Category: Dear, it’s time for your medicine!

Chapter 184: Sylph Decides to Accept Treatment (Part 4)

He had only intended to give Candice a task, but a sudden flash of inspiration brought more questions to mind.

The mysterious person who gave Loseweisse the Resurrection Technique scroll.

The mysterious person who told Loseweisse the locations of the soul fragments…

This person was so mysterious, almost eerie. Even Loseweisse couldn’t see through them. Their strength was probably greater than the Saintess’s.

But why didn’t they personally collect those soul fragments? Could it be that there was something wrong with the fragments, or some power that frightened them, preventing them from even approaching?

But the soul fragment was clearly empty, just a beautiful stone in the eyes of ordinary people.

It was useless to him, apart from using it to deceive Athena once.

Qin Chu tried to think outside the box. Among the ten members chosen by Jie Luo, three had been corrupted, and besides Benson, who was dead, the remaining six were all potential candidates for corruption.

Then… could Jie Luo, the First Hero, also have been corrupted by the Evil God?

This thought startled Qin Chu.

That couldn’t be possible, right? Jie Luo was the Hero, after all.

And Qin Chu’s words surprised Candice, “You’re going to meet with Lomond?”

“That’s too dangerous!”

“That’s the Demon Beast territory! You’re the Hero, if they…”

Qin Chu collected his thoughts and smiled faintly, “Who knows that I’m the Hero?”

Candice was taken aback.

She suddenly remembered that the first time Qin Chu met her, he was disguised as Horus.

With this ability, it was indeed difficult for the Demon Beasts to see through his true identity.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything too dangerous. Even if those Demon Beasts want to attack me, I’m confident that I can escape,” Qin Chu said confidently.

“But will the Church and the Empire allow you to leave?”

“Of course not,” Qin Chu shook his head, “But I, as the Hero, have already displayed some of my power. And the front lines have been losing ground because of Lomond’s attacks. The humans need a victory to boost their morale and turn the tide.”

“It’s the perfect time for the Hero to appear.”

“Now that Benson and Karsus are dead, I think Wadsworth, Augustus, and Saint Monique are already discussing adding new members to the Hero Squad and taking the opportunity to insert their own people.”

“Once the Hero Squad is complete, they should arrange for me to go to the front lines to fight the Demon Beasts. By then, I’ll have plenty of opportunities to sneak out.”

His previous instructions to Candice, to inform Lomond about the weak points in the human defenses, had started to take effect.

“By the way, here’s something for you,” Qin Chu took out something from his spatial ring and handed it to Candice.

It was a magic scroll.

Of course, it wasn’t something that would connect to the Void Evil God. It was a scroll imprinted with a spatial teleportation magic formation. It was very difficult to create, and Qin Chu didn’t have many.

“Set the coordinates in advance. Although I don’t think Lomond will harm you at this time, after all, you’re very useful to him, it’s always better to be safe. If Lomond really wants to harm you, just open the scroll, and you can instantly escape to the pre-set location,” Qin Chu instructed.

Candice’s heart warmed, and she accepted the scroll with a smile.

She gave him another soft kiss.

This Succubus, her every move ignited Qin Chu’s desire. Even without doing anything, just smelling her scent made him feel a strange impulse.

Holding her soft body in his arms felt very comfortable.

It even made Qin Chu feel that if he could hold and kiss her like this forever, it would be the greatest happiness.

Unfortunately, this tenderness didn’t last long. Just as Qin Chu felt he was about to lose control, Candice, her cheeks flushed, straightened up and left his arms.

Her eyes were still filled with alluring charm.

“Then, my most beloved Lord Horus, I wish you all the best.”

This vixen!

Qin Chu shook his head helplessly.

When he returned home, Angelica had already prepared an exquisite breakfast.

Airi came down to eat. Qin Chu glanced at her. She didn’t have the X-shaped mark on her body.

He didn’t know if it was because she hadn’t been noticed by the Evil God, or because the corruption was too shallow to manifest yet.

Sylph, however, remained in her room and didn’t appear. Qin Chu didn’t mind. He knew that Sylph was still digesting what he had told her.

After breakfast, Anastasia and Angelica continued their training with Anthea and Violet.

The number of powerful girls around Qin Chu was increasing, and even the always confident Anastasia felt threatened. They had to increase their strength quickly so they wouldn’t be outdone by the other girls.

After breakfast, Airi and Athena went out. Based on the clues provided by Ekaterina before, Athena should still be at the library researching souls.

As for Airi, she was probably gathering information about him.

There were spies everywhere around the residence. He was used to it.

After Ekaterina also left, only Qin Chu and Norma remained in the hall.

“Norma, I’m sorry,” Qin Chu said to her.

Norma knew what he was apologizing for and quickly shook her head, “Mr. Qin, you have nothing to apologize for. It’s not your fault. Perhaps this is the best ending for Karsus.”

“If Karsus continues to live, it will definitely cause countless casualties. Perhaps, just as Gaia said, it was a mistake for me to try to save him from the beginning.”

You’re doing great, Norma, bringing up Gaia on your own initiative, Qin Chu praised her inwardly.

“It seems that your other self, Miss Gaia, is very lively.”

Norma said shyly, “Actually, she’s very noisy, always chattering in my head. I’m almost annoyed to death by her…”

I’m not annoying at all… Another voice immediately appeared in Norma’s mind.

It was a remnant soul residing in her body, but Norma clearly didn’t think so. She saw Gaia’s remnant soul as another consciousness of her own.

“Then what does she usually say?”

Norma seemed to find it amusing, a slight smile appearing on her face, “She talks a lot… Always saying that I’m too weak, too useless, and that if it were her, she could do this and that…”

“She also says that I’m too stupid, that I can’t even learn a Super-tier magic spell after half a month…”

Good heavens, wanting to learn a Super-tier magic spell in half a month, what kind of genius are you?

“She doesn’t even admit that she’s another me. She gave herself the name Gaia and fantasizes that she’s the Earth Witch…”

“Sometimes she says she’s the Earth Witch, sometimes she says she’s the Saintess of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess from a thousand years ago.”

“She also says that the current Church of the Earth Mother Goddess is a bunch of dirty traitors.”

Norma spoke excitedly. She had never told anyone about these things. She had once thought of telling Karsus, but as soon as she mentioned it, he said that there was really something wrong with her brain.

Now, with Qin Chu as a listener, Norma was truly happy.

Qin Chu listened with a calm expression and a smile on his face, seemingly just a listener.

But inwardly, his mind was in turmoil.

Another Saintess from a thousand years ago.

Violet was the Saintess of the Temple of the Storm Lord.

Gaia was the Saintess of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess.

A thousand years ago, when the gods perished, they chose outstanding, pure, and innocent girls as their successors… As Saintesses of the temples, they were undoubtedly the most outstanding and pure girls, so it was normal for them to be chosen.

However, Gaia said that the current Church of the Earth Mother Goddess were traitors?

What was going on?

A thousand years ago, the Holy See’s iron hooves trampled across the continent, almost all other churches destroyed. Why did only the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess survive?

Perhaps the title of “traitor” was the reason.

“I’ve heard a little about the War of Faith a thousand years ago…” Shaye’s figure slowly appeared, leaning on Qin Chu’s back, “It’s said that the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, as the second largest church after the Holy See, naturally became the leader and pillar of the other churches’ resistance against the Holy See.”

“Originally, the two sides were evenly matched, but for some reason, the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess suddenly switched sides and allied with the Holy See. Having lost their leader, the other churches were quickly destroyed, and the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess became one of the final victors.”

“The strangest thing is that the Holy See, which had been clamoring for a single faith across the continent, spared the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, seemingly accepting them as an ally. They could have easily destroyed them after the war ended.”

“I don’t think the Holy See would honor any alliance. To them, it’s just a piece of waste paper.”

This was indeed strange.

After the fall of the Earth Mother Goddess, Gaia, who inherited her authority, wanted to continue resisting, but the other influential figures in the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess decided that allying with the Holy See was the best option!

Since the Earth Mother Goddess had already perished, what about the oracle that Angelica had mentioned before, the one received by the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess?

Whose oracle was it?

Interesting.

Norma, unaware of Qin Chu’s thoughts, continued to chatter, happy to finally unburden herself.

After a long time, she suddenly realized that she had taken up too much of Qin Chu’s time.

She said embarrassedly, “Sorry, Mr. Qin, you must think I’m very long-winded… You were busy all night, you should be resting now.”

Qin Chu shook his head gently, “It’s okay, if you ever want to talk, Miss Norma, just come find me.”

He stood up and stretched, “Then, Norma, I’ll go back and rest for a bit.”

Having been busy all night, Qin Chu was indeed a little tired.

He planned to lie down and have a good sleep, waiting for someone from the Holy See or the Empire to wake him up and discuss the matter of adding new members to the Hero Squad.

However, when he opened the door to his bedroom, he found someone already inside.

It was Sylph.

She had been sitting quietly in a chair. Hearing the sound of the door opening, she flinched as if she had been electrocuted.

Then, she mustered her courage, stood up, and looked at Qin Chu:

“Hero, I’ve decided. I accept your treatment!”

A wise decision!

Chapter 183: The Succubus Lover (Part 3)

Sylph returned to her bedroom.

She curled up under the covers, her face a mask of fear and indecision.

She wished she could discuss this with Athena, Loseweisse, or Ronald, the most intelligent members of the Hero Squad.

But Ronald wasn’t here.

And for Athena and Loseweisse, resurrecting Lord Jie Luo was paramount. As Qin Chu had warned, the more people knew about her corruption, the greater the danger. Those two might even betray her to protect the Hero Squad’s reputation, sacrificing her for the greater good.

She couldn’t discuss this with anyone. She had to decide on her own.

Sylph loathed Qin Chu. She recoiled from any physical contact with men. The thought of giving herself to him filled her with disgust.

But…

All creatures clung to life.

Sylph was no exception.

She knew that if she accepted Qin Chu’s treatment, she would no longer be pure, unworthy of staying by Lord Jie Luo’s side, let alone becoming his wife.

But even so, she still wanted to see him again.

Even if she couldn’t be close to him like Loseweisse, Airi, and Eileen, just seeing him safe and well, seeing him happy, would be enough.

If she died, there would be no future.

Perhaps accepting Qin Chu’s treatment was her only way to survive.

After a long while, Sylph sighed, defeated. She couldn’t think of any other solution.

Only Qin Chu could cleanse the Evil God’s corruption. Even Augustus couldn’t… And even if he could, the thought of submitting to that old geezer was even more repulsive than Qin Chu.

After all, Qin Chu was younger, more handsome, and incredibly talented. He had achieved astonishing strength in such a short time.

He was also the Hero, a person of high status. Even Wadsworth treated him as a brother, and Augustus and Saint Monique were respectful.

Thinking about it, Sylph realized that he was actually a very outstanding man. Her dislike for him lessened slightly.

Although the process would still be agonizing, she could endure it.

Although Qin Chu had said that her corruption was still in its early stages, and she had plenty of time to think, Sylph felt it was better to resolve this matter sooner rather than later.

…

Meanwhile, Qin Chu left the residence, his face calm.

Sylph was a good test subject… He would use her body and soul to understand how the Evil God corrupted humans, and what its criteria were for choosing its targets.

If he could discover the pattern, he would be better prepared to face the Evil God.

He had already realized that the true corruption was branded on the soul, the physical changes merely a manifestation.

Therefore, it was Sylph’s soul that he needed to study.

But extracting a soul from a living body wasn’t easy.

The connection between a human’s soul and body was very strong. The soul would naturally separate upon death, but while alive, they were perfectly intertwined. Forcefully separating them was extremely difficult, not like in those cultivation novels where souls could be pulled out with a flick of the wrist.

“Anthea, are you interested in Sylph’s body?” Qin Chu suddenly asked.

Anthea, who had returned to his body, immediately replied, “Not interested.”

Qin Chu touched his nose. He had thought that Anthea could possess Sylph’s body, allowing her to live in this world with her own soul and Sylph’s body.

After all, Anthea was different from Violet and Shaye.

Shaye was forcefully bound to him and couldn’t be separated.

Violet possessed the authority of the Storm Lord and could create a body almost identical to a real one, except for her height.

Among the three, only Anthea could be considered a true ghost.

