Secrets of the Deceased

The Brockman Family must not perish. They hold the vast majority of Fiendkind's secrets, making them a pivotal asset in the fight against the Fiendkind!

Seeing Chek about to be devoured, Du Chen's figure flickered into the midst of the Huhuhu Beasts. Not daring to provoke them with force, he instead used a delicate current of water to push aside a Huhuhu Beast with a wide-open maw, ready to tear Chek apart, and helped Chek up.

Huhuhu Beast King Pieres's expression immediately shifted. He asked coldly, "Alex, what is the meaning of this?"

Du Chen chuckled, "Your Majesty, you already have an abundance of food. Do these mere few members of the Brockman Family truly matter to you? Grant your humble brother this face, and let him go!"

Chek, still reeling from fright, trembling, grasped Du Chen's hand. He gazed in terror at Pieres, his legs shaking. This was no fault of his; facing countless blood-filled maws, imagining himself about to be torn into fragments – how many could remain unshaken?!

Pieres, his intentions unclear, slowly advanced towards Chek, his face cold. The ground subtly trembled. His small head fixed its gaze on Du Chen. "Let him go? Do you know what the Brockman people have done to me?"

Du Chen offered an awkward smile.

Pieres roared in fury, "If there was a man who turned your parents into a 'Mandarin Duck Hotpot,' minced your newborn sister into meat paste, then flayed the skin from your back, laid it on a platter, poured raw oil over it, and served it to the table... would you spare such a person?" The horrific images of his parents and kin swirled in his mind. Pieres was incandescent with rage, his voice growing louder and louder until he finally bellowed, "Would you?!"

Gasping for several rough breaths, Pieres continued, "Alex, I'm helping you today partly because you saved my life, and partly because you've never consumed a single Huhuhu Beast!" His malevolent gaze fixed on Du Chen. "You are still my Benefactor, one of the Violet-Bloods respected by us Huhuhu Beasts. But with just that, do you expect me to grant you face and let go of the enemy who slaughtered my parents and siblings?"

Du Chen gave a wry smile. Indeed, every word Pieres spoke was logical. Now that he had ascended to power, seeking vengeance against the Brockman people was unassailable. Such was the fundamental Food Chain of the City of Penance; no one could blame another for devouring them, only resent their own lack of strength.

Yet, he had invested enormous effort and resources into the Brockman Family; he couldn't allow them to be consumed before they had served their purpose!

Du Chen's expression became cordial. He mused inwardly, *This Huhuhu Beast King seems to value 'face' greatly. Then I shall exploit that very concept to corner him!* So, Du Chen shifted the topic, suddenly saying, "Your Majesty Pieres, earlier you dispatched your brethren with a document, seeking negotiations with the leaders of the Violet-Bloods. May I inquire what you wished to discuss?"

Pieres's expression softened slightly. He said, "I demand that the Violet-Bloods acknowledge the Huhuhu Beasts as their masters and regularly provide us with sufficient 'food.' In return, I will not eradicate them completely, and I will ensure they have enough numbers to reproduce."

Du Chen praised, "Your Majesty is truly Heh-gakka! Indeed, if the Violet-Bloods were to perish entirely, the Huhuhu Beasts, deprived of their sustenance, would also starve. Is that why you put forth such a proposal?"

Pieres nodded proudly.

Du Chen continued, "Then consider the current situation—if the Brockman Family is spared, they will undoubtedly become the leaders of the Violet-Bloods. Therefore, why not spare the Brockman Family and allow them to manage the Violet-Bloods on your behalf, agreeing to all your terms? You are a king with Heh-gakka foresight; you must already perceive the advantages and disadvantages and will surely make a Heh-gakka decision without me needing to say more!" He flattered Pieres using the Huhuhu Beast's peculiar idiom.

"You're just going in circles, still asking me to release the Brockman people!?" Pieres shook his head resolutely, his voice sharp. "Impossible! My subjects, devour Chek immediately!"

Several Huhuhu Beasts immediately stepped forward, swinging their tails, ready to push Du Chen aside.

