Chapter 3, The Mysterious River

He Ruo Zhi was terrified, but this gelatinous substance seemed to possess a life of its own, continuing to spread everywhere, and soon enveloped He Ruo Zhi's entire body

Although most people, when faced with a large group of thugs, would choose to kneel and beg for mercy just like them

If it were an ordinary person, if He Ruozhi could change his character and strive for improvement, perhaps there would still be a day when he could win back Ye Wei

If He Ruozhi feels somewhat troubled, returning home in this state will surely lead to his parents nagging him, and it is likely that the two of them will end up arguing until dawn. If he goes to the academy tomorrow, Ye Wei will definitely notice, and at that time, she will be very concerned and tend to his wounds.

He shouted wildly as if he had gone mad, but being in the wilderness, no one heard his cries

What if one were to shout and make a fuss until all their strength is exhausted, only then to sit down heavily by the riverbank, allowing the mud to stain their body

Ah ... ...

What if He Ruo Zhi has lost all hope

As He Ruozhi just opened his mouth to call for help, the black gelatinous substance rushed in eagerly, invading his internal organs.

He lay in the cold mud, with bugs and cockroaches crawling all over him, the stench of urine suffocating him.

He Ruo's struggle stirred up the silt at the bottom of the river, causing the debris within the silt to rise, including shoes, toilet seats, dolls...! ... and even a skeleton!

Ah ... ...

I do not want to be a coward, I do not want to be a good person, I want to become the strongest person in the world

He, however, did not notice that after receiving his intense resentment, small whirlpools gradually began to appear in the riverbank

He recalled how close he had been with Ye Wei during his childhood, even napping together on the same bed was a common occurrence

However, the spirits of the witches have never accepted defeat. It is said that their shadow market often appears within Bihua City, especially near this foul and filthy little river

Eventually, the witch was finally vanquished by the human army led by the Church of Light, marking one of the most thrilling battles in legend

Due to the fact that many areas have become polluted and are no longer suitable for habitation, numerous ethnic groups have been compelled to migrate to continents that are conducive to living. Fortunately, at this time, the population on the continent is not large, which has allowed for the allocation of many settlements for these incoming ethnic groups

Hehe Ruo Zhi smiled bitterly in his heart; he originally did not have the courage to accomplish this task, yet this strange gel enabled him to do so. When the newspaper publishes the news of his suicide tomorrow, perhaps Ye Wei will also be astonished by his courage

He Zhi shivered and recalled a terrifying legend

The thug kicked him to the ground and lifted his shirt to reveal the crisscrossing scars on his body, saying: "Damn it, you bastard dare to call yourself the strongest? Look at the scars on my body! Heh heh, if I wanted to kill you, it would be as easy as killing a dog, but I just don't want to dirty my hands. Second, let's give him a good beating so that this kid won't dare to meddle in other people's business in the future!"

I will no longer be a coward! As He Ruozhi smashed into the cold water, the reflection in the water immediately became blurred

However, there is no way now; my underdeveloped athletic abilities have completely failed to acquire the skill of swimming, and I am also entangled by the detestable black substance. He Ruo Zhi struggled symbolically on the surface for a while, and then gurgled and sank down.

A cold breeze swept by, and bubbles were rising in the small river, seemingly forming several mysterious whirlpools

After that final battle, all magical powers vanished from the earth. It was only thereafter that humanity gradually discovered the power of science, subsequently entering the steam age, the electrical age, and now the cosmic age

Yet Hei Jing did not relax for a moment, continuously dragging him into the realm of the underworld

In the year when Earth's resources were nearing depletion, a war broke out among major nations over the competition for resources. During this war, all existing nations were destroyed. Subsequently, humanity's focus shifted entirely to the cosmos, establishing new powers and homes on colonized satellites

I am also the only witness to Ye Wei's growth since childhood, even knowing clearly about her first time wearing a bra and her first menstrual period.

He Zhi struggled desperately as the river water surged into his body in large quantities

Nevertheless, He Ruozhi has always been skeptical about these Western concepts such as ghosts and skeleton soldiers; if it were legends about zombies or fox spirits, he might actually feel fear

He was beaten by the thugs dozens of times, and it seemed that every bone in his body was broken; however, the physical injuries were far less intense than the humiliation he felt in his heart. Those thugs were right, he was a coward

The reflection of He Ruozhi slowly appeared in the dark, glossy river water, distorted into vague lines

Nevertheless, He Ruo Zhi was still thrown into a state of confusion, not knowing where he was.

What if Zhi lets out a mournful scream, even if he truly wants to commit suicide, he never considered dying in such a bizarre manner

However, how can someone like me compete with a privileged young master like Johnny, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, possessing top-notch character, appearance, and family background

Damn it ... ? ... What kind of mutated creature is this ... ? These damned factories, these damned wastes ... ...

