The improved female villains regained their memories.

South.

Heavenly fire has arrived.

A crack appeared in the sky above the imperial city, spewing flames continuously.

The flames spread automatically, turning everything in their path to ashes.

Shi Guijia was seriously injured and had to abandon most of her magical artifacts before she could escape.

However, even the world's number one weapon refiner was panting heavily and on the verge of death.

Those infected by the corpse energy are destined to dance in the flames and perish in the flames.

-------------

Disasters from all directions converged on a small town in the heart of the continent.

Meanwhile, in the vicinity of the town, a certain situation is brewing.

Catastrophe is imminent.

The countdown ends in seventeen days.

Chapter 359 The End of the World

The masters of weapon crafting are very fast; once the tasks are assigned, they rush to get started the next day.

The heads of various families in the town received the news and took action the next day. Liu Shaoheng was still asleep when he heard a commotion outside. He quickly washed up and got up, only to see a large group of people rushing into the study from the doorway. He was a little confused, and then hurried to his mother's room. As soon as he entered, he saw his mother sitting there as usual, fiddling with the sheet music. Hearing Liu Shaoheng's footsteps, his mother turned her head and smiled, "Why are you up so early today?"

"I got up because I heard commotion outside." Liu Shaoheng hurriedly asked, "Mother, what's going on outside?"

The mother put down the sheet music and sighed, "Some people are looking for your father, Heng'er. Those guests you invited are here to do something important."

Liu Shaoheng quickly explained, "Mother, it's not that I want to hide it from you, it's just that these facts are true..."

The mother waved her hand, seemingly unconcerned: "Heng'er, you are a genius, mature beyond your years. Your mother is getting old. You can decide what to do yourself."

Liu Shaoheng was somewhat moved, knowing that his mother would continue to support him as always.

The mother glanced at it, smiled helplessly, and asked, "What do you plan to do with the one locked up in the basement? Are you going to keep him locked up?"

The one Liu Shaoheng's mother mentioned being locked in the basement was none other than Ling Tiandu, the corpse zombie. Ever since Shi Guijia defeated her, she had kept her locked up here.

"Mother, don't worry about her. The teacher will handle it when he returns."

"Alright, I'll do as you say."

The rain had fallen all night, but by now it had subsided considerably, and even the area outside the window had become quiet. Liu Shaoheng's mother suddenly got up, took out a piece of jewelry from the cabinet behind her, and said, "Later, go and pawn these for me, and get some cured meat, sausages, and grain in return."

Liu Shaoheng was startled and said, "Mother, this was all your dowry back then, why are you pawning it?"

The mother smiled and said calmly, "Tell me, how much are these jewels worth when a person is about to die?"

Liu Shaoheng immediately understood his mother's meaning.

The moment the renowned weapon-forging masters took action, these family heads received the news that regardless of whether the "Shangri-La" could be successfully forged, food would be scarce. Stockpiling food and building up strength now was the best course of action.

Liu Shaoheng felt a little reluctant, and his mother noticed. She sighed and advised, "Your father is in charge of the overall situation, and he's also helping his concubines... I won't rely on anyone else; if I have to rely on anyone, it'll be my own son."

"Mother, I understand."

"Go."

Liu Shaoheng responded quickly and ran out.

The grain seller was an old man, very fierce, his face almost frozen in place. Now, the town was shrouded in fog, making him difficult to see clearly. He sat on a wooden chair, hidden behind the clouds. When he heard Liu Shaoheng want to buy grain, he smacked his lips and held up one finger: "This amount."

Liu Shaoheng didn't see it clearly at first, but after he leaned closer and saw it clearly, he shouted angrily, "Who are you trying to cheat? Are you selling rice or gold nuggets?"

Liu Shaoheng had anticipated the price increase of rice, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly, so quickly that even when he heard his mother's reaction, it was too late.

The old man smacked his lips and said, "Young Master Liu, I also know a little bit about this. Everyone's grain prices are rising, and with no caravans coming in yet, my rice won't be worth this much in a few days."

Liu Shaoheng admitted it.

Following his mother's instructions, he pawned all his jewelry and then directed several trusted confidants to start loading grain onto carts.

The pink-haired girl followed behind him, watching him bustling around, and asked, "Isn't it a bad deal to buy like this?"

Liu Shaoheng shook his head and said, "Compared to life, it's not a loss either way."

The pink-haired girl thought for a moment and then asked, "But these things will eventually run out."

