T0 Gaming Guild Saves the World.

Chapter 677, Section 676: Crossing Cups
The prison guard set up a drawing board on the second-floor balcony, and Jiang Heyi immediately ran up there when she saw it.

"Are you so nervous because you're afraid I might impulsively draw something... indecent?"

The jailer didn't turn his head, his tone carrying his usual slightly mocking smile.

Kesha watched intently as the lines on the canvas gradually became clearer, and immediately said, "I'm glad you have this self-awareness, that you clearly know what kind of dangerous position you are in everyone's mind."

"Tsk tsk tsk, I remember you were so polite to me not long ago. Did your attitude change the moment you got the fries' approval and successfully got involved with the potato?"

"This has nothing to do with that!" Kesha's cheeks flushed slightly as she hurriedly explained, her tail unconsciously patting the ground lightly. "This is the Millennium Wonders of the Fallen Star Sea! It's a sacred place that records the changes in civilization on the Anna Continent, preserving the most representative architectural essences of each era! You can't choose to draw those... those indecent things here! That's a desecration of history!"

The jailer ignored her words and focused solely on his paintbrush.

With just a few strokes, precise and vivid, the outline of the main hall used for the meeting, which blends the architectural styles of sea people and land people, has already leaped off the page.

He suddenly stopped writing, glanced at Jiang Heyi sideways, and his eyes were no longer as carefree as usual.

"Potatoes, don't you think that's interesting?"

"what do you mean?"

The jailer's gaze swept over the elegantly dressed, distinguished figures of Anna below the balcony.
"The vast majority of people here are completely unaware that their world was not long ago just one step away from complete destruction and falling back into the cycle."

"What they didn't know was that before that, their fate had been repeatedly crushed in a cycle."

The prison guard paused, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"Fate is unpredictable... therefore, it is necessary to keep records."

He murmured to himself as he continued sketching.

After saying that, he stopped talking, picked up his brush again, and continued to build a world of lines and colors on the canvas.

Jiang Heyi rested his hands on the cold stone railing, looking down at the important figures who would determine the future of the continent, and remained silent for a moment.

Suddenly, the jailer became serious.

It carries the brilliance of a philosopher.

Or perhaps it was because he had immersed himself in painting for so long that he had truly developed the melancholy of an artist?
The style of the prison guard's writing has changed.

The lines on the canvas are no longer the soft brushstrokes he usually uses to outline alluring curves, but instead become hard, sharp, and full of power.

He no longer depicted those dreamy, enchanting lines, but began to faithfully capture the majestic structure and the mottled marks left by time on the ancient wonder of the building before him.

"This is the first time you've... seriously painted a landscape," Jiang Heyi said, somewhat surprised.

"I guess so." The jailer smiled, his smile less frivolous and more filled with an indescribable complexity. "If you feel something, don't blame me for being sentimental sometimes... To be able to stick together with you guys and survive two lifetimes, in my past life... I probably really did save a world that was even worse than Anna."

Jiang Heyi looked at his old friend's rarely serious profile and finally let out a soft sigh.

“You should talk a little more lightly.” He patted the jailer on the shoulder. “I’m still more used to you the way you are.”

Throughout the multi-party talks, the group from the virtual and real borders played a very special role—they were like public NPCs in a reputation system, having simultaneously gained favor with all factions.

Whether it was Kurien's confidant in the Anar Empire, an elderly elder of the forest races, a royal representative of the Leaf Elves, or the high priest of the Fallen Star Siren.

Everyone who passed by them stopped and bowed slightly to the group of young people, casting a look of heartfelt respect in their eyes.

There has never been anyone in Anna's history who could bring all the parties caught in the vortex of conflict to the negotiating table.

The boundary between the virtual and the real doesn't even eat at the table of the Anna Continent, and has no conflict of interest with anyone.

A nearly lawful and neutral force has risen at an incredible speed, accomplishing a feat that no one has achieved in centuries.

Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, from today onwards, the "face" of the virtual and real boundaries will certainly carry astonishing weight.

Jiang Heyi and others had also discussed this issue seriously in private.

If the "aftershocks" of the world breaking free from the cycle really do take decades to completely subside, then they might as well stop considering returning altogether.

