Chapter 22 Part 3

But Leo and Perila always just missed each other.

It was as if something was deliberately interfering, making them head in opposite directions even when separated only by a small stream, and ensuring they never looked across the river.

The little lion: “Wherever Perila left footprints, Halflings died. These Halflings were all killed by foreign friends they had accepted. Others would always shield the murderers.”

Perila’s puppet was enveloped in layer upon layer of blood.

The grayish-black on the Dwarf puppet grew heavier and heavier.

One day, the Dwarf puppet disappeared.

Behind Perila’s puppet, a dark, sinister shadow appeared.

Leo’s puppet finally caught up to Perila.

“Leo, why would the Gods create a purely kind race? Didn’t they know a kind race would definitely be bullied and humiliated?”

“Perila, calm down. There’s a conspiracy behind this! You were deceived! I’m about to find the murderer!”

Perila was silent for a moment.

Then he smiled.

“I believe you, Leo. Because even among Halflings, you are the kindest. You wouldn’t deceive me. I believe everything you say.”

Leo walked towards Perila.

Perila also walked towards Leo.

Leo’s chest was pierced through.

Perila took out Leo’s heart.

“But even if you find the murderer, can the dead come back to life?” Perila’s puppet merged the gleaming heart into his own chest. “Sorry, I want to become a God. Once I’m a God, I’ll resurrect you.”

“A God’s curse can only be broken by another God.”

Perila’s puppet, just as before, lifted Leo’s puppet onto his back.

He walked off the stage.

Behind him, the shadows danced wildly, flauntingly.

The third act, “Brothers Turned Against Each Other,” ended.

But had they truly turned against each other? Was there truly hatred between them?

The fourth act had yet to begin. The little lion transformed into a person.

His handsome features were still the same, only deep furrows were etched between his brows.

Leo said, “Perila believed that ‘kindness’ was a curse placed upon Halflings by the Gods. Because Halflings are too kind, those who bully and humiliate them are unrestrained, never fearing retaliation.”

Just as Xia Xifeng was about to speak, Leo continued, “But he was wrong.”

“Evil people don’t specifically target good people when committing evil; conspiracies and schemes seeking profit don’t specifically target a certain kind of character. It’s not that good people are bullied and humiliated, nor that bad people live well.”

“Besides, Halflings are merely kind, not weak. We just don’t actively do evil. But if someone’s evil reaches us, Halflings will pursue it to the death.”

“Even after death, it’s not over.”

The fourth act finally began.

In the darkness, Leo opened his eyes.

Even without his “heart,” he still came back to life and broke Perila’s seal.

The Sun granted him a blessing, granting him the power of vengeance.

The Sun favored Leo, even though Leo could never again appear under the sun. His empty chest was filled with brilliant sunlight.

When Leo returned to Sunflower Valley, Perila had already ascended to godhood.

Because Amuruo rescued them in time, over half of the Sunflower Family survived the slaughter.

If they hadn’t trusted Perila, even with Perila already having the power of a Demigod, the Sunflower Family’s losses wouldn’t have been so severe.

The Evil God Inson said, “This is the Halflings’ curse.”

“Now that I have become a God, I can free the Halflings from this curse.”

“Believe in me! Halflings need no longer be kind. You too can have the freedom to do evil!”

Just as other races had evil Gods, with evil believers gathering at the feet of their evil God, singing the praises of unconstrained freedom.

Halflings, you too are now free!

But the Halflings looked coldly at the Evil God who claimed to be their God, and raised their weapons.

Halflings abhorred betrayal.

Even if the betrayer had become a God, they would still eliminate the betrayer.

The Evil God Inson looked pityingly upon his people and invoked the power of the Sun.

After devouring Leo, he would be able to control all the blessings of both Suns.

The Sun’s blessings flowed within the bloodline of the Sunflower Family; he could influence all blood relatives of the Sunflower Family.

At that moment, a beam of light pierced through his chest, just as he himself had done before.

This light not only wounded the newly ascended Perila but also severed their connection to the Sun.

In that instant, the already-dead Leo, following closely behind the ascendant Perila, also stepped onto the divine ladder and used a God’s power.

Past, present, future.

In this generation, the Sunflower Family produced no pair of Halfling geniuses favored by the Sun.

The Sun granted no blessings.

Perila and Leo did not exist.

The power of evil could no longer exploit the connection between the God’s Favored and the Gods to inversely corrupt the Sun.

Hope’s Sun, shrouded in shadow, temporarily withstood the eclipse. Birth’s Sun, now not yet named “Bloody Sun,” regained its full power.

Birth’s Sun protected the Dream World’s past; Hope’s Sun guided the Dream World towards its future.

Even though Hope’s Sun’s connection with Perila was too deep, granting Perila too much power, It still gained a chance to breathe, able to entrust the power of the future to its twin Sun before shattering.

Leo was the God’s Favored of Birth’s Sun.

Therefore, when Leo could wield the conceptual power of a God, he could use the power gifted by Birth’s Sun to sever the connection between their past and their present.

Thus, the Evil God Inson lost the name “Perila,” lost the past of “once deeply loved by Hope’s Sun, becoming the sole Sun Warlock.”

“Sorry, I must seal you in the gap between history and the present. You can no longer influence any Halflings.”

“But I will stay with you, just as before. You won’t be alone.”

