### Chapter 0: A New Era (11)
After Lin Nan sliced the spider with a severed leg in half, she slowly walked towards Li Cheng’s lifeless body, her heart heavy.
Under the blazing light of the fiery kn*fe, his face looked like a masterpiece sculpted by the greatest artist in the world. Every inch was perfect, but his skin was too pale; only a drop of bl**d on his forehead—almost solidified—hinted at the cause of his demise.
Perhaps d*ath had come too suddenly or perhaps there was an unfinished wish lingering in the air. His wide-open eyes remained fixed on the vast darkness of the night, showing no signs of the vibrant colors of life despite the fierce flames surrounding them.
Since arriving on the Asking Dao Continent, Lin Nan had witnessed countless deaths, but never had she felt such profound sadness. Tears trickled down her cheeks as her voice choked up, growing softer and more distressed.
Suddenly, she realized that this overwhelming sorrow stemmed from the feelings of this body’s original owner—clearly, she’d secretly harbored feelings for Li Cheng but had missed her chance to express them before his untimely demise.
Now, with him gone, the only thing she could do was to completely destroy their plot to honor Li Cheng’s spirit in the afterlife.
The scene of Lin Nan weeping over Li Cheng’s body, full of grief, was captured by drones and broadcast worldwide.
Anyone with a hint of emotion watching couldn’t help but cry—even the toughest guys felt a sting in their eyes.
This moment was just dripping with tears, wasn’t it?
Even the most oblivious observer couldn’t miss the hidden feelings for Li Cheng in Lin Nan’s mournful gaze.
Weren’t the main characters supposed to survive this?
Waaah… Why was the story only halfway through when the male lead got brutally killed by enemies while trying to support the female lead? Why didn’t this match their script’s expectations? Waaah…
Is this reality?
No dramatic twists, like the male lead faking his d*ath only to spring back to life, with the female lead bursting into tears of happiness. Or perhaps it was simply a clone of the male lead who, as she cried over him, appeared behind her, gazing at her with deep affection and whispering, “I didn’t know you cared so much.”
The female lead would then spin around, furiously slap the male lead, but then lovingly lean against his chest, leaving everyone—both the characters and the audience—cheering.
But none of that happened.
In the scene, Lin Nan cradled Li Cheng’s body, fighting back tears, her chest heaving slowly. But soon, her sorrow burst forth like a dam breaking, and she cried out loud. Even as she held Li Cheng, the blaze from the fiery kn*fe illuminated her trembling frame.
Her cries acted as a catalyst, instantly unraveling the crowd’s emotions. They couldn’t hold back their tears, each one shedding boiling hot sorrow.
“Waaah… This Bureau Director Lin has it tough… She just watched the love of her life d*e before her eyes.”
“Oh, bless! That major was so tall and handsome, every girl’s dream—just ripped apart by that damned spider…”
“Bureau Director Lin, you must stay strong! We’ll always back you up!”
“Exactly! What she needs now is our unwavering support! Even if she can’t see or hear us, we must express our feelings online!”
Just as Lin Nan poured her heart out in tears, a dark figure suddenly appeared behind her.
With the shadow sporting two curved horns, the audience collectively screamed, “It’s the Bull Demon King! Watch out, Director Lin!”
On the other end of the drone feed, reporters were practically losing it.
But alas, the drone wasn’t equipped with a loudspeaker, and it couldn’t get too close to the enemy, lest it get destroyed and they lose their only eyes on the scene.
They had no choice but to zoom the drone in frantic circles over Lin Nan, hoping the sound of its whirring would alert her to the danger around her.
But Lin Nan remained oblivious, like a marble statue, not even lifting her head.
The crowd was going bananas.
Almost every camp outside the city erupted with frantic shouts:
“Behind you! Behind you! Look behind you!”
Every time the Bull Demon King got closer to Lin Nan wielding his heavy mace, the crowd’s cries grew more frantic.
Why was the normally decisive Bureau Director ignoring the incoming threat? Ugh, it was driving everyone insane!
As the Bull Demon King loomed just three steps away from Lin Nan, empowered by wave after wave of frantic warning from the audience, he suddenly slammed the mace down onto his own forehead.
“Bang!”
The Bull Demon King knelt down hard, bl**d streaming from his forehead.
The internet users stammered, “…”
“What the hell just happened?”
“I’m dead. I was on the edge of my seat, my heart racing—then this?! What is going on here?!”
“Is there some sort of mandatory aura that makes enemies confused just by being near Lin Nan? Is that why the Bull Head lost his mind?”
In that moment, as relief washed over them, they were left puzzled, completely clueless about what just happened.
And then, the Bull Head’s next move shocked countless viewers. Did Lin Nan’s charm reach the level where she could convert the enemy boss right then and there?
Kneeling before Lin Nan, Bull Demon King, with his bloodied head, knocked his forehead on the ground three times, gasping, “Thank you, my lady, for saving my life!”
Lin Nan didn’t even look at him. Just a light flick of her finger, and the Bull Demon King stood up, acting like a devoted servant beside her, occasionally dispersing the dying black mist closing in.
Clearly, with Lady Rong Ji’s d*ath, the once-controlled Great King of the Split Land had regained his wits.
The consciousness that hijacked the Great King’s body fizzled out after Lady Rong Ji’s demise since they had no energy left without her.
The reason they obeyed her was that while temporarily residing within the Heart-eating Worm before invading new bodies, she could control their lives and deaths; she was the ultimate host. With her dead, they all vanished, too.
The Bull King’s self-inflicted blow was an apology to a lady he’d wronged.
Even if outside forces had manipulated his body to attack her, he couldn’t escape the blame; a crime against authority could not be brushed aside effortlessly.
But to the audience, it looked like Lin Nan was radiating sheer dominance, and the Bull Head, seeing the second stage boss get killed off, realized it was better to surrender now than face certain doom later.
Was this the allure that subdues foes under a powerful presence?
Instantly, shouts of “Director Lin is the best!” flooded the nation.
