Chapter 162: Growth Under Pressure, Evil God Falls
The 200,000 civilizations felt like a mountain pressing down on Meng Huaifeng’s heart, leaving him with pent-up frustration.
The Star Moon provided computational power support, and Meng Huaifeng created over ten clones to continuously break through the Great Clock day and night.
They would retrieve and synchronize experience periodically.
Since some experiences were identical, the effect was far from 1+1=2; the more clones there were, the more severe the diminishing returns.
However, the overall efficiency improvement was still several times that of Meng Huaifeng alone.
The firewall of the Great Clock’s main body was far stronger than the Great Worm Bridge above Blue Star.
But with the prior experience, the breakthrough was relatively smooth.
Day one, 50% progress.
Day two, 75% progress.
Day three, 90% progress.
It wasn’t just Meng Huaifeng who was holding back frustration; March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle felt the same.
March 7th increased her sword practice time severalfold daily, and her swordsmanship gained a touch of lethality.
Every strike felt as if it were hitting Karl, full of fierce momentum.
March 7th continuously tried to break through space with her sword technique; only by breaking the Void could she truly harm this Evil God.
Although even if she could harm him, it would be meaningless, it was the only way March 7th could think of to vent the pent-up emotions in her heart.
March 7th glanced at Meng Huaifeng, who looked haggard after three days of sleeplessness, and her sword stance became even fiercer.
Stelle’s destructive desire towards Karl soared to unprecedented heights, as she sprinted down the path of Destruction.
Unlike March 7th, who broke through space based on instinct and intuition, Stelle would pause and think for a moment after each swing of her bat.
Although Stelle was usually unreliable, she was actually very smart, and her understanding of space progressed by leaps and bounds.
Dan Heng closed his eyes, recalling the desolate planets in the Styx Galaxy that bore the remnants of civilizations, the 200,000 abducted civilizations.
Who was responsible for their demise?
The culprit not only paid no price but instead reached the pinnacle of the universe.
When justice cannot be served, pure revenge becomes the only justice.
Revenge and justice echoed in Dan Heng’s heart.
The hunt itself is the Hunt.
The Hunt, at any cost.
The Ji Yun Spear thrust out, and a gun hole appeared on the meteorite in front of him; only then did the Ji Yun Spear pass through the hole.
The bullet hole preceded the trajectory.
Still not enough.
This strike only crossed space; crossing time was the most difficult.
“The children are under a lot of pressure,” Himeko said, arriving after learning of the situation, observing the four diligently working individuals with concern.
“There’s pressure, but also motivation; their progress is very fast,” Welt replied.
“A little pressure is fine; this time… there’s no need for so much pressure. Once we return to the Universe, we can ask Screwllum for help,” Himeko said, her heart aching.
“The children still need to be strong; they want to resolve this themselves before the two universes are linked,” Welt mused.
“The Destiny of Knowledge doesn’t allow one to soar to the heavens overnight; even upon encountering the Destiny, it takes time to achieve anything.”
“Besides us, there’s probably no one else who can threaten his Phantom Body enough to cause serious injury. In fact, we have ample time,” Himeko stated.
“Let them try. Don’t underestimate them. Perhaps they can succeed?” Welt suggested.
Day four, 99% progress.
Day five, 60% progress.
Day six, 90% progress.
Day seven, 99% progress, regressed by 40%.
Meng Huaifeng couldn’t completely crack it, so he chose to restart repeatedly, continuously improving his technology and accelerating the cracking speed.
As long as his speed was fast enough and he could find a way to make Karl’s mind falter for a moment, he might be able to seize control of the 200,000 Void Devices from the Great Clock’s control!
Meng Huaifeng poured all his mental focus into cracking the Great Clock.
The projection of Angel Queen Kaisa reappeared.
“I’ve dispatched Angels to various civilized planets that Karl can access, attempting to destroy the Void Devices, but the Eye of Insight cannot locate the Void Devices whose dark information is hidden.”
“The Void Devices are hidden extremely stealthily. Even with the cooperation of over 20,000 local civilizations and Angels meticulously searching, we’ve only found seventy-four Void Devices in four days.”
“The good news is that the Void Aura emitted by the Void Devices can be dealt with by Angels,” Kaisa told Himeko and Welt.
“Since you’re specifically mentioning good news, there must be bad news?” Himeko asked.
“The bad news is that the number of Angels capable of handling the Void Aura is limited. Even recalling some retired soldiers, we can only form over fifty thousand teams,” Kaisa said.
“In other words, if Karl activates the Void Devices, the crisis for only over fifty thousand civilizations can be quickly resolved, and the remaining civilizations will have to wait for them to arrive?” Himeko frowned.