*Damn it,* Du Chen cursed inwardly. *If persuasion fails, I'll have to gamble with brute force!* Du Chen suddenly moved to block Chek, declaring with righteous indignation, "Your Majesty Pieres, I am also a member of the Brockman Family. If you intend to devour all Brockman people, then consume me as well!"

Chek froze, then was overcome with gratitude, his hands trembling slightly. "Al-Alex, Sir, you..." He was too choked with emotion to speak. In the City of Penance, where survival was the paramount rule, how many individuals would so readily sacrifice themselves for others?!

Little did Chek know, Du Chen's thoughts were: *Would Pieres, this 'face-loving' Huhuhu Beast, publicly repay kindness with malice and slay his Benefactor? Heh heh, he wouldn't. Even if he did, I could just abandon the Brockman Family, feign submission again, and still be perfectly fine!*

Boom! Boom!

Pieres stomped his feet in a fit of rage! He glared fixedly at Du Chen, his eyes bloodshot. "Are you truly going to obstruct my vengeance?"

Du Chen continued to feign heroism. "If you wish to slay the Brockman people, you will first have to step over my corpse!"

"Heh-gakka! Do you truly believe I wouldn't dare kill you!?" Pieres roared, lunging at Du Chen with his maw wide open.

The reek of fangs and sharp teeth assaulted him. Du Chen watched calmly, thinking, *A little closer, just a little closer, and I'll relent. After all, my own life is more important than the Brockman Family!*

The words of surrender were already at his lips when Pieres suddenly stopped. He furiously lashed his mountain-like tail, roaring, "Scram! Get out of here, and take the Brockman Family with you!" *Damn it, with hundreds of thousands of Huhuhu Beasts watching, how the hell can I do something as disgraceful as repaying kindness with malice?!*

*Phew!* Du Chen sighed in relief. He'd won the gamble! He turned and pushed Chek. "What are you staring at? Hurry and leave!"

Calling Steve and retrieving the Vanishing Snow Sword, the group quickly departed. Pieres suddenly let out a furious roar, "Wait!" He gasped for several rough breaths. "Alex, today I spare you and the Brockman Family. However, your debt of kindness to me is now fully repaid. If we meet again on the Battlefield in the future, do not blame me for being ruthless!"

Du Chen cupped his hands and bowed. "Your Majesty has shown boundless benevolence and righteousness. Should we cross paths again on the Battlefield, Alex will face life or death without complaint!"

"Good. Now get out!"

...

Du Chen hurried towards the Brockman Bunker. Only then did his heart truly settle. But with his peace of mind restored, his thoughts ceased to dwell solely on life and death. A new question surfaced: *Where did all these Huhuhu Beasts come from?!*

Du Chen performed a mental calculation regarding the Huhuhu Beasts. The conclusion startled him profoundly. There were over twenty prominent families in the City of Penance, each on average raising more than ten thousand Huhuhu Beasts. Even accounting for wild ones, the total number of Huhuhu Beasts in the City of Penance could not possibly exceed five hundred thousand, even at its absolute peak!

Yet, Pieres had just claimed to command a million-strong army. While there might have been an element of exaggeration, the numbers were still close enough. So, where had the additional five hundred thousand Huhuhu Beasts suddenly appeared from?!

As he pondered, Du Chen suddenly gasped, "Wah!" and spat out a mouthful of clotted blood. Just moments ago, to save Xue Ji, he had directly endured Thirteen's 'Shooting Star Storm'!

"Sir Alex, what's wrong?" Chek hastily moved to support him. Just as Du Chen slumped onto his shoulder, on the other side, Steve also collapsed—though his self-detonation hadn't fully materialized, the battle qi he had already unleashed was not so easily contained!

Both brothers were injured!

Chek urgently said, "Quick, quickly help them back to the bunker!"

The group swiftly departed, moving with haste. Not long after they left, a rather interesting minor event unfolded within the Huhuhu Beast horde...

