[Brighter Hope] [Deeper Despair]

Not only were Li Mo's own related memories suppressed, but the memory of the Daoist Temple entity modifying his identity was buried along with them.

If he could forget forever, Li Mo couldn't truly be considered alive.

However, from the moment he learned the truth, Li Mo had no intention of hiding, nor any need to flee.

He had a way to return to his human identity.

Since it was an external Bizzare contamination, upon returning to his native world, it could naturally be dispelled by Elysia's authority. Li Mo could still shed the contamination that modified his identity.

It was easy—unless, like Mei's left hand, it had become integrated into Li Mo's body, making removal impossible.

This time, if Li Mo hadn't died three times, he absolutely wouldn't have realized that from the moment he left the cave, his identity had already been altered to that of a ghost.

Not just him, but everyone who set foot on the Heavenly Path.

Including Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo, who had just ascended.

And everyone else who had climbed the mountain sporadically over hundreds, even thousands of years.

This explained how a remote border town could have such a high population density, with clothing styles from different dynasties.

Because they were all people who had died on Mount Taixuan from ancient times to the present, eventually becoming Flesh Ghosts resembling the living.

Previously, Li Mo believed some living people could escape Mount Taixuan; he thought he was an exception, casually ascending and descending.

But it was all false.

Everyone had died the moment they set foot on the mountain. He was no exception. Unless the source Bizzare entity was dealt with, this identity would remain permanent.

The footsteps of the Human Skin Ghosts grew fainter. After a long while, Li Mo slowly removed his outer jacket and opened his eyes. The deep, dark night didn't seem entirely pitch-black to him now; he could see many things more clearly than before.

"They're gone," Li Mo stated faintly.

Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo removed the clothes covering their heads, taking deep breaths of the fresh... no, the filthy, disgusting air outside.

"That must have been the Seven Swords of Taixu just now. Covering our faces with clothes really does block line of sight effectively," Saori Tsuruyo analyzed Li Mo's actions.

"Looks like the Seven Swords have become true ghosts. They are enemies."

"Can't we just suppress them directly?" Shigure Kira asked.

Saori Tsuruyo shook her head, sighing helplessly. "Captain, they're ghosts. We can't kill them. Forcibly engaging them will only get us worn down bit by bit, or trigger some unknown rule leading to sudden death. The longer we tangle with ghosts, the greater the danger."

"Let's just follow Big Brother. Right, let's try to talk less with Changle, to avoid reminding her of her true identity."

Shigure Kira nodded sincerely, taking Saori's reminder to heart with a serious expression: "Mm-hm!"

If one didn't know better, an outsider might think Saori Tsuruyo was the captain, and Shigure Kira the obedient team member.

Obedient...

Li Mo noticed a blank space in his memory, likely modified via Usurpation to protect himself from triggering some fatal rule.

However, he vaguely remembered half of the death scene.

On the brink of death, he lost motor control. The Misfortune Ghost protected his final consciousness, but not for long; he would have died completely soon after.

Following a roar and a gunshot, everything restarted.

Shigure Kira executes orders decisively.

She fired the moment he finished speaking.

Good. Delays breed complications. The Misfortune Ghost's voice had become very faint then, almost inaudible to Li Mo.

Dragging it out for a few more seconds might have meant true death.

She's become more mature.

Li Mo glanced sideways at the frowning Shigure Kira.

"Big Brother, is this the place?" Saori Tsuruyo asked, pointing at the tightly shut door ahead.

The door looked brand new, as if untouched by the erosion of time or the wear of wind and frost.

Even though the Room's door had been twisted and broken by four ghosts just last night.

The door was part of the Room. To the Ghost Stomach, the esophagus was part of its body. Its Bizzare nature had repaired the esophagus automatically.

"Looks like there are three people inside? Shouldn't it just be Changle? Could it be... ghosts got into the room?" Shigure Kira tensed up as if facing a great enemy, turning to look at Li Mo.

Saori Tsuruyo focused her gaze. Although blurry, she could vaguely make out three indistinct human silhouettes inside through the not-completely-sealed wooden door.