Although the Ghost Valkyrie was strong, being a pure spirit had a huge disadvantage: double damage from Holy Light magic, and negative resistance to lightning and fire.

Sylph’s soul was too filthy for Qin Chu to keep.

But her body was still good. He had thought of using it as a vessel for Anthea, but it seemed she wasn’t interested.

The sky hadn’t brightened yet, the city still shrouded in a faint mist. A light rain had just fallen, the air damp and chilly, the streets muddy.

Soldiers patrolled the streets.

They grumbled about their increased workload. The two recent incidents with the Evil God had put the Imperial City on high alert, doubling their patrols.

Although in Qin Chu’s eyes, these patrols were useless.

If the mysterious being in the Void truly wanted to corrupt this world, these pitiful soldiers would be the first to fall, unable to resist.

Some magic lamps were damaged from the previous chaos, the streets flickering between light and darkness.

The patrolling soldiers passed by Qin Chu, greeting him with respect and friendliness. Gossip spread quickly, and although the incident had happened at night, it was already the talk of the town.

The news of Qin Chu saving thousands of people under the Evil God’s crimson light had spread rapidly.

Rumors of an angel descending, of the emissary of the Goddess of Holy Light, were everywhere. And these rumors had already begun to mutate, some even claiming that Qin Chu was the reincarnation of the Goddess of Holy Light…

Reincarnation, my ass, I’m a man, he muttered, returning the soldiers’ greetings with a gentle smile.

As the morning sun finally dispelled the dampness of the night, Qin Chu arrived at a bar.

Behind the counter was the sexy and alluring owner, Candice.

She seemed to have just finished her night shift and was yawning, preparing to rest. When she saw Qin Chu, her eyes lit up.

She swayed towards him, her body carrying the scent of alcohol. She grabbed a drunken customer and casually tossed him out the door.

“Isn’t that a bit rude to your customers?” Qin Chu asked, slightly amused. “After all, they spent money here.”

Candice didn’t care. “It’s okay. When they wake up, they’ll just think they passed out outside. It happens all the time. Or do you want me to treat them gently?”

“No, thank you. I’d prefer you saved your gentleness for me,” Qin Chu replied honestly.

Candice smiled slyly, invited him in, closed the door, and jumped into his arms, giving him a passionate kiss, full of Succubus charm.

Her eyes were filled with adoration.

It had only been a few days, but for Candice, it felt like an eternity.

Lord Horus was still so charming.

The almost suffocating kiss finally ended, but Candice didn’t leave his arms. Her purple hair was slightly disheveled, and her enchanting eyes held deep affection.

Although she was only half Succubus, her alluring aura was enough to drive a man mad.

Sylph’s clumsy attempts at seduction were nothing compared to this.

“My dearest Horus, what should I call you now? Divine Emissary? Descending Angel? Or Hero?”

“You even know about that?” Qin Chu asked, touching his nose with some embarrassment. These titles were a bit much.

“A bar is always a hub of information,” Candice smiled. “And I’m a spy, after all. I wouldn’t dare to say I know everything about what’s happening in the Auville Imperial City, but I definitely know more than you think. By the way, what do you think our relationship is now? Lovers? Wouldn’t that be more exciting?”

Candice’s eyes flickered with a mischievous light. She seemed to be excited by this situation, the thrill of a secret affair.

Strange hobby.

“I’m not married, so it’s not an affair… but you’re mine,” Qin Chu emphasized.

This answer pleased Candice, and she pecked him lightly on the lips. “Then, Lord Horus, when are you going to make me a real woman?”

Her voice was seductive, her body alluring in his arms.

As expected of a Succubus, her every move was captivating.

But this didn’t last long. Candice’s expression gradually turned serious. She knew that Lord Horus must have important matters to discuss, and she wasn’t in a hurry.

She enjoyed this feeling, the anticipation and the waiting.

Besides, she had already received a lot from Lord Horus, she didn’t ask for more.

She looked forward to the day when the world was at peace.

After everything was settled, she could have a wonderful night with Lord Horus.

And she also had an important question for him:

“What was that crimson light?”

“A deity of the Void, one of the beings who have bound this world with chains,” Qin Chu answered simply.

Candice was a little surprised, “After learning that the Hero and Horus are the same person, I thought you were deceiving me…”

“Although I did deceive you about some things, this isn’t one of them,” Qin Chu sighed helplessly, “Honestly, I also wish there weren’t so many strange beings in the Void eyeing this world.”

He didn’t care what happened to this world, but being the main target of their attention wasn’t pleasant.

“However, they can’t come down for now, so there’s no need to worry in the short term.”

As for how long this “short term” was, Qin Chu wasn’t sure.

But he had a feeling that the goddess trapped in the Void cage couldn’t hold on for much longer.

After a slight pause, Qin Chu composed himself, “Candice, how is the situation with Lomond?”

Speaking of serious matters, the charm on Candice’s face faded. “Lomond has been very active recently.”

“Because of his achievement in killing Benson, Lomond has gained the support of many Demon Beasts. He’s been arranging for Demon Beasts to attack the border between humans and Demon Beasts, and he’s also personally led his forces into the Third Demon Beast Princess’s territory, sealing it off and working with his sister to capture Ronald.”

“But it’s not going very well. Although they’ve found traces of Ronald, they haven’t been able to capture him. Lomond has been very frustrated recently.”

There was a hint of mockery in Candice’s tone.

That guy was truly useless.

Without Lord Horus’s help, he was nothing.

Even though Lord Horus had already provided him with so much information, he still couldn’t capture Ronald.

“Then, let’s give him another piece of information,” Qin Chu said with a smile.

“He can’t catch Ronald because there’s probably another thief with him.”

“One of the Twin Thieves of the Hero Squad, Eileen!”

The twin sisters, Eileen and Airi, were always inseparable.

But this time, they were separated.

Airi went to the Imperial City, while Eileen had important matters to attend to.

And the fact that Ronald could hold out for so long under the siege of both Lomond and the Third Demon Beast Princess was unbelievable to Qin Chu.

Although Ronald’s strength was decent, he wasn’t capable of this.

Ekaterina, based on the conversation between the five members of the Hero Squad, had deduced that Eileen had gone to support Ronald at Loseweisse’s request, and this was very likely true.

“Tell Lomond that your source of information wants to make a deal with him.”

“Ronald must be captured alive, and all the items on him must be preserved. Then, trade Ronald to me. I will kill him, and the credit will still be Lomond’s,” Qin Chu said calmly.

“If he agrees, tell him about Eileen’s presence. Once they know there’s a thief, they can take targeted measures, and it will be much easier to capture Ronald. If he disagrees or breaks his promise, tell him that I won’t provide him with any more information in the future and will cooperate with other princes.”

“Of course, before that, he can…entertain Ronald a little.”

Although he could use Lomond’s hand to eliminate these people one by one, it wasn’t as satisfying as doing it himself.

Especially since Ronald had a piece of Jie Luo’s soul fragment.

Speaking of which, how did Loseweisse know about it? Ekaterina said that Loseweisse knew the location of another soul fragment.

This kind of information couldn’t be found in books.

Especially since Loseweisse had been under house arrest at the Holy See recently and hadn’t had the opportunity to go out and investigate.

Could it be that someone deliberately leaked this information to her?

If that was the case, then that person’s goal must also be to resurrect Jie Luo. Could it be the same person who provided Loseweisse with the Resurrection Technique?

But apart from the members of the Hero Squad, it was hard to imagine anyone else having such deep feelings for Jie Luo.

And to know such a secret, even the Resurrection Technique, that person must be very strong. Then why didn’t they collect all the soul fragments themselves? What were they afraid of?

Chapter 182: Infusing the Power of Holy Light (Part 2)

Qin Chu’s pitying voice made Sylph tremble, her face ashen.

Her eyes were wide with unconcealed terror.

Become like Karsus?

The image of Karsus’s monstrous form flashed through her mind: the ugly, twisted creature covered in dark red scales and bone spurs, his head studded with lumps.

Mindless, like a rabid dog, only capable of roaring and howling.

No longer recognizing his companions, devoid of all emotion, driven only by the desire to kill.

The thought made Sylph’s scalp tingle. She would rather die than become like that.

Hatred filled her heart.

Why me? she wondered. There were so many people there, why was she the only one affected?

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed.

She remembered. When the crimson light had enveloped the arena, Qin Chu had cast Holy Light to protect everyone. Saint Monique, Augustus, Wadsworth, Norma, even the thousands of nobles, had all been bathed in his protective light.

Only she and Airi, out of pride, had refused his protection, believing they could withstand the power of the Void on their own.

Sylph’s vision darkened, and she almost fainted.

Regret flooded her.

Could it be because they had rejected the Holy Light that they were now tainted by the Evil God’s aura?

Sylph wanted to cry. Who would have thought that a moment of pride would lead to such a consequence? And if that were the case, wouldn’t Airi also be tainted?

The thought actually made her feel slightly better… At least she wasn’t alone in her misfortune.

Her soul was truly ugly, a stark contrast to her beautiful exterior.

Her panic subsided slightly, and she forced herself to calm down. At least she could still think. And what had Qin Chu just said?

He wanted to save her?

So, there was still hope?

As Sylph pondered, Qin Chu sighed and came up behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder. His touch disgusted her, and she wanted to shrug him off, but she needed his help to survive.

So she endured it.

“I’m sorry about Karsus,” Qin Chu said. “Actually, if I had discovered his condition earlier, I could have saved him. My Holy Light can purify all filth.”

“I thought he was only tainted by ordinary dark elemental power… As a mage, you should understand that dark elements are just one type of magic element, a pure form of energy, neither good nor evil in itself. It depends on the person who uses it.”

“But I didn’t expect that the source of Karsus’s darkness was actually an Evil God. By the time I realized it, it was too late. He had already completely merged with that sinister power, completely corrupted.”

Sylph’s eyes flickered as she looked at Qin Chu’s reflection in the mirror, a scoff escaping her lips. He was just pretending to be a gentleman a moment ago…

She lowered her eyes. “What happens if someone is completely corrupted?”

“Like Karsus. The Holy Light can no longer dispel the evil within him. It can only purify the filth along with its vessel, which is Karsus himself, with holy flames.”

Sylph shuddered.

“Sylph, don’t panic, don’t be afraid. You’re different from Karsus. I discovered your condition early, so you can still be saved,” Qin Chu said with a gentle smile.

Sylph felt slightly relieved. Then she thought of her companion. “What about Airi… Could she also be…like me?”

“Ah, you don’t have to worry about that. Airi doesn’t seem to be tainted by the Evil God’s power. I didn’t sense anything wrong with her. Even if she is tainted, her situation is much better than yours. You don’t have to worry about her,” Qin Chu said lightly.

But a flicker of jealousy crossed Sylph’s face. Damn it, why?

She had been exposed to the same crimson light as Airi, so why was she the only one affected?

If they were both in the same situation, Sylph would feel a sense of camaraderie, their bond strengthening. But now, with only her facing this danger, she felt only jealousy and resentment.

“Is that so? That’s great,” Sylph forced a smile. “Then, Hero, do you have any way to remove the taint from me?”

“You wouldn’t burn me to ashes with holy fire, would you?”

Qin Chu put on an exaggerated expression and spread his hands, “How could I? Miss Sylph, such a beautiful girl, wouldn’t it be a waste to burn you to ashes?”

Sylph let out a smug hum. She had always been confident in her beauty and figure.

“You should also know that this corruption affects not only the body but also the soul…”

“The soul is a bit more troublesome. I’ll try to extract your soul from your body… and then use pure Holy Light to temper it, cleansing all the taint.”

Sylph’s expression changed drastically. She knew better than anyone what it meant to have her soul extracted from her body. It meant that for a time, she would be completely vulnerable, a lamb to the slaughter. He could crush her soul with a single thought.

“This is a bit risky. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to do it, Miss Sylph. I know what you’re worried about, but if I really wanted to harm you, there are easier ways, aren’t there? I just need to shout, and your life would be over, wouldn’t it?”

“Or I could just do nothing and let you turn into a monster like Karsus.”

Qin Chu’s expression suddenly became serious. “Miss Sylph, I just want to save you.”

“If you can’t even trust me, then please leave.”

He pointed towards the door, his voice calm but firm, seemingly angered by her distrust.

