“Distracting thoughts…?”

“You still have distracting thoughts, don’t you?” The older woman asked with a smile. “How can you obtain ‘Echo’ like this?”

“I… why should I eliminate my ‘distracting thoughts’?” Qi Xia’s eyes instantly turned cold. “What exactly do you mean?”

“Young man, come listen to my class.” The older woman said with a smile. “I will answer everyone’s questions one by one.”

After speaking, the older woman placed one hand together in prayer and made a cross on her chest with the other, then bade everyone farewell and left.

Yun Yao shook her head helplessly and said to Qi Xia, “I suggest you don’t go.”

“Why?”

“Auntie Tong’s theories are all over the place. Her class will drive you crazy.”

Qi Xia was an atheist by nature and naturally didn’t want to go.

But the four words “eliminate distracting thoughts” were like a thunderclap that landed in his heart.

“Do we need to participate in games this afternoon?” Qi Xia asked.

“Not necessary.” Yun Yao said. “I fully recognize you two’s abilities. What follows is free time. You can explore games, devise strategies, and if you have time, earn some ‘Dao.’ After all, food and water in the later stages at ‘Heaven’s Gate’ need to be exchanged for ‘Dao.'”

“Alright, I understand.” Qi Xia nodded. “Since there are no other arrangements, I’ll go meet this older woman this afternoon.”

After bidding farewell to Yun Yao, Qiao Jiajin and Qi Xia returned to the classroom and simply ate some canned food.

Xiao Ran and Doctor Zhao were no longer there. Only Lin Qin and Han Yimo remained, chatting with each other.

The four people exchanged simple greetings.

“Qi Xia, how was your day?” Lin Qin asked.

“Very bad.” Qi Xia shook his head. “Tiantian, Officer Li, and Lawyer Zhang all died in the game.”

“Huh?” Han Yimo was stunned. “Officer Li and Lawyer Zhang also died…? No way…”

Qi Xia felt something was off. “Han Yimo, don’t worry too much. They’ll come back…”

Han Yimo nodded heavily. “You’re right… but I still feel somewhat sad…”

After thinking for a moment, Qi Xia said, “Come with me somewhere this afternoon.”

……

Around one o’clock in the afternoon, Qi Xia, Qiao Jiajin, Lin Qin, and Han Yimo arrived at the northern classroom.

What Qi Xia hadn’t expected was that more than a dozen people were already seated there.

He even spotted Old Lu and Zhang Shan in the crowd.

The several people nodded slightly in greeting without much conversation.

The four found a corner to sit in and waited quietly.

Qi Xia noticed that everyone’s desk had paper and pens. Did they need to take notes during this class?

Before long, Auntie Tong opened the door and entered.

“Still quite a few people here…” She smiled kindly, placed a teacup on the podium, then turned around to erase the blackboard.

Every movement she made really resembled a teacher.

Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin looked at each other, feeling like this was a very formal course.

“First, let me introduce myself. My name is Tong Chan. You can call me ‘Auntie Tong’ or ‘Teacher Tong.'” Auntie Tong looked kindly around the room at everyone, then said, “Many of you here have actually been through life and death with me, but you’ve all forgotten. Today, my class will help you understand everything about this world.”

“Good!” Old Lu stood up and applauded. “Everyone give Teacher Tong some encouragement, okay?”

Everyone looked at Old Lu with confusion, then gave a sparse round of applause.

“Old Lu, don’t make trouble. Sit down.” Auntie Tong waved her hand.

She surveyed everyone again, then said, “This morning we lost five companions. First, please join me in mourning them.”

After speaking, she clasped her hands together, placed them before her chin, and slowly recited, “Loving Mother Goddess, today we gather here not to grieve for five departed souls, but to rejoice for five souls about to enter Your kingdom.”

After finishing, she raised her head and said to everyone, “Please recite with me.”

Among the dozen or so people, only one or two listlessly recited along with her.

“Although we are filled with grief, it is only because of longing and reluctance. Loving Mother Goddess, may they be with You.”

“They are all Your spiritual children, living their entire lives under Your care. Here we thank You and hope You will forgive the sins they have committed.”

“May You let their souls rest in Your kingdom.”

“Loving Mother Goddess, may You bless them through faith. May You bless their descendants through devotion. May the faith they pursue be inherited by their descendants until Your kingdom comes.”

Qi Xia’s expression gradually grew stern. “I can’t take this anymore.”

“What’s wrong?” Qiao Jiajin turned his head to ask. “This old lady speaks so well, like she’s acting.”

“This old lady thinks something is protecting us, so we’re having these bizarre experiences?” Qi Xia sneered. “If the thing protecting us is really that ‘Mother Goddess’ she mentioned, I’m truly glad I’ve never believed in gods.”

Lin Qin beside them was also frowning. “There’s another strange thing…”

Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin both looked at her.

“If I remember correctly, that passage should be a Christian condolence prayer.” Lin Qin thought for a moment. “But if it’s really Christianity… they should pray to the ‘Heavenly Father,’ not the ‘Loving Mother.'”

“So she can’t tell the difference between Mary and Jehovah?” Qi Xia said. “This is my fault. I’ve wasted your time. Let’s go.”

Just as the group was about to stand up, Auntie Tong suddenly became impassioned.

“Great ‘Mother Goddess of Creation’! Please accept my most sincere prayer!”

Everyone fell silent after hearing this.

“Mother Goddess… of Creation?” Qi Xia was slightly stunned. He had never heard of this deity.

The one who opened the heavens was Pangu, and the one who created humanity was Nuwa.

Could the Mother Goddess of Creation refer to Nuwa?

After thinking for a moment, Qi Xia turned to ask Han Yimo, “You write novels. Have you ever heard of Nuwa being called the ‘Mother Goddess of Creation’?”

“No…” Han Yimo shook his head. “This doesn’t sound like our traditional way of addressing her. Even calling her ‘Divine Mother’ would be more proper than ‘Mother Goddess.'”

Everyone present felt somewhat uneasy. It seemed Qi Xia wasn’t the only one who wanted to leave.

A middle-aged man in a suit spoke up from the crowd. “Big sister, stop praying for now. Can you tell us what this place is really about?”

Auntie Tong smiled meaningfully, then turned around and wrote a large character on the blackboard: “神” (God).

“God?”

Everyone read it aloud.

“Correct.” Auntie Tong nodded. “The one who could build The End must be a god. She is the ‘Mother Goddess.'”

Everyone present fell silent for a long time after hearing this explanation.

“Big sister.” The middle-aged man shook his head. “This is your ‘class’? Are you trying to tell us this place is all mythology?”

“I’m merely a guide.” Auntie Tong still maintained an elegant smile. “The Mother Goddess’s revelations cannot be comprehended by mortals, so it’s normal for you to have doubts.”

“Why do you think it was that so-called goddess who brought us here?” A handsome-looking young man nearby asked. “Have you ever seen her?”

“Of course not.” Auntie Tong shook her head. “The Mother Goddess cannot be seen or touched, but she is everywhere. I can sense her.”