As reinforced concrete, bricks, and tiles flew in all directions, Zeig was left with a bloodied head from the aftermath of the explosion.
But he still smiled indifferently.
Because in the Simulated Universe, he had disabled pain sensations.
Not long after, his body returned to its initial state.
After watching the smoke for a while longer, Zeig suddenly felt that something was off.
"Why hasn't the map changed yet? Didn't I already take care of those three little pigs?"
Just as he was puzzled, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind.
He turned around and blinked.
Zeig froze.
"Buddy, why are you stealing my gig?" A humanoid Big Gray Wolf stood behind him, wearing a confused expression.
"Hah, what did you say?" Zeig frowned.
There's a Big Gray Wolf in this Simulated Universe?
The Big Gray Wolf in front of him looked simple and honest, even flashing a "sweet and friendly" smile while speaking to Zeig.
"I mean, this is my job."
The Big Gray Wolf pointed at the collapsed straw house behind them, then at the wooden house now in ruins.
Finally, he pointed at the brick house ahead that had already been blown into rubble and said to Zeig:
"It should've been me who dealt with those three little pigs. You stole the spotlight."
"Uh…"
At this moment, it wasn't just Zeig.
The researchers at the space station were all stunned too.
Why was there a scene like this in the Simulated Universe project?
Some researchers had heard the fairy tale of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.
The general story was that three little pigs built houses; two of them were lazy and built a straw house and a wooden house, which the Big Gray Wolf easily destroyed.
In the end, the hardworking little pig built a brick house that withstood the Big Gray Wolf's attacks.
But the problem was—those weren't three little pigs, they were three "Piggy Banks"! What does that have to do with the Big Gray Wolf?
"Something's wrong," Herta said gravely.
She remembered that there was absolutely no such segment in the Simulated Universe.
There were indeed three "Piggy Banks," but there were definitely no unnecessary straw, wooden, or brick houses.
And… that unidentified Big Gray Wolf.
On the screen, Zeig waved his hand:
"Sorry, I might've walked onto the wrong set. So what happens next?"
The Big Gray Wolf looked puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Zeig: "I mean, what do you want to do about it?"
The Big Gray Wolf scratched his head: "Nothing we can do. This scene can't be filmed anymore. I'm heading to the next set."
The Big Gray Wolf then pulled out a patched yellow cloth hat from his pocket and skillfully put it on his head.
Then, using a black pen, he drew a scar across his cheek.
"Do you know where Pleasant Goat Village is? I still have a scene with that little goat named Joyful, but I don't know the way."
Upon hearing this, Zeig immediately understood.
He took out paper and pen, crouched down, and seriously drew on the ground:
"Pleasant Goat Village, right? I know that one well. First you go to Green Grassland, then find Wolf Castle. Starting from here, go through the forest, then…"
"Mm-hmm." The Big Gray Wolf listened attentively beside him, nodding along as Zeig spoke.
He seemed to be taking it very seriously.
This harmonious scene left the researchers somewhat bewildered.
"What's going on? Now we're even getting Pleasant Goat Village?"
"Is Brother Zeig serious? He's actually drawing him a map?"
The space station was in complete chaos.
Meanwhile, Herta silently stared at the screen, watching the human and wolf studying the route.
Then she placed her hand on her earpiece.
"All researchers, from this moment on, focus your attention. Observation may now begin."
Herta's command echoed through the entire space station's broadcast system.
"Huh? What does Lady Herta want us to observe?"
"Observe Brother Zeig?"
"No."
By now, some had realized something and were staring fixedly at the wolf.
"I'm afraid… that is an Aeon."
On the screen, Zeig had already drawn from Green Grassland all the way to Go-Go Strange World, still chattering nonstop as he introduced the combat power system of Pleasant Goat Village and the enemies the wolf might encounter:
"Look, your opponents aren't just the little goats—you also have to watch out for their helpers."
The Big Gray Wolf nodded, though the corners of his mouth began to twitch slightly.
After a long while, Zeig was still talking without any sign of stopping.
He grew more excited the more he spoke.
Beside him, the Big Gray Wolf's smile gradually vanished, as if he hadn't expected this human to talk to him for so long.
He went from listening earnestly, to becoming inattentive, then to growing visibly irritated.
Finally.
He impatiently grabbed Zeig's hand, stopping him from continuing to draw.
Veins bulged on his forehead as he roared at the top of his lungs:
"Kid, are you sick in the head?! Are you ever gonna shut the fuck up?!"
In the instant he started cursing, a golden-red mask briefly flashed across his face.
The mask disappeared quickly, but many researchers still noticed it.
They all began observing solemnly.
Zeig shook off the Big Gray Wolf's hand and said seriously:
"Buddy, you really can't underestimate them. You have to plan carefully."
"Heh heh heh…" The Big Gray Wolf laughed in anger, his entire wolf face beginning to distort.
Suddenly, fierce winds howled.
The entire sky darkened.
The Big Gray Wolf's figure vanished in the gale, replaced by a strange golden-red mass of energy, with numerous masks of various expressions floating around its outer layer.
In her office, Herta's expression grew grave.
She said solemnly:
"As expected, with Zeig's approach, the Aeon most likely to be drawn here… is only Him."
Zeig stood amid the storm, curiously looking at the cluster of masks ahead:
"Big bro, are you still going to Pleasant Goat Village or not?"
What answered him was His wild laughter:
"Hahaha… Like hell I'm going! You're really something else!!"
The storm gradually subsided. He transformed into a humanoid form, still wearing a mask, looking at Zeig in disbelief:
"Which wire in your brain got crossed to actually draw this crap for me?"
He pointed at the densely packed march routes on the ground, utterly speechless:
"Just how bored are you usually to remember this kind of thing?"
Standing before Zeig was none other than the supreme god of the Path of Elation—the virtual form of Aha.
Even Aha's virtual form couldn't stop roasting Zeig's behavior.
This scene left the researchers at the space station stunned.
That was the Aeon of Elation.
Even He thought Zeig was insane—did that count as receiving an Aeon's approval?
"Kid, you're carrying my Path, right? Let me see!" The Aeon of Elation directly opened Zeig's information panel in the Simulated Universe right in front of him.
He was fine before looking, but once he did, he immediately became speechless.
"That shouldn't be… You're clearly more suited to my Path. Why are you carrying [Abundance] in this virtual world? Can these virtual monsters even make you lose health?"
At this moment, all the researchers gasped in shock.
The virtual form of the Aeon of Elation already knew he was inside the Simulated Universe.
Facing the Aeon of Elation's question, Zeig answered matter-of-factly:
"She's the best-looking one in the roster. Who wouldn't love a fair-skinned beauty of a big sister?"
The Aeon of Elation frowned:
"How can you assume Their gender? Who told you that one's female?"
Zeig: "…"
Seeing the Aeon of Elation finish flipping through his information panel, Zeig asked:
"You're the Aeon of Elation, right? When did you get here?"
Aha: "When you turned into a Transformer."
Zeig: "…"
He sniffed:
"So basically from the very beginning."
"Yeah." Aha nodded.