As everyone knows, every great battle is preceded by supplies and followed by settlement.

And among the many Superior blessings, those from White Deer and the crowd are particularly quick—after all, the battle for survival in nature's cruel game and the all-out wars tend to be quite brief and fierce. Furthermore, the outcome is clear-cut, leaving no room for ambiguity. Winners are winners, and losers... well, they die on the spot.

The fight to the death in the villa had just ended when a blessing from White Deer descended from the heavens.

It was like when a streamer performs well in a group fight, and the boss throws a rocket in appreciation.

And the biggest beneficiary was... the golden-haired kid who had been lurking on the outskirts, not involved in the main fight.

After all, he was one of only two authentic followers of White Deer in the villa, and although his contributions were minimal, they stood out due to... the exceptionally high death toll, and his own level being so incredibly low.

Feeling confused during the fight, with the same experience, he was immediately rocketed up to the king's rank.

After getting roughed up once by Brother Ji, he almost got a blessing for free, and now the golden-haired kid was nearly out of his mind with joy.

It was like a mouse getting caught up in a brawl of beasts, chaotically kicking in a blow, and then walking away with half a steak—celebrating the New Year on the spot.

But what followed dropped everyone's jaws.

The golden-haired kid almost couldn't catch his breath and nearly kicked the bucket on the spot.

As they turned to look back at the remains of the villa, flickers of light from amongst the blood and debris revealed an apparition that seemed not to belong to this place.

As if born of the eternal chaos and the free wilderness, the solemn White Deer turned its gaze back towards here.

Within the call of this brutal hunt and competition, the shadow of the White Deer was summoned!

Witnessing this rich harvest.

This is...

"Superior induction?" Old Tang gasped.

In the deathly silence, the apparition of the White Deer delicately stepped through puddles of blood and corpses, approaching the golden-haired kid. Just as he watched in jubilant anticipation, the Deer turned and continued forward.

Finally, it stopped in front of Ji Jue.

Silently overlooking.

During the overly prolonged gaze, Ji Jue stiffened and swallowed dryly before he couldn't help but ask, "What... what are you doing?"

The White Deer said nothing, seemingly sighing with regret before turning to leave.

The apparition faded, leaving no trace.

Gone?!

Ji Jue widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Hey, aren't you going to leave something behind?!"

His disbelief echoed in a shout, "I contributed too, Boss, no, I'm the MVP! I'm the star of the show! Boss! Boss!!!!!"

Alas, there was no one to respond.

Just Ji Jue with a dumbfounded face, having been stared at for too long.

After a while, Old Tang came over with a sigh and patted his shoulder, "It seems like White Deer really appreciates you."

"Really?" Ji Jue was perplexed, unable to understand—if it really appreciated him, why wouldn't it just toss him some reward like a rocket or a cruise? What's with looking at him once and then closing the stream?

Old Tang sighed numbly, "Too bad, you just don't catch on, do you?"

"Huh?"

Ji Jue continued cluelessly, "What did you say?"

"What else?"

Old Tang, looking at the innocent face in front of him, felt an itch in his teeth, wishing he could punch him twice right away:

"After all this competing and struggling, the classic model of the weak preying on the strong... if only you had played a bit hard to get, flirted a little, praised the mighty White Deer or how awesome the Path of the White Deer is, maybe the Superior would have treated you to a gift!

The Superior induction was right at your doorstep, practically ready to personally pick you out, and you—this fool—had no intention at all!"

It's not that White Deer is being cheap.

It's that you never wanted it!

The payment app was open, but you never gave the QR code; how could the boss tip you?

Now he sees clearly: Ji Jue, this damn fool, must have never had any interest in White Deer's ways from the start. Or maybe a little, but not much.

No fervor was ever shown.

Not once did he show excitement or desire for triumphing over the strong, nor did he aspire to the wilderness that White Deer represents; he merely observed from a distance.

The boss held onto that rocket all night, failing to find the chance to give it away.

You got the chance but you didn't take it!

Just giving you a final glance before leaving was White Deer being exceptionally good-tempered already.

"When something happens, look for your own faults, don't blame the Superior!"

Old Tang was almost dead with anger, "After all that effort and getting so deeply involved, you have no feelings for them at all... How is that different from a scammy playboy?"

"Mhm, mhm."

Little An, who had returned at some point, nodded vigorously, clearly agreeing, "Brother Ji is like that."

Ji Jue's face twitched.

Several times, he stopped himself from speaking.

He could only internally grumble, why do Superiors care about pure love these days?

I may not want it, but can't you just force it on me!

Everyone's out here for fun, relishing the bright lights and romance, isn't it just fine to take what you need? Why does it have to be heartfelt, only acceptable if there's mutual affection?

Truly disappointing!

But since White Deer didn't give anything, he didn't feel any regret.

After all, he was still in the Summoning Stage and did not need to seek the blessings of White Deer for the time being. Moreover, he had no intention of indulging his desires, to break free of the chains and throw himself into the wilderness of hunting.

As for the Embers, tonight's spoils were already plentiful.

It was just like celebrating New Year's.

The bits and pieces of alchemy items from the other attackers aside, they could be used to practice the Dissociation Technique and enhance abilities. Although there was no workshop to assist and unable to preserve them before the blessing dissipated, the corpses that were left behind were still usable!

