Oh, I see...

After listening to the method of refining the essence of the source, Leon first pondered for a moment, then asked:

"So the one who destroyed Abyssal Realm No. 1 is actually no longer himself? But rather became something akin to a 'collective consciousness' after 'devouring' the race he was born from?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"..."

"I told you before, my memory was tampered with by Omnia Cicada, who knows if this memory is real or not?"

"..."

So you've been talking for so long, only to tell me I can't fully believe it? Any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental?

"Alright, I've explained nearly everything I can to you, it's time for me to leave!"

Seeing Leon's somewhat speechless expression, the mermaid woman smiled as she asked:

"I'm preparing to return to the Source God Platform to dedicate myself to the source and facilitate the merging of the two realms. Do you want to come see me off?"

Is she leaving?

Hearing this, Leon's expression slightly froze, then he instinctively clenched his fist.

"Evangelin."

Looking at the mermaid woman in front of him with a still bright smile, Leon tentatively proposed:

"I, the Third Elder, and the color of the source you control combined should be enough to revive most of your people, don't you want to wait for them first..."

"No need to wait~"

After sweeping open the passage to the Source God Platform, the mermaid woman turned around and stepped into the passage, waving back at Leon without looking back:

"Just like this now, I'm already reluctant; if I see them again, I might really be unable to leave."

"So you absolutely must dedicate yourself to the source?"

Leon couldn't help but try to dissuade her:

"Your dedication is merely to awaken more of your people, and then enhance the upper limit between the third sources to prevent the current world from being unable to counter a future attack from number one, repeating the mistakes of the Abyssal Realm.

But there are actually other ways to achieve these two goals, I can gradually revive your people in batches using Realm of the Dead's rules, and if you stay, we can also join forces against number one..."

"It's different."

Stepping onto the dark purple Origin Mud Plate, the mermaid woman calmly shook her head and said:

"The Contamination Value of any two directors of the Purification Bureau combined is definitely much higher than yours, but even if they join forces against an enemy, they still can't defeat you.

And the same will be true for you and number one in the future; you're no longer his match in terms of the 'quality' of the source, and if you can't gain the advantage in 'quantity,' then the present world will become the next Abyssal Realm."

"It hasn't come to that point yet."

After glancing at the long string of world interpretations behind the [Materialism] badge, Leon ultimately couldn't bear to let Evangelin just "go to her death." He hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"My situation is rather special; who knows, I might manage to reassemble the shattered present world in the future, when its source will be larger than it is now; perhaps you wouldn't need to sacrifice yourself, and we can still contend with number one."

"?"

Looking at Leon with slight surprise, the mermaid woman first blinked, then sighed softly.

"You're so reluctant to part with me...seems like you've truly fallen under my spell, my beauty is indeed a great crime."

"?!!!"

"Okay, stop trying to persuade me!"

Indulging in a moment of light-hearted abstraction, the mermaid woman waved with a smile as she saw Leon's slightly exasperated expression, and said:

"The real me has long been dead who knows how many years, now I'm just returning to where I belong, as for whether you can reassemble the present world in the future... who can say for sure about the future?"

After checking the state of the Origin Mud Plate, the mermaid woman solemnly said:

"Leon, though you may be able to make it happen in the future, the Origin Mud Plate will keep absorbing the scattered source below to repair itself, if I don't hurry down now, I may not have another chance to dedicate myself to the source again.

And the ranking between sources is generally seen as a power ranking, number one is stronger than you imagine, even if you can reassemble the shattered present world, we may not be his match.

To preserve the world of our kin, to prevent the present world from retracing the steps of the Abyssal Realm, merging the Abyssal Realm and the present world is essential, in this regard I have no choice, and neither do you, I must do what I have to do."

"..."

Alright...I respect your decision, and I respect your courage too.

Watching the unshakable determination in the mermaid woman's expression, Leon closed his eyes and refrained from further persuasion. Instead, he followed her into the Source God Platform, silently watching her break through the last layer of Origin Mud Plate and leap into the radiant source below...

Then with a bang she was thrown back up.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Wait...this isn't right?!

Lying on her back on the dark purple Origin Mud Plate, her head buzzing with stars, the mermaid woman stared at Leon in a daze, then mumbled in confusion:

"I...just now I..."

"You just hit…"

"Wait! Don't say anything yet!"

Waving off Leon's response, the mermaid woman, whose forehead was red from the bump, staggered to her feet, unwilling to accept defeat. She jumped down again... only to almost as if hitting good fortune head-on, bang and she flew back up flailing once more.

After landing again with a thud on the Origin Mud Plate, a large lump forming on her head, the mermaid woman lay on her back bewildered. Staring at Leon, equally bewildered, for a long time before sitting up unsteadily, she said, incredulously:

"Your third source...hasn't actually opened yet?"

"?"

Hearing this, Leon was momentarily taken aback, then somewhat puzzled he asked:

"No way? If it never opened, how did I and the Third Elder go down before?"

"No...what I mean by 'not opened' isn't that kind of open, I mean open more in terms of 'activate' and 'awaken.'

Briefly explaining the meaning of "open," the mermaid woman covered her forehead with puzzled eyes, saying:

"Between sources most of the time, they're in an untouchable dormant state, one can enter between sources, but can't directly reach the source itself. Only when us source descendants first break through the corresponding Origin Mud Plate, will the corresponding source fully awaken.

For instance, number one didn't make a move against you before but let your human ancestors leave the Old Soil because you hadn't appeared yet, the third source wasn't open yet, he couldn't seize the source even if he killed all humans.

But now that you've appeared, the third source should have already opened, why can't it be accessed?"

"..."

Faced with the mermaid woman's bewildered look, Leon—who forgot he was a replica—momentarily silent, then silently turned his head away.

"Yes, why indeed? That's truly strange."