Wang Chen's eyes narrowed, a faint green tint of jealousy practically shimmering within them as he stared at the status window again… and again… and again.

No matter how many times he blinked, rubbed his eyes, or squinted suspiciously, the numbers didn't change.

They were still absurdly high.

After another long breath, he finally accepted the truth—whether he liked it or not.

Acceptance, however, did nothing to soothe the humiliation burning inside his chest.

Only he knew what it felt like to grind through the first floor with a shitty Cleaner class, a class so pathetic that even resentful ghosts treated him like free lunch. The day his body was torn apart the first time—bones cracking, flesh ripping, consciousness fading—he had thought he would carry that trauma to the grave.

And now?

His disciple awakened a godly, heaven-defying set of stats on day one.

Wang Chen's lips twitched uncontrollably.

What kind of reverse-karmic joke was this?

Just how low had he sunk… to feel jealous of his own disciple?

But no matter how much he scolded himself, the jealousy refused to fade.

So in the end, he could only forcefully swallow it down like bitter medicine.

When he shifted his gaze toward Li Mei's status window, his heart trembled all over again.

Thankfully, he had mentally prepared himself, so this time he managed to hold his expression steady—barely.

"…Providence," he muttered, rubbing his chin. "Great Dao Providence."

He remembered the cryptic attribute beneath Lin Huang's real-world status. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. There had to be something divine or cosmic supporting the two of them.

Meanwhile, time in the test world didn't pause for Wang Chen's internal crisis.

In the fishing village, the countdown silently hit zero.

And the world shifted.

Screams erupted almost instantly.

"Run! Run as fast as you can! Don't look back!"

"Mommy—! Mommy, where are you?! Wahh!! Don't leave me!"

A little girl, barely six, cried helplessly as she was swept around by the panicked crowd. Her small hands reached out desperately for her mother—

—who had already vanished.

The villagers trampled across the dirt roads like terrified cattle, shoving aside anyone weaker, slower, or inconvenient.

In the midst of this chaos, two unmoving silhouettes stood still.

Their calm, steady breathing felt like an insult to the hysteria around them.

Lin Huang didn't even spare the fleeing villagers a glance. His gaze remained fixed on the exit of the village, where the first shadow of abyssal corruption was beginning to gather.

Cowards.

The word carved itself into his mind like a sword stroke.

These were people who abandoned children to run a few steps faster.

People who would throw aside their own blood to save their worthless lives.

Watching the mother disappear into the crowd without looking back once made something cold tighten inside him.

His disgust deepened.

Not for the first time in his life… he realized humanity could be far more monstrous than demons.

Li Mei watched quietly as Lin Huang knelt before the trembling little girl, gently patting her head in an effort to calm her sobs. The child clung to his sleeve, tiny shoulders shaking, tears streaking muddy paths down her round cheeks.

Li Mei sighed.

Not out of pity.

Not out of outrage at the mother who had abandoned her daughter without a backward glance.

No—Li Mei understood far too well how the world worked.

This was simply the law of the jungle.

In times of peace, people liked to talk about morals, affection, and bonds of the heart.

But when death was approaching… sentiment meant nothing.

To the mother, the little girl was nothing but extra weight—one more obstacle between her and survival.

If the girl had possessed a rare physique, a powerful innate talent, or even a hint of providence, the situation might have been different.

Humans cherished emotions only when their stomachs were full.

Right now?

Fear ruled everything.

In the span of a single breath, the once-bustling village had emptied completely. Doors swung open in the wind; rice bowls rolled across the dirt; a sandal lay abandoned near the well.

Silence claimed the streets.

But the silence didn't last long.

From the far side of the village, distorted shadows emerged—one after another—dragged out by a creeping, baleful mist. Their footsteps made no sound. Their grins were too wide, too sharp, filled with a bloodlust that seemed eager to paint the earth red.

Li Mei counted them quickly.

Ten… eleven… twelve…

Her heartbeat paused for half a second.

Abyssal Demons.

The air twisted around them, as though reality itself refused to come too close.

Li Mei's eyes trembled.

This was her first time seeing Abyssal Demons with her own eyes.

In the Upper Realm, she had only read about them in ancient records—stories describing how they had wiped out countless clans during the Great Catastrophe a hundred thousand years ago.

But reading about them and facing them were two entirely different things.

Beside her, Old Man Fang's legs shook uncontrollably. Cold sweat dripped down his temples. His fingers twitched, and his palms were slick.

Of course he was terrified.

Who wouldn't be?

Yet, despite his fear, he didn't take a single step back.

Escape didn't even cross his mind.

Whether it was bravery or foolishness, even Li Mei couldn't tell.

Just then, Wang Chen's voice suddenly echoed inside their minds, brisk and calm:

"Listen carefully. Killing these demons will make you stronger. Each kill may unlock new skills—unique abilities designed specifically for slaying Abyssal Demons."

Lin Huang straightened slightly.

Li Mei's eyes sharpened.

Old Man Fang gulped loudly.

On the outside, his tone sounded instructional, but inside the waiting hall, Wang Chen leaned closer to the projection screen—curious and amused.

His eyes drifted toward Old Man Fang.

"Last time," he murmured to himself, "the old man died before he even realized he was under attack. Let's see… will this run be any different?"

Compared to him, Lin Huang and Li Mei had monstrous starting stats—far superior to anything he'd had on his first tower attempt.

Saving the old man shouldn't be that hard for them.

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