Chapter 368: Is the Evil God’s Heart Calling for Help?
The Demon King Nagath’s face was a mask of shock.
The Demon King’s Palace quaked every nine years, an immutable law for countless years. Why had it been broken this time?
Sensing the increasingly terrifying aura emanating from below, Nagath could no longer remain idle. He quickly deactivated the restrictions and rushed downwards.
Before he even entered the vast underground chamber, he felt the overwhelming pressure. The aura from the Evil God’s skull was far more potent than usual. Even Nagath, with all his power, struggled to withstand it, his legs trembling violently.
His forehead was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
Shockwaves continued to spread, the stairs beneath his feet and the walls on either side covered in cracks. The entire palace seemed on the verge of collapse.
Gasping for breath, he forced himself to move, taking one agonizing step at a time.
Finally, he reached the massive underground plaza and saw the Evil God’s skull. His heart seized, as if crushed by a giant hammer.
What was he seeing?
The enormous skull, its mane billowing.
Its eyes, once tightly shut, were now open, gleaming with a blinding, sun-like light.
A wave of nausea washed over him, and he vomited blood, his face ashen.
In that instant, his mind was invaded by an unprecedented force.
A torrent of maddening images and light flooded his consciousness, threatening to shatter it. His skin erupted in countless crimson beads, as if countless eyes were staring at him.
His body cracked, and fresh, writhing flesh emerged from the wounds, as if something was trying to burst out.
For a moment, he felt as if the skull had come alive.
No… he couldn’t let this continue. If this went on, the entire Demon Beast territory might be destroyed.
It was just a skull, dead for who knew how long, yet it still possessed such terrifying power… As the strongest being in the world, Nagath could only barely maintain his sanity, preventing himself from being completely consumed by the darkness.
Gasping for breath, he closed his eyes, ignoring the blood flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
He struggled to control his arms, activating the restrictions he had prepared. In an instant, the entire plaza lit up with multicolored light.
Four translucent walls appeared, sealing the skull within. A shockwave struck, and the walls were instantly covered in cracks.
Black chains materialized from the void, like pythons, wrapping around the skull.
Nagath had spent countless years fortifying the Demon King’s Palace. This wasn’t the first time such an earthquake had occurred, and he had made preparations.
Within moments, dozens of restrictions were activated.
The layers of seals completely enveloped and bound the skull.
But this time, something was different.
Buzz…
Another shockwave emanated from the skull.
The energy barriers shattered instantly, and nearly half of the black, python-like chains were snapped.
This quake was unprecedented.
…
In the Imperial City of the Auville Empire.
In his study, Wadsworth’s desk was covered in documents.
Following his good friend Qin Chu’s advice, he had established an intelligence organization called the “East Factory.”
Its effectiveness had exceeded his expectations.
The maids, cooks, and servants, while not powerful, provided a different kind of intelligence, revealing things he wouldn’t normally see, things even his previous intelligence network had missed.
With this organization, he felt as if he had the entire Imperial City in his grasp.
Duke So-and-so was having an affair with a certain lady, Marquis So-and-so had met with a certain noble and a certain officer, a certain noble had spoken ill of him, a certain commoner was dissatisfied with the Empire… He knew it all.
Everything was under control. It was an intoxicating feeling.
In less than a month, the East Factory had proven its worth. It was a brilliant suggestion, worthy of his good friend.
He had even considered appointing Qin Chu as its head, to manage this vast network.
He was even planning to expand its reach, not just in the Imperial City, but throughout the entire Auville Empire, all its cities and towns, and even into neighboring countries.
Only then could he feel truly secure. There were simply too many who wanted to overthrow him.
And among them, he was most concerned about his sons.
Hmm, they seem to be behaving lately. Good.
Despite his bloodshot eyes, he seemed normal, as long as he didn’t go on a rampage.
Even Princess Carol had begun to doubt the Hero’s assessment. Since their last meeting, her father had been acting more and more normal. There were no signs of him turning into a monster.
Boom!
Just as Wadsworth was reviewing the reports, a violent tremor shook the palace.
At least a third of the palace collapsed instantly.
The shockwave ripped through the ground, lifting the stone slabs like a tidal wave.
His expression changed dramatically. He leaped to his feet, his clothes bulging as tendrils writhed beneath them. Without hesitation, he rushed out of the study.
He didn’t care about the damage to the palace. He ran towards his chambers, opened the secret passage, and disappeared into the darkness.
