He pushed open the dark door, and was met with a blinding light. Walking on ancient flagstones, he found himself standing on a large circular platform with markings. Three circles, painted in black, adorned the surface. The outermost circle was close to the edge of the platform, while the second circle, between the outer and inner circles, displayed twelve Chinese characters: "Zi," "Chou," "Yin," "Mao," "Chen," "Si," "Wu," "Wei," "Shen," "You," "Xu," and "Hai." The space between the second and inner circles was marked with straight lines, resembling a hand-drawn clock. Each section under the straight lines was filled with ten Chinese characters: "Jia," "Yi," "Bing," "Ding," "Wu," "Ji," "Geng," "Xin," "Ren," and "Gui."

Starting from the "Zi" character, he stepped over the "Jia" character and walked to the center of the platform, under a tall black spire that resembled a toothpick.

He touched a long table, possibly made of jade or some other green gemstone, and found a finely crafted jade ruyi scepter on its surface, adorned with phoenixes, peonies, a deer, and lively carps.

The four corners of the table had petal-shaped armrests, engraved with lifelike patterns of butterflies dancing around flower petals. The four legs of the table were not straight, with the upper part thickening, the middle part thinning, and the lower part thickening again, resembling the limbs of a wild beast. The legs were also adorned with numerous carvings of Chinese dragons, seemingly rising from the ground, and clouds at the top, depicting the Ascension of the Four Dragons.

The chairs were similarly exquisite, with shiny stone seats that resembled solid drums or round platforms. The seats were carved with dragons and phoenixes, while the bodies of the chairs depicted twelve graceful beauties, dressed in silk garments, holding pipas, and exuding elegance.

On the table lay an unfolded parchment, its color as grey-white as the sky above. A quill pen rested on the parchment, and beside it, an open bottle of ink exuded a fresh jasmine scent. Sitting on the chair, he dipped the quill into the ink and wrote on the parchment:

"They have turned me into a monster, a true monster. It's so unfair to me. The taste of fear, countless hands reaching out from the darkness, suffocating me. Devils whispering in my ears, craving my flesh, coveting my soul. They shouldn't have done this to me. I shouldn't exist in this world.

I can't help but be afraid. The sound of breathing, the beating of the heart, the gasping, and a foul smell. Sharp teeth, claws, green skin, rough scales, snake-like eyes. No, no, no, this isn't me. This is a monster, a damned monster.

I shouldn't have believed his lies. I shouldn't have given him the memory chip. Despite its ability to control my thoughts, it also protects me. It's the last glimmer of light I have in this dark world. Without it, the dark tide would engulf me.

I shouldn't have given it to him. Deceiver, they are all deceivers. I was so foolish. I shouldn't have believed they would send me home. They were just deceiving me. I am their plaything, their pawn. In the end of this game, I will die in agony, that's for sure.

Let him return my chip to me. He can't treat me like this. Let him return it to me, for saving his life, or for doing so much for him. He can't harm me. I am an obedient child. I did as he asked, let him return it to me, my chip, immediately, right now.

I believed him unconditionally, I was so foolish. He made me give him the chip, and so I did. I bound a pile of soil wrapped in my clothes with a vine, as he instructed, and dragged it along, leaving his bloodstains along the way. I crawled on all fours, wearing his shoes on my hands, like a camel, deliberately leaving footprints in the sand. He said the snake people's footsteps are lighter, so I had to tie a bit of dry grass to my feet. I retraced the path.

I walked with the darkness, accompanied by fear, but he removed my chip. He said not doing so would expose our trail. But without the chip, I'd rather be exposed. This world hates me. I heard many voices, shouting my name. The undead looked ghastly, calling my name, betrayer."

— Wu Fan's Diary

The cocoon stirred, like a moth about to hatch, fluttering its wings.

"Help, please let me go," a faint voice emerged from the tightly wrapped, white, spider-web-like cocoon. With a crack, the sharp claws tore through the white cocoon as if it were a fragile piece of paper.

He squinted, surveying everything around him, like a newly hatched chick, full of curiosity about the world. But he was not like that. Everything before him was so unfamiliar, so frightening.

His claws were placed in front of him, and the dim firelight illuminated half of his face, casting a soft glow, somewhat hazy.

