Chapter 303: Coming Home

Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Coming Home

BANG!

He was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

Then, Hilic opened its mouth, gathering a furious Power, and shot a dark red beam toward Long Ming.

BOOM~

A massive explosion completely engulfed Long Ming.

"Long Ming!"

Luoxue and the others felt their hearts tremble.

Seeing that Long Ming was done for, Agaka and his men roared at all their subordinates.

"Everyone, charge!"

Countless soldiers charged fearlessly toward Hilic.

Qian Xing, Qian Luobing, Luoxue, and the others also charged angrily at Hilic.

Hilic looked at the charging crowd, filled with rage. Because it hadn’t fully evolved and due to the climate, its wide-range red blood mist was unable to kill them all at once.

Enraged, it opened its mouth, which split apart like a blooming flower bud.

BZZT~

Hilic gathered a terrifying, dark red Energy Ball.

It aimed its head straight down and blasted the ground.

BOOM~

A terrifying explosion swept out, sending everyone who had been charging flying.

Anyone not wearing second-generation exoskeleton armor died instantly. For those who were, their systems were constantly reporting errors.

The entire area was cleared in an instant.

"It’s over!"

On the outskirts, Jing Chuan and the others were stunned.

Just then, within the ruins, Long Ming, covered in blood, forced himself to climb up from the ground, his face contorted in pain.

He wanted to charge forward, but his body wouldn’t obey.

’Is this really as far as I can go?’

At that moment, his gaze unintentionally fell upon the corpse of a general-class Blood Breath Dog lying on the ground nearby.

Instantly, Long Ming’s blood began to boil, and his mind grew more frantic.

A desire born of hunger, greed, and consumption arose within him.

Long Ming fought to suppress the impulse, but he couldn’t stop himself from extending his left claw and plunging it into the Blood Breath Beast’s corpse.

Its claws began to frantically absorb the Blood Breath Beast’s blood.

In an instant, the entire Red Demon mech suit erupted in a dazzling red light.

A notification popped up on the control screen in his vision.

"Beast Mode activated!"

"Mental synchronization rate rising."

...

A surge of violent Power washed over him.

Long Ming’s eyes instantly turned red.

...

Meanwhile, Hilic was walking toward the nearest person, Qian Xing.

Seeing Hilic approach, Qian Xing struggled to his feet, but there was no way to escape.

"Father!"

Seeing Qian Xing in danger, Qian Luobing and Luoxue were beside themselves with anxiety.

But it was too late.

Hilic walked up to Qian Xing and raised its sharp right claw.

Watching this, Qian Xing resigned himself to his fate.

SWOOSH!

Just then, Long Ming suddenly appeared between Qian Xing and Hilic.

Both Qian Xing and Hilic were startled.

Long Ming slowly raised his head, revealing scarlet eyes, then rapidly swung the blood-red blade in his hand.

Streaks of light flashed past.

By the time Hilic reacted,

CRACK!

its claws and feet had all been severed.

"AWOOOO!"

Hilic let out a pained roar as countless bloody tentacles extended from its wounds, trying to heal.

Long Ming’s scarlet eyes stared at Hilic’s body, instantly seeing through to the location of its tumorous heart within.

He then raised his blood-red blade, his entire body’s Power erupting. A terrifying red aura swept out, blasting Qian Xing away.

Then, he stomped on the ground. BOOM! The hard earth shattered as he transformed into a streak of light and shot forward.

CRUNCH~

Long Ming pierced straight through Hilic’s body, plunging his blade into its red, tumorous heart.

"AWOOOO~"

Hilic let out a heaven-shaking scream.

Then, with its last breath, it activated all of its Power. From within, it instantly sprouted bloody tentacles that pierced through Long Ming’s body.

"Damn you, ant! Let’s go to hell together!"

Hilic’s massive body immediately curled into a ball of flesh, which began to flicker with violent red arcs of lightning.

"Long Ming!"

Luoxue screamed when she saw this.

"No! It’s going to take him down with it! Everyone, run!"

Agaka shouted in terror to everyone.

Biting her lip, Luoxue was about to rush over and save Long Ming.

Seeing this, Qian Luobing grabbed Luoxue’s hand.

"Don’t go! It’s hopeless! It’s going to explode!"

"Everyone, retreat!"

Qian Xing roared at the sight.

Everyone turned and fled for their lives, each wishing they had more legs.

Soon, everyone had run out of the royal palace.

At that moment, a blinding light rose from the center of the palace as a sun flickering with dark red lightning arcs exploded.

RUMBLE~

A destructive shockwave swept outward.

The entire royal palace collapsed with a deafening roar, and the terrifying shockwave sent everyone flying.

When they all got back up, they saw that the entire royal palace had been blasted into rubble, and everything was buried.

Fortunately, they had fled far enough that the impact wasn’t too severe.

Qian Xing and the others watched the scene, falling into silence.

Just then, the entire ground began to tremble slightly.

"What’s happening?"

"Is it an earthquake?"

...

Brubo and the others looked on in horror.

BZZZT~

Then, everyone’s wristbands began to vibrate.

"Alert: Congratulations on successfully slaying the final king of the Blood Breath race and igniting the Flame of Civilization!"

"Alert: The instance is beginning to collapse. All personnel, please return to the range of the World Pillar immediately."

...

RUMBLE~

With the royal city ruins as its epicenter, the ground began to crumble in all directions, and everything in its path was swallowed by a bottomless abyss.

Fortunately, the collapse wasn’t happening too quickly.

"This place is collapsing! Everyone, move out, now!"

Qian Xing immediately shouted to the group.

"Get in the vehicles!"

...

Everyone quickly rushed toward the vehicles parked outside the city.

Soon, they were driving away.

Luoxue looked back at the continuously collapsing royal city ruins, her expression growing more somber. Her cool eyes welled up with tears, and a single, clear teardrop slid down her cheek.

...

Inside Mountain City Mountain.

The wristbands of the populace began to vibrate one after another as messages popped up.

"We won!"

"This is great! We finally won!"

...

Countless cheers echoed throughout all of Mountain City Mountain.

Innumerable citizens embraced each other, weeping with joy.

At that moment, Pura, who was broadcasting live, excitedly reported to everyone.

"Everyone, the royal city beheading operation was a success! The ruins are collapsing now, and we are turning around to return to Mountain City Mountain!"

...

"Mountain City Mountain is mighty!"

"I knew we would win."

"Thank God, we finally survived."

"We don’t have to live in fear anymore!"

...

Countless comments flooded the screen.

---

「Two days later.」

Qian Xing and the others, battered and exhausted, returned to Mountain City Mountain in their vehicles.

City Lord Qian Luo, supported by Qian Ying, was waiting for them at the entrance, accompanied by many officials and citizens of Mountain City Mountain.

Soon, the vehicles drove up to City Lord Qian Luo and stopped.

Qian Xing and the others stepped out with heavy expressions.

"Father, we’re back."

"Mm, it’s good that you’re back. You’ve worked hard."

Qian Luo reached out a trembling hand and caressed Qian Xing’s cheek.

"I’m sorry, Father. Big Brother was sacrificed."

Qian Xing said in a hoarse voice.

Although the four brothers usually fought relentlessly amongst themselves, it was impossible to say there were no feelings between them.

Hearing Qian Xing’s words, a look of grief crossed Qian Luo’s aged face. He seemed to age several years in an instant as he said, trembling,

"I know. Bring him home."

Qian Xing, Qiansha, and the others nodded.

...