Kasadia's brows and eyes curved, seeming to gaze at Su Ming'an, the mask tilted downward.

"Rest assured, I'm not interested in jellyfish."

"But I must warn you... love is the most delectable poison."

Su Ming'an looked up in confusion, wanting to hear what Kasadia really meant to say.

"Surely you've heard, the infant is a parasitic beast invading the mother's body. Without the placenta's protection, the mother would be devoured to death by her own fetus, yet they still harbor love. This love is the brain manipulated by hormones, akin to brainwashing... any love is poison, only that it tastes delightful."

"In Luowasha, it's even more so. Willing love and sacrifice can maximize the predator's absorption. Your so-called fervent love may merely be food in others' eyes. Thus, trusting and loving someone will instead make you more dangerous."

Kasadia's voice was sharp, yet full of deep meaning, deliberately slowing down the final words as if genuinely warning Su Ming'an:

"Especially... love for the world."

"This will make you immensely tasty. Whether in the physical sense of consumption, or in a higher-level sense of exploitation and harvest."

Su Ming'an's eyes slightly moved: "Do you want to discuss philosophy with me?"

Kasadia seemed to enjoy this sort of fun, or perhaps merely talking to Su Ming'an brought enjoyment: "Glad to explore."

"I seem to understand, many phenomena in Luowasha are essentially reflections of our common ideas." Su Ming'an voiced his analysis, wanting to see Kasadia's reaction: "The Tarot divination cards Hui Bai showed me before, ostensibly predicting life, but actually reflecting reality. A group that only sees insects and dirt all their life naturally cannot divine gold and gems, as their limits prevent understanding of what those are, hence their next generation as well."

"To escape such divination conclusions, they repeatedly spend their limited savings, hoping to divine a better life, but only causing a vicious cycle, as their savings aren't enough to find a better divination house."

"Once the major account is ruined, they switch to training a minor account... yet unaware that the level of 'divination house' does not change."

"Vegetables continuously eaten throughout life are perpetually harvested. Bananas eaten by monkeys, because they inherently struggle to resist."

"As you mentioned, people often seek 'scapegoats' in the world, whether to take the blame for their mistakes, or to satisfy their nature of blaming others. Interesting enough, although they're of the same race, they habitually interpret others with maximum malice, saying donation is for fame, or visiting the countryside for poverty relief is staged. Thus concluding others' shallowness one-sidedly, as if the more they criticize others, the more enlightened they appear, able to grasp truths others can't."

"Such ideas reflected in Luowasha seem to become a new 'world rule' — the less someone reproaches others, the more goodwill they harbor, the more they end up being criticized... essentially eaten."

"Reflecting ideas as 'world rules', reflecting principles into reality, reflecting hidden rules into blood-soaked facts. Viewed this way, Luowasha's essence does resemble a book. You have inherited the projections from reality and formed your own phenomena."

"Without a lighthouse, such a law of survival where the weak are preyed upon would be dim and dreary. So, even if you say this, the emotions in my heart will not cease, even if it makes me tastier."

Kasadia listened with half-closed eyes, the starlight around sped up, evidently pleased.

"Seems you truly don't want to devour me after telling me all this." Su Ming'an said.

He recalled the moment he saw Lu, feeling joy and trust, thus raising his 'deliciousness', causing Lu's spikes to instinctively attack him.

Hence, if one wishes not to be eaten, then hate others. Holding onto love and trust only leads oneself into the most dangerous predicament.

Is this Kasadia's... kind-hearted reminder?

"Haha, ah haha... you just believe me like that?" Kasadia emitted a sharp explosive sound: "So pitiful, so easy to fool... you actually trust the Fun Demon."

"I trust you." Su Ming'an said steadily.

The glowing Crystal Palace briefly fell silent.

Kasadia seemed disturbed by Su Ming'an's focused gaze and resolute tone, laughter paused for a moment before resuming.

"Alright, alright. I think I've realized the feeling behind what you mean by 'Number One Player's strategy mode'." Kasadia raised two colorful viscous liquids, seemingly surrendering: "Unfortunately, it doesn't work on me..."

