The final grouping was:
Duan Chen and Lu Shuishui.
Wang Zihao and Tian Ximeng.
Su Baiyi and Long Yi.
No one raised any objections.
Duan Chen took the first watch, Wang Zihao the middle, and Long Yi the last, until the sun rose in the morning.
Whether it was due to the influence of the strange phenomena or some other reason, after all the villagers had died.
All the electrical facilities in the village ceased to function. They had been somewhat useful before, but now they were completely rendered useless, like mere decorations.
So, they had no choice but to live like in a survival situation, building a blazing bonfire. Two people guarded the fire, watching over the first half of the night to prevent any uncanny events from occurring.
Lu Shuishui asked with some curiosity, "Instructor, how long has it been since you became a high-level agent?"
How long has it been?
Duan Chen couldn't quite recall.
"Many years," he said indifferently.
When he first woke up, he was 12 years old. Upon awakening, he possessed a 3S level weapon, and coupled with his abilities, he quickly rose to the rank of high-level agent.
It had indeed been many years.
Lu Shuishui was not entirely satisfied with this answer.
She pressed on, "Then, Instructor, do you have a girlfriend?"
Duan Chen chuckled, "Are you still inquiring about my romantic life?"
Lu Shuishui giggled, "If Instructor doesn't have a girlfriend, I can introduce my cousin to you."
That would be a pass.
Xier.
After obtaining information about this older sister from Wang Zihao, Duan Chen's respect for her surpassed any other emotion.
Although she was a woman, it had to be said that if one were to find an adjective to describe her, Duan Chen would unequivocally choose "terrifying."
She didn't seem like a woman at all, but rather like a monster wearing human skin.
Duan Chen even felt she was more terrifying than the Apostles, whom he didn't consider particularly formidable.
In fact, to a certain extent, after understanding his sister's profile from Wang Zihao, he felt that even the Evil Gods might not necessarily surpass her in some aspects.
Such high praise was enough to show how deeply Duan Chen feared Xier.
Anyone who could have such a woman as a girlfriend must be extraordinarily powerful. Duan Chen considered himself not that powerful, so it was best to decline.
Lu Shuishui seemed to sense Duan Chen's reluctance and pouted.
She said meaningfully,
"Instructor, don't be fooled by what you've heard from others. If you truly met my sister, you would never think she was an uncharismatic woman."
Matters concerning this could be discussed later.
Currently, Duan Chen believed that the more important task was to inspect the situation in the ancient village.
However, during his watch, nothing happened. It was as if this was truly just an abandoned, remote, and desolate village.
This made him feel strange.
This strange feeling was like a sixth sense, clearly telling him something was amiss, yet he couldn't pinpoint what.
Finally, Duan Chen hesitated and then handed over the watch duty to Wang Zihao, choosing to rest for a bit.
Although his abilities had strengthened, his race hadn't changed, and he still needed three meals a day and rest.
However, what Duan Chen never expected was that the real crisis would arrive after he fell asleep.
"Help me, my child, where are you? I'm waiting for you, I'm here, help me, I can't hold on much longer."
"My child."
"Come, hurry up!"
"...Is this a dream?"
Duan Chen stood hesitantly in pitch darkness, listening to the cries for help that kept echoing in his mind. A throbbing pain pulsed through him.
Instinctively, he knew that the person calling out to him was his mother.
But...
He had no memory of his mother.
He didn't know who his father was or who his mother was.
He had no memory of his life before the age of 12. He had even undergone DNA testing and entered his information into the genetic database, but there were no matches.
Later, he had given up on finding his parents, but why was his mother calling for help in his dream?
"Where are you?" Duan Chen asked softly.
However, the voice seemed not to hear him, continuing its pained cries.
"Help me, my child... Only you can save me."
"I'm waiting for you, you must find me, you must come..."
The voice gradually faded. The painful cries seemed like a routine prayer, making Duan Chen feel profoundly uncomfortable.
But instinctively, he believed that this was not the real world, just a dream.
Although the dream felt somewhat real, and he was conscious within it.
"Do you really think this is a dream?"
At that moment, the silhouette of a young boy suddenly appeared before Duan Chen.
The surrounding scenery quickly receded, as if he were on a speeding train. Everything around him transformed from black to blood-red, and a crooked, slanting sun hung in the sky.
The boy's voice echoed in Duan Chen's ears.
"Do you really remember nothing?"
Duan Chen surveyed his surroundings.
He frowned tightly. Everything here felt incredibly familiar yet bizarre.
But he couldn't recall where he had been or experienced all of this.
It was too strange.
Everything here was too strange.
The sun hanging in the sky looked as if it had been painted on, and the blue of the sky was excessively azure.
The sun's color was a vibrant red, and the light it emitted was a faint, milky yellow.
The grass surrounding him was a mixture of black and red.
Before him stood a faceless silhouette of a boy, but instinctively, Duan Chen knew it was himself, the 12-year-old him.
The 12-year-old Duan Chen was questioning if he had truly lost all his memories.
Duan Chen remained silent.
The 12-year-old Duan Chen seemed disappointed.
His silhouette gradually faded under the sunlight, leaving behind only a faint remark.
"You will remember. One day, you will remember your past, your history, and the things you were supposed to remember but have forgotten."
"And also..."
"Do not trust the gods."
"Never!"