Within the horde, a Huhuhu Beast with a tail three to four meters long was devouring the corpses on the ground. Suddenly, as if sated, it patted its belly, and its main head let out a satisfied burp. The small head on its tail showed an equally content expression. However, after that small head burped, it never closed its maw again, continuously squawking "Heh-gakka."

With each shriek it let out, the small head grew a fraction larger, becoming progressively bigger until it was nearly indistinguishable from the main head, almost the same size...

Just then, with a distinct *snap*, the tail connecting the Huhuhu Beast's two heads suddenly detached. Astonishingly, the Huhuhu Beast had split into two separate Huhuhu Beasts!

"Heh-gakka, Heh-gakka!" The two Huhuhu Beasts squawked at each other for a few moments, then small heads sprouted on each of their tails again. Following that, the two identical creatures continued to devour the corpses...

After the Huhuhu Beasts mutated, their method of reproduction also changed, becoming the incredibly rapid process of fission reproduction!

Not only was this single Huhuhu Beast undergoing fission; whenever any Huhuhu Beast sated itself, fission would continuously occur, and the number of Huhuhu Beasts multiplied at a geometric rate!

Witnessing the ever-increasing number of his subjects before his eyes, Huhuhu Beast King Pieres found not joy, but worry. He grumbled to himself, "Heh-gakka! My brethren are growing more numerous, but there aren't enough Violet-Bloods to eat! What am I to do?! Something bad is bound to happen, bound to happen soon..."

...

While the Huhuhu Beast King fretted, nearly a hundred miles away, a deep canyon lay. Its bottom was not the ash-black soil of the City of Penance, but the rugged walls of the Life Tree. Moments ago, Thirteen and her companions, having fled with all their might, finally reached these Life Tree walls. They hastily used a 'Life Shortcut' to pass through the wall and escape into the 'Labyrinth of Life' on the other side.

Her chest heaving rapidly, Thirteen slumped against the base of the wall, gritting her teeth as she reattached her broken left arm. "Fourteen, how are you?"

"My flesh has been torn and mangled, but there are no fatal wounds. Seventeen's lower body, however, has been completely gnawed away by the Huhuhu Beasts. Even if he survives, he'll likely be a cripple!"

Fourteen leaned against the wall, gesturing towards Seventeen, who was cradled in Constantine's arms, now only a torso. In the end, only these four had managed to escape. The entire Changxi Squad had perished in the maws of the Huhuhu Beasts.

Seventeen, with only a final breath left, weakly said, "Quick, quickly use a 'Life Shortcut' to send me back to Master's side! Master can save me!"

Thirteen shakily rose to her feet. "Return? Our mission is incomplete. Are we to go back just to face punishment?"

"But if we don't return, I'll be utterly crippled, damn it!" Seventeen pleaded angrily, his anxious gaze fixed on Thirteen. "Otherwise, you could at least use a 'Life Shortcut' to preserve my life!"

Thirteen, however, merely gave a cold laugh. "Life and death—we've witnessed it all countless times! Since you are already crippled, then die!"

Seventeen froze, then urgently said, "My serial number is beneath yours. My death brings you no benefit whatsoever! On the contrary, you'll be punished by Master for losing a Captain during the mission!"

Thirteen fell silent for a moment. Perhaps Seventeen's words had an effect. She reached behind her, plucking a green seed from her belt—a sibling to 'Little Pudding.' "Life Shortcut! First, preserve Seventeen's life, then heal our wounds!"

The Life Tree Seed slowly began to take effect. Judging by its vibrant emerald glow, this particular seed was the opposite of 'Little Pudding' in nature—it possessed a life attribute! As she received treatment, Thirteen frowned and declared, "Once our injuries have recovered somewhat, we will return to the City of Penance!"

Constantine exclaimed anxiously, "We're going back?"

Thirteen said in a deep voice, "The Secret Lock matched to you is still in Alex's hands. Without retrieving it, you will never be able to accept the power bestowed by Master, nor will we ever be able to complete Master's Military Edict!"

Constantine sighed, subtly trying to dissuade her. "Perhaps we could wait until our strength is fully recovered, or return to Master to request reinforcements... After all, the City of Penance has already become the domain of the Huhuhu Beasts."

