30: Don't push me, I'm scared of myself when I go crazy.

"What did you... say?"

Tu Nan violently shook off Gray's grip and rushed to Gaia's side.

"What happened to the Underground City... what do you mean it's all over? What do you mean?"

"You're asking me?"

Gaia gave a weary, mocking smile.

"Everyone is either drowned or fed to the Earth-traveling Worms. Do you still care about all this?"

"I thought you had already put all this behind you... and found yourself a new master."

Tu Nan's pupils instantly constricted to the size of pinpricks. Gaia would ruin her plans; she couldn't let him say another word.

Everyone here was one of Gray's men. If Gray realized she knew everything and had been intentionally tracking him, she would truly have no way out.

Or sacrifice Gaia? ...Many thoughts flashed through Tu Nan's mind, but she dismissed them.

Her voice was sharp as she grabbed Gaia, interrupting him first.

"How is that possible!"

"Who died? I don't know anything!"

"I only wanted to beg Gray to help me contact the researchers. What about Li? Did something happen to Li too?"

She looked back at Gray, appearing dazed.

"I—how is this possible? I... I don't believe it." She turned her head helplessly, resting her hands on Gaia, but her gaze was terrifyingly deep.

"You're saying something happened to the Underground City?"

"I don't believe it... Then why are you fine? Did you see something happen to him? Why didn't you help him?"

"You said you would follow Li, so why aren't you dead?"

She seemed to have gone mad, shaking Gaia frantically.

Tu Nan's strength was useless against Gaia; he pursed his lips and stood rooted to the spot.

What was this Foster Mother plotting now?

He had already discovered that this weak Female Beast was nothing like she appeared on the outside—her heart was as cold as ice, without a trace of tenderness.

Li, who had given her his whole heart, had been heartlessly cast aside by her. He could have escaped just like Gaia himself, instead of being betrayed.

All of Li's passion couldn't warm this Foster Mother's heart; Gaia didn't want to believe another word Tu Nan said.

Gaia curled his lip and countered, "If you have the nerve to stay alive, why shouldn't I?"

He looked at Tu Nan coldly, wanting to see what new play she was about to perform.

Unexpectedly, Tu Nan suddenly stopped. She seemed to have a sudden realization, murmuring with her head bowed, "You're right... Why am I still alive?"

She turned stumblingly, her eyes full of desolation, looking at Gray, who stood behind her with an impatient expression.

"Lord Gray... I was wrong."

"I shouldn't have dreamed of returning to the Central Star to find Keynes."

"Please just bring him news of me. I think he will thank you; after all, I am the greatest achievement of his life."

"And I..."

She looked toward the exit as if looking at someone who would never appear again. "I thought I could discuss it with Lord Li, but who could have known it would end like this."

"Li said he finally found someone worthy of his loyalty, finally found a home where he could stay... He won't hold a grudge."

"Lord Gray will remember him, won't he? He will offer a sacrifice to the beast god for him."

This Foster Mother's rambling was simply annoying. But her words did reveal quite a bit of information.

Gray calculated.

"Greatest achievement"—it was clear she must have some other hidden value. Once he got the twins, he could sell this rare specimen for a good price on the black market.

And Tu Nan's words of longing for Li made him feel offended.

What, as the leader of a territory, was he not even comparable to that brute who only had martial strength?

Worst of all... "someone worthy of loyalty."

Although the people he brought out before the insect tide erupted were all solitary wolves, he couldn't prevent anyone from having other thoughts.

Tu Nan cried bitterly, tears unconsciously streaming down her face.

She sobbed, saying to everyone, "I... I ask you all to bear witness for me; I did not betray Lord Li."

Unnoticed, a small dagger appeared in her palm. She smiled dazedly, then suddenly raised the dagger and stabbed it hard toward her own chest.

"Stop her!" Gray roared.

But Tu Nan had used all her strength in that strike. The men around Gray who moved to stop her were already too late.

But... what everyone expected did not happen.

There was no blood, no wound.

Tu Nan had only sliced open her clothes; the dagger slid off her chest.

"Tch, what a performance." Fiona snorted from the side.

"She's wearing the biological Soft Armor. Making it look so real." Fiona remembered very well that the biological Soft Armor was still on Tu Nan.

Gaia's step forward halted.

That's right, he remembered. Tu Nan was wearing the Soft Armor.

So this was the play she was waiting to perform. To think he had felt a moment of hesitation and emotion just now.

Tu Nan herself... also seemed stunned.

After a brief moment of daze, she let out a piercing shriek, words that didn't sound human squeezing out of her throat—

"Li gave this to me! Oh, beast god!"

The two men who had reached her side frowned as they endured the high-frequency noise, but they couldn't help feeling a bit of pity—this Foster Mother had indeed developed feelings for Li.

It was a pity about Li... No one expected Tu Nan to continue. She raised the dagger and stabbed it heavily into her thigh.

"Ah! Ah!"

The dagger was pulled out, blood spurting. She shook her head frantically, as if she felt no pain at all, and stabbed a second time.

Just as she was about to continue harming herself, Gaia finally rushed over.

He grabbed Tu Nan's dagger and threw it away with one hand, while the other hand gripped her face.

"Are you crazy? Have you gone mad? Argh!"

Tu Nan gave a gratified smile. She didn't seem to care at all that she was bleeding, only smiling as she said to Gaia, "I deserve to die anyway... I'm the one who doesn't deserve to live. I should be buried with Li."

Gaia's head felt like it was about to explode.

This lunatic!

He roared at the two men standing blankly nearby.

"Get over here and hold her down!"

"Good grief... she's certainly got some spirit."

The two men held down the still-struggling Tu Nan, clicking their tongues in amazement.

"You think you're so clever, you're just forcing my hand! Aren't you!"

Gaia was trembling all over; he had been pushed into a corner with no other choice.

He tore off the hem of his clothes and tied it above her wound to stop the bleeding.

But he hadn't brought anything else with him, so he had to ask Gray for help.

"Do you have a medical kit... for her."

Gray snorted but quickly had someone bring over two.

"Enough, let's go. It'll be big trouble if the Earth-traveling Worms come out."

Blood loss made Tu Nan's vision gradually blur, and she began to feel drowsy.

Grabbing Gaia, she was still stubbornly asking, "What can I do..."

Gaia found it unbelievable. What more did she want?

Tu Nan grew weaker. "Every word you say is pushing me toward death..."

Gaia froze. He finally snapped out of the aftermath of the tragic deaths and saw clearly the people around him—they were all Gray's trusted subordinates.

He wanted to continue thinking but was too exhausted. However, he finally realized that Tu Nan was acting so crazily just to prevent him from having a chance to speak.

Even though he knew this was another play directed by Tu Nan, he no longer had the strength to expose her. At this moment, he gave up thinking.

Let it be... he thought.

The fall of the Underground City and Tu Nan's madness were more than he could handle.

He was tired and afraid; at this moment, he didn't want to see any more death.

Picking up Tu Nan, he stood up and walked toward the convoy.

"Let's go."

He said it to Tu Nan, and also to himself.

But after only a few steps, he felt himself swaying—no, the ground was swaying.

A crack appeared in the sandy ground, and the surrounding quicksand gradually began to flow inward.

Everyone was dumbstruck by this turn of events. A moment later, they cried out and began to retreat.

The cars were immediately started. Everyone was trying to jump into a vehicle or transform into their faster beast forms.

They all wanted to get as far away from the center of the disaster as possible.

An earthquake would trigger the quicksand.

Tu Nan forced herself to open her eyes.