[Penalty task completed; the instance is beginning its completion settlement.] [Congratulations, ID: YZ0135, on clearing the instance!] [Instance type: Multiplayer; cooperative.] [Reward for completing the penalty doubled: six random modules, 1000 Game Points!] [Reward for completing the side quest, The Mermaid Princess's Request: Nine Masks (obtained).] [Additional loot checked: none] [Bonus highlight: wiped out the Ghouls; received 200 Game Points and the Rule Module: Absorption] [Instance complete. Use your one instance lottery draw? Yes/No] [You have five minutes to sort through your gains. After five minutes, all participants will be teleported out. You may also choose to leave early.]
The instance-clear notice arrived right on time. The lively information in Lu Li's mind dimmed and retreated into a deeper place, and his memories of it vanished as well. Lu Li naturally sorted through his memories, and everything returned to normal. Those awakened thoughts were too dangerous; even merely knowing of them could put Lu Li at risk.
With a hint of confusion, Lu Li walked toward Black Tide Beach. The Witch had suffered a backlash after her ritual failed and was now on the verge of death. She couldn't even take anyone down with her. She truly had been perfect, but she had still only been human.
Xu Haoran crawled out of the Shoggoth's corpse, which had rotted into a heap of sludge, and hurried to the Witch's side. Despairing, he gathered her into his arms and cried out over and over, "I was willing to die in your place as a sacrifice. Why did you leave me behind?"
Thinking about it carefully, Xu Haoran was much like the Witch had once been. Tormented by his own weakness, he had wanted to make himself stronger by any means possible. That was exactly why he had been so easily