I was transported from Lobotomy Corporation to another world.

The two continued onward to a larger area, where there were scattered stones and the small corpse of a red-haired fairy.

There were piles of timber, chairs, tables, and even a well, while to Reed's left was a dilapidated wall.

The two people and the dog circled around and found an entrance leading underground behind a wall.

However, the entrance was blocked by collapsed rocks, which showed no signs of being moved. Reed felt that the culprit behind the poisonous gas filling the forest wouldn't be hiding down there...

Red stepped across the unlit campfire and picked up a black rabbit that had died from poisoning.

There were no animal carcasses seen along the way through the forest, but this area was an exception.

“Ryder, there’s also the corpse of a blond goblin here…”

Upon hearing the sound, Reed put the black rabbit back on the ground and went to the south area that Noelle had inspected.

"There aren't only fairy corpses ahead; there's also a path leading to another area..."

Red said "Let's go take a look" and walked in front.

The path wasn't long; after walking for a short while, we reached its end, where a lake lay before us.

A green, toxic lake with countless dead fish floating on its surface; even the beautiful flowers and plants on the shore have withered and died due to the toxic fumes.

Noelle thought that if it weren't for the poisonous gas, this place would be a great spot for a bath...

Ahead lay only a lake filled with dead fish, reeking of decay. With no other paths around, the two people and the dog retreated back to their original area.

The two walked upwards towards the area, encountering a white-haired human corpse along the way.

Judging from his attire, he was probably an adventurer or a warrior dreaming of slaying a dragon, but he also died from the poison gas, and part of his body had already turned into bones.

A road lay ahead, and the two people and their dog moved forward...

Noelle: "There are two roads ahead, one to the left and one to the right... Which road does Reed want to take?"

Reed shook his head…

Noelle: "Then I'll choose! Men on the left, women on the right... Go to the right!"

Noelle chuckled twice at Reid, then walked to the right.

Reed shrugged and, as Noelle had suggested, went to the right first.

Soon the right side turned into a dead end blocked by trees, but it wasn't a complete loss; at least there was a statue at the very end.

Noelle bent down to look at the inscription beneath the statue and read it aloud.

"[Zero deaths were recorded in this world.]"

"What does this mean...?"

Reed said, "I think this thing is to remind people how many times they've died; otherwise, why would they write a number 0 to represent the number of deaths?"

Noelle: "Ryder, your interpretation is so direct! I think it's related to religion or theology—maybe it's a metaphor or something else."

"After all, there's no need to count the number of deaths; once a creature truly dies, it's completely dead."

Reed: "Say what you will, it just crossed my mind."

"Since there are no clues here, let's try going to the left."

The two people and the dog headed down the left-hand road, passing through a field of flowers where the green-haired fairy's corpse was no longer visible.

Noelle: "There are people ahead!"

Reed: "I see. It seems we don't need your explanation at all; we've already found the mastermind."

In front of the two people and the dog was a person dressed in full armor, holding a poison sprayer in his right hand and a fairy in his left.

The fairy cried out, "You...! Let me go... This place is almost completely destroyed, and you've killed my friends..."

"Please spare my life... You can do whatever you want to me, I'll be your pet and satisfy all your desires...! Please..."

[The man with the bird-beak mask squeezed the flesh into a lump with his hand] mercilessly crushed the dying fairy in his hand.

The poison sprayer held in his right hand continued to spew deadly green gas.

"Hey!"

The man with the bird-beak mask turned around and looked at Reed and Noelle after hearing the voice…

Neither side made any further move or exchanged words; instead, they simply looked at each other silently.

Noelle, somewhat frightened by the other person, quietly took a few steps back and hid behind Reed…

The overly quiet atmosphere was finally broken by Bodie's barks: "Woof woof woof!"

The man with the bird-beak mask spoke up, "Who are you?"

The other person's voice sounded like that of a lifelong smoker; Reed almost couldn't understand what they were saying.

Reid: "You're the one who turned this place called Holy Forest into this state, aren't you? In that case, I'm here to kill you."

Noelle was taken aback by Reed's directness. "If Reed speaks so bluntly, the enemy will be on guard..."

Noelle whispered a reminder, but Reed dismissed it, "So what if he's on guard? Let's see if he can take away 30% of my health first."

The man in the bird-beak mask shut off his poison spray. "I'm really annoyed by you adventurers who take on quests..."

"I don't want to kill those adventurers, and I don't want to kill you. Don't get in my way... Now get out of here! Understand?"

■

"Fuck you, I'm here to kill you, you lunatic, but I'll make sure you say a few words before you die."

"I'd like to know why you turned this forest into this mess. What did this sacred forest do to offend you?"

■

"A madman? I'm doing something good!"

■

"Doing good deeds? I'm speechless... You've ruined this place like this, and you're telling me you're doing good deeds?"

■

"My target isn't the forest, it's the fairies! The fairies in this world are going to cause trouble!"

■

"So you went to such lengths to kill the demons, turning the entire forest into this mess? I'd like to know why you were going to such lengths."

■

I encountered this a few days ago!

The other person pulled a book out of their clothes...

Upon seeing it, the sharp-eyed Noelle blurted out, "[The Monkey and Crab Battle], this is a children's book!"

■

"Do you know what this book is about? I not only know, I've also seen it!"

"A monkey stole a persimmon from a female crab! Not satisfied, the monkey turned around and raped the female crab!"

"The female crab was raped to death, and several crab eggs hatched from its nearly split body."

"A large crab hatched from its eggs! It let out a scream like that of a monkey!"

"Finally, I saw the giant crab rip the monkey's head off, completing its revenge..."

"I killed that giant crab with poison gas and that's how I got the book?"

"That day, I always thought it was a battle between monsters, and that I had only won by sneak attack."

"When I got home and read the book that night, I suddenly realized there was something wrong!"

"Without any evidence or reason, I thought of fairies!"

"This creature has always been shrouded in mystery; very few people have ever seen it with their own eyes!"

"This is a fairy tale book I've never read before! It must have been created by these fairies!"

"It could be all the fairies' doing, or it could be just one of them, but I don't care!"

"I feel like I'm being watched! So what if there's no reason or evidence? As long as the fairies aren't extinct, I'll feel like I'm being watched!"

"Therefore, I will exterminate all demons!"