Deep in the jungle.
Spades leapt from trunk to trunk with Bai Liu on his back, moving closer and closer to the lake. From below, the faint voices of Tang Erda and Liu Jiayi drifted upward.
"That group of corpses is still chasing us," Tang Erda said. "More precisely, they're chasing you."
Liu Jiayi asked, "Bai Liu, are you planning to lure them to the bottom of the lake while crossing and rack up points?"
Bai Liu gave a vague hum.
Liu Jiayi and Tang Erda exchanged a glance. Then, as they reached the lake's edge, they split up without another word.
Behind them, from the forest floor to the treetops, corpses swarmed densely—some half-formed, some fully decayed baring fangs and claws as they howled at Bai Liu above.
Spades pushed off a trunk with his left foot and shot into the air. Instantly, several blackened corpses leapt up after him, roaring as they lunged for Bai Liu.
Spades turned calmly, shielding Bai Liu with his body. His whip cracked through the air, knocking the corpses aside. He landed steadily on one knee atop another branch.
The branch trembled.
Suddenly, Spades asked, "Bai Liu, I think you know why these corpses are chasing you. You could easily stop this pursuit. Why are you deliberately letting them follow you?"
Bai Liu smiled. "Didn't Liu Jiayi just say that as long as they keep chasing me, I can lure them into the lake and accumulate points? Once they're absorbed at the lake bottom, they'll count toward my score. That's my goal."
Spades replied without hesitation, "You're lying. That's not your purpose."
Bai Liu paused. His arm around Spades' neck loosened slightly.
"Spades," he said lightly, amusement in his tone, "your intuition about me isn't always accurate."
"Sometimes you should listen to what I tell you instead of trusting your instincts."
Spades fell silent, frowning faintly as if trying to suppress his own instincts.
After a moment, he asked, "Once we lure them into the lake, you'll stop them from chasing you, right?"
Bai Liu lowered his eyes. "Yes."
Spades pushed off again, whipping aside another wave of corpses as they drew closer to the water.
Bai Liu leaned against Spades' shoulder, glancing at the increasingly near blue lake. His fingers tightened slowly into a fist.
Wind carrying embers brushed through their hair as Spades accelerated.
Bai Liu rested his head between Spades' shoulder blades. After a long silence, he spoke casually, almost teasingly: "Spades, your intuition really is impressive. What is it telling you now?"
"It's telling me you're afraid. And that you're lying," Spades answered calmly. "You don't like jumping into water. You hate this burning environment. You hate these charred body parts. You hate watching bodies sink."
"You're not jumping into the lake for points. It's for something else. Something more dangerous. You hate doing it, but you've decided to anyway."
He paused. "I don't understand why you would choose to do something you hate."
"Do you hate ignoring your intuition?" Bai Liu asked softly.
Spades nodded. "I don't like it."
Bai Liu chuckled quietly. "Then why are you willing to ignore it for me? You can clearly tell I'm lying. Yet you're doing something you dislike."
Spades hesitated. "…Because you asked me to."
"Are you willing to do whatever someone asks?" Bai Liu asked with a smile. "Would you do the same for others?"
Spades answered instantly, "No."
"Then why are you willing when I ask?"
Spades was silent. When he spoke again, confusion laced his voice. "…I don't know."
Bai Liu opened his mouth as if to say something more. In the end, he only smiled.
"Spades, has no one ever told you that sometimes people are willing to do things they hate—for someone else?"
Spades shook his head honestly. "Why?"
Bai Liu was quiet for a long time. "…Because I love that person."
He spoke so softly it was almost carried away by the wind.
The next second, he released his hold on Spades and fell backward.
Spades had just whipped aside another wave of corpses. The moment he noticed Bai Liu slipping away, he turned instantly. Ignoring the monsters lunging at him, he struck aside the one nearest Bai Liu and dove down after him, reaching out.
Bai Liu fell freely through the burning forest air. His pure black, emotionless eyes reflected Spades' rapidly approaching figure like a mirror.
Corpses swarmed toward him. Though most were blown away by Spades' whip, there were too many. Some still crawled onto Bai Liu's body.
[System Alert: Player Bai Liu has been attacked by a monster (Zombie Corpse). Mental value decreasing…]
[System Alert: Player Bai Liu's mental value has fallen below 60. Hallucinations imminent…]
Spades stared intensely.
He tried several times to loop his whip around Bai Liu's waist and pull him up—but each time, he stopped.
He wasn't sure.
Spades had never measured his strength carefully when attacking monsters. Though it appeared controlled, he himself had never needed to be precise.
He had never used a whip to save someone.
He didn't know if this strike would pull Bai Liu up safely or cut him in half.
For the first time, Spades understood the meaning of The Reverse God's words.
(Practice with your whip. One day, you'll face a moment when you want to use it but can't control it.)
(At that time, you will lose to someone who can.)
Spades drove back the approaching corpses with his whip, then stepped rapidly down the trunks, descending toward the lake.
Just as his hand nearly grasped Bai Liu's shoulder, Bai Liu turned his head and smiled at him.