Damn it, it hasn’t even been nine years! Why now?
…
At Sage Mountain.
Twelve old men formed a circle.
In the center was a large, writhing mass of flesh, spread across the ground, over ten meters in diameter.
It was like a black cloud, constantly shifting.
They had found it in a mysterious location. It resembled a placenta, nurturing a strange life.
It contained immense energy, and the twelve elders had been studying it for years, but they still hadn’t managed to absorb its power.
This was Sage Mountain’s greatest secret, unknown even to Natia.
But today, the mass had suddenly stirred.
Like a giant heart, it pulsed once… and the resulting shockwave sent the twelve elders flying.
The poor, frail old men, their bodies weak, their bones brittle.
Their faces were pale, their beards stained with blood.
But they dared not hesitate. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with madness. They quickly rose, floating in the air, forming a circle again, their powerful magical energies converging.
Golden light flared, forming a giant bell that descended, covering the black mass.
Clang… clang… clang…
The sound of bells echoed across the mountain.
No matter how the mass writhed, it couldn’t break free.
…
At the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess.
Saint Monique’s expression changed, her brow furrowing.
The epicenter of the earthquake was the Imperial Palace, Sage Mountain, and another, more distant location.
She floated in the air, her gentle voice echoing in the ears of every clergyman.
Be elegant. Don’t panic.
No matter what happens, maintain your dignity.
Scores of clergymen knelt in prayer. She spread her crimson wings, a streak of light against the sky, and flew towards the epicenter.
…
At the Holy See, Augustus’s expression darkened.
He gazed at the distant stars, then at the church. He couldn’t delay any longer. With a determined bite, he harnessed the holy light and flew towards his laboratory.
He could sense the numerous restrictions he had placed there shattering.
The entity buried beneath the lab was unleashing its terrifying power.
Seeing Augustus leave, Loseweisse and Douglas appeared, watching the receding light. They didn’t know what was happening, but it didn’t concern them.
Their priority was rescuing Saintess Phyllis and removing Augustus.
This earthquake was a godsend.
Led by a host of loyal followers, Loseweisse entered Augustus’s chambers, glancing around: “Search. There must be a hidden passage here.”
Their operation had begun.
Loseweisse felt as if the Pope’s sacred throne was within her grasp.
…
In the canyon.
The heart had shrunk for the third time.
It was now a tenth smaller.
Each contraction triggered a heartbeat, which in turn caused a powerful earthquake.
Qin Chu felt a strange, tingling sensation.
It was as if the heart had never truly died, its beating a form of… a distress signal!
Chapter 369: Loseweisse Makes Her Move
Qin Chu pushed his Authority of Gluttony to its limit, focusing all his energy on devouring the massive heart.
The sapling was also at full power.
With its help, he could finally make some progress.
The process was slow.
This wasn’t just mana or battle qi.
It was a higher, more mysterious power, not just destructive, but capable of altering the very rules of reality.
The sun had set, and the bright moon now hung in the sky.
Buzz…
The Evil God’s heart beat again, and another earthquake followed.
Qin Chu felt as if the heartbeat was some kind of signal.
A distress signal?
It was strange. He even felt affected by it, his own heart trembling with each beat.
His consciousness even momentarily blanked.
If it’s a distress signal, why send it to me? I’m not going to save you. I’m trying to eat you.
The shockwaves spread outwards, but strangely, they didn’t harm him.
They seemed to avoid him and the sapling in an inverted V-shape. Shaye, Anthea, Heloise, and Iyeta noticed this and stayed behind him.
The canyon walls, however, were not so lucky. They were crumbling, unable to withstand the force.
The sky was now filled with dust and debris.
It was clear that devouring the entire heart would take more than a day or two. But Qin Chu was determined. He was going to see this through.
…
The heart’s beating.
All the fragments of the Heavenly Continent reacted, as if the Evil God was not truly dead, and was trying to reassemble its shattered body, to rise again.
…
In the Imperial City.
The earthquake spread from the palace.
The ground cracked.
Buildings collapsed, and the city descended into chaos. Countless nobles screamed in terror, fleeing their homes in disarray.
The commoners, living far from the palace, were less affected.
As the leaders struggled to contain the damage, Loseweisse and Douglas appeared in Augustus’s chambers.
They didn’t know the cause of the earthquake, but it didn’t matter.
This was a golden opportunity.
