Chapter 280: The Artifact of the Insect Nest Lord

At this moment, the sky over Zhenlong Island had already turned completely black.

On the outskirts of MF County, a steam locomotive puffed scorching white steam from its front.

The carriage, loaded with emerald‑green watermelons covered in thick felt, whooshed by.

Zhang Gui, standing less than a hundred paces from the tracks, crouched on the ground, waiting for the melon‑carrying train, "ding‑ding‑dang‑dang", to move away.

Silence returned all around.

She looked up at the panting, sweating Zhen Zhu Maya, who was leaning on the Flying Wheel Travel.

She asked oddly:

"Why are you here again? Do you have any more questions, Zhen Zhu Maya Enclosed Citizen Officer?"

"Your Majesty, the five most powerful empires of Southern Red Continent are South Nilo, North Nilo, Upper Aiji, Lower Aiji, and Akusumu.

But actually Akusumu was once divided into Golden Akusumu, which worshipped the Lion God.

and Silver Akusumu, which worshipped the Lord of the Insect Nest 'True Spider'.

At that time, these two great patron deities each led their own divine pantheons and were sworn enemies.

They had also once abandoned their mightiest subordinate gods and partners, turning foe into friend, and together founded the golden and silver Akusumu golden ages as a couple.

But in the end, when Lion God and Pearl True Spider both delved deep into the Great Earth Cave to hunt the stronger members of the Earth Demon Hundred Races, they were tragically slain.

'Lion' Lion God and his former wife, Blood Lion Red, bore a first son, Black Lion.

After inheriting Lion God's authority over Golden Akusumu, he slandered Pearl True Spider for surrendering to the Earth Demon Hundred Races and assassinated his own husband.

He used this as an excuse.

At a banquet, he shamelessly assassinated his half‑sister, Lion‑Head Spider Love Beautiful.

Finally, he annexed Silver Akusumu…"

Zhen Zhu Maya, fearing that Zhang Gui might wave his hand again to relocate her, said nothing more.

She got straight to the point and revealed her origin,

"Thus, the most illustrious divine‑blood family of Southern Red Continent, the ruler of Silver Akusumu, the offspring of Lion‑Head Spider Love Beautiful, has been exiled to the wilderness of Southern Red Continent.

Later, the River of Time flowed slowly.

Gradually, both Pearl True Spider and Lion‑Head Spider Love Beautiful vanished into the long river of history.

Even beyond the theologians, no one knew that Akusumu had once been split into the Golden and Silver territories.

Therefore, my ancestors, to never forget their forebears' glory and loftiness,

changed their name to 'Zhen Zhu Maya'.

and passed this glorious name on to me.

But unfortunately, although I inherited Zhen Zhu Maya's radiance, I did not inherit his mighty bloodline.

In the end, I was captured by a slave‑hunting squad of Southern He Continent and forced onto a slave‑trading oceanic cargo ship.

"I was already in despair, but I never expected to be saved by you…"

Zhang Gui had never heard of the Lord of the Insect Nest 'True Spider' Maya of Southern Red Continent, nor the Beast‑God 'Lion' Heart‑Devouring, the heads of those divine systems.

Naturally, he knew even less about the love‑hate entanglements between them.

Just thinking about it shows that, true or false, it dates back at least tens of thousands of years.

Thus, Zhen Zhu Maya's story is essentially that, a few years ago before he gained extraordinary power, he was kidnapped by a gang of thugs.

Then he was rescued by a big boss, and he said to that boss,

"Actually I am a descendant of the ancient great god Kuafu, though poor and weak, my lineage is noble…"

No matter how lively his speech, it held no meaning.

So Zhang Gui interrupted Zhen Zhu Maya, "What exactly are you trying to say, Zhen Zhu Maya?"

"Great Earth‑bound God, King of the Giant Island, Zhenlong Emperor.

I once, because I did not trust your fairness, justice, benevolence and generosity, could not

reveal my identity.

I lost the chance to ask for your help.

But this time it will not happen again!"

Zhen Zhu Maya said with resolute expression.

Then she violently grabbed her own hair, tearing with all her might,

and, in front of Zhang Gui, bloodily stripped off an entire piece of scalp.

"This is the source of Zhen Zhu Maya's 'Lord of the Insect Nest' title.

I call it 'Lion‑Spider Jungle', and present it to you here."

Zhang Gui was startled, activating Divine Authority to envelop the 'Snow Tiger Scalp' scalp, and indeed noticed something odd.

When that scalp grew on Zhen Zhu Maya's crown, it was part of her identity, naturally a 'living thing'.

But now that it has been removed, although some life traits remain, yet

it has unquestionably turned into a 'dead object'.

Yet under Zhang Gui's Divine Authority perception, it still possessed an unchanging 'vital force'.

"Indeed, this is a strange artifact."

Zhang Gui, bewildered, muttered as he rose, walked a few steps to Zhen Zhu Maya, and took the scalp into his own hand, "What is its purpose?"

"Just as the Eastern civilization's specialty is Mechanism Art, and the Western civilization's specialty is Alchemy.

Southern Red Continent's civilization's specialty is Mystic Herb Livestock.

And the 'Lion‑Spider Jungle' is essentially a divine artifact that can cultivate the most precious, powerful 'Mystic Herbs' and graze 'livestock'.

As long as you supply it with spiritually potent flesh and spider eggs, it can produce the ultimate 'Mystic Herb Livestock' that can rival deities, Lion‑Head Spider."

Zhang Gui knows that on the Southern Red Continent, "livestock" is not entirely pejorative; it also means "a companion lacking wisdom."

But Zhen Zhu Maya's explanation was so outlandish that he couldn't help but doubt, shaking his "scalp,"

"Is it really that miraculous?"

"Your Majesty, when you wear the Lion Spider Jungle on your head and merge with it, you will know."

Zhen Zhu Maya said seriously.

At this moment, the torn scalp on her head had fully healed, and hair sprouts emerged on her head.

Seeing this, Zhang Gui also got up, and truly placed the scalp in his hand onto his head.

In an instant, the scalp pierced his hair and tightly fused with his skin.

After a brief daze, Zhang Gui felt a boundless black dense forest appear before his eyes.

Upon closer look, the trees in that forest resembled strands of hair.

And the soil beneath the roots was like flesh, sprouting countless flower and grass seedlings.

"What do you want to Exchange?"

Although it cannot yet be confirmed, the Lion Spider Jungle can produce "secret medicinal livestock" that can match the gods.

And even if such a miracle were realized, Zhang Gui would inevitably have to pay a tremendous price.

But he can already sense that Zhen Zhu Maya's "scalp" is priceless.

"Very simple, Your Majesty.

All I need is that you now trust Prime Minister Song Wenhua as much as you trust me.

In the future, whatever social status and protection you grant Prime Minister Song Wenhua's family, grant me the same and that will suffice."

Zhen Zhu Maya said respectfully.

Zhang Gui originally thought she would ask for help to restore the nation, or to help establish a new country somewhere, but he did not expect such a reply.

After a moment of silence, he praised, saying:

"Zhen Zhu Maya, you are far wiser than I imagined.

And it is great wisdom!

This truly is a condition hard for me to bear."

(End of chapter)