In this lifetime, I will settle down in Anna, live out my days here quietly, and silently safeguard this hard-won peace agreement that may have been born.

This is both a responsibility they, as outsiders, have to the world, and a way for them to quietly benefit this land that holds so many of their memories, and to repay the Anna world for the wonderful bond that "nurtured" Peppermint Mom and Kesha for them.

"Your explanation sounds a bit strange," Mint muttered under her breath, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice. "Is it really just because of me that you're unwilling to live in Anna forever? Why do you have to bring up high-sounding reasons like continental peace and world righteousness..."

She immediately put her hands on her hips, striking a pose as the head of the household, and personally issued the supreme order: "You're not allowed to go anywhere. Be a good girl and take care of me in my old age!"

Now anyone who thinks about leaving Anna is considered to have failed in their filial duty.

Mint swore that if that happened, she would mutter to herself every day as a spirit in Anna, and she wouldn't be able to sleep if they returned to the Lord's side.

At first, Renee couldn't quite accept the subtle term "Mint Mom." In her mind, it was a bit too intimate and strange.

Therefore, she always gets goosebumps when someone shouts.

The calm and reliable team leader, Potato, would naturally call Mint "Mom".

Even the mighty and proud dragon Arelavi lowered her proud head and called out "Mama".

Even the deep green one, whose way of thinking is different from ordinary people and who is the king of slimes, will call out "Mom" in her own unique way, firmly and persistently.

It's like a special ritual for forming a group.

then……

"Look, this is Mint's mom. When she gets angry, she acts like a child throwing a tantrum."

The reason people can't express themselves is simply because they don't say it often enough.

Stealing a moment from his busy schedule, Kurien, accompanied by Wick, appeared beside the group from the boundary between the virtual and real worlds who were enjoying their meal at the dining table.

“Wick told me that you guys either eat or are on your way to eat.”

Kurien couldn't help but chuckle as he said this.

Concerning the future of the continent, and embodying the highest will of the Anna Continent, the meeting was specially chosen to be held in the historically significant wonders of the Falling Star Sea, taking into account the profound meaning witnessed by time and the years.

This should have been a serious and solemn occasion, where each party needed to make decisions on what to take and what to give up in the negotiations, set aside disputes, get what they needed, and achieve a win-win situation.

But it was precisely in this setting, with its unlimited drinks and food, that everyone found themselves with nothing to do and had to witness firsthand the true boundaries of convenience, turning them all into starving men.

Most of the important figures who were tasked with negotiating only took a small bite, just enough to fill their stomachs.

The young people from various ethnic groups who accompanied them initially maintained a necessary level of reserve and etiquette.

Unfortunately, the unrestrained and gluttonous eating habits of this group on the boundary between the virtual and real worlds were simply too eye-catching. Their genuine joy in enjoying the food was incredibly infectious. Especially Henilakai and Walvin. One of them was focused on all kinds of grilled and smoked fish, his hands covered in oil, his bear-like face filled with satisfaction.

The other was holding a bucket of fruit wine that was supposedly brewed by a siren and drinking it with great relish.

The two practically occupied the entire long table, yet still seemed reluctant to leave.

Even more impressively, the ultimate weapon for clearing out the debts, Elaine Vie, was lurking nearby, waiting for the two to finish their business before "cleaning up" the mess.

As they ate and drank, the atmosphere became lively.

Walvin had already started drinking with several young men from various ethnic groups who were too arrogant to believe they could hold their liquor.

Kurien had long heard of Walvin's reputation.

The nobles of Anna once sent their strongest lineup in an attempt to take him down at the dinner table, but in the end all the challengers slid under the table, while Walvin was able to carry his companions without changing his expression and walk away steadily.

At this moment, listening to the lively sounds of clinking glasses not far away, Kurien could only shake his head with a wry smile.

“Your Majesty, you’re wronging us,” Jiang Heyi explained. “We were just helping the jailer find a good location.”

"Framing?"

Kurien looked up following Wick's finger and spotted the jailer with several easels set up high above.

Jiang Heyi smiled and said, "If we want to obtain a picture of harmonious coexistence among all races, simply asking for everyone's help will not capture the essence. Therefore, we can only get involved ourselves and inspire everyone with our actions."

