Chapter 283: Rotten Peanuts

In the White Sheep’s room, the four people inside silently stared at the crumpled bag of peanuts on the table, the atmosphere suffocatingly tense.

White Sheep remained silent for a long while, feeling a faint throbbing in his head.

He raised a hand covered in white fur and rubbed his temples, then picked up the bag of peanuts and peeled one open.

Most of the peanuts inside had gone moldy, and the one he cracked open was shriveled and black.

He tossed it into his mouth, gave it a light chew, and was immediately met with the bitter, rotten taste of decay.

The room was dead silent, save for the sound of White Sheep chewing.

The three Zodiacs watched expressionlessly as he swallowed the peanut and reached for another.

“Brother Sheep…” Human Tiger couldn’t hold back any longer. “What the hell are we doing…? We can’t even help a kid. If we ever get out of here, will we even have any ‘humanity’ left…?”

Human Snake nodded in agreement. “Brother Sheep… We know you. This isn’t like you, is it? I know you don’t want that kid to suffer… But throwing her out means only two outcomes—either she faces ‘Earth Dragon’ or another Zodiac. None of them will go easy on her…”

White Sheep didn’t respond. He merely rubbed his aching temples before turning to look at Black Sheep.

Black Sheep hesitated before speaking. “Brother Sheep… You arrived later than me, but you reached ‘Earth Level’ first. Out of everyone in this world, you’re the one I respect most. That’s why I’ll follow your orders… no matter what… even if…”

“Even if what?”

“…Even if it means doing something against my conscience.”

“Good. Then go kill her for me,” White Sheep said coldly.

“…What?” Black Sheep froze.

“Didn’t you say you’d follow all my orders?” White Sheep tossed another peanut into his mouth. “Go kill that child right now. Bring me her head and her mask.”

“I…” Black Sheep fell silent, then slowly lowered his head.

This man had always been erratic—Black Sheep knew he could never fully understand him.

“Pathetic,” White Sheep sneered. “Look at the state you’re all in, yet you still can’t stomach suffering? Which eye of mine was blind when I took in you three useless wastes? Other ‘Earth Level’ Zodiacs have dozens of disciples, raking in hundreds of ‘Tao’ every day. And me? I’m lucky if I get thirty.”

“Brother Sheep, calm down,” Human Snake said, looking up. “We… We really haven’t lived up to your expectations…”

“Yeah, Brother Sheep!” Human Tiger added fiercely. “I told you—if you ever think I’m in the way, I’ll leave anytime!”

White Sheep reached for another peanut and spoke slowly. “I’ve been alone my whole life. Even before coming to the ‘Endgame,’ I had no one. That kid… she reminds me of myself, but she’s not the same.”

The three of them watched him, listening quietly.

“She grew up in the darkness of this world too… yet somehow, she’s more human than I ever was.” White Sheep sighed. “The darkness has already rotted me through, but it hasn’t tainted her.”

“Brother Sheep… Are you saying—”

“I don’t want her to become me,” he answered. “If we really took her with us and escaped, she’d just turn into a blackened flower, stained with the filth of this world. Better to let her go now.”

The three lowered their heads, silent.

They understood his meaning.

“But then again…” White Sheep tapped the table. “The three of you have been with me for years, and you’re still the same. Maybe…”

“Exactly, Brother Sheep!” Human Snake shot to his feet. “You’re absolutely right!”

“What did Brother Sheep say?” Human Tiger asked, confused.

“Shut up, both of you,” Black Sheep snapped. “Let him finish.”

White Sheep pursed his lips before shifting the topic. “I need to make this clear—if we take that kid in, trouble will follow. It might even slow your promotions. Knowing that… do you still want her?”

“Yes!” Human Tiger and Human Snake answered in unison.

“I…” Black Sheep narrowed his eyes at them. “As much as I pity her, I won’t let anyone hinder my promotion.”

“Then stay out of it!” Human Tiger barked. “Human Snake and I will take care of her! You can go rot somewhere else!”

“No wonder you’ll be stuck at ‘Human Level’ forever,” Black Sheep shot back.

“What did you say?!”

“Enough,” White Sheep cut in.

The two grudgingly fell silent.

“And one more thing I can’t stand.” White Sheep sighed, grabbing another moldy peanut. “I’ve kept you for nearly three years… fed you well, treated you right, yet not one of you has ever brought me a single bag of peanuts.”

“…What?”

“My youngest student has more sense than all of you combined,” he said. “On her first day, she knew to bring me something. I wonder if she’s finished her walk yet?”

Human Snake was the first to react. He jumped up in a panic. “B-Brother Sheep! We’ll go bring her back right away!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Human Tiger scrambled to his feet. “Just wait, Brother Sheep! We’ll go get her!”

The two bolted out of the room, leaving only White Sheep and Black Sheep behind.

“Well?” White Sheep stared at him.

“Brother Sheep… You’ve changed,” Black Sheep said quietly. “I admired you because you cast aside all emotion—like a true god. But today, you…”

“Sheep… I’m leaving soon.”

“W-What?!” Black Sheep stiffened.

He knew the three of them barely scraped together enough ‘Tao’ each day… yet the Earth Sheep before him had somehow met the execution quota?!

Did he even have enough ‘Tao’ left to pay the participants?

If Zodiacs could leave their territories, he’d love to see what kind of game White Sheep was running.

White Sheep smiled. “I haven’t told the other two yet.”

“Brother Sheep… If you leave… what happens to us?!” Black Sheep’s voice trembled. “There’s still so much you haven’t taught me…”

“After I’m gone, the study is yours,” White Sheep said. “All the laws, all the theorems—they’re on the shelves. Read them if you want. They’ll help with your game.”

“I… I understand…” Black Sheep nodded, crestfallen.

Just as silence settled between them, a faint knock came at the door.

“Come in,” White Sheep called.

After a few seconds, the door creaked open slightly, revealing a slightly pudgy figure.

He wore a filthy pig mask.

“Brother Sheep… Can I trouble you for a moment?” the man asked hesitantly.

“…Pig?” White Sheep raised an eyebrow. “You need me?”

“Y-Yes… I have something to ask… but it might be presumptuous…”