Act 8 · [NEMESIS · Blood for Blood]

Foreword:

[King against king, general against general]

[--Xue Dingshan]

[Part 1 - Dwarfs and Giants]

In the vast, dark tundra, the Skull and Bones Society's scattered groups stopped at a local post station.

They drove large trucks up the steep, precipitous cliffs from the Molokhovvich discontinuity mine, where even a slight misstep could turn them into molten iron in the boiling lava.

After climbing a complex mountain road for more than an hour, crossing an altitude of over 400 meters, the march was fast and urgent, and even the most capable driver needed to rest.

--At this point, Zero Platform is practically defunct, a complete mess.

The followers of Madness Butterfly are all sophisticated egoists, paper tigers. Apart from a few core members, the cabinet ministers and special guests have long since scattered like birds and beasts.

The reason is quite simple--

--The people of Mimir Hot Spring Market can even concoct satellite dishes to monitor disasters and emergencies.

These clever guys had already overheard the Spirit Cloud Squad's private channel.

They heard a chaotic and incomprehensible coordinated command.

They witnessed mountains of corpses and seas of blood amidst the gunfire.

These invaders broke through from the front at Bork Pass. If you include one of the atmosphere group's little waiters, the number of invaders can only be counted as 2.5.

--There are only 2.5 people. Even if you include the scouts and round it up, there are only 5 people in total.

These five people first took care of eighty-eight combat units at Bork Pass, destroying the Dragon's Nest's combined ground and air defense forces in less than half an hour.

Without a moment's rest, the five of them emerged from the Great Mu Yuan with reserves of Universal Elixir and ammunition, giving them the strength to fight. Moreover, one of the small monsters molted as it fought, transforming from a nymph to a pupa in just seven days.

They began to panic, to feel fear, and to shout profanities like "I'll beat your mother!"

Until the word "[JOE]" was heard over the communication channel.

This is going to be really funny!

Even the dragon wings overhead couldn't protect them.

If not now, when?

Must we really become like the Big Leader's loyal guards, reciting the Blood Butterfly Bible? Must we really fight to the death for the Vita Imprint and the Dragon Slayer?

--Are you crazy?!

Cabinet members and special guests are a group of people who operate in the gray area of the underworld. They heard that the Skull and Bones Society, a pyramid scheme, had some potential and might be able to make some money from it, so they don't have much loyalty to speak of.

The mysterious Big Leader always keeps himself shrouded in black armor, never daring to show his true face. How can you talk about feelings and open up to someone so aloof? How can you discuss the Skull and Bones Society and Bones' "one world" corporate culture?

The core team lacks combat effectiveness, and the researchers are obsessed with Dragon Blood monsters.

Defense operations rely on mercenaries, while high-level combatants are obsessed with hunting rituals.

It's not unreasonable for a few business partners in the foreign affairs department to run away at the first sign of trouble, given that they were flirting with the socialites of the Mimir Hot Spring Market executives.

As these cabinet members and hunters fled, they all had one thought in mind.

"Big Leader, it's not that I'm being unreasonable, it's just that you're a frivolous person who idolizes Madness Butterfly, while we're the kind of people who make a living through dirty tricks and have our consciences turned upside down. We can't possibly have the same idea."

In the Great Tundra of District 18, roaming monsters roam everywhere. For fifteen days before and after the Dionysus Festival, the special train line to Mimir Hot Spring Market will slow down on certain sections to light up the lights at the post stations.

Many passengers would voluntarily jump off the train halfway through the journey, guiding scavengers to set up mobile food carts and small commodity market stalls in preparation for the Dionysus Festival.

These usually deserted inns were transformed into bustling flower-lined streets for the Dionysus Festival.

Next to a barbecue restaurant, a group of Skull and Bones Society members formed a circle and raised their glasses in celebration.

These people are the core members of the Skull and Bones Society.

They felt no sorrow at the death of their companions—they simply returned to Mother Gaia's embrace, and perhaps their corpses, devoured by the monstrous beasts, would transform into Madness Butterfly.

The mercenary, who was just a tool, died, and occasionally a few curses could be heard, which made him stomp his feet in anger.

Then I heard two men sitting some distance away on the outside, as if they had heard some great news, take the barbecue tray handed to them by the owner and serve the food to their companions.