“They won’t be able to wait. I’m afraid only the first batch of over fifty thousand civilizations can be saved,” Welt shook his head.
He had witnessed the Void Power Karl released. While it couldn’t harm them, most ordinary matter would be instantly devoured.
The Void Aura spread, and ordinary civilizations had no ability to resist.
“It might be even lower than this number, as we cannot determine which civilizations Karl has chosen. However, this is already much better than all 200,000 civilizations perishing,” Kaisa said.
The Angel Civilization did its best, but this was all they could achieve.
Karl must die.
Himeko looked at Meng Huaifeng, who was still working hard, knowing they might not be able to accept this outcome.
“I believe in them,” Himeko shook her head.
“I will have the Angels make preparations,” Kaisa said, disconnecting the projection.
Meng Huaifeng’s speed in cracking the Great Clock was increasing.
The time taken to reach 99% progress gradually shortened to one day, then half a day.
“Your progress fills me with dread,” Karl appeared before Meng Huaifeng.
“Tens of thousands of years, and even the Angels’ Sacred Knowledge Treasury couldn’t surpass the Great Clock, yet you’ve surpassed them in such a short time.”
“The obstacle that could intercept the invasion of the Sacred Knowledge Treasury was broken by you in a way that is neither scientific nor reasonable. The technology you possess is beyond my imagination.”
“It’s only neither scientific nor reasonable to you; to the imaginary numbers and Destinies, it is very scientific and very reasonable.”
Meng Huaifeng ignored Karl. March 7th walked over, sword in hand, warily watching Karl to prevent him from suddenly attacking Meng Huaifeng.
“In the past, I had no choice; there was only the path of the Void. Now, I want to be a good person.”
“Why can’t I be given this opportunity?” Karl asked, confused.
“You want to be a good person? Have you asked the trillions of vengeful spirits in the Styx Galaxy?” Dan Heng’s hunting will of revenge was almost tangible, piercing through dimensions and chilling Karl to the bone.
Karl cautiously eyed Dan Heng and said softly, “I can make them agree.”
Manipulating souls was simply that easy.
Seeing the Train Crew’s anger escalate further, Karl sighed, “Since that’s the case, your progress can only make me change my decision. Once the progress exceeds ninety-eight percent, I will initiate the command.”
“Your progress fills me with dread,” Karl repeated.
“You!” March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle gripped their weapons.
Meng Huaifeng pursed his lips. If he could invade silently…
If you’re weak, train more!
If your technology is insufficient, improve it!
Ninety-eight percent, start over.
Increase speed!
Increase stealth!
“Now, the limit is ninety-six percent.”
“Now, it’s ninety percent.”
Karl also began to feel anxious. These people seemed determined to kill him.
Yes, he had destroyed countless civilizations, but what relation do these civilizations have to you?
The Angels of the Known Universe can’t manage them, so why are you, from the Unknown Universe, interfering?
It’s meddling!
“Now, it’s eighty percent!”
Karl’s eyes turned red. Meng Huaifeng, who had been awake for over ten consecutive days, also had bloodshot eyes.
“Bang!”
Dan Heng smashed a nearby meteorite and walked towards Karl, gripping the Ji Yun Spear.
“I will bear the sins of the 200,000 civilizations!”
The Hunt’s pursuit never counted the cost; its salvation and destruction were almost indistinguishable.
Dan Heng began to understand the will of the Hunt Aeon.
Meng Huaifeng grabbed Dan Heng, “Wait a moment.”
If there was truly no other way, it shouldn’t be Dan Heng alone who bore it.
Dan Heng looked at the determination in Meng Huaifeng’s bloodshot eyes and gradually suppressed the anger in his heart.
March 7th looked at Meng Huaifeng’s haggard face with heartache, feeling helpless herself.
As if to vent her frustration, she swung her sword at Karl.
Three arrows of Hunt, one aimed at the remnant soul, two aimed at the severely wounded.
March 7th’s attack was insufficient to heavily wound Karl in one blow, and no one from the Train Crew stopped her.
March 7th needed to vent, and the Train Crew also wanted Karl to suffer a lesson.
In her rage, March 7th instinctively slashed through the dimension of the Void, and Six Phases Ice froze Karl’s Phantom Body.
Karl’s projection in the real dimension instantly froze.
Six Phases Ice can freeze a Phantom Body?
And it seemed to be even more effective than freezing a physical body!
Meng Huaifeng’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but excitedly shout, “March, continue!”
After shouting, Meng Huaifeng’s hands tapped out countless illusions.
Each tap was countless lines of pre-set code.
The progress of the Great Clock’s invasion rapidly increased.
“Oh, oh.”
March 7th quickly responded and slashed at Karl several more times.
However, this time March 7th’s intuition seemed to fail her; several consecutive strikes failed to break through the dimension.