Snake-like pupils, fangs, nostrils exhaling hot air. The biggest difference between him and a dog was that a dog had fur on its face, but he didn't. His face was covered in scales, with a small tuft of brown hair on top. This person, he was familiar with, no, he didn't recognize this person. In his memory, 22 was a human, not a monster, not a creature that made him afraid and disgusted.

He moved his body backward, and the white cocoon could no longer support his weight, tearing open a gap. With a splash, he fell into the mud.

He raised his head, seeing four colors in front of him: green, white, black, and dark yellow.

He saw ants crawling densely on the pale tree roots, and there were several earthworms and black worms living in the soil. Flames were burning next to white bones, and some dry grass and roots were burning in the fire. His clothes and pants were placed haphazardly on a makeshift clothesline made of dry branches. It was then that he realized he was naked. "Yes, I remember now, he knocked me out," he looked at the creature in front of him, both fearful and hateful.

" 45, Wu Fan, calm down," the creature reached out its right hand to him. "Calm down, breathe."

Calm down? How can I be calm? My lungs are filled with dirty air. He straightened up, opened his mouth, and stepped back until he touched the mud, then he crawled into the passage without looking back.

The taste of freedom. He spread his arms wide. I have regained my freedom. From now on, I will break free from them. He turned to look behind him and quickly disappeared into the woods.

In the morning mist of the forest, the air was filled with a fragrant scent. The oak trees grew tall, their lush leaves covering the entire sky.

In Wu Fan's world, there were shades of green, white, blue, and sometimes a hint of warm gold, as the sunlight fell gently on his face.

He struggled to control his heartbeat, trying to focus on the surrounding scenery. The pounding in his mind was too overwhelming, and so was his breathing. I am a human, not a monster. Throughout, he dared not look at his own hands. Walking naked in the forest, he had to be extremely cautious. Any carelessness would result in the sound of leaves scraping against scales, a sound that would drive him mad. I am a human, not a monster.

He walked like a lost ghost, the birds and insects in the forest making his relaxed mood turn restless. "Damn it, you bugs, damn it, you birds," he muttered, his stomach empty, saliva swallowed countless times.

He touched his growling stomach, and as if shocked, he flung his hand away. That was the hand of a monster. I can't think like this. He looked at the world around him, strange and eerie.

Everywhere was a trap, the forest was a wild beast that would swallow him whole when he least expected it. His body would become the best nourishment, just like his excrement.

He stopped and wanted to cry. Tears naturally flowed down his cheeks, like rain, a rain that fell in his heart. The forest now had another sound, his sobbing.

With tears in his eyes, the dinosaur person carefully searched for food. The fruit of the head flower looked like white rice, but it was inedible, with a bitter taste. The leaves of the hare's foot mushroom were like blades, forming a round shield. He picked up a sharp leaf and chewed it a few times, quickly spitting it out. It tasted worse than the former. He looked at the soapberry nearby and quickly dismissed the thought. He didn't want to taste the flavor of laundry detergent.

The voice of the brown-haired man kept ringing in his ears, "Look for a shady spot, under a big tree, as close to the exposed tree roots as possible." He wanted to pat his own brain and say, "Shut up, you damn monster." But hunger destroyed all his anger. He approached the exposed tree roots, mostly covered in moss and lichen. He grabbed a handful of green moss and put it in his mouth. After swallowing it, he swore he would never do such a foolish thing again. It tasted like wood and earth, making his stomach uncomfortable.

Sometimes, under the decaying tree roots, he could find some insects. One type of insect emitted an unpleasant smell, like spoiled gasoline. There were earthworms, spiders, and crickets, as well as some strange and grotesque insects he couldn't name.

"I am a human, not a monster," he desperately swallowed his saliva. A voice in his head kept repeating, "They (those insects) are rich in protein."

Later, when he was desperate and attempted to swallow a worm, he discovered a type of mushroom. It was nestled next to a large tree root, gray-yellow in color, looking like a patch of leprosy. It was so brightly colored that it was probably poisonous. He encouraged himself in his mind and then picked a plant to taste. The raw taste wasn't great, but at least it was edible.

He felt a surge of strength as he stuffed the mushrooms into his mouth.

He danced like a butterfly, waving his arms continuously, imagining them as wings.

