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Chapter 253 Goddess of Time
The outskirts of the forest at dawn.

A long shadow streaked across the sky before disappearing into the depths of the forest.

Wang Xi paused briefly under a towering tree and gently put Alice down from his arms.

"Bluebeard shouldn't be able to catch up to here."

He chuckled softly.

"It's safe for now."

Alice's heart was still racing, and she said with lingering fear, "After being caught by those poker soldiers, I thought I was going to die... Mr. Kai, thank you for saving me again."

She subconsciously touched her head, but only felt her short, fuzzy hair that had just grown out, and her expression turned embarrassed.

Wang Xi took a wig out of the "folding suitcase" and put it on Alice's head. He gently smoothed the hair on her forehead and said jokingly, "Miss Alice is so cute, she shouldn't die here."

Alice was taken aback.

She slightly raised her eyelids and met the young man's smile.

My heart stopped.

"Mr. Gai, please don't make fun of me."

Alice turned her head away and blinked her eyes.

“In the past…whether it was classmates or friends, they all called me a ‘tomboy,’ while Dorothy was often praised.”

"Although I have never met Miss Dorothy, Alice, you are indeed very cute... especially now."

Wang Xi smiled.

Alice turned away immediately, lowered her head and remained silent, but her burning ears betrayed her.

"Okay, let's go."

Wang Xi stopped teasing the girl and walked forward on his own.

Alice snapped out of her daze and quickly followed, asking curiously, "Mr. Kai, where are we going?"

"Go to the depths of the Dawn Forest, where the March Hares gather."

Wang Xidao.

He then briefly explained to Alice the guidance of the Rabbit Gentleman, the prophecy of the Insect Sage, and the events of the Mad Tea Party.

After listening, Alice looked puzzled.

"...Am I the 'protagonist'?"

"Just listen to so-called prophecies and don't take them too seriously."

Wang Xi looked straight ahead and said softly.

"However, Alice, you are still just an ordinary person, while Wonderland is full of dangers... If you join the Mad Tea Party, you should be able to learn a lot, and maybe even master extraordinary powers. This will not only give you the ability to protect yourself, but it will also greatly help you in finding your sister."

"Um……"

Alice looked thoughtful.

After a while, she nodded and said, "I'll listen to Mr. Kai."

The two walked for a while longer.

Wang Xi suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Alice, who was following closely behind him, was a little distracted and bumped into his back.

Alice said apologetically, "I'm sorry."

However, she noticed that the young man did not respond, but instead looked straight ahead.

Following her gaze, Alice was surprised to find a person standing next to a large tree in front of her.

It was a woman dressed in a black dress, wearing a top hat, and holding a white cane.

Just as Alice was wondering what was going on, Mr. Kai said, "We meet again, Miss Zoffy."

This woman was none other than Zoffy Spett, who had previously told Wang Xi many secrets in the Red Castle dungeon.

"You really didn't disappoint me..."

Zoffy smiled.

"Even Bluebeard couldn't stop you, and you even managed to rescue Alice. Well, that's fine, saves me the trouble of taking action."

Wang Xi stared at the woman.

The description above the other person's head had suddenly changed:

"Zoffy, the Goddess of Time (Avatar/Friendly/Title 5-Star/Legendary)"

Five-star gold-framed title...

Moreover, it's just an incarnation.

Wang Xi was startled.

'No wonder I couldn't see through her true strength before; the gap between us is too great.'

Reflecting on the other person's words, Wang Xi tentatively asked, "Miss Zoffy, did you originally intend to save Alice?"

“Yes.” Zoffy pulled down his hat brim and shrugged. “After all, I’m one of the ‘protagonists’ of this story, so I have to make sure everything is going in the right direction.”

"..."

Wang Xi frowned slightly.

Zoffy's words seemed to conceal a great deal of information.

This story?
Could it be that Wonderland is a pre-written story?
Or……

The entire world of fairy tales?!

Wang Xi suddenly had many questions.

He took a deep breath and asked in a low voice, "Miss Zoffy, what do you mean by 'this story'?"

Zoffy gave Wang Xi a deep look, and said with a half-smile, "It's exactly what it sounds like..."