“Of course, you can also seek help from Loseweisse. She’s the Saintess of the Holy See, after all. Maybe she has a way… But even Pope Augustus couldn’t do anything about it. I seriously doubt Loseweisse has that kind of power,” he said with a hint of mockery.

Sylph stood there, not moving.

She considered his words. He was right. If Qin Chu wanted to harm her, there were many ways he could do it. Even if he did nothing, she would soon turn into a monster and be burned to ashes by him.

From this perspective, it seemed that the Hero really just wanted to save her. He had no other intentions?

As for telling Loseweisse, just as Qin Chu had said, even Augustus couldn’t solve this problem, so Loseweisse definitely couldn’t either.

Thinking of this, Sylph’s suspicion vanished. A pleasing smile appeared on her face, and she leaned against Qin Chu, her body pressing against his, her hips swaying slightly, a clumsy attempt at seduction.

From this action, it could be seen that Sylph was very inexperienced. She didn’t know how to please a man.

Her voice also became sweet and alluring, “Hero, why are you so angry? I didn’t mean to doubt you. Sylph was just scared.”

Now, her future was in Qin Chu’s hands. If she didn’t want to become an ugly monster like Karsus, burned to ashes in holy fire, she had to please and seduce him.

Whatever Qin Chu wanted from her, Sylph could only try her best to satisfy him, whether it was her body or her dignity… Even if he treated her like he treated Ekaterina, she could only accept it.

After all, compared to her life, everything else seemed insignificant.

Her attempt at seduction seemed to have some effect. The anger on Qin Chu’s face softened slightly.

“By the way, Hero, how can I cleanse the corruption in my body?” Sylph asked.

“That’s relatively simple, but…” Qin Chu seemed to hesitate, then whispered something in Sylph’s ear. Her face instantly flushed crimson.

“So, whether you want to accept my purification…”

“Miss Sylph, please think about it carefully. The corruption you’ve suffered has just begun. You still have plenty of time,” Qin Chu took a breath, put on his coat and hat, and said, “By the way, please don’t tell anyone about this. Let’s keep it between us.”

“After all, the more people know, the more troublesome it will become.”

“The Evil God’s two appearances have already caused serious damage to this city, countless lives have been lost, and people are extremely sensitive to the Evil God now. If you tell anyone, even someone you’re close to and trust, even a member of the Hero Squad, if they accidentally let it slip, there will be Holy Knights here to arrest you immediately.”

“I didn’t call anyone to arrest you, I didn’t take this opportunity to threaten you, and I didn’t abandon you to your fate. I tried my best to save you, Sylph. You should understand that I’m the only person you can trust now…”

Sylph had originally planned to discuss this with Loseweisse and Athena. After all, they were both very smart and might have other, better solutions.

But after hearing Qin Chu’s words, she felt that he was right.

If they accidentally let it slip, she would be doomed. She couldn’t place her hopes on other people’s discretion.

Moreover, for Loseweisse and Athena, resurrecting Jie Luo was the most important thing. If they knew about her condition, they might see her as a burden and even expose her to save the Hero Squad’s reputation, putting on a show of righteousness.

Phew…

Fortunately, Mr. Qin had kindly reminded her. Otherwise, she would be in danger.

“Then I’ll be going, Miss Sylph. Please think about it carefully.” Qin Chu nodded at Sylph and turned to leave.

Only Sylph was left in Qin Chu’s bedroom.

Recalling his words, her cheeks flushed crimson.

To remove the corruption from her body, simply bathing in Holy Light wasn’t enough. As Mr. Qin had said, it wouldn’t address the root cause.

The mark of corruption was branded deep within her.

There was only one way to cleanse it: infuse her body with the power of Holy Light.

The same way Ekaterina had done it.

Sylph’s eyes were filled with conflict. Should she really accept this kind of treatment?

Chapter 181: My Fair Lady, You Wouldn’t Want to Become a Monster Like Karsus, Would You? (Part 1)

Qin Chu held her pointed, smooth chin in his hand.

For Sylph, a germaphobic elf, this was practically sacrilege.

A look of anger flashed across her face, and she jerked her head away, glaring at him. “Show some respect,” she snapped.

She had never been treated with such disrespect. Lord Jie Luo had always been courteous. Qin Chu’s touch disgusted her.

Her skin crawled. She scrubbed at her chin, the thought of his hand having just been on Ekaterina making her feel even more nauseated.

Qin Chu, unfazed, leaned back slightly.

Sylph pursed her lips, suppressing her anger. “What do you want?” she demanded.

“Murder the Hero? Ha, what a joke.”

“Do you have any proof? What you just said can’t be used as evidence.”

Seeing her bluster, Qin Chu almost laughed.

“No, Miss Sylph, you’re wrong. Don’t you understand? For a crime like attempting to murder the Hero, concrete evidence isn’t necessary. Suspicion, motive, a few circumstantial clues…that’s enough for a death sentence,” Qin Chu said with absolute certainty.

“Because the Hero is too important to the Heavenly Continent. Before the Demon Beasts are eliminated, he can’t be allowed to come to harm.”

“Especially now, with the Evil God encroaching upon this world, the Hero’s importance has increased significantly. Moreover, he just saved so many nobles from the Evil God’s pressure. He’s worshipped by everyone, the emissary of the Goddess of Holy Light…”

“If what happened just now is exposed, Sylph, I can assure you, you’re dead.”

Sylph clenched her fists. She wanted to punch that smug face, but she knew that if she did, there would be no room for negotiation.

Qin Chu hadn’t shouted for help, which meant he wanted something from her.

As for what that something was, Sylph had a pretty good idea.

Was she also going to be toyed with by the Hero, like Ekaterina and Athena?

Qin Chu, ignoring her thoughts, continued, a smile playing on his lips. “And it’s not just you who will die. The other members of the former Hero Squad will also be affected.”

“The First Hero as well.”

“They will wonder if there was something wrong with the First Hero, why all the members of his Hero Squad are bastards. First a Death Knight, now a Ghost Archer, will it ever end?”

“What was he thinking? What was his purpose? Did he even want to save the Heavenly Continent?”

Sylph’s face paled.

She wasn’t afraid of death, but she couldn’t bear to bring shame upon Lord Jie Luo.

Most importantly, it might even ruin their plan to resurrect him.

She couldn’t bear that.

Biting her lip, after a brief hesitation, Sylph removed her tight-fitting leather armor, revealing her shapely figure.

Closing her eyes, she said, “Just get it over with…”

It was just her body he wanted. Let him have it.

As long as it didn’t affect Lord Jie Luo’s resurrection, she could endure any consequences. Perhaps because of Ekaterina and Athena’s examples, making this decision wasn’t too difficult.

In this short time, Sylph couldn’t think of any other way to appease Qin Chu. He probably wouldn’t give her a chance, right?

But Sylph underestimated Qin Chu.

Among the members of the Hero Squad, Sylph had the worst personality. She was selfish, arrogant, conceited, and foolish.

She was as selfish as Loseweisse, but without her cunning; as arrogant as Ronald, but without his vigilance; as conceited as Athena, but without her intelligence.

Apart from her good looks, she had nothing else to offer.

But even though she had a good figure, a beautiful face, and was a rare elf, Qin Chu felt almost no desire for her… Ekaterina and Athena could at least arouse a flicker of interest.

Her soul was so ugly that it disgusted him… But it was a beautiful body, perhaps suitable for a vessel, or a beautiful puppet.

Honestly, Qin Chu wondered why Jie Luo had chosen such a person as his teammate. Birds of a feather flock together?

Wait a minute… A thought suddenly struck Qin Chu.

There were ten members in Jie Luo’s Hero Squad.

Almost all of them had some kind of problem.

Karsus had been completely corrupted by the Evil God, transformed into an ugly monster, and then purified.

The same X-shaped symbol, representing that crimson deity, had appeared on Sylph’s collarbone, just like on Karsus’s chest and the Witch hunter.

And Loseweisse… Through the seven scrolls she possessed, Qin Chu had learned about the mysterious beings in the Void. Loseweisse’s connection to the Void was deeper than anyone else’s.

Three out of ten had some connection to the Evil God. Could this really be just a coincidence?

He could investigate this further later.

Qin Chu was lost in thought, while Sylph waited for the inevitable, her body trembling slightly as the night wind brushed against her bare shoulders.

She hugged herself, shivering.

Suddenly, she felt something being placed on her… Qin Chu’s hand? Her trembling intensified.

But the touch felt different.

She opened her eyes in confusion and saw that it wasn’t Qin Chu’s hand, but his coat.

She looked at him, puzzled.

“Miss Sylph, did you think I was threatening you, trying to get your body?” Qin Chu asked with a gentle smile.

Wasn’t he? Sylph thought.

“I apologize if I gave you that impression,” Qin Chu said casually.

Sylph was even more confused. Was this gentlemanly man the same one who had just threatened her?

This was exactly the effect Qin Chu wanted. He wanted to confuse Sylph. A confused woman was easier to… deceive. No, not deceive…persuade!

“Ah, I just remembered, I glanced at your chest before. You wouldn’t think I was peeking, would you?” Qin Chu said, lightly tapping his head, as if he had just remembered something.

Sylph bit her lip, not answering. The drastic change in his demeanor confused her even more.

“That would be very rude of a gentleman… Of course, I’m not saying that you’re not beautiful, Miss Sylph, not attractive enough to catch a gentleman’s eye,” Qin Chu said with a chuckle.

“Actually, I was looking at something else.”

Sylph subconsciously touched her chest. What else about her could attract a man’s attention?

“I never intended to threaten you, Miss Sylph, nor do I resent you for trying to assassinate me. Please believe me.”

“Because I know that it wasn’t your true intention to kill me.”

No, it was my true intention. I really wanted to kill you, Sylph muttered in her heart. Although she was foolish, she wasn’t stupid enough to say it out loud.

“Everything I said before was just to calm you down, so we could have a proper conversation. Otherwise, there would be irreversible consequences.”

“I don’t want to threaten you, nor do I covet your beautiful body.”

Qin Chu’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he stepped back slightly.

“I just want to…”

“Save you!”

Save her?

Sylph finally opened her eyes and looked at Qin Chu in confusion. He was leaning back in his chair, bathed in a soft, hazy Holy Light.

He seemed strangely…holy.

“I don’t think there’s anything about me that needs saving.”

“Is that so?”

Qin Chu leaned back further, his eyes half-closed, his voice filled with pity, “Then, my poor elf…”

“There’s a mirror over there.”

A mirror?

Sylph was puzzled, but she still walked over to the mirror, looking at her perfect reflection.

She wasn’t boasting, she had always been confident in her appearance and figure.

She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her body, but as she looked, she seemed to notice something, and her face paled, her body trembling with fear.

Two faint, reddish marks had appeared on her collarbone, intersecting to form a grotesque X shape.

She scrubbed at them, but they wouldn’t disappear. They seemed to be branded onto her skin.

“Do you see it?” Qin Chu’s voice, soft yet menacing, came from behind her.

“Does it look familiar…?”

“That’s right. When Karsus fully transformed, the same mark appeared on his chest, only his was more prominent, more…bloody.”

“My poor elf, I sensed it the moment you entered this room. You…have been corrupted by the Evil God.”

“Perhaps, soon, you will also become a monster like Karsus, driven only by the desire to kill, starting with those closest to you.”

Sylph trembled, her face pale and bloodless, her beautiful eyes filled with terror. The thought of becoming like Karsus made her skin crawl.

No, absolutely not!

“I don’t want to see this tragedy unfold, so I want to save you…”

“My fair lady, you wouldn’t want to become a monster like Karsus, would you?”

Chapter 180: Sylph, You Wouldn’t Want Anyone to Know You Tried to Murder the Hero, Would You? (Part 5)

Sylph’s expression was twisted with frustration.

The elf, with her fiery temper, couldn’t accept that Qin Chu had dodged her two attacks in such an improbable manner.

She paced back and forth on the branch, her fingers tangled in her golden hair, muttering curses under her breath. She had never encountered such a bizarre situation.

Her arrows being blocked or dodged wasn’t unheard of. Even with her skills as the Ghost Archer, she couldn’t guarantee every shot would hit its mark, especially against opponents of equal or greater strength. She had once faced a particularly elusive Abyssal Demon General whose speed defied even her enhanced senses.