White fireworks bloomed out of nowhere, white phosphorus burning in the air. A group of ghostly lights gradually approached the travelers on the wilderness. The moon in the sky was gentle and bright, elongating everyone's shadows. The sky at dawn was no different from the sky during the day, even with sunglasses. The boy suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting two full moons. He was floating like a balloon, held tightly by five or six figures wearing black cloaks, their faces hidden in the shadows. They tightly held the iron chains that bound the boy's hands and feet. The boy raised his hands, wanting to escape the ground, fly into the sky, and grab the moon in the sky. My freedom comes from the sky, from above the moon.

Wu Fan then saw a dazzling light. After the light, a group of people wearing white coats and masks, like doctors, appeared before him. He lay motionless on a cold operating table, witnessing them cut open his chest and insert a black, iron-like object into his body.

A woman embraced him, wearing a red dress with fiery red curls, fair cheeks, and a pair of gentle eyes like black gems. She smiled, and Wu Fan laughed heartily.

A low tomb sat in front of a field of blooming dandelions. A five-year-old boy knelt in front of the grave. He could hear the boy's inner thoughts, "Where do people go after they die?" The boy crawled on the ground, crying loudly, and Wu Fan cried along with him.

He cried when he was sad, laughed when he was happy, sometimes wore a poker face, and sometimes made fearful expressions. Wu Fan was like wearing a series of masks, performing a Sichuan opera face-changing act.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure standing in front of him. "The ugly mushroom has hallucinogenic properties. I think you've eaten too much," the person forcibly pried open his mouth and poured a liquid into it.

The man with wine-red hair shielded his eyes from the dazzling sun, leaning against a small-footed lizard.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Alex glanced at the unexpected guest in front of him. The central figure had long orange hair, a chiseled square face, a high nose, and sparkling amber eyes. He wore a gray-brown robe, revealing wheat-colored ankles and broad palms.

Ten people stood behind him, all dressed in black robes, wearing masks on their faces, and heavy iron chains bound to their wrists and ankles.

"Young master, it's been a while," the man flashed a charming smile, then knelt on one knee, placed his right hand over his heart, bowed his head, and saluted Alex.

"It has indeed been some time. I thought you were dead," Alex slapped his forehead. "It's a shame Uncle Wu Fan didn't finish you off back then."

"What was your name again? I think I've forgotten," Alex inquired.

"Young master, my name is Chen," the man smiled even more, showing no signs of anger despite Alex's provocation.

Swift as the wind, Alex dashed towards the man in an instant. His sword, Tianxia Ba Chang, slashed at the man's neck with a speed that tore through the air. Just as Chen was about to lose his head, Alex leaped to the side. A sword aura, faster than lightning, struck the spot where he had just landed, leaving a smooth cut at Chen's feet. Alex turned to look at the sky, where a figure was floating.

"Lee Tang, the Immortal of One Sword," he murmured the name of the person in the sky.

The Immortal of One Sword had a jade-like face, skin like condensed fat, wearing a plain white silk robe, a dragon-headed purple-gold crown on his head, a bright purple belt with a phoenix-patterned pure white jade in the center, and deep gray leather boots. A pure black cloak fluttered behind him, and he held an exquisite sword, exuding extraordinary aura.

"Hey, long time no see," Alex grinned and waved at the Immortal of One Sword.

The Immortal of One Sword snorted and turned his head away.

Suddenly, Alex flew into the sky. His golden-red shining sword pierced the Immortal of One Sword's heart, while several stones shot out from his other hand, "swish, swish, swish," at a speed comparable to bullets.

The scene fell into a deathly silence, followed by a tremendous pressure. The yellow sand on the ground was lifted into the air, and everyone's clothes were pulled by the strong wind. Chen's strange companions involuntarily took a step back, and as for Chen himself, the sand sprinkled on him, making him look like a mud figure. The two figures descended from the sky, standing back to back, connected by a nearly 30-meter-long, one-meter-deep crack under their feet.

"It seems your martial arts have improved since we last met," Alex praised.

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"The feeling is mutual," the Immortal of One Sword responded expressionlessly, tossing away the stones in his hand.

Alex sheathed his sword, "Does anyone have any wine? Please, I need some."

Chen stood up and took out two bags from his robe, tossing them to Alex.

