Up ahead, Qiu Xuerong's motorcycle suddenly came to a stop.

Mo Bai closed her communication channel with Du Heng, parked beside Qiu Xuerong, and looked ahead.

Before them stood a small cottage that was completely out of place with the rest of Disease Town.

It looked like an illustration from a fairy tale book.

Colorful wildflowers bloomed outside. Butterflies danced among the flowers while bees diligently gathered nectar. Childlike stick-figure drawings decorated the outer walls, and the house itself was painted in bright, vibrant colors.

Compared to this cottage, the town filled with fire toxins, the circus of dark corridors, the gray-and-white hospital, and the manor overgrown with blood-red roses all looked like settings from horror stories.

Only this cottage was steeped in fairy-tale charm.

Liu Congyi took off her helmet, stared at the cottage, and unconsciously swallowed.

"I have this strange feeling that the walls are made of candy. Even the roof tiles look sweet."

Even Du Heng, who had been in a terrible mood because of Xing Shuo, found himself smiling.

"I don't know why, but looking at this house reminds me of my carefree childhood. It actually makes me happy."

Sheng Yan rolled up his sleeves.

"I want to go catch grasshoppers in the grass."

Even Qiu Xuerong's icy expression softened slightly.

She seemed to have recalled some pleasant memory. Numerous small white snowflake-shaped flowers bloomed among her branch-like hair.

Only Mo Bai recalled nothing from her childhood.

Instead, she found the cottage's appearance far too abrupt.

It was completely different from the aesthetic of the entire Disease Town, clearly and utterly out of place.

It was also fundamentally different from any domain she had encountered before.

This cottage was saturated with mental contamination, and the happiness everyone was feeling was the result of mild contamination.

It was the first time Mo Bai had encountered a situation where players were being mentally contaminated before even entering a domain.

The cottage looked small, but it felt stronger than any of the previous domains they had encountered.

Mo Bai clapped her hands sharply, and the sound snapped her teammates awake.

Sheng Yan, who had been in the middle of parking his motorcycle, froze, and then he slapped himself hard.

"Was I really about to get off my bike and go catch bugs?"

Du Heng rubbed his forehead.

"I think I was just dreaming about my childhood."

Liu Congyi was blushing furiously.

She loved sweets and had brought plenty of food in her Storage Pouch before entering the instance, including large amounts of chocolate and lollipops.

After seeing the cottage, she had unconsciously started eating candy.

Qiu Xuerong's expression hardened.

The tiny white flowers in her hair instantly withered, turning into ice crystals that melted away.

"The mental contamination is strong," Mo Bai said, turning to Qiu Xuerong. "Is the heart here?"

"I don't know," Qiu Xuerong replied.

"You don't know?"

Qiu Xuerong explained, "According to the town map and positioning information I gathered, the heart should be inside the Love Amusement Park.

This place was supposed to be the Love Amusement Park, but it disappeared and was replaced by this cottage.

This is my first time seeing it as well. I'm just as confused as you are."

Sheng Yan hurriedly wrote something down while Liu Congyi interpreted for him, "The Love Amusement Park was a domain, right? Can domains disappear?"

Du Heng nodded.

"Yeah. If a stronger domain completely devours it, or if a stronger monster devours the domain's boss, the old domain can be replaced by a new one. Disease Town itself is currently swallowing up the domains inside it."

"A tiny cottage swallowed an amusement park?" Sheng Yan asked while writing in disbelief.

"The cottage is just an exterior appearance," Du Heng said. "Who knows what it's really like inside? It could be an illusion."

After remaining silent for a long time, Mo Bai finally spoke.

"Speaking of illusions and mimicry, I suddenly remembered an old friend."

Phantom Butterfly.

Qiu Xuerong didn't know who she meant.

But the other three, all of whom had survived Biological Research Institute No. 7, immediately understood.

Du Heng frowned.

"I remember reading in the intelligence reports that because of its mimicry ability, Phantom Butterfly can freely enter other instances. But it also has its own instance called Butterfly Cottage."

Liu Congyi looked at the butterflies fluttering among the wildflowers.

"It really does resemble Butterfly Cottage."

Sheng Yan's eyebrows twisted into the shape of the Chinese character for fire (火).

"Does Phantom Butterfly really have the strength to swallow an entire domain?"

In Sheng Yan's mind, Phantom Butterfly was that handsome but pathetic man who always gazed at Mo Bai affectionately.

He was timid, spineless, and terrified of Sheng Yan's fire abilities.

"Maybe it had some fortunate encounter and leveled up," Mo Bai said calmly.

She knew that because she had broken her promise, Phantom Butterfly had advanced to S-rank.

