Chapter 1573
Chapter 1573: Predatory Empire · Broodmother
Because of this shot from Ye Qiyan, Mousi’s body turned back into a Phantom Dragon.
Its race was no longer primarily of the insect race, but gradually manifested toward its true self.
A hearty, releasing dragon roar burst from Mousi’s mouth, as if venting all the agony accumulated over countless ages.
Tears streamed from Mousi’s eyes.
It felt its [self], and it felt its [past].
The [Phantom Dragon], once driven to extinction by the insect race, reappeared today.
Yet why had all of this happened?
A question that Ye Qiyan had asked it within that Imaginary Space flashed through Mousi’s mind.
“The current you isn’t the complete you, is it?”
Enduring the attacks and constantly dodging, it had answered like this:
“Having been turned into a bug, how could I possibly be considered complete?”
“Then, do you want to turn back?”
“Of course I do. Every single second, I yearn to turn back into the original me, but that can no longer be done.
Because even though I am still Mousi today, even though this is still my soul, my memories, my past, my strength, my everything…
The place where I was born anew was the Predatory Empire, beside the Broodmother. I am merely a humble bug, nothing more.”
“Indeed. But, we can give it a try.”
Mousi seemed to have sensed something back then.
In the clash of convictions, it had inexplicably condensed the wilderness’s very last drop of [Phantom Dragon Race] blood into a bladed weapon of attack and hurled it toward him.
Then, it was intercepted by the Villain that Ye Qiyan had temporarily granted Supreme and Unsurpassed status.
That was its attack, so the hive mind had not interfered.
There was only one drop of blood.
And there was only one chance.
The bullet fired from that Gene Regret Gun struck it.
Mousi roared toward the heavens, yet its body was gradually crumbling and disintegrating.
It was going to lose; that Gene Regret Gun had indeed restored it into a [Phantom Dragon].
Yet do not forget that it was an Insect Emperor re-hatched by the Broodmother.
The insect race was its true race now.
[Race Traitor] manifested upon Mousi’s body.
The hive mind possessed an absolute Control mechanism over an existence at the level of an Insect Emperor.
Anything was possible in the wilderness—such as the Broodmother re-hatching powerhouses of different races into insect races, arrogantly leaving their memories intact, without even erasing how they died or how their races were devoured clean by the insect race.
There was no Eternal Binding.
All that existed was the hive mind’s absolute Control.
Under such circumstances, in a place like the wilderness where anything could happen, there would always be someone who, like Ye Qiyan today, could allow these mighty bugs to break free from their insect identity.
Mousi knew this all too clearly.
Its body began to collapse; Ye Qiyan, who had already gained stats comparable to its own thanks to [Dream Weaving], had thoroughly displayed his formidable mechanics in the Imaginary Space.
He battered Mousi so severely that its Stamina and Mental Power, unable to recover, both plummeted to less than one-tenth.
And at this moment, the hive mind began its reckoning against it. From between its scales, streams of “blood” resembling illusory lights and shadows poured out from within Mousi’s body.
It was at times real, and at times illusory.
Yet no matter what, Mousi’s life had reached its end.
And all of this, the moment it had secretly harbored hope and delivered that drop of Phantom Dragon blood to Ye Qiyan, it had already known.
“I have lost.”
Mousi admitted its defeat.
“To think that before dying, I could perish as my true race. This manner of death is countless times better than being swallowed alive and torn apart by the Broodmother.”
It accepted all of this with calm resignation.
On its myriad-zhang-tall body, that pair of vertical pupils, already growing blurred, stared intently at the human aboard the Train who appeared as tiny as a grain of sand to it at this moment.
Its scales were falling.
Once, an illusory world had resided upon each of these scales.
Within those worlds lived countless Phantom Sprites.
Yet now, there was nothing here.
“Speaking of which… that ring was truly beautiful… infinite paths, an infinite future… I am truly unwilling… If I hadn’t been killed by the Broodmother back then, if I hadn’t been devoured by her…
If only…”
Its dragon head gradually drooped.
Its conviction gradually dispersed…
It was about to die.
Ye Qiyan’s power gradually faded.
The nineteen items on the wall of records, coupled with Heinz’s support and numerous domain buffs from the human side…
Had been completely exhausted the moment the bullet from the Gene Regret Gun was fired.
Ghostly Trick Blade’s triple mental-Stamina cycle had also reached its end across these three wasteland days.
Ye Qiyan’s original plan was to return to the town of Sielin after exhausting all his power.
Do not forget one thing.
Back then, he had chosen Sielin Town as his stronghold for one reason and one reason only.
This place was a land touched by [The End].
It was the ultimate fallback Ye Qiyan had left behind.
However, that whimsical thought of letting Mousi die in its identity as a Phantom Dragon had fortuitously brought this battle to an early end, sparing him from tapping into this final reserve.
He had won.
He had transcended time, defeating Mousi in less than two Wasteland Years.
The only regret was that the current it was an insect race version of it.
Otherwise, fighting a battle against this myriad-zhang-tall Phantom Dragon would have surely been quite intriguing, wouldn’t it?
In any case,
He had won.
Lisette’s piano gradually fell silent, and the Cross Movement of Rebellion was bound to reach its climax!
Celebration, joy!
Be it the crowds in Focus Guild’s livestream or the people within Order Heaven, countless people were cheering for him.
Because as long as Mousi died, the insect race, having lost this formidable Insect Emperor, would be nothing more than scattered sand; once the Train Conductors finished off the remaining legion-commander-class entities, this war could come to an end!
They were going to win!
Humanity was going to win!!
“Oh dear, the world is ever so fickle.”
The man known as the Magician murmured softly.
Just as Mousi was on the verge of completely dissipating, just as Ye Qiyan’s mind relaxed slightly, just as the people were rejoicing at this very moment!!
Buzz——!!
An insect’s hum?
No, an insect’s hum was not strange; what was strange was…
Where was this sound coming from?
“Aaaagh!!!!”
Within Mousi’s body, countless tentacles materialized out of thin air, forcefully patching up its illusory form!
It let out an agonized shriek! Howling in despair, it looked above its head.
There was nothing there.
“Broodmother!! Broodmother!!! Kill me! Kill me!!!”
“I forbid it.”
A cold, emotionless voice echoed across the plains.
The moment this voice rang out, all preceding battles seemed to become completely meaningless.
A silhouette appeared right here.
Though they had never truly seen her before, the entirety of Order Heaven—no! Every single person watching this livestream came to realize one thing!
This silhouette…
Was the master of the Predatory Empire!
[Broodmother]
“I have not yet permitted you to die, Mousi. Seize Ye Qiyan. I want to make him my offspring.
An offspring just like you.”