The smile was pure and mischievous. His eyes were filled entirely with Spades' reflection, shimmering like water. It was radiant with unrestrained joy, and yet it looked as though he might cry the next second.
Looking at Spades, Bai Liu said softly: "Xie Ta, I missed you so much."
"Goodbye."
Spades froze.
As his fingers brushed Bai Liu's hand, Bai Liu slipped from his grasp and fell into the cold lake below.
Then Spades followed.
All around them, the corpses surged madly toward the water. A black tide poured into the lake, instantly staining the blue-green surface pitch black.
Even the corpses and charred wood fragments meant for the new evil god's sacrificial ritual were drawn toward the lake bottom.
Only a few corpses remained behind, frozen in place by an unknown force. They twisted and howled as they continued carving the unfinished wooden statue of the new evil god.
After watching the corpses flee, Alex laughed in a daze.
"Bai Liu has finally come. I can finally be free."
The Reverse God's expression darkened.
"This is bad. With this reaction… Bai Liu chose to accept the evil god's gift."
He cut the ropes binding his hands. The other three quickly did the same and leapt down from the stakes.
Bai Yi yawned groggily. "What happened? I just fell asleep. Did we collect all the [True End] route information and clear the level?"
Bai Jiamu rolled his eyes. "How can you fall asleep at a time like this? Are you a pig?"
Bai Yi replied confidently, "Every time The Reverse God pushes the [True End] storyline, I can't understand a word. I might as well rest. I still have housework to do after logging out. Do you think it's easy for a househusband like me to squeeze in training time?"
Bai Jiamu was speechless. "…You're the only one who can admit your stupidity so openly."
"Did you understand what he said just now?" Bai Yi nudged him mischievously.
Bai Jiamu: "…"
Actually, I didn't. I almost fell asleep, too.
The Reverse God waved helplessly. "Enough. Let's focus."
Bai Yi and Bai Jiamu grew serious and drew their weapons.
[System Alert: Player Bai Yi activates personal skill (Cooking God). Tool selected: High-Speed Egg Beater.]
Bai Yi pulled out an egg beater half his height and slung it over his shoulder.
[System Alert: Player Bai Jiamu activates personal skill (Failed Scalpel).]
Bai Jiamu withdrew several loop-handled scalpels from his chest, sliding them between his fingers and spinning them fluidly without cutting himself. Then he grasped the hilts and nodded at The Reverse God.
Ready.
The Reverse God raised his hand as if to draw something from behind him, then lowered it.
"Let's go."
Bai Yi blinked. "Hey, Reverse God, aren't you using your skill weapon? Yours is the strongest among us. And with Bai Liu's rebellious personality, your skill would probably work wonders on him."
The Reverse God turned and smiled, eyes curved gently.
"Yes. Which is why we'll save it for the official league and maximize its value."
"It would be wasteful, and a bit foolish, to reveal our trump card now."
Bai Yi and Bai Jiamu, who had both just used their "trump card" skills: "…"
They could never tell whether The Reverse God was mocking them or genuinely strategizing.
The Reverse God walked forward decisively.
Bai Jiamu followed. "Where are we going?"
"The lake," The Reverse God answered without hesitation. "That's where Bai Liu chose the final battlefield."
Bai Jiamu was puzzled: "Why?"
The Reverse God turned slightly. "Because he made a deal with us. He promised to make Spades lose miserably and quit the game at the lake."
"That man does not break his deals lightly. He will deliver the crushing defeat he promised—at the lake."
-----------------
On the Other End
After Spades followed Bai Liu into the lake, Tang Erda and Liu Jiayi jumped in without hesitation.
The dark, cold lake was murky and opaque. One could only vaguely see long black corpses swimming beneath the surface. A steady stream of bodies crawled into the water, spreading from the lake's edge toward the center.
The bottom of the lake seemed to boil with asphalt-like mud, swallowing the corpses whole.
Tang Erda stood in front of Liu Jiayi, continuously shooting at the approaching body parts, but several still latched onto him. His left shoulder and Liu Jiayi's left foot began to transform into corpses.
The visibility underwater was extremely low, and the speed of bullets was hindered. This map greatly restricted Tang Erda's performance as a gunner.
As for Liu Jiayi, her poison was a weapon that could kill a thousand enemies but cost eight hundred of her own—especially underwater.
Before locating Bai Liu, she couldn't risk using the antidote in time. If she overused her poison, she might accidentally kill Bai Liu instead.
Liu Jiayi curled her corpse-like left foot and frowned in thought.
…She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but throughout this entire instance, Bai Liu seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally separating her and Tang Erda from himself—or bringing them into game environments that limited the use of their abilities.
At the very beginning, Bai Liu let Spades take him away. Later, he sent them to the Red Cross Team and Assault Team 1 separately. After they finally reunited, he led them to the border area where they couldn't use their skills.
And now—it was this turbid lake, where both her poison and Tang Erda's gun were heavily restricted.
Liu Jiayi was certain Bai Liu had already deciphered the design rules of the game "Jungle Edge." Under normal circumstances, he would have taken an extreme gamble and ended the game in one decisive move.
But… he had dragged it out until now. And he kept choosing maps that suppressed her and Tang Erda's abilities.
