In the Second District, Yin Tianchen was at his wits' end.

He had been keeping an eye on Aklatia for a long time. Then, out of nowhere, his informant in the Twelfth District told him Aklatia had been wiped out. He had originally planned to wait until Aklatia's technology matured, then negotiate with them so his daughter, whose heart was damaged, could receive their treatment.

But now Aklatia was gone.

Still, it seemed the most important person behind that technology, the one codenamed Doctor, hadn't been caught yet. Although the Magic Maidens had publicly claimed Doctor was already dead, his informant told him some of them were still searching for Doctor's whereabouts.

That meant he still had a chance...

"Lin, go to the Second District. Find Doctor and bring him back."

Yin Tianchen gave the order. Lin obeyed and set off for the Twelfth District. Chu Qing was pressed against the door, using the equipment inside to eavesdrop on the conversation between Lin and Yin Tianchen. The moment she learned Lin was leaving, she knew it—

her chance to rise had come!

She had to move fast. That group didn't have much time left. A god was about to descend, and there could be no mistakes.

Chu Qing recalled the scene of receiving the god's blessing. The strange smiles on the faces of those two rows of black-robed figures sent a chill down her spine. Were those really human smiles? She didn't know. But when she had been chasing status and wealth, when ambition had blinded her eyes, things like that no longer seemed important.

Chu Qing heard Lin's footsteps. She quickly hid behind a nearby pillar. After pushing open the door, Lin swept his gaze around, then finally let it settle on that rather unremarkable pillar.

"I hope you'll behave while I'm gone. Heh... though I think that's a joke."

Lin knew his boss was wary of Chu Qing too. He only hoped this trip wouldn't take too long.

Once Lin left, Chu Qing poked her head out from behind the pillar. Now the only thing she needed to deal with was the hidden Chapter Three, and then find the lost Key...

"Where exactly is the Key?"

Chu Qing had no idea.

After another ten or so days of travel, Night Frost arrived at the Second District. At this point, the Twelfth District had just endured two waves of monster tides. The chimera had also been killed by Yuan Dai at an extremely small cost. Although some Monsters were still rampaging through the city, with the Twelfth District's Magic Maidens there, they couldn't stir up much trouble.

That was thanks to Night Frost's intelligence, and Blade's actions. In just one month, they had dealt with the invasion of unknown black insects, the riot of contracted Monsters, and the large-scale Abyssal Rift incident. If they had known nothing about any of it, the Twelfth District likely wouldn't have been able to withstand everything at once.

The only problem was that the giant bug from Chapter Three in Night Frost's memories had never appeared. That was the main reason the Twelfth District had managed to hold the line. Otherwise, with Yuan Dai alone... the Twelfth District would only have repeated the same tragedy.

Dealing with the Sixth District first had also been a good choice. Otherwise, the Sixth District's missiles probably would have washed the Twelfth District clean all over again. This time, the buildings on the surface of the Twelfth District hadn't been destroyed, so the pressure it faced was much lighter than in the previous timeline.

"As long as everything's fine."

"If I remember right, the next thing they'll face is the Blood Clan. But I never found any trace of Caris. Will the Blood Clan still exist?"

Night Frost couldn't figure it out, so she decided to first head to the Rouge Rabbit in the Second District to find Crimson. She landed on the wasteland, remembering that this was where she had escaped from the Second District before.

Just as Night Frost placed her hand on the door, a tall male figure appeared behind her. She wasn't surprised in the slightest, because she had long known someone was following her.

"So it's Lin... I want to see your boss, in Aklatia's name."

Lin had just been about to leave for the Twelfth District, but the moment he stepped outside, he saw Night Frost acting suspiciously outside the base. Night Frost was very strong. He believed he couldn't beat her. But if she meant harm to Rouge Rabbit, he would absolutely be the first to charge forward, even if it cost him his life.

When Night Frost stated who she represented, Lin froze for a moment. Then he thought it over. Wasn't the organization Doctor belonged to Aklatia? He had just been about to look for Doctor, and now someone from Aklatia had delivered herself to his doorstep. Wasn't that a little too convenient?

"You look like someone sent by the Magic Maidens... I'll go inform the boss."

He was suspicious, but this wasn't his call to make. He planned to ask his boss first.

Chu Qing had originally been planning to make a move, but when she saw Lin, who had just gone out, come back again, she was so angry her teeth itched. She was anxious. She wanted nothing more than for Lin to hurry up and leave for the Twelfth District to carry out his mission.

"Boss."

"What is it this time?"

Seeing Lin return again, Yin Tianchen was also puzzled. But once Lin explained that a Magic Maiden outside claimed to be from Aklatia and wanted to see him, Yin Tianchen immediately understood.

"I think it's a trap."

Lin found the Magic Maiden outside highly suspicious. Rouge Rabbit and Aklatia had no real connection, after all. And Aklatia wasn't known for any high-end combat power. Yet Night Frost possessed strength far beyond Cantata Two. So if that was the case, why hadn't she acted when Aklatia was about to be destroyed?

Yin Tianchen thought the same. But Yin Chen Yue's illness could no longer be delayed. Even if the other side had really been sent by the Magic Maidens, he was still willing to believe her.

"Let her in. Just stay with me."

"But..."

