Qi Xia stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the late-night street scene.

The street in the dead of night looked somewhat desolate, yet it was still brightly lit.

Several taxis with their “vacant” signs lit drove past, reminding Qi Xia that this was the real world—even bloodier than the “Land of the End.”

The nights here had no ants crawling over walls, but rather the purest human nature.

Qi Xia gazed at the empty street scene, his brow furrowing as he made another bold hypothesis.

Could the real Yu Nian’an have also entered the “Land of the End” along with the earthquake?

As soon as this thought emerged, a car outside the window drove by and honked its horn, making Qi Xia’s entire body shudder.

“That’s right…” Qi Xia narrowed his eyes, feeling that his hypothesis was heading in the right direction.

After all, countless people had entered the “Land of the End”—their numbers were impossible to calculate.

Yu Nian’an might be among them, perhaps even in another city within the “Land of the End,” far from himself.

But ultimately, for some reason, she didn’t come out.

So this world erased her existence.

Thinking further… things became somewhat terrifying.

If it was a cycle every ten days, why hadn’t Yu Nian’an come out?

Was it because she had risen smoothly and truly become a “Zodiac”?

Or had she made a misstep… and died there forever?

If he had to choose between these two situations, Qi Xia of course hoped Yu Nian’an was “Heavenly-Sheep.” At least she would still be alive. At least there would be hope of rescuing her.

Explaining it from this angle… everything made sense.

What Earth-Tiger had said… and the clues revealed between the lines by those “Divine Beasts”—it seemed they could all slowly connect here.

“Heavenly-Sheep” Yu Nian’an, and the vanished seven years.

These two matters must have an extraordinary connection. This was also all the answers Qi Xia could currently find.

But the conditions for this answer to hold were extremely harsh. It required that all the clues Qi Xia had obtained so far were “truths.”

If even one person had lied, or if even one person was insane, this answer would completely collapse like a tree rotting from its base.

“Xia, you’ve been awake for a while?” Yu Nian’an’s voice suddenly sounded.

Standing by the window, Qi Xia heard Yu Nian’an’s voice and slowly turned around, his eyes full of coldness and despair.

At some unknown moment, dawn had broken.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Nian’an stared at Qi Xia and asked with some confusion. “Didn’t sleep well?”

“It’s nothing.” Qi Xia shook his head. “An, I’m hungry. Let’s eat breakfast.”

“Mm…” Yu Nian’an stood up and nodded gently. “I’ll go make you breakfast.”

Half an hour later, the two of them squeezed together at the single-person dining table, eating simple bacon and fried eggs. Neither of them spoke.

A night of contemplation had made Qi Xia’s thoughts much clearer, but it had also brought him to the edge of collapse.

The current situation had become increasingly difficult to handle.

He knew that Yu Nian’an herself might still be wandering in the “Land of the End.”

So today, he didn’t plan to take the “substitute” before him out. Instead, he would quietly wait here for the earthquake.

He would actively search for Yu Nian’an.

This time, target: “Heavenly-Sheep.”

“An, although I feel very sorry, can you stay home with me today?” Qi Xia asked.

“Sorry to me…?” Yu Nian’an asked with a smile. “What’s there to be sorry about staying home? I’d rather you stay home every day.”

Yes, Qi Xia knew this feeling was very awkward.

It was as if he were killing Yu Nian’an with his own hands.

He wanted to die punctually in the earthquake, then return to the “Land of the End” without fail.

But was his speculation too bold…?

Based on just a few details, concluding that Yu Nian’an was not Yu Nian’an.

The real Yu Nian’an and the created Yu Nian’an… what was the difference between them?

Yes… perhaps they were completely the same.

But even so, Qi Xia didn’t want a life that had been orchestrated.

He only wanted the original Yu Nian’an.

That girl who suddenly appeared in his life like sunshine.

That girl who would rack her brains to tell jokes when he was feeling troubled.

That girl who, when she bumped her hands or feet and was afraid he’d worry, would bite her teeth and not cry out.

That girl who always held simple quiz questions, pretending to be profound as she tested Qi Xia.

That girl who said “knock, knock, knock.”

That girl who, though already covered in wounds, was willing to smooth over his own.

Only her. No one else would do.

Not even one different look or one different thought would do.

Qi Xia and Yu Nian’an squeezed together on the sofa, quietly watching the people coming and going on the television.

“Xia, you know what?” Yu Nian’an asked expressionlessly, staring at the TV.

“I know.” Qi Xia said. “There are many paths in this world, and everyone has their own path.”

“Mm.” Yu Nian’an nodded. “Xia, no matter which path you choose to walk, I will support you.”

“I know.” Qi Xia’s eyes darkened again. “An, I will cross thousands of mountains and rivers to find you.”

“Find me?” Yu Nian’an smiled bitterly. “Xia, I’m right here.”

“Yes, I know.” Qi Xia’s eyes slowly began to fill with tears. “Because I can’t control my own thoughts, that’s why you’re here.”

“Xia, no matter where you go to find me, as long as I can feel your longing, I will definitely come to your side.” Yu Nian’an’s eyes also began brimming with tears, yet she didn’t know why she felt so sad.

This sentence pushed Qi Xia’s thoughts another big step toward the edge of collapse.

Yes, if his “Echo” was “creating Yu Nian’an,” then could he find the real Yu Nian’an?

As long as he longed for her, they would meet.

He could only take risks and meet the “Celestial-level” Zodiac without triggering any “Echo.”

Otherwise, Yu Nian’an would appear repeatedly by his side like a nightmare.

He didn’t even know what status people created using “Echo” counted as…

Would she dissipate along with the end?

If she wouldn’t dissipate, then before the Land of the End was filled with corpses, there would be Yu Nian’ans everywhere.

So he must not allow himself to “Echo.”

What worried Qi Xia even more was that this looked like an extraordinarily arduous journey. If he unfortunately died without using “Echo,” all the previous clues would vanish into thin air, and everything would start over again.

This was a huge gamble.

When the earthquake arrived, Qi Xia sat on the sofa quietly holding Yu Nian’an’s shoulder.

The entire building began to shake, and cracks gradually appeared on the walls.

The sound of mountains roaring and seas howling came one after another.

In the distance came the sound of shattering glass. Countless fissures appeared in the sky above, sprinkling down glittering stars.

“An, I’m sorry…” Qi Xia said with a heartbroken expression.

“It’s okay…” Yu Nian’an shook her head. “Xia, as long as you’re by my side, I’m willing to go even to Avici Hell.”

“No…” Qi Xia said through gritted teeth. “I won’t let you stay in Avici Hell… I want you to stay by my side.”

The ceiling suddenly cracked open. A large stone fell, and Qi Xia instinctively sheltered Yu Nian’an in his arms.

In this world, he smiled only for Yu Nian’an and cried only for Yu Nian’an.

He absolutely must not lose Yu Nian’an.