Alex caught them and drank the wine. He burped contentedly, "Finally, I feel alive again." He spoke to the Immortal of One Sword, "Would you like some?" and tossed the wine bag to him.

The Immortal of One Sword did not respond. Instead, his sword split the wine bag in half in an instant, leaving a clean cut without spilling a drop.

The other empty wine bag in Alex's hand fell to the ground. He feigned surprise, "Ah, buddy, you're really something. I always knew you were extraordinary, but I didn't expect your sword to effortlessly drink up my entire bag of wine. Fantastic, truly fantastic."

The Immortal of One Sword hugged his sword and snorted, ignoring his jest.

Alex, feeling bored, played with the lizard perched on his shoulder. The little creature blinked its emerald eyes, stuck out its tongue, and looked thoroughly pleased.

"Alright, can someone tell me what all this is about?" Alex was about to pinch the lizard's neck with his index finger and thumb, but the agile creature reacted faster, biting his index finger. Alex had to throw it away, and soon his skin turned green like wild grass.

"They are searching for the power your father left in this world, Alex," the lizard climbed onto the shoulder of a masked man, sniffing the scent on him.

"Hey, any discoveries?" Alex's skin instantly returned to normal. He spread his left hand, palm forward, and with a gentle squeeze, everything within sight seemed to be under an invisible force, defying not only physical laws but also intimidating the soul. When he unleashed his power, the area within a dozen kilometers became his domain. He was like a spider in an oversized web.

"Alex, that's enough," a dry voice came from the masked man under the lizard's feet. The lizard bit the masked man's neck, tearing a bloody wound. It burrowed in, and the entire body of the masked man began to float. His bones and muscles visibly grew at an alarming rate, and when his elongated feet were long enough to touch the ground again, he removed the mask from his face, revealing a face that was both eerie and enchanting, with a pair of captivating eyes, one of which was a heterochromia.

No one was shocked by this turn of events; they seemed accustomed to it.

The man stretched his limbs and smiled, "It's much more convenient to have an upright walking body."

Suddenly, a burst of anger flared in Alex's eyes. This smiling face often appeared in his dreams, but it was not a sweet dream. He had dreamt of him countless times, and each time, he tore him apart. He glanced at the Immortal of One Sword, who also flashed a fleeting murderous intent in his eyes.

"Nephew, don't look at me like that. It scares me," the man pretended to hug himself, but his mouth let out a strange, cackling laugh.

"You sicko, I will definitely kill you. My dearest uncle, how honored I would be if I could make you feel afraid. Fear is an emotion that only exists between living beings with blood, flesh, emotions, and righteousness. Are you sure that a monster like you can truly feel fear?" Alex laughed, squinting his eyes.

"Hahaha," the man's voice was hearty, "Not afraid? You overestimate me, my dear nephew. Do you know how terrifying your father is?"

"No, of course you don't. You've never seen him since you were born, but I can't forget that day," he answered his own question.

"Your second uncle is our eldest brother. When he was born, three, four, five... your father was the last child. But when he appeared, it was like the sun, and we were just planets, satellites orbiting around him. He was great. His first words were, 'Bow to me, my servants.' No one could defy his will. I was like a dog lying on the ground. Do you know how I felt at that time?"

His eyes were filled with madness, and Chen twisted his face. Two lunatics, their grim laughter made the distant mountains shudder.

"Fear and excitement, my blood is boiling, my heart is trembling. My name," the man's face turned red from excitement, like a dumpling skin soaked in cold water with chili sauce.

"He despised me to the extreme. He called me a bug, the lowliest of bug. Yes, from now on, my name has become Bug."

Damn, a pervert, Bug, what a disgusting name. But Alex also understood that he couldn't kill the bug that he hated to the bone.

"Of course, there are others who hate me as much as you do, right?" Bug glanced at the Immortal of One Sword. Although he seemed unmoved, he knew very well that "his hatred for me is no less than that of my dear nephew."

"You can't kill me. The only one who can kill me is your father. No, to be precise, it's the future form he is about to evolve into. All worlds, whether it's the dinosaur world under our feet, the human world, or the legendary world, cannot escape the fate of being destroyed by him. We and he are like the hour and minute hands in a clock. We move clockwise, but he rotates counterclockwise. One day, we will definitely collide."