"..."

Wang Xi remained silent for a few seconds.

"Then, does Miss Zoffy know the truth about 'Darkening and Contamination'?"

"Darkening and corruption?" Zoffy stroked his chin, flicked his cane, and said softly, "It's an accident that doesn't belong in this story..."

"Do you have a way to solve it?"

“No clue at the moment.” Zoffy shook his head. “But stories need some surprises and challenges to be interesting, don’t they?”

Wang Xi sighed inwardly.

It seems that we can't get any substantial help from them right now.

At this moment, Cha Bo poked his head out of Wang Xi's pocket, staring intently at the woman in the black dress.

The little red dragon suddenly said with some doubt:

"You...you are the Goddess of Time?"

"Hmm?" Zoffy tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then suddenly realized, "Oh right, I'm the Goddess of Time. Little guy, did you need something from me?"

Upon hearing this, Chabo flew out with delight and landed on Wang Xi's shoulder, saying with a mix of nervousness and anticipation:

"I implore the goddess to remove the time magic from my body and let me return to my original form... I am willing to offer all my treasured jewels to the goddess."

"Jewelry? Forget about it, I'm not interested."

Zoffy waved his hand dismissively.

Just as Chabo was feeling dejected, the woman raised her cane and pointed at him from afar: "I'll help you this time because I feel sorry for you."

Wow…

Suddenly, the sound of pages turning filled the air.

Cha Bo looked up in astonishment, his silhouette stretching and flickering, as if countless afterimages were appearing.

next second.

Wang Xi's hand suddenly felt heavy.

He looked down and saw a red dragon egg, about half the size of a human head, in his hand.

"..."

Wang Xi fell silent.

"Uh, I made a mistake, I'm not very proficient at using it."

Zoffy coughed and tapped lightly with his cane again.

Wow…

Then came the sound of pages turning again.

The dragon egg in Wang Xi's hand once again left afterimages, and in an instant, it transformed into a streak of fire that shot into the sky.

"hold head high--"

A roar filled with surprise, excitement, and gratitude came from high above.

Boom! !
A massive, overwhelming shadow fell, accompanied by a strong wind. Alice had to raise her hand to shield herself from the sand and dust, and quickly hid behind Wang Xi.

whoosh-

As the dragon descended, it transformed into the appearance of a red-haired young man wearing a tuxedo.

Chabo stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Zoffy: "Thank you, Goddess, for restoring my original strength..."

Zoffy waved his hand dismissively.

Wang Xi glanced at Cha Bo; this guy's entry rating had finally recovered to a silver-framed, upper-tier five-star rating.

At least I don't have to be a decorative accessory anymore.

Wang Xi suddenly thought of something and took out a small crocodile the size of a palm—the very same "Time Crocodile" that had fought Chapo to a standstill on Dream Island.

"By the way, Miss Zoffy, is this yours?"

He pointed to the broken watch face embedded in the belly of the small crocodile.

Zoffy stared intently, raising a delicate eyebrow.

She raised her hand and beckoned, and the little crocodile in Wang Xi's hand flew over.

After looking it over, she said, "Uh, isn't this the alarm clock I lost..."

Soon, Zoffy realized something: "It must have been that little Peter who stole it when I wasn't looking."

“Peter Pan?” Wang Xi asked. “Yes, that’s him.”

Zoffy was silent for two seconds, then nodded and sighed.

“Peter is a native of Wonderland and was originally one of the ‘main characters.’ I even taught him quite a few skills back then…”

According to her, after Peter learned a spatial magic called "cloud leap," he could travel tens of thousands of kilometers in the blink of an eye.

"But he was too naughty. He accidentally flew outside the fairyland and saw things he shouldn't have seen, and eventually became corrupted... Even I couldn't save him."

Zoffy shook his head.

Wang Xi seemed to be deep in thought, which was consistent with what the Little Prince Anto had said.

The corruption comes from "outside".

They cannot see or perceive it, otherwise they will be contaminated. And the entire fairy tale world is in a state of slow, infiltrating contamination, even the fairyland is not immune.

