Chapter 1155: Disintegration
"You..." Bai Jiu's lips trembled slightly as she spoke. "You've realized it too... that you might already be..."
"Ninth Sister." Qiu Shiliu sighed. "Every step I've taken to get here—from major battles to things as small as not falling into the abyss just now—I owe all of it to every member of Cat. So don't give me polite formalities here, telling me to find a way to save everyone on my own."
"You..."
"We're already at this point now. The worst-case scenario is that everyone enters Xuanwu's body together and ends up in this small mountain village." Qiu Shiliu said. "We've already found a way out, so now is the time to go all out."
Bai Jiu nodded after hearing this. Such was the way of things in this world.
If she had told Qiu Shiliu that world was fake, Qiu Shiliu would likely have become suspicious. Even if she agreed, trust issues would arise later on. But when she gave up on that idea and wanted Qiu Shiliu to escape alone, Qiu Shiliu instead chose to help the entire Cat team.
If one had to put a name to it, this was a mutual "trust" passed between them.
"So Ninth Sister, just tell me what to do."
"Shiliu, first I need to make something clear..." Bai Jiu said. "No matter what you're seeing right now, without evidence, we can't confirm what's strange about the world you entered, nor can we confirm it's the real world. After all, in the Land of Eternity, there are many ways to make you feel something similar."
"I understand. Whether it's dream entry, apparitions, illusions, or even clever artifacts, any of them could make me mistakenly believe I've returned to reality." Qiu Shiliu said decisively. "So I've thought it through now—following Cat's plan is the safest choice."
"Good." Bai Jiu nodded. "Since you understand that, I think you should go check that room again. After all, 'the most important door' points to that building."
"Alright, I'll... wait." Qiu Shiliu said. "Ninth Sister, it seems like someone is coming up the mountain."
"Hm...?"
Qiu Shiliu turned the "door" in her hand, illuminating the only path up the mountain. A gaunt figure was walking up from below.
Bai Jiu was about to speak when she suddenly heard an unusual sound.
Xuanwu, who had been staring blankly into space, suddenly seemed to be stimulated by something. She struck out with her palm violently, sending Luo Shiyi flying backward.
Fortunately, Luo Shiyi always carried "Forget Worry." Even after being sent flying, he only let out a muffled grunt. He could feel several of his ribs were broken, but for now, he felt no pain.
"Damn it..." Luo Shiyi got up from the ground as if nothing had happened. "That madwoman is way too sudden..."
"Why..." Xuanwu suddenly spoke. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Before anyone could answer, Xuanwu swung her hand at Luo Shiwu again. Luo Shiwu had no time to block. His neck snapped instantly, and he stood frozen in place for a second before falling straight to his knees.
"Damn it..." Bai Jui murmured. "Something's wrong with Xuanwu... I need to go check on her."
"Ninth Sister! What about me?!"
"Shiliu, I suspect the person coming up the mountain is definitely heading for the house behind you!" Bai Jiu said through Jiang Shi's eye. "Find a way to hide inside and see what that person is planning to do!"
"Alright... alright!" Qiu Shiliu said.
Bai Jiu stood up to leave, but Jiang Shi reached out and grabbed her.
"Little Jiang Shi..."
"Ninth Sister, take me with you." Jiang Shi said. "I have both 'Forget Worry' and 'Undying' right now. I can still withstand some attacks."
Bai Jiu naturally didn't want to continue taking Jiang Shi into dangerous territory. It would only hasten his death.
"Besides... you still need to communicate with Shiliu." Jiang Shi said. "The situation is already bizarre enough. Only my eye can contact Shiliu, but I can't see anything myself."
"This..." Bai Jiu looked at Jiang Shi with sorrow, then nodded. "Alright... thank you for your trouble..."
As she finished speaking, Bai Jiu raised her hand and whistled. A figure floated down from the sky.
"Ninth Sister, what are your orders?" The newcomer was Wu Shisan, "Hover."
"Thirteen, help me take Jiang Shi to the battlefield. We need to hold off Xuanwu."
"This..." Wu Shisan looked at Jiang Shi, who was barely holding on, then said, "Can Tenth Brother really handle this in his condition?"
"Don't ask, just hurry."
Seeing Luo Shiyi sent flying, Wang Ba quickly stepped in front of Xuanwu, blocking the others behind him. His short, stout figure looked especially comical.
But in the next second, his body grew with the wind, instantly doubling in size.
"Xuanwu... isn't the reason we're standing here to kill you?"
"Kill me...?" Xuanwu's ethereal voice rang out.
"That's right." Wang Ba, now looking like a giant, took a step forward. His heavy footsteps made the ground tremble. "What, having second thoughts? Not willing to give us the chance anymore?"
Xuanwu said nothing in response. She simply vanished from her spot, reappearing right beside Wang Ba in the next instant, driving a heavy punch toward his abdomen.
*Thud!*
Wang Ba quickly brought his hand down to block. Though he stopped the attack, he was forced back four or five steps, a pained expression on his face.
Everyone present frowned at the sight.
In the other space, Qiu Shiliu didn't know what had happened on that side. She quickly turned and ran toward the rundown, abandoned house.
She searched the old building for a long time. Perhaps the only place to hide was behind the bundles of dry hay piled in the corner. Without a second thought, she slipped behind them and held her breath as much as possible.
After all, she didn't know if this space counted as the real world, or whether the person walking in was even human.
It could very well be something like that faceless person from before—neither fully human nor fully something else.
Before long, light footsteps approached from afar, and Qiu Shiliu's heart climbed into her throat.
Then, the door *creaked* open, and an extremely thin figure stepped inside.
It was a young girl with disheveled hair, wearing tattered clothes. Her hair looked like it hadn't been washed or cared for in years, and its wild messiness made her look almost like a feral child.
She carried a small, worn-out bag on her back. After entering, she set it down slowly and walked over to the stove to start a fire.
Qiu Shiliu stared at the girl's back, still unable to process her disbelief, when she heard the girl speak slowly—
"You can kill me, but you cannot disintegrate me."
...
"You can kill me, but you cannot disintegrate me."
Xuanwu raised her head and said this to Wang Ba in front of her.
Her voice was distant, as if coming from another space entirely.