[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-becoming-a-god-through-horror":3,"chapter-becoming-a-god-through-horror-becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-165":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Becoming a God Through Horror",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2273708,4441,"Chapter 165: Magic Power Fire Dragon, Ancient Worm","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-165",165,"\u003Cp>Although he didn’t understand why, this giant looked far stronger than the previous giant lip-sucking worms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, its abilities were excellent: parasitic control and physical regeneration—both highly useful, and most importantly, this thing had even shown some intelligence; if it could be tamed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis wanted to try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he walked forward with a smile, “I think we can talk, for example—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished speaking, the mother emitted a roar, and dozens of tiny worms shot out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis’s lips twitched slightly; Xiong Xiong flames instantly burned the worms to ash. “Don’t take kindness for weakness—turns out you really need to be beaten into submission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the ruby ring on Louis’s finger glowed, and a fist-sized flame appeared in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flame flared violently, twisted, stretched—and a fire dragon thirty meters long, with full claws and a head five meters tall, suddenly loomed in the sky, roaring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“ROAR!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fire Manipulation technique, empowered by magic power and enhanced by the ruby ring, effortlessly forged this dragon—its temperature exceeding 1200 degrees, glowing orange-yellow, radiating terrifying majesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, this wasn’t even his full power; Louis still had the leisure to shape it into a dragon form. If he truly unleashed his full strength, it would be a massive fireball straightaway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, given the current situation, this fire dragon should be more than sufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WHOOSH!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A torrent of flame erupted; the mother seemed terrified of fire, leaping straight into the pool behind her, trying to use the water to resist the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fire and water collided instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SSSSS!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water met fire, and thick white steam surged upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“ROAR! AHHH!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pained roars echoed from the pool, but just as Louis was about to use his Primordial Spirit power, Xiang Jiali waved her hand, condensing the surrounding air into a wall that blocked the lingering steam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also shielded Casey and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive body erupted from the water, dragging a gale with it, charging straight at Louis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the mother knew continuing like this meant certain death—only by leveraging its advantage could it hope to win, and its advantage was naturally its enormous size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the fire dragon still hovered in midair; it wouldn’t let it pass so easily. Louis controlled the dragon to swing its tail, while the dragon’s head curved around, forming a semi-encirclement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames roared; the thick fire tail blocked it, the dragon’s body coiled, tightened, and closed in, the head biting from the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SSSSS—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fire was the most primal natural force, capable of countering all carbon-based life—even silicon-based life had to bow before its divine might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, this monster was entangled in flames, trapped in a sea of fire, scorched at every moment, even becoming part of the fire itself—like a colossal torch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its body burned, its internal oils feeding the flames, making them burn hotter; even rolling or diving back into the pool did no good—the fire dragon, empowered by magic power and the ruby ring, was not so easily extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACKLE!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACKLE!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oil splattered, the stench of charred flesh drifted through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis strolled to the edge of the pool, watching the mother lose vitality, then suddenly his third eye twitched—but his body didn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SPLASH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thick tentacle shot violently from the water, striking at Louis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BAM!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blood-red bead three meters in diameter suddenly appeared, smashing the tentacle into it, collapsing a crater in the pool floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s it—you can regenerate somewhat with water, can you? Then… would you die if you lost all moisture?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis stood firm, calmly watching the screaming mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire dragon plunged its entire body into the pool—instantly, mist rose, all moisture evaporated, the ground cracked into black, terrifying fissures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the mother remained, shriveled to half her size, barely alive, scorched by flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shockwave faded; Louis brushed his hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crouched down, staring at the mother. “Will you submit? I give you one chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between his fingers, a flame identical to the earlier fist-sized one ignited, flickering gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mother struggled to look at Louis—and at the flame in his hand—then finally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bones twisted, skin compressed, transformed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three seconds later, the massive body twisted and reshaped into a blonde woman—though she wore no clothes. Even without clothes, no ordinary person would feel desire for her now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? Her entire skin was covered in burn scars, pitch-black, dotted with swollen, red blisters that looked ready to burst at the slightest touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from her face, everything else was repulsive and terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I—I submit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, she had always been able to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis finally smiled. “Good. I appreciate your pragmatism. But I don’t trust your word—so we need something small to build mutual trust.