Thirteen also let out a deep sigh. "Eighteenth, you've just joined us; you don't yet understand our rules. Master's Military Edict is absolute. If we flee back in panic without completing it, we will be punished!"

"Military Edict? Was Master a soldier before?" the Rebellious Dragon asked in surprise.

"Not just before, but even now! Alright, you will gradually learn all these things later!" Thirteen gritted her teeth, enduring the searing pain of her wounds tearing and healing, and said in a muffled voice, "This time, all twenty members of the Changxi Family died in battle, wasting twenty Secret Locks! Eighteenth, once we return, we will be responsible for dealing with Alex, while you must find a way to locate the bodies of Changxi and the others..."

Constantine asked, puzzled, "Changxi and the others' bodies have been ripped to shreds. There's no way to find them. Moreover, is it truly necessary for us to risk ourselves for mere corpses?"

"Of course there is!"

Thirteen explained with a serious expression, "Our battle qi all originates from Master's Secret Locks. After death, the battle qi within our bodies does not dissipate; instead, it is stored in our corpses and can be re-utilized by Master! Therefore, corpses are exceptionally important to us!"

Constantine wondered aloud, "Does that not mean that any Huhuhu Beast that devours Changxi and the others will become incredibly powerful?"

Thirteen scoffed, "Precisely! As long as a Huhuhu Beast's attributes match the corpse, it will inherit Changxi's power! Did you wonder why Fourteen and Seventeen refused to help me earlier?" She cast a cold smile at Seventeen. "Because I am Number Thirteen, and my battle qi is stronger than his. If I were to die, he could inherit my battle qi as 'Number Thirteen'! But conversely, if he dies, there's no need for me to inherit the lower-ranked 'Number Seventeen' battle qi, which is why I chose to save Seventeen!"

The Rebellious Dragon offered a faint smile, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

*To think the Scarlet Army's corpses held so many secrets! How intriguing! A person dies, yet the battle qi on their corpse can still be inherited. Then, what if I, Constantine, were to obtain the corpse of Number One?*

In his mind, the Rebellious Dragon morbidly sketched a bloody scene. Yet he knew he currently lacked the power to turn that vision into reality. Thus, he humbly said aloud, "I understand. I will find the bodies of Changxi and the others. If I cannot find them, then I will slay the Huhuhu Beasts that devoured Changxi and bring back their corpses!"

Thirteen slowly closed her beautiful eyes.

The group continued to treat their wounds. Once their bodies had recovered somewhat, they quietly snuck back into the City of Penance. However, Seventeen, already a cripple, was mercilessly abandoned in place. His battle qi remained, allowing him to barely manage the task of rear-guard and support...

Within the chilling Labyrinth of Life, everything felt eerily desolate. In the vast passageway, only Seventeen sat with closed eyes, tending to his wounds, hoping to recover more strength as soon as possible.

*What if an Aberrant Beast suddenly emerged and devoured him at this moment?! And what if that Aberrant Beast's attributes perfectly matched Seventeen's battle qi...?*

The thought suddenly sprung into Seventeen's mind, causing him to shiver involuntarily. He then laughed at himself, muttering, "This section of the Labyrinth of Life is the backyard of the City of Penance. How could an Aberrant Beast possibly appear here?"

He offered a self-comforting smile.

But just then, a voice echoed nearby, "Hey, buddy, are you lost and starving just like me!?"

...

Inside the Brockman Bunker, Du Chen and Steve were carried into the underground great hall. Steve was unconscious, and Du Chen's face was pallid, his complexion extremely poor!

Chek settled the two brothers onto a thick carpet and urgently shouted, "Quick! Bring the best tonics and medicinal herbs!" His loud cry startled the bunker, and the third generation stationed there rushed out to see what was happening. Third Young Lady Angie was the first to approach. Seeing Du Chen's appearance, she mocked with a sarcastic tone, "Oh my! A venerable Titled Battle God, injured? It seems your adversaries were quite formidable indeed!"