"I genuinely mean it when I say I trust you." Su Ming'an continued to stare at him.

Perhaps Su Ming'an's look was indeed well-feigned, or maybe his strategy mode was too well-practiced, the ever-present laughter paused again. Blood-like high-saturation dye dripped from Kasadia's clown mask, uncertain if it's the substance of joyful emotion or something else.

However, Su Ming'an indeed did not trust Kasadia. But this did not hinder him from bluffing, regardless of its efficacy, he proceeded with the teaching regardless.

...

"Dingdong!"

[NPC (Fun Demon· Kasadia) Favorability: 70-5!]

[Current Favorability Evaluation: Rather Interested]

...

...Wait.

Su Ming'an looked several times, confirming he had not misread.

Deducting favorability?

It was the first instance he encountered having favorability deducted after speaking his mind...

Seeing Kasadia about to leave, Su Ming'an hastily called out:

"Wait, I want to ask... why did you call me Olivius initially?"

Kasadia's colorful body froze momentarily, turning back, curved crimson brows twisted:

"I call everyone Olivius."

"Because there's always one of them that is."

Su Ming'an's pupils shook—what monumental crimes had Olivius committed? Even Second-level Gods were questing for him.

He watched Kasadia's silhouette, Kasadia motionless, only enveloping stars spiraled, imparting an inexplicable sense of solitude.

"Lighthouse Jellyfish won't perish, it can nurture countless formidable ones, stepping on countless corpses to lift people's lifetimes..." Leaving meaningful words:

"And indeed, with you,"

"Matches well."

...

After Kasadia vanished, Su Ming'an cloaked in spatial concealment, went to find Sea King Lu.

He walked while appreciating the scenery. Numerous factories beneath the sea spewed smoke, siphoned to the surface by tubes, discharged onto the land—this was the Sea Clan's retaliation. Surface creatures always discharge various trash into the sea, thus the Sea Clan would return the trash from the sea back, forming an endless trash exchange perpetual motion machine.

Along the way, he heard Sea Clans' casual talk.

"... Those Celestial Clan came again? Really lingering like a ghost. I can see their figures on the sea from here." A pair of mantis shrimp were chatting.

"The Celestial Clan is a race that values emotions. Our king killed several members of the Celestial Clan, they definitely won't let it go." Another mantis shrimp said.

"They want to vie for the Lighthouse Master... Hey, when is it our turn to have a bite?"

"Shh... The king warned before, no one is allowed to eat it. Don't do something you'll regret just for a bite."

"I just think, if I could eat the Lighthouse Jellyfish, even if I was hunted down, I'd be willing..." The two mantis shrimps sighed, even starting to fantasize about encountering the Lighthouse Jellyfish and how to attack it.

Su Ming'an passed by under Spatial Concealment... The matter of him being the Lighthouse Jellyfish couldn't be kept under wraps, even the Sea Clan on the roadside knew about it. It seems it's not suitable to stay here for long. If not for the critical period of the Rin Clan's Su Sheng, with most high-class races gathered around the World Tree waiting, the seabed would have been turned upside down, and even the Sea King couldn't protect him.

... Indeed, the wheel of fortune turns.

In the past, he was always protecting various teammates. Now it turned into various teammates in high positions protecting him. Moreover, he can currently only trust his old teammates. As for people like Zhao Yuan, Yi Song, Qin Si... it's hard to say if they can resist temptation.

He didn't dare to gamble what these people had in their hearts. In the past, they could all unite as one because they knew the Number One Player was alive to save the world, but if they could ascend dimensions by eating the Lighthouse Jellyfish and step into the vast Star Sea, who would be willing to stay in Zhai Xing?

All it takes is to stab Su Ming'an in the back.

Too easy.

Su Ming'an took a few steps, and heard a discussion from a pair of crabs and carp:

"The Rin Clan hasn't had their Su Sheng yet... It was supposed to start at midnight on Game Day, but now it's noon and there's still no movement. Could the Dawn Goddess's prophecy be wrong? Maybe it's the butterfly effect caused by the Lighthouse Master, Game Day doesn't want to let him go. So probably it starts at noon today?"