"Do you want me to give up on avenging you?" Alex smiled like a little girl.

"Would you be willing?" Bug laughed louder than him.

"Don't worry, I won't advise you to give up. I've lived for too long, so long that I've forgotten my age. My enemies are almost catching up to the stars in the sky."

"I just want to tell you that your father's evolution into the future form is irreversible and unstoppable. Even if you eliminate them here and now," he glanced at Chen and his companions, "it won't change anything."

"Really want to kill me? Then let your father return to this world quickly," his laughter was so wild, as if he didn't care about anything in the world.

Alex released his fingers, and the pressure that bound Chen and his companions immediately dissipated. Chen let out a strange laugh and turned towards the depths of the desert, followed closely by his men, "Let's go, Alex. If you truly hate me." After saying this, Bug left the two men with his back turned. Alex and the Immortal of One Sword exchanged a glance and followed suit.

They walked in the wilderness, with dark clouds covering the sun on the horizon. However, the defiant sun dyed the other half of the sky a grayish-yellow (the dark clouds rolled under the golden clouds), the wind rustled the grass, and the sand was blown everywhere. All of this was like a desolate oil painting.

"Wu Fan, 45, hey, listen to me. I think it's necessary for us to stop and talk," said the slightly smaller dinosaur man walking at the front, covering his ears.

"I won't listen, I won't listen" replied Wu Fan, walking ahead.

"Alright, buddy, if you insist, but where are you going?" the brown-haired dinosaur man shrugged. "I promised you that I would protect you until you safely return home."

"Liars, you are all liars. I won't believe you anymore," thought the little dinosaur angrily, walking faster with his head down.

They continued in silence. Wu Fan looked up at the sky. The sun gave up struggling against the darkness, and the last glimmer disappeared into the thick dark clouds. The intense wind blew down the weeds and bent the waist of the short trees. It was the rhythm of rain, and the humidity in the air indicated that a heavy rainstorm was approaching.

A raindrop hit his face, and soon the sound of pouring rain filled the air. The first splash of cold rain extinguished the heat, but the second brought coldness. Drenched, they had to find a place to take shelter from the rain.

"Luckily, you still remember my teachings," 22 took out a piece of charred meat from his pocket. "Eat it, ugly mushrooms don't have much energy." He wore a strange outfit, a combination of cowhide and snakeskin, stitched with hemp rope made from oak roots. He took out another identical outfit from his pocket and handed it to Wu Fan. "Put it on, I think you need to keep warm now."

Wu Fan did not respond. He shivered and curled up in the cave. He didn't want to talk to the creature in front of him, even though it had saved him once again. It had awakened him from the illusion and taught him survival skills, helping him quickly find the shelter from the rain.

"I think I completely understand your feelings now. You will feel angry, you will feel scared, and of course, more scared. But my child, where else can you go?"

"Anywhere is fine," he said, but as the words came out, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have nowhere to go in this world. They kidnapped me and cut off my connection to the original world. I am an orphan, a homeless orphan. With this thought, he cried again, his sobbing sounding like the rain in the sky, crying while the heavens wept for his tragic fate.

"Wu Fan, look into my eyes and tell me what you see inside," he firmly held his shoulders.

"Let go of me, let go of me," he struggled desperately, but couldn't free himself from the strong hands. His snake pupils reflected a panicked face. "No, this is not me, I won't look like this." He refused to acknowledge what he saw and quickly turned his head away.

"Look at me," he forcibly moved his head towards himself. "You see another person, don't you? This person makes you feel scared."

"Take it as a dream, a nightmare, okay? You can repeatedly tell yourself in your mind that this is a dream, a stupid dream, okay?" He shook his head vigorously.

The dazed little dinosaur nodded gently. There was a kind of irresistible magic in his deep eyes. "This is a dream, just a dream," he kept muttering to himself.

They traveled and slept under the open sky, just like the days when they traveled at night and rested during the day. If it weren't necessary, he didn't want to hypnotize Wu Fan. Mind control made him feel nauseous. Controlling others' thoughts was both evil and unrewarding. Even though he hadn't reached the pinnacle of this ability (even if the other party's mental power was far inferior to his, he was not good at mental control), just slightly suppressing Wu Fan's emotions would make him feel genuinely exhausted, not to mention the pain in his chest.