Saori thought further. Li Mo had mentioned earlier that Changle was a princess with Soldier operatives. The three silhouettes inside were clearly two male and one female, easily discernible by their figures. The one in the middle was Changle; beside her should be the operatives she brought up the mountain. After all, it was reasonable for her to have a team, not just one. The Emperor must have placed great importance on such a critical matter as seeking an audience with the Immortal.

"You two wait here, don't move," Li Mo instructed.

He then walked forward, raising his left hand to touch the door.

This time, Li Mo clearly felt nothing in his left hand; there was no sensation of touching the door.

Li Mo tried to push the door open with all his might, but his left hand uncontrollably rose and repeatedly knocked on the door...

"I see."

Li Mo experienced the rule the ghosts outside faced previously – wanting to enter but only able to knock. Even though he physically touched the door, the concept of pushing it open was lost, even while retaining human consciousness.

Furthermore, Li Mo noticed his left hand was being consumed by a black, viscous, corrosive liquid.

The Blood of Decay.

If this standoff continued, the ghost knocking outside would be enveloped by the Blood of Decay.

"So that's why they leave after knocking yields no results. I didn't expect the outside of the Room to have an extra protective mechanism. I underestimated the Ghost Stomach."

The ritual hall shielded from ghost perception but was doomed if discovered; the dormant Room blocked ghost entry but was constantly exposed to their sight.

Which was safer depended on the actual situation.

Li Mo released his left hand, switching to his right hand, which was closer to a living human's, attempting to push open the Room's door.

He wanted to know if the Room currently judged him as ghost or human.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"..."

Crisp knocking sounds echoed. Li Mo's right hand was also uncontrollably knocking, lightly yet heavily.

He used his full strength but could only produce a moderate sound.

However, it was much louder than a single ghost knocking.

The sound of knocking wasn't related to strength but to the number of ghosts knocking.

Under Li Mo's mechanical knocking, the Room's door swayed precariously, like a candle flame in the wind, seemingly about to be blown out at any moment.

He definitely had one awakened Misfortune Ghost on him, plus the awakened Mei's left hand, and himself – equivalent to three ghosts knocking. The sound and intensity were naturally much greater than a single ghost's.

But it shouldn't be this easy to nearly break down a Room capable of resisting a limit of five ghosts, right? Did the Room's resistance limit revert to four?

Li Mo fell silent for a moment. His knocking was rather loud, alarming the people inside.

The Soldier operatives were awake, nervously staring at the door alongside Changle, weapons gripped tightly.

"Damn it, the demons are knocking again."

"Your Highness, there are three demons outside. You said it can resist five at most. What if two more come?"

"I don't know! You ask me, who do I ask?"

"Apologies, Your Highness, I overstepped..."

"Hmph, if any demons break in later, you know what to do."

"Understood, Your Highness."

As soon as the words fell, the two operatives moved to the door, separated from Li Mo only by the thin wooden panel.

They likely intended to act as bait the moment a ghost entered, pushing it back out to buy time.

After all, the purpose of Soldier operatives was precisely this moment – to die for their master.

Unfortunately, this approach was wrong. Dying near the Room would only turn them into new ghosts.

Increasing the number of ghosts outside directly increased the danger inside the Room, making things worse.

The best method was to find a way to expel them or make one ghost go dormant. If all else failed, they had to stall until dawn.

The last option was especially dangerous because the staller wasn't fighting just one ghost, but all the ghosts outside.

Strength was one factor, rules another.

Not only did they need to overpower several ghosts in combat strength and stamina, but they also couldn't trigger any rules, including getting injured.

Without exaggeration, besides the current Li Mo, no one else in this world could accomplish this feat.

"Mm..."

Li Mo mumbled dully. He had confirmed the Room judged him as a ghost. Neither his normal right hand nor Mei's left hand could open the door like a human; he could only follow the Bizzare rule, knocking repeatedly until the door broke.

Li Mo retreated to Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo's side, saying, "Shigure, open the door. Saori, stand back."

"Okay." Upon hearing Li Mo's command, Shigure Kira immediately walked to the door, preparing to push it open.

