After Rift City returned to its original site, the Tribunal’s Cadre Corps and Undying Corps, which had been waiting outside the city, immediately rushed in.
For the high-ranking cadres and their personal escorts, this was a golden opportunity to make a fortune. Large-scale battles with extraordinary creatures were rare, occurring perhaps once every dozen years. Extraordinary materials, seldom seen in normal times, now gushed forth like a wellspring. Moreover, the Tribunal was always generous in distributing spoils of war.
This kind of behavior during a campaign was called “mopping up the periphery.”
The Tribunal’s direct troops tackled the main battlefield, while affiliated extraordinary groups eliminated scattered remnants on the outskirts.
If the main battlefield fared poorly and the affiliates were needed to join the fight, negotiations over price, resources, or a larger share of spoils were required.
Of course, high-ranking cadres bore their own losses; their escorts were private soldiers. They didn’t serve the Tribunal for a mere weekly wage—that wouldn’t even cover cadaver maintenance fees.
Although affiliate groups couldn’t plunder residents’ possessions—after all, it was in plain view and would look terrible—if they could surround and kill a Lord of Insects, the rewards would be immense. Crafting cadavers, harvesting materials, and so on—even ordinary insect soldiers yielded valuable extraordinary materials that could be turned into cadavers.
If the Tribunal’s direct forces were proud lions, then the affiliates were vicious hyenas. The two cooperated unpleasantly but needed each other.
A silver figure flickered rapidly, flattening swarms of insects into powder wherever it went, creating terrifying vacuums of emptiness! Endless slashes danced through the air, falling stars like rain.
The Rift City Lord’s mental state wasn’t good. He hacked at insects desperately, from one end of the street to the other. After venting, he pounded the ground and wept, then stood up to kill again.
The peaceful citizens had become brain fish units, the city’s careful planning replaced by the insect clan’s twisted aesthetics. Victims included his own wife, children, and loyal subordinates, yet he hadn’t even seen the enemy’s face before it all happened. Frustration, regret, grief, pain… the multiple blows left him half-mad.
As the Second and Third Trial Judges led elites into the battle, the core district’s situation stabilized.
The white-robed Meroi, carrying a containment box made of dark, heavy steel and soft, fresh red flesh, landed nearby. Together with Letisia, he carefully lifted the King Insect pupa and placed it into the box.
In an instant, tentacles surged, wrapping the pupa. Like rubber bands snapping back, they firmly adhered and pulled the outer iron blocks, which fit together like puzzle pieces to form a sealed container.
The remaining Lords of Insects were contained via cryogenic methods.
“Teacher!”
Ashley’s eyes sparkled as she pounced, but the Gray-Haired Loli blocked her with a small hand.
“No manners! Behave yourself!” the loli scolded.
“Teacher~ You just said ‘my beloved disciple,’ right?” Ashley pursed her lips, asking expectantly.
The Gray-Haired Loli looked away, her tone cold. “I didn’t say that. You imagined it.”
“Wahhh… I almost got oviposited… If Teacher hadn’t saved me… I was so scared…” Ashley tried to use the chance to snuggle up, but Letisia saw through her scheme and kept her at bay.
“You should thank yourself. In the final moment, you saved yourself—and everyone else,” the Gray-Haired Loli said seriously.
“Me?”
Ashley suddenly realized something and turned to look at the fusion beast beside Little Cousin.
So that was it!
She understood in a flash.
At the start of the King Insect subjugation, Wind Traveler had sent copies of Ashley to various lost spaces to boost the efficiency of encircling extraordinary beings. But it hadn’t anticipated that Ashley could copy the Lost Corridor ability, and those copies could in turn be turned into fusion beasts via God’s Palette.
This nested scheme delivered a devastating combo punch to the King Insect…
Earlier, while Xixi cleared her space, she suddenly spotted a Blue-Haired Loli standing there blankly at the map’s edge.
After killing the copy and crafting the fusion beast, Xixi bided her time. During Ashley’s tug-of-war with the Lost Corridor, she filled her magazines while using the Lord of Insects’ ability to survey the lost space complex’s structure and mark key locations.