Hypnotizing others could not harm their memories or consciousness, nor could it cause damage to their brain nerves. It was a technical skill. 22 looked at the little dinosaur muttering in front of him and frowned. "Luckily, we are about to reach the next stop," he comforted himself in his mind.

In the past few days, they had given up the wide road and plunged into the woods. The pursuit of the three-member team of Rejemi made him understand a truth: even with the cover of night, it did not mean absolute safety. It seemed like a good decision to be cautious and have the cover of a pile of leaves, especially compared to the barren sandy land. The forest was a treasure trove. Although walking in the forest was more dangerous than in the wilderness, he was 22, and there was almost no place in this world he hadn't been to, well, on land. The mysterious and unpredictable sea areas were mostly the territory of aquatic species, and as a reptile, he preferred to stay on land.

There was plenty to eat and drink in the woods. Whenever he had the chance, he would show off his knowledge to Wu Fan, even though most of the time the latter kept his head down, talking to himself. He didn't care whether the other was listening or not, and he kept talking endlessly about what he knew.

They picked some raspberry-like fruits from a low, snowflake-like plant. "This is called Shengjin fruit. It has a bit of toxin. It tastes sour and sweet, and it can invigorate the spirit for a while. The only downside is that it's easy to get addicted," he threw a few thumb-sized fruits into his mouth. "But fortunately, we will reach the headquarters in a few days, so it's okay to eat more." Saying this, he took out a handful and placed it in front of Wu Fan. "I think you can try it." He sincerely hoped that the little dinosaur would like the clothes he had made. Their previous tattered clothes had been buried by him.

Wu Fan ignored him. In fact, he was deeply immersed in his own world, indifferent to the outside world, repeating words to make himself feel justified.

22 took out a piece of withered snake meat from his burden (which he had sewn with snake skin) and put it in his mouth. Then he took out some wild vegetables. "This vegetable is called Yeya. Look at the shape of its leaves, doesn't it look like a spoon? So it's also called Spoon Grass." He picked up a grass leaf and waved it in front of Wu Fan. "So it has another name, Spoon Grass."

After chewing for a while, he commented like a food critic, "It tastes fresh, crispy, and somewhat between radish and cabbage. It's not suitable to eat alone, it's poisonous, although the toxicity is not strong. It still needs to be eaten with the juice of the ghost vine to eliminate the toxin." After that, he took out a half of a porcelain cup and took a sip of the water he had previously given to Wu Fan.

"I think our painful journey is finally coming to an end," he patted Wu Fan's shoulder. The little dinosaur finally raised his head, nervously muttering, "This is a dream, just a dream."

A huge pine tree came into view. 22 caressed the reddish-brown trunk, standing in front of the towering tree, like a baby facing an elephant. "Guess its name."

Of course, this was just his self-questioning. "This tree is called the Sky Tree, also known as the towering pine. It is said that in the ancient tree forest, they can grow to several hundred meters. Here, there are not enough nutrients for them to grow freely, so they can only grow to the height of a building."

He tapped his chest twice with his right hand, then drew a circle on his chest, and finally clasped his hands together, bowing his head to what he called the Sky Tree, with a solemn expression as if bowing to another monk.

"This is the rule of the Prophet's teachings. When facing giant trees, we must address them as Mr. Tree. All things have spirits, and they are equal to us."

Nervous and eccentric. Wu Fan glanced at the towering plant again and continued to repeat his previous words, "This is a dream, just a dream."

They passed through the Sky Tree forest, where the huge plants were spaced far apart from each other to avoid interference, allowing them to fully enjoy every inch of sunlight and nutrients from the soil. They were a group of gentle giants. Some ground plants crawled under the trees, among which the best-growing ones were a kind of purple vine, entangled with each other in a mess. "Doesn't it look like a girl's curly hair?" 22 pulled apart the entwined vines under his feet. "This is called the Girl Vine."

Seeing Wu Fan's indifference, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Time was running out. The venom had already begun to seep into his heart. To evade pursuit, he and Wu Fan had to hide in the belly of a giant snake. The special physique of the dinosaur people allowed him to absorb the flesh and blood of the giant snake. The blood of the steel-helmeted snake was rich in toxins. Even though he had powerful resistance to toxins, 22 didn't know if he could make it back to the base alive, especially when he was seriously injured at the time.