Saori Tsuruyo stood behind Li Mo, watching his slightly raised hands with confusion.

"Go ahead and open it. I won't let you get hurt," Li Mo whispered into Shigure Kira's ear.

Shigure Kira puffed her cheeks. "Do I look that weak? Getting hurt just opening a door, how could I..."

Before she finished speaking, the moment Shigure Kira pushed the door open, two long spears shot straight for her throat.

Undisguised killing intent and threat burst forth, the tips almost reaching Shigure Kira's neck.

However, the next second, a dark figure dashed out from beside Shigure Kira, grabbing the heads of the two attacking operatives and slamming them forcefully onto the ground.

The spears clattered to the floor with a "clang."

"Wait!" Changle shouted. "They are my Soldier operatives! I am Changle!"

Li Mo didn't turn his head, his icy gaze still fixed on the operatives' necks, a faint urge to snap them evident.

The operatives struggled desperately, grabbing Li Mo's wrists, trying to push him away. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't dislodge the hands gripping their heads.

It felt less like human hands holding them and more like unmovable iron clamps.

"Hey! Are you trying to kill them? Mingyue!" Changle yelled urgently. Her operatives couldn't die so inexplicably.

Mingyue? Saori Tsuruyo and Shigure Kira looked up, wondering if this was Li Mo's real name.

Would Li Mo tell his real name to a stranger but not them?

Impossible.

Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo exchanged glances, quickly composing themselves.

No way Li Mo told Changle his real name. 'Mingyue' clearly sounds like a random alias for convenience.

Meanwhile, the operatives had stopped struggling. They saw the eyes – pupils like those of a corpse, devoid of emotion, turbid, dim, cold...

They couldn't sense a shred of killing intent from Li Mo, yet they distinctly felt the aura of death.

"You should be glad the consequences of the 'no injury allowed' rule inside the Room are unclear."

Li Mo released his hands. He had controlled his strength perfectly, not causing even a scratch.

Shigure Kira clutched her chest, startled. The door had just opened, and glistening spear tips had nearly pierced her head.

If Li Mo hadn't intervened promptly, she could have dodged, but likely would have suffered some minor flesh wounds.

Li Mo said not to get injured; it was probably another untouchable rule. Getting injured might mean death.

However, judging from the current situation, "injury" likely referred to bleeding wounds.

Otherwise, the force Li Mo used to grab their heads would have already injured the operatives.

"We didn't know it was you! You said before you left that I should just be aware, and even said... how long I live depends entirely on fate!" Changle complained resentfully. Li Mo had just left like that, completely disregarding what she should do on the mountain.

The remaining rations were gone. Thankfully, it was only one day until the audience with the Immortal. As long as she survived tonight and tomorrow, she could meet the Immortal and descend the mountain.

Going hungry for a day wasn't difficult, as long as no demons came...

"You don't know how scared I was after you left! There were flickering shadows everywhere, figures all around! The knocking sound kept changing, sometimes loud, sometimes soft. Surviving was pure luck..."

As Changle finished speaking, Shigure Kira jumped out, seemingly unfazed by the earlier ambush attempt.

She puffed out her chest and declared loudly, "Don't worry! I'm a Schicksal S-rank Valkyrie! I'll protect you... Hey, hey, hey!? W-W-W-What is that thing!! Aahhh!!"

Shigure Kira's face turned pale with fright, her azure eyes becoming a chaotic swirl. She scrambled behind Li Mo, fearfully peeking out.

Changle followed Shigure Kira's gaze towards the bloody severed head behind her.

"You came up with Mingyue, maybe you don't know him well. He's... how should I put it? Knowing too much about him isn't good for you. Just know that Mingyue placed this head here, and it poses no threat to us."

Changle, believing she knew a lot, confidently explained with the air of a hostess.

Unexpectedly, Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo completely ignored her, turning back to Li Mo.

Shigure Kira: "Y-Y-You, why are you carrying this thing around!? What if something happens..."

