Apocalypse: I watch a survival game in a safe house

That one was Li Changgong, who transformed into him and accompanied him on an adventure in a fantasy kingdom.

That person, no, that being, his title is—the sin of greed, Mammon.

"Welcome, welcome!"

The boy spoke, his voice clear and melodious, like a mountain stream, yet carrying an ancient echo that resonated directly in Zhang Yi's spiritual world.

He looked up at Zhang Yi with a gentle, harmless smile.

Zhang Yi watched him warily, his spatial energy gathering, ready to be unleashed. Although the other party showed no sign of attacking, Zhang Yi instinctively prepared himself for battle.

"Samael."

He called out the name. This was not a question, but a confirmation.

Only Drucker, the giant known for his rage and symbolizing primal desires, could exude such pure spiritual pollution.

The boy—the embodiment of Samael—smiled slightly and did not deny it.

He gently tapped a clump of green grass on the ground with his shepherd's staff. A white sheep nibbled off a few blades of grass and chewed them heartily.

"Did you see that? The grass absorbs nutrients and water from the soil and grows tenaciously."

"Then the sheep graze, which allows them to survive and reproduce."

Finally, his gaze fell on Zhang Yi, his black, swirling eyes seeming to see right through him.

"Humans eat sheep to gain strength and prolong life."

"So," the boy tilted his head, his smile unchanged, "can a person just eat grass? Or... eat the soil?"

Zhang Yi frowned, staring at Samael's avatar, carefully considering the question the other party had asked.

Either he's just bored and playing a prank on me, or there's some special meaning behind it.

But thinking about it, ancient beings that have lived for billions of years shouldn't be so bored.

This question seems simple, but it points directly to a cruel rule.

The conversion and transfer of energy involves levels and efficiencies. Directly absorbing the lowest level of energy sources is often inefficient or even harmful to higher life forms.

“Look,” Samael’s voice carried a hint of seduction, “Sheep eat grass, humans eat sheep. This is the law of nature, the ladder of evolution. Devouring is the most primal and powerful force in the universe. Why resist it? Isn’t the instinct to devour also flowing within you?”

The black flames surrounding Zhang Yi burned even more intensely in the illusion.

He felt a strong urge to devour everything in front of him—the land, the withered grass, and even the handsome shepherd boy.

This instinct stemmed from the primal power of the mad owl he absorbed, from the shared origin of the Druk god race's power, and was now being amplified infinitely by Samael.

"Devour...evolve..."

Zhang Yi's thoughts began to become chaotic, and the black flames seemed to be burning away his last shred of reason.

He felt himself sliding into an endless abyss, where only the most primal hunger and satisfaction existed.

Just as his consciousness was about to be completely swallowed by darkness—

A cold, clear voice, like an absolute rule, resounded directly from the depths of his soul, severing all chaos:

[Rule Determination: The level of external mental pollution is too high, triggering the underlying defense protocol.]

[Execute the purification procedure.]

It's Yang Xinxin's voice!

No, it's more like some kind of "antivirus software" that she had pre-programmed and imprinted in his consciousness was activated!

The [Herrscher Arrow] that had been prematurely inserted into Zhang Yi's body was activated.

In an instant, Zhang Yi "saw" countless fine, precise blue lights, like circuit boards, illuminating the inside of his body, which was burning with black flames.

These rays of light spread rapidly, and wherever they passed, the black flames were extinguished and dissipated as if they had encountered their nemesis.

The alluring image of the shepherd boy began to distort and blur, emitting a silent roar, and finally collapsed completely like a shattered mirror.

The illusion faded.

Zhang Yi suddenly opened his eyes, a look of confusion in them, but it vanished in an instant.