking, Xia Yao waved her hand gently, and a red button appeared on the door of the Principal's Office!

Xia Yao pointed at the button and looked at Chu He seriously: "Press it, and there you'll find... everything you want to know."

Holy crap, it's the dormitory trial!

Chu He instantly regretted it, cursing himself for showing off just now! Why did he have to act like a love saint!

Now he was in trouble. If he failed this, it was a dead end! He could have at least survived the night safely, and even had a good time.

Now, he might only have two hours to live.

The Dragon Country live stream instantly exploded:

"What is God Chu doing? He's not taking the safe path?"

"It's over, it's over, his mind is clouded by love!"

"This is really the end. Who can pass an SSS-Class trial?"

"No! I believe in God Chu! This must be part of his plan! He's going to completely conquer this BOSS!"

Chu He looked at the red button, fine sweat beading on his forehead.

But the words were already spoken, and there was no turning back.

Seeing his hesitation, a flicker of imperceptible worry and nervousness flashed in Xia Yao's eyes: "Are you... scared?"

Chu He took a deep breath and turned to look at Xia Yao's concerned eyes: "I'm not scared. I said I wanted to understand you, and I will."

Hearing this, Xia Yao's cheeks flushed again, and her voice was so soft it was barely audible: "I'll... wait for you to come back."

Chu He reached out and touched her face: "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

With that, he pressed the button without hesitation.

Instantly, the world spun, and his consciousness was dragged into endless darkness.

[You have triggered the SSS-Class Unique Hidden Trial: Her Heart]

[Trial Content: In her memory labyrinth, find her lost "True Heart". Time limit: two hours. Failure penalty: Your soul will become part of the labyrinth, forever lost.]

Chu He opened his eyes in the endless darkness and found himself in a strange space.

It was neither reality nor a dream, but more like a manifestation of consciousness.

Everything around him flowed slowly, like a world pieced together from shattered mirrors.

Each mirror reflected a different scene, some blurry, some exceptionally clear.

"A memory labyrinth?" Chu He murmured to himself, "Then I'll see what you've been through."

He adjusted his collar and took firm steps, striding deep into the endlessly extending labyrinth.

Surrounding him were flowing lights and shadows, shattered mirror fragments floating in the air, each carrying a memory belonging to Xia Yao.

Chu He saw it.

On a desolate, blood-red plain, a girl, about 16 years old, stood alone.

Before her was a Hundred-Eyed Giant Beast, its body comparable to a mountain, its countless eyes filled with madness and destruction.

The girl merely glanced at the Hundred-Eyed Giant Beast indifferently.

The beast disintegrated silently, inch by inch, turning into a sky full of ashes.

Throughout the entire process, her face remained expressionless, as if she had just crushed an ant.

On a solemn throne of white bones, she sat, with countless powerful Anomalies kneeling below her, trembling, not daring to even raise their heads.

Though she was the queen, her eyes were as hollow as eternally frozen ice, without a ripple of emotion.

Loneliness was the only color in this world.

The deeper he went, the younger Xia Yao appeared, and the colder and more brutal her surroundings became.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, an exceptionally clear mirror fragment blocked his path.

No matter which way Chu He turned, left or right, it remained still, always in front of him.

"Is this it?"

Chu He stopped dodging and reached out, his fingertips gently touching the cold mirror surface.

The next second, white light engulfed everything.

When he regained consciousness, he was in a dark room.

The air was filled with a strange smell of rust and decay, and twisted graffiti covered the walls in dark red liquid.

In the center of the room, a Xia Yao, who looked only five or six years old, sat cross-legged on the floor, her mouth stained with bright red blood.

It looked like she had eaten dragon fruit!

In her arms, she held the massive head of a Lion Anomaly, its golden mane still stained with warm blood.

Her fair, tender little hands were somewhat irritably tugging at the lion's ear, her brow furrowed as if troubled by something.

When she sensed Chu He's presence, her pure black eyes instantly locked onto him.

She alertly twitched her little nose, sniffing the air.

"You smell so good."

The childish voice spoke words that made Chu He's scalp tingle.

Smell good?

That wasn't a good thing! In the world of Anomalies, it was basically the same as saying, "You look delicious!"

Chu He suppressed the nausea churning in his stomach and looked at the still-dripping lion's head, tentatively asking, "Are you having trouble with something?"

Little Xia Yao seemed taken aback by his question, pausing for a moment before looking down at the head in her arms, pouting with a displeased expression.

"Mom said that the nutrients of Anomalies are all in their heads. But I don't like eating heads."

Chu He's heart tightened.

So, she was indeed worried about the problem of "eating."

He steadied himself and decided to get straight to the point: "I'm not here to disturb your meal. I'm here to find something, something you lost."

"Your heart."

Little Xia Yao's movements stopped. She slowly raised her head, and on her pure, innocent little face, a strange smile suddenly bloomed, revealing two sharp little fangs.

She extended her tender pink tongue and lightly licked her blood-stained lips.

"You said you came to find my heart?"

Little Xia Yao tilted her head, and on her pure, innocent little face, a strange smile suddenly bloomed, revealing two sharp little fangs.

She extended her tender pink tongue and lightly licked her lips.

"Then... can you take out your heart first and let me taste it, okay?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Chu He felt the hairs on his back stand on end with a whoosh!

Good heavens, is she not even pretending anymore?

Still as direct as ever! This Xia Yao is truly straightforward, saying whatever comes to mind!

Facing the life-threatening demand from this memory illusion, the viewers in Dragon Country's livestream were on the edge of their seats.

"It's over! This is a trap! Is this Anomaly this ferocious even as a child!"

"How do we break out of this? We can't win, we can't run, this is a death trap!"

"God Chu, think of a way! Don't confront her directly!"

"What do you mean 'don't confront her'? This little girl could crush God Chu with one finger!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, and in the scene, Chu He was also sweating profusely.

He watched as the exquisitely carved little girl slowly put down the still-dripping lion's head in her arms, then stood up, took her short little steps, and slowly walked towards him, step by step!

With each step she took, the rusty, fishy smell in the room intensified.

The air seemed to solidify, pressing down, making it hard to breathe.

What to do?

Run? This entire space is her memory, where could I possibly run?

Beg for mercy? Looking at her "you smell delicious" expression, begging for mercy would probably only excite her more.