Li Mo: "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Saori Tsuruyo covered her face. She seemed to recall thinking just recently that Captain Shigure Kira would likely never see the Head Ghost again in her life. How long had it been, and here it was again...

Shigure Kira looked terrified. She could probably face it, but the experience clearly left some trauma.

However, Saori Tsuruyo found something odd. Captain Shigure Kira, whose memory should only extend to the first day, seemed to have recovered most of her memories.

Without the experiences of the following days, Captain Kira shouldn't be this afraid of the Head Ghost.

Not dwelling on it, Saori Tsuruyo stepped forward to mediate: "Captain, this Head Ghost hasn't moved all night. Big Brother must have done something to control it."

"And I suspect, without this Head Ghost, we might not be able to stay safely in this room."

Saori Tsuruyo noticed the lingering bloodstains on the floor, stating her opinion directly.

When she saw Li Mo switching hands to knock earlier, she realized the Room itself might be a ghost, and only the living could open the door.

The current Li Mo seemed to have sacrificed much, including his human identity, to get this far.

Just like last time...

But Saori firmly believed Li Mo had a way to resolve his own issues.

"I see... Phew, then I'm relieved. Hey, Gloomy Guy, you better keep a close eye on it! We absolutely cannot let the tragedy at St. Freya High School happen again!" Shigure Kira stepped out from behind Li Mo, speaking earnestly.

Li Mo nodded, replying simply with three words: "I will."

Changle, witnessing the entire exchange nearby, was thrown into a mental storm.

From the conversation, Changle realized the three knew each other well, and their relationship seemed quite deep.

Including this head – the girl with blue-white hair seemed very concerned and afraid of it.

Then didn't her earlier act of knowing everything... look ridiculous?

Li Mo silently walked towards Changle. Changle expected a harsh verbal humiliation, but Li Mo's gaze didn't even land on her.

Li Mo went straight to the wooden bed and moved it away from the wall.

Then he picked up the bloody Head Ghost and placed it in the corner farthest from the bed.

"Shigure, sleep with Saori," Li Mo commanded.

Shigure Kira looked puzzled but obediently went to the bedside, took off her shoes, and sat down naturally.

Saori Tsuruyo: "Big Brother, I can keep watch with you."

Li Mo: "No need. I alone am enough."

His tone was calm, and it was the truth.

The Room could resist four ghosts. After Li Mo made eye contact with Changle, it inexplicably increased to five.

The Room's resistance mechanism was based on the number of ghosts inside determining how many could be blocked from entering. It was unclear who the extra ghost was.

He himself would now be judged as three ghosts. Thus, the Room could resist eight ghosts – quite safe.

Unless Li Mo's luck was absolutely terrible, the probability of eight ghosts simultaneously wandering around the Room on the vast Mount Taixuan was extremely small, almost impossible.

The so-called night watch wasn't really about defending against outside ghosts, but guarding against the "insiders" within the room.

Changle and her two operatives.

Except for Li Mo himself, the others couldn't go a day without eating, drinking, or sleeping without being affected. Therefore, ensuring they got at least some sleep was necessary.

Li Mo had the confidence to be their bodyguard for the night.

"Then where do we sleep?" Changle couldn't help asking.

The wooden bed was originally a single bed; two people were already cramped.

If not for Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo not minding physical contact and both having relatively slender figures, one bed definitely wouldn't fit them.

Three people sleeping in one bed? The only way seemed to be stacking up like logs.

Li Mo's gaze settled on the floor.

"Mingyue! You don't expect us to sleep on the floor, do you! Why should we?"

"Then you can keep watch with me," Li Mo stated calmly.

His attitude was clear: either don't sleep, or sleep on the floor.

"You're too biased!"

Seeing Mingyue's firm stance, Changle could only concede defeat. With a muffled grunt, she sulkily walked to a corner and squatted down.

Good thing the season wasn't autumn or winter yet, otherwise sleeping like this without covers would be freezing.

Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo turned sideways, both looking curiously at Li Mo.

Even though he no longer showed expressions, his actions and habits remained familiar.

He had just become more direct, less tactful.

