Actually, regarding himself, Su Mu could understand; perhaps it was because he carried countless treasures, or maybe because he had collected river fees over the years, unintentionally offending some people.

What he couldn’t understand was the act of destroying the river under his guardianship, causing trouble for him.

Needless to say, it indeed brought a lot of trouble to Su Mu.

Because in the past six months, the declining water levels caused hundreds or even thousands of tributaries to dry up. The most critical issue was that after Su Mu rerouted the main river to irrigate, there was no extra Favor Points reward given to him.

So many adverse conditions appeared on the river; the system determined that Su Mu’s inadequate management was the initial reason, so it directly judged it as a given, and if he did not actively maintain river order, he wouldn’t be rewarded with Favor Points.

Moreover, because Su Mu could not find the reason for the declining water levels for a long time, tributaries kept drying up. The system judged him as neglecting, thus severely reducing the Favor Points he usually earned.

For example, he successfully repaired a damaged dyke, which usually would grant him a thousand Favor Points, but he only received five hundred, sometimes not even three hundred, which made Su Mu very frustrated.

No matter what the enemies’ purpose was in damaging the Long River, it wasn’t important. What mattered was that they indeed brought a lot of trouble for him.

If this continues, the process that originally would take a year to complete would be delayed to two years or even three...

The longer it drags on, the worse it is for him.

....

Su Mu shook his head, gathered his thoughts, and calmed his chaotic emotions. At this moment, he couldn’t lose his composure.

Let’s handle the important matters first.

With a thought, the attribute panel appeared before him.

[Remaining Favor Points: 123052]

[River Affinity: 89%]

.....

[Do you wish to spend ’100000’ Favor Points to increase River Affinity?]

"Yes." Su Mu thought to himself.

[Favor Points -100000]

[River Affinity: 89%]→[River Affinity: 90%]

As the River Affinity broke the threshold of "90", something magical happened.

His entire being, uncontrollably, rose into the air, floating above the Long River.

The next second, he could feel the blood within his entire body flowing in reverse, completely beyond his control.

Suddenly, the blood in his body began to reverse flow out of him, heading toward the river!

Upon seeing this, Su Mu’s pupils contracted sharply, and his heart was greatly shocked because he could clearly feel that not only was his vital energy depleting, but his life force was also rapidly decaying!

He forcibly operated his Cultivation Technique, trying to stop the loss of vital energy, but it seemed like his body was no longer under his control, and he couldn’t even sense his own existence.

His perspective seemed to detach from "himself" and turned into a "third-person perspective," watching his own vital energy continuously flow into the river.

In just a few breaths, the river water within a few kilometers beneath Su Mu was dyed red!

Furthermore, it continued to spread!

Because Su Mu’s vital energy was incredibly strong.

After half an hour, every part of the water within Su Mu’s sight had turned a crimson hue, looking like a sea of blood from hell, filled with a thick stench of blood.

Su Mu’s face was pale, his flesh and blood began to shrivel. In just half an hour, he was reduced to skin and bones.

The entire person looked like a dried-up skeleton, devoid of any vitality, akin to a flickering candle flame, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

At that moment, Su Mu panicked.

He actually felt the breath of death. He had guarded the river for so many years and encountered many desperate situations, yet he had never felt such a proximity to death.

He had a feeling that he was slowly dying.

To be precise, this river was slowly consuming his flesh and blood, vital energy, Spiritual Power, bones, and even his soul!

Why?

Su Mu didn’t understand why this was happening?

The River Affinity had reached ninety percent; why would this happen?

Could it be.... that his system itself had problems?

Was death the ultimate end?

Another hour passed.

Su Mu turned into a dried-up skeleton, with all his flesh, blood, and spirit merged into the river.

As his consciousness lingered on the brink of death, he turned his head with all his strength to look towards his home.

He gazed at the little ones still asleep, at Nannan, sleeping peacefully with a faint smile on her lips.

He wasn’t afraid of death....

What he feared was what would happen to these little ones after his death, what would happen to Nannan.....

If enemies came to attack, how would they survive.....

Thud—

His consciousness faded as his body sank into the river.....

Who knows how much time passed.....

He drowsily opened his eyes and found himself swimming in the water, surrounded by small swimming fish and shrimp. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Looking down, he realized he couldn’t see his hands or his body.

Soon, his body passed through a beautiful goldfish, and the goldfish didn’t react at all as if he had become a drop of river water, drifting uncontrollably...

I....

What has happened to me...

Am I dead.....

Su Mu questioned himself, but no one could answer him.

And so, he flowed with the river, not knowing where he drifted to.

He forgot the time, even forgot who he was, and slowly, he lost all memories, only remembering.... that he was a drop of water.

After another unknown period, his consciousness was already blurred, he couldn’t even think anymore, and he had completely become a drop of water, wandering aimlessly.

Wandering and drifting...

Suddenly, he felt himself hit something, and when he opened his eyes, he found he had bumped into a rock.

He was just a drop of water, why would he collide with a rock?

Looking down, he found himself transformed into a small fish.....

Oh..... so I wasn’t a drop of water, but an ordinary little fish....

At this moment, Su Mu had lost all memories, only remembering that he was a small fish, and he accepted that he was an ordinary small fish, as if it was natural, as if he was born this way.....

Transformed into a small fish, Su Mu could finally control his body, no longer drifting aimlessly.

He could swim freely...

As he swam, suddenly, a dark shadow appeared ahead.

It was rushing towards him quickly!

In fear, he froze in place.

A gigantic creature, seemingly targeting him, with surrounding fish frantically avoiding it, rushed toward him.

When the shadow got closer, Su Mu finally saw what it was.