Chapter 859: Leaving
"Brother Zhou... Brother Zhou." The red-haired, burly man stammered, his previous ruggedness and unruliness completely gone.
Zhou Huai ignored him and went straight to Old Mo, who was sitting on the deck.
He held the Netherworld Chain, which emitted a dark golden light, in both hands and solemnly handed it over.
"Elder Mo, this divine artifact should be returned to its rightful owner," Zhou Huai said sincerely. If this ultimate divine artifact from the Seventh World hadn't restrained the Sea God's high-dimensional laws, he wouldn't have been able to kill it so easily.
However, Old Master Mo did not reach out to take it.
He slowly raised his head, a relieved smile on his deeply lined, aged face.
He looked at Zhou Huai, then at the chain in Zhou Huai's hand that seemed to tremble slightly as if it had a life of its own, and slowly shook his head.
"Zhou Huai, I cannot accept this chain."
"Why?" Zhou Huai frowned slightly.
"Because it has found the most suitable master for itself." Old Mo's voice was hoarse, yet it revealed a kind of insightful understanding of the world.
"The Netherworld Chains were forged using the last remaining laws of our Seventh World. Their very existence is meant to break conventions and restrain higher dimensions." Elder Mo gazed intently at Zhou Huai. "And in you, I see qualities that do not belong to the underlying logic of the Heavenly Dao of this world. You can unleash its full power without any hindrance, and even make its spirit willingly recognize you as its master."
"If it stays with me, it's just a cold piece of scrap metal. But in your hands, it might become a sharp blade to cut through this apocalyptic mystery."
Old Mo stretched out his withered hand and pushed Zhou Huai's hand, which was gripping the chain, back.
"Take it. Consider it a small token of my and our group of souls from the old era's past."
Zhou Huai looked at Mo Lao's determined eyes and remained silent for a moment.
He didn't refuse again, but instead put the Netherworld Chain into his system space.
"Thank you, Elder Mo. This junior will certainly not disgrace this divine artifact." Zhou Huai nodded solemnly.
Then, he abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely serious.
"Elder Mo, and everyone else." Zhou Huai looked around at the powerful figures from the old era on the small boat. "I just received news that Mr. Duan has broken free of the seal."
"What?!" The red-haired burly man gasped, his joy instantly freezing on his face, replaced by undisguised fear.
"He's heading towards these coordinates at an extremely fast speed," Zhou Huai said, looking at Elder Mo. "This place will soon become a battlefield for transcendents. I'm leaving. You... do you want to come with me?"
"I can tear apart the space of the ruins and bring you back to the present world."
Upon hearing Mr. Duan's name, the atmosphere on the small boat instantly plummeted to freezing point.
However, to Zhou Huai's surprise...
Old Master Mo shook his head again, this time with a hint of determination in his smile.
"Go? Where to?"
Old Master Mo slowly stood up, looking around at the desolate and lifeless Black Sea, his tone calm and undisturbed.
“Zhou Huai, look at us...we’re neither human nor ghost.”
“We are already dead. The reason why this broken soul has been able to survive until today is entirely due to the remaining Seventh World Law in this ruin.”
“Once we leave this place and come into contact with the Heavenly Dao system of the present world, we will immediately be reduced to ashes.”
Old Mo turned his head and looked intently at the dark horizon in the distance.
"Moreover, the Sea God is dead, and I have let go of my greatest obsession."
"Now, even if that madman Mr. Duan really comes, it doesn't matter."
The red-haired, burly man stepped forward, his only remaining hand gripping the ship's railing tightly. He gritted his teeth and said, "That's right! We're not going anywhere! I've been hiding in this dark, sunless place for an entire era, I've had enough!"
"Since that bastard is coming, then I'll wait for him here! Even if it means my soul is scattered, I'll still knock out a few of his teeth!"
Other powerful figures from the old era echoed his sentiments, their eyes rekindling with a resolute will to die.
They knew they were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot when facing Mr. Duan, but this was the last bit of dignity they could retain as former top experts.
Looking at this group of old-timers who disregarded life and death, Zhou Huai couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.
He didn't try to persuade him any further.
In this cruel, data-driven apocalypse, everyone has their own destiny and choices.
Since they have decided to perish with these ruins, the only thing I can do is respect their choice.
“Perfect timing...” Old Master Mo narrowed his eyes slightly, a complex light flashing in his cloudy eyes. “I have some things I would like to discuss with Mr. Duan in person.”
"Ask him where Mr. Duan, who used to talk with me all night by the fireplace and plan for the future, has gone."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Huai said no more.
He took a step back and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Elder Mo and the people on the flat boat.
"Take care, everyone."
There was no lingering or sentimental farewell.
Zhou Huai turned around, and the spatial laws within his body surged instantly.
"Victor, open the door."
"Yes, my lord."
In the void ahead, the dark blue spatial vortex that exuded the primal aura of the Seventh World reappeared.
Zhou Huai took a step forward, and his figure instantly disappeared into the vortex.
As he departed, the vortex twisted violently a few times before closing completely and vanishing into nothingness.
The ruins of Castrandis have once again fallen into a deathly silence.
On the surface of the Dead Sea, a cold wind howled.
The dilapidated flatboat bobbed on the waves.
Old Master Mo stood with his hands behind his back, silently gazing in the direction where Zhou Huai had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.
"Old Master Mo..." The red-haired, burly man walked up behind him, his voice low, "Can that kid win?"
Old Mo did not turn around, but looked up at the sky that had begun to crack inch by inch and faintly revealed terrifying black high-dimensional law fluctuations.
"Who knows?"
A faint smile appeared on Old Mo's lips.
"But at least, he showed us a variable that was completely outside of Mr. Duan's script."