The river water applied to the face should evaporate quickly in the air; even if it does not evaporate, it should still be moist and transparent

In the distant Middle Ages, this place was once a narrow and desolate valley

One vortex after another resembled pairs of mysterious eyes, staring at him without blinking

So hateful

Every time I was bullied by others in middle school, it was also Ye Wei who helped me out of the predicament, and sometimes she would even use her handkerchief to bandage my wounds

Perhaps her concern is genuine, but at this moment, He Ruozhi does not want to think of Ye Wei's appearance

In this regard, He Ruozhi has always looked down upon it, as he is not a native of this continent

However, now Ye Wei has been forcibly taken away by someone, and will no longer belong to herself forever

Fate sometimes enjoys playing such tricks on humanity, offering a glimmer of hope only in the most brutal moments

He Ruo Zhi felt a sharp, knife-like pain in his stomach, his consciousness blurred for a moment, and he tumbled into the water.

Forget it, he sighed, I am destined to be a good person in this life, destined to be bullied, destined to have no luck with women, this is my fate

As He Ruozhi slowly sank to the bottom of the river, he saw a deeper black eye watching him from the depths of the dark stream, and the black gelatinous substance that wrapped around his body originated from this eerie deep well

At that moment, he noticed some minor discrepancies

Even this faint hope must be grasped through the tenacious efforts of humanity itself

I unexpectedly traversed the riverbed and fell down from a large hole in the sky

He Ruo Zhi stood up unsteadily, under the illumination of the starry sky, the distant tranquil river shimmered, as if calling out to the despondent people to come and embrace it

Living a mediocre life like most people, continuing to endure the exploitation of bosses after graduating from college, leading a life of submission, and eventually being looked down upon by one's own children in the future

He Ruo's heart sank in terror as he discovered that these gelatinous substances originated from the putrid river water, having unknowingly merged with it at some point in time

By that time, He Ruozhi had already embarked on a completely different path in life, and he would find that what he had gained far exceeded his expectations

The river water finally calmed down, and He Ruozhi's bruised and swollen face was clearly reflected on the surface of the water, appearing fierce and menacing, no longer resembling a good person.

The whirlpool emitted a strange sound, as if the plug at the bottom of the river had been pulled out, creating a powerful suction.

He used the cold river water to wipe his face, simultaneously erasing the bitter tears on his cheeks

He Ruo Zhi walked slowly towards the small river as if enchanted, his heart filled with the hateful handsome face of Johnny

Two thugs laughed as they began to punch and kick He Ruozhi. These individuals were professional criminals, striking with great cunning and cruelty, completely disregarding He Ruozhi's loud cries of anguish, continuing to beat him until he was unrecognizable, only then did they finally stop, feeling satisfied. However, they suddenly unzipped their pants and urinated in front of He Ruozhi before humming a tune and leaving.

It might be better to be dead; perhaps in the next life, I can become a little stronger

A scene of global unity has emerged on Earth

At this moment, he still does not understand his situation, nor does he know the fate that awaits him

He Ruo's consciousness was dragged in the dark well for an unknown duration, when suddenly he felt a release throughout his body. The river water had vanished completely, replaced by an air thick with the stench of blood and sulfur.

Although the parents will be sad for a while, and even though the father is not an exceptionally successful person and the mother often scolds him, He Ruozhi knows that his parents still love him deeply

Life is indeed so resilient, as there are organisms that can exist even in such radiation- and pollution-filled waters.

As it has developed to the present, everyone is essentially a citizen of Earth, all regarded as provincial bumpkins in the eyes of the cosmic residents, thus there is no occurrence of racial discrimination or similar issues

Moreover, with the advancement of science today, humanity can even travel to outer space, what more can be said about things like skeletons and ghosts!

At that time, there lived a wicked witch in this valley, possessing the ability to resurrect the dead. Relying on this malevolent power, the witch gathered an army of undead composed of skeleton soldiers and demons to contend against the people of the continent

However, it is precisely for this reason that those beautiful girls will never cast a glance at these individuals

However, now the river water on his hands and face has become increasingly viscous and heavy, as if a black gelatinous substance has completely enveloped his fingers and cheeks

With a loud "thud," He Ruozhi fell heavily to the ground. Fortunately, the black rubber encasing his body formed a large, elastic net at the last moment.

As He Ruo Zhi slowly sank into the cold river water, a faint light suddenly radiated before him, allowing him to see schools of small fish darting through the water.

Thinking of how Ye Wei was taken away from him by that extremely arrogant Johnny, He Ruo Zhi felt as if his heart was being cut like a knife

This battle is also known as the "Lost Twilight"