This wasn't Bai Liu's tactical style at all. He excelled at maximizing each teammate's strengths—not restricting them at every turn.
…It gave her the feeling that Bai Liu was waiting for something extremely dangerous—something they would absolutely stop him from touching.
And so he used every method available to isolate them, suppress their abilities, and prevent them from interfering.
Liu Jiayi stared at the dark lakebed, unease tightening in her chest.
Bai Liu, what exactly are you planning by scheming against everyone like this?!
The Reverse God and his team rushed to the lakeside. They saw clusters of black corpses plunging into the water. From afar, it looked like swarms of black ants crawling toward a massive puddle.
Bai Yi shuddered. "What on earth is happening in that lake?"
The Reverse God looked toward the surging water. "We'll only know once we go down."
He jumped in without hesitation. Bai Jiamu and another teammate followed immediately. Bai Yi rubbed his goosebumps, pinched his nose in resignation, and dove in after them.
Tang Erda reached the bottom of the lake before Liu Jiayi and even before The Reverse God's team.
Body parts were continuously swallowed by the lakebed, forming a massive whirlpool. The more bodies were consumed, the thicker the mud became.
Bai Liu lay at the center of it all.
His hands were clasped over his abdomen. His face was calm and indifferent, his eyes half-closed and devoid of light. The pale skin of his neck glowed faintly in the dim lakebed.
His shoulders, both arms, and both legs had completely transformed into corpses, turning an unnatural bluish-white.
He lay peacefully among the bodies surrounding him—like someone about to be buried alongside them.
Spades gripped Bai Liu's shoulders tightly, trying to pull him free—but he could only watch as Bai Liu sank deeper and deeper into the mass of corpses.
It wasn't that he lacked the strength.
Spades exerted force and clearly heard the sound of bones cracking and flesh tearing. He immediately loosened his grip, bubbles spilling from the corners of his mouth. He stared coldly at the bodies beneath Bai Liu.
The corpse parts had completely fused with him.
Unless Bai Liu chose to resist on his own, Spades could only tear his shoulders off—he couldn't pull him out whole.
But Bai Liu clearly didn't want to leave. He lay there as if asleep.
The transformation had spread to his heart.
Spades' resistance stats were absurdly high; the corpse parts posed little threat to him for now. None of his body had transformed.
He stared at Bai Liu for a long moment—then suddenly leaned down and wrapped his arms tightly around him, using his own body to shield him from the rising corpse parts.
Bai Liu finally opened his eyes and looked at Spades above him.
"You don't have to do this for me."
"I'm not doing it for you." Spades' voice was muffled; bubbles streamed from his mouth. "I just think I did something wrong."
"What did you do wrong?"
"I should have trusted my intuition instead of your words. You really were lying to me."
Bai Liu chuckled softly. "Yes. Didn't the Reverse God teach you? The smarter someone is, the more they like to lie."
"Mm." Spades tightened his embrace. "I understand now."
Bai Liu was dragged deeper. His body and the corpse parts formed an airtight seal. The area Spades could shield grew smaller and smaller.
In the end, only Bai Liu's eyes and his right hand remained untransformed.
Spades grasped that hand tightly—careful not to use too much strength, yet not daring to loosen his grip. His black eyes locked onto Bai Liu's gradually disappearing gaze.
Bai Liu's voice drifted from within the corpses, still carrying a smile.
"Spades… I once held someone's hand like this, trying to save him."
"Did you succeed?"
"Yes. He was saved."
"Now… It's his turn to hold my hand and save me."
His voice grew fainter.
"But suddenly… I want to know what the world that belongs to God looks like after he was buried underwater."
"Can I enter that world… find him again… destroy everything that imprisoned him… and bring his soul back?"
As his voice vanished, the writhing corpses stilled. The lakebed became clear once more.
Liu Jiayi and Tang Erda finally saw Spades' position.
They rushed toward him instantly.
Liu Jiayi stared in disbelief at Bai Liu, who had been swallowed until only his right hand remained exposed.
And even that hand was gradually turning into a corpse.
She immediately reached for her antidote.
Spades shook his head. "This is a spirit-type attack. Your potion won't work."
Tang Erda raised his gun to shoot the massive writhing corpse beneath them—but Spades grabbed the barrel.
His eyes were devoid of emotion.
"Bai Liu is down there. He and the corpse have fused. If you shoot it, you'll hurt him too."
Liu Jiayi stared motionlessly at her right hand, which had only two fingers left that had not been turned into a corpse. Her expression almost twisted in an instant.
——Think of a way! Think of a way quickly! There must be a way to stop Bai Liu from becoming alienated!
There is no way.
This was Bai Liu's own desire for alienation. She couldn't stop Bai Liu from doing anything he wanted to do. She couldn't even understand why Bai Liu did this!
Liu Jiayi and Tang Erda watched helplessly as their right hands were devoured and turned into corpses, while Spades released his fingers one by one.
In the end, the right hand also completely turned into a corpse.
[System Alert – All Players: Player Bai Liu's spirit value has dropped to 0. His body has been fully alienated. Exiting the game.]