But it wasn’t the fact that Qin Chu dodged her attacks that angered her, but the way he did it, so seemingly carelessly, so… lucky.

Was it a coincidence?

If so, his luck was absurd.

If not, then he must have sensed her presence. Why hadn’t he raised the alarm, called for the guards? Why no reaction at all?

Sylph took several deep breaths, trying to control her emotions.

Qin Chu tied his shoelaces, put on his coat, and seemed to be about to leave.

If he took guards with him, especially that giantess, assassinating him would be almost impossible.

Sylph decided on one last attempt.

She calmed herself, closed her eyes, then opened them, focusing on Qin Chu’s back. Without hesitation, she loosed the arrow.

Thud!

A spray of blood erupted from Qin Chu’s back. He stumbled and collapsed.

A hit… I hit him?

Sylph stared in disbelief. Two carefully aimed shots had missed, and now a casual shot had hit its mark?

It felt… unreal.

For a moment, she was speechless.

Then, a low chuckle escaped her lips. “So, those two misses really were just coincidences.”

And then the realization of what she had done hit her. Her face paled, and she trembled. She had just killed the Hero.

And with him…the hope of the Heavenly Continent.

Fear and dread washed over her. The consequences of her actions could be catastrophic, leading to the deaths of countless people. Images of carnage, of blood and bone, filled her mind.

Why? she thought, panicked. Why did I do that?

She remembered the plan: wait until they had all of Jie Luo’s soul fragments, until Qin Chu had weakened the Demon Beasts, then strike.

Why had she broken the agreement, acted prematurely?

A sharp pain pierced her head.

She couldn’t explain it. An overwhelming urge to kill Qin Chu had consumed her, a compulsion she couldn’t resist.

It was as if a voice had been guiding her.

Sylph bit her lip, pushing the thoughts aside. Regret was useless now. She had to collect his blood, capture his soul, and flee.

She knew that after killing the Hero, she would be hunted relentlessly.

Even the other members of the Hero Squad wouldn’t forgive her.

Sylph silently glided into the room, her senses alert, and approached Qin Chu’s body. Looking at his hateful face, she felt the urge to mutilate it.

She carefully examined the wound, trying to avoid leaving any incriminating evidence, buying herself time to escape.

Her nerves were frayed, her focus strained. Just then, Qin Chu’s eyes snapped open. “Hey, Miss Sylph…”

Sylph jumped back, startled, her head slamming against the corner of the wall.

She was an archer and mage, agile but not physically robust. The impact shattered a piece of the stone wall, and she cried out, clutching the back of her head, sinking to her knees.

Qin Chu, however, stood up with a smile and walked towards her. “Surprise!” he said, his voice dripping with amusement, “Shocked? Excited?”

Surprised, my ass, Sylph cursed inwardly. She slowly stood up, her eyes narrowing. She could still see the wound on him, yet he seemed completely unharmed.

And how to deal with this situation was a huge problem.

She knew she was in deep trouble, her mind racing, searching for a solution.

She cursed her impulsiveness, her carelessness. She should have investigated Qin Chu more thoroughly before acting.

“Holy Light,” Qin Chu said casually, “you know, there are quite a few Light magic spells with excellent healing effects.”

Actually, it was his Holy Healing ability.

Compared to Karsus’s spear, Sylph’s arrow was less damaging.

Qin Chu sat down leisurely, watching Sylph’s changing expression with a smile.

Panic welled up within Sylph. She didn’t know what to do. When she was in the Hero Squad, Jie Luo made all the decisions. She just followed his orders. Her personality was simple and straightforward, ill-suited for such complex situations.

Qin Chu must know that she had tried to kill him. This was a big problem, and she couldn’t think of any way to deceive him.

She should have fired another arrow just now. That way, Qin Chu wouldn’t have had the chance to heal himself, right?

The smile on his face irritated her even more, and she felt a strange sense of fear. There was something unsettling about his smile…

She remembered what she had seen between Qin Chu and Ekaterina.

She instinctively pulled her clothes tighter around her.

Should she just attack again and finish him off completely?

A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes.

“Miss Sylph,” Qin Chu said, raising an eyebrow, his smile widening, “what do you think would happen if I shouted for help right now?”

The killing intent in Sylph’s eyes faded as she suppressed her urge. Violet was very strong. If Qin Chu called for help, she would be here in seconds.

And without a surprise attack, it was unlikely that she could kill him in such a short time. He was already quite strong.

Now that she thought about it, her two previous misses might not have been coincidences at all, but this bastard deliberately toying with her. The thought that she had been played infuriated her.

Seeing Sylph’s suppressed rage, Qin Chu nodded with satisfaction. “That’s right…”

His gaze casually swept over the two faint, X-shaped marks on her neck below her collarbone, and he frowned slightly.

His strange look made Sylph bite her lip. “Qin Chu,” she asked, her voice tight, “what do you want?”

“I just want to have a nice chat with you,” Qin Chu said with a smile, spreading his hands.

Sylph looked away. “I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”

Qin Chu’s voice dripped with malicious amusement. “We have plenty to talk about,” he said, “For instance…”

“Sylph, you wouldn’t want anyone to know you tried to murder the Hero, would you?”

Sylph’s eyes widened, a flicker of panic in their depths. She looked away. “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. Even if you’re the Hero, you can’t just slander people like this. I just saw you lying motionless on the floor and came to check on you out of concern.”

She seemed to be playing innocent.

Qin Chu didn’t stand up, but leaned towards her, a simple movement that exuded a powerful, menacing aura.

Even though she was stronger than him, Sylph felt herself shrinking before him.

“Are you saying this was just a coincidence?”

“That you just happened to be outside my window… on the third floor, no less.”

“And you just happened to see me collapse on the floor, with a small hole in my clothes from a wind arrow, and two more holes in the wall?”

Qin Chu suddenly reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, his gaze cold and intimidating.

“Miss Sylph, lying is not a good habit!”

Chapter 179: Ekaterina’s Great Sacrifice 

In legends, elves were a peace-loving race.

They disliked killing and had no interest in reproduction.

But Sylph, as an elf, was clearly unqualified, at least in terms of her dislike for killing.

Whether it was due to her instinctive aversion to Qin Chu, or because he had purified Karsus and killed her Brother Karsus, Sylph hated him to the core, wanting nothing more than to see him dead.

This killing intent was so intense that Sylph could barely control herself.

It shouldn’t be like this. Although Sylph had a fiery temper, she wasn’t usually so easily angered… Especially after arriving at the residence and sensing Violet’s power, she and Airi had agreed to postpone their assassination attempt on Qin Chu, letting that hateful man live a few more days.

However, late at night, alone in her dark room, the killing intent within her grew like a wildfire.

Sylph couldn’t bear it anymore. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping to fall asleep quickly and stop thinking about these things.

But the moment she closed her eyes, a figure appeared before her.

“Brother Karsus…”

She couldn’t help but cry out.

She saw Brother Karsus standing quietly by her bed, his face covered in filth and blood, his body a mangled mess, barely a patch of intact skin, wounds so deep that the bone was visible.

He was crying, tears and blood mixing on his ruined face.

His pained whimpers filled Sylph’s heart with sorrow. He must be in so much pain, so much agony, right?

“Sister Sylph… It hurts so much…”

His voice, deep and ethereal, drifted into Sylph’s ears.

Sylph’s body trembled. Yes, being stabbed in the head with that silver sword of light, it must have been very painful, right?

Being burned by the silver flames, it must have been agonizing, right?

The hatred in Sylph’s emerald eyes intensified.

All of this was done by that bastard Qin Chu.

She hadn’t done anything for Karsus, yet she hated Qin Chu, who had killed him because he was beyond saving and was causing so much destruction.

This beautiful elf’s heart wasn’t as kind as her appearance and strength suggested.

Karsus reached out to Sylph on the bed, his blood-soaked fingers, bone peeking through the torn flesh, caressing her cheek.

“My dearest Sister Sylph, you will avenge me, right?”

“My soul is suffering cruel torment in hell. You will definitely send Qin Chu down there too, won’t you? I trust you so much…”

A strange light flickered in Sylph’s emerald eyes, “Brother Karsus, I promise you, I will definitely kill Qin Chu. I will inflict the pain you suffered on him a hundredfold, a thousandfold.”

“Then, I can rest in peace.” Karsus smiled, an X-shaped mark appearing in his eyes.

His figure gradually disappeared.

Sylph suddenly woke up. Karsus was gone. She touched the tear stains on her face and silently got out of bed, opening the window.

Under the moonlight, her fair face was filled with a twisted killing intent, a faint red glint in her emerald eyes.

She didn’t notice the two faint, intersecting marks on her slender neck, just below her collarbone.

Sylph took a deep breath. She had to kill Qin Chu. Otherwise, she would never find peace, and the nightmares would continue.

Her figure, agile as a ghost, silently left the room, moving through the vast gardens of the residence. Even a thin leaf was enough to support her weight.

Perhaps this was the reason for her title, Ghost Archer.

Finally, she found Qin Chu’s bedroom. She was about to draw her bow and shoot an arrow through his head, then flee.

But she unexpectedly saw another person in Qin Chu’s room: Ekaterina.

They were talking about something, but even with her excellent hearing, Sylph couldn’t hear them from this distance, which irritated her.

She couldn’t attack while Ekaterina was there. She would definitely stop her. After all, this hateful woman didn’t care about Brother Karsus’s life or death.

Fortunately, this situation didn’t last long. They soon finished their conversation. Just as Sylph thought Ekaterina would leave, things took an unexpected turn.

She didn’t leave. Instead, she knelt before Qin Chu, her face full of a seductive, pleasing smile, completely abandoning her pride as the Crimson Valkyrie…

And then…

Oh, god.

What… What was Ekaterina doing?!

Sylph almost screamed, her body trembling, goosebumps erupting all over her skin.

A burning heat spread through her, her face and ears flushing crimson.

She quickly raised her hands to cover her eyes.

She couldn’t bear to watch the scene unfolding in the bedroom, but her fingers instinctively parted slightly.

It was too shameful, too shameless, too obscene, too disgusting…

…

Sylph didn’t know how to describe what she was seeing.

She felt her worldview shattering.

She sat on a tree branch, her legs trembling, the leaves rustling in the night wind. She almost fell and had to move to a sturdier branch.

Her Mana and Battle Qi were in turmoil.

Her mind was a mess.

She knew that Ekaterina had made great sacrifices to resurrect Jie Luo, even offering herself to Qin Chu.

But she never imagined it would be to this extent.

Her cheeks burned as she watched the two figures inside, waiting for it to end.

She added this shame to the list of Qin Chu’s offenses.

Sylph didn’t know that while she was watching Qin Chu and Ekaterina, two other people were watching her with smiles on their faces.

Violet and Anthea.

Sylph thought she was being stealthy, undetected, but the entire residence was under Violet’s surveillance.

It was a classic case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Moreover, this weak mantis wasn’t even hunting a cicada, but a venomous snake. Who was the true prey?

Violet informed Qin Chu of Sylph’s whereabouts through Information Magic, asking if she should eliminate her. It wouldn’t be difficult for Violet.

Although Sylph’s strength was decent, it was nothing compared to the Storm Witch. Killing her wouldn’t be much harder than killing Karsus.

But Qin Chu refused.

He would deal with this woman personally.

At this moment, Violet understood that unprecedented torment awaited Sylph.

Beside Violet was Anthea.

The Ghost Valkyrie, as always, had an expressionless, indifferent face. Perhaps because she had been with Qin Chu for a longer time, there was a bit more life in her eyes, and her speech was clearer than before.

As friends from a thousand years ago, although Anthea couldn’t remember anything, they would still occasionally get together like this, sitting on tree branches in the night breeze, doing nothing, saying nothing, just leaning against each other, gazing at the night sky, or whatever.

Time passed slowly, and the disgust on Sylph’s face intensified.

Elves didn’t like this kind of thing, and Qin Chu’s rough actions filled Sylph with revulsion. In her heart, he had become a complete scumbag.

His usually gentlemanly exterior was a good disguise, but beneath that facade was a filthy soul.

It wouldn’t be a loss to kill such a bastard.

Every second of waiting was like an eternity in hell for Sylph.

