From the day the logic of physics collapsed, the Beast God had descended an oracle, forcibly synchronizing the day-night cycle of the entire Blue Planet.
In that instant, whether it was the deep night of the Western Hemisphere or the twilight of the East, the sky was forcibly painted in the hue of a blood-red dawn.
While the Western Hemisphere descended into a symphony of deathly silence and frantic wailing—some nations remaining eerily calm while others prayed through the night for mercy—the screen of WenXuehua's trial faded to black. A chill known as "Reckoning" began to spread to every corner of the globe.
"The Zhu's mother and daughter have settled their accounts."
Inside a lavish villa located in a neutral zone, its exterior clad in anti-radar armor, shadows sat on either side of a long mahogany table.
Amidst the play of light and shade, these individuals—those who wielded occult powers—whispered in low voices.
"Will we be next?" someone asked, their voice trembling.
"How could that be?" a gentle female voice rang out; she was "Number 13".
She raised her glass of red wine, her tone dripping with a nauseating sense of false compassion. "Everything we do is for 'Evolution'. We are helping these creatures escape the agony of their low-level physical forms. That is purification—how can you call it a crime?"
"13 is right. Animals were meant to be food. It's impossible for a deity to truly side only with the beasts," a rugged man added, fiddling with a gold medal on his chest and snorting with indifference.
"Ridiculous," another magnetic male voice took up the thread, laced with a cynical smile. "Why play the victim? Survival of the fittest is a rule etched into our DNA. Since humans are also animals, shouldn't the high-and-mighty Beast God... also protect those of us at the top of the food chain?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the temperature in the room plummeted below freezing.
"ROAR—!!!"
A roar that did not belong to the mortal realm exploded within the sealed room without warning! It was not merely a sound; it was a tangible physical shockwave.
In a microsecond, the expensive Swarovski crystal chandeliers, the wall lamps, and even the wine glasses on the table were shattered into dust.
Psh! Psh! Psh!
Those countless glass fragments—fine as dust yet sharp as blades—were driven by the shockwave into the skin, eyeballs, and agape mouths of these "aristocrats".
The man who had just been discussing "survival of the fittest" had his face instantly carpeted in glass shards, blood gushing from the corners of his eyes.
"Ah!! My eyes!"
"Help! A doctor!"
The cries of pain rose in succession, but this was only the beginning. Outside, the once-clear dark sky was instantly swallowed by even thicker, ink-black clouds. Then, a bolt of purple-gold lightning capable of illuminating the soul tore through the sky.
BOOM!
Before the thunder faded, the flash of lightning projected a massive shadow onto the center of the long table. It was a black silhouette resembling a goat, yet crowned with a single, terrifying horn.
Xiè Zhì (Sin Seizer).
As the most uncompromising enforcer under the Beast God, It did not even deign to manifest. Merely a shadow, the weight of "Absolute Justice" It represented crushed the solid mahogany table into splinters.
"Who... who is there?" Number 13 screamed in terror, clutching her bleeding face.
There was no response, only the low growl of thunder rolling within the clouds. These wretches, who called themselves "Evolutionists", finally experienced firsthand the "survival of the fittest" they so loved to preach.
The Sin Seizer opened Its mouth slightly. It was a suction that did not affect the physical dimension, drawing the invisible black mist from these living people—the accumulated evil thoughts and karmic obstacles of half a lifetime—into Its belly like a vacuum. To the Sin Seizer, this was merely clearing out a pile of stinking refuse.
Having finished Its meal, It flicked Its tail with boredom, intending to leave this blood-scented villa immediately. Suddenly, a transmission exploded in Its mind. It was the slightly anxious voice of the Golden Loong:
"Didn't thou ask The Great One for overtime? Why art thou here instead of in Live Room A?"
The Sin Seizer responded coldly with two words: "Feeding."
"Once thou art full, get thy tail over here! There are too many spirits lining up; we urgently need thy ability to 'Sever Karma'. Move it!"
Without a word, the Sin Seizer flickered and vanished instantly.
Inside the Hall of Judgment, the atmospheric pressure was suffocating. Hundreds of animals that had completed their "Soul Swap" were huddled uncomfortably within human shells.
Although they now possessed human limbs, the "social attributes" inherent to these bodies—fingerprints, DNA, and even the criminal memories left behind by the wretches—were a crushing burden to them.
The Sin Seizer landed in the center of the hall, Its single horn emitting a high-frequency vibration of white light.
"Form a line. One by one," the Sin Seizer's voice rang out like clashing iron.
The first animal stepped forward—a small puppy now inhabiting the body of a laboratory technician. The Sin Seizer lowered Its head, and Its horn made a light stroke across the crown of the human form. This was a "Karmic Surgery". There was no blood, yet the air filled with the sound of tearing cloth.
In that instant, all connections between this body and the "Old World" were violently severed. The fingerprints underwent subtle shifts; the facial contours shed their original malice, becoming neutral and pure.
The Sin Seizer moved with terrifying speed, like a precision industrial slicer.
Cut, strip, reset.
It washed these "human shells" into blank slates, leaving only pure biological functions.