Clearly, saying a few nice words to smooth things over would have been much better, but he just bluntly ordered another girl to sleep on the floor.

Even a fool could see Changle actually had considerable affection for him.

"That guy is as clueless about talking as ever," Shigure Kira muttered under her breath.

Saori Tsuruyo gave a strained smile, scratching the back of her head and letting out a light laugh: "Haha... But that's what makes Big Brother attractive..."

Shigure Kira: "Attractive how? He's a closed book, a completely unresponsive cold stone, zero emotional intelligence. Mmph! Saori, what are you doing..."

Saori Tsuruyo rested her head on Shigure Kira's shoulder, nuzzling Kira's cheek, gazing even more intently at Li Mo.

Li Mo's right hand was relaxed, left hand tense. His back faced everyone as he stared out at the oppressive scenery beyond the Room.

Mount Taixuan was no different from hell. Piles of corpses stacked high; every flower, every tree emanated a rotten, filthy stench. The only sights were mangled, twisted, torn limbs scattered about – utterly brutal.

"Saori, you..."

"Captain, I really enjoy this feeling of protection. I feel very safe. Even living on the Bizzare-infested Mount Taixuan now, I'm not worried at all. As long as Big Brother is here, it feels like no ghost is scary. In the end, we'll always survive. See, haven't we always made it through like this? Passing through crisis after crisis with thrills but no real danger, safe and sound."

"..."

Shigure Kira fell silent, a blush creeping up her face and ears.

When thinking alone, Shigure Kira couldn't deceive herself. Like Saori, she also felt this sense of being protected.

They just needed to follow behind Li Mo. He walked at the very front, resolving any issue before disaster struck them.

Without exception.

Shigure Kira understood that without Li Mo's guidance and reminders, she and Saori would hardly survive a night on Mount Taixuan.

Li Mo knew they had no obligation to help deal with the Bizzare, yet they still came.

So he took meticulous care of them, ensuring their safety.

Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo wanted to share the hardship with him, seemingly walking side-by-side, but in reality, he was always walking ahead.

Such a person would seem quite foolish in the real world.

Letting others reap the benefits while shouldering all the risks, even death.

Previously, even with Shigure Kira's kind nature, she would have advised such a person to consider themselves more.

But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to tell Li Mo to stop and rest.

Because he couldn't stop.

Saori Tsuruyo wanted Li Mo's acknowledgment, to become his companion.

Even if the end of this path was destined to be death.

When she was young, she often heard people mock moths flying into flames as foolish, stupid.

She herself felt the same way, wondering why choose to plunge into fire for no good reason.

Isn't living good? You can do so many things while alive...

But as she grew older, Saori Tsuruyo gradually understood a principle.

The meaning of life isn't in its length, but its breadth.

A life of repetitive, dull assembly-line work is worse than striving passionately for what you love.

Mindlessly raising and lowering hands on a factory line, day after day... no soul, no thought, no impulse, no emotion.

Better to die pursuing a dream.

Even if the dream doesn't come true in the end, it doesn't matter.

Because in the process of chasing the moonlight, you yourself are illuminated by it, becoming the most dazzling, brilliant person.

Saori Tsuruyo smiled foolishly.

Shigure Kira glanced over but didn't expose her. Girls' thoughts are sensitive.

"That guy always finds the most correct way," Shigure Kira changed the subject.

"Yeah, why is that? Why..." Saori Tsuruyo's smile gradually faded.

Their voices grew softer, like the buzzing of mosquitoes, until even they couldn't hear their own words.

Gradually, the night deepened. Silence draped the abyss of darkness, like a colossal tomb pressing down on the entire world.

Intertwined dreams and disordered time covered Shigure Kira's consciousness.

Tonight, moonlight didn't enter the room, and she didn't dream.

Seeing their master asleep in the corner, the two surviving operatives moved two meters away from Changle, sitting on the ground to rest with closed eyes.

The Head Ghost was dormant, the Ghost Stomach quiet, the living asleep, leaving only Li Mo awake.

Li Mo subconsciously raised his left hand to massage his sore shoulder, completely unaware.

