Chapter 194: The Surprise Was Actually...

In the sky near the heavy radiation zone, three spaceships slowly emerged. The cabins were dead silent. As the crews stared at the gruesome scene on the edge of the radiation zone, their lips turned pale, and they trembled so much that they could not utter a single word.

The beast horde that had originally stretched for dozens of kilometers had completely vanished. Only a few scattered radiation beasts still wandered about. A massive number of corpses lay strewn across the earth, and coupled with the eerie, heavy radiation atmosphere, it looked like a scene straight out of a living hell.

"Captain, what should we do now?" someone asked, their voice quivering.

The Captain looked dazed as he leaned against the metal cabin wall. The freezing touch against his hand gradually brought him back to reality.

He gritted his teeth and declared, "We have done our best. From now on, keeping a close eye on their position will be enough."

"If we don't stop them, the High Priest will definitely kill us," one of the squad members could not help but point out.

"Stop them? How are we supposed to stop them?" The Captain turned his head, his gaze icy. The sheer terror he could barely suppress transformed into an eruption of fury. "This is the heavy radiation zone, and it was completely wiped out by that man alone. With just our three spaceships, what exactly are we going to use to stop them?!"

A B-Tier Lifeform was already considered a high-level combatant. On a normal Life Planet, they basically belonged to the category of absolute domination.

Normal Life Planets could almost never give birth to creatures surpassing a B-Tier Lifeform. Only in extreme environments, or even out in the vast Universe, could truly powerful lifeforms be born.

On the other side, as Tim recounted his story, the expressions of the crowd constantly shifted.

He had completely broken down. Encountering someone as unconventional as Li Yu, who directly crushed him without giving him any room to maneuver, had been too much.

Initially, quite a few people believed that Tim had been forced into confessing. However, as various events and details corroborated his story, everyone realized the truth: Tim had likely truly betrayed them.

Thud!

Simon smashed a fist into Tim's face, sending him staggering backward. Blood spilled from Tim's nose and mouth as he let out a pathetic groan.

Suspicion was just suspicion, but when everything was finally proven, Simon still found it somewhat hard to accept, especially after learning the truth about certain matters straight from Tim's mouth.

"You are the one who killed Commander Aethel!" Simon roared, his eyes bloodshot. He grabbed Tim by the collar, staring deadly into the traitor's eyes.

Tim did not dare to meet Simon's gaze. He could only mutter softly, "Commander Aethel was a stumbling block..."

"Damn you!" Simon cursed like a mad dog, landing another heavy punch. Tim offered no resistance, simply allowing Simon to beat him.

Li Yu could not be bothered to pay attention to the two men tearing each other apart. He had already obtained accurate information from Tim: the person pulling the strings behind the scenes was Pucha, not the Morgan Family.

To be honest, this news made Li Yu sigh in relief. If he had to face the Morgan Family directly, the pressure would be a bit too overwhelming.

The atmosphere among the Guard Corps was quite bleak. The betrayal of Tim, one of their three commanders, had still inflicted a massive psychological trauma upon them.

However, thanks to Li Yu's terrifying strength, all their emotions were forcibly suppressed. No one dared to show their true feelings, terrified that they might be sliced in half.

"Let's hurry up and get moving. We need to reach the Planetary Core before Pucha arrives," Li Yu said. He had spared Tim's life for now, as he still needed the man to extract information about Pucha from the monitoring squad.

In order to save his own miserable life, Tim naturally cooperated to the utmost degree.

...

Two days later, in the middle of an endless desert, the crystal in Tuya's hands emitted a blinding, brilliant light that reached its absolute peak. She looked around and said to Mo Duo, "Princess Imperial, this is the place."

The location where the Planet Core Passage appeared this time was not too far away. Fortunately, it was not on the opposite side of the Blazing Eye Planet, otherwise it would have been quite troublesome.

"Here?" Mo Duo frowned slightly. There was nothing but sand all around. Could it be underground?

