Chapter 332: Kugath

"If you don't drink it all, I'll beat you!!!!"

The overwhelming, tyrannical stench surged outward, slamming into the faces of Nurgling, Zhou Yun, and the surrounding demons, and for an instant they seemed to hear this declaration:

The Nurglings stared in terror at the constantly boiling broth, thick black-purple liquid seeping out, swirling up unrecognizable ingredients, and scattering across the Nurgling garden's fungal and decaying turf.

The broth that fell to the ground continued to boil, sending out fine bubbles that absorbed the fungi and decaying matter it touched, incorporating them into itself, allowing the viscous, nearly semi-solid liquid to keep spreading outward.

"If you don't drink it all, I'll beat you!!!"

The declaration grew clearer.

The thick broth shot out like arrows, striking the nearest Nurgling watching the scene.

Before the tiny Nurgling could react, the broth forcibly pried open its mouth and jammed itself inside.

The purple-black broth forced its way in; the little Nurgling rolled its eyes back, swallowing the thick, throat-clogging liquid.

But the broth was too potent—after absorbing the surrounding turf, it had grown larger than the little Nurgling itself, and the creature simply could not swallow it.

"If you can't finish it, there'll be punishment!!!"

A roar erupted from the broth; the little Nurgling's body instantly burst apart, the purple-black liquid swelling again to swallow the remains, becoming part of the pot.

The little Nurgling immediately went to respawn in the Nurgling garden's woods.

Nurgling watched this scene with keen interest.

Zhou Yun had merely used a pile of material-universe junk, yet he had brewed a broth so tyrannical.

This broth was so potent, so powerful, that nothing in the Nurgling garden could corrupt it—instead, it seized control, absorbing everything into itself. Was this the power of Numerology?

The Nurglings fled in panic, but the broth moved faster than they could run.

"Drink! Why won't you drink?!"

"No reward for finishing it! Punishment for not being able to!"

"If you don't drink, I'll beat you!!!"

The broth roared as it darted wildly around, occasionally diving into the mouths of the Nurgling demons, forcing them to swallow it.

If they couldn't finish it, the broth would burst their bellies open, consuming their remains and adding them to itself, then seeking the next victim.

This was its instinct as a broth—to keep simmering itself and being swallowed.

Zhou Yun had brewed a broth so potent, so intensely alive, that its instinct as a broth was overwhelming.

And the Warp was a realm of will—if a broth desired enough to be drunk, in the Warp it could forcibly make others drink it.

Zhou Yun scratched his head awkwardly.

He had merely followed the instincts of Fatty Tiger's body, mimicking Nurgling's methods by feel to brew this broth.

He hadn't expected it to go berserk and start slaughtering Nurgling demons.

"Gigglegiggle, it's fine, fine—a good broth yearns to be drunk."

Nurgling noticed the fleeting embarrassment on Zhou Yun's face and laughed heartily, clutching his belly.

"My children will revive soon in the woods—they often die during their play in the garden anyway."

Nurgling's gaze toward the broth Zhou Yun had brewed was full of satisfaction.

"Good broth. So lively!"

He licked his lips, then waved to his Chief Gardener, Slimokus.

Slimokus rose from his mount, the snail Maos, and bowed slightly to Nurgling and Zhou Yun with his sturdy, farmer-like frame.

Then, with rare agility for a Nurgling demon, he leapt from Maos, wielding a massive pruning shear, and lunged at the boiling broth.

"Drink! Drink fast! Why won't you drink!!!"

The broth noticed Slimokus and roared as it collided with the Chief Gardener.

Slimokus demonstrated his mastery as Nurgling Garden's overseer: just before the broth touched him, a colossal Mouthtree erupted from the ground, opened its bloody maw, and clamped down on the broth, swallowing it whole into its trunk.

But the broth soon seeped out from within the Mouthtree, swallowing the entire tree into itself.

Within the constantly boiling liquid, the Mouthtree softened and rotted, becoming part of the broth.

But Slimokus was not in a hurry—he swung his sharp shears, precisely slicing the semi-liquid, semi-solid broth.

In an instant, the rusted blade, capable of cutting through Nurgling Garden's Bonebone Trees, divided the broth into seven portions.

Simultaneously, seven Mouthtrees erupted from the ground, each swallowing one of the seven portions into its trunk.

Zhou Yun watched with interest as his brewed broth was split into seven parts and trapped.

This Chief Gardener's strength was intriguing—no wonder he was the first demon Nurgling ever created.

Zhou Yun had fought many demons, even Greater Demons, and by his estimation, this Chief Gardener was stronger than an ordinary Greater Demon.

But how much stronger, he couldn't say—he'd never truly clashed with him.

Nurgling chuckled and trotted over to the seven Mouthtrees, plucking one and bringing it to his mouth.

The Mouthtree opened wide and spat out the broth from its trunk.

The broth, mixed with strange and bizarre substances, slipped into Nurgling's mouth and vanished down his bottomless throat.