"Hey! Andre is dead!"

"And Balu is dead too!"

"That's a good thing!"

How did they die?

"The informants left in the mine saw through the surveillance cameras that the entire Bloodletting Church was blown to pieces by more than 20 kilograms of C4."

"This is great news! They must not have been completely destroyed! They must have been able to fly to a very, very far place!"

"That's right! If they could float to the Mímisbrunnr, the dragon Fafnir could inhale and these two would become part of Fafnir!"

"I'm so envious! I'm so jealous! I'm going crazy!"

"If the Big Leader hadn't stopped me, I would have wanted to stay there too!"

One of the remaining conscious members finally managed to utter a single, coherent sentence.

"Why? Since there were spies in the mine, why didn't you help Andre when they were planting the explosives? Not even a word of warning or reminder?"

"Andre and Balu changed into their costumes and didn't bring any radios or even cell phones! They agreed before they went to war that no electronic devices were allowed, or the audience would be distracted! It's all about the ceremony!"

"And isn't this great news? Come here and look at the footage sent back from the phone. This person was focused and meticulous when setting up the explosives; he's a master at handling bombs. The apprentice who came to help later had a flawed eye for choosing the detonation point. We were even a little disappointed at the time—we were worried that the fireworks wouldn't be spectacular enough."

"Indeed, if I were there and saw over twenty kilograms of C4 explode, just thinking about it would make my soul leave my body! How could I possibly bear to interrupt such a sublime art? It would be such a pity if the explosion didn't take one or two lives!"

Just then, a small dwarf in the crowd lowered his head and began to gnaw on the meat of a beast.

This guy was dressed in warm fur and wool, indicating his noble status.

He had a frighteningly strange face, with no hair on his head, a bulbous nose, triangular eyes, and a height of no more than ninety centimeters. When he gnawed on meat, his mouth split into three pieces, a sign of cleft lip deformity.

Have you said enough?

This dwarf is the Big Leader of the Skull and Bones Society. People only call him the "[Big] Leader." Apart from this title, he has no name, no past, and no one except the core members has ever seen the Big Leader's true face.

The small round table where the group was dining immediately fell silent, with only two tall men on the perimeter taking new food from the waiter's hands.

The Big Leader's face darkened, and he continued, "Unfortunately, I cannot arrange for you to see the Madness Butterfly immediately. Andre and Balu really like Zero Platform; they can't let go of it. So I'll let them go to end their troubles and return to oneness ahead of schedule."

Everyone nodded, their expressions becoming serious.

The Big Leader then began to recount the whole story, urging those close to him to listen carefully and understand.

"We hired a lot of logistics personnel who were more trouble than they were worth to deliver the 'Disaster Beast' to the Baiweifang restaurant at Mimir Hot Spring. Through this connection, we obtained a lot of Guangling San buns) and the Universal Elixir' in the passengers' hands."

However, a major problem arose at this stage.

--According to the voice recording, some idiot traitor was gossiping with the Lapis Lazuli Guards hidden in the Red Stone Rock Band, which exposed the Skull and Bones Society and Bones Society.

If it weren't for this beast that had become a holy being, Joe wouldn't have come knocking on his door.

Since Joe didn't come knocking, we can continue our great business on Zero Platform.

--Even this temporary logistics worker should keep his mouth shut.

"Even if this Lapis Lazuli Guards hadn't been bored and hadn't joined a rock band to experience life, or had died in the catastrophe of the Holy Beast, things wouldn't be the way they are today. What does this mean?"

Someone replied, "We were too kind."

Someone replied, "It's because we've been too good to our subordinates."

Someone replied, "It's because you, Big Leader, are so kind and benevolent."

Someone replied, "They're ungrateful and have no self-awareness whatsoever."

Someone finally answered, "We were just really unlucky."

"No!" The Big Leader gritted his teeth, pointing at the noses of the believers and sweeping them with a sharp barbecue skewer. "How can you take the blame? We didn't fail! We just took a longer route!"

"That's right! Big Leader."

"Fafnir hasn't fully recovered yet. If it can be branded with the Vita Imprint, it could surely infect many, many people, right?"

"There's no way, there's not enough time. It won't survive. Sixteen years isn't enough."

