[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-really-am-a-villain":3,"chapter-i-really-am-a-villain-i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1257":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Really Am A Villain",{"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},1434082,1885,"Chapter 1257 - The Scheme, Conversation With Ghost General Hepburn","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1257",1257,"\u003Cp>The arena was built from slabs of Purple Nether Crystals, its sturdiness beyond question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the stage stood two Ghost Generals, both clad in armor. The gold-gilded plating radiated a powerful aura. One of them was the Long-Tongued Ghost, and the other, the Crimson Flame Ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Which one is General Hepburn?” Xie Changliu asked someone nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bystander pointed to the Long-Tongued Ghost and explained, “That one there. At this point, unless a Ghost Monarch personally steps in, no one can defeat him. The next Ghost Monarch will surely be him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, yeah,” another chimed in. “I just wonder how long that Crimson Flame Ghost can last.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he said that, the two onstage began their duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Flame Ghost attacked first. Opening his mouth wide, he spat out a massive fireball. The blazing flames scorched the air itself as they hurtled toward General Hepburn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Hepburn didn’t flinch. As the fireball came close, he clenched his right fist and smashed it forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening boom rang out, sparks flying everywhere as the fireball was obliterated by his fist wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Flame Ghost’s eyes narrowed. His entire body ignited in flames, burning as though self-immolated. The sky-reaching blaze split into countless fireballs, nearly a hundred in total, suspended in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spread his arms and slammed his palms together. With another booming roar, the hundred fireballs merged into a linked chain, blazing like miniature suns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The storm of fire descended, pressing down with suffocating intensity. The heat was so fierce that the watching ghosts stepped back instinctively, unable to bear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hepburn stood unmoving at the center of the inferno, his armor glowing red under the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His long tongue flicked out, bright and slick like fresh blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It shot out dozens of meters, snaring all the fireballs in one sweeping motion, the sticky tongue coiling them up like silk thread around insects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, he opened his mouth wide, so wide it split grotesquely, stretching nearly a hundred meters across, and swallowed every last fireball whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“T–This…” the Crimson Flame Ghost stammered, stepping back in fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, let me return them to you,” General Hepburn sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his mouth again and spat the fireballs back out. They fused together midair, growing larger and brighter, until they burned like a miniature sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive orb of fire roared as Hepburn’s tongue whipped it toward his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another thunderous explosion echoed through the arena. The fireball shattered, the shockwave sending debris flying. The Crimson Flame Ghost’s armor cracked apart completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dropped to one knee, his flames dimming, and looked up at Hepburn in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trash like you dare challenge me?” Hepburn strode forward, raising his foot high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stomped down hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Flame Ghost howled, it was unclear whether in pain or fury, before passing out cold. Hepburn kicked him off the stage like a broken doll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone else who wishes to challenge me, come forward,” he said, scanning the silent crowd. “But next time, know your worth before you throw away your life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfied, Hepburn stepped off the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo gave Xie Changliu a subtle signal. They had already agreed on a plan, whether it would work or not remained to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General, I have urgent news to report!” Xie Changliu ran forward, shouting anxiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?” the surrounding ghosts barked, stopping him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s about the secret of the Flower of Death!” Xie Changliu shouted even louder. “I can only speak to the general himself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hepburn, who had been about to leave, stopped when he heard those words. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he raised his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let him through,” he ordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Changliu stepped forward. Hepburn studied him closely. “Well then, speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are too many people here,” Xie said cautiously, glancing around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say it. They wouldn’t dare spread my business,” Hepburn replied indifferently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We were under Commander Hexben,” Xie Changliu began. “Earlier today, while patrolling with him, we accidentally overheard a secret from the Primal God Race. They’ve found a place filled with Flowers of Death. Unfortunately, we were discovered. We fought desperately, but Commander Hexben and the others were all killed. Only the two of us managed to escape.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two of you?” Hepburn frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other one is here,” Xie said, motioning. Xu Zimo stepped out from the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, us,” Xie continued. “We heard the place’s name was… uh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish, Hepburn interrupted him. “You’ll tell me in my mansion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured for them to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a Ghost General of high standing, especially one as powerful as him, Hepburn naturally had his own residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They followed him through the busy streets to a large, well-guarded estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, in the inner hall, a few ghost servants poured tea for them and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now speak,” Hepburn said. “What place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We only caught two words, Sunflower,” Xie replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sunflower?” Hepburn repeated, frowning again. “That’s all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We didn’t have time to hear more before we were discovered,” Xie nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do I know you’re not lying to me?” Hepburn asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General, I swear my loyalty to you!” Xie said quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe in loyalty,” Hepburn replied. “I believe in corpses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he raised his hand. Black ghostly energy surged out, coiling around Xie Changliu’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, it lifted him off the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hepburn tightened his grip, Xie’s face turned pale, his breathing shallow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when he was on the verge of death, Hepburn suddenly released him. Xie dropped heavily to the floor, gasping for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you had resisted just now,” Hepburn said calmly, “you both would have died miserably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned toward the door and shouted, “Guards!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Long-Tongued Ghost entered the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Find them a courtyard,” Hepburn ordered. “Let them rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended to keep them alive for now. He had never heard of “Sunflower” before, and until he found out what it meant, it was best to keep his options open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meaning of the Flower of Death was clear enough to him, though, if he could obtain another one, his ascension to Ghost Monarch would be all but guaranteed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Long-Tongued Ghost led Xu Zimo and Xie Changliu away, Hepburn himself left the mansion and made his way toward the Spectral Ghost Race’s historical archives.\u003C\u002Fp>",1052,"2026-06-06T01:07:13.278Z",1,"novelbin.me","a0a2b9075a4df4ffb68c13923e66f0a14e1c7674b789a1556a5f017c27920199","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1258","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1256",1822,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-a-villain-cover.jpg"]