He couldn't notice this detail, his eyes fixed ahead.

As far as his sight reached, everything was shrouded in darkness.

On his shoulder, She hugged Li Mo's head, stroking, kneading, pulling.

Yet none of it could affect reality.

Li Mo stared into the long night.

The night curtain gradually receded; dawn broke. The earth was immersed in silence, as if time still lingered in slumber.

A gentle breeze tapped the door lintels and windows, bringing an unseasonal coolness, carrying the fresh scent of grass and flowers.

The contours of distant mountains slowly sharpened. Under the morning sun's glow, the forests revealed hints of emergent green.

Li Mo knew his perception was contaminated; he couldn't even see the true appearance of Mount Taixuan clearly.

"Cognitive modification isn't arbitrary. What I see now is likely the memories of the source Bizzare entity from before its death."

"Time is the friend of the Bizzare."

Li Mo murmured, having no mood to appreciate the beautiful natural scenery.

Powerful enough to affect the surrounding environment on a large scale and with high intensity—this source Bizzare entity must have suffered contamination for a very long time.

If Hua, the MANTIS from this world's Previous Era, was the source Bizzare entity, then the contamination must have started back then.

However... after hearing the legend of Shenzhou's guardian, Immortal Jingwei, from Changle, Li Mo reserved judgment on that idea.

If turned Bizzare, Hua definitely wouldn't follow Project Fire Moth, let alone punish evil and adopt the Seven Disciples of Taixu.

Something is wrong with the timeline.

Li Mo's eyes were dull and lightless, his brownish pupils having completely lost their color, leaving only turbid, chaotic pure black.

"..."

Changle lay sprawled on the cold floor, mouth open, sleeping soundly.

Understandable. For a normal living person, after prolonged tension, relaxing makes it easy to fall asleep.

The qi cultivated by martial artists primarily strengthened the body, not the mind.

Mortals wanting to cultivate psychic powers could only rely on Previous Era technology, becoming psychic MANTISes.

But becoming a MANTIS was already difficult, let alone a psychic one.

"Traits of an ordinary person."

After glancing at the sleeping Changle, Li Mo turned his gaze to Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo sleeping embraced on the wooden bed.

Having removed their outer jackets, they wore light clothing underneath, revealing large patches of snow-white skin.

Li Mo compared his own skin tone. His skin leaned towards a deathly grey, not the pinkish-white of the living.

Lacking blood color explained it, not surprising.

Life was no longer sustained by a beating heart, but by the pervasive contamination of the Bizzare.

The usually boisterous Shigure Kira slept unusually gracefully this time, not kicking Saori Tsuruyo off the bed. They held each other, pink nose tips gently touching, cherry lips slightly parted, chests rising and falling rhythmically.

Li Mo made no sound, instead walking out the door, taking out a worn Notebook from his pocket.

He stared at it for a long time but didn't actively open it.

He remembered using it completely three times. First, upon ascending the mountain, using the Notebook to understand the general background, situation, and learn some Bizzare rules.

At that time, Li Mo could easily avoid the outcomes the Notebook guided him towards.

The second time began when he learned death awaited both inside and outside the Room at night, asking the Notebook for a solution.

In fact, Li Mo originally planned to use the Head Ghost to check the Ghost Stomach, but needed the Notebook to clarify the unknown consequences.

From that point on, Li Mo had no other choices.

The third time was last night when he and Changle guarded the Room. An extra ghost appeared outside, about to break down the door.

Li Mo got the answer from the Notebook: make eye contact with Changle. An apparently non-threatening ghost was added inside, increasing the Ghost Stomach's resistance limit.

"..."

If he wasn't mistaken, the fourth time he used it, the Notebook would surely give him a reason he couldn't refuse.

Yet, instinct told Li Mo he had to use the Notebook.

His last death was baffling; he was even forced to use "Usurpation" to blank out parts of his memory.

One could imagine how powerful the memory interference of Immortal Jingwei, the source Bizzare entity, was—even memories could trigger fatal rules.

In this situation, facing Jingwei directly, he likely wouldn't even know how he died.