"If it can fly over the city of Mimir Hot Spring Market, flapping its wings could infect at least half a million people! No! A million!"

"Unfortunately, it was still dead, Madness Butterfly didn't like it either."

"It's all that damned Lapis Lazuli Guards's fault!"

The Big Leader roared, "That's right! It's all that damned Lapis Lazuli Guards's fault—why did he have to meddle in our business! He's just too lucky! Why does that bitch of fate favor someone like him?!"

The more I think about it, the angrier and more anxious I become.

The dwarf clenched his fists, his golden eyes bloodshot.

"Is it just because he possesses Inspiration, can obtain stones, and is favored by the BOSS? Am I not qualified? Am I only allowed to seek help from the Madness Butterfly?"

Just like what Bu Liuxing said--

--A person's desire to do evil has nothing to do with their ability.

The Big Leader of Skull and Bones Society was an ordinary man without Inspiration. He wasn't even an ordinary man; he was a naturally deformed, ugly dwarf.

Like all the passengers, the Big Leader originally possessed Inspiration, but due to the Blood Butterfly Loan Shark, he lost Inspiration, along with his waiters, club, and radiant stones.

"Why? Boss! Why did you reject me when I needed you most? Why did you tempt me with the Blood Butterfly Loan Shark? It's all your fault! It's all your fault! Since that's the case—then just wait and see! Ming De!"

The Big Leader took a sinister bite of a piece of sweet and spicy meat, his eyes sweeping over all his trusted followers with a terrifying and sinister gaze.

He muttered to himself.

"I will live on, I will outlive you! Taowu beast, I have been studying you, I will find a way to kill you! I will sabotage you from the shadows! I will make you so disgusted that you can't sleep! If you can't sleep, you will step into the Gate of Death!"

He's getting more and more insane, more and more mad.

"The wise giant granted me divine power, the blood of the evil dragon forged my body, I will destroy your station, kill your beloved passengers! I saw the Madness Butterfly in my dream, it will help me accomplish all of this! Hehehehehehehe. Hahahahahaha!"

Not far away--

--The Skull and Bones Society convoy stopped beside the stable bedrock platform of the railway, relying on the bare rock veins of the tundra to support the railroad.

Inside the arched doorway beneath the foundation.

David Victor remained motionless.

The bloodhounds sprayed the two with a strong mustard-scented pheromone that could interfere with their sight and hearing.

Bloodhound: "What did you hear?"

Victor: "I heard everything, and also—could you be a little gentler with the seasoning? My eyes are starting to hurt. That's really irritating! So this is what it feels like to get wasabi in your eyes? I need to write this down; maybe I'll use it when I'm writing a book."

The Bloodhound said nonchalantly, "I thought you could handle this kind of stimulation! So I didn't think too much about it."

Victor, while pulling at his attendant's tie, kept rubbing his eyes like a heartbroken woman in her boudoir. "I've never suffered like this before."

"No?" the Bloodhound exclaimed in surprise. "I thought every passenger would do that during their nymph stage."

At this point, the Bloodhound suddenly froze.

Could it be that...?

The glucosinolates in mustard can repel most insect sources.

In the natural environment, some butterfly nymphs will actively ingest plant compounds and use strong odors to mimic their bodies, hide their bodies, and scare away predators.

Red Stone People are the favorite hosts of the Madness Butterfly. They are passionate, brave, angry, and reckless, just one step away from madness.

The various spices and pheromones at the Mimir Hot Spring Market act as natural pest control agents for passengers.

Logically speaking, if David Victor is Red Stone People, yet completely unable to tolerate Mustard's pheromones, then it means that this employer—before becoming a member of the station—

--Having long possessed soul power, having long since transformed into a butterfly. Never before has she received a similar [mustard vaccine].

David Victor nodded. "Yes, I'm over two hundred years old and I've never been treated like this before. My heart isn't very strong, so be careful when you're sprinkling the seasoning."

The Bloodhound immediately tried to restrain Victor's arm and lick it clean with its tongue.

--The sounds of fighting came from under the bridge, but the matter was eventually dropped.

Victor's clothes were torn, Bloodhound Lady failed to steal anything.

After calming down, the two discussed serious matters.