"Who exactly created Game Day, could it be Supreme Lord Toso Lius?"

"I heard it's external civilizations invading us, some external civilizations are good at using games to invade. Moreover, Game Day has already descended for the second time... what happened in the first season, no one knows, many races that participated in the first season disappeared silently, died in the game."

"Sigh... what's the use of talking about these worldly matters, you and I haven't received an invitation to Game Day, we can only polish shells here. Restricted by racial limitations, life is just like this."

"So yeah, I really want to take a bite of the Lighthouse Jellyfish, instantly change my destiny..."

Su Ming'an swept past them, reaching the largest Crystal Palace.

Shells and gold adorned the columns and floors, resplendent with flowing lights. He walked through layers of gauze curtains and Sea Clan attendants, only to see at the end of the hall, an emperor with sea-blue long hair reclining on a seat, his blue eyes soft and peaceful. He supported his chin with one hand, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly in contemplation.

Perhaps due to the surge in strength after eating the jellyfish, those blue eyes moved slightly, faintly perceiving someone entering the hall.

Su Ming'an withdrew the Spatial Concealment.

Even wearing a crown and fur coat, Lu still looked so gentle without any sharpness and danger.

"...You're alive?" Lu looked at Su Ming'an, revealing a visible delight.

"Yes." Su Ming'an's mood was not very light. This kind of Hydra regression equates to limiting his Death Rebound, greatly reducing fault tolerance.

"Sorry, I didn't expect my spikes to be uncontrollable at that time." Lu hesitated for a moment, wanting to step forward, but did not dare to. Afraid that the spikes would pierce Su Ming'an again.

"You could easily pierce me before because I was in a very weakened Hydra state. Now I'm back to normal, you should find it hard to harm me." Su Ming'an entrusted: "I need to leave the sea as soon as possible, still not clear why the previous Hydra state was triggered, perhaps the water was too cold."

"Who are you going to find?" Lu asked.

"Anyway, a safe place, just until midnight tonight." Su Ming'an said.

"I heard Lv Shu is a Blood Clan, looking for you beside the World Tree. Su Rin seemed to have appeared too, but there's no more information." Lu said.

"I know... I'll act alone first." Su Ming'an said. Now he better not approach anyone, otherwise, being eaten will delay time again.

Lu nodded. As Su Ming'an turned to leave, Lu asked puzzled:

"Aren't you taking your friend with you?"

"Friend?" Su Ming'an felt puzzled. He entered the sea alone, where would he have any friends? Hui Bai was beaten to tofu already.

Just at this moment.

Footsteps came from outside the hall.

"Tap, tap, tap."

Light, agile, swift.

Layer upon layer of gauze curtains were lifted, the footsteps getting closer.

Su Ming'an turned back, and saw a tint of light and soft pink—

Lightly curled pink hair, like the peachy-pink of spring peach blossoms, loosely resting on a girl's shoulders. A pair of purple eyes looked over, like coagulated amber. The girl wore a very simple white dress, without any jewelry, as plain as a sheet of paper, yet exuding a natural beauty akin to a lotus blooming in clear water.

... Who is she?

Su Ming'an blinked, he hadn't seen this person before.

"Su Ming'an, don't you recognize her?" Lu asked puzzled: "She's the one you brought over, she followed you silently when you went to sea yesterday. She's the person you met at the Red Tower, she took good care of you, and even took you to do divination cards, ride cat cars, and see the World Tree."

Short as the statement was, it carried a lot of information.

A suspicion involuntarily squeezed into Su Ming'an's mind—could this be Hui Bai in female disguise? Because divination cards, riding cat cars, seeing the World Tree... were all things Hui Bai did.

Quickly, he threw aside this absurd suspicion. He was quite sure he had never seen this girl before.

"Who are you?" Su Ming'an asked.

The girl silently returned his gaze.

Ten seconds of silence ensued, as Su Ming'an thought she wouldn't speak, she slowly opened her mouth:

"I am the original heroine Luowasha, whose storyline was sidetracked."

"My story was taken over by a villain. I need... your help."

...

At this moment,

It felt like a thousand Boss Rabbits were dancing in Su Ming'an's mind.

...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.