"Well, it's quite a coincidence that I seem to actually know how to solve this matter," Aya said, pinching her chin and extending a finger.

"I and she belong to the same individual 'Mingling'," Aya explained. "Although we were separated for some reasons, there has always been a tendency for fusion. However, because The Realm is also divided, I cannot enter her world. So, I need someone to take me in."

"As long as you can help me complete the fusion, I can guarantee to safely transport you to the East Continent you mentioned."

Thinking back on Mingling's words, Aya began to assess the current situation. Pulled into this world, she has been constantly confused about everything that was happening. What surprised her the most was encountering Tiran here.

Cooperating with the East Land Empire and saving herself captured by Yuan? To be honest, that made her slightly happy.

Ah, that's a matter for later. For now, the main focus is on resolving the most important issue at hand. Though she and Tiran were forcibly brought in as temporary labor, their bargaining power was completely unequal when faced with a god-like being.

Following Mingling's instructions, the task she needed to do seemed fairly simple. Mingling Number One, the entity restricted by the rules she set when her consciousness was split and unable to personally enter the small world running in the Realm of her other self, left a mental imprint on Aya.

“As long as you, carrying this imprint, can reach the 'node' of the world, I can forcefully enter my other self's world using you as a stepping stone.”

And the node she mentioned seems to be the crystal cave that Aya and Shuoye broke into not long ago. However, losing the presence of Haimingyue made the journey from Brook Valley City to Seabreath perilous, and she couldn't leave immediately.

Mingling Number One explained that she received less power during the split compared to her dominant self ruling the dark world. If she were to come unprepared, during the fusion, the self full of hatred towards humans might take control, potentially giving rise to a demon king bent on destroying humanity.

As for how to solve this problem, Mingling didn’t explicitly mention it in that pure white space. Well, it's mostly Tiran's task anyway, and not much of her concern.

Upon nodding assuredly, Aya suddenly realized that the others in the room were looking at her with eager anticipation. She quickly waved her hand and said, "Um, there is a solution, but I can't act on it immediately... um, I'll probably have to wait for a while."

"How long is a while?" Lin Xi's expression remained solemn and dignified, but there was a hint of urgency in his tone, suggesting that Brook Valley City might not be able to wait that long.

Even if you ask me, I can't really say, we'll have to see how fast Tiran is.

"Uncle, Aya may have her own difficulties. Regardless of whether there is a solution, let's first settle the displaced people from all over," Ayako timely intervened in front of Lin Xi to help diffuse the tension.

"I... I was too hasty, pardon me." Lin Xi's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he bowed slightly to Aya before swiftly leaving the room.

"Mr. Aya, then I'll take my leave as well. Uncle Lin Xi might need my help. If you truly have a way to avert the crisis, I hope you can do it sooner rather than later."

"I will do my best."

"Although that's what I said, I still feel a bit sorry for them..." Aya muttered absentmindedly as she walked through the crowded streets of Valley City. "The Lord just now definitely mistook me for a fraud... Tsk."

After all, giving hope and being unable to save others was more unreasonable than leading them directly into despair. But the fact was, Minglin had informed her through the mark imprinted in her spiritual sea that even if she reached the node located in the Crystal Cave, it wouldn't help. Moreover, even though they gave her money and accommodation, it left Aya feeling a bit guilty.

Taking out the weighty money pouch from her pocket and opening it, she saw that it was filled with gold coins issued by Morninglight. Although the Sea Moon had extinguished and the forms of darkness were rampant, civilization had not been destroyed, at least not yet, and the previous economic systems were still relatively intact. This meant that the money in her hands could actually buy quite a lot.

Forget it, she thought.

She carefully surveyed the city again and could see that Xilin had not exaggerated at all. People were coming and going on the streets, and the number of people on any random street could rival the scale Aya had seen on the commercial street in Milanía's capital. However, the high number of people here did not signify prosperity.

Most of the people on the streets had come as refugees from other regions, looking anxious and fearful, their eyes dull and lifeless. Many were injured and just sat by the roadside, making the once spacious street seem narrower. These were mostly ordinary people who had fled and did not have much wealth with them. In the crowded Valley City, they couldn't even find a bed they could afford.

