Chapter 358: Storm Coming

Its anger was as scorching as a volcanic eruption, but it was quickly replaced by deep worry:

"Other apostles... they won't understand our feelings... if they see your other half..."

Nari knew the nature of other apostles too well.

Greed, coldness, treating everything as a usable resource.

They would never tolerate itself monopolizing such a special 'baby'.

"They will snatch you... will hurt you... No, Mom absolutely does not allow such things to happen!"

Terrifying pressure began to emanate from Nari; that was the natural reaction of a natural-born apostle when angry.

Seawater began to boil violently, and the reality structure around it appeared subtle distortion.

"Mom has a way to protect you both."

Its voice became firm, full of the determination of a mother fighting to protect her child:

"Chaos storm... Mom can create a huge chaos storm..."

Through consciousness sharing, the puppet could feel the terrifying power contained within Nari's body.

That was a forbidden ability capable of inducing primitive chaos, enough to distort the reality rules of a large area in a short time.

"In the storm... except for Mom and Baby... no other existence can move and perceive normally inside... even the Supreme Apostle will have severely limited actions; this is an ability that only natural-born apostles like Mom possess..."

This information made Luo En, who was far away in the fourth layer, have his heartbeat accelerate; this was exactly what he needed!

"Also in another aspect..."

The puppet continued to transmit the worry Luo En had carefully designed:

"The main body is worried... if both bodies become stronger at the same time... will the favor fed back to Mom be too much... causing a burden on Mom's body..."

This kind of concern instead moved Nari even more.

Tears began to gush from its huge eyes, and those tears condensed into precious abyss essence, shining in the seawater:

"My baby is so considerate! Actually still worrying about Mom's body!"

Its voice was full of maternal joy and pride:

"But Baby doesn't need to worry, the more favors, the happier Mom is! Mom's body is very strong and can fully withstand more favors!"

Nari paused, its voice becoming more excited:

"And... if the favor can increase by double... Mom's spirit will become more stable!

That way Mom can take better care of Baby, and can also better protect Baby from being hurt by other bad guys!"

This kind of reaction, simple to the extreme, made Luo En unable to help but reveal a bitter smile.

Nari's level of innocence made all his prepared drafts useless; it supported any request from its 'child' without reservation.

"Mom is going to prepare now!"

Nari's voice became urgent, and its huge body began to roll in the seabed:

"Baby, tell Mom quickly, where is your main body now? Mom is going to pick you both home! To let everyone be together forever, never to separate!"

………………

At the same time, in the reception hall of the Abyss Observatory, the atmosphere was as tense as the calm before a storm.

Chloe sat on a special divination chair, and that face covered by black silk appeared exceptionally pale under the illumination of the magic crystal lamp.

In front of her, the precious divination tools brought from the Astrology Society were emitting ominous faint light.

"Celestial Sphere" floated in mid-air, and the nebular mist inside rolled like a living thing, sometimes condensing into blurred shapes, sometimes dispersing like smoke.

The color of those mists was constantly changing.

Sometimes it was deep purple, sometimes blood red, and occasionally a flash of silver-white light would pass through.

But this was not an ordinary divination ritual.

Facing such a major life-and-death choice, Chloe needed to use the highest-level secret technique of the Astrology Society—'Fate Fork'.

"Professor Youteer."

Chloe's voice was as light as a feather, but the seriousness within made the entire room quiet down.

"This kind of divination requires your assistance. I need to borrow the stability force field of your Void Skeleton to resist the backlash that might be brought by the torrent of fate."

Her fingers stroked the surface of the 'Celestial Sphere', feeling the ancient power coming from within.

Youteer's phantom nodded slowly, his expression more serious than usual.

Silver light began to weave into a complex protection network around Chloe.

Every ray of light was as soft as silk, but the power contained was enough to resist most supernatural attacks.

"And... Miss Euphemia..."

Chloe turned to Euphemia, who was standing on the side, her voice carrying obvious reluctance:

"I need a drop of your blood as a divination medium. Since you claim to want to participate in the rescue, you must let me confirm what kind of influence you will bring to this operation."

Euphemia's face underwent subtle changes.

As a 'masterpiece' carefully made by the Blood King, her blood contained too many secrets that couldn't be seen in the light.

But under the current situation, refusing this request was no different from self-incrimination.

However, Father also made some insurance measures, it should be fine, right...

"Of course."

She tried her best to maintain an elegant smile and took out the blood-red dagger with gorgeous decoration from her bosom:

"For the safety of that Wizard Luo En, this little bit of cooperation is naturally nothing."

The white-haired witch's movements were swift, but careful observers could notice the slight trembling of her wrist.

The dagger slid across her fingertips, and a few drops of fresh blood slowly dripped into the crystal container Chloe had prepared.

