Is Number Two someone from the apocalyptic era, just like Ma Zao?

Moreover, according to Number One, Number Two isn't even someone who "traveled from the apocalyptic era to the modern world," but rather someone who is still living in the apocalyptic era?

My gaze immediately shifted entirely to Number Two, and she shrank back into the rock chair, looking frightened as if my gaze had startled her.

Although I really wanted to ask about that giant, I was more concerned with Number Two right now, compared to an unresponsive figure like the giant.

"Is what Number One said true?" I asked.

"Yes, it's true..." Number Two said, her voice trembling like a timid young animal. "Although you probably won't believe it..."

"The world nearing destruction, the wish-granting artifact that can fulfill all desires—it's all just nonsense," Number One said calmly. "If you really want others to believe in such wild concepts, you'd better provide some evidence. Words alone are not enough."

Although we were currently in an unbelievable dream, he seemed to stick to a stubborn mindset. But is that really what he thinks? Perhaps he doesn’t completely disbelieve it. Showing me evidence—that might be his core demand.

I feel the same way. To truly convince me, seeing is believing.

I turned to Number Two and asked, "Can you describe what the world is like in the apocalyptic era?"

"Uh..." Number Two seemed a bit embarrassed.

Was she unable to answer? No, perhaps my question was too abstract. If someone from another world suddenly asked me to describe the world I live in, I wouldn't know where to start either.

"If the apocalyptic prophecy from Luoshan is true, then after the apocalypse arrives, all life and matter will vanish, and everything will return to nothingness," Number One said. "How could there still be any humans left in such a world?"

"But there are still people alive in the world I live in..." Number Two weakly said. "Although the numbers are small, and it's difficult to encounter others, some people are still struggling to survive in the ruins..."

"...It's not impossible," Four suddenly spoke up, shifting his attention to our conversation. "Everything has a process, just like the world has four stages from birth to destruction: Formation, Existence, Disintegration, and Emptiness. The apocalypse should also have its stages.

"We are currently in the phase where the signs of the apocalypse are appearing, but the great calamity hasn't truly arrived yet. As for her, she might be in the time after the great calamity has arrived, but before it has reached the stage of total destruction."

"Finally snapped back to reality, Four," Number One said. "What, are you actually going to believe those nonsense stories from Number Two?"

Four seemed to adjust his clothing, then spoke in a serious tone, introducing himself: "There's no need to give me a number code. You can call me 'Xuanming.'"

"—Xuanming?"

Both Number One and Number Two reacted to this name.

The former clearly showed some wariness, while the latter subtly revealed some fear.

Does the name Xuanming have some special significance? I also felt like I'd heard that name before. After searching through my memory, I could only find a distant legend.

The legend is called "Divine Bird Gives Birth to Shang Dynasty."

It is said that in ancient times, a woman named Jiandi from a primitive tribe swallowed an egg laid by a mysterious bird, and afterward gave birth to a son named Qi. This Qi was the ancestor of the Shang tribe, as well as the progenitor of the Shang Dynasty, a contemporary of the legendary hero Yu, who controlled the flood.

Qi's alternate name was "Yanbo," and he invented a calendar based on the Great Fire Star (heart of the constellation) and mastered the art of managing fire. In ancient times, preserving fire was difficult, but he was able to reignite it repeatedly, earning him the title of Fire God.

By the Song Dynasty, he was also called "Xuanming Wang" (King Xuanming).

Could this self-proclaimed Xuanming, Four, be connected to the legendary King Xuanming? Or could he even be King Xuanming himself—perhaps because we are in a dream, I even entertained this absurd idea.

However, Number One and Number Two's reactions to Four's self-introduction as Xuanming clearly did not seem to reflect the reverence one would expect for a mythological figure.

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"Are you really that Xuanming?" Number One asked with a complicated tone.

"It seems you two have heard of me. Then I'll get straight to the point. You both have Divine Seal Fragments, right? Would you be willing to trade them to me?" Four, now known as Xuanming, showed a straightforward attitude. "I am willing to offer whatever compensation is within my capability."

"I refuse," Number One answered without hesitation. "The moment we entered this misty dreamscape, we were already bound to the Divine Seal Fragments, so trading is impossible. Even if you throw the fragments into the sea, they will just automatically return to your side."

"What's more important is that I don't want to have private contact with someone as dangerous as you, or let you know my true identity. As for Number Two..."

"I don't seem to be from the same time as everyone else..." Number Two, observing our conversation, then said dejectedly, "And I can't tell my real name like Mr. Xuanming can. I'm sorry."

Originally, I was still curious about Four's identity, but upon hearing Number Two's second sentence, I immediately made a connection: "Why can't you say your real name?"

