Chapter 174: A Done Deal? (Part 3)
Mmm!
His lips were suddenly sealed, and Qin Chu was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected such a bold move from the usually timid and demure Norma. He didn’t know how to react.
His gaze drifted towards the crater where Karsus’s ashes had scattered. I hope that guy is really dead, he thought. If he’s still alive and sees this, he’ll be even more furious than the Grand Prince.
Norma’s kiss was bold yet clumsy, clearly inexperienced.
Qin Chu felt a strange mix of emotions. He even had a fleeting, absurd thought: If this were Earth, and Norma was infected with something, I’d definitely catch it…
Norma herself didn’t understand what had come over her.
Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions: the relief of Qin Chu’s survival, the lingering sadness of having killed Karsus, the sudden lifting of the burden she had carried for so long…
Combined with the inexplicable pull she felt towards Qin Chu, and Gaia’s constant urging from within, she couldn’t help but act so boldly.
Even she was surprised by her own actions.
She couldn’t understand her feelings for this man she had only known for less than a day. Was it gratitude, reliance, or genuine affection?
Perhaps it was simply because he had saved her from the assassins.
Perhaps it was because he hadn’t mocked her after learning about her condition, but instead, saw her pain.
Perhaps it was simply because he had shown her a kindness she hadn’t received from anyone other than her parents and her mentor.
Perhaps it was because he had chosen to protect her, even at the cost of his own life…
Norma didn’t know what about her could attract such an outstanding man, but when a man was willing to sacrifice himself for her, what more could she ask for?
Whether it was love or not, it didn’t matter.
In this world, love was a luxury only naive girls could afford.
Norma only knew that this man now held an irreplaceable place in her heart.
For the past five years, she had lived for Karsus. For the rest of her life, Norma wanted to live for Qin Chu.
The kiss continued until Norma felt breathless.
“Norma, what are you…?” Qin Chu asked, seizing the opportunity.
But Norma, after taking just two breaths, leaned in and kissed him again.
Although she had seen some…inappropriate books in her mentor’s study, seeing and doing were two completely different things. Gaia was clamoring in her mind about making this a done deal.
But…how?
The only thing Norma could think of was kissing.
Norma didn’t know, but Qin Chu did!
Although he didn’t understand what was going on with Norma, it would be ungentlemanly not to respond.
As a gentleman, Qin Chu felt obligated to reciprocate.
…
Is this what it means to make it a done deal? he wondered.
…
Lost in the moment, Norma didn’t notice the deep crater behind the Sykes Hotel.
Karsus had been reduced to ashes, scattered by the wind.
But his consciousness hadn’t completely vanished. He wasn’t truly dead, and his power hadn’t diminished much. Whether his body was flesh and blood or a skeleton no longer mattered.
His soul, twisted by rage, craved blood… Only blood could quench the burning agony in his soul.
Faint traces of his essence, centered around a dark red light at the bottom of the crater, spread outwards.
Prey wasn’t hard to find.
The violent impact and tremors had driven many people out of the Sykes Hotel, some even half-dressed, their dignity forgotten in their panic.
There were nobles who saw their wives, who were supposed to be at a gathering with their friends. There were noblewomen who saw their husbands, who were supposed to be at a business banquet. The scene was chaotic.
Many people also ran out of the nearby noble villas.
They had witnessed the battle, and after it ended, a few curious onlookers even gathered near the crater, pointing and discussing what had just happened.
These poor souls didn’t know that the danger hadn’t passed.
Thin, thread-like strands of Karsus’s essence spread silently, wrapping around their ankles.
The next second, they felt a sharp, stinging pain.
Then, their blood began to drain rapidly, their bodies shrivelling before their eyes, too quickly for them to even scream.
In the blink of an eye, a group of dried corpses lay scattered around the crater, their skin clinging tightly to their bones, their faces contorted in grotesque expressions.
The absorbed blood made the dark red light brighter and larger.
Like a jelly formed from blood, it pulsed and wriggled, as if trying to elongate, to regain a human form… But it wasn’t very successful, only managing to form a vague humanoid silhouette.
His range of perception expanded. There were many…supplements nearby. If he could absorb their blood, his injuries would heal instantly, and he would become even stronger than before.
The threads thickened, like vipers, spreading rapidly, draining more and more nobles dry.
Suddenly, Karsus’s twisted soul sensed two powerful life forces in the building opposite him, their bodies filled with surging energy. If he could absorb their blood, his strength would increase dramatically.
They were embracing each other. What were they doing?
Kissing?
Damn it, where was that man’s hand?!
He couldn’t recognize Norma and Qin Chu anymore, but seeing their intimacy still enraged him.
A murderous impulse surged within his fragmented consciousness.
Kill… Kill… Kill…
The bloody figure let out a furious roar, and the blood-red tentacles that had spread out suddenly retracted, hundreds of them, coiling and dancing around Karsus’s body.
