Trust Level Maxed Out (Grand Finale)

"Mad!! They're all mad!!"

The Bone Shepherd's greatest wish was to bring back his King.

To lead his subordinates back to the pinnacle of the world.

But now?

What was happening now?

The King no longer loved his wicked followers—he loved a woman instead!

Was it their fault? Had they done something wrong?

Wrong!!

All of this!! Was because of!! That woman named Su Muwan!!

The King had gone insane because of her!!

"No—no—no—no—!!!"

The Bone Shepherd's shriek tore through the fabric of the Heavenly Dao's space.

"Insects! You damned insects!!"

His skeletal claws ripped through the void, hurling countless shards of space like a storm upon the Army of Destiny.

"You think mere ants like you can kill me?!"

"You think this rabble can slay a god?!"

"I have devoured the Heavenly Dao! The Heavenly Dao is me! I am the Heavenly Dao!!"

"You…"

Before he could finish—

A black shadow shattered the sound barrier, its shockwave splitting the dark mist in two!!!

Then—

"Annoying."

SMACK—!

"Guh—!"

The crisp sound of a slap echoed across the battlefield. The Bone Shepherd's massive body froze, all his unleashed laws of reality grinding to a halt.

The Bone Shepherd was stunned.

What…

I… can't move?

His vision cleared just enough to see the figure before him.

Qin Luo hovered in front of him.

The hand that had struck him still radiated terrifying pressure.

This power… wasn’t the Heavenly Dao he had devoured.

This was Qin Luo’s own… Heavenly Dao force?

Stronger than what he had absorbed.

So… that’s why he was suppressed?

Then… what the hell was he even doing here?!

Just as the thought crossed his mind—

"Now!!! Follow the Dean!!"

Xiao Tian, wreathed in golden dragon light, transformed into a colossal golden dragon and shot into the sky: "Kill—!!!"

"Kill—!!!"

The Army of Destiny surged forward in unison!

Among them were faces Su Muwan recognized.

Shangguan Chuxue, Jiang Xueqi, Wang Yong, Feng Yueke, Teng Ao, Tang Wenyu, Doudou, Ding Tongtong, Qian Yu, Shen Yue, Shen Yun, Suan Tianxing…

Enemies from past lives, even lives before that—now, all fighting on their side.

Had Qin Luo… been doing all this?

Su Muwan stood dumbfounded.

But the real shocker was—

"Hey!"

Su Muwan grabbed Su Bailian, who had been hiding in the back: "Why aren’t you fighting?"

"Eep… eep…"

"Speak properly!"

"Ahem…"

Su Bailian gave an awkward smile. "Well…"

She pointed upward. "Pochi counts as my spirit beast, right? Since he’s already fighting… I don’t need to, do I?"

Su Muwan looked up—

"Woof! Woof! Woof!!!"

Pochi had transformed into a divine white hound, savagely tearing into the Bone Shepherd’s body.

Su Muwan was stunned.

Wait.

Your dog became a Heavenly Hound now?!

-99! -99! -99!

Crimson damage numbers erupted from the Bone Shepherd’s head like a volcanic explosion!

His body began to crack, the so-called indestructible Heavenly Dao laws shattering across his form.

"Grrraaahhh!! How dare you—?!"

The Bone Shepherd was livid, trembling as he broke free from the slap’s stun.

But the next second—

"Oh, recovering fast, huh?"

SMACK!!

"Guh!!"

Qin Luo casually backhanded him again, resetting the stun.

The Bone Shepherd was locked once more.

-99! -99! -99!

Su Muwan snapped out of her daze and leapt forward: "I’m joining in!"

How could she let others hog all the damage?

The MVP spot? That belonged to… her!

As she spoke—

BOOM!!

"Gah—!!"

Twelve icy thrones descended from the heavens, pinning the Bone Shepherd’s limbs in place!

-9999! -9999! -9999!

The Bone Shepherd was about to move again—

But then—

Su Muwan’s frost clones formed hand seals in unison: "Absolute Zero: Eternal Cycle!"

CRACK!

Time itself froze under the absolute cold.

The Bone Shepherd couldn’t move. Again.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Army of Destiny unleashed a relentless barrage.

CRIT -1999! CRIT -1999! CRIT -1999!

Thanks to the Pixel Rubik’s Cube effect, every attack came with exaggerated damage numbers.

The Bone Shepherd’s health bar plummeted.

Finally, he broke free once more.

But—

"My turn!"

SMACK!!!

"Guh—!"

Qin Luo grinned savagely as his right hand morphed into a colossal golden palm, striking down: "This slap!! Is for your arrogance!! How dare you bark like a mad dog before my lady?!!"

SMACK!!

Another slap!!