Nurgling fell silent, lowering his head as if savoring the taste.

Zhou Yun lifted his head slightly to watch.

He wasn't worried the broth wouldn't suit Nurgling's taste.

The broth's power didn't come from Numerology—it came from the strength Zhou Yun had absorbed when he drank Nurgling's own broth using Fatty Tiger's body.

Under the function of the Flavor Source, Nurgling's broth had become true delicacy, fully digested by Zhou Yun; its power had stimulated Fatty Tiger's body to gain the ability to brew broth, and the resulting brew should taste similar to Nurgling's own.

"What a fine broth!" After a brief pause, Nurgling couldn't help murmuring.

His gaze toward Zhou Yun grew warmer.

Zhou Yun's skill in cultivating bacteria and brewing broth earned Nurgling's deep respect.

Nurgling also developed great interest in Zhou Yun's Numerology.

Undoubtedly, Zhou Yun had used only material-universe ingredients and cooked according to Numerology's principles.

Those material-universe scraps couldn't possibly have had effect—so the only possible source was Numerology.

Could Mortarion's theory actually work?!

"Teach me Numerology!" Nurgling lowered his head and spoke humbly to Zhou Yun.

Nurgling was the most humble of the Chaos Gods.

No living thing exists without relying on external things—plants depend on sunlight and fertile soil, animals depend on eating plants, bacteria and viruses depend on parasitizing other life.

Thus, Nurgling was the most skilled at relying on and harnessing external forces to cultivate himself.

"No," Zhou Yun shook his head.

His answer startled Nurgling, who snapped his head up, eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

Zhou Yun's firm refusal made Nurgling restless; the rotting flesh piled on his body writhed and twitched.

"Why do you want to learn from me?"

Zhou Yun looked up at Nurgling and smiled.

"You know perfectly well who created Numerology—who is its most authoritative expert, don't you?"

"Instead of coming to me for guidance, why not ask your own family?"

"I'm sure Mortarion would be delighted to share this knowledge with you—he's always craved recognition. He'd be overjoyed to hear you accept Numerology."

Nurgling froze, staring at Zhou Yun's smile, then suddenly understood.

He slapped his own rotting head hard, as if furious he hadn't thought of this sooner.

Of course—Mortarion, his own son, was the creator of Numerology! Why had he gone so far afield?

Nurgling also quickly grasped why Zhou Yun had so eagerly promoted Numerology to him.

Mortarion would surely be thrilled to share Numerology's knowledge—he'd already preached it to countless other Nurgling demons.

He told Kugath to stir the Great Plague seven times, warned Slimokus that the number of trees in the Nurgling Garden must be a multiple of seven, and insisted Rainfather's rains last exactly three days and three nights—or seven days and seven nights.

But the Nurgling demons had never understood Mortarion's Numerology.

Kugath felt humiliated by Mortarion; Slimokus had beaten Teyfens for cutting down trees Mortarion insisted on; Rainfather just looked utterly baffled.

If Nurgling listened, Mortarion would be overjoyed—he might even temporarily forget delaying Guilliman just to explain Numerology to him.

Then the conflict between Guilliman and Mortarion would vanish for now, and both Zhou Yun and Nurgling, as parents, could breathe easier.

Everyone would be happy!

Nurgling's gaze toward Zhou Yun was full of admiration.

His spirits lifted so much that when Zhou Yun suggested, if Tzeentch blocked Guilliman, Zhou Yun, and Sanguinius from reaching Terra, Nurgling should harass Tzeentch, the Father of Plagues slapped his chest and promised without hesitation.

"Who has the right to stop a child from seeing his father, isn't that so?"

Nurgling laughed heartily.

He didn't even ask for any reward—only requested Zhou Yun leave him some of the bacteria he had cultivated.

"Come visit again!" Nurgling waved as Zhou Yun stepped into the Gate of Anywhere.

Even after Zhou Yun and the Gate vanished from the Nurgling Garden, Nurgling remained in high spirits.

"Father… I'm late," a voice, far from cheerful, sounded at that moment.

Kugath lumbered forward, heavy with apology, emerging from the garden.

"Kugath, my child, didn't I tell you a distinguished guest was coming? Why didn't you hurry?"

Nurgling glared at Kugath, his brow furrowed.

After learning of Zhou Yun's visit, Nurgling had hurriedly begun brewing broth and ordered his top Greater Demon, Kugath, to come quickly and help host Zhou Yun.

But Kugath had arrived late—only just now, after Zhou Yun had already left.

". ather, I've brewed a new plague, it can…" Kugath hurriedly began.

"Alright, alright," Naukgha sighed, shaking his head. "I've said it many times—I don't care if you drink my pot of soup. I'm not stingy."

"Never mind. Since you're here, I recall you often converse with Little Mottarian. What do you know about his numerology?"

Kugas tilted his head, gazing blankly at the Benevolent Father. "Huh?"

(End of Chapter)