Quadruple split.

Chapter 2785 Sleepless
Real time: 18:53
City B, Dexin District, the Ji sisters' apartment

"elder sister……"

"Xiaodao..."

Without warning, Ji Xiaoge, sitting on the sofa, and Ji Xiaodao, sitting in the game pod, broke the silence in unison.

"Eh?"

"Uh……"

Immediately, both of them paused in surprise, then asked at the same time, "What is it?!"

"stop."

Realizing that she and her sister were about to simultaneously say "You go first," Ji Xiaodao immediately pulled back from the brink, raised her hand to interrupt Ji Xiaoge's synchronized rhythm, and said seriously, "Sister, you go first! Otherwise, it might go on and on!"

"Hehe, doesn't that just mean we have a good understanding?"

Ji Xiaoge, understanding her sister's thoughts, smiled and then stood up, ran over to Ji Xiaodao, sat down next to her, and nervously took her arm, asking, "Sister, I feel like Xiaodao, you seem a tiny bit off today..."

Faced with this somewhat unexpected question, Ji Xiaodao was immediately taken aback, then frowned slightly and said, "I... something's not right?"

"Yes, yes."

Ji Xiaoge nodded vigorously and said seriously, "Something's wrong with you!"

"And it's still 'very' wrong?"

Although she knew very well that her older sister was prone to overreacting in many ways (such as when it involved family members or a certain jerk), Ji Xiaodao still nodded slightly and asked very seriously, "For example?"

"For example..."

Ji Xiaoge tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said very seriously, "You haven't said much today!"

"Ah."

Ji Xiaodao nodded slightly, then said calmly, "But I don't usually talk much either."

"No, no, today is different!"

Ji Xiaoge shook her head vigorously and said seriously, "Although you are usually quite quiet, you generally give me a feeling of... uh... a philosopher? Like, someone who is seriously thinking about philosophical principles!"

Ji Xiaodao smiled slightly: "You flatter me too much. Most of the time I'm just thinking about TV shows, what to eat for dinner, and things related to homework. It's very mundane."

"Ugh, Tanhua is so mean. It's a private university, how come there's so much homework?"

Ji Xiaoge scratched her hair vigorously and said angrily, "Everyone says that after college you can live a carefree and happy life, but the pressure of assignments and credits is so great!"

"We should be content."

Ji Xiaodao, who, like her sister, was in the Chinese Literature Department of the School of Humanities, turned to Ji Xiaoge and said in a serious tone, "Think about Yu Chen and Nangong. Their medical school has been busier than our senior year of high school since their freshman year. Not only are credits hard to earn, but if the frequency of internships and electives is even slightly low, they will not meet the requirements. Their courses are also the most packed in the whole school. Compared to them, we are already much better off."

"That... is true..."

The thought of Yu Chen, a top student with exceptional practical and theoretical knowledge who grew up alongside top surgeons, being so busy that he barely had time to breathe, and Nangong Na, who was constantly being chased by various internships and missed eight out of ten get-togethers, made Ji Xiaoge shudder. She nodded with lingering fear and said, "Luckily, I'm timid and didn't listen to my grandfather and study medicine. Ugh, it seems like their generation thought doctors and lawyers were especially great."

"I am quite interested in forensic medicine."

Ji Xiaodao shrugged and said casually, "I like quiet patients."

"While they will certainly be very quiet, I think it's debatable whether they are 'patients'."

Ji Xiaoge sighed, then suddenly realized, "That's not right!"

Ji Xiaodao leaned lazily on her sister's shoulder and casually asked, "What's wrong?"

"That's not the right topic!"

Ji Xiaoge gently poked her younger sister's forehead and pouted, saying, "What I want to say is, Xiaodao, you weren't quietly thinking about things today, but rather... you were daydreaming."

Ji Xiaodao yawned and lazily repeated, "Distracted? Me?"

"It's you!"

Ji Xiaoge put her arm around her younger sister's shoulder and said in a serious tone, "And it's not just ordinary daydreaming. Many times it's like she's daydreaming, staring blankly at somewhere, not responding when you talk to her, just... just looking so pitiful! It breaks my heart to see her like that!"

"Poor thing? Me?"