Half the Bone Shepherd’s skull exploded, bone shards scattering like meteors!

"This slap!! Is for your recklessness!! Interfering with my reunion with my lady?!!"

SMACK!!

Third slap!

CRIT -29999!!

"This slap!! Is for your audacity!! Laying even a finger on my lady’s hair?!!"

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!!

"And these!! Are for being so damn ugly!!"

CRIT -29999!! CRIT -39999!! CRIT -49999!!

The Bone Shepherd was stunned again: "GAAAAHHHH!!!"

He screamed, roared, lost his mind.

Qin Luo’s hard crowd control.

Su Muwan’s DPS and time-freezing.

The two alternated seamlessly—one stun ended, and endless damage followed.

The moment the stun wore off, the next control landed.

At this point, the Bone Shepherd realized the only thing he could do was blink.

Wait.

He was a skeleton. He didn’t even have eyes!

The realization made him even angrier!!

"No no no no!!!"

"Why why why?!!"

"Why, my King?! Why won’t you stand with us?!!"

The Bone Shepherd howled at Qin Luo in despair: "You… are our King!!!"

Qin Luo took a deep breath and shouted back:

"Because!!"

"LOVE!!!"

The Bone Shepherd: !!!

He was too stunned to speak.

Here he was, discussing the conquest of all realms, and his King’s answer was… love?!

"You… you…"

His gaze shifted between Qin Luo and Su Muwan fighting side by side.

Then he let out a screech of pure outrage: "WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THIS?!!!!"

His health bar nosedived as he finally snapped.

"Fine then!!! Let’s perish together!!"

"My King!!"

"Next cycle… I WILL bring you back!!!"

With that—

His body swelled tenfold, his bone armor reversing and stabbing into his own flesh!

The Heavenly Dao space began collapsing, chaotic laws swirling like an apocalyptic storm!

The Army of Destiny was flung back, staring in shock at the Bone Shepherd’s second phase.

Su Muwan moved to charge forward—but Qin Luo held her back.

Under her puzzled gaze—

Qin Luo stared at the Bone Shepherd, took a deep breath, and shouted, "You're the one joking here! King this, king that!!!"

"What I never wanted was to be a king!!"

"What I truly want is—!!"

He raised Su Muwan's delicate hand and declared with righteous fury, "To feast on the young miss's dainty feet every single day!!!!!"

BOOM!!!

The heavens split apart, golden light erupting violently.

Su Muwan's cheeks flushed crimson instantly.

No!!!

Why would you say something like that here of all places?!

But—

Thump-thump-thump!!

Her heart raced uncontrollably, as if something inside her was about to burst free.

Without hesitation, she interlaced her fingers tightly with Qin Luo's.

"Me too!!" she screamed back. "Qin Luo doesn’t belong to you! Or to anyone else!"

"Qin Luo!! Is mine and mine alone!"

"Qin Luo!"

"I want to use your tiny hands as my dinner bowl every day too!!!"

Crowd/Bone Shepherd: ???! What kind of madness are you two spouting?!

As their voices echoed—

HUM—

An unprecedented golden radiance erupted from Qin Luo and Su Muwan’s bodies!

Every Chosen One suddenly felt their souls tremble, their powers involuntarily surging toward the center!

"This is..."

Xiao Tian watched as his hands dissolved into motes of light and burst into laughter. "Brothers! Lend your strength to the Dean and his lady!"

"Go, Dean!"

"Destroy that bony bastard!"

"Our destinies... are all yours—!!!"

BOOM!

In an instant—

Countless golden streams converged like rivers into the sea, coalescing between Qin Luo and Su Muwan’s clasped hands.

The power of absolute frost and the laws of shadow merged flawlessly, forging a blade that spanned the cosmos—

A golden shark-headed greatsword!!!!

"No—!!!" The Bone Shepherd lost his mind. "I am the incarnation of Heaven’s Will! How could you—"

"Shut the hell up!"

Su Muwan turned her head and yelled, "Qin Luo!"

"Right here, young miss!"

Together, they shattered the void, charging forth with the golden shark-headed blade fueled by the combined might of all realms!

Space collapsed in their wake, temporal currents parting as if the world itself bowed before this strike.

"GAAAAAH—!!"

The Bone Shepherd let out a final shriek, burning all his soulfire to form an equally massive skeletal skull to meet them—

"GO—!!!"

Countless Chosen Ones roared.

BOOM!

HUM—!

The moment gold clashed with black, the entire dimension was swallowed by pure white.

No sound. No tremors. Only endless light consuming everything...

Ears rang as everyone instinctively shut their eyes.

When vision returned—

The bronze throne stood empty.

The chains of bondage hung limp, swaying gently as if whispering the last traces of a vanquished existence.