March 7th was so anxious she broke out in a sweat.
Welt appeared near Karl’s projection, raised his cane, and tapped, creating a void on Karl’s projection.
The other side of the void exuded the aura of the Void.
“Reduce attacks and focus on control,” Welt instructed.
March 7th put away her Lapis Sword and took out her longbow.
“Ice Carving Arrow Rain Time!”
Arrows formed from Six Phases Ice shot into the void maintained by Welt.
The arrows turned into messy Ice Sculptures and smashed onto Karl’s Phantom Body in the Void dimension.
The almost-thawed Phantom Body was frozen even more severely; Karl’s thoughts were almost completely stagnant!
Eighty percent… ninety percent… ninety-nine percent…
One hundred percent!
Breakthrough!
Meng Huaifeng rapidly seized control of the 200,000 Void Devices.
“It’s done!” Meng Huaifeng shouted excitedly.
Dan Heng thrust his spear into the void, and Stelle simultaneously swung her baseball bat.
The Six Phases Ice shattered, and the power of Hunt and Destruction raged within Karl’s Phantom Body.
“Ah~!”
Karl let out a painful howl, his Phantom Body became transparent, and his projection in reality vanished.
Through the void maintained by Welt, they saw two streams of light suddenly appear, completely tearing apart Karl’s transparent Phantom Body.
Immediately followed by another stream of light, Karl’s shattered Phantom Body was completely annihilated!
“We succeeded!” March 7th cheered.
“This time, I made a great contribution!” March 7th said, hands on her hips.
“March, you did well,” Meng Huaifeng encouraged her. His tightly strung nerves finally relaxed.
An overwhelming wave of fatigue washed over him. Meng Huaifeng’s head felt heavy, and his eyes felt as if they were sealed shut with a thousand pounds of force, unable to stay open.
“Huaifeng, Huaifeng! What’s wrong?” Before losing consciousness, he only heard March 7th’s anxious cry, and then he collapsed into someone’s arms.
“Huaifeng is fine, don’t worry. He’s just overexerted mentally and is too tired. He’ll be fine after some rest,” Welt reassured him.
…
When Meng Huaifeng regained consciousness again, he was in his own bedroom on the train.
March 7th was sitting by his bedside.
“You’re finally awake! Do you know you slept for two whole days and nights?” March 7th exclaimed excitedly the moment she saw Meng Huaifeng wake up.
“Karl, is he really dealt with?” Meng Huaifeng asked.
“Of course. Himeko and Uncle Yang have confirmed it. Angel Kaisa and Sister Huxi also came to confirm,” March 7th nodded.
“Then the 200,000 civilizations…”
“You’ve already saved them. Oh, do you forget what you did yourself?”
“My head feels a bit foggy, I can’t distinguish between dreams and reality,” Meng Huaifeng said with a wry smile.
“Then you should continue resting. I’ll go get you something to eat,” March 7th pushed Meng Huaifeng back down and walked out of the bedroom.
Stelle peeked her head in from the doorway.
“A Xing, if you want to come in, just come in. Why are you acting like a thief?” Meng Huaifeng said speechlessly.
“I wanted to see how you were. March said I was restless and would disturb your rest, so she kicked me out,” Stelle said, entering with a hint of grievance.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing… I didn’t do anything.” Stelle’s gaze shifted.
Meng Huaifeng’s heart skipped a beat. He touched his face, then checked his mobile phone, but found nothing.
That made sense; even if there was something, March 7th would have wiped it off.
“Here, this is for you. I’m leaving now.” Stelle guiltily stuffed something into Meng Huaifeng’s hand and turned to leave the room.
“What is this?” Meng Huaifeng looked at the item in his hand, which resembled something from the Styx, and quickly asked.
“I found it on Death Song Star. It seems to be some kind of Gene Engine. I thought only you and Himeko might find it useful, so I gave it to you,” Stelle said, her head peeking back in, sounding a little pained, before she retracted it and closed the door.
Soon, there was a knock on the door. Such politeness could only mean it wasn’t March or Stelle.
“Enter,” Meng Huaifeng said.
Dan Heng walked in, holding a cup.
“This is Sweet Dew condensed using the Cloud Chant Technique. It can nourish the spirit and calm the mind. Drink it,” Dan Heng handed the cup to Meng Huaifeng.
“It’s not that serious, is it? I just haven’t slept for a long time…” Meng Huaifeng scratched his head.
“Prolonged lack of sleep can lead to mental exhaustion. Whether or not there’s an issue, drinking this can only be beneficial,” Dan Heng said.
“Alright.” Meng Huaifeng accepted Dan Heng’s kind gesture.
“Rest well,” Dan Heng said with a light chuckle.
