Yun Lintian's eyes snapped open. The serpent's mocking laughter filled his ears.
"Pathetic!" it hissed. "You couldn't even save yourself, yet you tried to save a mere ant?" Its golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "Do you want to know the solution? Beg me, and perhaps I'll tell you."
Yun Lintian ignored the taunt, his expression calm.
"Big Brother Yun!" Linlin and Qingqing rushed to his side, their tiny faces filled with worry. "Are you okay?"
Yun Lintian patted their heads. "I'm fine."
He closed his eyes, replaying the events in his mind.
Three deaths. Three failures.
Each time, he had tried something different—observing, intervening, fleeing. Yet none had worked.
This time, he would change his approach.
If I can't save others... then I'll focus solely on surviving.
With renewed determination, Yun Lintian reached out and touched the wooden box once more.
The familiar scene unfolded before him—the towering World Tree, the bustling streets, Old Man Li's warning.