"Did you hear everything, Victor?"

"That's right, the voice was very loud, and the willpower was very strong."

What should we do?

"I'm thinking of my little apprentice. If it were him, he'd probably drive a dump truck and floor the gas pedal—that's the perfect spot to unleash the Dump Truck Iaijutsu. Right next to the access road, these people are sitting so close, all to get close to the Big Leader. Behind them are the railway subsidence rocks, a sheltered spot, so a dump truck crashing into them wouldn't pose much of a safety hazard. If the two of us went up there with real guns, this railway would probably be paralyzed for more than twenty days."

"Should I go find the car?"

"No need to look, they have a car."

"Shall we find an opportunity to sneak up on him? And then, like bowling, bang?!"

"Good idea."

Looking down from the connecting road at the outer edge of the post station.

Four hundred meters below the abyss, we continued forward into the mine caves for three kilometers until we reached the Church of the Bloodletting.

The church had completely collapsed, and the five members of the Lingyun Band found their way to the cabinet from the ruins.

It was a dark and secluded path with a steep, sloping ramp exceeding seventy degrees. It was not meant for human use at all; it was like a pit dug out by a dragon's claws—later, people repaired and patched it up, creating a simple, circular passage.

"I get it, it's a knock-off version of a ring road." Meteor understood immediately.

The group stood before the dark, circular passageway, hesitant to jump.

Jiang Xueming: "That's strange."

Wen Bucai: "You feel something's not right?"

Jiang Xueming: "There's not a single guard at the gate. It seems the Skull and Bones Society has already left."

Wen Bucai: "That's right, the Cabinet and the Corrupt Dragon's lair should be just ahead."

After saying that, Mr. Wen pointed to a mining cart not far away, "They enter and exit the cabinet through the mine shaft, and there are two other entrances."

"It connects to a large iron ore mine." Jason twitched his nose, carefully sniffing the air. "There's the tundra wind, the smell of earth, the smell of rust, and a hint of kerosene. I can't smell anyone's body odor or spiritual pressure."

Wen Bucai laughed and said, "How talented! Can you sense the corrupted dragon?"

Jason truthfully replied, "No, it's too far. I can see its true form directly from its offspring, but I can't go to find its main body from hundreds or thousands of meters away."

Wen Bucai took another steel mace from Jiang Xueming and combined the two maces into a long stick over two meters long.

"Let's go! You guys go after the Skull and Bones Society gang—I'm going to slay the dragon."

Jiang Xueming said worriedly, "Will it work? You sound like you're going out to buy groceries! I'm very worried!"

Wen Bucai jumped into the mine cart, pulled down the gate, and said, "You were right! I'm going to buy some groceries! You guys shouldn't just sit around either!"

They watched as the mine cart plunged down the slope and into the deep, dark, bottomless pit.

Wen Bucai's voice was so cheerful and enthusiastic, as if he had rediscovered his memories and a familiar feeling.

"King against king! General against general! Don't let these bastards get away with it! They must pay with their blood!"

The mine cart descended rapidly down the slope.

Jiang Xueming immediately said, "Let's go."

[Part ② - Your Blood Is Like My Blood]

Meteor caught up. "How do we catch up?"

Jason ran at the back of the group, shouting encouragement.

"They can't go very far. I've observed the terrain of the entire valley entrance from the Obsidian Bridge—this is the source of the Mimir Hot Spring lava river, very close to the tundra railway. If they want to drive all the vehicles away, they'll have to take a detour through the mountain roads."

Meteor's eyes lit up. "I've been practicing rock climbing for so long! Let's go!"

Jiang Xueming asked as he ran.

"Did you find anything useful at the church? Could it be used as a weapon? I lent the stick to Joe, but now I'm really unsure."

Jason pulled out a metacarpal bone, which was Andre's foot—he stared at it for a long time, unable to figure out how it had ended up at the explosion site.

Jiang Xueming: "It's useless, throw it away."

Meteor: "That's kind of scary."

Jason then pulled out a twisted and deformed iron helmet, the fake body left in the church by the Big Leader.

Jiang Xueming: "It's no use, just throw it away."

Waiter: "Employer, why do you like picking up trash?"