[Bone Shepherd (Heaven’s Will)]

[Remaining HP: 0/999999]

"We... won?"

Su Muwan and Qin Luo hovered midair, fingers still entwined.

She was stunned.

Just like that... victory?

By shouting about love and bonds?!

Holy—

Su Muwan’s mind reeled. So she was a protagonist too?!

She could also win with love and friendship?!

Then did that mean...

"Qin Luo!"

She turned to him excitedly. "Does this mean it’s all over?"

"Can we finally...?"

Before she could finish—

Qin Luo shook his head gently, his gaze tender yet resolute. "Almost. One last step remains."

Su Muwan froze.

Then—

His fingertips brushed her cheek.

His eyes held the usual affection, but now laced with something new—finality.

"What... last step?"

A dreadful premonition gripped her.

Instead of answering, Qin Luo pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, "Young miss, do you remember how we began?"

—In the void, two orbs nestled close.

—The black orb always teased the white one, who’d huff and call him "just a stupid ball of light."

—But later, the black orb shed its malice, while the white one absorbed his darkness.

—They were meant to consume each other. Instead, they chose the hardest path: endless cycles, drawing nearer each time.

Su Muwan’s pupils contracted sharply.

She understood now.

"No... NO!"

She clutched his wrist desperately. "You promised! You swore this time we’d—"

"—But I also swore to set you free. Truly free."

Qin Luo interrupted, his palm suddenly glowing with pure white light.

It enveloped Su Muwan’s chest like melting snow seeping into earth.

"Your ‘villain’s destiny’ was never fate."

"It was the darkness I accidentally left on you during our cycles."

"Now... it’s time I take it back."

HUM—

The light detonated!

Su Muwan felt her heart seized violently as inky mist was wrenched from her body!

The fog writhed and screeched like a living thing—until it touched Qin Luo’s fingers. Then it flowed into him willingly, almost joyfully.

Simultaneously—

BOOM!!!

All realms trembled!

Every rampaging abomination froze, their bodies dissolving into black mist that surged toward the celestial throne!

Even the Heaven’s Will devoured by the Bone Shepherd became golden torrents, absorbed by Qin Luo!

"My King... you’ve... returned..."

The Bone Shepherd’s body crumbled, his frenzied soulfire now eerily calm.

His billion-year obsession had found peace at last.

Meanwhile, Qin Luo’s aura skyrocketed!

His hair gained silver streaks, robes billowing without wind as countless starry projections materialized around him.

The authority of Heaven’s Will fused completely!!!!

"QIN LUO!!!"

Su Muwan screamed, reaching for him—

But her fingers passed through his sleeve like grasping at smoke.

—His very existence was being erased from time.

Past. Present. Future.

Heaven’s Will is known to none.

"Young miss."

Qin Luo smiled down at her, warm as ever. "Don’t panic. Just call for me like you always do."

"What... what do you mean?!" Her voice cracked.

"It’s simple."

His form grew fainter, yet his words remained clear. "Believe I’ll return. Like I always believed in you."

Before she could protest, he floated upward, his eyes cooling into Heaven’s Will’s detached gaze.

"Qin Luo! QIN LUO!!!"

Su Muwan lunged after him, only to be blocked by golden light.

A remnant of Heaven’s Will materialized with a sigh. "It’s futile. He is the new Heaven’s Will now."

"The multiverse will remember ‘Heaven’s Will.’ But none shall recall ‘Qin Luo.’"

"LIES!"

Tears streaked Su Muwan’s face as she stomped. "He promised to marry me! To stay forever! He never breaks his word!"

"But if he doesn't do this, the myriad realms will—"

"—I don’t care!!!"

Su Muwan sobbed and threw a tantrum, as if she refused to acknowledge anything else.

"What myriad realms? What fate and reincarnation? I just want Qin Luo back!"

"Qin Luo!! Get back here right now, you hear me?!"

"Come back!! I order you to come back!!"

"No matter what it takes!! You have to return! Stay by my side! And figure out a way to keep the myriad realms intact while you're at it!"

"I still want to lie in your arms and have you feed me chips with your little hands!!!"

The remnant shadow of the Heavenly Dao shook his head. "Just saying these words won’t accomplish anything."

He had thought Qin Luo’s belief in Su Muwan’s ability to save him meant something profound.

Turns out, it was just this.

How could there be a perfect solution to everything...?

Just as he was thinking this—

Suddenly.

"Young Mistress, you really want to have your cake and eat it too, don’t you? Isn’t that a bit too much to ask of me?"

Qin Luo’s voice cut through the air unexpectedly.

Both Su Muwan and the remnant shadow of the Heavenly Dao froze.

They looked up.