"Isn't it obvious? Who would tell their real identity to strangers in such a suspicious place?" Number One said matter-of-factly, then added, "Except for some reckless person."

I ignored his comment and repeatedly studied Number Two, the child.

Number One had previously mentioned she was a little girl, and after observing her, I agreed. Judging by her height and voice, she seemed to be around ten years old, still in elementary school.

A ten-year-old girl... Come to think of it, Ma Zao had also mentioned that her friend was a girl around ten years old...

According to Ma Zao, in the apocalyptic world, "being unable to speak one's true name" holds special significance. It likely means that the person has forgotten their name and past, teetering on the edge of becoming a demon beasts. When Ma Zao first met her friend, she was also unable to remember her own name.

—So, could Number Two be the friend Ma Zao spoke of?

I know this sudden speculation might seem abrupt. How could such a coincidence even exist?

However, since Ma Zao's bad luck seems to attract anomalies like a vortex, and my fate is still tangled within Ma Zao's vortex, I must pay attention to every coincidence I encounter on my journey and attempt to connect it to Ma Zao. This is especially true for coincidences within the strange events.

The black jade stone was brought to me by Ma Zao's bad luck, and within this misty dreamscape I entered through the black jade, I encountered someone who seems to match the characteristics of Ma Zao's friend.

A resident of the apocalyptic world, a ten-year-old girl, and possibly someone who has forgotten her own name...

These "coincidences" led me to naturally ask the next question.

"You don't refuse to reveal your true name, you just can't, right?" I asked Number Two. "If I'm right, you've already forgotten your real name. Am I correct?"

"Eh?" Number Two seemed greatly surprised, then immediately admitted, "Yes, that's right..."

Number One's gaze toward me instantly turned scrutinizing and puzzled.

Number Four, Xuanming, first observed Number Two's reaction, then gave me a meaningful look.

From Number One's reaction, could it be that he knew that Number Two couldn't reveal her name because she was unable to, and that the attitude he had earlier was to cover for her? I had originally thought he was just a rough person, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.

"How does Number Three know?" Number Two asked, confused.

I didn't directly answer her question, but continued speaking on my own. "So, you're not far from becoming a Oddities, are you?"

"To think you even know about Oddities..." Number Two seemed to realize something, and said excitedly, "Could it be... could it be that Number Three, you are..."

"Hold on, you still have to answer one more question." I wasn't fully convinced yet. "What's another name for Oddities?"

Number Two immediately answered, "They're called 'Demon beasts'!"

"Demon beasts?" Both Xuanming and Number One seemed to react to that term.

"Number Three, are you, like me, from the apocalyptic era?!"

Number Two was extremely excited, even unable to stop herself from jumping off the stone seat and jogging up to me.

"No wonder I haven't heard of someone like you, from the future..." Xuanming, Number Four, gazed at me thoughtfully. "If it's the Divine Seal Fragment, maybe it really can connect the future and the present through dreams..."

I wasn't planning to correct their misunderstanding for now, and it seemed like Number Two still had something she wanted to say.

She stood in front of me, looking up, hesitating for a moment before finally speaking. "Number Three... could you answer a question for me? I've been looking for someone..."

"Wait." Upon hearing that, a stronger sense of unease grew within me.

I first stopped her, glanced at the other two, and then said, "Whatever you want to say, don't do it here. Let's move farther away and speak privately."

"Where are you taking her?" Number One asked, suspicious.

Number Two hesitated as well. Just because we were both from the apocalyptic era didn't mean I could be trusted. In fact, as Ma Zao had mentioned, the moral standards of people from the apocalyptic world weren't very high. It was only natural for Number Two to be wary of me.

As for Ma Zao, she was clearly an exception—her apocalyptic style disregarded the law, yet her conscience didn't want to drag in unrelated people. In some ways, her sense of morality might even be higher than many modern people.

After some hesitation, Number Two finally made up her mind. "I understand... I'll go with you, Number Three."

It seemed like Number One had initially wanted to intervene but ultimately gave up, allowing me to take Number Two away.

We moved to a place where the other two couldn't overhear us. The surroundings were thick with mist, and the stone seats and the others were no longer visible. There were no reference points here, so I had to rely solely on my memory of the direction we had come from.

"If you had a question to ask earlier, you can ask it here," I said to Number Two.

"Okay, okay..."

She was extremely nervous, her words somewhat unclear at first, but she eventually became more determined and tried to explain as clearly as possible. "I'm looking for someone. That person used to protect me, but recently we got separated... I might be turning into a demon beasts soon, and I don't know if that person is still alive...

"So... I at least want to find out about that person before I turn into a demon beasts..."

By the end, her voice grew more sorrowful, as if she was about to cry.

"The person who protected you, what's their name?" I asked.

"...Ma Zao," she said. "Her name is 'Ma Zao.'"