Chapter 978: 0576 The Final Act (Part 2)

This destructive power… impressive…

After glancing at the painting depicting the impending destruction of the Krook Kingdom, Li Ang squinted at the palace’s molten-red metal walls, on the verge of collapsing, and silently assessed Prince Andre’s level.

Though he primarily relied on pre-drawn anomaly scrolls and the erosion effect of the World Fragment, Prince Andre had utterly burned a city to ashes—on sheer destructive power alone, he was no worse than some Zodiac Bureau chiefs, and furthermore…

After sizing up Prince Andre’s soul, which remained terrifyingly potent even on the brink of collapse—at least sixty points of Corruption Value—Li Ang couldn’t help but smack his lips, a quiet envy stirring within him.

If he hadn’t devoured all his teammates from the Scorpio Branch, his own level would only be around twelve or thirteen points—decent for a new Clearance Officer, but still far behind these veterans who started at sixty.

And this state, gained by devouring teammates, couldn’t last forever; after this mission ended, he’d have to return their souls, and he’d be back to being a rookie again.

Hmm… looks like after returning, I’d better ask the Bureau Chief if there’s any way to rapidly increase my Corruption Value.

After all, I’ve already angered the Kill King’s Assembly—future opponents won’t have low Corruption Values. I can’t just start slaughtering teammates every time I run low, can I?

…

“How are you still alive?!”

As Li Ang began drifting in thought, pondering how to rapidly boost his Corruption Value, a familiar voice suddenly erupted from Prince Andre’s mouth.

The snake-scale patterns climbed again; through Prince Andre’s right eye, the white serpent saw the Krook Kingdom burning before him, and the tricolor blood bead on the siblings’ foreheads half-dissolved—its eyes instantly flashed with understanding, then widened in shock as it roared:

“You dare evade the binding with this method? Are you both insane?!!!”

I don’t appreciate that assessment.

After hearing the white serpent’s judgment of his method, Li Ang narrowed his eyes and immediately swung the [Silver Slicing Dagger] toward Prince Andre’s right cheek.

Since wounds from the [Silver Slicing Dagger] heal, it doesn’t matter if it works or not—just slash first!

“Stop! You shouldn’t—damn it!”

Facing Li Ang’s attack, the snake-scale patterns on Prince Andre’s face violently peeled off, coalescing into a nearly transparent half-body white serpent that bit down on the [Silver Slicing Dagger]’s blade, cutting his words short.

They’re insane! Absolutely insane!

Straining to shift his fangs outward, avoiding the blade’s edge, the white serpent watched Prince Andre, ignoring his interference, gritting his teeth and methodically painting the sun—his calm composure shattered, his mind burning with panic.

Fortunately, I didn’t leave immediately—I was greedy, waiting to reclaim the damaged World Fragment after the Black Owl and Snow Owl’s souls vanished. If I hadn’t been greedy this once, not only would the Black Owl and Snow Owl have escaped binding, but the Krook Kingdom would’ve been erased entirely!

The royal bloodline must be severed, but the Thirteen Kingdoms, representing humanity’s seven evils and six virtues, must never vanish!

During the Serpent’s Devouring, one of the Six Virtues—the Eastern Kalaiven Kingdom—was already erased by that woman from the Virgo Branch. If Krook Kingdom falls this time, gathering the Essence of Man will be… damn it!

Seeing Li Ang release the [Silver Slicing Dagger], grab his own serpent neck, and violently yank him off Prince Andre, the desperate white serpent spat out the dagger and bit straight down on Li Ang’s wrist.

“Sssss”

Four sharp fangs—two large, two small—easily pierced Li Ang’s clothing, yet could not break his flesh, producing only a grating, knife-on-glass screech.

How is he this hard?!

I thought one bite would at least crack his arm or force him to loosen his grip.

Yet those fangs, capable of piercing divine bodies, left not even a scratch on Li Ang’s mortal flesh—the white serpent’s mind went blank, then Li Ang caught the falling [Silver Slicing Dagger] and slashed backward, severing the serpent’s neck.

I’ve been expecting you!

Having been betrayed once by a feigned retreat, Li Ang naturally didn’t let his guard down—he’d been drinking [Immortal in Wine] nonstop since Prince Andre began altering the painting.

Grabbing the severed serpent head, he slashed it into seventeen or eighteen pieces, then asked, watching the fading snake scales on Prince Andre:

“How are you holding up?”

“Difficult… but I can still manage…”

Breathing heavily, Prince Andre gritted his teeth:

“You can cut off the scales that left my soul—but don’t touch the ones still on it. That would weaken my soul too, and might… damn it! Stop!”

Vast patterns of snake scales peeled from Prince Andre’s limbs, crawling up his neck, completely overtaking his face. The white serpent controlled his visage, eyes bulging as it roared at Li Ang:

“Stop! You can’t do this!”

Hm?

From the white serpent’s extreme agitation, Li Ang sensed something odd—he narrowed his eyes instinctively.

His reaction seems strange. His fury doesn’t stem from the Krook royal bloodline being preserved—it’s more like he’s enraged because the Krook Kingdom itself is about to be destroyed?

Not noticing the fleeting suspicion in Li Ang’s eyes, the white serpent, slightly calmer, took a deep breath and solemnly promised Prince Andre:

“Black Owl! Isn’t your only wish to go to [City of Remorse] and see your parents one last time?

If you stop now, ensure Krook Kingdom’s… ensure Krook Kingdom’s bloodline is severed, and kill this puppet made from your sister’s soul, I swear I’ll immediately lift your blood oath and take you to them right away!”

Upon hearing “Andre’s” words, Prince Andre’s right hand, still painting the sun, paused slightly.

Seeing his persuasion taking effect, the white serpent rejoiced and pressed on:

“Yes! Just stop, and I’ll keep my word!

Not just a single meeting—even in the Underworld, we have allies. If you wish to live forever with your deceased parents and kin in the City of Remorse, we can make it happen…”

“Slap!”

Watching Li Ang strike him, then silently withdraw his hand, the stunned white serpent instinctively raised his left hand to his stinging cheek.

“You slapped me—”

“No.”

The snake scales on his left cheek receded; Prince Andre pulled his lips into a strained smile.

“He slapped me.”

“?”

Without explaining to the white serpent, Prince Andre, having reclaimed half his face, silently lifted his brush, heavy with pigment, and added a stroke of blazing sunlight to the painting.

“Black Owl!”

Seeing him resume painting, the white serpent roared again:

“Think carefully! If you refuse me now, even if your soul survives my torment, I’ll ensure you never reach the City of Remorse!”

Prince Andre fell silent for a moment, then answered calmly with his own half-face:

“Better not go.”