Chapter 360

"Perhaps, I also crave this... feeling of being needed, of being cared for."

His voice became soft, carrying a rare sense of fragility:

"Since stepping onto the path of the extraordinary, I have been accustomed to facing everything alone.

Calm, rational, self-reliant... these qualities allowed me to walk faster on the wizard's path, but they also gradually isolated me from warmth."

Luo En looked up, staring directly into Nari's countless glowing eyes:

"Through the puppet, I felt the warmth of selfless care. That feeling... made me understand what I have been searching for all along."

This expression of emotion was half genuine and half carefully guided.

He knew clearly that only by showing sincere emotion could he completely conquer this ancient and simple existence.

Nari stared quietly at the young man before her.

She could feel the partial utilitarian color in the other party's words.

But so what?

Which child wouldn't tell a few little lies to get what they wanted?

Which child wouldn't act more obediently toward their mother when they needed something?

These little clever tricks instead made Nari feel more real.

"My child..."

Her voice became even gentler, filled with heartache:

"You have been through so much... no wonder your soul looks so... resilient."

But immediately, her tone became somewhat probing:

"However... since you crave maternal love so much... why use deception? If you had come directly to me and told me your needs..."

"Because I was afraid." Luo En interrupted her:

"You are a legendary abyssal apostle, a terrifying existence that makes countless wizards tremble with fear.

And I am just an ordinary young wizard; I was afraid that if I approached you directly, you would tear me to pieces."

He paused, his eyes filled with sincerity:

"I have already seen too many so-called 'normal people.' They are bright on the surface but extremely filthy inside. By comparison..."

He then took a step forward voluntarily.

"By comparison, how could a mother willing to give everything for her 'child' be a monster?"

This sentence struck the softest part of Nari's heart.

As an existence feared by the vast majority of creatures due to her chaotic nature, she truly craved to be understood, accepted, and needed.

"You... do you really think so?"

Nari's voice became cautious, like a child afraid of being rejected:

"You aren't afraid of my appearance? Not disgusted by my tentacles? Not terrified of my power?"

"I was a bit afraid at first."

Luo En answered honestly:

"But fear often comes from ignorance. Through our contact during this time, what I saw was not a terrifying monster, but a mother willing to give everything for her 'child'."

At this moment, Nari realized she was facing a difficult choice.

Although she had confirmed the puppet was man-made, she could no longer bear to sever the bond she had built with this "child."

If she lost the feedback of grace from the puppet, she would fall back into chaos and pain.

And the young man before her was the key to maintaining all of this.

"If I accept you..." Nari's voice became strained, as if fearing the other party's answer:

"How will you treat our relationship?"

This was a critical question.

Luo En could feel the vigilance contained within it.

His inspiration was also sending him warnings; if he answered this question incorrectly, he might face an irredeemable situation.

Although Nari craved family warmth, she would not be easily deceived a second time.

"I will treat you with sincerity." Luo En's answer was concise and firm:

"Although I cannot give you blood-related family affection, I can prove my sincerity with my actions."

He reached out his hand, slowly extending it toward the nearest tentacle:

"And... I hope this relationship can continue."

But just at this moment, Nari suddenly made a move that surprised Luo En.

She didn't extend an ordinary tentacle, but one covered in dense abyssal corruption.

This tentacle emitted a terrifying aura capable of distorting reality.

The corruption on its surface was slowly writhing, emitting a nauseating, sticky sound.

"In that case..."

Nari's voice became somewhat lively, like a playful mother wanting to test her child's reaction:

"Before we become a true family... Mommy wants to see if you can really accept all of me..."

The tentacle slowly reached toward Luo En, and the corruption patterns on its surface began to activate.

Each pattern twisted like a living snake, emitting an evil aura that could cause mental derangement.

Any normal creature coming into contact with this level of corruption would undergo irreversible deformity in an instant.

"If you really treat me as your mother... you shouldn't be afraid of a mother's touch, right?"

This was clearly a test—a cruel test to determine if the other party truly accepted her.

Luo En's body tensed instantly, every cell screaming at him to run.

His research at the observation station made him clearly aware of the consequences of coming into contact with this level of abyssal corruption.

Skin would begin to rot, muscles would undergo twisted mutations, bones would rearrange themselves, and even the nervous system would be completely rewritten.

Even more terrifying was the erosion at the mental level.

The ancient malice from the depths of the abyss would infect his thinking like a virus, turning a rational human into a mad monster.

But just as his body prepared to instinctively dodge, another voice sounded in his mind.

It was a warning from his inspiration:

If he wanted to establish a true family relationship, he had to show complete trust and acceptance.

Family members do not fear each other, nor do they guard against each other.

"This is the critical moment that decides success or failure..." Luo En quickly weighed the pros and cons in his heart.

Reason told him he should retreat immediately and activate protective spells.

But intuition told him this was the only opportunity to gain Nari's complete trust.

He might suffer severe physical damage, or even undergo irreversible deformity.

But if he gained her trust, he would obtain the absolute protection and support of an apostle-level existence.

The weighing process lasted less than two seconds.

"Of course I trust you."

Not only did Luo En not retreat, but he actively took a large step forward, opening his arms to welcome the tentacle emitting the aura of death.

"Because you are my mother, and I am your child. Family members... shouldn't be afraid of each other."

Seeing the other party's actions, all of Nari's eyes widened.

She clearly had not expected Luo En to have such courage and trust.

In her long life, no creature had ever dared to actively touch her tentacle of corruption, let alone in such an intimate way.

The moment the tentacle made contact with Luo En's body, hell descended.

Violent pain swept through his entire body like an electric current; it was a comprehensive reorganization starting from the cellular level.

He could feel his structure being forcibly rewritten, his entire body undergoing twisted reactions, and even his thought patterns being invaded by an alien consciousness.