"Okay, it's time for me to go."

Zoffy put away the little crocodile, pulled up the brim of his hat, and nodded to Wang Xi: "Mr. Kai, we'll meet again."

As she turned around, Wang Xi suddenly spoke:
“Miss Zoffy, Insect Sage… is it your idea to search for the so-called 'protagonist' to save Wonderland?”

"you guess."

Zoffy didn't turn his head, and chuckled softly.

Immediately, she took a step and vanished in an instant.

...

...

After bidding farewell to Zoffy, the goddess of time, Wang stood thoughtfully for a moment, looking in the direction she had disappeared.

“Mr. Kai, that Miss Zoffy…”

Alice hesitated to speak.

“I met her in the dungeon of the Red Castle, but I didn’t realize she was the ‘Goddess of Time’ at the time. It seems she has been watching you all along.”

Wang Xi withdrew his gaze and turned to Alice.

"Let's go."

"Hmm." Alice nodded.

Chapo was quick-witted; he immediately reverted to his original dragon form and said in a deep voice, "Gai, Alice, get on, I'll take you back faster."

"This……"

Alice seemed a little nervous, but after seeing Wang Xi's encouraging smile, she mustered up her courage and climbed up.

"Hold on tight," Wang Xi reminded her, while reaching out to support Alice's shoulder to prevent her from falling.

call--

Chabo spread his wings and took off.

Alice gasped, instinctively hugging Wang Xi's waist tightly, her cheek pressed against his chest. The wind whistled past their ears, and the forest below receded rapidly like a colorful ocean.

"Don't be afraid, Alice," Wang Xi said with a smile. "Actually, the scenery in Wonderland is very beautiful, unlike what you can see in the Clockwork Kingdom."

Alice slowly opened her eyes, and the magnificent Wonderland unfolded before her. Under a pinkish-purple sky, strange birds soared alongside them, and in the distance, a waterfall cascaded upwards, forming a rainbow of water.

She gradually relaxed and even began to enjoy the wonderful flying experience.

In less than half an hour, they returned to the giant pine tree in the center of the Dawn Forest. Chapo swooped down and landed steadily on the edge of the bird's nest at the top of the giant pine tree.

"Mr. Kai, welcome back."

Mr. Brooks, the rabbit gentleman, had been waiting for a long time. He took off his top hat and bowed elegantly.

"The Sage of Insects is waiting for you."

Wang Xi was not surprised by this.

After all, the Insect Sage is skilled in divination.

Upon entering the Bird's Nest, Wang Xi saw the Mad Hatter Tarrant nervously turning his pocket watch, while the Cheshire Cat Miu Miu floated in mid-air, revealing only his signature smiling face.

"Oh! Our main character has finally arrived!"

Tarrant's gestures were quite exaggerated, as he took off his hat and waved it around.

"Come here quickly!"

The insect sage Harvey sat in the center of the nest, his compound eyes watching the visitor, his voice ancient yet gentle:
“Mr. Gai, you have fulfilled our agreement... In return, this is for you.”

The Insect Sage slowly arched its body, and a slit appeared on its abdomen, from which a fruit as dazzling as a star floated out. The surface of the fruit shimmered with seven-colored light, and liquid magic seemed to flow slowly within it.

Wang Xi reached out and took it. The fruit felt warm to the touch and seemed to tremble slightly in his palm as if it were alive.

Caius immediately sent a notification:
"The Sage of Insects' Magic Fruit: Contains a large amount of pure magic power, which can greatly increase the upper limit of magic power after consumption."

"Thank you." Wang Xi bowed to the old insect.

The Insect Sage nodded slightly: "I hope it can lend you a hand... The Fairy Realm is facing an unprecedented crisis, and we need more powerful individuals like you."

Alice stood to the side, looking somewhat awkward.

Mr. Brooks, the rabbit gentleman, stepped forward, gave a warm bow, and said with a smile, "Miss Alice, do you remember me?"

“Of course…” Alice’s expression was complicated. “In my dream, I saw you.”

Brooks smiled. "Welcome to Wonderland, and welcome to the Mad Tea Party, Miss Alice... From today onwards, we will teach you the power of magic."