"Because of curiosity! I can't control my curiosity! It's like my Inspiration!" Jason followed his teammates up the cliff on the right side of the winding mountain road and began rock climbing.

The straight-line distance from here to Kengkou Post Station is only 661 meters.

Just keep climbing and keep trying.

I'll definitely catch up with them in half an hour.

Jason Megan didn't want to say another word at that moment.

He needs to reactivate every muscle in his body to overcome this difficult road, which is neither long nor short.

If we're talking about buildings, they would have to climb over 180 stories on foot.

There was no rest time; upon arrival at the destination, they immediately had to engage the enemy in battle.

Can it really work?

At this moment, Jason felt very uncertain.

But once the flame in your heart is ignited, it will never be extinguished!

My friends in the rock band.

The victims in the Great Mu Yuan.

The dead skin on the rotten dragon's body.

These horribly gruesome corpses were subtly twitching Jason's limbs.

Ten minutes later, after traversing several narrow mountain paths, Jason was so exhausted that he almost passed out while resting on a platform along the mountain path.

His face turned ashen as he saw the tire tracks on the mountain road, a mixture of joy and fear gripping him.

He bent down to lick the mud off the tires, and immediately roared out a hoarse voice, his throat practically steaming.

"They're not far! They're not far—we're very close to them! Very close! The mud is still warm! It smells like cigarette butts, they'll be there soon!"

Jason stood up excitedly, but his legs immediately gave way, and he sat back down on the edge of the cliff, nearly falling off.

Jiang Xueming gripped Jason's hair tightly.

--Pull Jason in front of you.

Their foreheads touched.

Xue Ming simply said, "You must live, otherwise how can you duel me?"

"Hahahaha!" Jason breathed heavily, very hard, trying to get every red blood cell in his body moving. "You're right! I have to live, otherwise how can I avenge the rock band?!"

The waiter was also dizzy. The two hundred meters of rock climbing felt like climbing more than fifty floors straight up and down. Although there were two mountain platforms where he could rest for a while, his dehydrated body collapsed along with the expression on his face.

It's so hot--

It's too hot here.

The hot air from the lava valley would roast them into jerky.

Only Meteor was still full of energy. Without saying a word, he lifted Jason with one hand, grabbed the waitress, and climbed up with his one arm.

Meteor shouted, "We're not done yet! This is just the last bit of the journey! Please wait a moment! Jason Megan and the little beauty whose name we don't know! Passengers, you are now aboard the Meteor Express! Destination—"

"Send those Skull and Bones Society and Bones bastards back to hell!"

Jiang Xueming remained silent, carrying his heavy equipment and weapons, and continued climbing.

End of the second section of the road --

--Ah A Xing collapsed in the middle of the winding mountain road, lying on his back.

"My God! I've never climbed such a far, high, and hot mountain in my life. Before, it always got cooler as I climbed, and I was practically scalding hot. Jason! We've known each other for ages, haven't we?"

Jason caught his breath and burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

Hahahahahahahaha!

Waiter: "Hahahahahahahaha!"

Jiang Xueming had just emerged from the cliff face when his fingers were twisted and deformed, and his fingernails were cracked.

Jason went up and helped him up.

--I only realized what I had done after I finished pooping.

Jiang Xueming: "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jason raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, his expression complex.

Xue Ming checked his equipment as usual to make sure nothing was missing, then tossed Liuxing Universal Elixir. He also stuffed the last Guangling San xiaolongbao into Liuxing's mouth.

"I'm alive! I'm alive!" Meteor suddenly stood up like a zombie crawling out of a coffin. "Yoshi!"

"Colonel! Don't fucking throw around any more nonsense!" Jiang Xueming cursed, "If you have that kind of energy, go climb the mountain."

"Hoo!" Bu Liuxing exhaled a breath of stale air. "I feel like my emotions aren't strong enough! Do you guys have any tips for getting angry?! Help me! I need to borrow the power of the Radiant Stone!"

The waiter blurted out, "You earn 20,000 a month, give 16,000 to your wife, keep 2,000 for yourself, and give 2,000 to your parents. She's still unhappy and wants a divorce."

Jason thought for a moment, "You'll never find true love! There's no lover for you in the underworld! Give up, warrior!"

