"Who cares about your sacrifice? They'll only remember the one time you succeeded, not the countless times you failed..."

Tian Bufan pressed his lips together, "Why ask a question when you already know the answer? In the current world, no one will remember us, but the Fortune Life Wei Liang the Celestial, future people will... History will leave words, and people will remember all those who sacrificed for this."

"Like the 'Law Code'?" Big Snake sneered, "What if what's inscribed in history is essentially a joke? Who still remembers 'Law', remembers 'Judge'? Even the Night Watchman's cognition is built on the 'Contractor's Sin'!"

"They will never understand what they are desperately trying to find!"

"But the 'Principal' knows!" Tian Bufan said, "He has jumped out of this cycle! 'Zero'! I am not deceiving you, this is truly our closest attempt to success!"

"This time, it's not just us; the 'Principal', he is finally not the person he used to be!"

"We need your help! You know why, you understand us, after all, you have failed countless times."

[Heh heh heh... heh heh heh...]

The Big Snake laughed.

"So, this time, what do you want me to do?"

"I understand you, just like you understand me."

"You need to know, 'Time' itself is a curse. Every failed attempt adds layers that push our plot in a more adverse direction..."

Tian Bufan said, "Our world is full of scars, unable to endure even the early stages of contamination. The 'Principal' is the first to understand the risks, so he jumped out of the cycle and added a 'lever' for this. Shouldn't we also make a move?"

"Lever, multiplier... if successful, great joy ensues."

"And if it fails?" Big Snake sneered, cold winds blew through the forest leaves, and the trees were coated in frost, "Is failure not considered at all?"

"Only allow victory, not defeat," Tian Bufan stated.

"A ridiculous obsession," Big Snake scoffed, "Why don't you let Wei Liang relinquish the gambler's title to you? I think you're the real gambler."

"It seems you've agreed to my conditions," Tian Bufan said.

"But you haven't said how I'd agree?" Big Snake countered.

Tian Bufan slowly said, "Same old rules, at the most critical moment, you help me intercept the 'Angel' or other negative things, and I promise you, this time, we will save 'her'."

[Boom—!!!]

Upon hearing the latter part of the sentence, Big Snake seemed to be hit by the most terrifying stimulation, a violent wave surged within, making the entire world totter, on the brink of collapsing.

"Are you serious?!"

"We don't deceive our own," Tian Bufan said seriously.

"Then it's a deal," Big Snake agreed almost immediately, fearing Tian Bufan might backtrack, finally adding, "You know how to summon me."

"I don't know," Tian Bufan shook his head, "More accurately, Old Lin doesn't know yet."

"Ah, yes..." Big Snake murmured, "So excited, almost forgot, to avoid the 'Angel' memory has to be erased every time..."

Lin Yi was shocked, how could this Big Snake know so much about them?!

Even aware of memory erasures?

And what is this "old rule" Tian Bufan mentioned and what Big Snake refers to as "every time"?

Big Snake laughed deeply: "Heh heh heh... 'Old Lin'... what a long-lost name..."

"Listening further, I'm really afraid it might evoke some bad memories for me..."

"That's the end of the negotiation, you have successfully persuaded me again... Young Master Tian."

"My shadow will follow you all... but you know, like Wei Liang, my power too is only effective once, upon summoning me, the 'Angel' will surely appear as well."

"Rather than letting me fight against the 'Angel', it's more like having me attract the 'Angel'."

"I understand," Tian Bufan said.

"Then until next time... no, hopefully, never again."

"Heh heh heh..."

The silhouette of the Big Snake in the Abyss slowly faded away.

In the wind, there seemed to be a low murmur:

[Touch my deep blue pupils, crack my star skeleton, fortify my raw moon...]

[Burn my bone-flaming fire, make my wave ornament infinite, shatter my memory staff...]

[Bind my time cocoon, swallow my name, bury my unbred disaster...]

[great stars...]

[great stars...]

[When the black moon withers, the sorrow mothers return from the infinite deep sea...]

Lin Yi's heart trembled; this murmured song was so similar to what Maozi sang in the cemetery layers!

Could it be that the Big Snake is also one of those buried in the cemetery?

He hurriedly tried to remember these chant-like voices. However, the Big Snake only chanted it once, so he hadn't remembered it fully, only the [great stars] which was repeated once, etched in his mind as the translation "vast stars."

With the disappearance of the Big Snake, a silhouette stepped on the dry leaves and slowly emerged from the Abyss.

"Ssh ssh ssh... ssh ssh ssh..."

Lin Yi widened his eyes to look over, but saw that the silhouette was of a normal body size, similar to his own, but enveloped in mist, with indistinct facial features hidden and unclear, as if having features, yet faceless.

"I will slumber in your shadow until you need me again," the faceless "Zero" said slowly, and in the next moment, it seemed to melt and vanish on the spot.

"Negotiation completed, all went smoothly," Tian Bufan murmured.

"This... is it done?" Lin Yi asked in surprise, "Don't we need to sign some kind of agreement?"

"A paper agreement is merely a 'cognition' tool for both parties to see... Many unilaterally breach agreements in reality, how much use does it have?" Tian Bufan said, "An agreement protects the weak, real negotiations are already established when our recognitions are clear, signing or not signing is just a formality."

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