How Am I Still Alive?

"Lu Ping'an, do you want to know which path is most suitable for you? I can tell you."

The sudden "surrender" of the big cat was undoubtedly good news, but Lu Ping'an could hear her anxiety from it.

Before he had a chance to respond, he was rushed back home by the pale-faced Xia Qin and sternly told not to go out and not to open the door.

Considering Captain Xia's anxious attitude, he probably wouldn't get his share of the patrol money in the short term.

"...Lost some income, it's a pity."

At this moment, Lu Ping'an had returned to his temporary residence, locked the door and activated his silver key.

"Why did she suddenly become so nice? Was that guy here to find you?"

Looking at the blonde woman in front of him, Lu Ping'an didn't tease her for once.

Her golden hair trailed down to her waist, and the princess's hair with spiral curls at the back of her head gave off a subtle rich lady vibe. The moon and sun earrings on her ears were a bit exaggerated.

Yet her beauty managed all this.

Without exaggeration, just based on appearance, Chris was the most beautiful woman Lu Ping'an had ever seen.

Her doll-like delicate face, calm and elegant lake-colored eyes, and her smile, which carried a sense of pity and compassion.

The snow-white nun's robe could not cover the overflowing perfection of her mature body.

The ancient tree emblem on her chest was classical and full of historical atmosphere, the crossed hands on her chest, together with her ever-present compassionate smile, made her look like a perfect clergy, a living Saintess.

But her face, which was too young and outstanding compared to her temperament, seemed surreal.

However, Lu Ping'an knew that all of this was an illusion.

"Stop with that fake smile, it's making me sick."

The woman laughed, her compassionate smile turned into sarcasm.

"Isn't this what you wanted to see? Isn't this "beauty" in the eyes of your short-lived race? I am but a phantom, a concept, and what you see now is just my projection, the great Kerdalais, in your mind."

Kerdalais was not born of humans, she even abandoned the so-called material form long ago. However, when humans faced the indescribable, they instinctively "imagined" it, turning it into an image that they could understand, something similar to their own previous perceptions.

Like the previous "Sacred Beast of the Big Cat", like the "Perfect Beauty" now, and like the countless Holy Images of Proper Gods and Evil Gods.

Countless tentacles wriggled under the nun's robe, and her shadow was a twisted evil entity that filled the entire garden.

She laughed, and endless evil and shadows spilled out from under her feet, filling the entire world.

If it weren't for the contractual restrictions, if the two parties were not currently in a "mutual life and death" situation, she would have long torn her "master" apart.

"Oh! So that's it, then! If we use you in an adult video, couldn't one person play several female roles?! My God, such a profitable idea, and I only just thought of it."

In an instant, that malicious smile froze.

Kerdalais could feel that Lu Ping'an was telling the truth!

Under that young boy's innocent smile, there was limitless malice, even more excessive than her own!

"....It won't work. Once I've been observed by you humans, my image is fixed. This is my true human form, the most fitting avatar for my true self."

The sacred beast backed down! She really backed down! If he really went through with it, her series of videotapes would be scattered across several familiar worlds, and she might as well die a dozen or twenty times.

Lu Ping'an laughed, suppressing the momentum of the other side once again, and after confirming the master-servant relationship, he did not intend to continue to humiliate the big cat.

After all, if he hadn't seen it wrong, they were now in a cooperative relationship, each with something to ask of the other.

"That case at the crossroads, was it meant for you?"

"..."

With a deep breath, Chris closed her eyes, her face calm.

It seemed that she was not going to talk about this matter anymore.

Lu Ping'an nodded, "silence" itself was a form of expression, and it could be considered a tacit admission that the trouble was caused by Kerdalais.

"Fine, if they find out about me, will they kill me?"

"Don't underestimate my followers, death has never been the end."

Alright, both of them were on the same boat, not even knowing how to jump if they wanted to.

"Will they save you?""Hehe."

A simple, low laugh, filled with self-mockery and containing quite a bit.

"So, you don't want them to find you."

Still silent, but Lu Ping'an understood everything.

Chris' extremely selfish "Evolution Doctrine", even if it were a cult, didn't seem like it was meant to cultivate loyal followers at all.

On the contrary, the blatantly stated "Survival of the Fittest" seemed to encourage challenging authority.

However, for Lu Ping'an, this was good news.

Both sides are now on the same side, the kind that doesn't want to be found.

From the moment Chris sensed the crime scene and was willing to help him find his way, Lu Ping'an had guessed that her attitude would change.

The bloody scene that had just taken place left behind a Holy Image of the evil cult, a method for finding the "deity" and, at the same time, a test.

"Why didn't you contact us?", "Are you alright?", "Why did you close your communication channel?"

If Chris didn't respond promptly, either she couldn't respond, or her situation was so fragile that it was best if she wasn't discovered...

"So, how can we not be found?"

"Hiding is pointless in the face of fate."

Lu Ping'an instantly understood, that she meant they couldn't escape.

"So, we must act before they do... Do they have a way to find you?"

"My sacred object has my soul's vibration, and there might be two here in the area..."

Forced to be in the same boat, the two were candid for a rare moment.

It turned out that Chris had left behind two sacred objects for the faithful to pray to as the "Holy Image". As long as they were close enough, it would naturally resonate.

To separate this kind of resonance, physical distance alone wasn't safe; it was best to have a separate small world in between.

"Many high-end Secret Keeper training institutions are in a Secret Realm to ensure safety."

Now, Lu Ping'an completely understood why Chris had taken the initiative to show goodwill.

If he entered Ancient City University, it would be like entering a Secret Realm, increasing Chris's safety. She hoped he would get accepted and was willing to help him find his way, after all...

"Since we'll be exposed sooner or later, the stronger I am, the safer you'll be. Helping me is like helping yourself. So, can you help me find my way now?"

As an ability user of the Mother Goddess system, only Chris, who knew the real Lu Ping'an, had the ability to guide him.

What Lu Ping'an needed wasn't just a part-time job that was "worth it", but the best starting point and main road after surveying the entire situation.

The only person who could make such a judgment was someone with high standing and perspective.

Now that Lu Ping'an's strength was connected to Chris's safety, he felt her opinion might be worth considering.

"...You have no idea what 'Life' truly is, nor do you understand the significance of your abilities. You use your abilities in foolish and inefficient ways, like using a dazzling sun as a matchstick. Most unbearable is the fact that you don't even know what precious thing you took from me!"

The jealousy in her words was overflowing, and she was infuriated thinking about fate's favor to him, her centuries of accumulated tower toppled by a child favored by fate, and her centuries of savings became his starting point.

"Enough with the nonsense, tell me, which path is most suitable for me?"

Lu Ping'an didn't want to listen to a cultist's explanation of their teachings; he just wanted to know the tool cat's answer.

As with the previous communications, Chris choked with anger.

Her spiral curls of golden hair were so furious that they stood on end, her original sanctity and compassion disappearing without a trace, and finally squeezed out a word through her teeth.

"Gardener."

Then, she turned into a pile of black mud and disappeared without a trace.

Communication over? Lu Ping'an smiled and returned to the real world.

He flipped through his materials and pulled out the book listing common paths as tools.

Yes, it was that book, "Runner? Watcher? Beast Tamer? Don't always focus on the hot favorites; the ones that suit you are the best! How to choose the most suitable starting point from 53 common paths based on your awakened abnormal ability!"

"Fortunately, it's in here. Since it's a common path, I don't have to hesitate."

"Huh, isn't this the weakest path, the one for the logistics department?"