Jiang Xueming chose a more tactful approach. "I've thought about it. Aunt Bu Mei is my savior; I have no way to repay her."

"Enough!" Bu Liuxing gritted his teeth in anger, especially at Xue Ming's last veiled curse.

The Fusou Wannian on his chest erupted with astonishing flames of fury—like the gleaming divine sword from mythology that slays evil dragons, unlocking in an instant.

A Xing told Jason to grab his back, and with Ming Ge and the little waiter in tow, they ran wildly toward the cliff.

He used only his two legs to step onto the steep rocks, and as if using the lightness skill of the "Ladder to the Clouds" technique, he suddenly leaped upwards.

However, the obsidian mountain was extremely sharp and fragile, and the combined weight of the four people and their equipment was nearly 300 kilograms.

The journey was fraught with danger.

--Several times, A Xing almost lost his footing and fell off an 80-degree slope.

The three companions on its back reached out and grabbed the sharp, strange rock.

Meteor saw the wounds on his friends' hands, Ming Ge's arm was propped against the rock, and bright red blood was dripping from Jason's chin and hands.

The waiter hunched over, and the tie that Kevlar had pulled down made him look even redder.

"Get moving! My legs, give me a hand!"

Bu Liuxing pounded his thigh muscles violently.

"Listen to me! You have to listen to me! Hands and feet! Help me! I'm not trying to negotiate or sweet-talk you! I don't have time to coax you! Don't act like little girls!"

Heavy breathing could be heard from the four-person team; apart from Meteor, none of them had the energy to shout.

There were still more than seventy meters to go before reaching the platform below. If I were to collapse from exhaustion here, my death would be gruesome, and I might not even have a chance to save myself with medication.

Jiang Xueming lifted her leg, intending to pass the IV drip from her crotch to Liuxing—just as the Universal Elixir was about to slip down, Jason's spirit arm suddenly reached out and grabbed the four IV drips tightly.

[Part 3 - Your Heart Is Like Mine]

Right now—

--The four of them turned around at the same time.

An extremely terrifying spiritual pressure descended.

A huge shadow rose from the valley floor, silent and still, with only a deep, powerful whistling sound as it flapped its wings.

Jason's mouth was wide open--

Blood began to flow from the corner of his eye, his dry throat could not utter a sound, and he was on the verge of going mad and dying almost instantly.

The dragon dragged its heavy body.

It leaped and twirled through the lava canyons, its grayish-white belly covered with many messy fine hairs.

Its wings were covered with hundreds of human skins, and the mouths of these skins were open, as if they were screaming in agony.

The twisted and deformed dragon claws casually stepped on a rock to change its flight direction, while the Hot Wind brought by the scorching lava river supported the bloated body of this behemoth and pulled it to the other side.

Beneath the tattered, bat-winged flesh, hundreds of dark, ghostly spirits, like energy spheres formed from pure malevolent intent, closely followed this legendary creature.

In just one second, Jason's entire sanity, his entire will, his entire mental strength, along with the electrical signals in his body, collapsed.

The waiter, quick as a flash, removed the Lapis Lazuli.

Jiang Xueming leaned on Jason's shoulder, bit her tongue hard, and spat a mouthful of bloody saliva into Jason's eyes.

"Holy shit! Holy shit!" Jason, unable to see anything, snapped out of his daze.

It was a terrified Roman, and it was authentic Chinese.

The extended spirit arms then administered medicine and encouragement to each of the companions.

"Why doesn't this dragon roar?! Ming Ge!?" Meteor described as he climbed, "It just suddenly appeared! It was really scary!"

Jiang Xueming saw it clearly. "Because it can't make a sound, my stick is in its throat!"

A very, very distant direction--

--The warriors who fought the dragon had already leaped onto its back, flipped over its spine, and pierced the dragon's throat and vocal cords.

Wen Bucai gripped the dragon-slaying weapon tightly with both hands, took out a "Fortune and Prosperity" braised pork from his baggage to replenish his energy, and prepared to engage in a tug-of-war of stamina with the dead, decaying dragon.

The giant dragon was about to plunge headfirst into the river of lava.

Wen Bucai manipulated the stick, thrusting it into the nerve center of the medulla oblongata, and the dragon immediately followed the stick and turned.