"cheers!"

"Dry!"

He stood up, holding a huge wooden wine glass high, and spun it around the table with a loud "thump," enthusiastically clinking glasses with everyone who wanted to.

The young people from various ethnic groups, who were already quite tipsy, were also infected by the boisterous atmosphere. They stood up one after another and raised their glasses to drink with great enthusiasm—some even fell asleep on the benches from time to time.

Under the influence of these toasts and drinks, the young elites from the five major universities of the empire were already able to put their arms around the shoulders of the young talents from the forest, patting each other on the shoulder and calling each other brothers.

The lively Fallen Star Siren even used their nimble tails to curl up a wine cup and play a game of "drinking from the same cup" with the slightly flushed Leaf Sprite...

Compared to important figures who come with political missions, young people are more straightforward and candid with each other.

However, given the incredible actions of Giza and others, the Fallen Star Sirens and the elites from the five imperial academies mostly kept their distance.

Only a few sirens are able to approach and communicate with each other without any barriers.

If Giza can be killed a second time, Kurien will not hesitate to do it again.

Wrapping someone's hand with its tail while drinking together is a well-known gesture in The Fallen Star Siren that shows goodwill and intimacy.

The sirens have already performed this signature move on the forest plants and decaying leaves, but Anna is the only one missing.

Trust is invaluable.

Because of Giza, normal Anna geniuses are subjected to invisible discrimination and suspicion.

French Fries sighed, "Sometimes you don't know how powerful you can be until you try."

The jailer, biting his pen, rested his chin on his hand and sighed repeatedly.

The composition, scenes, and actions have all been sketched, but the interaction between the humans and the sirens is missing.

"Ok?"

He was suddenly stunned.

Jiang Heyi walked straight to the table and took three glasses of fruit wine.

He gave one cup to the fries and stuffed the other cup onto Kesha's tail, patting it and telling her to hold it tight.

"feed me."

"Huh?" Ksha blinked.

“I told you, if you feed me wine with your tail, I’ll feed you too,” Jiang Heyi urged. “The jailer is waiting.”

Kesha's eyes lit up, and drool even dripped from the corner of his mouth.

The chubby siren's tail suddenly wrapped around Jiang Heyi's waist. This action, which was clearly not in line with the custom of holding a cup with the tail when drinking wine, made him instinctively want to struggle.

Faced with Kesha's burning gaze and the wine glass with its tail tip tucked to its lips, Jiang Heyi smiled helplessly and held the wine glass in his hand to Kesha's eager lips.

"Wow!"

Gloria, alerted by Plata, turned around sharply and saw this thrilling scene, then looked around for a photo scroll.

Squid stroked its chin and looked at the blankets: "Peppermint Mom seems to be able to make a potion that temporarily generates a siren's tail, should we... try it too?"

The woman in the blankets smiled and said, "So you like being tied up by your tail?"

"I don't have that habit, it's just that I suddenly felt interested and wanted to try it out... What are you thinking about? Why is your face so red?"

The squid was visibly panicked, but the bed was excitedly rubbing its little hands together, eager to place an order with its mother, Mint, to play.

They gulped down their fruit wine, both revealing the empty bottoms of their glasses.

As a crucial link in completing the interaction between humans and sea monsters, Jiang Heyi and Ke Xia perfectly completed the task and received a thumbs-up reward from the jailer above.

The fries shook the still-full glass of fruit wine and coughed softly.

"Hehe, this is my favorite part!" Wolvin stopped drinking and led the young people from various tribes to look back.

Kesha immediately released its tail from Potato's body, took a full glass of fruit wine, held it with the tip of its tail, gently wrapped it around Potato's wrist, and slowly moved it up his shoulder.

His movements were skillful, yet cautious, his eyes constantly fixed on the fries' reaction.

"Alright, hurry up and finish the task. If you don't drink it, I'm going to splash it on your face."

With the fries' permission, Kesha quickly moved closer and eagerly accepted the food.

She finished her drink in her fries glass, and everyone's eyes naturally fell on Ksha's glass.

French Fries slowly picked up his glass, took a small sip, and then handed it to Jiang Heyi with a smile.

"Help me finish it, it was given to us by Ksha anyway."

(End of this chapter)