Divine Realm.
Final Stage.
Xu Xiao woke from chaos, her vision swimming black as splitting pain tore through her head.
She took a long while to recover.
Only after the pain had subsided did she manage to look around.
All she could see was darkness.
Only a beam of white light shone down directly above her, like a final safeguard, separating her from the surroundings.
"Where am I...?"
"Inside the reward floor on the eighth level of the Abyss Tower?"
Xu Xiao's eyes gradually widened as she instinctively reached for her wrist.
But there was nothing there.
Not only were the [Radiant Bracers] nowhere to be found, even her storage belt and all her other equipment and items had vanished!
The clothes on her body had become ordinary garments—
the faded school uniform she used to wear before the apocalypse broke out.
No voice spoke, nor did any prompt appear.
Before Xu Xiao could make sense of the situation, the white light overhead suddenly flared!
A blinding radiance instantly dyed the surrounding darkness stark white!
Xu Xiao's consciousness was already hazy, and the stimulation made her lose consciousness once more.
When she woke again, she was already seated beside a dining table.
Dishes steaming with heat formed a circle on the table, while a small, exquisite cake sat in the center.
Nine candles burned quietly, their flames warm and reassuring.
Xu Xiao stared blankly at the flickering candle flames for a long time.
Then, as if realizing something, she suddenly looked up.
Not far from the table, she saw two familiar faces.
Her mouth instinctively opened, and a cry filled with surprise and confusion was about to escape.
But when she spoke, it became a childish question:
"I'm nine years old, so there are nine candles on my birthday."
"Then