Because of the dark seal on her forehead, no one could sense the light energy within her—she was the Holy Daughter of the Land of Light.

"Big sister, my ball."

At that moment, a little girl carefully tugged at Lei's skirt, pointing at the rattan ball crushed under Lei's foot, pouting and feigning a pitiful expression.

Lei snapped out of her thoughts, smiled warmly, bent down, and picked up the rattan ball to hand it to the little girl.

"Here, take it. Go home and play, don't stay on the road. It's dangerous here."

Hugging the rattan ball, the little girl nodded sweetly, "Okay, thank you, big sister! You're so pretty!"

With that, the little girl ran off towards her friends, playing with the rattan ball again at the roadside, clearly having already forgotten Lei's warning.

Lei couldn't help but laugh, but her smile gradually turned bitter.

"So this is the true nature of the Dark Country. The war between light and dark was a joke from the very beginning, utterly meaningless."

Qin Shou patted Lei's shoulder. "Don't overthink it. Wherever there are people, there will be conflict. Even if there were no spine-eating Gu, war would persist, hardly better than now. Unless..."

At this point, Qin Shou paused.

Lei looked up at Qin Shou. "Unless the world unites, with no division between light and darkness."

Qin Shou chuckled. "Exactly. But even if the world unites, humanity won't completely stop fighting. Still, it would reduce bloodshed overall, allowing most people to live peaceful lives free from fear for their safety."

Lei gazed deeply at Qin Shou. "You say that the person who can unite the world—will that be you?"

Qin Shou shook his head with a laugh. "Haha, what are you thinking? How could it not be me?

Aside from me, no one in this world could accomplish that."

Lei: "..."

Would it kill you to be a little humble?

...

The Royal Palace.

Sika's palace.

"Sika, I have a task for you."

Qin Shou found Sika and, pointing at Lei dressed in white robes, said, "This is Lei. From now on, she will live here with you. You two should get along."

Seeing Lei for the first time, Sika's face instantly darkened with hostility.

"You're the Holy Daughter of the Land of Light?" she said, her tone full of disdain.

Lei smiled faintly, paying no mind to Sika's antagonistic attitude.

"Indeed, I am the Holy Daughter of the Land of Light. You are the Princess of the Dark Country?"

Wisps of dark energy flickered in Sika's eyes, and she looked ready to strike.

Suddenly, Qin Shou stepped between the two women.

"Sika, how did you know she's the Holy Daughter?"

Wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead, Qin Shou thought to himself—what was wrong with this woman? Like a fighting rooster, she couldn't get along with anyone.

Sika snorted coldly. "The Holy Daughter selection in the Land of Light is a major event. Of course, we keep an eye on it!"

Lei nodded with a smile. "When the Princess of the Dark Country transformed into the Dark Giant to duel the warriors of the Land of Light, I had already been keeping an eye on Her Royal Highness."

Sika's eyes widened in anger. "You're just a prisoner, and yet you dare to laugh?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Lei wore an expression of brazen defiance. She had already guessed that the real power in the Dark Country wasn't the Dark Giant-wielding Princess nor King Buka.

It was Qin Shou, the man who had casually kidnapped her and claimed he could change the world!

The many giant statues along the way had immediately reminded Lei of him.

The King of Darkness!

Sika couldn't lay a finger on her unless Qin Shou gave the order—it was impossible.

Frustrated by Lei's bold attitude, Sika grew angrier by the minute.

"Ugh! You're driving me mad! Fine, you can have this place; I'll go stay with Mother. Suit yourself!"

Sika grabbed Qin Shou, intending to leave.

"Wait, he and I have business to discuss. You leave on your own—don't take him with you."

Lei pulled Qin Shou back, her gaze full of challenge.

"You..."

Sika glared at Lei, sparks of fury flying between their locked eyes, nearly blinding Qin Shou.

Qin Shou sighed deeply, feeling utterly helpless.

Author, I beg you, stop assigning female characters to me—I can't take it anymore!

...

Meanwhile, at the Light Tower.

"My Lord, the Holy Daughter has been abducted," the Light Energy Devouring Spine Gu reported to the elderly man in white robes.

The old man waved his hand. "I already know. To use blackened monsters and silently abduct Lei—it must be Void."

"Why would he do that?" the Light Energy Devouring Spine Gu asked, confused.

The old man shook his head. "I can't figure it out. If he values Lei's talent, why not directly consume her? Why go through the effort of kidnapping her instead..."

He held a shimmering Light Energy Crystal Stone in his hand.

"This crystal was extracted from Lei's body. The fact that the crystal energy hasn't dissipated proves Lei hasn't been consumed or parasitized."

The old man rubbed his temples. "If I can't understand it, I won't dwell on it.

