"Huh? Why could I feel pain?" Yan Huan asked blankly.
Seeing Yan Huan get hit, March 7th hurried to his side and pulled him back up again.
March 7th's expression turned incomparably grim:
"The Simulated Universe has been invaded by a trace of Nanook's consciousness. It's collapsing now. If you don't get out before this place completely falls apart, Nanook will enter your consciousness directly through the passage."
Yan Huan sniffed and immediately understood.
He promptly got up and followed March 7th as they fled again.
Given the current situation,
the Aeon of Destruction had set its sights on him.
Last time, it had sent an army of millions to block the Containment Section. This time, it had directly split off a consciousness to personally block the door.
"Did I... break some heavenly law?" Yan Huan cried out as he ran.
"Who the hell knows? It's all because you insisted on helping them test the Simulated Universe for so long. Now look, it followed the Simulated Universe's network cable straight into your consciousness to beat you up. What are you going to do now?" March 7th said irritably.
The ground around them kept collapsing, leaving nothing but void behind them.
"So why are you here?" Yan Huan raised a brow.
According to March 7th, this place was extremely dangerous now.
Staying outside should have been the safest option.
"Idiot, if I didn't come in, could you have escaped?" March 7th panted. "Herta and the others left a back door in the Simulated Universe. I came to take you out through it."
Yan Huan immediately understood:
"Third Sister, you're a real one!"
March 7th proudly lifted her fair chin:
"Of course."
Yan Huan tilted his head to dodge an incoming blast of force, then continued:
"What about after we get out? Can we kill Nanook?"
March 7th shook her head:
"How could that be possible? Even if it's only a trace of an Aeon's consciousness, it's not something we can handle. Herta Space Station has already been sealed off, and everyone has boarded the spacecraft. Once we get out, the Space Station will self-destruct. Maybe that'll hold Nanook back for a while. Then we just run."
"Where are we running to?"
"No idea. Maybe the Interastral Peace Corporation headquarters, maybe the Genius Society. Anyway, we'll go cling to someone powerful."
"What if we don't find anyone powerful enough, and Nanook catches up?"
"Then we fight to the death. That bastard's infamous—everyone's put up with him for a long time."
"What if we die?"
"Then we die. Getting personally killed by a trace of an Aeon's consciousness would still be a glorious death. Some people never earn so much as a glance from an Aeon in their entire lives. Us? We're making a killing this time."
Yan Huan fell silent. He had not expected things to become so serious.
He could not help but curse:
"Nanook, your mother's dead."
March 7th frowned. "Why are you cursing?"
Then she looked ahead in delight:
"Do you see that Stargate? We can get out through there."
Yan Huan's eyes lit up. "Great, we're saved!"
Behind them, Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction, stepped through the void and slowly approached.
He was in no hurry.
His eyes were filled with calm, as though he had long prepared himself to go to war with the outside world.
"Hey, hey, hey, you're too slow. I'll take the lead!" Yan Huan flung away March 7th's hand, then grabbed her wrist instead.
That wrist was soft and fair.
March 7th's faint body heat was the first warmth Yan Huan had felt in this desolate place.
"Hah, you're pretty anxious, huh? Running away really is your specialty." Seeing Yan Huan seize her wrist and drag her into a mad sprint, March 7th could not help but complain.
After the Simulated Universe was invaded, March 7th had ignored all objections and charged into the data array alone.
All so she could bring Yan Huan out and give him a chance to live.
Yan Huan glanced at Nanook behind him.
At some point, he had gotten extremely close.
Even as the two were about to step into the Stargate, he remained unhurried.
Nanook merely slowly raised a hand, sending another wave of crushing force hurtling toward them.
Yan Huan dragged March 7th to the Stargate. Under her gaze, he suddenly came to a sharp stop and took half a step back.
"Ah, what are you doing?" March 7th turned to look at him, utterly confused.
Then she felt a hand press against her back and shove her into the Stargate.
At that moment, she slowly looked back.
All she saw was Yan Huan wielding an enormously long greatsword.
Wrapped in blazing flames, it swung fiercely toward the Stargate.
Determination filled his brow.
Herta Space Station.
At this moment, all equipment had been shut down.
Only the data array remained, emitting faint points of light.
Dan Heng and Welt stood before it, their brows tightly furrowed.
They were waiting for March 7th and Yan Huan to wake up so they could take them and flee immediately.
At that moment,
within the data array,
March 7th's body suddenly twitched a finger. Her pink-blue eyes opened, and she abruptly sat up.
Her face was filled with disbelief as she stared blankly ahead.
"March, you're awake." Welt was instantly overjoyed.
"How are you? Are you alright?" Seeing March 7th's dazed expression, Dan Heng crouched before her and asked carefully.
She looked to be in terrible condition.
March 7th remained stunned for a long while before finally coming back to her senses.
"I-I'm fine."
She stood up and quietly looked at Yan Huan lying beside her. He still showed no sign of waking.
Only then did Welt finally realize something was wrong.
He immediately asked:
"March, where's Yan Huan?"
He had a bad feeling.
March 7th paused, then said heavily:
"After pushing me out, he split the Stargate apart with a single strike."
"What?"
Welt's brows knitted tightly.
"If that's true, then the Aeon of Destruction's next destination will be his consciousness. He can't resist an Aeon. Once his consciousness is killed, that body will become a vegetable."
March 7th nodded lightly.
Then she said wistfully:
"But that means the Aeon of Destruction's trace of consciousness will remain in his consciousness forever."
She raised her head, her gaze unfocused. "We... won't be affected."
Welt fell silent.
If it were Yan Huan, he really would make that choice.
In his calculations, he had always treated himself as a sacrificial piece.
March 7th had likewise thrown herself into the data array without hesitation to save Yan Huan.
"Sigh, he still did it."
Welt shook his head. "There isn't much we can do now. Dan Heng, tell Himeko about the situation here first. I'll think of something."
"Mm." Dan Heng nodded.
Within the collapsing Simulated Universe,
a young man with ink-black hair stood amid flames soaring into the sky, his eyes blazing as he stared fixedly at the god before him.
The god returned his gaze.
"You clearly still had a chance to survive. Why did you give it up?"
The flames in Yan Huan's eyes burned fiercely, like a lion awakening:
"I won't bring danger to them."
"And you." He gripped his longsword and pointed it directly at the Aeon of Destruction's head.
A chilling killing intent shone from his brow.
"I've been sick of you for a long time."
Before you continue