058 is a real dog.

"Hello."

Looking at the very classic conversation starter on the chat screen, Mo Bai had the illusion that the other person was about to sell him tea in the next second. Thus, behaving just like a bot, he replied with a hello.

"My name is An Wan, and I am Mu Sheng's boss."

An Wan typed quite fast: "You should have learned some information about me from him."

Mo Bai: "..."

Recalling the words spoken by that bastard Mu Sheng, an image quickly emerged before his eyes: a proud, poisonous-tongued, sadistic, outwardly cold yet inwardly warm girl who denied her true feelings while acting contrary to them.

Oh, and right, she was also a black-haired, straight-haired JK young miss.

He typed back: "I indeed know some things about you."

"I have a rather deep impression of you, so why are you looking for me?"

"Then I'll cut straight to the point." An Wan was unexpectedly direct: "I am very interested in you. Can you join us?"

Mo Bai: "?"

Are poachers nowadays this direct?

Without any build-up at all?

Isn't this a bit too brutal?

Mo Bai thought for a moment and responded to An Wan: "Um, I'd like to ask first, what kind of… organization are you people?"

A mafia? An international mercenary organization? A defense force? Or a civilian armed group?

"We are [Evergreen]."

An Wan replied concisely and clearly: "We do not belong to any Sovereign, and we have only one purpose."

"To hunt the Sovereigns."

"To extract power from the remains of the Sovereigns to defy the world beyond."

Mo Bai raised an eyebrow. The kind of work that kid Mu Sheng was doing sounded quite impressive, so he couldn't help asking: "Is there any difference between you and the Control Bureau?"

"The Control Bureau leans more toward containment rather than elimination." An Wan's typing speed remained very fast: "They believe that those Sovereigns from beyond the world might just trigger a fleeting miracle when the end descends."

"Of course, there is no noble or humble distinction between our hunting and their containment."

"They chose the broader path, but broad does not mean correct. Those narrow paths always need someone to walk upon them."

"That is all."

"I understand." Mo Bai nodded and continued typing: "However, there is something I've always wanted to ask."

"What on earth is this 'End' that you people keep talking about?"

Qi Lin was shouting it, and An Wan was shouting it too, yet he had no concept of it whatsoever.

Is the apocalypse coming? Why? Can it be saved?

This time, An Wan did not reply to Mo Bai immediately; instead, she remained silent for a full three seconds.

It was evident that she was quite shocked.

Although she said nothing, it seemed as though she had said everything.

"Well, it seems that before this, you truly were an unadulterated ordinary person."

An Wan finally replied to Mo Bai and sent him a file package: "I can't explain the details easily; take a look at what I've sent you first."

Mo Bai received the file, opened it, and as he looked at the densely packed text inside, his expression gradually turned lamentable.

He had already understood everything.

Simply put, this world has three epochs.

The first epoch was the Epoch of Fire. Amidst the chaotic and murky long night, the primal fire was ignited at the center of the world, scorching the entire land.

Thus, the world gained light.

The long night was dispelled, and the first human approached that cluster of flames, touching the dancing sparks with the palm of his hand, greedily feeling the warmth originating from the fire.

Then, within the fire, he beheld his own origin.

The primal One bore all things.

However, fire ultimately has a day when it extinguishes, and no matter how many ashes are sacrificed, it is of no avail. Following the fire was the Epoch of the Deep Sea.

Tidal waves swallowed the land, and the warmth of the fire was no more. This was a cold, pitch-black era.

Yet, the sea could not submerge the entire world. Above the firmament was the final pure land, known as the empty courtyard world of the Heavenly Kingdom.

The sea receded, leaving behind only cold remnants—what is known today as the Black Tide.

The subsequent Two had already shattered.

When the sea receded, living creatures returned to the continent, established civilization, and stubbornly persevered.

However, the third calamity followed closely behind.

That was the radiant star.

It came from the starry sky, looking down upon the entire land. The starlight was too dazzling, and too indifferent.