It was as if he was covered in crimson vipers.
With piercing shrieks, the dense mass of tentacles shot towards the two figures by the window of the Sykes Hotel.
Swish, swish, swish…
Even though Norma was lost in her own strange sensations, the sharp whistling sound still startled her.
Her body tensed, and she turned abruptly. The tentacles, like javelins, were heading straight for her and Qin Chu.
Mr. Qin had saved her before, now it was her turn to protect him.
Gritting her teeth, Norma turned and shielded Qin Chu, her arms outstretched, Mana surging within her.
But at this moment, Qin Chu placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head slightly, indicating that it wasn’t necessary.
Although Norma was puzzled, she still dispersed her Mana.
“Gates of Heaven!”
As expected, the next instant, a deep, resonant voice, filled with a holy aura, came from the sky.
Holy gates appeared before the tentacles.
A milky white light radiated from them, dispelling the surrounding darkness. Mysterious runes covered the two gates.
Faint chanting seemed to echo, praising the glory of divinity.
The gates opened, swallowing all the tentacles. Then, they closed.
With a creak, all the tentacles were severed, thick white smoke billowing from the severed ends. With a shrill scream, the severed tentacles quickly retracted, swirling around Karsus.
An old man in holy robes slowly descended from the sky. It was none other than Augustus, the Pope of the Holy See.
With such a commotion, and with the Holy See not far away, it was impossible for him not to notice.
“Hero, are you alright…?” Augustus was about to greet them, but he saw the distance between Norma and Qin Chu, the blush on Norma’s cheeks, and the fact that they were at the Sykes Hotel. What was this place for? How could Augustus not know?
He was certain that the Hero had just had a very pleasant time.
Of course, he, the Pope of the Holy See, had never been to a place like the Sykes Hotel, filled with filth and debauchery. He had only heard about it from others.
“Your Holiness, you arrived just in time,” Qin Chu bowed gracefully, “Thank you for coming to our aid.”
“It seems that not only you have arrived, but the other two as well.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Wadsworth appeared from the direction of the Imperial Palace.
And on the other side, Saint Monique also appeared. The three strongest, who had just ended their gathering, were once again reunited.
They formed a triangle, surrounding Karsus.
Because of the destruction caused by the Evil God’s descent before, the strongest in the Imperial City had become extremely sensitive. They would appear immediately at the slightest disturbance.
To be surrounded by the three strongest in the Imperial City… This was definitely Karsus’s honor. He wondered if Karsus would be touched.
“Who is this guy?” Wadsworth asked in a muffled voice. Looking at the dried corpses on the ground, a faint smile appeared on his face. Another batch of nobles were finished… This was a good thing.
Of course, the nobles couldn’t all die. After all, he still needed them to maintain his rule over the empire. If all the nobles died, the empire’s administrative system would collapse instantly, which would be a big problem.
“Why are such monsters always appearing in the city recently?” Saint Monique frowned, clearly irritated by the recent events in the city.
This wasn’t a good sign.
Such powerful monsters could cause mass deaths every time they appeared.
And they couldn’t always arrive in time to clean up the mess.
“The Death Knight, Karsus…” Qin Chu said leisurely.
This name shocked everyone.
Karsus?
Although this guy was tainted by the power of darkness, at least he had looked somewhat human before. Why had he become like this now, a writhing mass of blood that could walk upright?
“He has been completely corrupted by the aura of the Evil God…”
“Perhaps he offered everything to the Evil God in exchange for the power to break free from his prison… Your Holiness, I’m afraid the Holy Knights and priests guarding Karsus in the Holy See have also been killed,” Qin Chu explained.
Augustus’s face darkened.
To think that Karsus had been imprisoned within the Holy See, under strict guard, yet he still managed to escape. This was a humiliation for the Holy See. Of course, Augustus could also use this opportunity to deal with Douglas. Although it was impossible to eliminate him directly, it was still possible to reduce his influence.
After all, it was Douglas’s subordinates who were responsible for guarding and interrogating Karsus.
At this moment, the writhing mass of blood on the ground suddenly let out a muffled roar. He seemed to have sensed the threat, but his fighting spirit was high, and his form began to transform rapidly.
Two thick, monstrous arms, covered in dark red scales, extended from the sides of the blood mass. Sharp bone spurs could even be seen on the backs of his arms.
His fingers turned into thick claws, their tips like sharp blades.
His originally straight body became hunched, and sharp bone spurs began to grow from his back, even around his neck. Bumps the size of a thumb appeared on his head, a chilling sight.
A long, spiked tail grew from his coccyx, its tip splitting into two lizard-like mouths, filled with tiny teeth.
Two ferocious cracks suddenly appeared on his crimson chest.
They intersected, forming an “X” shape!