“Divine Dragon…?”

Everyone looked at the auntie, not understanding what she meant.

“It’s a person with a dragon head, standing just outside the park to the west!” Auntie said with a smile. “When I passed by him today, I suddenly felt his aura was different from other people, so I quickly knelt down to pay respects, and he really blessed me!”

“What…?”

Some people clearly didn’t believe Auntie’s words, their scents twisting with doubt.

“It’s true!” Auntie still spoke to everyone with a serious face. “I could clearly sense the power emanating from that ‘Divine Dragon’! Otherwise how could I possibly have obtained ‘fragrance’?!”

Uncle Wan also froze at this moment. This place seemed to be exceeding his expectations more and more.

“Divine Dragon…?” Uncle Wan scratched his cheek, seeming to think of something. “Regardless of whether it’s useful, since we’re family, let’s all go pay respects every morning from now on!”

“From now on…?” Someone raised an objection at this point. “Brother Wan… isn’t this place about to…”

“Annihilate?” Uncle Wan shook his head. “To be honest, the so-called ‘annihilation’ isn’t scary at all. Actually, everyone has already experienced it once, you’ve just forgotten.”

Uncle Wan explained that annihilation in detail to everyone—everyone just turned to dust, then returned to the real world.

Then each of us would spend a day and a half in the real world before returning here again.

Among them, ‘Fragrance Bearers’ could retain their memories, while others couldn’t.

“Brother Wan…” At this moment, an auntie asked somewhat excitedly, “Is this why you’re doing everything possible to help us obtain ‘fragrance’? You hope we’ll retain our memories?”

“Yes.” Uncle Wan nodded with a gloomy expression. “Originally I just wanted to be a ‘selfless person,’ but many people still don’t trust me, so I can only tell you my ultimate idea here. I just want everyone to obtain ‘fragrance,’ so that one day we can escape from here together.”

At that moment, I felt Uncle Wan was truly good. I’d never known what ‘family’ was before, but now I understood.

‘Family’ meant a group of us helping each other, able to discuss problems together, sharing food together. We encouraged each other, cheered each other on.

So this is what ‘family’ meant.

On the tenth day, we each went to find our favorite places to accept ‘annihilation.’ This journey was ending again.

I held Brother Guyu’s hand with my left hand and Sister Siwei’s hand with my right, the three of us walking on the empty street. My heart felt both happy and sad.

Happy because I seemed to have truly found my own family. Sad because we were about to part again.

“Siwei, do you think what Brother Wan is doing is right?” Brother Guyu asked.

Sister Siwei shook her head after hearing. “I don’t know.”

“Gathering people together… can we really escape?” Brother Guyu turned his head coldly. “In the end, all the ‘wealth’ is only held in Brother Wan’s hands alone. The one who escapes will be him, not us.”

“I’ve thought about it too, but do we have a better method?” Sister Siwei sighed. Her palm holding my hand also began sweating slightly. “The situation is indeed more terrible than I imagined. Those people are about to be brainwashed, but even if we leave, we fundamentally can’t take Little Hero Brother with us. Brother Wan won’t let him go.”

“Then leave him behind.” Brother Guyu said. “Siwei, I’m planning to leave this organization. Will you come with me?”

Brother Guyu’s single sentence made both Sister Siwei and me freeze simultaneously.

Had I just heard correctly?

What did leaving me behind mean?

“No… Little Hero Brother is with me.” Sister Siwei’s voice said somewhat frantically. “I can’t abandon him. If I’m not here, I can hardly imagine how he would be able to survive here.”

Brother Guyu slowly furrowed his brow. He looked down at me, then looked up at Sister Siwei, and finally still sighed.

“Siwei, we’ve been here for twenty days already. Don’t you understand yet? This place doesn’t need any ’emotions,’ much less any ‘family.'” The scent from Brother Guyu was very sad. He glanced at me and continued, “This child isn’t some savior, and Brother Wan isn’t the ‘king’ here. We need to find other paths.”

“But we’re safe.” Sister Siwei said. “Guyu, although I agree with you in other aspects, we’ve been safe these twenty days. Have you forgotten? When Hero and I first met you, we were being robbed. Although this organization is clearly ‘pyramid marketing,’ we no longer have anything we can lose. We’ve always had nothing at all.”

After hearing this, Brother Guyu turned his head and pointed at his own temple with his finger. “We still have you.”

“Me?”

“We still have ‘thought.'” Brother Guyu said. “If we continue staying in Brother Wan’s organization, even if you can maintain your ‘thought,’ it doesn’t mean everyone will be as clear-headed as you. Do you know what ‘three men make a tiger’ means? I already have an ominous premonition.”

After hearing this, Sister Siwei silently lowered her head. Her scent was hesitating.

I could sense she really wanted to go with Brother Guyu, but she couldn’t feel at ease about me.

How much I wanted to say “Sister, you go,” but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to. I didn’t want her to.

If Sister wasn’t in this ‘family,’ I truly wouldn’t know what to do.

But I also couldn’t say “Sister, stay.” I was just a small child. When adults were talking, children couldn’t interrupt. I was very afraid Sister would suddenly dislike me.

So I could only tightly grip her hand, gripping until my palm was also covered in sweat, but I said nothing.

“I can’t leave.” Sister Siwei said. “Guyu… to be honest, I have a deeply clear understanding of myself. Even if I go venture out with you, I might not be able to escape from here. Rather than that, I’d prefer to help this child establish proper values.”

Sister’s single sentence made the scent of doubt from Brother Guyu even stronger.

“Help him establish values…?” He looked at Sister Siwei with furrowed brows. “Forgive me for being blunt, but you and he only met by chance. Is this something that must be done?”

“Yes, but I just feel it’s necessary.” Sister Siwei smiled. “Guyu, do you know? This is how I am in life. I love everyone. As long as I see them, I can’t possibly not care.”

After hearing this, Brother Guyu smiled bitterly. “You mean… you’re the true ‘selfless person’?”

“I’ve never called myself that.” Sister Siwei shook her head. “I only do what’s within my power.”

At this moment, ‘fragrance’ appeared on Sister Siwei. The name of that fragrant scent was called ‘healing.’

That day the three of us held hands. I watched helplessly as the two of them dissipated.

But I never imagined that the next time I would see Brother Guyu would be four years later.