Lu Zhi knew he would succeed, but upon seeing the deity's arrival, he felt a sudden panic, as if being lured step by step into a trap. Those dignified and noble crimson-gold silver-ringed eyes were staring at him with a peculiar gaze.
"Hahaha..."
"Hahahahaha..."
The abrupt laughter drew Lu Zhi's attention away from the deity's intimidating gaze. He shot a look at Shen Qi, who was covering his face with one hand and laughing uncontrollably.
Was he insane?
No, that wasn't right. Shen Qi's unrestrained, manic laughter made it seem as though Lu Zhi's request for the deity's arrival was precisely what he had orchestrated.
"So, my other half of memories was all with you," Shen Qi suddenly stopped laughing. He leaped from the window, crushing a Level 5 anomaly that had been paralyzed with terror since the deity's arrival. The residual power knocked everyone else, who was still in shock and fear, unconscious. He then looked up at Lu Zhi, his face blooming into a smile, "I will never mistake you, even if I've lost my memory."
Lu Zhi didn't understand what he was saying. Never mistake him? Had they known each other before?
The deity, who had remained silent, cast its indifferent crimson-gold eyes down at Shen Qi. "What a pity that you are still alive."
Lu Zhi was startled. What was going on?
Wasn't Shen Qi the deity's divine manifestation? Why were they hostile towards each other? Why did they want the other to disappear?
"I don't like it." Shen Qi suddenly vanished from the ground, appearing beside Lu Zhi in an instant. He pulled Lu Zhi into his embrace, resting his chin on Lu Zhi's shoulder, his silver-gray eyes coldly fixated on the deity. "Even if you are me, only I can touch him."
Lu Zhi was completely bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Although their appearances were identical, one wore an ancient, elaborate, and luxurious robe, while the other was dressed in modern trendy clothing. It was as if they had traveled through a long river of time, and two different eras had collided.
"I say the same to you." The crimson-gold silver rings in the deity's pupils brightened slightly. A powerful surge of energy sent Shen Qi flying.
Lu Zhi's pupils widened in shock, his body trembling uncontrollably. The sense of absolute power suppressing him left him unable to move.
The deity raised its hand. A black and red moth, more vibrant than a butterfly, perched on its hand. From beneath its feet, crimson Manjusaka flowers bloomed, forming a vehicle.
The deity casually reclined, lifting its black and gold robe. With a mere flick of its fingers, Lu Zhi was uncontrollably drawn into its embrace.
Lu Zhi: ...???
"Didn't I tell you? I don't like it!" As soon as Shen Qi finished speaking, the swirling moths exploded like petals, and the Manjusaka flowers that had surrounded them withered and fell in an instant.
Lu Zhi felt the arm around his waist tighten. The next moment, the scenery reversed, his vision inverted, and the wind was so strong he couldn't open his eyes. When he stopped, he found himself trapped in a golden cage entwined with crimson flowers.
Lu Zhi stared blankly at the two people fighting for three seconds. He covered his forehead with one hand, his head throbbing with pain, and muttered, "Someone tell me what in the world is going on!!!"
Lu Zhi unconsciously gnawed on the nail of his right index finger, a habit he had when he was extremely anxious and uneasy.
Although he didn't know how things had escalated to this point, ever since the deity's arrival, time within the cage seemed to have stagnated. The Level 5 anomaly had also been killed by Shen Qi. Apart from those killed by anomalies, the remaining people were relatively safe.
However, those who were injured, if not treated promptly, would likely not escape death.
Thinking of this, Lu Zhi tried to leave the cage, but it was as solid as gold and impenetrable. The deity and Shen Qi, who had trapped him, were locked in a tense confrontation.
The deity looked at the unharmed Shen Qi and said with a light, cold laugh, "You can't defeat me."
Shen Qi returned the same cold smile, "Likewise, you can't kill me."
With that, the one person and one deity directly clashed.
Lu Zhi, hearing this, was utterly confused.
Watching the person and the deity, both of whom were essentially himself, fight ferociously in the air, seemingly wanting to grind the other into dust.
Unless they stopped on their own, Lu Zhi could only see two beams of red light colliding. With each collision, the entire cage would shake violently.
Suddenly, a crisp cracking sound came from overhead. Lu Zhi looked up abruptly and saw the gray sky shattering like glass, revealing a hole. A massive black tentacle broke through the barrier, making a grating, ear-piercing sound. Crackle—
Cracks spread like a spiderweb from the gap. The next moment, with a clang, the giant tentacle plunged fiercely into the ground from the sky. Terrifying roars hammered at Lu Zhi's eardrums, and a terrifying sense of pressure made Lu Zhi's heart constrict violently.
A blood-red eye gazed down at the entire world from the damaged barrier, like a terrifying creature invading Earth. A single tentacle was already a behemoth, capable of covering an entire city.
No...
Lu Zhi's pupils dilated, and he tightly gripped the cage with both hands. If that anomaly broke through, everyone would die...
He had to stop it, he had to...
Lu Zhi took a deep breath, suppressing his trembling body, and suddenly shouted at the still-locked-in-combat person and deity, "You two! Stop it, both of you!—"
Although his voice was drowned out by the anomaly's roars, Shen Qi and the deity heard him. To Lu Zhi's surprise, they actually stopped and turned to look at him. This caused Lu Zhi, who had finally mustered the courage to shout, to instinctively take a few steps back before stopping abruptly.
He couldn't back down!
Lu Zhi gritted his teeth and pointed at the undeniable, massive anomalous tentacle, sternly saying, "What time is it? You're still fighting amongst yourselves. Don't you see that anomaly? What you need to do is eliminate the anomalies!"
Then, the person and the deity, who had been irreconcilable, both revealed a playful smile.
The deity said, "What does that have to do with me."
Shen Qi chuckled softly, "This is the scene I wanted to see. Why should I stop it."
Lu Zhi looked at them incredulously, as if he were looking at two lunatics who desperately wanted to destroy the world.
If this was their true intention, no one could stop them.
"However..." Shen Qi suddenly snapped his fingers. The cage that had confined Lu Zhi turned into golden powder and vanished. The next moment, Shen Qi scooped him into his arms. His handsome face drew close, and he said with interest and a hint of malice, "Why don't you beg me?"
Lu Zhi tried to break free from the awkward princess carry. Upon hearing this, his movements paused, and he asked in surprise, "Beg you?"
The indifference in his silver-gray eyes receded, replaced by a gentle glow. He said softly, "Yes, beg me to help you."
The terrifying anomalous creature seemed to have become a mere backdrop. No matter what happened in the world within the cage, Shen Qi and the deity found nothing more amusing than to toy with him.
Lu Zhi, realizing that all of this had started because of him, wondered if this unknown-level anomaly would break through the cage's barrier and then invade the real world.
Lu Zhi dared not gamble on this uncertain future. He bit his lower lip and said, "I beg—"
"Wait a moment." A faint fragrance brushed past his nose. Before Lu Zhi could react, the deity snatched him from Shen Qi's embrace. His chin was cupped and lifted, and he met those crimson-gold eyes. The deity said, "Instead of begging him, beg me."
Lu Zhi: ...
I'm going crazy, really!