She looked down at the desert beneath her feet, then turned her gaze back to Tuya.

"Please wait a moment," Tuya said. She placed the dazzling crystal on the ground and immediately ordered the members of the Guard Corps to bleed themselves.

Copious amounts of fresh blood dripped onto the crystal, before sinking into the desert sands. No wonder Tuya had insisted on bringing these Guard Corps members along—they were simply walking Blood Bags.

The amount of blood required was quite significant. The faces of every Guard Corps member turned noticeably pale, but it seemed to be barely enough.

Immediately after, Tuya began performing a Shamantic Dance around the Red Crystal, chanting a solemn and ancient sacrificial incantation.

Li Yu sat on the ground, bored out of his mind. Tim stood behind him, his expression excessively respectful.

"Has that monitoring squad contacted you again?" Li Yu asked casually.

"No..." Tim hurriedly replied, terrified that answering too slowly might dissatisfy Li Yu.

Simon's eyes were unfocused. It was impossible to tell what he was reminiscing about, but a look of intense agony would occasionally flash across his face.

As Tuya continued her Shamantic Dance, the blood that had seeped deep into the desert sands slowly surfaced again, swirling around the Red Crystal to form a peculiar, blood-red array.

This technique was rather interesting. It did not seem like a technological method, especially since it required the blood of the Blazing Eye Clan as a catalyst.

If the population of the Blazing Eye Clan dwindled past a certain threshold, they probably would not even be able to perform this ritual.

After watching for a while, Li Yu lost interest. This method might look impressive, but it would only be effective against ordinary enemies.

If the Morgan Family had known about this secret, they would have just blown up the entire planet right from the start. They would not care about any stupid rituals.

Flipping through the System Log, he saw that Clone One's miserable life was still ongoing. Although he had already left Gotham far behind, the existence of the Butterfly Effect ensured that chaotic events constantly swirled around him.

However, since it had only been a day, there were no major waves just yet, nor were there any rewards worth noting.

As for the Second Clone, after finishing his mission to escort the scepter, he was immediately detained by Hydra and used as a tool, receiving treatment similar to the Winter Soldier.

Currently, he had been dispatched to an Ancient Castle to protect the Mind Scepter. He remained as steady as an old hound; neither Hydra nor S.H.I.E.L.D. suspected him in the slightest.

Rumble!

Right at that moment, the desert began to tremble violently. The surrounding sand dunes collapsed, forming a massive quicksand sinkhole right beneath everyone's feet that continuously deepened and expanded.

The group hastily retreated from the area. Only after running quite a distance did they barely escape the reach of the quicksand, leaving a massive sandy vortex swirling in their previous spot.

Under the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd, a brilliant crimson-gold light slowly rose from the depths.

Massive amounts of sand and dust filled the air, blotting out the blinding sun. What eventually appeared before them was an enormous Crimson-Gold Gateway.

The gate was a hundred meters tall. It was unknown what material it was forged from, but it gave off a metallic luster. Its surface was engraved with intricate, complex patterns, and numerous giant crimson crystals were embedded in its frame, emitting a gentle glow.

Li Yu stared at the colossal structure and finally understood. No wonder this thing could move around—it was a literal gateway, not a fixed passage.

"Opening this gate will allow us to reach the Planetary Core," Tuya told Mo Duo, her expression filled with excitement.

Mo Duo stared at the giant Crimson-Gold Gateway in front of her, looking somewhat lost. "How do we open it?"

"We have tried every method, but nothing can open it," Simon sighed. He watched Li Yu, who had already drawn his blade and approached the gate, causing his mouth to twitch slightly.

The Ship-breaking Blade scraped against the Crimson-Gold Gateway, showering the area with blinding sparks. Even before striking with full force, Li Yu knew he could not cleave this gate open. The material of this massive door was extraordinarily durable, far surpassing the blade in his hands.

"What about that large pearl? Bring it out and let it take a look," Li Yu suggested to Mo Duo.