"Not yet, you're not quite dead yet! You want to be in the pot now? Not a chance! I can't cook Cantonese food!"

"With your physique! If we went back to the late Eocene, we could have a real fight in the water—according to paleontologists, I was a Basilosaurus back then, hahahahahahahaha!"

--At the same time.

The members of the Skull and Bones Society are still discussing their grand plans.

The Big Leader, pulling his confidants along, spoke with great conviction.

"How many mythical artifacts do you think are usable, from the Golden Township to the Mimir Hot Spring Market, and even throughout the entire Huge Mountain Station?"

"I can't figure it out, right? Yes! The Morokhovvich discontinuity actually resembles a brain, like the grooves of the cerebral cortex. I've suspected more than once that the entire underground mining area stretching hundreds of kilometers across North China is the remains of the intelligent giant Mimir/Mim. So much life bursts forth from its corpse."

"Why do the calamity beasts become holy? Because when they were on the verge of death, they touched Mimir/Mim's brain, just like the great god Odin, offering up his eyes, hanging upside down, and drinking from the Mímisbrunnr —ultimately comprehending the powerful runic energy."

"The reason I have the confidence to oppose the station is because of these things; I'm confident I can use them to my advantage! The dazzling brilliance of the underground world! Isn't it captivating!"

The Big Leader spoke vividly and with an imposing air.

The followers nodded in agreement, but couldn't join in the conversation. They knew the Big Leader had foresight, but understanding that foresight was far too difficult for them.

In the end, the dwarf, dejected, continued to drink and eat meat in the crowded throng.

"The underground world... how fascinating!"

The Big Leader lowered his eyes, then suddenly covered his face, turned away, and stopped looking at the sumptuous roasted meat on the table.

He was thinking--

--If there were someone, someone powerful enough, to lend him a helping hand when he goes astray, when he compromises with the Blood Butterfly Loan Shark, when he worships the Madness Butterfly.

The outcome might not be like this.

A waitress, a girl of about eighteen or nineteen, ran over to deliver the food. Seeing the dwarf man weeping with his face covered, she mustered her courage and called out.

"Won't they invite you to eat with them, sir? Are they bullying you?"

The Big Leader pursed his lips, reaching out to take the plate of food, forcing himself to sound cheerful, "No, no. I'm homesick. Are you a passenger?"

The waiter immediately said, "Yes! This is my second time taking this ride! The boss asked me to come here to find a job, saying it's safe here and will definitely be a heartwarming and meaningful spiritual journey. During the Dionysus Festival, I told these scavengers stories to cheer them up. Why are you crying even harder?"

The Big Leader, his lips pursed, could no longer hold back. "So I've been going through all that trouble?"

The waitress continued, "Don't worry! What can't you overcome? It's just loan sharks, right? There's more than one stone. I feel so strange coming here—so many wonderful and unusual things are waiting for me!"

"So I went through all that trouble?" The Big Leader gritted his teeth and wept bitterly. "Boss, why did you do this to me? It's all because this dish was too salty! It doesn't taste good anymore! I'm so jealous. Jealous of these guys, how could these scavengers be so lucky! If I had come a few decades later, would I have had to travel so far and live such a miserable life!"

Before the words had even finished --

--The diesel engine roared to life.

Jiang Xueming pulled the gear lever and took a deep breath.

Meteor asked worriedly, "Can you drive it, Ming Ge? You need an A-class license to drive this thing!"

Jiang Xueming revealed a terrifying smile.

"Every day and night, eating, sleeping, going to the toilet, even the toilet plunger requires shifting gears; my soul roars! In your words, the moment I grip the steering wheel, I'm already connected to it by blood."

Xue Ming tossed the AK-12 to Bu Liuxing, "If anyone runs, shoot them in the legs! Don't let any of them escape!"

Jason, huddled at the bottom of the driver's seat, had just finished tidying up the car's electrical system; his blindness didn't affect his car-stealing skills.

Jiang Xueming immediately said, "Jason! You can't see the road clearly, hurry up and step on the gas!"

Jason: "Why?"

Jiang Xueming: "The burns and amputations you felt from the Red Stone Rocker, and the scars on our bodies, are all because of these beasts, because of these cannibals."

In that instant, Jason resisted the urge to kiss Xue Ming two or three times.