The Misfortune Ghost could protect consciousness, but Jingwei seemed to retain partial human awareness. If She realized and changed tactics, the Misfortune Ghost might not be able to save him.

"I can't be arrogant. Now is not the time to consider consequences."

"In this world, the first time I used you, you told me I would die in three days. If I didn't die in three days, I would die during the Zhongyuan Ghost Festival on July 15th."

"Clearly, you know a way to survive meeting the Bizzare Jingwei, otherwise you wouldn't mention me dying specifically during the Ghost Festival."

"If you remain silent, refusing to answer my question."

"I will bury you under the Pagoda Tree I saw that day. I suspect that tree isn't ordinary; I saw not only human skins on it, but also blood vessels. Plus, animals' blood seeped rapidly into the ground after death."

"Ordinary trees seek water and necessary nutrients in the soil."

"But that Bizzare Pagoda Tree might absorb Bizzare power as its nourishment. Of course, I'm guessing, but I will definitely do it—bury you inside it, making you its inexhaustible source of growth."

"Think carefully. If I die, who else can rescue you from the Bizzare-infested Mount Taixuan?"

"Now I need to hear the most suitable plan. Shigure Kira, Saori Tsuruyo, and I must all survive, then take Hua away, and deal with the Bizzare phenomenon about to spread in this world."

Li Mo's cold voice fell. The first page flipped open.

[My name is Li Mo. When you see this sentence, I am already dead.]

[I have died twice. The current me is very close to being a ghost, but I still retain human consciousness and memory.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:05 AM, I will have an audience with Jingwei in the Daoist Temple alongside Changle.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:11 AM, I escaped from the Daoist Temple, bringing "Changle" with me.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:13 AM, I saw Her.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:14 AM, I died.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM, Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo, waiting outside the Rashomon gate, did not see me emerge at the appointed time. With deadly determination, they re-entered Mount Taixuan to search for me.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:35 AM, Shigure Kira killed Saori Tsuruyo.]

[Tomorrow morning at 10:37 AM, Shigure Kira committed suicide.]

[On July 15th, at 10:00 PM, the Human Skin Ghosts and Flesh Ghosts meet, fully reviving, losing their nighttime movement restrictions, losing their movement speed limitations, and beginning to kill living humans indiscriminately.]

[On July 16th, Shenzhou falls into turmoil. The number of ghosts increases a hundredfold. Ghosts kill humans, humans become ghosts.]

[On July 18th, the Bizzare phenomenon spreads to Europe.]

[On July 19th, Europe attempts to kill ghosts with thermal weapons, all attempts fail.]

[On the same day, at 8:03 PM, Otto Apocalypse hears the call of "Kallen," dead for many years. Dominated by lingering sentiment, he looks back, triggering the look-back death rule. His consciousness instantly dissipates.]

[On July 20th, Europe falls. The last living human loses control of their throat, emitting piercing, sharp cat cries.]

[On July 23rd, at 1:02 AM, the last living person on Earth puts a gun barrel in their mouth and pulls the trigger. One minute later, death is confirmed.]

[On July 24th, at 1:03 AM, ghosts roam every corner of this world, right... beside you.]

"..."

The Notebook rarely provided such lengthy future information, yet Li Mo couldn't feel happy at all.

From entering the Daoist Temple to death, only nine minutes.

Within those short nine minutes, he escaped the temple with Changle, yet still triggered a rule, seeing the unknown "Her."

Rationally speaking, Li Mo's current combat power was second only to the Herrscher of Finality, and he wouldn't die even walking through millions of Honkai fission bombs.

Only Bizzare instant-death rules could kill him.

But he was definitely not the type to carelessly look up and make eye contact with a ghost. He now avoided eye contact with everyone—Shigure Kira, Saori Tsuruyo, Changle. So there was only one possibility.

He was forced into eye contact, without even a means to counter it.

"They... died too?..."

After his death, Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo entered Mount Taixuan without life-saving measures.

They couldn't restart, lacked the Misfortune Ghost's protection, and didn't even meet the required combat strength. Death was easily foreseeable.