As soon as he spoke, Mo Duo's forehead flickered with a green radiance. The light cast its reflection onto the Crimson-Gold Gateway, causing everyone present to grow visibly excited.

Was it really going to open?!

Unfortunately, the giant crimson-gold door did not budge in the slightest. This greatly disappointed Simon. "Can even the Sacred Relic not open it?"

Mo Duo appeared in a trance for a brief moment, as if communicating with the large pearl. She slowly stepped forward and placed both hands flat against the Crimson-Gold Gateway.

Without any spectacular phenomena or warning signs, the previously tightly sealed Crimson-Gold Gateway began to tremble slightly. The crimson crystals embedded within it burst into brilliant light.

Rumble!

The heavy doors parted and opened completely. Tuya was overwhelmed with emotion and immediately fell to her knees in reverence.

Simon's face flushed bright red as he continuously muttered, "There is hope. We have hope."

Tim's expression was far more complex. A myriad of emotions flashed across his face, making it difficult to decipher his exact thoughts.

As for the remaining Guard Corps members, they could barely contain their emotions. Tears streaming down their elderly faces, they supported each other as they wept.

Ever since the Blazing Eye Planet suffered its apocalyptic disaster, the selection process for the Guard Corps had been halted. All of them had survived from the era when their home was still intact.

Their parents, relatives, and even their wives and children were long gone. Many of them no longer even knew what the meaning of their continued existence was.

Until this very moment, when they suddenly felt that perhaps all their suffering had been worth it.

A crimson vortex slowly materialized inside the gateway. It was a spatial teleportation method similar to a Stargate, though this one was likely restricted to travel within the planet itself.

Mo Duo looked around at the crowd. Faced with their intense emotional release, she did not know how to comfort them, so she simply chose not to try.

"Let's go in," she simply stated.

"This was prepared for you," Tuya said respectfully, clearly not intending to follow.

Mo Duo's voice was gentle. "You all have waited for such a long time. Don't you want to go in and see it for yourselves?"

At that moment, even Tuya fell silent. She was right. After waiting for so long, with the gate standing wide open right in front of them, who wouldn't want to go inside?

"Let's go," Mo Duo repeated. This time, no one hesitated. They silently followed Mo Duo into the crimson vortex, and naturally, Li Yu went along with them.

The world spun as bizarre and dazzling imagery flashed before their eyes. By the time his vision cleared, Li Yu found himself standing inside an enormous cavern.

The red stone bricks beneath their feet were gargantuan, each measuring ten square meters. They appeared to be standing on a grand avenue, flanked on both sides by hundred-meter-tall humanoid statues.

Looking down the path, a magnificent grand hall stood not far away, entirely constructed from stacked red boulders. There was only a single stone path leading to the palace.

Below them flowed scorching magma. The temperature here was blisteringly hot, making it feel as if they truly were inside the Planetary Core.

This place was completely different from what many had imagined. There were no mountains of stockpiled weapons, nor was there any unfathomable, advanced technology.

Instead, it looked like a product of the Stone Age—ancient and distant.

"This is the place of my birth." The green pearl had materialized as a projection beside Mo Duo at some point. Its voice seemed to echo from the void, faint and ethereal.

Guided by it, the group walked toward the massive Stone Palace. The mottled marks on the rocks bore testament to the ancient eras the structure had endured.

This Stone Palace was unbelievably massive. Colossal stone pillars reached up to prop against the cavern ceiling, making everyone feel utterly insignificant and minuscule in its presence.

The Stone Palace had no doors. The moment they stepped inside, the first thing that caught their eyes was a creature resting on the central stone dais. It resembled a leopard cat, and its body appeared to be carved entirely from stone. It struck an elegant pose, but its two eye sockets were empty.

In an instant, Li Yu realized the true origin of the green pearl—it was actually one of the missing eyeballs from this feline statue.

"Is this statue dead or alive?" Li Yu asked.