For Void to dare infiltrate the Land of Light and abduct Lei, it must mean Lei holds significant value for him.

Alright, dispatch the Giant Army. Directly go to the Dark Country and demand her return."

The Light Energy Devouring Spine Gu hesitated, surprised. "My Lord, Void has upgraded to the Perfect Spine-eating Gu. Wouldn't this be too risky?"

The old man sneered. "After probing him over these days, I've roughly figured out Void's limits.

If he has limits, it means he doesn't have guaranteed victory.

With our strength, even if we can't defeat Void, we can retreat safely.

Besides, it's not certain that we can't defeat him."

The Light Energy Devouring Spine Gu wiggled its antenna slightly. "Understood, My Lord. I'll make the arrangements right away..."

Suddenly, the old man's Light Energy Crystal Stone flickered gently, and he abruptly stopped the departing Spine Gu.

"Hold on—something's happening!"

The old man touched the crystal to his forehead, and fragmented information flowed into his mind.

"Earth...Qin Shou...Three years...Unbreakable Realm Four Stars...Top Genius...Lei...Light Energy Seduction...Consumption...Perfect...Beast Cultivation Main City guards closely...Needs three months..."

Receiving the incomplete message from the crystal, the old man fell deep in thought.

Moments later, he burst into laughter.

"Haha, so that's it. Void hasn't upgraded to the Perfect Spine-eating Gu—he's one step short!"

Lei's unique abilities had delivered excellent news to him.

The Spine Gu cheered as well. "My Lord, since Void hasn't upgraded to Perfect Spine-eating Gu, shall we immediately mobilize forces to destroy the Dark Country..."

"No need."

The old man waved his hand, wearing a confident smile.

"Void intends to use Lei's hypnotic abilities to lure Qin Shou to Earth, consume him, and complete the final step in upgrading to the Perfect Spine-eating Gu.

But Void has no idea that Lei's abilities go far beyond what meets the eye.

Through the Light Energy Crystal Stone, she relayed this information to me. I can now access real-time intelligence. When Qin Shou arrives in the Dark Country, we can seize them both in one move."

"The method for upgrading to a Perfect Spine-eating Gu will be our most valuable prize!"

The Spine Gu grew curious. "My Lord, why don't we eliminate Void ourselves and accomplish this? And who exactly is Qin Shou that Void considers him key to unlocking the upgrade?"

The old man's expression returned to calm. "You don't understand. Void must have planned this seduction of Qin Shou for a long time. If we moved now, we'd waste time and resources.

Moreover, only Void has access to the Transmission Array to Earth. If he realized our intentions and destroyed it, wouldn't that be a total loss?

As for Qin Shou... I've heard of him. The chairman suspects Qin Shou could modify our Spine Gu clan into battle armor that amplifies Star Power—a rare talent indeed.

Furthermore, based on the fragmented information Lei transmitted, it's clear Qin Shou's cultivation talent is terrifying.

In just three years, he advanced to Unbreakable Realm Four Stars, earning the title of Earth's top genius.

Whether for his modifications to Spine Gu or his cultivation prowess, no one compares to him. No wonder Void pinned his hopes of upgrading to Perfect Spine-eating Gu on him.

Beast Cultivation Main City guards Qin Shou closely, understandably treating him as a prized asset.

Three months—just three months, and the results of the upgrade will be revealed."

The old man glanced down at the people below the tower, spreading his arms wide as though embracing the entire world.

"Ah, Lei. To think that even at the twilight of your life, you still contribute to the Spine Gu clan—you are truly a good child.

Once we achieve Perfect Spine-eating Gu, this world will no longer be a cage.

In less than a century, Earth and every life planet across the Milky Way Galaxy will be ours!"

In that moment, the old man's ambitions soared.

To command the skies and the storms—soon, it would all be within his grasp.

...

In the Dark Country.

Qin Shou watched Lei, whose dark seal had been lifted, her eyes slowly opening. Smiling, he handed her a glass of cola.

"So, did the message go out?" he asked.

Lei nodded with a smile. "Without any issues."

Qin Shou grinned in satisfaction. "Very good, very good. I didn't expect your abilities to be so convenient."

Though his days as a covert agent were over, his...conversion efforts hadn't been wasted.

Such talent—it left Qin Shou with mixed feelings!

He resealed Lei's forehead again. Lei didn't resist in the slightest.

Suddenly, a peculiar thought crossed Lei's mind, and her gaze became odd.

"Earth's top genius Qin Shou—is that you?"

Qin Shou coughed lightly and straightened his posture.

"Indeed, it's me."

Lei: "..."

Are all Earthlings this narcissistic?

What a bizarre place.

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