Through the spacetime wormhole created by the briefcase, Yu Zhou returned.
The little girl gazed at the white ring of light that lingered for a long time without dissipating, curiosity flickering across her face.
Perhaps… I can imitate this wormhole and create something of my own.
And so, the project began.
Taking out the Cosmic Needle, the little girl began drawing spacetime energy from within the wormhole, all the while carefully monitoring the approaching darkness—darkness that had been drawn closer by the overwhelming intensity of light tearing through spacetime.
Using the Cosmic Needle, she repaired one spacetime rift after another with the energy she absorbed. At the same time, she gathered fragments of information leaking from countless timelines and fused them into a self-made spatial vortex.
Twenty years passed.
Under the little girl's efforts, most of the rifts had been sealed.
What remained were only those planes where Giants of Light and Darkness existed.
Because Yu Zhou himself was a Giant of Light, the little girl deliberately left these planes for last.
Perhaps these dark forces could be handled by Giants of Light.
Of course, she would not transform into a Giant herself.
A suitable human was required.
As early as twenty years ago, when Yu Zhou's origin aura appeared in a corner of Earth, the little girl had begun closely watching that infant.
From infancy to adulthood, the Divine Sparklence she safeguarded had repeatedly emitted faint glimmers of light.
"It's time."
Looking at the completed spatial vortex before her, the little girl waved her hand, causing it to dissipate. The Divine Sparklence appeared in her grasp.
The darkness was drawing ever closer. Before it invaded this world, it was already impossible to fully repair all spacetime rifts.
Thus, the task of repelling the darkness could only be entrusted to the one who had drawn it here in the first place.
Night fell.
In a shabby rented room near the university district, moonlight streamed through the window, spilling across the bed and illuminating the sleeping face of a young man.
The little girl slowly manifested inside the small room. She glanced at the youth, listened to his steady breathing, and nodded to herself.
The red orb in her arms glowed faintly.
Transforming into a streak of red light, the little girl entered the young man's dream.
"Young man, you must yearn for power like that of a superhero. Now, I shall grant you this power. The future of this world will be entrusted to—"
"Wait. I refuse!"
...
Returning to the original timeline, Yu Zhou released his transformation and gazed up at the sky, uncertain of what he felt.
After a brief moment of reflection, he summoned a spatial vortex and returned Charija's briefcase.
Borrow and return—only then can borrowing be easy again.
Back in his own world, Yu Zhou learned that Nagano and Belial had already begun arranging accommodations for Daigo and the others. He nodded quietly.
Since matters were settled, he could now attend to what he truly wanted to do.
Find Li Na.
The Rena of this world.
Previously, Yu Zhou had paid some attention to the bright and lively girl and was relieved to find that she had not been harmed during the apocalypse.
Li Na's father, Li Ke—Yu Zhou had spoken with him more than twenty years ago in another timeline.
Those who believe in light rarely suffer poor fortune.
Still, with time having passed, Yu Zhou did not know where Li Na might have moved.
He arrived in Rong City, at a former underground air-raid shelter where Li Na had once stayed.
Although monsters were far fewer now and the sense of apocalypse had eased, occasional sudden monster appearances still occurred.
As a result, survivors usually set up tents on the surface near shelters. When monsters appeared, they could quickly retreat underground.
Meanwhile, the government had begun rebuilding cities. Simple houses were rising one after another, and some people had already moved in.
Yu Zhou first walked through the shelter itself but did not find Li Na.
He then wandered among the tents outside, searching for her figure.
In times of catastrophe, human nature was laid bare.
Most people had accepted reality and chosen to survive day by day.
Yet some, twisted by the apocalypse, had turned vicious—bullying the weak where oversight was lacking.
"Tiger Bro, a family just set up camp nearby. Their girl's a college student—top quality!"
"Oh? Where? Let's go take a look."
"Right this way, Tiger Bro!"
Hearing this, Yu Zhou turned his head.
A heavily muscled man covered in tattoos, cigarette dangling from his mouth, was leading a group of thuggish followers in one direction.
From their conversation alone, Yu Zhou could tell they were no decent people—vermin of the apocalypse.
If this were the past, when Yu Zhou had no power, he might have avoided trouble altogether.
But now—
With superhuman strength at his disposal, and knowing that this apocalypse was partly his responsibility, Yu Zhou had no intention of standing by.
He followed them.
Moving silently behind the group, Yu Zhou made no sound. The thugs failed to notice anyone trailing them.
As they passed through rows of tents forming makeshift "streets," nearly everyone who saw them quickly retreated, not daring to make a sound.
"So, they've been tyrants here for quite some time," Yu Zhou murmured, his brow furrowing.
With manpower stretched thin and oversight incomplete, many areas lacked proper enforcement, leaving civilians unprotected.
This was not something that could be blamed on the nation—perfect governance across such vast territory was unrealistic.
Gaps were inevitable.
"Tiger Bro, here it is—this is the one!"
Stopping in front of a tent, one of the lackeys spoke obsequiously to the tattooed man.
"Call the girl out," Tiger Bro said, tossing his cigarette butt to the ground and exhaling smoke.
"Got it!" The lackey reached for the tent flap—
When suddenly, a clear female voice rang out from the other end of the "street."
"Who are you? What are you doing in front of my home?"
The thugs turned as one, their eyes lighting up like wolves as they licked their lips.
"Set up an empty tent for me. I'm going to use it," Tiger Bro said coldly, his predatory gaze fixed on the young woman.
"Yes, Tiger Bro, right away!"
Though the lackeys were clearly eager, none dared defy his command.
In this world, fists were law.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
The girl was none other than Li Na, the very person Yu Zhou had been searching for.
Having just moved to this "street," Li Na had gone to the supply office to collect daily necessities and had only just returned.
As for her parents—unfortunately, both had injured legs and could only rest inside the tent.