The moment the blood touched the bottom of the container, it began to undergo violent mutation.

The originally transparent-as-water crystal container was instantly dyed deep dark red, deeper and more ominous than the color of the blood itself.

Chloe's 'Celestial Sphere' crystal began to tremble violently.

The nebular mist inside was abnormally restless, suddenly shooting out a beam of ghostly blue light, straight into the deep layer of Euphemia's blood.

Seeing this, the white-haired witch on the side turned pale instantly.

Oh no!

A strong sense of ominous foreboding arose in her heart.

Sure enough, once the beam intervened, the surface of the liquid in the container immediately began to appear strange bubbles.

Every time a bubble burst, it would emit a subtle wailing sound, as if countless tiny souls were struggling within.

The blood began to form complex patterns in the container.

That was not random flow, but some kind of symbol with clear meaning.

Twisted human faces, broken crowns, and some indescribable geometric shapes

"This blood..."

The blind girl's voice was tinged with fear, her hands gripping the chair's armrests so tightly that her knuckles turned white:

"It contains a mark of power from an extremely high level... This is not ordinary bloodline modification... This is..."

Her words cut off abruptly, as if she had seen some horrific truth that should not be spoken.

"These are traces of modification that introduced primordial corruption."

You Te'er's voice was as cold as a midwinter north wind, and the silver light surrounding the phantom began to sharpen into blade-like shapes.

"Aiden, the King of Blood... that fallen false king... and the one who struck a filthy deal with him..."

Complex emotions flashed in the old professor's eyes—anger, disappointment, and deep sorrow:

"I should have guessed; with that fellow's current style of operation, it was impossible for her not to prepare some extra routes for herself..."

His gaze pierced toward Euphemia like a sharp sword:

"You are one of those routes, aren't you? Euphemia Pelay, or... should I call you 'Experimental Subject No. 18'?"

This title struck Euphemia's heart like a bolt of lightning.

It was her designation in the King of Blood's laboratory, the first "name" she was given when created, and the symbol of the nightmare she least wanted to recall.

The perfect mask she had meticulously maintained for so many years collapsed completely at this moment.

"I..."

For the first time, the white-haired witch's voice lost its elegant control, carrying clear panic and fear:

"I can explain... Yes, I am indeed Father's... creation... but that does not mean I have malicious intent toward Luo En!"

Her expression became distorted:

"I know you don't trust me... I know my origins make me suspicious... but Luo En is truly in danger right now! My abilities can genuinely help him!"

Euphemia's voice began to waver; this was the first time she had revealed such a fragile side in front of outsiders:

"I... I just wanted to prove my worth... I don't want to be abandoned..." You Te'er's expression did not soften in the slightest; the air around the phantom began to warp, emitting a suffocating pressure:

"A creation of Aiden, coming to my observation station, claiming to 'help' the student I value most?"

The silver light became even sharper, like countless transparent blades suspended in the air:

"State your true purpose, bloodline puppet. Have you come to execute some filthy bloodline fusion experiment? Or do you want to steal Luo En's research results?"

Just as tensions reached a breaking point, Chloe's trembling voice interrupted the standoff:

"Wait... please let me finish the divination first..."

The blind girl's voice carried a strange sense of resolve:

"Regardless of her origins... we need to know what fate changes her participation will bring to Luo En... This is more important than arguing about her background..."

She placed her trembling hands on the "Celestial Sphere" crystal.

"With the stars as witness... with fate as the guide... reveal the diverging paths of the future..."

As the incantation proceeded, the nebula inside the "Celestial Sphere" crystal began to surge violently, gradually forming two distinct whirlpools.

The whirlpool on the left emitted a steady silver-blue light, and the scenes within it were relatively clear:

Luo En traveled alone deep within the flesh forest, engaging in what appeared to be a harmonious exchange with a massive abyssal entity.

Although the entire process was fraught with danger, the outcome was positive.

He obtained the necessary materials, returned safely, and his strength saw a certain degree of improvement.

But the whirlpool on the right was far more complex.

It emitted chaotic, multi-colored light, and the scenes inside were constantly shifting, dazzling like a kaleidoscope.

In some fragments, the figure of a white-haired woman provided Luo En with critical help.

She allowed him to avoid fatal traps and even obtain gains far exceeding expectations.

But in other fragments, the same woman became the source of chaos.

Her appearance made simple situations complex, triggering a series of uncontrollable chain reactions.

"The result... is clear..."

Chloe touched the face covered by black silk, her voice filled with exhaustion:

"If Euphemia does not participate... Luo En's fate trajectory is relatively stable... He will complete the scheduled mission without incident... and obtain certain gains..."

She paused for a moment, turned toward Euphemia, and her voice became more solemn:

"But if she participates... the situation will become extremely complex..."

Chloe did not finish, but everyone present could read the answer from her expression.

