Chapter 642 - 501: Mutation: A New Soul Awakening

A piercing shriek escaped the Faceless Snow Demon.

As he shrieked, three enormous souls rapidly manifested behind him, each as massive as a hill.

This was a major battle.

Gao Neng had no intention of participating.

After luring the Faceless Snow Demon out, Xu Zilan also held back. She simply stood quietly beside Gao Neng, watching the besieged Faceless Snow Demon.

"Mom, I’m going down!" Gao Xiaomeng spoke up.

"Mm, go ahead." Xu Zilan nodded. She naturally wouldn’t stop her.

Gao Neng wasn’t surprised, either.

The Faceless Snow Demon was already surrounded. The chance of him escaping the grasp of the Strongest, like Blood Frenzy, to interfere was practically zero.

The plan was on the verge of success.

So, it was only logical for Gao Xiaomeng to take control of the Snow Demon Race’s source of evolution.

"Ah... How dare you!!!" The Faceless Snow Demon’s eyes filled with anxiety as he saw Gao Xiaomeng charge toward the Royal Hall in Snow Demon City.

Because he had realized something.

There was only one explanation for why all these Strongest would team up to besiege him.

Although he didn’t understand how Gao Neng had done it...

...other than controlling the source of evolution, he couldn’t think of any other reason that would make so many Strongest pledge their undying loyalty.

BOOM!

The Faceless Snow Demon unleashed his immense power.

His three great souls swept madly toward the other Strongest. Simultaneously, he emitted a strange cry—a call for help to the other Strongest.

’The Blood Race has been controlled.’

’The Werewolf Race has been controlled.’

’The Snow Elf Race has been controlled...’

’But that doesn’t mean the other races in the North District will be controlled too.’

’As long as the remaining races can unite, he might not lose this battle.’

The Faceless Snow Demon would never admit defeat!

HUMMM!

HUMMM!

His voice spread continuously in all directions.

And as his voice spread out, a few black dots finally appeared on the distant horizon.

The black dots were very small.

But they were moving very quickly.

The Faceless Snow Demon felt a flicker of joy.

’They all came?!’ The Faceless Snow Demon could clearly see that Northwest Wolf was in the lead.

’But that wasn’t important.’

’As long as I tell them that the Werewolf Race and the Blood Race are being controlled, these arriving Strongest will crush Northwest Wolf and Blood Frenzy.’

"Old Snowman, Old Ice River... be careful of that traitor, Northwest Wolf! He’s been controlled by the Dragon Maiden!" the Faceless Snow Demon shouted.

"Northwest Wolf, damn you, your cover’s blown!" Old Snowman cursed.

"I never even tried to hide, alright? Was it any fun hiding the whole time during the negotiations in the West District?" Northwest Wolf retorted angrily.

"Sigh... You’re all like me?" Upon hearing this, Old Ice River glanced around.

"Mm."

"..."

The others around him either nodded or remained silent.

After all, no one was a fool.

During the West District negotiations, everyone had suddenly taken the same side. Anyone with half a brain could figure out what had happened.

The Faceless Snow Demon was completely bewildered.

’What is going on?’

’The Strongest who arrived...’

’Could it be that... all of them...?!’

"Charge!"

"Kill this faceless bastard!"

"I’ve been wanting to take this guy down for a long time..."

Led by Northwest Wolf, the host of Strongest charged back into the fray.

"AH!!! WHY?!!" The Faceless Snow Demon roared, unable to accept this.

’The Dragon Maiden appeared.’

’He had thought the Northern District would unite as one.’

’And in truth, they were united...’

’...but their unity was all for the Dragon Maiden.’

’The Allied Army is about to face its greatest disaster!’

’The Dragon Maiden...’

’...she actually managed to take control of the entire Northern District.’

’Is there any hope left for the Allied Army?!’

RUMBLE!

BOOM!

With Northwest Wolf and his cohort joining the fray...

...the Faceless Snow Demon could finally hold on no longer. In Snow Demon City, the Clan King of the Snow Demon Race, another of their Strongest, and many of their Elders also began to rapidly fall apart.

MEOW!

A meow rang out.

The gazes of every member of the Snow Demon Race went vacant.

They felt a change in their souls.

Their bodies went rigid, and then, in unison, they all fell prostrate. They already knew the outcome.

