This was the second reform.
It followed the exact same method as when Pangu once saved his own world.
Only this time, the one being saved…
was not his own.
It was nine worlds—
each on the verge of collapse, just like his once was.
---
Those worlds had one thing in common.
Their creditor… was dead.
---
No audits.
No collections.
No rising interest, no final warnings.
In theory,
it should have been the easiest state to exist in.
And yet—
they fell apart even faster.
---
Pangu never explained.
But Wanquan, Qianhuii, and Shanjue… all knew.
---
The creditor of those worlds—
was the same person
who once stood before Pangu.
---
Back then, he was alive.
He calculated interest.
He enforced repayment.
And sometimes, outside the rules,
he left a way out.
---
Now—
he was gone.
---
### Day 25 (Year 25 in the mortal world)
When Wanquan returned, Zhen Shi was playing chess.
He stood behind her, watching the board.
"This move is wrong."
Zhenshi looked up.
"Then teach me."
Wanquan didn't move.
He simply reached out
and shifted one of her pieces.
Across the board, Jin Qiao smiled.
"That wins the game."
Zhenshi stared at the move for a long time.
Wanquan added quietly, almost to himself:
"He corrected it like this… once before."
Zhenshi didn't understand.
---
### Day 50 (Year 50 in the mortal world)
When Shanjue returned, for once, he didn't fall asleep immediately.
He sat beside Zhenshi, watching her brew tea.
"Uncle, are you tired?"
Shanjue thought for a moment.
"Not really."
He took the cup and sipped.
"There used to be someone… who wrote the rules for us."
He looked at the surface of the tea.
"Now, we have to write them ourselves."
---
### Day 70 (Year 70 in the mortal world)
All three returned together.
It was rare.
Wanquan stood beneath the tree, silent.
Qianhui's eyes were red.
Shanjue stood beside them, also without a word.
---
Pangu and Jinqiao stood side by side.
"She's grown," Pangu said.
Jinqiao lifted his cup and took a sip.
"Mm."
He gazed into the distance,
as if looking at someone from a long time ago.
"After he was gone,
saving a world became much harder."
Pangu did not deny it.
---
That night, Zhenshi asked Jinqiao:
"Grandpa Craftsman, why do you always stay here?"
Jinqiao thought for a moment.
"Because someone is here, waiting to ask me questions."
Zhenshi blinked.
"Who?"
Jinqiao looked at her and smiled.
"You."
He paused, then added:
"And because… some answers
no one can ask anymore."