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out; the vial containing the “Happy Powder”—a drug-like substance developed by Casey’s companions—flew from Casey’s hands, now protected by Xiang Jiali, into Louis’s palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the mother’s terrified gaze, Louis waved his hand. “Don’t worry—it won’t kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>POP!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vial shattered; the powder coalesced in midair into a white pill. Louis tore off a thin sheet of iron and wrapped it around the pill. “Now, eat it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mother hesitated. “Please… don’t do this. This thing is dangerous for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I should be useful to you. You don’t want me dying by accident, do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy hell—what kind of reverse threat was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis’s smile vanished. “Drink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>GLUG.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, she swallowed it. She had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis knew this was only a temporary measure. Once he forged the Centipede Sack, he’d transform her into it as a worm—then her life and death would be entirely in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that matter settled,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis didn’t press the mother further. Instead, he turned to Casey. “Do you know Haley? A girl with black hair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haley?” Casey’s eyes lit up. “I know her! But she’s injured—she’s probably still on the second floor. I’ll take you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need. I’ve already come down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A female voice came. Haley limped out from a corner, holding a lighter and a spray can.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clearly planned to use fire against the parasites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d already heard the commotion and had been quietly observing from the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like I arrived just in time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She first thanked him, then turned to Louis and asked suddenly, “Louis, are there many of these monsters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis paused, then said, “Many. More than you can imagine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why, in all these years, have I never heard of them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably because David and I showed up…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sorry. We didn’t mean to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis clicked his tongue. “Someone’s covering up this information. With the huge population and chaos at the bottom, many deaths aren’t caused by humans—people naturally never find out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haley nodded. So that’s how it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She trusted Louis’s words—there was no other explanation. But if this was true, wasn’t the world incredibly dangerous?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d thought Emilia’s case was rare—turns out she’d just been lucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can I still transfer schools?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis smiled and extended his hand. “Of course. Welcome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haley was intelligent, calm, ruthless—not a liability. And most importantly, she had ties with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Louis was willing to pull her up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for her position—depends on her talent. If she’s strong, she rises; if weak, she fades into the margins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter what, at least she’d gain the power to protect herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far better than leaving her fate entirely to luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After treating her injuries, Louis turned his focus to the mother, severely burned and lying there waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He approached her, watching her further shrunken body, and confirmed in his mind: her weakness was water—she couldn’t survive without it. Dehydration meant immediate death or dormancy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That accidental special drug—Happy Powder—must have caused dehydration, which was why she feared it so much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weakness is really obvious enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind raced; Louis asked, “What’s your name? Or do you even have one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do—I took it after blending into your human society: Marybeth Louis Hutchinson.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis immediately frowned. “That name is terrible. From now on, you’re Bess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s already Mary and Maria—what if we get another Marybeth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bess nodded. Survival of the fittest—this one held her life and death in his hands. Changing her name was nothing; even mating with her, she’d be willing—or rather, she’d beg for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me your origins, and the full story behind this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis asked. These were what he cared about most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am, in fact, a mutated form of a special leech.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>? Another leech?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to your human classification, I am an ancient worm—barely an ancestor of the leech—and after mutating from a meteorite and fusing with a nematode, I gained the abilities to spawn parasitic offspring and regenerate flesh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These past days, after parasitizing this body, I merged with it and gradually gained human intelligence. I intended to slowly take control of the humans in this school as a foundation, then expand step by step to build my own kingdom—but I didn’t expect...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis’s expression turned grim. Another meteorite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many special meteorites were there in that meteor shower a few months ago?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, uh, Master—should I call you that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whatever.” Louis watched the mutated mother, curious what she’d say next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need to tell you something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have another... companion, I suppose. Also a mutation from that same meteorite. But she’s different from me: I’m a fusion of leech ancestor and nematode; she’s a fusion of queen ant and queen bee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another one???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1588,"2026-06-19T23:34:28.869Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bd7f780177b9086f71b450b6c4bd95d25031f07286bfe418491b9dd0533820d1","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-166","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-164",253,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecoming-a-god-through-horror-cover.jpg"]