After an unknown amount of time, the sounds from inside the room finally subsided. Ekaterina gathered her scattered armor, put it back on, and left Qin Chu’s bedroom, swaying her graceful hips.

Sylph let out a long breath.

It was finally over.

Now, she could finally end this scumbag’s life.

Sylph stood up from the branch, preparing to draw her bow and aim for Qin Chu’s head, an arrow ready to pierce through his skull.

But her legs gave way, and she couldn’t help but cry out, her body falling backwards.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly, grabbing a branch to steady herself, preventing a more embarrassing fall. The images she had just witnessed, while filling her with disgust and hatred, also made her feel strangely sensitive and ashamed.

Her legs were weak and numb.

Her shameful behavior made Sylph blush deeply. Luckily, there was no one else around to witness her embarrassing fall, otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to show her face anymore.

But Sylph didn’t know that her comical fall had been witnessed by Anthea and Violet.

Sylph took a deep breath, telling herself that it wasn’t because of any inappropriate reaction, but simply because she had been sitting on the branch for too long and her legs were numb.

She nodded slightly. Yes, that was it.

She adjusted her breathing, tapped her toes on a leaf, and regained her elegant posture.

A beautiful longbow, shimmering with an emerald light, appeared in her hand. This bow wasn’t very powerful, its ornate decorations hindering its effectiveness, but Sylph still chose it without hesitation. Only such a beautiful weapon was worthy of an equally beautiful and elegant elf.

She nocked an arrow, her two fingers pulling the bowstring taut. A streak of Mana flowed from her fingertips, condensing into a blue-gray arrow.

Sylph never carried a quiver. It was too ugly, too unrefined for an elf, a disgrace to her elegance. She preferred to conjure arrows from wind elements.

They were more powerful and more convenient to use.

She closed one eye, aiming. Qin Chu’s figure, just standing up, aligned perfectly with the tip of her arrow.

“Die, scumbag,” Sylph cursed inwardly.

She planned to end Qin Chu’s life with a single arrow, then capture his soul and torture it in a secret place… She would make Qin Chu experience the pain Brother Karsus had suffered.

The next instant, she released the bowstring.

The blue-gray arrow tore through the air silently, heading straight for the back of Qin Chu’s neck.

But at this moment, Qin Chu seemed to notice something on the ground and bent down.

With a hiss, the wind arrow grazed his hair and pierced the wall behind him.

Sylph was stunned, wondering if she had seen wrong. How had Qin Chu dodged her arrow?

She saw him tying his shoelaces.

Could it be…just a coincidence?

Yes, it must be. How could Qin Chu possibly dodge her wind arrow? Although he had some abilities, they were only effective against Demon Beasts and those corrupted by the Evil God. It didn’t mean he could dodge her attacks.

Taking a deep breath, Sylph calmed her racing heart. Perhaps her body hadn’t fully recovered yet, her hand had trembled, giving Qin Chu the opportunity.

This time, she wouldn’t make the same mistake.

She drew her bow again, aiming slightly lower this time.

Although the neck was a fatal spot, it was too small a target. It was better to aim for his heart. A single arrow through the heart would still kill him.

This time, to ensure accuracy, Sylph even infused her eyes with Mana, her emerald eyes shimmering. Her eyes were like a crosshair, the arrow never missing its mark.

Locking onto Qin Chu’s heart, a smile appeared on Sylph’s lips. “Then, farewell, Hero…”

She released the bowstring, and the arrow whizzed through the air, covering the less-than-hundred-meter distance in an instant, appearing behind Qin Chu, about to pierce his heart.

At this moment, Qin Chu suddenly turned, grabbing a coat from a hanger and putting it on.

He seemed to be going out.

The wind arrow grazed his back and embedded itself in the wall.

Another small hole appeared in the wall.

Sylph stared, dumbfounded, her expression twisted in frustration.

Chapter 178: The Valkyrie Eager for Reward (Part 3)

The stronger and higher-ranking a Demon Beast, the closer its appearance to a human.

Of course, Succubi were an exception.

Even the weakest Succubi closely resembled humans.

As the Demon King, Nagath’s appearance was very close to that of a human. He had a human-like body, head, and thick limbs. His strong body was covered in well-defined muscles that looked like metal, their lines smooth and perfect, exuding a powerful beauty.

Two dark red horns curved slightly backwards from his forehead, and his fingers were sharp claws like knives.

Unlike those monstrous, twisted, and ferocious Demon Beasts, and even compared to his son Lomond’s small, hill-like body, the Demon King’s physique seemed somewhat small.

But no one in the entire Demon Beast race dared to underestimate the Demon King’s power. Anyone who dared to challenge his throne would suffer a cruel punishment. He would use his sharp claws and his vast, ocean-like Mana to prove his strength.

His eyes were blood red, his gaze fixed on the gradually fading crimson tide in the sky, a hint of oppressive hatred in his eyes.

The God of Darkness, Blood, and Slaughter!

He sensed it, the aura of that madman.

Among the deities of the Void, that wasn’t the most twisted or sinister one, but definitely the most insane. Because that guy’s only goal was to plunge the entire world into endless slaughter and war, which brought him supreme pleasure.

Only the strong would receive his attention and favor, and that wasn’t a good thing.

The woman behind him pressed against his back. She was graceful, voluptuous, and enchanting, with a fair face and beautiful features, a slender black tail with a heart-shaped tip extending from behind her.

She was a Succubus.

And the current Queen of the Succubi.

She was one of Demon King Nagath’s wives and had once been his most beloved consort.

Of course, the nature of the Succubi made her not so honest. She had cheated on Nagath before, more than once. Candice was the result of one such infidelity.

In a way, Lomond and Candice were siblings… Although they had different fathers, and in Lomond’s eyes, any association with Candice was a taint on his noble bloodline.

But Demon King Nagath didn’t seem to care. After all, in his harem, there were many who had been snatched from other powerful Demon Beasts.

The only thing that puzzled the Succubus Queen was that Demon King Nagath seemed to have suddenly changed his personality a few years ago. He seemed to have lost interest in conquering human lands and spent most of his time secluded in the deepest part of the Demon King’s Palace. He left almost all the wars against humans to the Four Heavenly Kings, the Seventeen Demon Generals, and his sons.

No one knew what the Demon King was doing. He seemed to be researching something strange.

He was so engrossed in it that he hadn’t even favored any of his consorts.

This strange situation aroused suspicion among some powerful Demon Beasts. Apart from their appearance, there wasn’t much difference between Demon Beasts and humans. It was just that the Demon Beasts’ greed and cruelty were more pronounced.

Some Demon Beasts suspected that the Demon King had suffered severe injuries in his duel with the First Hero, Jie Luo, and his strength had declined.

A weakling wasn’t worthy of sitting on the throne.

Therefore, some powerful Demon Beasts began to challenge the Demon King.

But Nagath proved with his absolute strength that he was still the strongest among the Demon Beasts… His power was even greater than before, unparalleled.

The Demon King’s consorts all tried to seduce him, hoping to regain his favor.

Whoever was favored by Nagath would immediately rise in status among the Demon Beasts, even the Succubus Queen was no exception.

Seducing the opposite sex was what Succubi were best at, let alone the Succubus Queen, the most enchanting and alluring existence. Her soft body wriggled gently against Nagath’s back.

Her hair brushed against his cheek, sending shivers down his spine.

Nagath could clearly smell the alluring fragrance emanating from the Succubus Queen. Although he was wearing armor, he could still feel how soft her body was. Holding her in his arms would be the ultimate pleasure.

Especially the Succubus Queen. Even if she just lay there motionless, she could make a man experience true paradise.

A faint flicker of desire appeared in Nagath’s crimson eyes.

But he quickly controlled himself and pushed the woman behind him away mercilessly. “Sorry, I have research to do tonight.”

After saying these words, Nagath turned and returned to the Demon King’s Palace, leaving the Succubus Queen alone under the moonlight. A hint of resentment flashed in her beautiful eyes. Sometimes, she even wondered if Nagath had suffered some kind of injury in his battle with the Hero that made him lose his…ability.

But from the Demon King’s reactions, she could tell that wasn’t the case.

She looked at the guards around her, searching for a suitable target to relieve her loneliness.

Being the Demon King’s consort brought a high status, but it also came with some troubles… After all, not every Demon Beast had the courage to cuckold the Demon King.

After returning to his laboratory, Nagath closed the door.

Only the Demon King could open the door to this laboratory, and the soundproofing was excellent.

He was alone in the spacious room, a manic glint in his eyes. He clenched his fists, the image of the Succubus Queen’s graceful and alluring figure involuntarily appearing in his mind, making him even more irritated.

“Damn it…”

…

On the other side…

Sylph and Airi ultimately didn’t attack.

The desire to tear Qin Chu apart continued to grow within them, their hands even reaching for their weapons.

But in the end, they gave up.

There was no helping it. Wadsworth, Augustus, and Saint Monique were here. These three wouldn’t let them kill Qin Chu.

If they attacked, their fate would be as tragic as Karsus’s.

Especially Sylph. Because Karsus had been purified by Qin Chu, and before his complete destruction, Qin Chu had even crushed all his dignity and honor, making him die in the most humiliating way, reduced to ashes in front of everyone.

It was practically a public execution.

This made Sylph hate Qin Chu to the core.

And by extension, she also hated Norma. Norma was Karsus’s fiancée! Seeing her fiancé turned to ashes by Holy Light, she didn’t show any sadness at all, and she was even close to Qin Chu, the murderer who killed her fiancé. This was unforgivable in Sylph’s eyes.

This woman was incredibly selfish. She didn’t even consider that Karsus was no longer human, just an ugly monster. It was too much to ask Norma to accept such a creature.

After the nobles dispersed, Wadsworth and the other two also came to say goodbye.

Qin Chu and Norma returned to the residence. Sylph and Airi exchanged glances and silently followed behind. They would also be staying at the residence as the Hero’s archery and thievery teachers. The road wasn’t a good place to kill Qin Chu and Norma, but they would have plenty of opportunities after they arrived at the residence.

The Sykes Hotel was clearly no longer habitable. The owner wanted to cry, but no tears came. His hotel had been severely damaged, but no one came to discuss compensation. He had to bear all the losses himself.

After returning to the residence, Violet briefly asked what had happened. She had also sensed the crimson light in the sky, but it hadn’t affected her much.

The Seed of Storms within her had become exceptionally active at that time, helping her resist the invasion from the Void.

Qin Chu explained briefly, then let Norma choose a comfortable room and rest. Although he had many questions for her, Norma was already very tired. They could talk tomorrow.

He had brought back one girl from his previous outing.

This time, there were three…

This made Angelica puff out her cheeks. Only Anastasia didn’t seem to mind. She was very confident.

Qin Chu also warmly welcomed Sylph and Airi. The two women forced smiles in response. It was difficult for them.

Their gazes occasionally swept over Violet. They could sense that this woman was very, very strong… They had thought that it would be easier to attack Qin Chu after getting close to him, but now it seemed that this woman would be the biggest obstacle.

That night, Ekaterina appeared in Qin Chu’s bedroom.

After Qin Chu set up a soundproof barrier, Ekaterina began to relay the details of the meeting between the five female members of the Hero Squad.

“Airi and Sylph want to investigate the hidden power within you, Master.”

“Loseweisse found a special kind of poison. It’s colorless, odorless, and undetectable. It doesn’t take effect immediately, but accumulates in the body.”

“When the poison takes effect, it will start to corrode the body, making the target extremely weak, and their wounds won’t heal…”

A grim smile appeared on Qin Chu’s lips. He had tasted this poison many times in the first playthrough and still couldn’t forget its terrible taste.

“There’s some infighting within the Hero Squad. Although they eventually blamed everything on Augustus, the cracks have appeared, and they probably won’t be easily mended.”

“Ronald, the Noble Swordsman, is currently trapped in the Demon Beast territory by Lomond and can’t escape for the time being. But he’s hiding well, and Lomond can’t catch him. However, it will definitely become a problem if this continues. I suspect that Airi’s sister, Eileen, has already infiltrated the Demon Beast territory to help Ronald, but this is just my speculation, and its accuracy is uncertain.”

“Also, Loseweisse seems to have found another possible location of Jie Luo’s soul fragment, but she’s not sure. She has already contacted Muse the Mad, who will check it out on her way to the Imperial City.”

