Seven days

Just as the thought crossed Zhou Heng's mind, the Fate Hint appeared.

[Fate always toys with those who suffer. One slight misstep, and all will be lost forever.]

[Fate offers you hints.]

[Fate Hint 1: You cannot leave the Deepwater Cave. The entire Deepwater Cave has been sealed off; only those above level 51 can leave. You might consider logging out and returning to reality to await a turning point in fate. Estimated countdown: 07:00:00]

[Fate Hint 2: Hide deep within the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm Secret Realm and pray that the mayor of Little Bird Town will not take his anger out on you because of your actions.]

"Even the entrance has been sealed off?"

"In that case, logging out is my only choice."

Generally, new players logging into the Boundless Endless World would log out on the seventh day, then report to their schools to let them know they were safe.

Given the current situation, Zhou Heng could not possibly gamble on whether the mayor of Little Bird Town would take his anger out on him. Logging out and waiting seven days was the best solution.

Although it would waste seven days, as long as he could leave the Deepwater Cave, he could definitely survive the Longevity Family's manhunt with the help of the Fate Hint.

With that thought, Zhou Heng immediately logged out.

[You are about to log out.]

[Checking your surroundings.]

[You are safe. You are about to log out of the "Boundless Endless" world.]

Zhou Heng opened his eyes and found himself back in the classroom.

The young homeroom teacher opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Heng in surprise.

Zhou Heng was a top student in his class, and he had high hopes for him. Yet he had logged out of the "Boundless Endless" world on only the fifth day. Presumably, something bad had happened.

"How serious is it? Do you need me to log into Boundless Endless and give you a hand?"

The young homeroom teacher asked gently.

Zhou Heng took a deep breath, stood up, and said respectfully,

"Mr. Yu, there's no need. It's just a little trouble. I can still handle it, though I might need to rest for a few days."

The young homeroom teacher was named Yu Tong. Rumor had it that he was an expert player at level 50, about to undergo his Fifth Turn.

Yu Tong gave Zhou Heng a searching look. For some reason, he felt that this student had changed considerably, becoming steadier and more reserved than before.

"All right, then go back and get some rest!"

"If you really can't handle it, come find me. I'm fairly strong, so I can give you a hand."

He was still willing to lend Zhou Heng a hand.

After all, there were not many students this steady and reserved at his age. Perhaps once he grew stronger, he might be able to help the Xia Kingdom in the future.

"All right. I'll leave you to your work, then. I'll be going!"

Zhou Heng politely said goodbye, turned, and left the classroom.

His departure meant that he had officially graduated from school and become an independent player of the "Boundless Endless" world.

As mentioned earlier, Zhou Heng had transmigrated in his own body, turned into a baby, and been found.

Thus, his home in this world was an orphanage, one called "Warmth."

"Grandma Director, I'm back!"

After returning to the Warmth Orphanage, the first person Zhou Heng went to see was its director, Qi Sinian.

She was an old woman so aged that she looked withered, the wrinkles on her cheeks like layers of cured meat hanging all the way down to her mouth.

Even so, they could not conceal the kindness and care in Qi Sinian's eyes.

"Oh, little Heng, you're back~"

"Why so early? Weren't you supposed to return the day after tomorrow?"

Seeing Zhou Heng enter, Qi Sinian put down her knitting and beckoned him over, motioning for him to come closer.

"Grandma, I ran into some trouble in the Boundless Endless World, so I came back early!"

Zhou Heng sat down beside Qi Sinian, his voice full of respect.

He respected this orphanage director from the bottom of his heart.

According to the information in his memories, this grandmother had run the "Warmth" Orphanage for over 200 years, going from a beautiful young woman to the frail old woman she was today.

Someone had once asked Qi Sinian whether it was worth it for an orphanage.

Qi Sinian's answer had been: yes. She could not stand by and watch so many infants, carelessly brought into the world because people lived so long, be left with no way to survive. She was willing to devote her life to this.

"So you ran into danger~"

"Then you'll have to do your best~"

"I can indeed help you, but I can only help you for a while, not for your whole life."

"So, everything, absolutely everything, has to depend on you!"

Qi Sinian rubbed Zhou Heng's head, her eyes filled with memories.

It had been a night of thunder and rain. She had just returned from the "Boundless Endless" world when she found Zhou Heng bawling in a roadside trash can.

Although Zhou Heng had been a baby like the other abandoned children, he was completely different from them. The clothes and trousers he wore at the time had all been adult-sized, his entire little body hidden beneath a shirt.

Thus, she had paid a little extra attention to this unusual little baby.

Unfortunately, apart from being different when she found him, there was nothing else unusual about him.

After all, almost all the children who left her orphanage were mature beyond their years and levelheaded.

"I know, Grandma Director. I'll handle it myself."

Zhou Heng did not intend to tell Qi Sinian what had happened to him, even though this elderly director, who had run the Warmth Orphanage for 200 years, might very well be a Legendary player who had surpassed the tenth advancement, just as the rumors said.

But even a Legendary player could never be a match for the Longevity Family.

After all, the Longevity Family was a massive power that had existed ever since the online game "Boundless Endless" launched.

One had 200 years, the other 10,000. How could they compete?

So it would be better for him to handle this matter himself.

"All right~ Go get some rest, then, and take some time to get into the right frame of mind."

"All right, Grandma Director."

After saying goodbye to Qi Sinian, Zhou Heng returned to his little residence in the Warmth Orphanage.

The residence was very small, only about the size of a thirty-square-meter studio apartment from his previous life. Still, small as it was, it had everything he needed, and living there felt very cozy.

Zhou Heng planned to spend seven days here, keeping the orphanage's children and Grandma Director company.

Early on the sixth day.

A new sealer stood in the breeding grounds of the Deepwater Flood Dragon Worm Secret Realm. He thrust both hands toward space and tore it open. The next second, a square Light Box fell out.

The sealer grabbed the square Light Box and crushed it without hesitation.

With a crack, Black Bear Ba tumbled out of the square Light Box.

The sealer seized Black Bear Ba by the neck and lifted him bodily into the air.

"Speak. Where is my younger brother, Wang Lu?"

"Where is he?"

The newcomer was none other than Wang Lu's older brother, Wang Heng.

Black Bear Ba looked utterly bewildered. His memories were still stuck at the moment Wang Lu had sealed him.

"I... I don't know!"

"That level 70 sealer sealed me, and then you let me out!"

Wang Heng stared coldly at Black Bear Ba. Once he was certain the little fellow was not joking, he snapped his neck without hesitation, sending him back to town.

"My brother's presence lingers here. I can sense it. Barring anything unexpected, he should be dead!"

"Yang Kai, tell me how a player no higher than level 10, a new player who only just graduated from high school at that, managed to kill my level 70 brother."

Wang Heng's voice was icy as he spoke, looking at Yang Kai, who stood silently behind him.