But every domain Disease Town had swallowed was extraordinary.

The power of a newly promoted S-rank alone shouldn't have been enough to annex an entire domain.

Perhaps it had encountered some other opportunity.

Du Heng looked puzzled.

"It's one thing for the protagonist of a martial arts novel to stumble onto a lucky opportunity. But an instance monster gets one too?"

Mo Bai replied, "Who isn't the protagonist of their own story? Phantom Butterfly was originally just an ordinary moth. It should have lived a short but carefree life, like the black cat outside the Abandoned Hospital.

Who could have imagined that an ordinary moth would become an instance monster that hunts players everywhere and feeds on painful emotions?"

"We'll know whether it's Phantom Butterfly once we go inside," Qiu Xuerong said coldly.

She stepped onto the flower-covered meadow first.

Her original intention was to use Snow-Clad Leaves to put all the insects outside the cottage to sleep.

She hated bugs.

The moment she entered the cottage's range, however, a line of colorful chibi-style text appeared before her:

Have you ever deeply loved someone, or has someone ever deeply loved you?

Seeing the question, Qiu Xuerong became so cold that she seemed ready to turn into a living ice sculpture.

With murderous intent in her voice, she said,

"Why should I answer your question?"

The colorful chibi text replied:

This is Butterfly Cottage, a place filled with love and dreams.

Those who have never loved and have never been loved may not enter.

Please do not lie.

The master of Butterfly Cottage is a grand master of love and can see through any lie about love at a glance.

The moment they saw the words Butterfly Cottage, all four of them simultaneously covered their foreheads.

Mo Bai even sighed inwardly, "I have never seen an instance monster this impossible to get rid of."

Wasn't it just a B-rank monster that she killed?

Wasn't it just a single Enhanced Mutant she had eliminated?

Why did she end up tangled with Phantom Butterfly?

Phantom Butterfly wasn't particularly strong.

But it possessed a cockroach-like vitality and an obsession that simply refused to die.

Ever since Mo Bai entered the Infinite World, Phantom Butterfly had been connected to almost every mandatory instance she entered.

Its presence was absurdly persistent.

Seeing that Qiu Xuerong looked ready to freeze an entire continent, Mo Bai stepped forward.

"I'll go in alone. This is my karmic entanglement and something that I should resolve personally."

But Qiu Xuerong said, "The Wind Whisperer once said that whether the Four Pillars of Heaven come into existence depends on who obtains the heart.

I've already failed in my duty once, and I won't fail again."

"Wind Whisperer?" Mo Bai asked.

Du Heng quickly explained, "The Wind Whisperer is Mending Heaven's prophet. Aside from the captain, no one has ever seen them. Nobody even knows whether the Wind Whisperer is male or female. Only the captain can relay the Wind Whisperer's messages.

The Wind Whisperer is the greatest prophet in the world. The prophets of Avici and Six Paths can only see fragments of future scenes. But the Wind Whisperer can hear the voices carried by the wind, predict the direction of the future, foresee future paths, and even alter the future at critical crossroads."

Before Du Heng could finish explaining, Qiu Xuerong turned to the colorful text and answered, "Yes."

The colorful chibi text asked:

The one who loved you, or the one you loved?

Qiu Xuerong's hair began to drift upward without any wind.

Countless branch-like strands writhed and danced, transforming her in an instant from an ice-sculpted beauty into the legendary Medusa.

In a gloomy voice, she said, "There was someone I once loved."

The colorful chibi text asked:

What was his name?

Qiu Xuerong didn't answer immediately, but everyone unconsciously rubbed their arms.

It suddenly felt very cold.

They all had the same feeling: 'If the chibi text kept asking questions, Qiu Xuerong might kill all of them first to silence any witnesses.'

Mo Bai picked up her helmet and said, "Everyone put your helmets on, switch to the public channel, and turn the music volume all the way up."

Even Liu Congyi, who couldn't hear anything, followed instructions.

The group turned their backs on Qiu Xuerong, refusing even to look at her lips.

Wearing their helmets, they huddled together and loudly sang songs.

Qiu Xuerong finally spoke a name, and a transparent curtain appeared before her.

The curtain parted, and the doors of Butterfly Cottage opened.

Radiating murderous intent, Qiu Xuerong stormed inside.

Seeing this, Du Heng hurriedly removed his helmet and shouted,

"At least wait for us! We shouldn't split up..."

Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, the transparent curtain closed again.

Qiu Xuerong disappeared.

Only the beautiful little cottage remained before them.

The curtain was transparent, yet somehow it concealed much of what lay beyond.

