The evil god struggled frantically.
Its tentacles no longer attacked the Blood Demons on the ground but instead whipped its own body madly, attempting to drive out the foreign object within.
However, those tentacles striking its own body only deepened the wounds, allowing the Shadow of Blood to devour it even faster.
System notifications flickered before Jiang Lin's eyes:
【Detection: Mount "Shadow of Blood" is attempting to devour the evil god "Life-Devouring Black Goat · Mozos"】
【Blood Realm will grant special permissions to the Shadow of Blood】
【Devouring efficiency increased by 500%】
【Evil god regeneration ability suppressed by 80%】
【Pollution resistance increased by 1000%】
【Warning: Due to the evil god's "Immortal" trait, complete devouring must be continuous. Estimated time: Undetermined】
Jiang Lin looked at the line "Estimated time: Undetermined" and fell silent for a moment.
Then he looked up, his golden eyes staring into that pair of terrifying, dark golden giant pupils.
“Then eat slowly.”
He raised his right hand, pointing toward the tentacles that were still frantically whipping the evil god's body.
“Ground units, continue gnawing on the tentacles. Do not let a single one go.”
Five million Blood Demons moved once more.
This time, there was no resistance.
The evil god directed all its energy toward fighting the Shadow of Blood inside its body. The whipping of its tentacles grew increasingly weak, and the dark red light on its carapace dimmed.
Crimson claw-wings tore open wound after wound, Bloodblade Butchers expanded and deepened those gashes, and the curses of the cursed blood bone dolls detonated deep within, blowing the tentacles apart section by section.
One tentacle.
Ten tentacles.
One hundred tentacles.
When the hundredth main root was blown apart by the blood crystal of a Bloodblade Butcher, the evil god's dark golden pupils finally began to fade.
Its struggles grew weaker, the whipping of its tentacles slower, and the pollution energy surrounding it dissipated like a receding tide.
But the battle was not yet over.
The Shadow of Blood devoured within its body for three full days and nights.
During those three days, the evil god went from frantic struggling to helpless resistance, and from helpless resistance to being at death's door.
Its body began to shrivel, its tentacles withered, and those dark golden giant pupils finally closed slowly.
At dawn on the fourth day, as the first ray of true sunlight pierced through the pollution clouds, the last tentacle connecting the evil god to the ground was blown apart by a Bloodblade Butcher's blood crystal.
Boom!!!
The entire continent trembled.
That tentacle, over a thousand meters in diameter, snapped at its base and slowly tilted, crashing to the ground and kicking up a cloud of crystal dust that filled the sky.
Without the connection of the tentacles, the evil god's body began to drift deeper into space, like a floating island with its anchor chain severed, rotating slowly in the starry void.
The Shadow of Blood continued to devour inside it.
Jiang Lin stood on the ruins flattened by the Blood Demon Legion, looking up at the sky.
The pollution clouds were dissipating, and true sunlight filtered through the rifts, casting golden spots of light onto the dark red ground.
Sunlight.
For the first time in three hundred years, Planet Teluofuto saw true sunlight.
Just then, a system notification appeared again:
【Trial of Blood (3) — Slay the evil god "Life-Devouring Black Goat · Mozos"】
【Quest Progress: The evil god's main body has been severed from the world, losing control over the world core. The pollution source has been cut off】
【Detection: "Shadow of Blood" is devouring the evil god. The evil god's life has entered a countdown】
【Judgment: Quest complete】
【Distributing rewards...】
【Reward 1: Life shackles of the current stage removed】
An indescribable power surged from deep within Jiang Lin's body.
That invisible ceiling shattered.
It wasn't broken by external force but burst from within.
Jiang Lin let out a muffled groan. Inside him, holy light magic essence, ice soul power, and blood-colored energy erupted simultaneously. Three completely different forces surged frantically through his meridians, colliding and merging.
Meanwhile, his level began to soar from level 30.
31, 32, 33...
He broke through the 3rd-rank threshold without stopping.
34, 35, 36...
His aura continued to climb, and the golden light surrounding him grew more intense, warping the surrounding air into ripples.
37, 38, 39...
【Reward 2: Blood Realm teleportation permission unlocked】
【Detection: Mount "Shadow of Blood" far exceeds the host's own strength. Partial energy is being fed back to the host through the contractual link...】
Jiang Lin felt a power even more violent than before surge into his body through the contractual link.
His aura exploded once more.
His spirit and physical attributes began to soar like a rocket.
Level 40...
Peak of level 40...
Then, it stopped at the peak of level 40.
The 3rd-rank limit.
【Level】: 30 → 40
【Stamina】: 400,000 → 900,000
【Spirit】: 400,000 → 900,000
He was only one step away from the 4th-rank.
Jiang Lin stood in place, gasping for breath.
Sweat soaked his clothes, and his long golden hair clung to his forehead, but his eyes were brighter than ever.