From this moment forth, these bodies belonged solely to these souls, no longer entangled by mortal laws or past sins.
On the other side of the hall, another group of shadows began to gather.
These were the spirits of those tortured to death by Sato, flayed by poachers, or brutally murdered by Zhu Yulu. They were countless, flickering like candles in the wind, appearing exceptionally humble within this grand temple.
At that moment, a peaceful, five-colored light descended.
The Qí Lín (Auspicious Sentinel) manifested. Unlike the Sin Seizer's chilling aura, the AuspiciousSentinel radiated a weightiness capable of smoothing the wrinkles of the soul. With every step It took, a translucent cyan cloud in the shape of a lotus bloomed beneath Its feet.
"The karma is settled; the debts are cleared," the Auspicious Sentinel's voice echoed like an ancient bell. "The path is open. Just go, enter reincarnation."
It raised a front hoof and tapped lightly; a path of light leading to the Gates of the Underworld emerged on the floor. This was no longer a path to an execution ground, but to the great wheel of civilizational reshaping.
As the spirits prepared to step onto the path, the air in the hall became incredibly gentle.
The Beast God—descended personally. She did not look down from a high throne but walked among these fractured souls. She knelt and reached out with hands composed of stars and light to pet the spirit of a small kitten whose spine had once been snapped by Zhu Yulu.
"In thy next life," the Beast God's voice spread across the Divine Realm, reaching the very laws of the Blue Planet, so peaceful it brought tears to the eyes, "thou shalt be born under a warm sun, and every hand thou meetest shall carry warmth. I bestow upon thee 'Divine Protection'; none with malice shall draw near thee."
The divine blessing transformed into a golden seed, sinking into the forehead of every spirit. At this moment, a surge of profound emotion rose within the spirits of the Divine Realm.
The small kitten nuzzled against Her hand, and a glow emerged from its chest, transforming into a puzzle piece. Thousands of these lights flew like shooting stars into the depths of the Divine Realm.
However, among the spirits waiting for rebirth, one small figure remained still, watching its own puzzle piece fly toward the horizon. It was Maomao—the fancy rat who had triggered the entire reckoning.
Instead of walking toward the path of light opened by the Auspicious Sentinel, it scampered up the Beast God's robes and onto Her shoulder.
"My Great Goddess," Maomao's voice was crisp and resolute, "I'm not leaving."
The Beast God tilted Her head slightly, stroking it as She spoke softly, "By entering reincarnation now, thou couldst join a wealthy house and enjoy a life of ease. Why stay?"
"I lived in that big house of the Zhu's family for a long time; I developed a talent," Maomao puffed out its chest.
"If it has a scent or if it is hidden, there is nothing I cannot find. Those pests are best at hiding evil, and they are best at hiding our brothers and sisters who are terrified and cannot find their way home." Its small, black-bead eyes were filled with determination.
"I'm willing to help my Great Goddess search for spirits with lingering obsessions. As long as the karma is not settled, even if they hide in the shadows, I'll dig them out and bring them home."
The hall fell into a deathly silence. The SinSeizer paused Its work; the Golden Loong set aside Its playfulness.
The Beast God smiled. It was the first time the deity had shown an emotion akin to "gratification". She cupped the tiny creature in both hands, lifting it to eye level.
"Searching for the lost is a heavy burden." The Beast God extended a finger and tapped Maomao lightly on the forehead. A burst of pure white light exploded. "I bestow upon thee the 'Eye of Truth-Piercing'. From this moment, thou art the Inspector of theKarmic Bureau. Shadows shall not bar thee; walls shall not hinder thee. Go—find the grains of karma scattered in the corners, one by one."
Maomao's white fur was instantly coated in a sacred silver luster. It gave a deep bow to the Beast God and then transformed into a wisp of silver smoke, vanishing into the shadows of the temple. It did not need rebirth. It chose to be the most sensitive "Search Mirror" in this lifetime.
The Beast God turned Her gaze toward the two beings who had been waiting for a long time, having just finished bidding farewell to the pangolin spirits who were about to enter reincarnation—the "New Su Qiang" and the "New Mad Dog".
The Great Beast God spoke, "I'm already aware of the intent behind thy visit."
As She spoke, She summoned a wisp of the previous "Thundercloud", taking two droplets from it and imbuing them with divine power.
"From this moment forth, Su Qiang shall be renamed 'Zhen Su'. It is taken from 'Zhen represents Thunder', signifying a spring thunder that awakens all living things, filled with vitality and hope."
A beam of light carrying the power of thunder—yet one that did not harm the flesh—descended into the body of the "New Su Qiang". Instantly, his form erupted with a even more potent life force.
She then looked toward the "New Mad Dog". "Mad Dog, I bestow upon thee the name 'Ting Meng'. Ting is the swift thunder, and Meng is the sprout. It signifies that under the nourishment and calling of wind and thunder, dreams and life shall break through the soil."
Having received their names, the two bowed repeatedly in excitement. Two puzzle pieces emerged from their bodies, flying toward the depths of the Divine Realm just like the others.