Ji Jue was busy like a diligent little bee, rummaging through the villa, preserving usable parts with the Mercury Seal. Before long, he had filled a whole cart.

He was truly a paragon of thrift and resource management.

Towards the end, he only regretted not having brought enough mercury, able to save only the more convenient-to-preserve and valuable parts.

The rest, he reluctantly fed to the cows and horses.

A staunch advocate for not wasting anything.

And towards the end, in the courtyard, he even found a tattered-looking bell, which seemed to be the last relic left by that lightning-wielding old man.

Anything that could survive the destruction wrought by Minerva was worth its weight in gold. Even though he couldn't figure out how to use it right then, it was safer to seal it away for later.

After busying himself for several hours, it wasn't until well into the night that Ji Jue finally found time to soothe Chen Yubo, who was still locked in the safe house.

Where dreams abound, who knows what will happen next; better let him stay in the safe house until dawn.

Meanwhile, Ji Jue sternly warned—Helping you was purely a gesture of friendship, you'd better not repay kindness with enmity, and come back in your next life to make amends with your body...

Turning back, Ji Jue couldn't help but smile upon seeing Xiao An obediently sitting in the living room.

Carrying a medical kit, he motioned the boy over.

"Injured?"

Putting on medical gloves, Ji Jue used a scalpel to cut open the stitches at the collar of the T-shirt: "Don't move, let me have a look."

"It's nothing serious, Brother Ji Jue."

Xiao An smiled: "Just a superficial wound, I've already treated it."

"Still, you need to be careful, it'd be bad if it turned into an internal injury or didn't heal properly."

After meticulously cleaning and bandaging the wound on his neck, Ji Jue finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"That should do it..."

His hands gently pressed on the boy's shoulders, a soothing gesture, yet upon his pale hands, intricate patterns emerged.

Matrix·Non-attack!

Instantly, it forcefully shackled and froze all spiritual operations, and the seemingly light fingertips were already pressed against the major artery beneath the frail skin.

Thus, the gentle tone suddenly turned ice cold—

After a night of patience, the truth was finally laid bare!

"Could you tell me, who are you really?"

Ji Jue bent down, whispering curiously in his ear: "What happened to my friend?"

"Brother Ji Jue?"

Xiao An was bewildered, instinctively trying to turn around but found his neck and arteries immobilized, his face filled with confusion and anxiety: "What's wrong?"

Ji Jue looked up, facing forward.

In front of them, a floor-to-ceiling mirror clearly reflected the figures of the two, down to the finest detail. Unfortunately, a crack meandered across, completely severing the harmony and smiles between them.

Leaving only the cold remnants.

"I am Xiao An."

The boy blinked in astonishment, puzzled: "Do you suspect someone is impersonating me?"

"It's fine now, it's very convincing, you don't need to practice anymore."

Ji Jue's fingers tightened slightly, "I admit, your tone, expression, and spiritual fluctuations all perfectly match his, but determining whether you are Xiao An is simple; just roll up your pant leg."

Xiao An raised his hand, slowly pulling up his pant leg, revealing the nail on his knee.

Identical to the original.

In the brief silence, Ji Jue couldn't help but exhale in relief.

"Thank goodness."

Finally, he smiled: "I was worried that you had been..."

Bang!

In an instant, with a smile still on his face, Ji Jue didn't hesitate to take decisive action.

The manipulation of the Matrix·Non-attack's spiritual operation ruthlessly disrupted the spiritual essence within the other's body, locking the blood flow in the carotid artery. In that fleeting moment, with a swift contraction of his hands, he activated the Dissociation Technique!

But just before that, his grasp came up empty.

The shackles of the Non-attack were broken free from.

Not even the Heavenly Skill could catch it, and the Non-attack's spiritual operation didn't detect any signs of spiritual movement. It was merely pure muscle action relying on the pinnacle of skillful vibration and contraction, instantly breaking free from Ji Jue's restraints without any telegraphing or sign.

In a flash, the boy appeared on the other side of the room.

Only now did the slender and lithe boy let out a sigh.

"Eh? Except for Mr. Zhang, not even that Ether named Tong Hua noticed."

'Xiao An' turned back with a cheerful smile: "Might you be too sensitive?"

With the same appearance as before, yet the aura was utterly different, as sharp as a blade and elusive as a phantom.

Unpredictable.

Simply gazing at it made Ji Jue break out in a cold sweat.

"So, you launch an attack on a friend you trusted just because of pure suspicion?" 'Xiao An' shook his head in helpless regret: "That's really too much, Brother Ji Jue."

"Brother Ji Jue is what you're calling me!"

Ji Jue fired the trigger mercilessly. Amidst the loud bang, eight Mutated Bullets were unleashed without holding back, in the deliberately chosen narrow room that left no room for evasion.

But at that moment, the eight scorching bullets mysteriously vanished right as they left the barrel.

When 'Xiao An's' clenched hands opened, the intact bullet heads fell from between the spread fingers, landing on the ground without even triggering the Mercury Seal.

Unscathed.

"How about indulging my curiosity?" 'Xiao An' kept smiling sweetly: "Could you tell me, where did I slip up?"

"The reason is very simple—"

Ji Jue snickered, "Of course, because you didn't f*cking learn my Holy Word Records!!!"

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