"Since they could travel through time and space to this parallel world, they surely have a way back. There's no need to re-enter Mount Taixuan searching for me after I missed the rendezvous."

"Regarding the arrangement, I would definitely say if I don't arrive at the meeting point on time, you should return to your own world, don't worry about me..."

Speaking up to this point, Li Mo realized something and stopped talking.

Europe falling in three days was expected. They were completely unfamiliar with Bizzare entities. Facing exponentially increasing numbers of ghosts, lasting three days was already their limit.

"Eight days."

"If the Bizzare phenomenon from the Forest of Human Skin spreads, it will kill every living person in the world in eight days."

Like entropy increasing without order, it might temporarily miss a place, but over time, it would inevitably spread to every corner of the world.

Whether hiding thousands of meters under the sea or living in desolate, uninhabited valleys.

No one could escape.

The Notebook's narrative paused for half a minute, seemingly waiting intentionally for Li Mo to finish analyzing the situation.

"Continue."

Hearing Li Mo's words, the first page of the Notebook erased all previous content, and new text, tinged crimson and smelling of blood, reappeared.

[My name is Li Mo. When you see this sentence, I am already dead.]

[To survive, I must kill myself with my own hands. I must do this. Only then can I live...]

"Is this hope? Or deeper despair?" Li Mo muttered coldly to himself.

If it was a trap, it seemed too obvious.

But... who knew if the obviousness itself wasn't the trap?

What if the Notebook was playing dumb, deliberately portraying despair as hope?

"You're back to your old tricks." Li Mo remarked casually, as the Notebook repeated the line— [My name is Li Mo. When you see this sentence, I am already dead.]

"Continue." Li Mo watched intently, focusing on every word, every sentence appearing in the Notebook.

[My name is Li Mo. Today is the third day since I reached the summit of Mount Taixuan. Tomorrow, I will proceed with the audience with Immortal Jingwei as scheduled.]

[I learned of the desperate future from the Notebook. If I do nothing today, I will surely die tomorrow.]

[During the day, I escorted Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo down the mountain. Near the foot of the mountain, I bought the Iris Moon Inn.]

[This is the only place below the mountain capable of hiding the presence of the living.]

[After doing this, I brought Shigure Kira and Saori Tsuruyo back to the front of the Rashomon gate and made an agreement with them—if I haven't returned by 10:30 AM, they should return to their own world and not look for me. If I arrive near the Rashomon gate before 10:30 AM, no matter what state I'm in, take me away and try everything possible to survive until July 15th.]

[I also instructed them to entertain and record the ghosts entering the inn for meals at night, but not allow them upstairs, and absolutely forbid them from staying overnight.]

[During this period, all Bizzare items on my person, including the most mysterious Notebook, will be kept by Saori Tsuruyo.]

[They can make eye contact with the guests because, within the Iris Moon Inn, as long as the ghosts aren't made aware of their own deaths, they won't realize they are ghosts, and their own rules will remain dormant.]

[After making the agreement, I followed the blood trail left by the deer killed two days prior, returning to the base of the Pagoda Tree that almost killed me.]

[At 9:08 PM, I stood under the tree, turned on my phone flashlight, made eye contact with the human skin on the tree, aimed the Bizzare Handgun at my own forehead, and fired, causing a wound that wouldn't heal quickly.]

[At 9:11 PM, I heard someone call my name from behind. I turned around without hesitation and said: "I am here. I am Li Mo."]

"..."

Never look back when called, never stand under the tree, never use light, never get injured, never make eye contact.

Five instant-death rules triggered simultaneously. If Li Mo hadn't lost the capacity for jokes, he would definitely ask: Are you using my life for some kind of twisted experiment, seeing which death rule is strongest?

[At 9:12 PM, I took down that human skin from the Pagoda Tree.]

[At 9:13 PM, I placed that human skin over my own face.]

[My name is Li Mo. I seem to be dead, but I am still alive.]

[My name is Li Mo. I seem to be alive, but I am already dead.]

[My name is Li Mo. Tomorrow morning at 10:14 AM, it died. I survived.]