Chapter 214: The Truth

The tension was palpable.

With the leaders of both sides speaking, everyone else was dead silent.

‘Nan Zishi is Zhinan, and Zhinan is Nan Zishi…’

He saw Li Yun standing with Fox Xiang not far away.

He knew of Li Yun; the System Main God had mentioned her more than once and had even shown him her photograph.

She was the host of the uncontrollable System 006.

She was the “error” that the Main God System was determined to eliminate.

Judging by Li Yun’s position and where she was looking, her relationship with Nan Zishi seemed to be quite good.

A flurry of bold speculations began to form in Long Yi’s mind.

Once the first theory surfaced, the dots began to connect with lightning speed.

Five years ago, he’d met Nan Zishi. But after she learned of his engagement, she left without a word, as if she were racing against time.

Now, five years later, Nan Zishi was working against him. She had saved the Beast God’s physical body, taken the Beast God’s Heart, and had even mentioned the system to him.

‘The system is her enemy!’

‘What if she’s also a system host? What if she was looking for him five years ago to become his mate?’

A wave of dread washed over Long Yi.

The Main God System had, in fact, mentioned System 007 to him, but not in any great detail.

It only said that System 007’s host would complete just seven missions before leaving the Beast World.

‘It made sense. It all made perfect sense.’

Six years ago, Nan Zishi had been forcibly bound to a system and brought to the Beast World to complete missions that involved bearing children. She had to comply just to stay alive.

At this thought, a pang of pity for her struck Long Yi’s heart.

Then, she met Lu Yu—a man who looked innocent but was dangerously cunning.

She became Lu Yu’s mate and had a little deer cub, which counted as one of her seven missions.

The males she’d met on her journey… they were all the favored sons of the Beast World.

Including him…

But because of a few simple misunderstandings that weren’t cleared up in time, they had missed their chance.

This series of events and encounters had naturally turned Nan Zishi against the system. After breaking free from it completely, she had to find a way to fight back.

A profound sense of powerlessness suddenly washed over Long Yi.

‘Was their fate, his and Nan Zishi’s, truly destined to miss by such a narrow margin?’

His voice was dry and raspy as he sought confirmation. “You’re the host of System 007?”

The atmosphere instantly grew heavy. Nan Zishi stood up, her expression turning terrifyingly grim.

Even Long Yi was taken aback by her intensity.

Long Yi had already figured out most of it.

Nan Zishi couldn’t be bothered to pretend any longer.

“Six years ago, I was under its control. I was forced to take one mate after another and bear their cubs.”

“Yes. I am the host of System 007.”

…

He Lian shouted, “Has the High Priest lost his mind? The wind is howling out there, why can’t we take shelter before we leave?!”

Ying Li retorted, “If you want to stay in this hole, you can stay by yourself. I’m not staying!”

The Black Dragon male walked through the howling typhoon.

Ying Li and He Lian followed close behind.

‘To be honest, Ying Li still hadn’t wrapped his head around it—the female from the Eastern Empire who had mated with so many Beast Kings was actually Zhi Nan the Sage!’

‘Zhi Nan the Sage really was incredible.’

‘Beautiful, powerful, intelligent, and just… incredible.’

‘If only she weren’t their enemy.’

The rain poured down in torrents. Long Yi tilted his face up, letting it wash over him.

“High Priest!” Ying Li took a step forward, only to see that the rims of Long Yi’s eyes were bloodshot.

The Black Dragon male said, his voice low and heavy.

“The Main God System… Damn it to hell.”

…

‘Our High Priest has lost his mind,’ He Lian thought.

He and Ying Li had found a cave to take shelter in.

But Long Yi had just stood out in the typhoon for an entire day and night.

In his madness, he’d even taken out a metallic sphere of light and was communicating with it.

He Lian didn’t know what the metallic sphere was, but Ying Li did.

The High Priest was communicating with the sphere.

Ten years ago, Beast God Lu Yu and High Priest Long Yi had already learned of the Main God System’s invasion of the Beast World.

The Beast World’s destiny was being stealthily siphoned away.

Their enemy’s goal was to seize the entire, still-developing Beast World.

Afterward, High Priest Long Yi went to the Beast God Space and had a long, secret conversation with Beast God Lu Yu.

Even Ying Li knew that the difficulty wasn’t in destroying the lesser systems.

After all, destroying them wasn’t difficult.

But what was the point?

Destroy one, and others would simply be deployed to take its place.

The most important thing was to destroy the System Main God!

An unknown System Main God!!

Fortunately, while their Beast God could be flippant and enjoyed messing with his priests…

…setting aside his mischievous nature, he was incredibly brilliant.

「Before the Beast God took his own life.」

He had summoned Long Yi and a few other trustworthy, level-headed Eight Pattern High Priests who would never expose a secret.

Ying Li had been one of them.

Beast God Lu Yu had said with a smile, “My friends, we’ve known each other for so many years, and I’ve had a wonderful time with you all. But now, I’m off to go die for a little while.”

The Priests: “…”

Long Yi remained silent, not wanting to speak.

Lu Yu said, “Long Yi, I’m going to have to ask you to be the scapegoat. I’m leaving the task of luring the System Main God to the Beast World in your hands.”

“Be convincing. Be cruel to me. It’s fine to be even more vicious. No matter what you do or how you do it, you must make it trust you completely.”

“Long Yi, don’t you dare go soft on me. You have to act like we’re mortal enemies, kill me with your own hands, and make a good show of sealing me away, okay?”

‘What a despicable Beast God.’

Long Yi ground out through clenched teeth, “It’s my great misfortune to be your High Priest.”

Lu Yu gazed at the sky. “There’s no other way. We are, after all, dealing with a god. A god from a higher plane than my own.”

“Long Yi, I don’t want to be the Beast God anymore. I want to descend to the mortal realm and enjoy a mortal life. Once this is all over, you can be the Beast God.”

And that was why the Priest Hall regarded Long Yi as the future Beast God.

Ying Li had been there the day the Beast God took his own life.

The Beast God and Long Yi had engaged in an unprecedented “great battle.” When Ying Li saw the Beast God tear out his own heart and hand it to Long Yi, Long Yi’s face had been even paler than Lu Yu’s.

Compared to the Beast God’s all-or-nothing gambit…

‘…he was merely shouldering the infamy. What was that in comparison?’

“High Priest…”

Long hair concealed his eyes, and Ying Li couldn’t imagine what Long Yi must have been feeling as he held the heart of his dearest friend.

‘It must have been agonizing,’ he thought.

“There is still much to be done.”

Long Yi said, “It’s not easy being a good man on the surface and a villain in the shadows.”

He had to remain the High Priest of the Beast World, yet he also had to commit “terrible” acts to earn the Main God System’s trust.

This delicate balance of truth and deception was the most difficult thing to manage.

He killed the Beast God.

He would be reviled for it.

He would be condemned behind his back.

But…

When the Beast God had wagered his very life, how could he possibly back down?

Luring the Main God System to the Beast World. He would take this most difficult step himself.

…

[Long Yi, have you found Li Yun?] the Main God System’s voice came through.

“Yes, on the Eastern Coast,” Long Yi replied nonchalantly. “Are you coming?”

[Sure.] The Main God System had complete trust in this High Priest, a man so obsessed with becoming the Beast God that he would even kill his own deity.

[I’ll be there right away. Wait for me on the Eastern Coast.]