Ji Xiaodao chuckled, raised her hand and gently pinched her sister's cheek, saying with a smile, "How could that be? Sister, you know I'm always the one bullying others, who could possibly make me look pitiful? You must be overthinking it."

Ji Xiaoge shook her head vigorously and said, "No! Xiaodao, you can't fool me! I've been your older sister for so many years, do you think I can't tell if you're really distracted or if something's on your mind!"

"Well……"

Faced with her sister's rather serious gaze, Ji Xiaodao belatedly realized that she might indeed be acting a little strange today. Realizing that her sister was not easy to fool these days, she didn't say anything else and said softly, "Okay, okay, I know. But it's not really a big deal. It's just... my mood is inexplicably strange. It's not that I'm depressed, but I'm not happy either. If I think about it carefully, I can't figure it out. To put it simply, I don't even know why I'm like this."

Ji Xiaoge's eyes widened in surprise. "Xiaodao, are you... being sentimental?!"

"I don't know, but I don't think this word suits me."

Ji Xiaodao shook his head noncommittally and said helplessly, "If I had to put it into words, it's like I had a dream at some point in time. Although I was very concerned about what happened in the dream after waking up, I couldn't remember the details no matter what I did, so... I'm a little bothered by it."

"Pfft-"

"Sister, what are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing, I just think it's kind of cute."

"Where is the cuteness in it?!"

"I think it's cute, sis. Hey, do you think you haven't been resting well? Why don't you stay online today and get some sleep in bed?"

"No, I want to go."

"it's not good……"

"Sister, aren't you online too?"

"That's because I have a lot of responsibility. I'm incredibly busy with all sorts of things. You know that the Ascension Fortress can't function without me right now. But Xiaodao, you're different. Aren't you a scenery enthusiast? If you're a scenery enthusiast, it's okay if you don't log in every day, right? I always thought you were a bit too hardworking!"

"Why do people who play games for hours every day think I'm too hard-working...?"

Ji Xiaodao shook her head and complained, then casually changed the subject, saying, "Anyway, scenery enthusiasts also have things they want to do. I still need to log on and check it out later. So... is that all you wanted to say, sister?"

Ji Xiaoge nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, yes! That's all I wanted to say, sister!"

"Then it's my turn to ask you."

Ji Xiaodao took a deep breath and said calmly, "Sister, why have you been looking so gloomy all day?"

"Huh? Me? I...I didn't..."

Ji Xiaoge, who turned her head away immediately, quickly changed the subject and said suspiciously, "You must have seen wrong... I didn't... look sad or anything... boohoo."

"..."

Ji Xiaodao remained silent, staring intently at her older sister.

Ji Xiaoge: "Um, I'm telling the truth, sister! I'm not lying to you!"

Akishima stares—

Ji Xiaoge: "Really, I'm so happy, I'm especially...happy today..."

Xiaodao continued to stare— Ji Xiaoge: “I…”

stare--

"I'm a little worried about Mo."

Ji Xiaoge finally gave up struggling and said truthfully with a mournful face, "He was obviously acting strange before he logged off this morning, he was... feeling quite uncomfortable... When I asked him what was wrong, he wouldn't tell me. There were no signs or anything at the time, so it shouldn't be something that happened in the game."

Ji Xiaodao's eyes lit up, and he asked with a hint of surprise, "Is he dying of illness outside the game?"

"Go away, don't talk nonsense. What do you mean he died of illness?"

Ji Xiaoge pouted, shaking Ji Xiaodao's shoulder as if to encourage herself, and said, "He's so nice, he'll definitely be fine!"

"not necessarily."

Ji Xiaodao said succinctly and expressionlessly, "As the saying goes, good people don't live long, but bad people live for thousands of years. If he really is a very good person, then he's probably nearing the end of his life."

Ji Xiaoge wrinkled her nose and said angrily, "What if he's a bad guy! Don't you always say he has ulterior motives?"

"If he's a bad guy..."

Ji Xiaodao raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said indifferently, "Then it's just as well that he deserved to die."

Ji Xiaoge: "Waaah!"

"Alright, alright, it's almost time."

Ji Xiaodao stood up and walked slowly towards his game pod. Without turning his head, he said, "If you're so worried, go online and see. If he's still not online, interrogate him yourself. If he's still not online... then something might really have happened. Remember to tell me so I can have some good news."

