C23 On top of the Coot!

"Why are you so concerned about how I managed it? If you're willing, I'd like to hear about your encounter with the Gold Tree Monster. I find it quite intriguing."

Lin Yuan maintained a nonchalant facade, yet inwardly he was in agony. Three demutation nuts—back in his past life, even selling himself wouldn't fetch such a sum!

"Our situation is somewhat complex; I hardly know where to begin."

Mo Sanqiu rose to his feet, gently touching the tiny sapling, his eyes brimming with delight.

"Just hit the highlights. I have no interest in the trivial details."

"Do you recall what happened on the twenty-third last month?"

Mo Sanqiu sat up and posed the question to Lin Yuan with earnest gravity.

"Worlds colliding and merging, a new world taking shape while the old one fades away."

Lin Yuan responded promptly, well-aware of the catalyst for these transformations.

Mo Sanqiu gave Lin Yuan a curious glance and nodded slightly:

"You seem to have a clearer picture than I do. All I know is that there might have been an overlap between two worlds."

"That's why we've ended up this way—because we've merged with life forms from another world."

Lin Yuan massaged his temples vigorously, his mind swirling from Mo Sanqiu's revelation.

Humans fusing with beings from other worlds? Why had he never come across such information in his previous life? Was it because he was too insignificant then to be privy to such secrets?

"On the day it all happened, Dijiang and I were cleaning the giraffe enclosure when the overlap occurred."

"The rest is straightforward. I merged with a creature from that other world, and Dijiang, with the tree monster you mentioned."

"And who, or what, is Dijiang?"

Lin Yuan inquired, puzzled. The name Dijiang wasn't to be taken lightly—it belonged to an ancient deity chronicled in the old scriptures.

"My fiancée."

"...She's human, right?"

"...What are you implying?"

Mo Sanqiu stared blankly at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan shook his head, a touch of exasperation in his voice:

"Dijiang is an ancient deity's name. It's not exactly common for someone to adopt it as their own."

"Moreover, judging by your appearance, you're well into your forties, maybe even approaching fifty. I can't help but question the identity of your so-called fiancée."

"Is love off-limits when you're older?"

Mo Sanqiu's face was etched with melancholy as Miao Yihong asked him curiously,

"How old is your fiancée? She's not an older single lady, is she?"

"Dijiang is quite young. She just turned twenty-seven last month."

"Mo, you're my hero—truly the epitome of the old bull enjoying the green grass!"

Wu Yue applauded Mo Sanqiu with an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"The number of people who've met their end at your hands must be at least in the seventies or eighties. Why did you do it?"

"... It was necessary for Dijiang's survival."

Mo Sanqiu's voice floated uncertainly as he lowered his head,

"The monster I merged with is without consciousness, but Dijiang's tree monster still has its own."

"That tree monster has been trying to erase Dijiang, and its consciousness is much more vast. If it hadn't shown a vulnerability after preying on humans, Dijiang would have been erased long ago."

"A vulnerability? Is that why you've been killing?"

"Yes, human DNA can suppress the tree monster's consciousness. To save Dijiang, I had no choice."

Mo Sanqiu hung his head even lower.

"Starting this morning, the tree monster's consciousness began to fade. It struck a deal with Dijiang, offering more energy in exchange for its consciousness to depart in stages, attaching to its offspring—the dandelions."

"If the tree monster is your fiancée, why take her Blood Essence? Has the love soured?"

In his past life, Mo Sanqiu had ascended in rank by taking the Blood Essence of the Gold Tree Monster, a fact that was inexplicable.

"It's merely a resurrection."

Mo Sanqiu spoke flatly, yet Lin Yuan shivered at the words. Wasn't he himself resurrected?

"Without its Blood Essence, the tree monster's presence will fade, and Dijiang's human side stands a great chance of resurrection."

"How does the resurrection work?"

"... Just replenish it with a substantial amount of human DNA."

Suddenly, it all clicked for Lin Yuan. Mo Sanqiu's past life's numerous killings were all to bring back his beloved!

Rising to his feet and brushing off his clothes, Lin Yuan faced Mo Sanqiu and began,

"Our world is dissolving, and I fear less than one in ten humans remain. Each person is an invaluable seed."

"Cease the killing. Consider if there are other ways to resolve this. Otherwise, the day will come when you'll be held accountable."

With those words, Lin Yuan hoisted his bag, which was as hefty as a small mountain, and strode out.

Miao Yihong and Wu Yue exchanged a glance before quickly catching up.

Mo Sanqiu cradled the sapling in his hands, his eyes brimming with tenderness.

He looked up to see the world shrouded in gray dust, yet Lin Yuan's spirits were high.

A Bronze-level superpowered individual was a rare master among humans at this stage.

Regarding the Devour Talent, even without knowing its precise effects, the mere thought of Mo Sanqiu's formidable combat abilities from his past life was enough to fill him with hope.

"Big dummy, did you notice the boss is looking sharper?"

Miao Yihong whispered to Wu Yue, her hand covering her mouth.

"Indeed, the boss's facial scar is gone. You've got a keen eye, silly girl!"

"Has the boss reached the Bronze level? Does that make him the second mightiest human?"

"Cut it out. There are plenty of humans out there. Who's to say there aren't other Bronze-level superpowered? Your flattery could use some work!"

The pair were like two incessant flies, buzzing with endless chatter.

Shaking his head, Lin Yuan stepped through the zoo gates into the dust-laden world beyond. The carcass of the Gold Tree Monster was enormous.

"Boss, how did such a massive Gold Tree Monster fall so easily before you?"

The ever-talkative Miao Yihong quickened her pace to catch up with Lin Yuan, her curiosity piqued.

"It's likely due to the fusion," Lin Yuan replied as he walked.

"If it maintained its full strength, it would be unbeatable by anyone in this world."

Surveying the dust-veiled expanse, Lin Yuan added,

"At its prime, the Gold Tree Monster must have been a true Gold Stage Legend among superpowered beings."

"Its fusion with Dijiang, which led to mutual limitations, left it incredibly weak, allowing me to seize an opportunity."

After finishing his thought, Lin Yuan couldn't help but shake his head. If things were as he suspected, then the Gold Tree Monster had met a most unfortunate end. A legend gone, just like that, without a whisper—what a stifling way to die.

"Boss, he's killed so many innocent people. Why didn't you kill him?"

Miao Yihong pressed on with her questioning. Lin Yuan halted in his tracks, mulling over his response.

"Firstly, I'm neither a crusader for justice nor an enforcer of the law. Mo Sanqiu's fate is subject to my whims."

"Secondly, the future is fraught with challenges, and humanity's torch of survival could snuff out at any moment. I see potential in Mo Sanqiu. He could well become a cornerstone for mankind, ensuring our legacy endures."

Miao Yihong and Wu Yue looked contemplative, as if they were in the presence of a sage. Lin Yuan's gaze seemed to penetrate the very fabric of time itself.

With a smile, Lin Yuan resumed his journey into the horizon, with Miao Yihong and Wu Yue quickly catching up.

"Halt, you three! Hand over everything you've got—this is a stick-up!"

Out of the dust, six figures emerged, each brandishing a hefty machete, their voices booming in unison at the trio.

"We're flat broke; there's nothing for you to take!"

Wu Yue boldly stepped forward, hands on hips, and declared.

"Enough with the act. Big guy, drop your stuff. And the lady, strip down for our entertainment, or we'll chop you up!"