“Athena is very suspicious that there’s a traitor in the Hero Squad. Her main suspects are Loseweisse and Sylph.”

“Her relationship with Sylph is especially bad.”

Qin Chu nodded slightly. Keeping Ekaterina around was the right decision. As a spy planted within the Hero Squad, she could provide him with detailed information about their movements.

Ekaterina suddenly seemed to remember something. “By the way, when the five of us were discussing, besides Norma, there were two other guests who visited, Carlos, the president of the Adventurer’s Guild, and Lex, the largest merchant in the Auville Empire… But seeing that Loseweisse had other guests, they left.”

Carlos, Lex!

Two more enemies had appeared.

The Adventurer’s Guild was the Guardian Association that Qin Chu had dealt with after killing Demon King Nagath. They were responsible for cleaning up the remaining scattered Demon Beasts and collecting rewards.

And when he was executed, it was Carlos’s ultimate move, the Sword of Damocles, that hung above his head, said to be able to cut through anything.

Qin Chu touched his neck, still feeling a phantom pain. It was that sword that had taken his head.

As for Lex, he was the most famous merchant in the Auville Empire. His title was Count, not the highest-ranking noble, but his business acumen was extraordinary. He monopolized the food processing, medicine production, and weapon manufacturing industries in the Auville Empire, even the entire Heavenly Continent, accumulating astonishing wealth.

Later, he even monopolized the news media of the Heavenly Continent.

Ruining his reputation was Lex’s doing. His subordinates were very good at spreading rumors.

The poison Loseweisse added to his medicine had also been modified and enhanced by Lex.

And the weapons, including the Hero’s, were all produced by Lex. During Qin Chu’s second attempt to seal the Witch, his weapon had suddenly exploded. Otherwise, his injuries wouldn’t have been so severe.

At that time, Qin Chu hadn’t thought much of it, thinking that the impact of their battle was too strong, and the weapon couldn’t withstand it. Now that he thought about it, Lex had probably tampered with the weapon.

That woman Loseweisse was truly chillingly insidious.

To kill him, she had planned for seven years… No, perhaps even longer. Even before he was summoned to this world, Loseweisse had already been planning how to kill him.

While pretending to be innocent and naive, she was secretly plotting his demise.

A smile played on Qin Chu’s lips. Hearing this news now, he didn’t even feel particularly angry, only amused.

He wouldn’t let any of them go.

He would personally make those who had harmed him experience the most excruciating pain… He would carefully prepare the best way to die for each of them.

Benson and Karsus were already dead, Ekaterina was under his control, and Athena was deceived… Who should be his next target?

Ronald and Eileen seemed to be in the Demon Beast territory… Should he ignore Airi and Sylph for now and start with Eileen and Ronald?

Qin Chu pondered.

After all, he already had a detailed plan for them.

However, a certain elf had delivered herself to his doorstep, which puzzled him.

“Also, Athena has been going to the library a lot recently. I checked the books she borrowed, and they’re almost all related to souls, soul fragments, and soul crystals…” Ekaterina added after thinking for a moment.

Then, she looked up at Qin Chu with an expectant expression, like a pet eager for its master’s reward. Her eyes seemed to be saying, Master, I did a good job, right?

As expected, although Qin Chu’s disguise was quite good, his acting almost perfect, Athena, after calming down, could still sense something unnatural. She would use various channels to confirm her suspicions.

Perhaps he should deal with Athena a bit earlier.

Qin Chu naturally understood Ekaterina’s thoughts. He wasn’t the kind of capitalist who would only exploit his subordinates. He naturally had to reward Ekaterina for her good work.

His fingers traced the lines of Ekaterina’s fair cheek, a gentle smile on his face, “Ekaterina, you did a very good job this time… I’m very satisfied.”

Qin Chu removed the barrier and looked at Ekaterina, who was kneeling on the ground with a bright, joyful smile on her face. But from the corner of his eye, he saw a figure outside the window.

A blonde elf stood silently on a tree branch, the night wind ruffling her hair, her emerald eyes filled with killing intent.

Chapter 177: Demon King Nagath (Part 2)

A deep, profound darkness, replaced by crimson, enveloped the world. Stars, like blood-red gems, twinkled ominously in the night sky, and thin, viscous strands, like threads of blood, drifted through the air.

The two crescent moons turned into blood moons.

A hazy crimson veil fell over the world, silent as a tomb.

The crimson deepened, intensifying into a bloody light that painted every face in grotesque hues, twisting features into monstrous grimaces. Panic spread like a contagion.

An ominous presence, a nameless dread, filled the air, making people tremble.

They tried to speak, but their voices caught in their throats.

Qin Chu’s expression was grim. He knew that his first true confrontation with a god of the Void had incurred its displeasure.

Augustus, Wadsworth, and Saint Monique also wore grave expressions, their gazes fixed on the Void above.

Even Sylph and Airi forgot their grief for Karsus.

…

The night was eerily still, the crimson moons casting a dreamlike glow, the broken ground of the silent world patterned with the shadows of trees.

The crimson light spread, a bloody stain across the dark canvas of the sky.

Suddenly, a different color emerged from a rift torn in the Void.

A chill ran down Qin Chu’s spine.

It was a massive throne, as large as a palace, as tall as a mountain, constructed entirely of skulls and bones. How many skulls were needed for such a monstrous creation? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Millions?

Each empty socket glowed with an eerie crimson light.

The throne was empty, yet its presence weighed heavily on everyone, a suffocating, terrifying pressure.

Then, a voice, filled with unimaginable violence and filth, pierced Qin Chu’s ears. Unlike the eerie whispers before, this voice was more penetrating, a roar of pure rage.

His veins bulged, throbbing as if about to burst. He saw a vision of his own blood vessels exploding, spraying blood everywhere.

An uncontrollable rage surged within him…

He felt himself transforming, becoming a monstrous creature like Karsus.

Light!

He bit his tongue, the sharp pain clearing his mind. He roared, and a gentle Holy Light emanated from his body.

The violent impulse within him subsided. The Holy Light spread outwards, reaching Wadsworth first. The man’s eyes bulged, his fingers clenched, his body seemingly expanding.

He was clearly struggling against a violent urge to destroy.

The Holy Light suppressed the destructive impulse, and Wadsworth took a deep breath, his composure returning. He looked around. He and Saint Monique, the two most powerful mages, had been the least affected.

Mages had stronger mental fortitude and were more resistant to such influences.

The spreading Holy Light eased their discomfort.

Norma was also unaffected, her will stronger than her timid exterior suggested. The nobles in the distance felt fear, but didn’t seem to be significantly affected.

That mysterious and terrifying being seemed to disdain ordinary humans, for they lacked power.

The truly unfortunate ones were those with some strength, enough to attract the attention of the being in the Void, yet not enough to resist its crimson influence.

Among the nobles, a young man screamed, his body swelling, his skin cracking, his hair growing thick and black. He transformed into a giant ape, his shrill cries turning into ferocious roars.

His hands became sharp claws, and he lunged towards the nearest person. But before he could reach them, his blood vessels, unable to contain the boiling blood within, exploded.

He had sought to destroy, but he was the one destroyed.

The Holy Light continued to spread, enveloping more and more people, calming their racing hearts, bringing warmth and peace.

Only Qin Chu still radiated Holy Light. Only the Holy Light could bring salvation… and fear was the breeding ground of faith.

Suddenly, Qin Chu’s heart skipped a beat.

He felt a pair of ferocious eyes upon him.

The gaze of a god.

Goosebumps erupted all over his body.

Then, the crimson light in the night sky receded like a retreating tide, and darkness returned. The moonlight, no longer blood-red, shone brightly. All the crimson light converged into the rift in the Void, the bone throne vanishing, the rift slowly closing.

If it weren’t for the few corpses that had exploded for no apparent reason, everyone might have thought it was just an illusion.

An eerie silence fell over the arena. The nobles, still prostrate on the ground, began to praise the Hero’s name, chanting hymns to the Goddess of Holy Light.

At this moment, Qin Chu was no longer just the Hero, he was also the emissary of the Goddess of Holy Light.

Qin Chu paid no attention to their reverence. His face was calm as he glanced at Wadsworth, Saint Monique, and Augustus behind him.

“That deity just now wasn’t a benevolent being…”

His gaze shifted to the ashes where Karsus’s body had been incinerated.

“Perhaps it needs believers.”

“But you wouldn’t want to end up like Karsus, would you?”

He left them with these words, then turned to the adoring crowd, a gentle smile gracing his lips, accepting their worship.

The three leaders exchanged glances, suspicion and admiration warring in their eyes.

As expected of the Hero. Although he seemed to spend all his time with women, his intelligence was unparalleled. They had held secret meetings, discussing their future course of action, behind his back.

Saint Monique had suggested that if the Hero and the Goddess of Holy Light won, they would be heroes. If they lost, the new deity would also need believers.

And Qin Chu had seen right through their plan.

His ambiguous words were a warning. They didn’t have much choice.

You wouldn’t want to end up like Karsus, would you? They shuddered, recalling the fate of the Evil God’s followers. The Grand Prince, reduced to a rotting, stinking mass of flesh. Karsus, transformed into a monstrous killing machine.

Was this the fate of the Evil God’s believers? A fate worse than death.

The three exchanged glances, understanding each other’s thoughts. Their previous decision seemed too hasty now…

Watching Qin Chu accept the worship of the thousands of nobles, they felt a sense of unease. They knew that the Hero’s fame and influence would inevitably grow, making it even more difficult to deal with him in the future.

Norma looked at Qin Chu’s back, her eyes filled with admiration.

Sylph and Airi, however, had grim expressions, their fingers clenched.

Killing intent filled their eyes.

Even the First Hero, Jie Luo, hadn’t received such adoration. What made this Qin Chu so worthy? He wasn’t even fit to carry Jie Luo’s shoes. What had he done to deserve more popularity than Lord Jie Luo, who had fought the Demon Beasts for years and saved countless lives?

Actually, even Qin Chu himself couldn’t understand it. In the first playthrough, he had worked diligently, eliminating Demon Beasts and bringing peace to the Heavenly Continent, allowing people to live safely in this world. But in the end, he had gained nothing.

This time, he hadn’t done anything, just showed off the brilliance of the Holy Light, and somehow, he was being worshipped by the masses.

Sometimes, it was truly difficult to understand what these people were thinking!

Why? Why? Why?

Resentment and killing intent festered.

Sylph and Airi hadn’t been bathed in the Holy Light just now, not because Qin Chu was stingy and unwilling to offer them protection.

He had offered it, and they had refused.

Perhaps their pride wouldn’t allow them to accept his grace.

They had been exposed to the crimson light, and now, their killing intent was almost uncontrollable, especially seeing Qin Chu surrounded by nobles, enjoying their nauseating praise and worship, a glory that should have belonged to Lord Jie Luo.

They wanted to kill him so badly!

They had even forgotten the agreement they had made with Loseweisse, Athena, and Ekaterina.

It wasn’t time to kill Qin Chu yet. They still needed him to fight the Demon Beasts, and even more sinister and terrifying beings. If they killed him now, their plan would be completely ruined. Jie Luo might never be resurrected, and even if he was, they would still have to face the Demon King and even the evil gods in the Void…

Their fingers instinctively reached for the weapons at their waists.

…

Meanwhile, in the Demon Beast territory.

The Demon King’s Palace!

A burly figure in armor suddenly rushed out from the depths of the palace, his large, ferocious eyes staring at the night sky above, the lingering crimson light fading.

His rough face gradually twisted into a sinister expression.

His giant claws clenched tightly!

The God of Darkness, Blood, and Slaughter!

A graceful, voluptuous woman emerged from the palace, her full body pressing against the man’s back, her slender fingers tracing the lines of his chest. Her voice was sweet and seductive, “Your Majesty, what are you looking at?”

Chapter 176: The Bone Throne (Part 1)

Light!

As Qin Chu chanted, a soft, hazy white light emanated from his body, dispelling the darkness.

The light coalesced behind him, forming two enormous wings that lifted him from the window, carrying him down towards the street below with the grace of an angel.

He walked across the ravaged ground, darkness receding before him, approaching Karsus step by step.

Wadsworth, Saint Monique, and Augustus exchanged glances, a shared unease in their eyes.

Qin Chu’s aura was growing stronger.