At that moment, everyone became certain. This was definitely Phantom Butterfly's mimicry ability.

And the scene behind the curtain was undoubtedly different from what they were currently seeing.

Du Heng ran after Qiu Xuerong.

Unable to stop in time, he accidentally stepped into Butterfly Cottage's range and triggered the question himself.

Facing the colorful text, he answered bluntly:

"No. Some people have liked me, and I've liked quite a few people too, but none of those feelings ever reached the level of deep love."

The colorful text replied:

You have never known love, nor are you worthy of being loved.

You do not qualify to enter Butterfly Cottage.

A tremendous force shoved Du Heng backward. Grinding his teeth, he turned to Mo Bai.

"Mo Bai, tear that butterfly's wings off for me!"

Phantom Butterfly really had a gift for making people angry.

"Let me have a turn at provoking it."

Sheng Yan patted his good friend's shoulder and stepped into Du Heng's former position.

Faced with the question, he declared:

"I deeply love Mo Bai."

Mo Bai: "..."

It was difficult to tell whether Sheng Yan was trying to provoke Phantom Butterfly or Mo Bai.

The colorful text immediately responded:

False.

"What did you say?!" Sheng Yan exploded. "You dare question my feelings for Mo Bai? Are you abusing your authority because this is your domain?!"

He kicked the curtain viciously.

The colorful text replied:

What you call love is merely self-indulgent sentimentality.

You're an immature mama's boy.

After losing your only family member, you desperately needed emotional support, so you chose a suitable target and convinced yourself you were deeply devoted.

You can fool yourself, but you cannot fool the dreamy Butterfly Cottage.

You don't love her.

You simply want someone to depend on.

Sheng Yan immediately launched into a stream of curses directed at the curtain.

Du Heng dragged him away.

He had a feeling that if Sheng Yan kept talking, the one beating him up wouldn't be Phantom Butterfly but Mo Bai.

Liu Congyi stepped forward and was about to answer the question herself when Mo Bai patted her shoulder.

"Don't go in. Stay here with Du Heng and Sheng Yan. Rock Fortress, Spider Silk, and Shadow World still have uses remaining. The three of you can keep those cards. They'll be enough to handle any emergencies."

Liu Congyi still possessed her card-replenishment ability, and Du Heng had abilities of his own.

The three of them would be fine.

Sheng Yan was an exceptionally conscientious person.

One moment, he was furious, and the next, he had already pulled out a notebook and quickly written down Mo Bai's instructions for Liu Congyi to read.

Understanding that she couldn't hear anything and would probably only become a burden if she entered, Liu Congyi nodded.

The three stubbornly refused to take back the cards Mo Bai had returned. They insisted she keep them for self-defense.

Only after Mo Bai punched each of them once did she manage to force the cards back into their hands.

Now it was Mo Bai's turn to stand before the entrance.

Mo Bai said:

"I've been in a relationship once."

The colorful text:

!

Du Heng and Sheng Yan: !

Liu Congyi, who learned what she said a moment later: !

Mo Bai continued:

"We broke up before our relationship ever reached the point of deep love. I don't think it's very likely that I'll ever deeply love someone. Romantic love only accounts for about twenty percent of my life.

But if I did fall in love with someone, I would devote that twenty percent to them sincerely, without the slightest bit of falsehood."

The colorful text displayed:

...

Mo Bai asked:

"So I don't qualify to enter Butterfly Cottage?"

The colorful text replied:

Although you have never deeply loved anyone, there is a soul that deeply loves you.

Mo Bai blinked.

"Who? I don't know."

The curtain trembled slightly.

It was almost as if Phantom Butterfly was shaking with anger, making Du Heng and Sheng Yan instantly feel much better.

The colorful text answered:

Have you already forgotten its name?

Its name is Lin Xiafei.

Did you love it?

Mo Bai thought for a moment.

"That depends on how you define love. I once thought it was adorably foolish, and I did feel a bit of attraction toward the beautiful appearance it presented. But that doesn't count as love, right?"

The colorful text first displayed half of the word [No.] Then it quickly erased that and replaced it with:

That can count.

Du Heng and Sheng Yan: "..."

Phantom Butterfly, where did your standards go?

Where's the ruthless honesty you showed when judging us?

Hidden behind Sheng Yan, Liu Congyi pressed her lips together, secretly trying not to laugh.

Mo Bai nodded.

"If you say so, then... yes, I loved it."

The curtain trembled violently.

The image of Butterfly Cottage rippled and swayed, as though Phantom Butterfly itself were overflowing with joy.

The curtain slowly parted, and a path carpeted with flowers appeared in front of Mo Bai.