If this cat statue was genuinely carved from ordinary stone, it would be impossible for its eyes to possess such formidable power.

Perhaps this feline statue had originally been a living creature whose flesh turned to stone after death.

"You guessed correctly. It was not carved from stone," the green pearl confirmed Li Yu's theory, then added,

"It was the God of Death's pet. After the God of Death was slain by the Nightmare Knight, it was severely wounded and ultimately died right here."

"The God of Death's pet?" Li Yu was genuinely taken aback. He had never expected such an origin.

Though he had always suspected that the green pearl was connected to The Council—after all, the title 'Underworld God' just oozed their typical style.

If anyone claimed it was not part of The Council, no one would believe them.

But he never imagined it would involve a former Chief God Councilor—the God of Death.

Although nominally just a pet of the God of Death, this cat actually possessed its own divine throne and believers, wielding immense power in its own right.

The Blazing Eye Clan was created by this very cat through a twist of fate. That was why their Mental Power would flow back into the green pearl upon death.

"By utilizing this statue, you can completely master my power. However, it will take a very long time, so you must be prepared," the green pearl informed Mo Duo.

Li Yu frowned slightly. Why did this sound more and more like the script for an ancient monster attempting to possess someone to resurrect itself?

"That cat won't use Mo Duo's body to stage a comeback, right?" Li Yu probed.

"..." The green pearl remained silent for a moment, seemingly stunned by Li Yu's thought process.

"Divine Beings rely on faith to survive. Let alone this pet, even the faith in the God of Death has completely vanished, so it doesn't stand a chance," the green pearl explained.

"This is a win-win scenario. I can rely on Mo Duo to resist the corrupting influence of that tyrannical Mental Power."

"And Mo Duo can borrow my power to protect the Blazing Eye Clan."

Li Yu begrudgingly accepted that reasoning. The green pearl was the green pearl, and the cat was the cat. Although the pearl originated from the latter, it was no longer the same entity.

The green pearl slowly floated out of Mo Duo's forehead and merged into the left eye socket of the statue. The stone cat seemed to undergo a bizarre transformation, regaining a trace of vitality and no longer looking completely dead.

The green pearl projected a beam of light, waiting for Mo Duo to step into it.

"Ahem..." Li Yu coughed drily to grab everyone's attention, though he did not seem to have any intention of speaking, merely looking around nonchalantly.

'Where is my surprise?'

"Wait a moment," Mo Duo suddenly realized. She then whispered a few words to Tuya and cast a glance at Li Yu. Soon after, the two women headed toward a Side Hall of the Stone Palace.

The Stone Palace was enormous. This was just the Main Hall; there were quite a few Side Halls as well.

Before long, Tuya walked out of the Side Hall and approached Li Yu. She whispered, "The Princess Imperial is waiting for you in the Side Hall."

"In the Side Hall?" Li Yu did not expect Mo Duo to be so bold as to choose a Side Hall for this.

"Yes," Tuya kept her head lowered, hiding her expression.

"Alright." Since Mo Duo was being so open about it, there was no reason for him to be bashful. Pushing his chest out, he immediately strode toward the Side Hall, his mind flooding with various educational materials and learning postures he had memorized.

As he turned into the Side Hall, a breathtakingly gorgeous sight presented itself to him: a perfectly streamlined, breathtakingly beautiful figure, displayed completely bare before him.

Li Yu's eyes slowly widened. "A Spaceship?"

His expression was incredibly complicated. "So the surprise was actually a Spaceship... I thought it was... a 'spaceship'."

"Yes..." Mo Duo walked over from the side, finding Li Yu's phrasing a bit strange. She explained, "This is my father's Spaceship. It incorporates a lot of top-tier technology and cost a fortune to build. Haven't you been complaining about your Jalopy Spaceship for a long time?"

"I thought you had already guessed it," Mo Duo said, blinking her eyes as she looked at Li Yu's conflicted expression.