One day, it would descend from the vault of heaven, bringing a destructive impact capable of splitting the heavens and cleaving the earth to the world. All things would perish in that split second, the heavens and earth would invert, and the environment of the entire world would be remade into a hell belonging to humanity.

The Heavenly Kingdom was no more.

This was the final End.

A Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's heads.

Humanity's greatest and most wicked mortal enemy.

The trailing Three still remained hidden.

As for those Sovereigns, they only gradually began to gaze upon this world in the Third Epoch. April was not the strongest among the Sovereigns, but she was the most famous.

After all, the moon is truly beautiful.

After understanding the general situation, Mo Bai typed three characters: "Saving the world?"

"That's right."

"So, what do you say?"

An Wan persuaded Mo Bai: "You have attracted the gaze of the four moons. Trust me, this is by no means a good thing."

"That moonlight will gradually alienate a person."

Without effort, one would become the moon's plaything.

"And we have very proficient practical experience in dealing with Sovereigns."

Mo Bai couldn't help asking: "Then Mu Sheng he..."

"He is an intern."

An Wan replied almost instantly: "He can only become a regular employee next month."

"And the person who decides whether he becomes regular or not is me."

Mo Bai: "Hiss..."

Even through the screen, Mo Bai could clearly picture the wicked smile blooming on the lips of that black-haired, straight-haired JK young miss on the other side.

Although he had never truly met An Wan in person, Mo Bai was certain that An Wan definitely possessed a sadistic streak.

Observing a moment of silence for Mu Sheng in advance.

Mo Bai replied: "Thank you for Miss An Wan's kindness, but I am a man with a job now."

"Doing this isn't quite appropriate."

"The two of us have only just met, and yet we'd form a close superior-subordinate relationship like that—forgive me for refusing."

An Wan on the other side: "?"

Is this what one should say?

That's right, absolutely right.

Glancing sideways at Mu Sheng, who was diligently maintaining his firearm, An Wan raised a finger coated with black nail polish: "Is that so? I understand."

"Since you're unwilling to come, I won't force it either. We can develop a cooperative relationship later on."

"By the way, do you know how to raise a dog?"

Mo Bai: "?"

So abrupt?

Miss, have you always been this direct? Going from poaching someone to raising dogs, isn't that span a bit too large?

However, Mo Bai had indeed raised a dog before. It was a local mixed-breed puppy that he and Mo Mo raised together. It died when Mo Bai was 19 years old, the cause of death being poisoned ham sausage.

When burying the dog, Mo Mo cried for a very long time.

Ever since then, Mo Bai and Mo Mo never raised pets again.

"Of course I do. I'm the best dog-person in my family, alright."

Mo Bai said with a confident expression: "What does Miss An Wan want to ask?"

An Wan: "..."

She turned her head, reaching out to stroke Mu Sheng's long and thick modified gun barrel, only for Mu Sheng to snatch it back in a flash, hugging the barrel and baring his teeth: "Damn it, what are you trying to do to my wife?!"

An Wan: "Tch."

Clearly, this gun barrel was a gift from her; otherwise, given Mu Sheng's salary, he could only buy second-hand, 99%-new items used by girls on some secondhand marketplace.

Truly... disobedient.

An Wan typed expressionlessly: "I'm raising a dog. He guards his food and snarls at me. What should I do?"

"Guards his food? And even snarls?!"

Mo Bai instantly went wild, getting right into character: "Send him to me!"

"I understand dogs better than dogs do!"

"A dog that doesn't know what's good for him like this ought to be fed dragon fruit—this big—then given a kick straight to the chest, taken for a kite-flying run, and afterward, you bond with him, take him out for a walk, and feed him fresh meat buns paired with calcium tablets..."

"Huh? Wait, no!"

Mid-high, Mo Bai suddenly realized the gravity of the situation, his fingers trembling: "Um, may I ask, what breed is this dog of yours?"

An Wan glanced back at Mu Sheng, who was hugging his gun and shouting "wife," and gritted her teeth as she typed those three words.

"He's a real dog."