Du Chen glared at her. Just as he was about to speak, Chek had already barked, "Angie, shut your mouth and quickly get the medicine!"

Du Chen waved his hand. "Chek, I'm fine! But there are a few matters you must attend to immediately, or else we'll likely perish in the maws of the Huhuhu Beasts before long!"

Chek hastily knelt beside Du Chen. "Your command, I shall execute it at once!"

Du Chen regulated his breathing. "First..."

"Hmph!" Angie let out a cold snort, interrupting Du Chen. She pulled her father closer, angrily saying, "Father, look at yourself! Are you a mere servant receiving orders from a master?" She pointed at Du Chen. "You, a mere guest consultant, by what right do you command my father?! Guards! Carry Alex out of here!"

Immediately, some of the third generation stepped forward to drag the carpet, truly showing no regard for the injured Titled Battle God!

Chek gave Angie a resounding *slap* across the face. "You wretched girl! If not for Sir Alex just now, neither I nor your uncles would have returned alive!" His cousin beside him also raged, "Angie, you are utterly outrageous! Sir Alex risked his own life to save us! Let's see who dares carry him out today!?"

Though the third generation was arrogant, they dared not argue with their fathers and uncles. Angie grudgingly glared at Du Chen, then asked, "Father, what happened just now?"

While instructing someone to tend to Du Chen, Chek concisely explained the situation. Finally, he angrily stated, "Do you all understand? The Huhuhu Beasts are now the masters of the City of Penance! If you don't wish to become food, then obediently listen to Sir Alex!"

Angie was stunned upon hearing this, murmuring, "How... how can this be?" She thought to herself, *It's over. With the Huhuhu Beasts so powerful, is there any way for us to survive? The most dangerous threat now isn't Alex seizing power, but the Huhuhu Beasts themselves. In that case, following a Titled Battle God offers a greater chance of survival!* Realizing this, her gaze towards Du Chen softened and became submissive. She offered an apologetic smile. "Sir Alex, Angie is young and ignorant; please forgive me!"

*This girl's demeanor changes truly swiftly!* Du Chen smirked, deciding not to hold it against her. He then said, "Chek, immediately send people to the surface to gather all remaining Violet-Blood factions. Organize them, construct a defensive line centered around the Brockman Bunker, and simultaneously concentrate all food supplies within the bunker!"

Chek immediately ordered, "Angie, didn't you hear? Quickly go and contact all nearby Violet-Bloods. Tell them, if they wish to survive, they must seek refuge with our Brockman Family!"

Angie's attitude, as expected, had done a complete one-eighty. She obediently bowed deeply to Du Chen, then turned and led her younger siblings to carry out the task.

Du Chen continued, "Second, I have a scroll in my possession. You must quickly gather all the items listed on it..." Chek retrieved the scroll and unfurled it, but couldn't comprehend the purpose of its contents. "Heh heh," Du Chen chuckled, "these are 'Alchemical Substitutes.' Collect them as quickly as possible! Also, have people dig downwards within the bunker, until they can touch the inner wall of the Life Tree!"

Chek stared at Du Chen, utterly bewildered and surprised.

Du Chen gestured for him to lean closer, then whispered into his ear, "I have found a Life Tree Seed. As long as you procure the alchemical ingredients for me, and then allow that seed, once it sprouts, to make contact with the inner wall of the Life Tree, I can lead you all back to the human world!"

Chek's eyes widened dramatically, and he gasped sharply. Du Chen's voice came again, "Share this news with a few trustworthy individuals among the second generation, to bolster their confidence in resisting the Huhuhu Beasts. But do not tell the third generation. Do you understand what I mean?"

Chek nodded repeatedly. "I understand. My daughter and my nieces and nephews are inept; I know this clearly in my heart. Telling them would only complicate matters!"

Du Chen nodded with a smile. "Finally, use the excavated soil to reinforce the bunker. You must defend against the Huhuhu Beast attacks until all the alchemical ingredients have been gathered! Alright, those are your tasks. Now, I need to enter seclusion..."