Reward

Chen Miemie narrowed his eyes slightly and remained silent for about a minute before slowly speaking.

This time, the think tank on him had already detached, leaving him to answer the questions himself.

"For this question, before I reached this fourth level, regarding the previous six people, my initial answer might have been six.

Liu Bo betrayed his close friend, choosing to keep his family from harm;

Yue Junyang betrayed his own authenticity, choosing the false truth after an outburst of courage;

Dr. Hua betrayed the benevolent heart of a healer, choosing to overthrow everything at all costs;

Madam Jin betrayed her own self-preservation, choosing the husband and child who had always been her spiritual sustenance;

Father Jing betrayed the race that raised him, choosing to fight for the object of his religious faith;

Joker betrayed his own madness, choosing a glimmer of hope amidst infinite uncertainty."

"After coming here, I've learned more and thought more. It sounds a bit contradictory—I haven't changed my mind, but the answer has become: there are no betrayers."

From the very beginning, [Trial] had said that there were no right or wrong answers, and everyone could have their own answer in their heart.

Chen Miemie continued his answer:

"Liu Bo did not betray. He resisted the temptation of gain and, under coercion, exercised the utmost restraint. This is already the absolute limit of what a friend could do, and one shouldn't demand more;

Dr. Hua did not betray. As a doctor from a humble background, he relied on his relentless efforts to treat countless people regardless of their wealth or status. His final approach to overthrowing and rebuilding was somewhat radical, but he was always trying to cure illnesses and save lives;

Father Jing is a bit contradictory. I've seen him receive citizens as a priest, and he has done countless good deeds. In the end, he let down his city, but from my standpoint, he did not betray his faith and even gave everything for it;

Finally, you, [Trial]. You spent twenty years, and even your life, preparing this trial for me. I think it is very meaningful, and you live up to the name of 'Trial'."

Different perspectives lead to different answers. No one commented on Chen Miemie's response.

The aged voice of the Trial grew even weaker.

"The second question of the trial: When an unavoidable conflict arises between aberrations and humans, whose side do you stand on?"

"This is a difficult question to answer. Perhaps I really haven't fully thought it through.

Who 'I' am often does not depend on the body, but on the consciousness and soul. At least for now, I feel that I still retain a significant amount of human consciousness.

Therefore, things might change in the future, but at this moment, I can only answer from the individual perspective of my limited experience and my current state—

If it's the aberrations in my home, I stand with the aberrations;

If it's the aberrations outside my home, I stand with humanity."

"Crack, crack~" A loud sound of fracturing echoed out.

After Chen Miemie finished answering the second question, the mirror world had already begun to shatter.

"There is no more time. It seems I can only go this far. Chen Miemie, thank you for your answers. I announce that you have passed this trial."

[Trial], a mass of rippling air, actually began to show cracks just like a mirror surface.

Chen Miemie rushed forward. "[Trial], don't say anything else. Are you willing to follow me? Answer directly!"

The air ripples twisted and shattered into several pieces. "Hehe, I already started following you twenty years ago."

The contract conditions for [Moon's Invitation] were met, and moonlight crossed over the mirror surface.

Threads of moonlight continuously stitched together the broken body of [Trial], as if trying to forcibly assemble countless scraps of cloth.

But the effect was like trying to catch water with a cracked funnel; it was impossibly difficult to hold onto.

For the first time, the previously infallible [Moon's Invitation] failed to succeed.

Just as Chen Miemie had told Joker before, he could not resurrect the dead, and [Moon's Invitation] was not an omnipotent resurrection spell.

"Stop," [Trial] halted Chen Miemie's futile efforts. "I know my own condition. If there had been any other possibility, I wouldn't have met you in the manner of such a villain. Strictly speaking, I was already dead the moment the prophecy was fulfilled."

"According to convention, I should condense a reward for the successful challenger of the trial. Unfortunately, I no longer have that ability. I'm sorry."

