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Ning Yu took out the [Soul Doll - Miss Pride] from her pocket.

"Now, the authority of Pride has transferred to this little orb."

Shen Yiyue looked at the beautiful little figure inside, its eyes closed in slumber, glowing faintly like a crystal ball.

"So, Xiao Yu, can you now...?"

Ning Yu pondered for a moment, then suddenly handed the Soul Doll to Shen Yiyue.

"Here, you try it."

She wasn’t sure if others could use the Soul Doll, but if it was Shen Yiyue, who was also an Awakened One, it might just work.

Shen Yiyue reached out and took the Soul Doll, closing her eyes to focus.

"Hmm... I think I see some images... Oh... Are these zombies?"

Her brows furrowed, likely witnessing some grotesque scenes of zombies feasting.

"Try giving them commands," Ning Yu whispered gently in Shen Yiyue's ear. Shen Yiyue nodded in understanding.

"Wow, they can actually be controlled this way!"

Shen Yiyue seemed to have verified its effectiveness, opening her eyes and looking at Ning Yu with amazement.

"So, does this mean we can control all the zombie hordes that Chenxing had?"

Ning Yu smiled and nodded. Both of them seemed to realize the immense significance of this artifact.

"Then..."

Shen Yiyue glanced at the massive crater that had been smashed open by the Wrathful Ones earlier.

"Xiao Yu has already sent them to..."

"Exactly."

Ning Yu turned around, and the Blood Kite floated beside her, changing direction as well.

"Now, there’s just one thing left to do."

She reopened the map, which showed the central area surrounded by all the altars—the place where Leon was preparing to conduct the final ritual.

After rummaging through a few things, Ning Yu pulled out the communicator that Rui Xi had given her. Ning Xuan still hadn’t contacted her, which was starting to worry her.

"Has Xiao Xuan not reached out to you yet?"

Shen Yiyue asked with a concerned expression.

Theoretically, Ning Xuan had been tracking the zombie hordes. Now that Chenxing and Leviathan had both been killed by Ning Yu, Ning Xuan should have contacted her by now.

"Not yet..."

Just as Ning Yu was about to shake her head, the communicator in her hand began to vibrate, emitting a buzzing sound.

Ning Yu and Shen Yiyue exchanged a glance, then quickly answered the call.

Ning Xuan’s familiar voice came through the communicator.

"Sister... are you okay?"

Her voice carried a mix of concern and exhaustion, but unfortunately, the communicator didn’t have a visual feed, so Ning Yu couldn’t see her.

"I’m fine. What about you? Where are you? Are you safe?"

Ning Yu asked about her whereabouts.

"Sister, are you worried about me?"

Ning Xuan’s voice sounded hesitant and unsure.

"Of course."

Ning Yu affirmed without hesitation.

Ning Xuan didn’t have the memories of multiple cycles like Ning Yu did, but Ning Yu clearly remembered everything Ning Xuan had done for her in each cycle.

What Ning Xuan had done far exceeded what a younger sister should have done.

Just as Ning Xuan cherished her, Ning Yu cherished her in return.

"Sister, are you hurt?"

Ning Xuan’s tone had shifted from hesitation to a hint of happiness.

"Chenxing is dead. I killed him."

Upon hearing the news of Chenxing’s death, Ning Xuan fell silent for a moment before continuing.

"So, the only one left standing in your way is Leon now."

"Exactly."

Ning Yu confirmed.

"While tracking the zombie hordes, I stumbled upon something new, which is why I contacted you."

"It seems there was a malfunction with the communicator earlier, so I couldn’t receive your messages. I’ve only just reconnected."

Ning Xuan began to explain the details.

"Leon’s ritual is progressing faster than we anticipated. I found the core of his ritual in the center of the underground facility."

"The area is heavily guarded, but I can tell that Leon has stationed a lot of mutated zombie guards to protect it."

"If we can destroy this place, we’ll be able to completely disrupt Leon’s ritual."

"But I don’t think I can break through alone..."

She paused at the crucial part.

"Send me the coordinates. We’ll meet up with you soon."

Ning Yu, of course, understood what she meant and immediately responded.

"Alright, Sister. I’ll wait for you here. Be careful on your way."

As soon as Ning Xuan finished speaking, a string of coordinates was sent over.

"Xiao Xuan."

Ning Yu suddenly called out her name.

"Huh? What is it, Sister?"

Ning Xuan seemed a bit caught off guard by the affectionate address.

"Nothing. Just stay safe and keep yourself hidden for now."

After saying this, the two of them ended the call.

Ning Yu narrowed her eyes and looked up at the sky.

The once overwhelming dark clouds had begun to disperse after Chenxing’s death.

Though the crimson sun no longer dominated the sky, dusk had already fallen, and the sun was sinking far on the horizon.

She raised her hand, as if trying to grasp the faint orange light of the twilight.

But the light was like water—impossible to cut or hold.

It danced between her fingers, then slipped away like a clever, elusive fish, scattering across her fair and delicate cheek.

The color was indeed beautiful, but it couldn’t help but evoke a sense of melancholy—do all things about to fade emit such a radiant glow?

"What’s wrong, Xiao Yu?"

Shen Yiyue noticed that after Ning Yu finished talking to Ning Xuan, she fell silent, reaching out as if to catch the setting sun.

"Did Xiao Xuan share something important?"

She could sense something significant from their conversation.

"Yes."

Ning Yu suddenly took out the Soul Doll again, enveloping it with her consciousness and activating [Authority * Command].

She directed the zombies near the coordinates Ning Xuan had sent toward the core ritual area.

For some reason, the zombies in the ritual core area couldn’t be controlled, and [Authority * Vision] couldn’t penetrate their minds.

As the zombies she controlled approached the area, she finally understood why.

The zombies patrolling there had all been cybernetically enhanced, especially their brains, which were covered with metal implants.

This was likely why the authority of Pride had no effect.

"Let’s go, Sister Yiyue."

Ning Yu hadn’t shared any details in response to Shen Yiyue’s question, but Shen Yiyue stood up anyway.

Ning Yu stepped onto the Blood Kite, then extended her hand to Shen Yiyue as if inviting Cinderella onto a pumpkin carriage.

Her calm amber eyes betrayed no emotion.

"Xiao Xuan is in trouble. We need to save her."