NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 281
Chapter 281: A New Path Forward
If time could be reversed, the moment The Queen of Blade would most long to return to was undoubtedly the day before.
Back then, she had not yet activated the ill-fated Beetle God Descent.
Back then, she had not yet made the fatal mistake of provoking the ferocious and brutal beast before her.
Back then, her body and soul were still intact, free from the agony that now consumed her.
Regret surged within her, intermingling with the searing pain of shattered bones and twisted flesh. The suffering overwhelmed The Queen of Blade, stripping away her rationality and slowly unraveling her consciousness.
Nearby, the pitiful voice of Zhanglang Ye barely reached her, his desperate pleas falling on the ears of a woman too far gone.
"Please! Spare me! Let me go! I swear, I won’t interfere anymore. I have nothing to do with The Queen of Blade! I’m just a pathetic bootlicker, obsessed with her body. I don’t even have a real connection with her! It’s the truth, I swear…”
A twisted smile crept across The Queen of Blade's lips despite the looming specter of her death.
Even as her life slipped away, she found dark amusement in Zhanglang Ye’s pathetic words.
“They’ve already killed two of your Ancient Realm clan elders,” she rasped, her voice dripping with scorn. “What difference does it make if one more Origin Realm fool dies? Fools will always be fools. How could I have been so naive to think he’d be my savior…”
As expected, Zhanglang Ye’s panicked screams erupted into the air, only to be swiftly cut short by the sound of flesh and bone being consumed.
Esek’s voice sliced through the chaos. “Enough, my friend. This wretched thing is beyond saving. Finish it, and don’t waste more time.”
Crack.
With a sickening snap, The Queen of Blade’s consciousness faded into darkness.
Lu Ming exhaled slowly, the tension in his body finally releasing. The weight of vengeance lifted from his shoulders.
“Now, all the insults against me have been avenged,” he murmured, his voice a mixture of satisfaction and quiet relief.
With The Queen of Blade’s death confirmed, Lu Ming and Esek turned their backs on the corpse-strewn battlefield and began their journey back to Archean City.
Day 363 of the Black Mist Calendar
The morning light bathed Archean City in an eerie calm. After a night of turmoil, the city had settled into an uneasy quiet. Exhausted, Lu Ming finally returned home, where Roda and the others had been waiting anxiously for his arrival. Their faces lit with relief when they saw him.
“What’s the situation outside?” Roda asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Lu Ming took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. “In summary,” he began, “both the Giant Clan and the Insect Clan have been destroyed. The Zombie Beasts ravaged them entirely.”
He paused, then added, “Fortunately, because of my alliance with Esek, the native inhabitants of Archean City won’t face attacks from the zombie beasts.”
A heavy silence settled over the room as they considered the gravity of the situation. Lu Ming continued, his tone more somber. “But even with that safeguard, staying here is no longer viable.”
The outskirts of the Hundred Thousand Mountains had become Esek’s military camp. Waves of exotic beasts had been transformed into zombie beasts, and they now marched toward the battlefield of the Three Clans War to reinforce the Corpse Clan.
The tide of zombie beasts was a force capable of tipping the balance of the war. The Insect and Giant clans would not overlook such a threat for long. Archean City’s current reprieve from danger could quickly become a curse.
Once it became known that Lu Ming had been involved in the night's events, the Giant and Insect Clans would not let him go. The need to protect their pride and reputation would demand it.
Lu Ming’s decision to leave was met with no resistance.
“When do we depart?” Roda asked.
“Today,” Lu Ming replied firmly. “Right now.”
In the past, when Roda’s family had fallen from grace, they had crossed the Hundred Thousand Mountains to reach Archean City. Even after becoming the city’s lord, Roda had kept the passage open, hoping to one day return home with power and wealth to seek revenge. Though his dreams of vengeance seemed distant now, the passage had proven invaluable as a means of escape.
Their belongings had been packed for days. With their departure confirmed, they wasted no time.
Ten minutes later, Lu Ming and his group dismissed their servants and stepped through the front gate of their residence.
As they walked through the devastated streets of Archean City, the grim reality of war lay all around them. Corpses littered the ground, and the ruins of once-proud buildings stood as silent witnesses to the carnage. Eyes watched them from the shadows—eyes filled with fear, suspicion, and helpless pleas.
But this was the Black Mist Zone, a place where kindness and goodwill were fleeting luxuries.
Lu Ming and his companions had made their decision. Their safety took precedence, and they could not afford to aid others now.
Still, the devastation weighed heavily on Roxin, her heart aching at the suffering she witnessed. Though the major battle had ended, the lingering pain from the war was palpable, and its toll was all too real.
They pressed on, ignoring the heartache that threatened to slow their steps. Soon, Archean City was nothing more than a distant memory behind them.
On a small hill overlooking the desolate city, Roda paused to take one last look at the place that had once been his home. His expression was grim as he surveyed the ruins below.
“This city is finished,” he said softly. “It’s completely finished.”
Archean City, once a hub for adventurers exploring the Hundred Thousand Mountains, was now nothing more than a graveyard. Overrun by Zombie Beasts and caught in the crossfire of the Three Clans War, it had become a place no one would dare to venture.
The fate of Archean City and its people was already sealed.
“We don’t have time to mourn for others,” Lu Ming said, his voice cold and detached. “We have our own survival to focus on.”
His words struck Roxin deeply, but Lu Ming didn’t waver. “There’s a saying where I come from: ‘If you’re poor, you should rely on yourself. If you’re successful, then help the world.’”
“We’re weak now. We can barely protect ourselves, let alone anyone else.”
In the context of the Three Clans War, even Ancient Realm experts were vulnerable. Power, Lu Ming knew, was the only thing that truly mattered in this unforgiving world.
“So,” he said, turning to face Roxin, “become stronger. In this Black Mist Zone, strength is the only currency. When you’re strong enough, you’ll have the freedom to shape your own destiny.”
This relentless pursuit of strength had always been Lu Ming’s driving force. It was a path he had chosen long ago, and it was a path that would never change.
For most of the group, the fate of Archean City weighed lightly on their hearts. Only Roxin seemed troubled, but she, too, pressed forward.
Led by Roda and Uncle Lu, with Lu Ming, Quan Chao, and Roxin close behind, they ventured deeper into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. The journey was eerily quiet, the wilderness devoid of life. Occasionally, they would encounter decaying, disoriented Zombie Beasts.
The danger of the Zombie Beasts loomed large, but the crystal encased in purple light that Lu Ming carried—Esek’s gift—warded off any immediate threat.
With this protection, what would have been a perilous journey through the Hundred Thousand Mountains instead felt like a peaceful excursion.
End of Chapter 281