The crow's feathers were pitch black, with a streak of white at its neck. Its beak was curved and sharp, and as if sensing Yang Qizhou's gaze, it tilted its head and blinked. It was alive.
Was this the Dark Crow of Profane Fortune?
Yang Qizhou wasn't a fool; he immediately associated it with the Destiny's Blessing from "Deceit World."
Things from the game had appeared in reality.
It felt like Yang Qizhou was dreaming.
"Qizhou-ge, what are you doing? Open the door already! Hurry up and let me in—I've got too many snacks to carry!"
The childlike voice echoed again from outside the door.
A vein popped on Yang Qizhou's forehead. This little bean was so young, yet already saying all kinds of nonsense.
The Dark Crow of Profane Fortune on the back of his hand was too conspicuous; from now on, he'd have to wear gloves when going out.
As he thought about it, Yang Qizhou suddenly realized the crow had vanished. Not gone, but hidden—as though it had heard the thoughts of its master.
Yang Qizhou now had a thousand questions in his heart. What was the mysterious "Deceit World"? Were there other players besides himself? Did the Old Earth truly exist?
But hearing the noise coming from outside, he could only shelve those questions for the moment and go open the door.
Outside stood a little girl around seven years old, with twin pigtails and chubby pink cheeks. She was carrying a large bag of snacks, her big eyes blinking as she stepped in while grumbling as the door opened.
"Qizhou-ge, you're so slow!"
The girl was Ding Xiaolan, the landlord's daughter. Due to her age and small stature, Yang Qizhou casually nicknamed her "Little Bean." Her mother and she knew Yang Qizhou was struggling alone in the Capital City and would often look out for him, occasionally inviting him to eat dumplings or home-cooked meals.
Perhaps because of the roguish air in Yang Qizhou's mannerisms, he and Ding Xiaolan got along really well.
"Who taught you all this ridiculous nonsense?" Yang Qizhou scowled. This little girl was becoming increasingly irreverent.
Ding Xiaolan tilted her head. "A lot of adults talk like this because it makes them happy."
Whoever said this—damn you to hell a hundred times.
"Forget it. Qizhou-ge, look! I brought a ton of snacks, but not all of them are for you. You can only pick three. No, two. No—one. Yes, just one! I'm being very generous here."
"Normally, you're super possessive with your snacks. Why suddenly think of sharing today?"
"Well, I heard from mom that you lost your job and have been upset, so I thought I'd come cheer you up."
A warm feeling welled up in Yang Qizhou's heart. If it weren't for Ding Xiaolan and her mother, he might not have been able to make it in the Capital City at all.
Alright, he'll pick one.
An inexplicable sensation suddenly arose within Yang Qizhou. The Dark Crow of Profane Fortune was watching him, sparking a bold idea in his mind.
"I'll choose the cucumber-flavored chips."
"Eh? Weird. Qizhou-ge, you're acting strange. In the past, you would've snatched all my snacks. Are you really the same Qizhou-ge? Or have you been possessed?"
Yang Qizhou's temple throbbed. "You think I used to compete with a little brat like you for snacks? Was I really that ruthless?"
Ding Xiaolan nodded seriously.
"Yes, you were."
Fine. Back when he was teasing the Little Bean, he did have moments of shameless behavior.
Ding Xiaolan handed over the snacks and earnestly tried to comfort Yang Qizhou. It wasn't until an incredibly beautiful woman came to take her away that the room finally returned to peace and quiet.
The Dark Crow of Profane Fortune reappeared on the back of his hand. Yang Qizhou suppressed his roguish grin and grew serious. He glanced at the cucumber-flavored chips in his hand, thought for a moment, and placed them inside the wardrobe.
"If my guess is correct, something extraordinary is about to happen."
"Dark Crow of Profane Fortune,"
"I want to choose the chips again."
Searing heat flared on the back of Yang Qizhou's hand, and his surroundings suddenly began shifting—warping. Disordered, irregular, indescribable. The world seemed to melt under scalding heat.
In front of him appeared the chubby-faced girl, her twin pigtails bouncing as she blinked her big eyes. Through obvious pain, she opened the bag of snacks, revealing its contents. It was Ding Xiaolan, who had supposedly already left.
"Qizhou-ge, look! I brought a ton of snacks, but not all of them are for you. You can only pick three. No, two. No—one. Yes, just one! I'm being very generous here."
The familiar scene, the familiar words—it felt like time had rewound itself, recreating yesterday. Although Yang Qizhou had mentally prepared himself, when the ability of the "Dark Crow of Profane Fortune" was activated and all of this realized, his face still revealed shock.
"Qizhou-ge, your expression is scary. You're not planning to seize all my snacks, are you? No way—I'll fight you to the end this time!"
Ding Xiaolan clutched the snacks tightly, like a little watchdog.
Suppressing the upheaval in his heart, Yang Qizhou replied, "Picking just one is fine. Qizhou-ge won't steal your snacks."
"Alright then, choose."
This time, Yang Qizhou chose the wasabi-flavored chips. After chatting for a bit, the familiar beautiful woman once again retrieved Ding Xiaolan. It was as if two timelines overlapped and fate was distorted, leaving Yang Qizhou dazed.
Once Ding Xiaolan had left, Yang Qizhou opened the wardrobe. The cucumber-flavored chips from the previous timeline were still there.
Placing the wasabi-flavored chips next to the cucumber ones, Yang Qizhou returned to the sofa and instantly picked up his phone to resume playing the game. If he still thought "Deceit World" was just a simple game at this point, he'd truly be a fool.
A rush of urgency gripped Yang Qizhou. After all, the Old Earth was home not just to the Dark Crow of Profane Fortune, but also to the Ancient Dominators, twisted deities, unspeakable horrors, and others. Given that even the Dark Crow had appeared, could those unmentionable entities also descend into reality?
Or had they already arrived, and he simply hadn't noticed?
The pale text on his screen continued scrolling:
"You discover inscriptions at the base of the strange statue. Arrogant as always, you lean in to inspect them."
"You don't recognize the script and feel disappointed. Fate's power takes effect once more—you understand the text."
"This is the Moonlight Ancient God's Sacrificial Altar. This Ancient God has existed since the previous epoch and wields immense Divine Power, blessing the Forest Hundred Clans as they survived the epoch's upheaval. Whenever moonlight graces the land, the Moonlight Ancient God's followers gather at the altar to offer fervent prayers."
"You find it strange. If the Moonlight Ancient God is a powerful divine being who aided the Forest Hundred Clans through epochal disasters, why would the altar be so desolate? You suspect this Ancient God might have fallen."
"The explorer's greed surfaces. Unwilling to leave empty-handed, you begin searching around the Moonlight Ancient God's Holy Image."
"You discover the 'Dream Realm Mother Goddess Flower Seed.'"
"Would you like to collect it?"
"Yes/No."
Finally, some gains. Yang Qizhou eagerly chose 'Yes.'
"You collect the 'Dream Realm Mother Goddess Flower Seed.' The Moonlight Ancient God's Holy Image suddenly collapses, crushing you into pulp."
"You are dead."