Upon hearing this, Alice was both surprised and delighted.

However, she still glanced at Wang Xi beside her: "Mr. Jia, can I really do this?"

“Of course.” Wang Xi nodded encouragingly. “Believe in yourself, Alice… and Mr. Brooks and the others will be excellent teachers as well.”

The Mad Hatter suddenly leaned in, his nose almost touching Alice's face: "Beautiful girl, every protagonist needs a crazy beginning."

Alice was startled and took a step back. The Cheshire Cat's smiling face appeared in her ear and made a gurgling sound.

Seeing Alice surrounded by the tea party members, Wang Xi knew it was time to leave.

He turned to the insect sage: "Mr. Harvey, I have two companions who have been separated from me and I need to go find them, so I will take my leave now."

"Go then, and have a safe journey."

The sage of insects spoke gently.

At that moment, Chabo suddenly let out a low growl.

Wang Xi turned to look at him, puzzled, and asked, "What's wrong, Cha Bo?"

"Gai, Master... His Majesty is in danger!"

A look of worry appeared in Chabo's golden vertical pupils.

"She's calling me! She's being chased by giants! I have to go!"

Wang Xi thought for a moment and said to the dragon, "I'll go with you."

He had originally wanted to make contact with the Red Queen, one of the three kings of the chessboard kingdom, and now this might be a good opportunity.

If possible, with the help of the Red Queen, it would be easier to find Godariel and Pinocchio.

He turned to Alice: “Miss Alice, you will be safe here.”

A hint of reluctance flashed in Alice's eyes, but she nodded firmly: "Mr. Kai, please be careful."

"I will." Wang Xi smiled, patted her shoulder gently, and then flipped over and jumped onto Cha Bo's back.

With a long roar, Cha Bo soared into the sky.

Wang Xi looked back and saw Alice standing on the edge of the bird's nest, her small figure getting farther and farther away until it was obscured by the clouds.

...

...

Chabo flew at full speed, even faster than before. Wang Xin could feel the anxiety of the giant dragon beneath him; the wind howled in his ears, and the clouds were torn apart by them.

"The Northern Plains!" Chapo growled. "His Majesty is there!"

In less than half a day, they traversed a large area of ​​the Chessboard Kingdom.

The terrain below gradually changed from forest to open plain. Wang Xi saw many moving black dots on the ground—thousands of chess pieces were searching for something.

"Chess Pawn - White Pawn (Enemy/Higher Rank 1)"

"Chess Piece Soldier - White Knight (Enemy/High-Rank Two-Star)"

"..."

These soldiers seemed to be made of white jade, shiny and hard. The soldiers held swords and shields, while the knights rode horses and carried lances. Their numbers were numerous and they were extremely imposing.

"Found it! It's there!"

Chabo suddenly swooped down.

In the center of the plain, a striking red figure stood out. Queen Beth was fleeing in disarray, her magnificent red dress torn, her crown askew, and her beautiful red curls slightly disheveled.

Behind her, a giant over thirty meters tall was relentlessly pursuing her.

The giant's skin was as white as rock, his muscles bulging, and every step he took caused the earth to tremble. He wore a green pointed hat, had an ugly face, and frequently let out deafening roars.

"Seven Giants - Sneezing Sprite (Hostile/Title 3-Star/Elite)"

"Damn it, get out of here!"

Seeing its master in danger, Chabo opened its mouth and unleashed a scorching dragon breath, striking the giant's face directly.

The giant looked up coldly and suddenly sneezed.

Bang!
Boom! !
It was like a high-yield dynamite exploding in mid-air.

The green-hatted giant's sneeze unleashed a visible spiral hurricane that actually dispersed the dragon breath spewed out by Chapo.

'It seems that Chapo alone is no match for this giant…'

Wang Xi understood.

He thought for a moment, then flipped his hand and produced a dark purple item card.

— "Titan Unit-01"

boom! !

A giant steel doll suddenly descended from the sky.

The enormous foot slammed down on the giant's head, causing him to stumble.

"Ouch!!" the green-hatted giant cried out.

(End of this chapter)