Then, she observed covertly. When the moment came, she traversed spaces in one go, found the Rift City Lord, descended before the Lost Corridor, and unleashed a single Starshatter strike.
Ashley’s ability was key to breaking the deadlock, but Wind Traveler’s blunder was equally vital. Neither could be absent.
“Ashley!”
Ashley dashed over, tears scattering like tiny crystalline sparkles in the air.
The girl opened her arms, feeling the elastic impact of the small body crashing into her embrace. She hugged tightly, burying her little face in the soft hair by her ear, and whispered deeply:
“I missed you so much.”
Hearing that, Ashley’s heart melted; she nuzzled as if trying to burrow into her chest.
Little Cousin was the best. At times like this, she needed that emotional comfort—opportunities like this were rare…
Xixi pinched her little cheek with slender fingers and sighed:
“Compared to the copy, the real Little Ai feels so much better. But that thing was made so realistically, and without worries… I was almost reluctant to stop when I finally strangled it…”
Ashley’s little body shivered uncontrollably, her eyes widening, beautiful pupils swirling with lights of excitement—or was it fear?
Damn, time had been too tight; she hadn’t gotten to do anything to Little Cousin’s copy. What a pity…
“So Xixi likes it rough,” Ashley mewled. “But only one person having fun is unfair. How about we take turns?”
“That’s just a game. If we’re playing, let’s play for real. Fake moans, no matter how sweet, feel empty,” Xixi said, as if seeing through her, her voice turning soft and husky. “That’s the trick of a naughty girl who wants fun without commitment. I’m serious.”
“I-I’m serious too!” Ashley protested hurriedly. “I risked my life to save you!”
“I saw it. Your desperate fight—I watched it all through the Lord of Insects’ ability,” the girl smiled, her misty eyes hiding subtle tenderness. “So cute. I want to reward you…”
She pulled out a small edible lipstick tube, twisted out half a rod of jelly exuding a complex sweet orange scent, and smeared it repeatedly on the back of her hand.
In the nearby Slanted House, Gwendolyn watched in shock, her pupils reflecting the sight of a kitten-like girl licking nutritional paste—pink little tongue lapping back and forth.
Complex emotions surged in her heart. Such a strong, handsome girl had turned into an obedient little kitty, hugging with tiny paws and smack smack licking her owner’s hand. So… enviable!
At that moment, the Rich Loli’s escorts ran over, one carrying a briefcase covered in dark gold engravings—the metal lifeform “Nina” itself.
Gwendolyn looked away, her heart clogged with frustration, and left the Slanted House in low spirits.
Looking around, due to being sucked into lost space, connections between walls and foundations had completely severed. Even intact upper structures needed demolition and rebuilding.
Post-disaster reconstruction was one of Hejian Group’ specialties.
The Rich Loli propped her chin thoughtfully. Though all fifty thousand residents had perished, Rift City wouldn’t become a ghost town.
It was a resource hub, located at the entrance to the Anafei Great Rift. Vertical lifts led straight to the First and Second Great Layers, “Miracle” and “Dark Surge.” Gliders could reach the Seventh Great Layer, “Rot Sea,” and deeper waters.
For cave delving or deep diving, it was the best port. Soon, people would gather again, forming a smaller but vibrant Rift Town.
Her witness status could evoke sympathy, and being close by, she could quickly land big contracts—or even monopolize them.
Energized by the thought, her eyes turned fierce—those McIntosh Group bastards couldn’t be allowed to show up alive.
Only when the sweetness faded did the little kitten lick her lips reluctantly.
Not satisfying at all. If only she could choose the spot herself, or… take control of the lipstick.
Imagining that possibility, Ashley’s heart pounded. She tentatively gripped the lipstick and tugged, but Little Cousin didn’t relent. Instead, she flashed a charming yet dangerous smile.
“Such a glutton. Gobble too fast, and you’ll burn your mouth.”