The Faceless Snow Demon stopped moving as well.

He floated silently in mid-air, his two eyes glinting within the gray-white mist as he looked from Gao Neng to Xu Zilan.

"Hahaha... Dragon Maiden, you’ve won! I never thought... in less than twenty years, you’d fight your way back! Impressive... truly impressive!" the Faceless Snow Demon laughed maniacally.

"Mom, do we kill him?" Gao Xiaomeng spoke up.

Gao Neng glanced at Gao Xiaomeng, a questioning look on his face.

From the moment his plan was set in motion until now, Gao Xiaomeng had never once suggested killing one of the Strongest. But now, she was asking this very question.

"Yes," Xu Zilan nodded.

Gao Neng was taken aback once more.

’He didn’t have any fondness for the Faceless Snow Demon. In fact, given their history, he even wanted to kill the Faceless Snow Demon for revenge himself.’

’But if he could be controlled...’

’Why kill him?’

’Or rather, why kill him now?’

"Little Neng, the Faceless Snow Demon is different from the other Strongest. He will never surrender, not even if we wiped out his entire race. Also... there are some things you might not understand right now. You just need to trust that your mother is doing this for your own good." Xu Zilan seemed to sense the questions in Gao Neng’s mind.

Gao Neng didn’t ask any questions right away.

Nor did he refute her.

’Because Xu Zilan was his mother.’

’Growing up, the only person he had ever trusted was Xu Zilan. She was the one who raised him, saving every last bite of meat for him in their tiny, rundown home.’

’So how could Xu Zilan possibly harm him?’

’But just not harming him...’

’...was that enough?’

"Will the Human Alliance be better off if we kill him?" Gao Neng tilted his head back, not looking at Xu Zilan’s eyes or her expression. Instead, his gaze fell upon the Faceless Snow Demon.

He didn’t want to question Xu Zilan’s words, nor did he want to question her identity.

Of course, by asking this question...

...he was already questioning her.

It was a contradiction, but that was genuinely how he felt right now.

"Why would you ask that?" Xu Zilan froze for a moment. She tried to see Gao Neng’s expression, but she could only see his face in profile. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she spoke again. "Everything I do is for the sake of humanity, for the Human Alliance."

Gao Neng said nothing more.

Because, before him, cracks had begun to appear on the three giant souls hovering around the Faceless Snow Demon.

Like a spider’s web.

They grew denser.

And more numerous.

"Hahaha... So, you didn’t dare to let me live after all, Dragon Maiden!!! Hahaha..." the Faceless Snow Demon cackled wildly.

His souls were dissipating.

And so, his body was dissipating as well.

"MEOW!" Gao Xiaomeng cried out again. She looked tempted to act, but after a brief lunge forward, she pulled back.

She stood quietly beside Gao Neng, not pouncing to devour the Faceless Snow Demon’s three souls as she had with the Blood Marshal.

It seemed to be partly out of disdain.

And partly, perhaps, out of fear of displeasing Xu Zilan.

Gao Neng saw Gao Xiaomeng’s expression.

Just then, Gao Xiaomeng noticed his expression as well. The corners of her mouth turned up, revealing a happy and excited look.

"Brother, I can’t believe we actually conquered the Northern District Battlefield!" After speaking, Gao Xiaomeng took out a white jade bottle and held it out to Gao Neng. "This is the evolutionary energy of the Snow Demon Race. You should need this, right? Drink it, quick. You might be able to achieve a breakthrough."

"Alright." Gao Neng glanced at the white jade bottle before him and didn’t overthink it. After all, the Faceless Snow Demon was already dead.

GLUG!

GLUG!

In just a few gulps, he drained the bottle of its evolutionary energy.

It was warm, then hot.

But it felt somehow different from before.

Because this energy felt like it was targeting his soul...

"BEEP. Fluctuation detected in the host’s Spiritual Power..."

"The fluctuation is too intense!"

"Do you wish to initiate ’mutation’ directly?"

’What mutation?!’ Gao Neng was stunned. ’Shouldn’t it be a breakthrough? I remember it was always a breakthrough before.’

"BEEP. Mutation successful!"

’...?!’

Gao Neng couldn’t find the words to describe what he was feeling, but he knew one thing: the world before his eyes had suddenly changed.

ROAR!!!

A dragon’s roar erupted from Gao Neng’s mouth.