Red was merely a freak who had pursued eternity and immortality until she became deranged. Desire was only her means; at her core, she was a freak.
As for himself...
Li Aoz stared at the obedient Aoneng in his palm for a long time before saying:
"Whatever the reason behind the Hunter King may be, you are useful to me now. You have greatly helped me avoid the troubles of hidden corruption, fundamentally severed Earth's bloodline influence on me, and can provide an immense boost to my Combat Power—at this point, why would I question your usefulness?"
He did not care whether Aoneng truly possessed consciousness or thoughts. He simply adopted an equal stance and spoke sincerely:
"When a backward civilization faces an advanced system and technology, it absolutely cannot sit still and await death. Otherwise, even its culture and roots will be crushed and erased. Earthlings have good sides, but they also have vile natures. To defeat Earth, we must first thoroughly understand them and learn from their strengths."
"I need you, Hunter King. We can become partners. I will not doubt you, and I hope you will continue seizing more power for me. If you possess a will of your own, tell me—what do you want?"
To outsiders, anyone solemnly communicating with Aoneng like this would surely seem insane.
But Li Aoz, having just wielded the terrifying power of a blacksmith, understood even more clearly that the Hunter King was qualified for it.
He did not even need to learn any skills. As long as the Hunter King granted him a profession and a boost in extraordinary power, he could fight even a demigod.
If he brought along his true body, Seeds's avatar, and every asset he possessed, Li Aoz was confident he could grind a demigod to