Chen Miemie and the others surrounded [Trial].

"No, I have already received your 'reward.' It is very precious, and I like it a lot."

"That's good. I have no other relics, so I'll give you this map. Aberrations rarely have the habit of collecting things, but I am older, after all, and have a few little trinkets. If you have the chance, you can go take a look..."

The last words of [Trial] were actually the handover of an inheritance.

After saying this, it completely collapsed. Countless tiny air bubbles leaked out from between the moonlight threads of [Moon's Invitation]. Illuminated by the moonlight, they looked like colorful bubbles that would burst at the slightest touch.

A map made of an unknown material appeared on the spot.

Qinghua picked it up, and it displayed the name [Mirror County].

[Mirror County] was also one of the Hundred Cities. In that city, all buildings appeared in pairs, acting as mirrors of each other, though random differences would occur in the details. It was incredibly far from Sixiang City.

"Miemie, this world is about to shatter. We need to hurry," Loop reminded him.

"Let's go."

Chen Miemie rushed toward the nearby sealing point.

With the blessing of the trial, repairing the seal did not require complicated methods. It was a large cylinder, and one only needed to step forward and touch it.

A light touch would complete the repair, whereas striking it heavily with a sharp weapon would destroy it.

Chen Miemie arrived in front of the cylinder. For some reason, his mind recalled the question of stance and attitude that [Trial] had just mentioned.

'Is it possible that today I am a restorer, but in the future, I will be a destroyer?'

The porcelain-like ground had already begun to shake, gradually and uncontrollably developing cracks.

Chen Miemie looked behind him.

A circle of aberrations stood quietly behind him, not rushing him at all.

No matter what choice he made, they would support him.

'It's so nice to have such companions!'

This gave Chen Miemie strength.

Beside the seal, a tender sprout broke through the soil, visibly growing and bearing fruit before his eyes.

A smooth, yellow fruit ripened instantly, weighing down the branch and leaning toward Chen Miemie. Its height was just right; Chen Miemie could pick it simply by reaching out his hand.

This inexplicably appearing fruit held an inexplicable attraction for Chen Miemie.

It wasn't a temptation of taste or smell like Bobo's, but rather a psychological temptation, much like a perfectly straight twig by the roadside that evokes an adult's childlike innocence, making them want to pick it up and wave it around a couple of times.

Very naturally, Chen Miemie plucked the fruit with one hand and took a big bite, while placing his other hand on the seal.

Sixiang City.

Fine cracks appeared on the surfaces of the [Magic Mirrors] at the four sealing points.

The blood-red pillars of light gradually faded until they disappeared.

In the final moment when the four [Magic Mirrors] completely shattered.

The repair of the seal at the core sealing point was completed.

The mirror world collapsed.

Chen Miemie reappeared alone at the core sealing point in the city.

"The seal has been successfully repaired!" Among the surrounding crowd, someone was the first to shout out.

"It succeeded!" Soon after, more and more voices chimed in.

Within a few seconds, it actually formed a sweeping wave of cheers.

These usually aloof high-tier Mystics were now like little children cheering for a school holiday, completely forgetting the reserve expected of experts.

Officer Sun led his people over.

"Chen Miemie, thank you for your hard work. You are the hero of our city."

There was no smile on Chen Miemie's face. He shook his head and said, "Those who died to repair the seal are the heroes. I am merely a Trial-taker."

Using the excuse of being very tired and needing rest, Chen Miemie politely declined Officer Sun's offer of an escort vehicle and directly summoned a sedan to head home.

What neither the many Mystics at the scene nor Chen Miemie himself noticed was this.

Amidst the countless shattered mirror shards, a faint glimmer of light had flashed and vanished.

It was a line of text formed by ripples in the air, the writing pale and blurry.

It was the third question that originally belonged to Chen Miemie's Trial.

"Question three of the Trial: Chen Miemie, who told you that you were a transmigrator?"