Upon hearing this result, the hope in Euphemia's eyes shattered instantly.

She had originally thought her value was irreplaceable, but now she discovered she was more like a simple variable.

"Alright, you may leave."

You Te'er waved his hand as if shooing away an annoying fly.

"Wait..."

Chloe spoke again, her voice carrying a new discovery:

"The divination also revealed other information... Euphemia does indeed possess some special abilities... capable of producing interference effects on certain apostles of the fifth layer of the abyss..."

Her fingers lightly brushed the surface of the "Celestial Sphere," sensing the complex flow of information coming from within:

"Especially the Blood-Tear Archduke Asmond... her bloodline source can exert a certain mandatory influence on him...

If other apostles try to interfere with Luo En's actions... she can also provide effective containment..."

This additional information left You Te'er in a dilemma.

From a purely rational perspective, an extra usable pawn indeed has its value, especially when facing the complex power dynamics of the abyss.

"Then we shall make a conditional exchange."

You Te'er finally made a difficult decision:

"If you truly want to participate, I can give you this opportunity, but you must accept monitoring by my Void Remains Seal."

The silver light began to condense into a complex rune structure, which contained the Great Wizard's willpower:

"This seal will monitor your actions and intentions in real-time.

Any move detrimental to Luo En will be immediately sensed by me and subject to direct sanction from the power of the Void Remains."

Euphemia looked at the rune flickering with majestic light, knowing this was her only chance.

Although accepting the seal meant completely exposing all her actions, it was better than being excluded entirely.

"I accept."

Her voice became firm again, carrying the determination of burning her bridges:

"But I also have one condition. If I successfully help Luo En, you must provide me with a position at the observation station..."

This request left You Te'er feeling slightly surprised.

A creation of the King of Blood wanting to obtain an official status at the Abyssal Observation Station?

This idea itself was full of irony.

"If you can truly prove your worth..."

You Te'er pondered for a moment before finally nodding in agreement:

"I can consider giving you a temporary status, but an official position... that requires more proof."

The process of integrating the Void Remains Seal was accompanied by violent mental shocks.

When the silver rune sank into the depths of Euphemia's consciousness, she felt an unprecedented sense of restraint.

It was not physical, but a deeper level of willpower constraint.

"Now, you may depart."

You Te'er's tone returned to being strictly professional, filled with warning:

"Remember, your mission is to assist and protect, not to lead. Luo En's safety is the absolute first priority."

He paused, his silver eyes staring at Euphemia like sharp blades:

"If I discover you have any intention of using this opportunity to harm him, or to execute other secret missions..."

The air around the phantom began to vibrate violently, emitting a terrifying pressure sufficient to cause a normal person's mind to collapse:

"I will make you understand what is called pain worse than death."

………………

Deep within the flesh forest, when Luo En returned from his consciousness link with the puppet, he already had a clear plan for the upcoming meeting.

Nari had been completely persuaded and was moving toward the fourth layer at full speed.

According to the information it conveyed, it would take at most six hours to reach the rendezvous point.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion according to his plan.

"The cover of the chaos storm, the protection of a natural apostle, and the substitute puppet as an emotional bond..."

Luo En sorted through the action steps in his mind, every link calculated with precision:

"As long as a trust relationship can be successfully established, the subsequent modification work can be carried out in a relatively safe environment."

He took the magic amplification crystal from his storage bag, feeling the powerful energy contained within.

But just as he was focusing on the details of the plan, his keen perception captured abnormal energy fluctuations coming from afar.

It was not the aura of native abyssal creatures, but some more complex existence.

It was a human magic core, but mixed with distinct abyssal traits, along with some ancient power he could not immediately identify.

"Someone is approaching..."

Luo En immediately entered a state of high alert while activating "Extraordinary Identification" to observe the distance.

Through the twisted organ forest, he saw a figure that surprised him.

Long white hair drifted like silver threads in the eerie light of the flesh forest.

The elegant temperament maintained even in such a harsh environment made her identity obvious.

"Euphemia Pelay..."

Luo En narrowed his eyes, quickly recalling all information about this rival in his mind:

"A genius of the Blood Moon Clan, third seat of the Nova Project, possessing the rare talent of bloodline domination... But why would she appear here?"

According to the previous divination prophecy, a dangerous woman would indeed participate in this event.

But he had originally thought that referred to some female abyssal apostle; he hadn't expected it to be a peer rival from the Nova Project.

"It seems the situation has become even more complex..."

Luo En naturally did not reveal himself, choosing instead to continue observing Euphemia's intentions.

In a dangerous environment like the abyss, any rash decision could lead to disastrous consequences.

And in the distance, Euphemia also seemed to sense a faint feeling of being watched.

Her footsteps became more cautious, and the blood demons following behind her also entered a state of alert.

(End of chapter)