Douglas, along with two Archbishops, erected powerful barriers around the room, isolating it from the outside world.
Augustus often secluded himself in his chambers for extended periods, so Loseweisse deduced that a secret passage must exist within.
And at the end of that passage, her so-called mother was likely imprisoned.
While she didn’t care for her supposed mother, seeing her as a mere vessel, she knew her followers were searching for her. She had to maintain the facade of a concerned daughter.
She had a plan. If she could rescue her, fine. She would give her a title and keep her within the Holy See.
If she couldn’t, that was also fine. If Augustus used her as a hostage, she would stage a dramatic scene, sacrificing her mother to protect the Holy See’s honor and faith, to eliminate the evil that was Augustus.
She would shed a few tears and gain even more admiration.
It was a perfect plan, one that would eliminate both Augustus and her mother, while increasing her own prestige.
Unfortunately, the earthquake had forced Augustus to leave, ruining her perfect plan.
Scores of the Holy See’s personnel searched the chambers. As the Pope, Augustus’s identity made them nervous. What if he suddenly returned?
But seeing Loseweisse and Douglas gave them courage. They were the pillars holding up the sky.
They overturned furniture, searched every corner, even pocketing valuables.
Augustus’s chambers weren’t large, but the search took nearly an hour. Finally, a priest cried out excitedly: “Your Holiness, there’s a… a restriction here!”
Your Holiness. They were already addressing her as such.
The title of Saintess no longer sufficed.
A cleverly hidden magical restriction was on the floor beneath the bed. It wasn’t something a mere priest could break.
Two Holy Knights moved the bed, and Douglas stepped forward, examining the restriction. He frowned, then knelt, attempting to decipher it.
He was level 88. After receiving the Goddess’s blessing, touching the oracular scroll, his level had risen to 89.
His fingers traced the floor, his mana spreading, seeping into the tiles.
Mana clashed within a small area, causing faint crackling sounds.
This wasn’t a large-scale release of magic, but it put immense pressure on Douglas. Breaking this restriction required delicate control, with no room for error.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, his face pale.
After nearly half an hour, a faint crack echoed, and Douglas shuddered, exhaling deeply. He stood up, wiping the sweat from his brow, and turned to Loseweisse: “Your Holiness, it’s done.”
Loseweisse frowned, dissatisfied.
It was just an entrance, and it had taken so long.
But she couldn’t show her displeasure. She smiled gently: “Thank you, Douglas…”
Douglas beamed: “It is my honor to serve Your Holiness.”
Loseweisse was pleased with his response.
This is how subordinates should behave.
She thought of Ekaterina, Athena, and Sylph…
Especially Sylph. That bitch often acted insolently, as if she didn’t respect her.
Her emerald eyes often betrayed her defiance. She wanted to fight back.
If not for their history as comrades, and if Sylph hadn’t given her Jie Luo’s soul fragment, and if she wasn’t still somewhat useful, Loseweisse wouldn’t have tolerated her.
She would deal with her once she had collected all of Jie Luo’s soul fragments.
For now, she would endure it.
After all, they had been companions for so long. Compared to others, they were more attuned to Jie Luo’s soul fragments.
She wondered how Athena and Sylph were doing.
She shook her head, dismissing those thoughts. She gestured with her hand.
With a grinding sound, the stone slab moved, revealing a dark passage leading downwards.
Faint, strange sounds echoed from within.
“Douglas, stay here and don’t let anyone near. And keep an eye on Augustus.”
He nodded. While he wanted to follow her, protecting her, he knew this was also an important task.
Glancing at the dark passage, Loseweisse hesitated, then said: “My loyal warriors, please, clear the path to my imprisoned mother.”
Her voice was filled with a strange power.
Since receiving the second oracle, her mental abilities had greatly improved. She could use suggestion and mental manipulation more easily.
Her melodious voice echoed, and dozens of Holy Knights and priests stepped forward, their faces glowing with righteous fervor.
It was their greatest honor to serve their Goddess.
A Holy Knight took the lead, the others following.
Loseweisse, a gentle smile on her face, followed, her figure gradually disappearing into the passage.
The passage was narrow, but not dark.
Magic lamps, their crystals regularly replaced, hung on the walls every few dozen meters, casting a warm glow.
Ah… ah… ah…
But within that warm glow, shrill, hoarse, and pained cries echoed, adding a sinister touch to the passage.