Jason held Xue Ming's head. "Your blood is my blood!"

The cylinders are roaring--

--Shift into gear and launch control.

The tires burned bright red against the scorching obsidian.

Jiang Xueming: "Your heart is like mine."

The battered and bruised Lingyun Band is singing their hearts out.

"How could this be?!" The Big Leader's expression twisted in pain. "How could this be?! Boss, this isn't fair! I'll make you taste my pain too!"

The waitress finally sensed something was wrong, but the helpful Red Stone People were never afraid.

She took off the earrings and handed over the Rose Shining Stone.

"Come on! Do you want to see pyroxene? You don't have any, right? Don't be discouraged! Don't lose heart! Everything will be alright."

A dense barrage of gunfire erupted! The dump trucks, like ferocious beasts, cleared the road with their steel shovels.

"Boom--"

In an instant, the cannibal who was feasting in front of the small table hadn't even realized what was happening before he was transformed into a mural on the bedrock of the railway.

The entire front of the car was dented, and its front wheels were still spinning wildly, splattering blood and flesh everywhere.

The little girl's face was covered in blood, and before she could retract her outstretched hand, the dwarf had vanished.

You can vaguely see the animal hides on the bedrock wall, which are the clothes on the dwarf's body, being bitten and torn into burning fragments by the scorching steel wheels.

There wasn't even a scream.

In an instant--

--On a whim, I set off for another world.

The little girl hadn't yet reacted, still reeling from the shock of [Soul Journey].

--A giant dragon rolled down from the sky.

It smashed through all the stone corridors and walkways along its path, bursting out of the tundra, its massive body carving a bloody path through the tundra.

Wen Bucai a single effort, the inferior work of Mingde, bearing the dragon's head, suddenly rose up, placing it steadily across the middle of the railway.

The dragon-slaying hero shouted the name of victory.

"Viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiictor!--"

Victor was startled by the noise of the dump truck and poked his head out of the bridge arch, thinking someone was calling his name.

Wen Bucai was covered in blood, his skin scorched by the lava of the valley, not a single patch of it intact. He had also lost an arm, but he wasn't dead—he was alive and kicking, just like his spirit.

His hair was all burned off, his retina had crystallized and melted from the high temperature, and he was blind, but that didn't stop this naked man, who could easily pass censorship, from roaring maniacally, "Doesn't this way of dying look familiar?!"

Victor: "Indeed, just like you. You bastard, you hurt me for a very long time. It was a gap in my writing career, and I couldn't possibly bring all my sadness and sorrow to my readers."

Wen Bucai suddenly turned around and finally felt the Inspiration Pressure from his old friend.

"I can't see you anymore! But I can still smell your scent."

Victor: "I almost didn't recognize you. Your fashion sense is getting worse as you get older."

Wen Bucai: "There's a blurry image in my mind!"

Victor: "The next bus arrives in twenty-five seconds. You can go on and on, chattering away like you always have."

Wen Bucai: "I never expected that when we meet again, we'll be able to have a hot meal!"

Victor: "I love you more than marriage."

Wen Bucai: "Don't worry! It'll be done in a minute!"

Victor: "You say your piece, I'll say mine. You definitely remember my full name, right? You definitely do, right? Don't make me test you! I don't like giving you questions."

Wen Bucai: "David?"

Victor: "Fuck!"

Wen Bucai: "David! Victor!"

Victor: "Hahahaha"

"Everything in my mind!"

The train roared--

How could I forget?

--The sound of a steam whistle filled the air.

How could I possibly forget!

It snapped the dragon's neck, and the red and black spray from it dyed Wen Bucai and Victor the same color.

It will never be late.

It's like justice.

Never be late.

The Bloodhound Lady is smoking under the bridge.

He remained silent, not speaking, just smoking.

The waiter, expressionless, put the earring back on and, just like Jiang Xueming before, belatedly shook the Summoning Bell.

Bu Liuxing kicked the car door open.

-- Together with the waiter, they carried Jiang Xueming and Jason, both of whom had multiple fractures, just like at Christmas.

The dragon's head then hit the ground, its snout and jaw smashed to pieces.

--Below the broken corner, the gray-white eyes slowly closed.

It's completely dead!