"Honestly! You have such a sharp tongue!"

Ji Xiaoge pouted and stomped her foot angrily, saying, "He'll definitely be fine!"

"Anyway, I will pray."

"What are you praying for?!"

"..."

"Don't pray that something happens to him!"

"...I didn't say anything."

"But your idea is too obvious!"

"whispering sound."

"Stop smacking your lips!"

……

Game time AM07:01
Your... has been detected.

……

You have been disconnected urgently. Please select whether to reconnect.

"..."

[Reconnection initiated, loading character information—]

Welcome back, Ink of Chaos and Evil, soon to be transported to the Realm of Innocence. Goodnight.

……

Onic City, Central Administrative District, The Sinful King's Mansion, Three-Story Study

"morning."

As the morning sun outside the window dimmed, the dark elf girl with beautiful silver hair turned to look behind the desk. She blinked in surprise and said casually, "This seems to be the first time you've logged on right after the server opened. What, are you a little free today?"

"maybe."

Through the mask, the King of Sin caught a glimpse of the barely perceptible concern and melancholy in the girl's eyes, but he simply leaned back in his chair, unmoved, and said indifferently, "Get out."

"Give me a reason."

Ji Xiaodao leaned against the corner of the table where he had been sitting for a long time and said calmly, "If it makes sense, I'll go out."

"Keep watch for me."

The King of Sin slowly closed his eyes and casually said, "Don't let anyone in before I 'wake up,' whether it's Gavin, LeFer, Dora, or anyone else."

"it is good."

Ji Xiaodao nodded slightly, then smiled slightly as he was about to reach the door and asked, "What about Meilin and Wenqiu?"

"Merlin won't be coming; he and his assistant are busy with something interesting."

Mo, who hadn't opened his eyes, replied calmly, and then after a few seconds of silence, said indifferently, "...Wen Qiu also stopped him."

"This is indeed a big problem."

Ji Xiaodao shrugged, then left the study with light steps, chuckling as he closed the door, "You'd better pray she doesn't suddenly decide to come over and play with you right now."

bah—

The next instant, as the door was closed, countless pitch-black death lines suddenly emerged from the shadows and sealed the door completely in the blink of an eye, weaving a 'cocoon' that surged with epic-level power and that even Wen Qiu could not force her way in... unless she planned to bypass the 'door' and tear down the wall along with it.

Almost the instant Ji Xiaodao left his sight, the King of Sin slowly raised his right hand and removed the [Sealing of Sin] from his face.

Without the surge of power, without the ripples of original sin, this man, wearing white gloves, an exquisitely crafted black tuxedo, and a wide cloak called "Broken Cage" draped over his shoulders, looks exactly like 'Mo Tan' outside the game, but is no longer Mo Tan. He has long since gained the ability to easily control his own 'original sin'.

Just like a healthy person controlling their own body, it's not difficult.

Even after slumbering for more than a decade in the cold, malicious, and insane depths of his consciousness, the intermittent 'rehabilitation' over the past year has been enough for him to rediscover that instinct.

"..."

The King of Sin, who firmly holds the top spot on both the Individual Combat Power Ranking and the Overall Strength Ranking, has already stepped into the Legendary rank after removing his mask, and is ready to step in at any time. He casually placed the Seal of Sin on the table and leaned back in his chair as if he were dozing off.

……

at the same time
City of Light, Inner City, Dawn Chapel, 12th basement level, Twilight Chapel, Inquisition
"Looks like you're in luck, Agent."

Princess Xia Lian Zhuye, the renowned saintess of the Dawn Cult, turned to the man standing motionless against the wall, who had remained silent for two full days, and chuckled softly, saying, "At its longest, this thing can only materialize once every two months."

"very funny."

The silver-haired agent from Tianzhu Mountain, wearing a hood and mask, stretched his body and chuckled, "It's very worthy of study."

"Remember what you promised."

Xia Lian narrowed her eyes dangerously and said in a deep voice, "Although this thing looks exactly like our Dawn's little Black Fan, it's most likely just that it transformed into the most trustworthy image in Wang Yu's memory when it was captured. It has nothing to do with Black Fan himself, understand?"

"I understand, don't worry."

"……snort."

Chapter 2776: The End

(End of this chapter)