Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

"Getting back to the point, what are the rules of that damn Grim Reaper? Tell me." Qi Zhimu removed his hands from the small face of the black tower.

Black Tower rubbed his cheeks and began to narrate.

"First of all, I don't think I've seen this work before. It was all told to me by voices that suddenly appeared in my head. It's very strange."

Overall, it's somewhat similar to a battle royale game.

"I cannot leave the city within a certain period of time, nor am I allowed to commit suicide. There is a task that needs to be completed to reduce the difficulty of escaping later."

"The mission is simple: starting at noon tomorrow, Death will take the lives of specific humans in sequence."

"Anything that changes the predetermined fate of those on the death list, even delaying their death by just one second, counts."

Qi Zhimu was taken aback: "That sounds familiar...isn't this Final Destination?"

"It's a little different."

Black Tower shook his head and continued:

"Changing the fate of a specific person is just a task. I mentioned it was like a battle royale game earlier because after those people's time to die has passed, it will be my time to die."

"Eight people on the list will die. After their designated death periods have passed, Death will begin its hunt for me—"

Qi Zhimu roughly understood the meaning: "Can it be understood that the higher the completion rate of the mission, the lower the intensity of the pursuit?"

"almost."

Black Tower answered, then opened his palm, and a cell phone suddenly appeared.

"These are the mission items you've been given out. They're used to... communicate with your teammates."

"Why didn't I receive it?"

Qi Zhimu was puzzled.

"Does this mean I have to buy it myself? I don't have any Chongqing currency, although buying it for free isn't out of the question."

"No need..." Black Tower explained, "Haven't you noticed yet? I've been talking about myself the whole time, not you."

"Why is it only targeting you? Is it because I'm a ethereal being...?"

Qi Zhimu fell into deep thought.

"There's no reason... I wasn't given preferential treatment in the previous two worlds, wasn't I treated equally...?"

Hei Ta handed over his phone: "Look here."

On the screen, seven words were clearly displayed: one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven.

"There are people like me; I must be number eight."

When Black Tower touches the phone screen, it can only dial different numbers and modify notes, but it cannot make calls at the moment.

"We don't yet know whether the other party is a ethereal life form, a native human, or some other race. It seems we'll have to wait until the mission begins at midnight tomorrow."

"I have a feeling this will be another terrible movie," Qi Zhimu said, pursing his lips.

"A novel or a seasonal TV series is more likely; it's difficult for a film to have such a complete world-building."

"It doesn't matter. As long as we don't ban outside help, just don't stray more than two meters away from me. I want to see which illusory being is worthy of the title of God."

Qi Zhimu didn't take the so-called Grim Reaper seriously at all.

"They are all life forms created by the system, and they cannot be killed only because of the rules of the world. Once the world they live in is destroyed, the so-called immortality becomes empty talk."

Upon hearing this, Black Tower suddenly asked, "Mr. Creditor, what would happen if the world that gave birth to you were destroyed and its rules disappeared?"

"As things stand, there's no difference. I don't have immortality, so leaving would mean that the world has already been destroyed."

Qi Zhimu spread his hands, looking completely unconcerned.

"I have no rivals in the world that nurtures me. Wherever those who have made a pact with me are, I can appear before them as long as they call my name."

"If I'm willing to pay the corresponding price, I will grant the other party one request."

"Sending you back to Azure Star would require traversing numerous labyrinthine worlds, which would be quite troublesome. The only price you would pay would be being eaten by me, making me the one who loses out."

"But what I lost was my life."

"And then, do you consider life to be the most important thing?"

Upon hearing this, Black Tower froze, his eyes widening in shock for a moment before finally closing them.

"Indeed not, sir. I have a request..."

"Um?"

"If I die on the way, please eat me while I'm still hot and then send me back to the United Government of Azure Star."

Hei Ta took out the data chip and put it into Qi Zhimu's hand.

Unexpectedly, the latter raised his eyebrows, snatched the chip, and then forcefully pinched her chin.

"Open your eyes and listen, brat—"

Qi Zhimu looked directly into her eyes, his tone unusually serious.

"I don't know how much unbearable weight you carry, but if you can't even face your own worth, if you don't have a clear self-awareness, then..."

"You'll forever live in other people's worlds, crawling along in the shadows of the past, living a muddled and aimless life."

"..."

Black Tower was bewildered, and strange ripples spread through the depths of his consciousness.

Qi Zhimu's words sound so familiar...

It seems that someone else had said something similar to her.

But I can't remember.

Who...who exactly is it...?

"I don't care about all your past grievances, just remember this undeniable fact!"

"Hmm...you go ahead."

"I put my own life in the most important place. I did so much for your life."

"To me, your life is one of the most important things...!"

Seeing something subtly appear in Hei Ta's eyes, Qi Zhimu turned his head to the side, facing her with his raised cheek, and snorted coldly.

"You know I'm a picky eater, and since you haven't fulfilled your wish to become happy, the food is hard to swallow."

"Food that lives in the world of others and loses its self-awareness can never be associated with deliciousness."

"You value the data for saving Planet Azure more than your own life, but if I may be frank, are you willing to give everything because you want to save the world?"

"No, you're only doing it for others."

Qi Zhimu had not forgotten what the Black Tower murmured in its sleep.

…She took on the heavy burden for her family.

She said it took her three years to collect the correct data, which means she set sail with the fleet at the age of 12.

She's just a young girl...

No matter how talented or precocious a girl is, isn't she still a naive young girl?

What a deplorable world.

"I'm incredibly selfish, nowhere near as noble as you. Remember this: I'll definitely send you back to Azure Star!"

"Then, you yourself will save that planet, instead of easily handing over what you've gained through facing life and death!"

"You must adopt the attitude that without me, you bunch of incompetents can only wait to die, and you must have this self-awareness."

"It's never you who owes anyone anything; it's everyone who owes you something, except me!"

"The attitude you have towards me now is the attitude that the people of the Azure Star United Government must have towards you."

"Do you know what will happen if you know you'll die halfway there and have to send the data back? No one will remember your sacrifice, your life will be worthless, and you'll only have pathetic self-pity."

So... don't live for others.

After a long silence, Hei Ta reached out and grasped Qi Zhimu's hand that was pinching his chin: "I understand."

"That's right, this is the kind of food I've set my sights on, the kind of exquisite delicacy that I'm meant to eat." Qi Zhimu nodded in satisfaction.

……