He clenched his fist, feeling the power surging within him. He was more than ten times stronger than when he had first arrived on Planet Teluofuto.
He looked up toward the sky.
The evil god's body had drifted to the edge of the atmosphere, looking like a dark red floating island in the sunlight.
The Shadow of Blood continued to devour within it, and the trickle of energy coming through the contractual link never ceased.
“Eat slowly,” he said softly. “I'll wait for you.”
At the other end of the contractual link, the Shadow of Blood stopped devouring.
Its golden eyes, identical to Jiang Lin's, turned toward the ground, as if they could pierce through tens of thousands of miles of void to see the youth standing in the ruins.
There was no response.
The Shadow of Blood could not speak; it simply watched quietly before continuing to devour.
It could clearly feel that it seemed to be a bit different than usual.
Furthermore, on its face, which was originally identical to Jiang Lin's, a trace of the evil god's treacherous and sinister aura appeared.
Jiang Lin cut the link and turned around.
Behind him, five million Blood Demons lowered their heads in unison, their crimson eyes looking toward their master.
“You all stay behind too,” Jiang Lin's voice was calm. “Protect this planet, protect the people here. Wait for my return.”
Behind him, five million Blood Demons lowered their heads in unison, their crimson eyes looking toward their master.
In that silent gaze, there was no emotion, only a pure, unreserved obedience.
Jiang Lin did not look back again.
He leaped onto the back of that 3rd-rank peak crimson claw-wing and flew toward the East Continent.
Behind him, five million Blood Demons stood silently, watching the golden figure disappear into the horizon.
...
East Continent, Rust Mine.
When Jiang Lin landed on the edge of the pit that had once been piled high with Aberrant remains, the sight before him stunned him.
Farmland.
Boundless farmland.
The Fast-growing Rye had already sprouted ears, golden waves of wheat swaying in the breeze, extending to the end of his vision.
The Protein Alfalfa was growing well, its purple flower spikes particularly striking in the sunlight.
The roots of the Energy Beets had already swollen, with half of their dark red stems exposed from the soil.
Further away, rows of white livestock sheds were neatly arranged.
Simmental cattle grazed leisurely in the paddocks, Large White pigs slept soundly in their pens, and flocks of chickens pecked for food on the grass.
The air was filled with the fragrance of grass and earth, as well as the unique, not-unpleasant scent of ammonia from fermented livestock manure.
Dr. Villa stood at the edge of the mine, holding a data report and checking the growth of the crops against the sunlight.
Hearing the movement, he looked up. The moment he saw Jiang Lin, the report in his hand dropped to the ground.
“Mr. Matthew...”
His voice trembled, and his eyes grew red.
“The evil god... is it over?”
“It's over.” Jiang Lin landed beside him. “The tentacles have all been severed, and the main body is being devoured by the Shadow of Blood. The pollution is dissipating, and the sky is turning blue.”
Dr. Villa opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound.
He just stood there, tears silently sliding down his wrinkled face.
Three hundred years of despair, three hundred years of struggle, three hundred years of waiting.
It was over.
The news spread across the entire East Continent.
Rusty Town, Blood Swamp, Rust Iron Wasteland, Corrupted Plains...
At every outpost, every farm, and every shelter, people stepped out from their hiding places and looked up at the sky.
The sky was turning blue.
The pollution clouds were slowly dissipating from west to east, like a receding tide, revealing the azure that had been forgotten for three hundred years.
Sunlight filtered through the rifts, casting golden spots of light onto the dark red ground.
Some people knelt and wept, some roared at the sky, some hugged those beside them tightly, and some just stood in a daze, as if they couldn't believe it was real.
The silver-haired woman stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the Ember Headquarters, looking at the sky turning clear outside.
Dew clung to her silver combat suit; she had clearly spent another sleepless night.
But in those eyes, there was no fatigue, only an indescribable light.
Behind her, Leah's wheelchair slid forward silently.
“It's over,” the silver-haired woman said softly.
Leah nodded slightly, a faint smile gracing her pale lips.
Though she could not see, she could feel it. The omnipresent pollution energy that had oppressed this world for three hundred years was dissipating.
“Yes, it's over.”
Ember Headquarters, large conference room.
This was Jiang Lin's final meeting on Planet Teluofuto.
The room was packed with people: the silver-haired woman, Dr. Villa, Joel, Ed, and the heads of all the outposts.
Their faces all bore an expression of disbelief, as if they still couldn't believe that the three-hundred-year nightmare had truly ended in this generation.
“The pollution is dissipating at a rate of one percent per day,” Dr. Villa's voice carried the rigor typical of a scholar, but his voice trembled slightly at the end. “At this rate, in about three months, the air quality on the East Continent will return to a level where people can breathe normally. In a year, the West Continent will too.”
“What about the breeding farms?” Jiang Lin asked.