I have to talk to him. I know the feeling of being isolated from the world very well. It's like throwing a non-swimmer into the deep sea. I have to talk to him, say a lot of things, at least to divert his attention and ensure that I can bring him back.

22 pointed to the river in front of him (which was at the foot of the forest) and spoke cheerfully, "This river is called the SkyPine River, named after this forest. It is one of the many tributaries of the Long River. Do you know the Long River?"

"The Long River?" Wu Fan felt somewhat familiar and couldn't help but think of two other rivers. "The Yangtze River and the Yellow River, the mother rivers of the Chinese people."

"The Long River is the mother river of the Eastern Continent. I'm really silly. It's your first time in this world, so how could you know?"

Why does he have calluses on his body? What are those calluses made of? Will the toxins on his body work? 22 couldn't explain the bizarre things happening to Wu Fan. The boy seemed to be immune to snake venom. He had been in this world for decades, and he had never seen such a situation.

Could he really be the savior?

"This world is mainly composed of two continents, which we call the East and West Continents. The territorial area is approximately one-third of the human world. There are about three to five hundred million higher intelligent beings inhabiting it, mainly dominated by the dinosaur people, snake people, and lizard people, followed by the small kingdoms and tribes that depend on them for survival. The dinosaur people dominate among all intelligent beings, and the Dinosaur Empire rules over more than half of the land on the East and West Continents, with about 30% of the world's population."

"The two continents are surrounded by thousands of islands and two large oceans. The sea is a public area, covering about one-fifth of the ocean area of the human world. The deep sea is the territory of the Aquatic ."

"The Long River originates from a mountain in the northern part of the Eastern Continent called Nata Mountain. Of course, this is the name given by the dinosaur people. Translated into something you can understand, it means the mountain that gives birth to water. The snake people call it the Rolo Mountain. What it specifically means, the intelligent mainframe did not explain, and I have never asked my snake acquaintances about this question. The lizard people call it Nabu. They don't like places with too much water. Nabu means cold abyss. The Long River almost runs through the entire continent from the north and finally flows into the East Sea."

"The Long River connects many rivers and has many branches. For countless years, the creatures on this continent have relied on it for survival. They call it the mother river. Its vastness is beyond what I have seen in my lifetime. When I was still a human, I had never seen such a wide and gentle river. I once thought that the was spacious San Joaquin River

enough, but compared to the Long River, it's like a monkey's hand compared to an elephant's waist."

Wu Fan couldn't figure out what he was trying to express and silently watched him.

"I think you should go and experience the greatness of the Long River," my words caught his attention. Good, keep it up like this. "We are in the lower reaches of the Long River. The place we are going to is called the Kingdom of Reya Ye. There are many interesting people and things there. Trust me, it's a place that can make you feel warm."

"Alright, I think we have arrived at our destination." Luckily, I think I can safely bring him back to the headquarters.

Wu Fan was still immersed in his words when 22 suddenly whistled. A rumbling sound echoed through the forest, getting closer. The ground trembled beneath his feet, and some colossal creature was approaching. Behind the farthest Sky Tree in sight, a creature with a head appeared. It had three horns, two short ones on its forehead that curved upward, and a long, sharp one on its nose, like a silver spear.

It had a huge body comparable to that of a triceratops, with four legs as sturdy as Roman columns. Its gray-brown fur was smooth and had a rigid beauty. It also had a flexible tail like a lion's.

The appearance of the Stegosaurus

almost made Wu Fan's heart stop. Just as he was about to faint from the overwhelming sight, a loud, high-pitched cry from behind startled him. He stiffly raised his head and looked back slowly. A bird-like creature was staring at him with wide eyes. Its wings were not covered in feathers but had brown membrane wings like duck fluff. At the top of the membrane wings were three small black claws. It had eagle-like eyes, a disproportionately large belly, and a long, slender beak. Even a crane would be inferior to it.

Wu Fan stood still, as if in a daze. A surge of electricity flowed through his body, and he suddenly turned around.

"22." The brown-haired man returned to his side.

The man had a bottle of wine in his hand, which he had somehow produced, and he looked at him with a smile. "How about a drink?"