Although not human, having lived in the human world for a long time, Aya involuntarily felt a bit of empathy, sensing the almost palpable despair of the refugees on the street. She found it hard to ignore.

"Help!"

"The dark forms are here! Where is the defense team?"

Amidst the chaos, Aya's keen hearing caught a cry for help coming from the end of the street. Within seconds, the wall of a nearby house was smashed, and amidst the flying bricks and tiles, a three-meter-long creature resembling a sword-toothed tiger of darkness rolled out and lunged forward. Its claws pressed down on the half body of an unlucky passerby nearby, squeezing him with such force that blood splattered everywhere.

Having such creatures appear on a busy street filled with people was akin to a wolf entering a flock of sheep. Just one swipe could take away several lives.

"Good thing I'm here."

Before the sword-toothed tiger could lunge, Aya's fist had already connected with its two fangs. The immense force knocked the dark form to the ground with a punch, and its not-so-small body dispersed into a bunch of dark elements, quickly disappearing amidst the bright firelight around.

Being sealed all the time had ironically made Aya more skilled at using her energy scales in combat without magic. Her actions of releasing the energy scales for acceleration, reinforcing her fist with them, and changing direction were almost seamless.

"How is everyone? Is everyone okay?"

Aya lowered her fist and looked around at the people. She wasn't sure if they were in shock or just numb to such events. The people further away seemed indifferent, sitting there in a daze, and those closer, aside from moving a little away from the demolished house, were mostly tending to their injuries caused by the flying debris.

What's with these humans? Aya felt a sense of anger creeping in for some reason. Hey, they are your fellow beings after all, and even a Dragon like me stepped in to save people. Can't you lend a hand without dying?

"Good grief!"

Aya shook her head and walked into the shattered house to help the few remaining survivors who could still breathe. Unfortunately, she couldn't use healing spells at the moment, so their injuries had to wait for the doctors from Xigu City to arrive.

What made her feel a little uncomfortable was that even these lucky survivors showed no reaction upon being rescued, only letting out low groans. Most importantly, Aya didn't sense any "vitality" in their eyes.

"Shadows of the dark... without Seazuki, can these events really bring such despair to ordinary humans?"

Aya was perplexed. It seemed that at some point, she started considering everyone here as ordinary lives, forgetting that whether it was them or Ayako and Sakuya who she had interacted with before, even this seemingly real world was just an illusion created by a deity's domain.

Perhaps in their own eyes, they were truly alive? Hmm, delving further seemed to elevate to a philosophical height, so after assessing her own mind, it seemed that she was not suitable to ponder such questions. Oh well.

"Mom... Dad..."

In the ruins of the house, a nearly inaudible cry came from a corner that Aya had previously overlooked.

It was a child, a boy of about eleven or twelve. Covered in blood, yet not seriously injured. Most of his injuries were probably shielded by his parents in front of him.

— This judgment was made by the half-kneeling body beside the child.

Aya walked over, lifted the child from the rubble, and carried him out onto the street, gently placing him on the first step, treating him no differently from the other injured.

"Sister... my... Mom and Dad... save... save them..."

As she turned to leave, these soft pleas echoed in her ears.

She turned around and saw the boy trembling as he stood up, reaching out to her in a gesture of help.

His eyes were filled with confusion and fear, but there was an extra spark of vitality compared to the people around him, making one feel that even in pain, he could survive, rather than become an empty shell like those around him.

Speechless, Aya glanced back at the carcass lying in the rubble. Even if you look at me like that, there's nothing I can do, can there?

Not staying too long, Aya quickly turned away from the boy's gaze.

The boy watched as Aya's figure disappeared, the last trace of vitality in his eyes seemed to evaporate like morning dew.

Thud.

Something warm fell into his hands.

"Huh...?"

The boy didn't come to his senses at once. When he did, the white-haired big sister who had left earlier was standing in front of him again, a mischievous smile on her face as she placed a warm rice ball in his hand.

"Well, buck up, kid. Things might be pretty bad, but someone has to survive."

"And then."

Aya unwrapped the rice ball she had bought for herself, shoved it into her mouth and chewed vigorously. "I'll handle the rest."

Indeed, she couldn't just sit around and do nothing.