“The population of Simmental cattle has expanded to three thousand, the Large White pigs to over twenty thousand, and the poultry to over one hundred thousand.”
Dr. Villa opened his data book.
“The planting area for fodder crops has expanded to one million acres. The yield per acre of Fast-growing Rye and Protein Alfalfa is close to the levels before the Great Cataclysm. With current production capacity, it's enough to meet the needs of all survivors on the East Continent.”
“Is there any surplus?”
“Yes,” Dr. Villa pushed up his goggles. “And there will be more and more.”
“Then give it to the Blood Demons,” Jiang Lin said. “Five million Blood Demons require a massive amount of flesh and blood every day. Although they currently rely on hunting the remaining Aberrants, the Aberrants will eventually be wiped out. By then, the breeding farms will be their only food source.”
Dr. Villa fell silent for a moment before nodding heavily.
“I understand. I will expand the scale of the breeding to ensure the food supply for the Blood Demon Legion.”
“Not a legion,” Jiang Lin shook his head. “From today on, they are no longer a legion. They are the guardians, the new residents of this planet.”
He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the clearing blue sky.
“The Shadow of Blood is devouring the evil god, which will take a long time. Until then, the Blood Demons will protect this planet and its people. When the time is right, I will return to take them away.”
He turned around, his golden eyes sweeping across everyone present.
“Treat them well.”
It was both an instruction and a warning.
After the meeting, Jiang Lin walked out of the headquarters alone.
Outside, that 3rd-rank peak crimson claw-wing still crouched silently, its dark red eyes looking like two burning rubies in the sunlight.
Sunlight.
For the first time, it didn't look so terrifying in the sun.
The dark red carapace on its bone wings reflected the golden light, and its crimson eyes mirrored the blue sky and white clouds.
Jiang Lin leaped onto its back, flying over the land he had fought for one last time.
Rusty Town.
Once an Aberrant nest, it was now the largest grain-producing area on the East Continent. Golden waves of wheat swayed in the breeze, and white livestock sheds were neatly arranged.
Rust Mine.
Once a death zone, it was now the largest livestock breeding base. Simmental cattle grazed leisurely in paddocks, Large White pigs slept soundly in their pens, and shepherd dogs ran across the grass.
Blood Swamp.
Once a polluted marsh, it was now a land of fish and rice. The clear water reflected the blue sky and white clouds, rice ears swayed in the wind, and egrets foraged in the fields.
Rust Iron Wasteland.
Once an industrial ruin, it was now an emerging industrial zone. Factory chimneys emitted white smoke, the roar of machines echoed across the wilderness, and workers were busy on the production lines.
Everywhere, people were working, children were playing, and old people were basking in the sun.
Their faces no longer held despair and fear, only a long-lost, almost luxurious peace.
Jiang Lin stood on the back of the crimson claw-wing, looking down at it all.
As the sun set, the clouds on the horizon were dyed golden-red. Sunlight filtered through the rifts, casting dappled shadows upon the earth.
He remembered the sight when he had first arrived. The dark red sky, the deathly silent ruins, the swarming Aberrants, and the people struggling to survive in despair.
In three months, everything had changed.
“It's time to go,” he said softly.
His departure was three days later.
Jiang Lin didn't notify anyone.
He simply walked out of his residence at the Rust Mine one early morning and stood by the golden wheat field.
Morning mist flowed slowly over the fields, and dew glistened on the ears of wheat. In the distance, the lights of the livestock sheds turned on one by one, and cooking smoke rose from the chimneys of the farmhouses.
A new day had begun.
He turned and walked toward the crimson claw-wing crouching silently by the wheat field.
Then, he saw them.
The silver-haired woman stood at the front, dew clinging to her silver combat suit; she had clearly spent another sleepless night. Her eyes were red, but the corners of her mouth were turned up slightly.
Dr. Villa stood behind her, clutching the data book he never let leave his side, his eyes behind his goggles heavily swollen.
Joel stood in the crowd, the crystallized scar on his face appearing less hideous in the morning light.
Beside him, the members of the engineering team stood in neat rows.
Ed stood to one side, her amber eyes particularly bright in the morning light.
Her crystallized right arm had completely regained its color; Dr. Villa said it would be fully healed after some more rest.
Further away was a dense crowd of people. Farmers from Rusty Town, workers from the Rust Mine, fishermen from the Blood Swamp, engineers from the Rust Iron Wasteland... everyone had come.
They stood there quietly, without cheering or weeping, simply watching the golden-haired youth by the wheat field with a silent, almost devout gaze.
Jiang Lin stopped.
He turned to face them. His long golden hair fluttered in the morning breeze, and his golden eyes mirrored the blue sky and white clouds, the wheat fields and livestock sheds, and the faces of everyone there.
“I'm leaving,” he said softly, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears.
“By the way, my name isn't Matthew.”
With that, he activated the system's teleportation ability, sending himself back.
...
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