168: Chapter 168 I! DO NOT! AN BE ...

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!"

The fake Lu Yuan, who had been affectionate just a second ago, was now clutching his crotch in pain, his flawless face completely twisted and hideous.

He glared at Xia Li, the disguise in his eyes gone, leaving only frantic, desperate malice.

"Why?!"

"Why couldn't you just enjoy it?!"

The fake Lu Yuan roared, his voice thick with resentment and spite.

"Isn't this the person you desire and love the most in your heart?"

"I've already become so perfect, why won't you accept it?!"

"You stupid woman, couldn't you just obediently submit to me in this illusion?!"

Facing this frantic interrogation.

Xia Li nimbly dodged to the side, maintaining a safe distance.

Although her mind was still groggy and many past memories felt like they were veiled, making them hard to see clearly.

But her battle instincts, tempered through a thousand trials, were the first to make the most genuine reaction.

Xia Li looked at the hideous fake on the ground, her eyes overflowing with killing intent.

"Drop the clumsy acting."

Xia Li looked at him coldly, as if looking at a pile of stinking trash.

"He is unique."

"Even if you can perfectly replicate his face or even peer into my inner memories."

Xia Li clenched her fists, her voice bone-chillingly cold.

"You will never be him!"

Hearing this, the fake Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then he began to laugh maniacally, as if he had heard the world's biggest joke.

"Ridiculous! So ridiculous!"

While laughing, the fake Lu Yuan pointed at Xia Li, his eyes full of mockery and sarcasm.

"What kind of deep affection are you pretending to have here?"

"Do you think I don't know?"

"That man named Lu Yuan doesn't love you at all!"

The fake Lu Yuan cursed maliciously.

"He's just a vulgar bastard who only cares about profit, with nothing but materials and money in his head!"

"He's cold-blooded! He's selfish! He's heartless!"

"He won't even spare you a second glance!"

The fake Lu Yuan scrambled up from the ground and spread his arms, attempting to bewitch Xia Li again with this false beauty.

"Stay! Stay in this mental world!"

"As long as you're willing to stay, I can become anything you want!"

"I will always be gentle with you, always cherish you in the palm of my hand, always..."

However.

Before he could finish.

Xia Li had already turned into a silver afterimage, erupting instantly!

Power surged from her waist, coursing through her spine, and all her anger and disgust converged in her right fist at this moment.

"If the person I love needs to be bestowed upon me by a false illusion..."

Xia Li's gaze was like lightning as she smashed her fist heavily into the fake Lu Yuan's face!

"I! DO! NOT! ACCEPT!!!"

*Bang!*

A dull explosion sounded.

The iron fist, carrying all the power of the Ice Mountain Queen, slammed squarely onto the fake Lu Yuan's nose.

The fake Lu Yuan let out a shrill scream.

"Waaah—!"

The moment the iron fist made contact, the mask disguised as Lu Yuan on his face shattered inch by inch, like fragile glass!

A blinding white light exploded from his shattered face.

"Damn it!... Waaah—!!"

The fake Lu Yuan's body turned into countless fragments and disappeared completely.

With the death of the caster, the surrounding campus scene began to collapse violently.

The sky cracked with countless black fissures, the school buildings collapsed with a roar, and the grass beneath her feet turned into nothingness.

Amidst this apocalyptic scene of world-shattering destruction.

"A-Li!"

A crisp, familiar, yet somewhat ethereal voice came from behind her.

Xia Li's body suddenly stiffened.

She turned her head in a daze.

In the midst of the peeling white light, she saw a girl wearing a high school uniform with her hair in a ponytail.

"Xiao... Xiaoya."

Xia Li's lips trembled slightly, and her eyes instantly reddened.

Memories surged back like a tide, completely breaking through the seal.

That's right.

Xiaoya was already dead.

As early as the first week after transmigrating to the Wasteland.

That carefree best friend of hers had been tortured to death by the Butcher...

The Xiaoya before her.

Was merely a reflection of her deepest subconscious obsessions and illusions within the mental world...

Standing in the void, Xiaoya looked at the collapsing world around her, seemingly understanding something as well.

Her eyes reddened, and large teardrops began to fall pitter-patter.

"A-Li, I'm sorry..."

Xiaoya cried like a child caught doing something wrong, her face full of self-reproach and guilt.

"I didn't know that Lu Yuan was a bad person in disguise..."

"I even kept trying to set you two up..."

"I almost hurt you... *sob sob sob*..."

While wiping her tears, Xiaoya sobbed aggrievedly.

"I just... I just..."

"Didn't want you to leave, I wanted you to stay in this world..."

"*Sob sob*..."

Looking at the tearful person before her, crying like a messy kitten.

Xia Li's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by a large hand, the pain making it impossible to breathe.

Ignoring the collapsing world around her, she strode over and pulled Su Xiaoya into a tight embrace.

Tears burst forth like a broken dam.

"I'm sorry... Xiaoya..."

Xia Li choked with sobs, burying her head in her best friend's shoulder like a helpless child.

"I'm sorry, I can't stay here with you..."

Su Xiaoya had no physical form, and her body was gradually turning into golden specks of light.

But she still tried to reach out with her illusory hand and gently patted Xia Li's back.

"I... I know..."

"Silly A-Li... how could I blame you?"

Su Xiaoya's tears continued to fall, but she forced out a brilliant smile.

"A-Li! You have to live on!"

"Live well, carrying my share with you!"

Seeing Xia Li's tear-streaked face, Su Xiaoya sniffled, her eyes filled with deep reluctance to part.

"Ah! I'm really so unwilling!"

Su Xiaoya pouted and shouted loudly with a sob.

"I really want to see our School Belle in a wedding dress!"

"I really want to attend your wedding with that Lu Yuan!"

"I really want to be your bridesmaid!"

"I really want to see you two bickering lovers argue, I really want to see you happy..."

Su Xiaoya's figure grew fainter and fainter.

She struggled to muster one last smile and waved at Xia Li.

"Go, A... Li."

"He... is waiting for you..."

As her voice faded.

Su Xiaoya turned into golden specks of light dancing in the sky, completely dissipating into the void.

At the same time.

The entire false mental world collapsed with a roar, shattering into endless darkness.

...

The real world.

At the Far East Grand Hub, upon the ruins of the tragic battlefield.

Xia Li's long eyelashes trembled suddenly.

Those cold, clear, and beautiful eyes, carrying an endless aura of slaughter, suddenly snapped open in the gale!