There, high above, the cold, indifferent eyes of the Heavenly Dao gradually softened with a familiar warmth.

Qin Luo smiled.

He smiled so brightly, like a mischievous child who had just pulled off the perfect prank—like the first time a black ball had ever collided with a white one.

It worked.

The "Strongest Lackey System" wasn’t a creation of the new Heavenly Dao.

It was something he had prepared for himself from the very beginning—for this very moment.

[Lackey's Heart Sutra]

Description: Cultivating this technique ensures that, as long as it is the master’s command, the practitioner will fight with the loyalty and fearlessness of a lackey, their combat power doubling in battle.

(For details, see Chapter 9)

Because of Su Muwan’s command, his combat power was forcibly doubled.

This boost was all-encompassing.

So overwhelming that his consciousness overpowered the Heavenly Dao’s and returned.

Though both were forces of the Heavenly Dao, the underlying code was clear—the new Heavenly Dao’s consciousness was nullified by the old Heavenly Dao’s power.

As for maintaining the myriad realms? Simple.

Qin Luo flicked his fingers.

Crack!

The authority of the Heavenly Dao split in two!

Half remained with Qin Luo, while the other half streamed into Su Muwan’s body!

The chains binding the bronze throne shattered, and the lingering soul-fire of the Bone Shepherd was extinguished for good.

[Stability of the Myriad Realms: 100%]

Turns out, no one needed to sacrifice anything.

As long as the two orbs of light stayed together, the void could never consume them.

Before dissipating completely, the Heavenly Dao was stunned.

Wait—this actually worked?

This is straight-up cheating!!

Qin Luo slowly descended toward Su Muwan.

He extended his hand, smiling. "Well, Young Mistress? Care to join me in restoring this world?"

"Yes!!"

......

Time passed—how much, no one could say.

But the world was whole again.

On a quiet evening street, the last rays of the setting sun stretched their shadows long across the asphalt.

Qin Luo carried a heavy bag of groceries, while Su Muwan walked beside him, rubbing her shoulder and complaining.

"Resetting the timeline was exhausting…"

"And we had to drag all those Chosen Ones and their families along too…"

She pouted, her tone laced with playful whining. "Next time, I’m not lifting a finger."

Qin Luo chuckled. "Fine, fine. I’ll cook something delicious to make it up to you when we get back."

"Hmph. That’s more like it."

Su Muwan narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, then suddenly grinned. "But you know, thinking about it now—we actually became the Heavenly Dao. Half each. Kinda funny, isn’t it?"

"Yeah."

Qin Luo glanced at her. "But this is better."

"What is?"

"Like this. Shopping for groceries together. Going home together."

Su Muwan blinked, then couldn’t help but smile. She let out a soft "hmph." "Who knew a mere Qin Luo could be so smooth?"

Their conversation meandered—from the early days when Su Muwan’s heart would race at Qin Luo’s sweet words, to his nervousness before confessing, to the hilarious misunderstanding caused by Su Bailian, the self-proclaimed "love expert." The further they reminisced, the more they laughed.

Finally, they reached the familiar gates of the grand villa.

Su Muwan planted her hands on her hips, tilting her chin up proudly. "From now on, this is our cozy little home!"

Qin Luo smiled, about to reply—when suddenly—

Ding!

[Villain Target’s Trust Level Increased by 10%! Current: 80%!]

Qin Luo froze. Wait, this thing’s still active?

What even is this "trust level"...?

He instinctively looked at Su Muwan.

And saw—

Her tongue flicked over her red lips, her gaze burning into him, a dangerous smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"...Young Mistress?"

Qin Luo swallowed, an inexplicable sense of foreboding creeping up on him.

Ding!

[Trust Level Increased to 90%!]

"What’s wrong?" he asked cautiously.

Su Muwan didn’t answer. Instead, she stepped closer, eyes narrowed.

Qin Luo instinctively retreated—only for her to seize his wrist.

"Six years…"

She gritted her teeth, enunciating every word. "Do you have any idea how I survived these six years?!"

Ding!

[Trust Level Increased to 95%!]

"This time! You’re going to compensate me for every single second!"

"Compensate… how?"

Su Muwan took a deep breath, then declared loudly:

"We’re doing everything we can possibly do today!! All of it!!"

Ding!

[Trust Level Increased to 100%! Trust Level Maxed Out!]

Qin Luo: "……?"

"Ugh! You know what I mean!!"

Su Muwan stomped her foot in frustration, dragging him toward the house.

Finally catching on, Qin Luo laughed helplessly. "Wait, Young Mistress, the groceries! We haven’t even put them away—"

"Enough with the nonsense! Who cares about groceries?!"

Under the setting sun, the villa’s door slammed shut.

Bang!!