Lin wanted to say that Night Frost was very strong, and he couldn't protect Yin Tianchen. But Yin Tianchen placed a hand on Lin's head.

"I know you can't protect me. But don't worry too much. If something happens, run first."

Lin said nothing and silently nodded. He went to the door and led Night Frost into the VIP room. Night Frost didn't make any moves along the way, but Lin's hanging heart still didn't settle.

"I mean, when you locked me up before, it wasn't like this. Do you really have to be this scared?"

Night Frost recalled the days she had spent underground. Back then, the way Lin looked at her hadn't carried this kind of vigilance.

"Before?"

Lin didn't remember ever meeting Night Frost. Who exactly was this woman? What was she talking about?

"I think there's something wrong with her head."

After bringing Night Frost in, Lin whispered that into Yin Tianchen's ear. Unfortunately for him, Night Frost's hearing was pretty good. Every single word of that slander reached her ears.

"I'll settle this with you later."

Night Frost cursed him inwardly, but a smile appeared on her face.

"Hello, Mr. Yin. Although this is your first time meeting me, I've already worked with you no fewer than four times. I know your daughter has a heart problem, so I've come on behalf of Aklatia to conduct a certain degree of... trade."

Yin Tianchen ignored the part about having worked together before, treating it as the ravings of a madwoman. But why did Night Frost know his daughter had a heart problem? At most, outsiders only knew his daughter's health wasn't very good. Had there been a mole in this underground city who leaked his information?

"There's no need to doubt too much, Mr. Yin. Aside from that one person in your underground city named Chu... Chu something... oh, Chu Qing, basically everyone is loyal to you. My source of information is a bit special."

Night Frost paused, then pulled an Eye Orb from the sleeve of her Magic Armor. The Eye Orb was glowing blue, though it was impossible to tell what exactly it was.

Lin stayed on guard, ready to turn into a demon at any moment.

"This is?"

Yin Tianchen pointed at the Eye Orb, not knowing what Night Frost intended to do with it.

Night Frost woke the Eye Orb from its research state. After it looked around, a mechanical voice rang out:

"We're here already? That was fast!"

"You're Mr. Yin Tianchen, I presume? Sorry for the intrusion. I'm Aklatia's chief researcher. You may call me Doctor. My companion has the ability to see the future, and she saved me, then rushed over to Rouge Rabbit. We've come to cooperate with Rouge Rabbit."

"We know your daughter has a heart problem, and I happen to possess the relevant technology. More importantly, that technology has already succeeded. The girl beside me is this miracle."

After hearing that, the look in Yin Tianchen's eyes changed when he looked at Night Frost. His original caution turned into shock, then expectation and excitement.

"See the future?"

Lin stepped forward. He didn't believe it.

"Lots of people don't."

Night Frost couldn't be bothered to bb. She flicked a Spirit Thread at him, planning to make Lin remember properly. Lin clutched his head as a flood of memories that didn't belong to him surged in.

"What kind of sorcery did you use?!"

Yin Tianchen stood up. Night Frost told him not to get agitated. Lin would calm down soon enough. They might as well use this time to discuss the cooperation.

"I need that Earth Dragon Heart of yours. That thing is very dangerous. Also, when the Twelfth District faces a crisis, you must help them. In exchange, I'll replace your daughter's heart with a healthy one. I promise."

Yin Tianchen agreed on the spot. Still, he clearly didn't intend to bet everything on a single option, and Night Frost let him be. As long as the cooperation was established, that was enough.

Lin had calmed down by now as well. He replayed the memories Night Frost had passed to him. He couldn't believe they were real. Chu Qing would turn into a monster and destroy the underground base of the Second District overnight. Though Lin had always known Chu Qing was no good and had never harbored good intentions.

"Why not drag her out and see for yourself?"

Night Frost patted Lin on the shoulder. Following the memories and the Eye Orb's guidance, she arrived at the lab's approximate location and took out the Earth Dragon Heart from inside.

The Earth Dragon Heart was beating. Even after more than ten years, it had never stopped. The reason it remained so active was the Key inside it.

Night Frost took the Key out. Lin also brought Chu Qing over.

"Your mission is complete, Chu Qing. The Key is already in hand, and you're no longer useful. God is very disappointed in you."

Night Frost raised a hand, planning to use CrimsonGoldFlame to burn away Chu Qing's soul.

Chu Qing hurriedly dropped to her knees.

"I've been undercover in Rouge Rabbit for so many years. I've planted countless pieces. Even if I have no merit, I've still worked hard. Failing to get the Key was my dereliction of duty... but please don't punish me. Didn't God see me too?"

Chu Qing pulled out a dagger and stabbed it into her bone, revealing the patterns etched across it.

Lin let out a sigh in his heart. Yin Tianchen also shook his head. Chu Qing really had been a pawn of the Magic Maidens, planning to harm Rouge Rabbit... Night Frost had been right.

Night Frost withdrew the Crimson Gold Flame, walked to Chu Qing's side, and placed her palm on her.

"I know. I know you've done a lot."

Pitch-black flames and crimson-gold flames burst out at the same time. Chu Qing's soul and body turned to ash in an instant.

And the runes on Chu Qing's bones floated in midair, turning into specks of starlight.

"That's a very thorough death."

Night Frost looked at the two men behind her.

"Well? Do you believe me now?"