Chapter Ninety: The Savior

"Newcomers entering the Cradle World must register their sequence abilities and evolution level. Don’t reveal your high-level sequence; just write down a low-level one if you have it, or make one up if you don’t—Eagle Eye, Quick Dodge, Calm Focus, something simple will suffice..."

"When you arrive at the Cradle World, don’t rush out of the spring. Tell me your area code and I’ll come pick you up."

Fang Tang reminded Xie Ling and Liu Xu several times before tapping his pass.

A white light enveloped him. Eight seconds later, Fang Tang appeared in the spring.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Liu Yiran.

Before long, an off-road vehicle pulled up. Liu Yiran smiled and waved at Fang Tang.

"Get in."

"Which area are the people you mentioned in?" Liu Yiran asked, glancing at Fang Tang in the passenger seat.

Fang Tang checked his phone. "Area K11122, Area L00125."

"Hold tight!" Liu Yiran nodded, entered the area code into the dashboard, and drove straight into the wall.

K11122.

The off-road vehicle stopped by the spring, and Fang Tang immediately spotted the petite figure in the crowd.

So small!

She was thin and fragile, almost like an underage girl, with curiosity and fear flickering in her eyes—just like a girl meeting her online crush in real life for the first time.

"Xie Ling, over here!"

Fang Tang got out and waved to Xie Ling.

Hearing her name, Xie Ling looked over, seeing only a handsome young man standing by the entrance to the spring.

"Oh, are you Big Brother Fang?"

Xie Ling bounced over, but was stopped before stepping out of the spring’s boundary.

"Identity badge!"

"Huh?"

Xie Ling blinked her big eyes, unsure, and looked at Fang Tang.

"Just do as I told you."

"Oh! Okay!"

Obediently, Xie Ling nodded and began registering her information.

Liu Yiran walked over, eyeing Fang Tang with a peculiar expression.

"This girl looks pretty young, huh? Even you have your eye on her?"

Fang Tang: ?

He shot Liu Yiran a glare, annoyed by his lack of propriety. "We’re just friends."

"Friends aren’t always just friends. Many people approach those they like under the pretense of friendship." Liu Yiran’s smile grew sly, his righteous face suddenly taking on an air of cunning.

Fang Tang was speechless. "Fine, fine, it’s just as you imagine. Happy now?"

Liu Yiran laughed, patting Fang Tang on the shoulder, then walked over to Xie Ling, leaning in to watch her fill out her information.

"Hm? Nineteen? Legal and cute, Fang Tang, you’re impressive."

"Get out!" Fang Tang chuckled and cursed, seeing Xie Ling grab her badge. He opened the car door. "Get in, we still need to pick up Liu Xu."

"Oh, Big Brother Fang, is Sister Liu Xu coming with us too?"

Xie Ling held her badge, her face radiant with joy.

"Yes." Fang Tang nodded, gesturing to Liu Yiran. "Almost forgot to introduce you—Liu Yiran, captain of Explorer Squad Three, my supervisor."

"Hello, Captain Liu!" Xie Ling gave Liu Yiran a sweet smile.

Liu Yiran smiled back. "Get in."

With another girl in the car, the atmosphere grew lively. Xie Ling’s curiosity bubbled over, peppering them with questions.

She’d had her pass for some time, but Fang Tang hadn’t let her enter the Cradle World until now.

This time, her longing for the Cradle World was finally satisfied.

L00125.

At the entrance to the spring, Fang Tang spotted a familiar face.

Different from when they first met, Liu Xu had changed dramatically in just a few days; she now radiated a competent aura.

"Liu Xu, over here."

Fang Tang leaned out the car window, waving to her.

Liu Xu saw Fang Tang and smiled, quickly walking over. "Mr. Fang, we meet again."

"Yes, get in first."

Fang Tang pointed to the back seat.

Inside the car, Fang Tang glanced at Liu Yiran and said, "Whether they join the Explorers is up to your skills now."

Liu Yiran narrowed his eyes, put on a gentle smile, and turned to Xie Ling and Liu Xu. "I’m Liu Yiran, captain of Explorer Squad Three."

"What do the Explorers do?" Xie Ling asked curiously.

"We enter the Gate of Evolution and seek the truth behind the twisted rules in the distorted world." Liu Yiran spoke earnestly. "Perhaps you’ve felt it—you once lived in a beautiful world, with warm families, friends, teachers, classmates... Suddenly, you found yourselves in this inexplicable subterranean world, always wary of danger, never knowing if the other side of the wall holds food or terror.

The laws and order of your old world vanished overnight, panic spread through the underground, and any misstep could mean death at the hands of the creatures lurking here..."

Liu Yiran’s words were genuine, and both Xie Ling and Liu Xu showed hints of sorrow, holding hands to comfort each other.

"Our mission as Explorers is to find the source of the twisted rules and stop them from spreading. Even if our world is lost, we must ensure the next world is not shrouded in distortion."

"Are you saviors, then?" Xie Ling whispered.

Liu Yiran’s smile returned. "If we eliminate the source of distortion, we are saviors; if we die in the twisted world, we are martyrs..."

He paused, then continued, "This job is perilous, with a high mortality rate. You must think carefully. If you join, I hope you won’t regret it."

Xie Ling and Liu Xu exchanged a glance, then looked to Fang Tang as one.

Caught off guard by their sudden gaze, Fang Tang laughed. "Don’t look at me. Follow your hearts. If you’re worried, you can refuse him."

Liu Yiran glanced at Fang Tang but said nothing.

Xie Ling quietly asked, "Big Brother Fang, if I run into danger out there, will you protect me?"

"I will!" Fang Tang replied seriously. "You two are my friends. No matter the danger, I’ll do my best to protect you."

After all, Xie Ling and Liu Xu trusted him enough to enter the Cradle World together.

That trust moved Fang Tang deeply.

He genuinely wanted to help them.

In the subterranean world, survival demands strength.

Sealing oneself away leads nowhere. Only by entering the Gate of Evolution, confronting the twisted rules, can one increase their evolution level and gain more means of self-preservation.

Having gone through the Gate of Evolution once, Fang Tang understood the importance of a team.

With reliable teammates, facing the Fallen in the twisted world can yield unimaginable results—something one person alone cannot match.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have fled so miserably last time.

"I agree!" Liu Xu met Fang Tang’s eyes with determination.

Xie Ling nodded as well. "Big Brother Fang, you’ve always taken care of me. I believe you won’t abandon me when we go out."

Liu Yiran’s smile grew even brighter.