He carried himself like a divine emissary, which was definitely not good news for them… Although this emissary only displayed such an aura when demonstrating his power.

Normally, he was worse than the most debauched noble.

He seemed more interested in the beautiful women of the Heavenly Continent than its peace and stability… They couldn’t understand why such a person would gain the attention of a deity.

He reached the chains, his fingers brushing against the cold metal.

A familiar feeling.

A flicker of ruthlessness crossed Qin Chu’s face, quickly masked by his usual inscrutable expression.

From the moment the goddess’s phantom appeared behind him, Qin Chu knew that these old foxes would investigate. But no matter how they speculated, how they probed, his response would be the same: neither confirm nor deny.

It was better to reveal a little of his power, just enough to keep them guessing, allowing him to conceal his true strength.

He reached the corroded section of the chains and brushed his fingers across the foul substance. A gentle white light enveloped it.

With a sizzling sound, the dark red, defiling blood was cleansed, leaving only a discoloration on the chains.

Augustus’s cloudy eyes narrowed. The Shackles of Heaven’s Cage he had used was also Holy Light magic, yet it couldn’t resist the corrosive blood. The light from Qin Chu’s hand, although not particularly bright, was remarkably effective.

This could only mean that the power of light Qin Chu wielded was on a higher level than his own Holy Light magic.

Qin Chu had his own plan. This was different from the Grand Prince’s situation.

The Grand Prince had summoned a phantom of the Evil God, but Qin Chu hadn’t directly confronted it. The goddess had handled it.

This time, Karsus hadn’t summoned the Evil God’s avatar, but he had gained immense power through its influence.

Qin Chu knew how powerful Wadsworth’s three Disintegration punches were. Karsus’s head had been shattered by one punch, yet he could still regenerate. He was a formidable opponent. And summoning the goddess’s avatar was impossible now. He had tried, but failed.

To completely destroy Karsus, this monster created by the Evil God, he could only rely on himself.

This was the first time Qin Chu had truly confronted an Evil God. Before, he had always avoided them… He didn’t want to be involved with those mysterious and terrifying beings in the Void.

But he knew, whether forced or willingly, he was already on this path. His only choice was to fight to the end.

It had nothing to do with the fate of the Heavenly Continent, but simply…he wanted to live.

He smiled. To confront an Evil God, it was actually quite exciting.

On Karsus’s monstrous body, a new head, round and about the size of a child’s, had already regrown on his severed neck, bumps quickly appearing on its surface.

He seemed to sense the danger. A crack appeared on his head, seemingly his mouth, splitting into a half-circle, almost tearing his small head in two. The inside of his mouth was a deep crimson, filled with rows of spiraling teeth.

“Kill!”

His sharp, terrifying voice echoed once again.

An invisible shockwave slammed into Qin Chu.

But this time, it was different.

The hazy white light around Qin Chu seemed to block the sonic attack, rippling outwards.

He swayed slightly, his face paling, but quickly steadied himself.

Resisting the impact, he walked forward step by step. Although his pace was slow, each step seemed to carry the weight of millions of kilograms.

The shrill cry continued, unrelenting.

Norma, Sylph, and Airi were forced to retreat further.

The sound seemed to have the ability to trigger the most cruel and bloodthirsty side of human nature. They felt an increasing urge to destroy, to slaughter. Their eyes even flashed with ferocity and cruelty.

Saint Monique and Augustus lowered their eyes slightly, maintaining the four chains, pulling Karsus’s mangled body taut to prevent him from breaking free and attacking.

Their strength was greater, their souls able to withstand the sonic assault.

Wadsworth followed Qin Chu, ready to rescue him if necessary.

After all, although he was wary of Qin Chu’s talent and strength, the Heavenly Continent couldn’t afford to lose him now.

Finally, Qin Chu reached Karsus.

He held his hands above Karsus’s newly regenerated head, as if grasping something invisible.

“Only light can dispel darkness.”

“Only light can purify filth!”

He chanted.

Two cracks appeared on Karsus’s head, seemingly his eyes, filled with venomous red light.

“In the name of the Goddess of Holy Light…”

“We deliver the judgment of the heavens.”

Silver-white light gathered in his cupped hands, forming a silver sword with elegant lines and a thin blade. It looked more like a decorative piece, a work of art.

But this silver sword made Karsus’s bloody face contort in what seemed like fear. He struggled violently.

The four chains rattled, and Augustus and Saint Monique’s expressions changed. Karsus was almost breaking free.

They quickly increased their Mana output, the chains tautening, regaining control over Karsus’s body.

“Sword of Judgment!”

With Qin Chu’s cold command, the silver sword plunged downwards.

Pfft!

The sharp blade pierced through Karsus’s newly regenerated head.

Splat…

A stream of foul blood spurted out, transforming into red, hot, slimy, thread-like strands that coiled around the Sword of Judgment, as if trying to corrode it with their defiling essence.

But it was useless.

Qin Chu gripped the hilt and twisted it 180 degrees.

Silver flames instantly erupted from the Sword of Judgment, incinerating the thread-like strands. The flames spread to Karsus’s head, melting it bit by bit.

Fresh flesh continued to regenerate rapidly.

Melting and regenerating, a grotesque cycle.

But for Karsus, trapped in this agonizing loop, it was unbearable torture. Even in his madness, his body convulsed uncontrollably.

Seeing his miserable state, Sylph’s heart ached, tears welling up in her eyes. She glared at Qin Chu with hatred.

Poor Brother Karsus.

It was all because of Qin Chu. If it weren’t for this man, Brother Karsus wouldn’t have to suffer like this… She didn’t have any thoughts of sacrificing everything to save Karsus, but she did have thoughts of shifting all the blame onto someone else, and those thoughts were strong.

By blaming Qin Chu, Sylph seemed to feel a little better.

She had always disliked Qin Chu, and now she hated him even more, wanting to tear him apart.

Qin Chu frowned. In the eyes of others, the Hero seemed to be puzzled as to why Karsus wasn’t dead yet. He seemed to be looking for a way to completely destroy him.

His gaze swept over the surroundings. Perhaps because they sensed the presence of the three strongest experts in the Heavenly Continent, the Hero, and the former members of the Hero Squad, people felt that the situation was under control.

No matter what kind of enemy it was, with so many experts present, wouldn’t it be easy to deal with them?

The fear in their hearts gradually dissipated, and their instinct to watch a good show took over. A large crowd had gathered, and more people were on their way.

A smile appeared on Qin Chu’s lips. The next second, he channeled his Battle Qi into his voice, his words echoing through the night like thunder:

“Everyone…”

“This is Karsus, the Death Knight, a former member of the Hero Squad. He offered everything to the Evil God in exchange for power. His body and soul have been corrupted by evil, turning him into an ugly monster. He killed the Holy Knights and priests guarding him, and he killed many nobles.”

Whispers spread through the crowd as Qin Chu spoke.

They were clearly shocked by his words.

“A former member of the Hero Squad? How did he become like this? Although he dabbled in dark power, he was still human, wasn’t he?”

“The power of darkness is strange and evil. Anything is possible. Besides, didn’t you see that the Pope, the Holy Maiden, and His Majesty the Emperor are all here, and there are two other members of the Hero Squad as well? None of them refuted it… What does that mean? It means the Hero is right. That ugly monster is Karsus.”

“Oh my god, how terrifying.”

“Such a person was actually accepted into the Hero Squad. What was the First Hero thinking? Those corpses around him, they must have been killed by Karsus. They look like they’ve been drained of their blood. What an evil method.”

“So, Karsus’s hands are truly stained with blood. This kind of person should have been executed when he first dabbled in dark power… If it weren’t for the Hero protecting him, he would have died hundreds of times already.”

“The Hero protected him, and we’re the ones bearing the consequences, so many nobles died because of him… I’m not saying the First Hero was bad, but… Sigh… I almost died just now. It was terrifying.”

“If Karsus is like this, could the other members of the Hero Squad also be bad? Not to mention that Muse the Mad, she’s also said to be a murderous maniac…”

“How terrifying…”

Whispers and discussions spread through the crowd.

Only when the danger was so close, even directly affecting them, did these nobles begin to question the First Hero and the former members of the Hero Squad.

They hadn’t interacted much with Jie Luo, so they weren’t as deeply influenced by him.

In the first playthrough, Qin Chu had never thought of ruining Jie Luo’s reputation, so Jie Luo had always maintained a positive image in people’s hearts. But this time, it was different.

Qin Chu hadn’t mentioned Jie Luo at all, but people subconsciously directed their suspicion towards him. For the first time, they began to feel dissatisfied. After all, it was Jie Luo who had recruited the members of the Hero Squad.

And the thousands of nobles watching would quickly spread these things throughout the city. Most importantly, rumors always mutated as they spread. With a little guidance…

Airi’s face turned livid, her heart filled with rage.

Sylph’s expression was icy, her fingers clenched tightly. She wouldn’t allow anyone to insult Jie Luo… If it weren’t for Wadsworth and the others being here, she would have already attacked.

And Qin Chu, like a charlatan, spread his arms, his voice echoing through the night:

“Now, I need your strength…”

“Everyone, pray to the Goddess of Holy Light with all your hearts…”

“Only light can dispel the darkness that shrouds the Heavenly Continent.”

Actually, it wasn’t necessary. Qin Chu could just use the power of the silver hair. Even if he couldn’t summon the goddess’s avatar, destroying Karsus was still no problem.

But Qin Chu had his own plan.

The surrounding nobles looked at each other… They were all believers of the Goddess of Holy Light, nominally.

As for how much faith they truly had in their hearts, only they knew.

But at least, at this moment, looking at the damaged buildings and the dried corpses, thinking that such a disaster could befall them at any time, their faith was sincere.

They crossed their arms before their chests, chanting prayers to the Goddess of Holy Light, seeking her protection.

Their prayers seemed to work. Strands of white light gathered in the sky, converging above Qin Chu’s head, like a blooming lotus.

The night became as bright as day.

Qin Chu’s figure was bathed in Holy Light, faint white wings seemingly flickering behind him.

For a moment, he seemed incredibly holy and noble.

Seeing this, the surrounding nobles trembled, their eyes filled with excitement, admiration, even fanaticism.

Was this… the descent of an angel?

As the first person knelt on the ground, more and more followed.

“An angel has descended!”

“A divine emissary!”

“This is a miracle.”

Similar voices rose and fell.

Augustus, Saint Monique, and Wadsworth’s hearts sank. They had been deliberately concealing Qin Chu’s ability to summon the goddess’s avatar, to prevent him from being worshipped as a divine emissary.

But now, it had happened in another way!

Qin Chu’s face was filled with benevolent holiness. He looked down at Karsus, who seemed to hear the curses and insults directed at him, the insults towards Jie Luo, and the worship towards Qin Chu.

The power of the Holy Light seemed to have awakened a bit of Karsus’s rationality. Although he didn’t have a head, he seemed to understand what was happening.

His body twitched and convulsed violently.

If he still had his own consciousness, then he must be in great pain now, right?

It was good that he was in pain. If Karsus didn’t react at all, then Qin Chu would feel less satisfied.

“Karsus…” Qin Chu leaned down, his face close to where Karsus’s heart should be. He placed his hand on Karsus’s chest, using his Mana to transmit his voice directly into Karsus’s mind through a secret method that no one could detect, not even Wadsworth, who was standing behind him.

If Karsus still had any consciousness left, he would definitely sense it.

“Actually, I could save you, but why would I waste my precious Mana on you?”

“Actually, Norma only begged me to save you. You seem to have misunderstood something… But it doesn’t matter anymore. It seems Norma doesn’t like you anymore, what a pity.”

“You seem to like Sylph a lot, right?”

“I will definitely devour Sylph too. I will use the worst methods to deal with her. It’s a pity that you’re about to die and won’t be able to see it. It would have been a wonderful show.”

“Oh, right, do you think I don’t know about your Hero Squad’s plan?”

“Wrong, I know everything.”

“Your plan to kill me is destined to fail. On the contrary, I will kill everyone in the Hero Squad.”

“By the way, I was the one who killed Benson.”

Karsus’s body suddenly stiffened. He seemed to have really heard Qin Chu’s voice. A few seconds later, his headless body began to convulse violently.