Liu Shaoheng said, "Then let's eat tree bark and dirt. As long as there is hope of survival, people can find ways to create miracles."

The pink-haired little girl asked, "Is it important to be alive?"

Liu Shaoheng thought for a moment: "Living is very important to me; at least I don't want to die."

The pink-clad girl asked a strange question: "Wouldn't you die for someone else?"

Liu Shaoheng grinned: "No, although I really hope that others can live with me, if I have to choose one, I will choose to live."

The pink-clad girl asked疑惑地, "What if one day you had to choose between yourself and the person you love? Like your teacher, your mother..."

Liu Shaoheng did not answer the question; he seemed too lazy to answer it.

After returning to the Liu residence, he gave the girl the paintings he had drawn for her over the past few days.

Immediately afterwards, he busied himself with his confidants, going to great lengths to use back channels to move the food bit by bit to his mother's house, like a little mouse hoarding food.

The pink-haired girl stood under the eaves, holding these paintings in her hands, quietly watching Liu Shaoheng walk back and forth.

-------------

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Jiuwu and several weapon refiners smiled and said goodbye: "Everyone, go and take charge of your respective parts. Just like we agreed, I will take charge of my part."

Chen Ziyun instructed, "Don't make any mistakes."

Lin Xueyao retorted coldly, "Just make sure you don't make any mistakes."

Neither Zhang Yijian nor Li Tianfei made a sound.

Jiuwu did not reply, but looked up at the sky and said, "It's just a matter of a moment."

-------------

The first and second days of weapon forging went smoothly, to some extent.

The first to know were the heads of the various families, so in the first few days, it was just an undercurrent of tension.

But later, even ordinary people felt something was wrong. Caravans hadn't come for a long time, and the price of grain kept rising, soon to be more expensive than gold.

One day, two days, three days, four days... On the fifth day, beggars appeared on the streets.

As usual, Chen Ziyun hurried to his weapon-forging place today—he needed to carve spiritual energy circuits everywhere to ensure the smooth operation of [Shangri-La].

As a result, the fog was too thick, and he accidentally kicked a beggar.

"Please have mercy..."

The man grabbed Chen Ziyun as if she were a lifeline and wouldn't let go.

"Please have mercy, sir."

"Is there anything to eat? Please, sir, give me some. My child hasn't eaten in ages."

Chen Ziyun used to enjoy hanging out with beggars, but now she only feels anxious.

"Let go!" he roared.

The day of catastrophe was approaching, and he, who had carved spiritual energy circuits throughout the town, was extremely busy every day.

However, the beggars ignored him and just repeated their words over and over again.

"Please, please have mercy."

Pairs of eerie green light shone in the mist, like wolves.

In this situation, he has no way to leave.

The weapon refiner couldn't help but feel a headache at the thought of carving spiritual energy circuits all over the town.

-------------

The least disturbed were Jiuwu and Li Tianfei, who were hiding inside the mansion refining magical artifacts and overseeing the overall situation.

The commotion outside continued, and Li Tianfei subconsciously remarked, "There are more beggars now."

Jiuwu glanced at him and sighed, "Everyone wants to live."

"Even the town mayor, appointed by the emperor himself, has fled to the Liu residence." Li Tianfei looked at Jiuwu: "The officials don't dare to show their faces, and all the major families are thinking about preserving themselves. Guess how long it will take for our place to be breached and descend into chaos?"

Jiuwu asked in confusion, "Why was this place breached?"

Li Tianfei asked in confusion, "Are you going to attack the townspeople?"

"of course."

Li Tianfei said, "Oh, I see," and then laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Me too."

-------------

A carriage sped out of the Liu residence and headed towards the westernmost bamboo grove.

Zhang Yijian and Lin Xueyao were in the car. Lin Xueyao frowned and asked somewhat uneasily, "Big dummy, are you sure you have some good materials hidden there?"

"Hmm." Zhang Yijian nodded, succinctly stating, "Sufficient for anchor points."

"so."

"Ah."

The big, quiet guy wasn't as fun as a child, so Lin Xueyao remained silent and stopped talking.

The carriage jolted and then suddenly stopped.

Lin Xueyao frowned and asked, "What happened?"

The coachman's voice came through, sounding bewildered: "A group of townspeople have surrounded us."

"what?"

Lin Xueyao peered out and saw figures standing in the thick fog, like ghosts hidden in the mist.