“Perila, close your eyes. Sleep for a little while. I’ll stay with you.”

“Until the day the Gods are slain, do not awaken.”

The curtains closed. All the actors bowed.

Leo sat on the ground. Perila lay on his lap.

“Perila, wake up.”

“Ugh… it’s morning already?”

“Yes. Stop sleeping.”

Leo smiled and pinched Perila’s face. “Come on, let me introduce you to new friends.”

Perila punched Leo back and rubbed his eyes as he got up from Leo’s lap. “You just love making friends way too much.”

Leo pulled Perila to his feet. “This time is different. These are friends to whom I’ve entrusted the Sunflower Pendants.”

Perila’s eyes widened in surprise.

Following Leo’s pointing finger, he looked at Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang.

Perila’s gaze landed on the Sunflower Pendants hanging at Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang’s chests, and his eyes widened even further. “Why is my Sunflower Pendant there too… I never gave mine away.”

Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang approached the two.

Xia Xifeng grinned cheekily. “Guess?”

Qin Lang took out a box of Honey Mini Cakes from Xia Xifeng’s backpack.

This was a new batch Xia Xifeng had made after arriving in this world.

“Want some?” Qin Lang offered the mini cakes to Perila.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Perila popped the food offered by a stranger into his mouth.

“Delicious!” Perila covered his mouth in praise.

“Take some for the road.” Qin Lang handed the cakes to Perila.

“On the road?” Perila asked, bewildered.

Leo puffed out his cheeks, stuffed with Honey Mini Cakes. “We should get going.”

“Ah? Okay.” Though unsure where they were going, Perila nodded. “Your names… I’m Perila, and he’s Leo. Do we really know each other?”

“Of course, we’re good friends.” Xia Xifeng nodded vigorously. “My name is Xia Xifeng, and he’s Qin Lang.”

Perila tilted his head, thinking hard, but couldn’t remember.

But it didn’t matter. His intuition told him these two were definitely very good friends.

Perila said, “I’ll remember. You’re Feng, and you’re Lang.”

“Let’s go.” Leo took Perila’s hand. “Don’t miss the time.”

Following Leo’s steps, Perila was utterly confused. “What time? Hey… don’t drag me…”

The scene shattered once more.

Qin Lang and Xia Xifeng found themselves back in the Secret Realm Forest.

In front of them stood a small golden lion, half a meter long. In its mouth, it held a sprig of Perilla Flower.

The little lion raised a paw and waved it towards Qin Lang and Xia Xifeng.

It turned around and bounded away into the air, its figure growing fainter and fainter.

The Lion and the Perilla Flower left this world.

【Dungeon story completed. Return to reality available. If not selected, automatic return in 10 minutes. Please prepare yourselves, players.】

【The Lion took the Perilla Flower and hid away, until their friends found them.】

【Dungeon Drops: “Intact Perilla Flower Headpiece,” “Golden Lion’s Great Axe.”】

【”Intact Perilla Flower Headpiece”: His name was Perila, which is also Perilla Flower. He is dead. When he died, he was Perila, and also Perilla Flower.】

【”Golden Lion’s Great Axe”: No use for it anymore, giving it to you. Thank you, my friends!】

【Players, please note: An unexpected event has occurred. Bloody Sun wishes to obtain “Intact Perilla Flower Headpiece” and “Golden Lion’s Great Axe.” Are you willing to offer these items to Bloody Sun? Agreeing is recommended.】

Xia Xifeng rubbed his eyes, swollen from crying, but tears still streamed down. “These two items were meant for Bloody Sun all along, right?”

“Mm.” Qin Lang clicked “Agree” and pulled another box of tissues from his backpack, handing it to Xia Xifeng, who had already gone through an entire box.

【Bloody Sun thanks you for your offering. As you are not beings of this world, It cannot grant you blessings. But It promises: the blood flowing upon Bloody Sun is not its own blood, but the blood of its enemies.】

【Vengeance is not yet over. I will repay blood with blood.】

【The bleeding Sun holds another Sun in its embrace. Main Quest “Mystery of the Falling Sun” Chapter 1, 《Chapter of the Lion and Perilla Flower》, complete.】

【Rewards such as experience, gold, and materials will be calculated after the players return to the real world.】

【Friendly reminder: Little Prophet and his Guardian Knight. The Prophet’s code is to speak less and do more, to avoid being noticed by Fate.】

【Shh.】

Xia Xifeng shivered violently, every hair on his body standing on end. “Is this a warning that we can’t tell the people of this world about the other world’s matters?”

Qin Lang said, “Probably means we can’t tell them directly, need to speak in riddles. You should seek more guidance from Mr. Suer.”

Xia Xifeng said dejectedly, “I was planning to tell Leo and the others everything in detail the moment we got back.”

Qin Lang said, “That’s exactly why he warned you. Let’s go back.”

Xia Xifeng nodded, sniffling.

The two figures vanished.

The moment their figures disappeared, two people appeared where no one had been before.

“Saving the world isn’t your responsibility alone. A new Prophet has appeared. You can stop worrying.” Amuruo said, “Suer, pull yourself together. We haven’t avenged the children yet.”

Suer didn’t answer.

He gazed for a while at the spot where Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang had left, then shifted his gaze to the void where the Lion and Perilla Flower had departed.

He remained silent for a very long time.