Qin Chu straightened up, his hands clenching again. The Sword of Judgment reappeared in his palm. It would be a pity if he couldn’t hear Karsus’s desperate wails, but it was about time for him to die.

“Filthy evil, are you still struggling?”

“In the name of the Goddess of Holy Light, accept your judgment!”

Pfft…

The Sword of Judgment pierced through Karsus’s heart.

Silver-white flames spread rapidly from his heart to his limbs.

After telling Karsus the whole truth, letting his consciousness taste the most painful despair, Qin Chu finally mercifully ended his life.

Karsus, amidst the curses, insults, hatred, and disgust of the crowd, reached his end.

Only ashes remained on the ground.

The four chains fell to the ground.

Looking at the reverent gazes around him, Qin Chu knew that the grand scene he had deliberately created had achieved its desired effect.

He was about to continue his act as a charlatan, fooling the surrounding nobles, when he suddenly sensed something and looked up at the sky.

The dark night sky seemed to be torn apart by a giant battle-axe, crimson light like blood enveloping the earth, the entire world turning blood-red.

Gloomy, oppressive.

An indescribable fear spread through everyone’s hearts.

No one knew what was happening.

A giant bone throne emerged from the Void!

Chapter 175: The God of Darkness, Blood, and Slaughter (Part 4)

Karsus had become a complete monster. Seeing the X-shaped mark on his muscular chest, Qin Chu’s pupils constricted.

This mark was almost identical to the one he had seen on the assassin who tried to kill Norma, only larger and more grotesque.

Now, Qin Chu was even more certain that a secret organization existed in the Heavenly Continent, an organization that targeted Witches for assassination. And the deity worshipped by this organization was the same one that had corrupted Karsus.

Assassinating Witches?

Was it because they were wary of the Divine Authorities possessed by Witches?

Karsus’s transformation wasn’t even something he had done consciously, but rather a change guided, or even manipulated, by some external force.

Qin Chu could roughly deduce what had happened. Karsus, tormented in his prison cell, driven further into madness by Qin Chu’s taunts, had offered everything he had, emerging as a Bone Knight, seeking revenge and slaughter.

But his skeletal form had been crushed by Norma, and then some entity in the Void had manipulated his transformation into this monstrous form. They couldn’t directly enter this world, so they could only achieve their goals through believers or corruption. Perhaps this monstrous form was the true appearance of that mysterious deity’s followers.

Karsus howled and roared, his body enveloped in a thick blood mist, the pungent metallic stench spreading far and wide.

His large eyes glowed crimson, filled with ferocity and brutality, his gaze fixated on destruction and slaughter.

At this moment, Karsus had completely transformed into a killing machine.

Slaughter was his only purpose.

A tall, voluptuous blonde elf and a petite girl with golden twintails also appeared.

Qin Chu glanced at them. It was Sylph and Airi.

It seemed that these two had also finished their secret meeting with Loseweisse and rushed over after sensing the commotion. They looked at the monster in the crater with surprise.

This terrifying monster bore little resemblance to the Karsus they knew, but Sylph still sensed a faint, familiar aura. Her eyes widened, and after a few seconds, she couldn’t help but cry out, “Brother Karsus?”

Airi was stunned, then looked at her in disbelief. “Sylph, what are you talking about? This is Karsus? How is that possible…?”

The monster in the crater seemed to react to the name “Karsus,” its massive head turning towards Sylph, a flicker of struggle in its eyes.

Sylph trembled, biting her lip. She knew this was Karsus.

Although she hadn’t been willing to sacrifice herself to ask Qin Chu to save him, seeing him like this still filled her with deep sorrow. She wanted to awaken his consciousness.

But it was too late.

The slight struggle in the monster’s eyes was quickly replaced by the eerie whispers in his ears.

Kill.

Slaughter without consequence to earn His blessing.

The gushing of blood and the snapping of bones are the best prayers.

Kill!

Spare no prey.

Begin with those closest to you!

Adorn your body with the heads of your enemies, quench your thirst with their blood; let blood soak the earth, let bones pave the ground, and celebrate the glory of the God of Darkness, Blood, and Slaughter.

Karsus’s eyes glowed crimson, and he raised his massive head, letting out a shrill roar towards the sky.

Roar!

The sound echoed like thunder.

Even the moon seemed to hide behind the clouds in fear.

The world was plunged into darkness. The next second, Karsus’s gaze locked onto Sylph…

Begin with those closest to you.

In Karsus’s heart, Jie Luo was undoubtedly the closest.

Followed by Sylph. Because he had saved her life, Karsus and Sylph had a good relationship. She was the only female member of the Hero Squad who would approach him… Actually, Karsus had once fantasized about being with Sylph, but unfortunately, Sylph only had eyes for Jie Luo.

Then came his good brothers, Benson and Muse.

Then the other members of the Hero Squad.

Then Norma.

And then, everyone else.

If Sylph hadn’t appeared here, Norma would have been Karsus’s first target. But now, Sylph had drawn his attention.

With a roar, Karsus lunged forward, his powerful legs propelling him like a cannonball. He appeared before Sylph in an instant, his sharp claws reaching for her head.

His claws tore through the air with a hissing sound.

Although Sylph was saddened, she wouldn’t let herself die. She gritted her teeth, tapped her toes on the ground, and retreated swiftly. Airi, beside her, retreated even faster, her figure vanishing.

Sylph drew her bow and aimed at Karsus, but the Mana arrow wouldn’t loose. “Brother Karsus… Stop… I don’t want to hurt you…”

The enraged Karsus couldn’t hear her. His attack missing, he didn’t hesitate, his maw opening in a sharp cry: “Kill…”

Bang…

Although he wasn’t the main target, Qin Chu still felt as if his head had been struck by a hammer, a wave of pain and dizziness washing over him.

Karsus’s voice carried a soul-piercing power.

Qin Chu’s vision turned red, and blood trickled from his nose.

He turned and saw Norma, her nose, mouth, and the corners of her eyes covered in blood, her face deathly pale, her body swaying as if she might collapse at any moment.

After being completely transformed by the God of Darkness, Blood, and Slaughter, Karsus’s combat power had skyrocketed, far beyond that of ordinary Demon Beasts.

Only Wadsworth, Augustus, and Saint Monique could withstand the impact of his scream, but their expressions were also very unpleasant.

Their eyes were bloodshot.

As the direct target of the sonic attack, Sylph was in an even worse state. She froze in place, the veins on her beautiful face bulging grotesquely.

Airi’s invisibility was broken, and her slender body was thrown backwards by an invisible force. Just as she was about to crash into a broken lamppost, she twisted her body in mid-air, her fingers hooking onto the lamppost. With a slight exertion of force, she leaped into the air, landing on top of the lamppost. Her sea-blue eyes stared at Karsus, filled with a grave expression.

His strength was probably no less than that of the Four Heavenly Kings under Demon King Nagath.

Sylph was momentarily stunned by the dizziness. Karsus lunged forward, his sharp claws reaching for her face, about to tear it apart.

Qin Chu felt it was a waste not to deal with Sylph personally, but it seemed like it would be interesting if the members of the Hero Squad killed each other.

But just as the claws were about to reach Sylph’s face, they stopped, a sharp gust of wind cutting a small wound on her fair cheek, a drop of blood trickling down. She was still alive.

Two earth-yellow chains wrapped tightly around Karsus’s legs.

Even with his immense strength, Karsus couldn’t break free for the moment.

Seeing those chains, Qin Chu’s eyes narrowed, and a strange smile appeared on his face… Ah, what a familiar power.

The Embrace of the Earth Mother Goddess, which could seal the target’s Battle Qi.

Saint Monique had used these chains to bind his legs in the first playthrough, preventing him from using his Battle Qi.

Karsus’s body fell to the ground with a thud.

The interruption of his kill frustrated Karsus, and he slashed at the chains on his legs with his claws.

But two silver chains suddenly tore through the void, dancing like silver snakes, coiling around Karsus’s wrists.

The Holy See’s strongest control spell, the Shackles of Heaven’s Cage.

These chains had once bound his wrists, sealing his magic, working in tandem with the Embrace of the Earth Mother Goddess to suspend him in mid-air.

Everything he had experienced was now being replayed on Karsus. He wondered what Karsus was feeling at this moment.

Oh, he had forgotten.

This guy had completely lost his mind.

This scene was truly pleasing.

It would be even better if there was a Sword of Damocles hanging above Karsus’s head, and if there were more spectators, more cheers, it would be perfect.

For Saint Monique and Augustus to act simultaneously, Karsus should be grateful.

Of course, they couldn’t forget about Wadsworth.

Qin Chu just watched quietly, with no intention of intervening. He would leave this matter to those people. It was enough for him to just enjoy Karsus’s miserable state.

Wadsworth’s figure had appeared above Karsus at some point, his right hand clenched into a fist.

All his strength was concentrated in his right fist.

The Aberchian family’s inherited Battle Qi, also one of the highest-ranking Battle Qi in the entire Heavenly Continent:

Disintegration!

Only the Emperor was qualified to cultivate it, which meant that at any given time, only one person in the Heavenly Continent could use the power of Disintegration Battle Qi.

Even Lance, the former heir to the throne, wasn’t qualified to learn it.

This was a mysterious and powerful force. In battle, the Battle Qi could directly penetrate the target’s armor and skin, seeping into their flesh and bones, causing massive damage.

Those killed by Disintegration Battle Qi would be reduced to a pulp, their flesh and bones crushed.

After the highly concentrated Battle Qi in his fist reached its limit, Wadsworth’s body plummeted downwards.

“Fist of… Earthshaker!”

Boom…

The earth cracked.

The stones and earth around Karsus were blown away, leaving only a crater with a diameter of dozens of meters.

Even Sylph retreated, putting some distance between herself and the shockwave.

Airi leaped onto another lamppost. The one she had been standing on was shattered.

Disintegration Battle Qi had three corresponding martial skills.

Fist of Earthshaker, Fist of Mountain Breaker, and Fist of Heaven Breaker!

It was with these three moves that Wadsworth had become almost invincible, only the Hero and the Demon King being his equals. He could even fight against the Four Heavenly Kings under the Demon King. Ordinary Abyssal Demon Generals were no match for him.

A smug look appeared on Wadsworth’s rough face. With one punch, Karsus’s head exploded, black, icy liquid splattering and clinging to the chains.

Only a headless corpse, twitching on the ground, remained.

“This guy, his head is really hard,” Wadsworth said, shaking his arm.

But soon, he sensed something was wrong and instinctively retreated… He saw that where Karsus’s head had been crushed, dark red things, like blood vessels and tendons, were wriggling and growing from the wound.

The sight made Wadsworth’s scalp tingle.

Soon, these things intertwined, forming a round object, seemingly a head…

“Damn it, what’s going on?” Wadsworth couldn’t help but turn to Augustus and Saint Monique behind him.

They had fought many Demon Beasts, but even the strangest ones weren’t this bizarre.

And that wasn’t all. The splattered liquid seemed to carry a strong, defiling power. When it landed on the Shackles of Heaven’s Cage and the Embrace of the Earth Mother Goddess, sizzling sounds could be heard. The four chains binding Karsus seemed to be corroding and about to break.

Saint Monique and Augustus also had grim expressions. They had never encountered such a strange creature among the enemies they had faced.

“Everyone…”

At this moment, a resonant voice came from the air.

It was clear and powerful, carrying an air of authority.

If it weren’t for the fact that this guy was currently standing by the window of the Sykes Hotel, it would have been even more convincing.

“We’re no longer fighting against Karsus… but against the Evil God he worships…”

“That is our true enemy.”

“Although we don’t know what kind of being it is, to be able to transform its believer into such an ugly and twisted monster, it’s definitely not a good thing.”

“Moreover, the power of the Evil God is highly contagious and corrosive. If we let this guy wreak havoc in the city, I don’t think I need to elaborate on what will happen.”

Everyone’s expressions turned serious.

“Brother Qin, just tell us what you think we should do. Let’s find a way to kill this thing first…” Wadsworth said in a deep voice, looking down. Karsus’s head had already regenerated halfway.

His bloody face was covered in blue and white veins, disgusting and twisted.

Qin Chu smiled faintly.

He spread his arms to the sides.

He knew that he was directly provoking that mysterious and powerful deity!

But he wasn’t afraid.

“Light!”

I said, “Let there be light,” and there was light!