Chapter 35: Game of manipulators

[Just do not acknowledge it,] the system instructed calmly.

[Systems are not entirely unheard of in the high realms. He is deliberately speaking these terms aloud to pull your simple mind into a trap, forcing you to acknowledge me.]

Summer had actually been planning to ask how he had found out she had a system, genuinely fearing her biggest secret had been completely exposed.

But hearing the system’s quick explanation, she instantly calmed down.

The old chicken kept his eyes fixed entirely on her face, having picked up on her brief moment of visible surprise. He believed he was merely a single step away from unraveling the truth behind her strange power.

However, as he watched, the little pale chick quickly returned to her natural, unbothered self. She leaned down, gurgled a large mouthful of seawater into her beak, and aggressively spat it right into his face.

Pfft!

The shadow of the Ancient Chaos froze completely, stunned as he raised a wing to wipe the salty spit off his forehead.

"You..."

"Meh," Summer scoffed, turning her tail feathers toward him.

"It seems your mysterious partner is quite smart," the fat chicken grumbled bitterly, shaking the water off his head.

[Of course I am,] the system noted with smug satisfaction.

"I am just sad I cannot speak with it directly," the old chicken continued, letting out a dramatic, sorrowful sigh. "We could have been great friends."

’Bah. I am not falling for that stupid trap,’ Summer rolled her eyes mentally, knowing full well he was trying his absolute best to make her acknowledge the system’s presence.

She actually found this little game quite funny. It felt great to see the big, arrogant chicken standing there in such a helpless, defeated state.

She had not forgotten how terrifyingly painful it had been when he forcefully dragged her consciousness into this spatial realm in the first place.

[Yes. He is a very bad guy. Always remember that,] the system chimed in, happily encouraging her petty grievance.

’Mm,’ Summer nodded her tiny head in agreement.

[However... he only awakened from his deep slumber because something external stimulated your bloodline. What could have possibly triggered it?]

’It happened when that human woman touched my head,’ Summer answered honestly, recalling the exact moment Salma’s bare fingers had made contact with her skin.

For reasons which she couldn’t pinpoint, Summer didn’t think that woman would hurt her willingly. And now, recalling the strike she gave that woman, Summer was worried she would be dead now.

[It seems that woman possesses a profound, undeniable connection to your origin,] the system mused thoughtfully. [Could she perhaps be your biological mother?]

’Mother?’ Summer paused, floating idly on the water as her simple mind struggled with the word. ’Like... Mary?’

[Yes. A mother is the person who gave birth to you.]

’Then I don’t want a mother,’ Summer declared bluntly, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. ’Mothers are so annoying...’

How could Summer ever forget the annoying actions of Mary? Mary was insufferable to the point where Summer had secretly plotted to bite her in the dark and turn her into a mindless zombie.

It was only because she feared Ella and Ilas would break off their friendship with her that Summer managed to restrain her violent urges.

Jacob had explained to her back then that Mary acted so overprotective simply because Ella and Ilas were her daughters.

Summer didn’t want a mother because of this.

She rather preferred that strange human woman from the aquarium. That woman was strong and quiet, unlike Mary, who always screamed in terror whenever Ella and Ilas fought zombies, constantly hindering their growth as survivors.

"Oh, whatever. Anyway, I am sure your mysterious partner is hearing our conversation right now, isn’t it?"

The fat chicken’s booming voice pulled Summer right out of her deep thoughts.

Summer continued to ignore him, but her small feathered ears remained tilted sharply in his direction, silently telling him to go on.

"Since it knows my identity, it should be fully aware of my absolute power," the fat chicken announced proudly, puffing out his feathered chest.

"It is entirely because of that strange entity that your true bloodline remains trapped in a deep slumber! Tell it to get out of your body. I am infinitely more suitable to guide you than some parasite."

Noticing Summer’s thoroughly unimpressed expression, the fat chicken quickly flapped his wings and added, "The very moment your true bloodline awakens from its slumber, your strength will instantly reach the absolute peak of this universe! Every rule and every law of reality will bend to your will!"

Those words finally sparked a noticeable change in Summer’s demeanor.

"You mean I will become the strongest person in the entire world?" she asked, her ruby eyes shining with greedy excitement.

The fat chicken was inwardly thrilled to see her enthusiastic reaction. It seemed this naughty little chick was a total power maniac at heart.

Well, that made complete sense, considering she was the direct heir of the Ancient Chaos.

"Not just this single world," the fat chicken boasted loudly, floating higher above the water. "You will reign supreme over the worlds above it, the parallel realms beside it, and even the endless dimensions beyond it!"

[He is not lying,] the system spoke up softly in her mind.

[The Ancient Chaos is the primordial energy of creation itself. The exact moment its full power awakens inside your body, your strength will immediately match the absolute limit of this universe.]

’This universe?’ Summer specifically caught that key detail, her eyebrows knitting together. ’Does that mean there are other universes out there?’

[Yes. Millions of them,] the system explained in a calm, measured tone.

[And every single universe possesses its own local Ancient Chaos. Honestly, reaching the absolute strength of a single universe is already more than enough for any being. By awakening your bloodline right now, you can completely skip all the painful, exhausting grinding of leveling up. But... is that truly all you desire? To be merely one among millions? The choice is entirely yours...]

Summer was momentarily at a complete loss for words, her small chick body floating motionless on the water.

’If I accept his power and awaken the bloodline, what will happen to you?’ she asked tentatively.

[I will disappear forever...] the system answered in a solemn, fading voice.

Summer’s ruby eyes widened in pure shock, tears of panic welling up at the corners of her eyes.

The system had been with her from the very first second she opened her eyes as a zombie in this cruel world. It had guided her, warned her, and kept her alive.

The mere thought of living a life without the system scared her far more than any mutated boss monster ever could.

[Dummy girl, I am just joking,] the system suddenly chimed in, its tone instantly shifting back to its usual smug self.

[I cannot simply be erased like that. However, all my system functions will be permanently blocked for you. In fact, I genuinely think choosing him over me might be the better option for your future. Becoming one among millions with the supreme strength of a universe is not a bad trade at all. You could even return to being a normal, living human girl...]

’Return to being a human?’ Summer interjected loudly before the system could even finish its sentence, her tiny wings fluffing up in absolute horror. ’What do you mean by that?!’

[You are currently a zombie because of my Corruption energy,] the system noted.

[Awakening the creation energy of the Ancient Chaos will completely cleanse that Corruption from your body. Naturally, your zombie form will vanish, and you will return to your former human self.]

"I DON’T WANT YOU!" Summer screamed at the top of her lungs, glaring directly at the fat chicken.

The fat chicken, who had been floating just behind her with a triumphant, arrogant smirk, believing the little girl was definitely going to choose his side, froze completely as her furious roar echoed across the island.

Meanwhile, deep within her soul, a certain system virtually roared with triumphant laughter after successfully manipulating the simple mind of the little zombie girl.

It knew better than anyone how desperately Summer preferred her current zombie existence. Ever since the veil blocking her memories began to loosen up, her biggest, most terrifying fear was that if she ever turned back into a human, the intelligent, strong version of ’Summer’ would cease to exist, replaced once again by a weak, helpless orphan girl.

In this silent, invisible war between two ancient manipulators, the system had claimed a total, unshakeable victory.