Raise the Banner Again, Slay Yanluo

"Hm?"

With Morgana's help, Cole's body was quickly found. Just as Yuan lifted it in both hands, intending to place it with the others, Cole's Commander's Battle Armor shattered across the ground.

At the very core of his chest, a tactical chip gleamed brightly.

Yuan lightly tapped it with a finger, and the tactical chip slowly flew into his hand. He murmured, "This is... a recording chip!" Then he seemed to realize something.

"Qiming, read the chip."

"Yes, Master. Reading now."

"Beep!"

A crisp sound rang out, and a figure was projected from Yuan's battle armor.

"Bruis, this is Commander Cole!" At the familiar voice, Bruis and the others froze for a moment. Then they immediately stood beside Yuan, their bodies ramrod straight as they watched the final image Cole had left behind.

"By the time you see this recording, I should have returned to Death God Karl's embrace. Bruis, I'm sorry. I failed to complete my mission and instead placed this burden on you, a Science Officer."

"There is something wrong with my body—not my flesh, but my mind. I am no longer sharp enough, no longer fit to follow Your Excellency. Bruis, you are still young. I hope you can follow Your Excellency to the very end. Find a way to save us. For Your Excellency, death is nothing to fear!"

With that, Cole straightened his body, his eyes resolute. "May Your Excellency's glory be with us. Commander Cole, signing off!"

"May Your Excellency's glory be with us." The many Taotie lowered their heads and prayed in unison.

Yuan shut off the tactical chip in his hand and placed it inside the right arm of the battle armor. He looked at Cole's body on the ground with a complicated expression. No one knew what he was thinking.

Bruis wanted to step forward and say something, but before he could open his mouth, Morgana stopped him with a look.

Then, under Yuan's control, all the Taotie soldiers who had died in battle were gathered together.

Yuan stood beside them, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Morgana swaggered over and asked, "What? Feeling sad?"

"Sad?" Yuan softly repeated the question to himself, then shook his head. "Not exactly. It's just complicated. Look at him."

As he spoke, Yuan pointed with his right hand at the Taotie on the very edge.

"When he saw Death God Karl before, he nearly pissed himself. And that one—when I first met him, my genes were collapsing. He was the busiest one aboard the warship, running around for energy one moment and the engine the next. Cole didn't understand God-making knowledge and kept giving random orders. He nearly worked them to death."

As he spoke, he pointed at several more people.

"Actually, I barely knew them. I was too lazy to even ask their names. The only names I could remember were Cole's and Bruis's. I truly wasn't familiar with the rest of them."

At that point, a soft sigh escaped Yuan's lips. Yes, they truly had not known each other well. Yet perhaps that was exactly what made it all the more precious.

But Bruis and the others did not see it that way. Their hearts surged with emotion as they looked fervently at the god before them, a god who had remembered them all. Never before had they felt so valued.

A rare gentle breeze stirred across Dobilun Star, and the sun slowly began to set. The afterglow of sunset shone upon everyone's faces.

"The breeze still blows, and the setting sun leaves streaks of red; do not say heroic souls mourn as wandering guests—raise the banner again and slay Yanluo." Yuan's voice was full of coldness, indifference, and undisguised killing intent.

Boom!

Violent Dark Energy surged forth. In an instant, every corpse lying on the ground was frozen solid. Yuan casually beckoned, and the laboratory that had been deployed in the distance moved over.

He placed the enormous block of ice inside it, then sealed the doors completely shut.

"There are so many Sky Stars here. You can rest forever on Dobilun Star." Yuan murmured. At the movement of his hands, the earth rumbled as though it had opened a huge mouth.

The laboratory gently floated inside, then the ground closed over it, leaving not even the slightest trace behind. Yuan stood there blankly for a while, gazing toward the distant sunset.

At that moment, the sunset reflected in Yuan's eyes, blooming into blazing flames.

Morgana did not say a single word. She simply watched Yuan with her own eyes. This was a path every god had to walk, and an essential step in the birth of divinity.

Crackle! Pop! Night soon fell.

Two bonfires burned in the desert. Yuan and Morgana sat beside one, while Bruis sat at the other with seventeen Taotie soldiers. Thanks to Yuan's foresight, the laboratory had contained plenty of supplies.

Although he had buried the laboratory as a coffin, most of the supplies had been retained. Though he no longer needed food to replenish his energy, he had still kept quite a bit out of habit.

"Whoa, this liquor has no kick."

"Of course. If liquor from a primitive civilization could get you great gods drunk, then gods would be way too cheap." Morgana's words made Yuan smile.

After all, this was merely something he had brewed himself according to the method an old craftsman in the village had taught him. How strong could it possibly be? Flames danced in his eyes as though they were alive.

"Tell your big sister about your past. Maybe it'll make you feel better."

"Hah? You're overthinking it. I'm not that fragile." Yuan waved a hand. He remembered the Taotie's sacrifices for him, but being sentimental was truly asking too much of him.

"I told them that if something is given, something will be asked in return. You could say we were complete strangers before. You drove back Death God Karl for us, gave me access to the Hour Clock, and now you want to teach me the knowledge of God-making civilizations." Yuan drained the liquor in his hand in one gulp, his eyes gleaming in the firelight.

"The gifts of fate always come with their price clearly marked. Demon Queen Morgana, tell me what you want. Let me prepare myself in advance—and see whether there's room to bargain."

"The price of fate? You'll believe me if I tell you?" Morgana shot Yuan a sidelong glance.

"I will. Why wouldn't I? You're the Demon Queen, the greatest evil in the known universe. Would you really stoop to tricking a child like me? Don't disgrace yourself, Queen." Yuan's firm words made Morgana sway happily.

"Hahahaha! You little brat, you've got plenty of tricks in that head of yours." In tens of thousands of years, Morgana had rarely been as happy as she was today. Did he think she could not see through him? Believe her? It sounded better than a song.

Still, Morgana truly enjoyed the feeling of being trusted. More importantly, it depended on who was saying it. If Carl had said it instead, she would probably have cursed aloud.

"The known universe is tangled and complex. God-making civilizations and main gods are even more unpredictable. You, a primitive from a primitive civilization, were accidentally discovered by the Taotie and became a god. Naturally, all this is difficult for you to understand. It's fine. The power of time will explain everything."

Morgana set down her cup and looked over with her beautiful eyes. "You only need to know that I will never hurt you. As for everything else, once we reach somewhere safe, I'll teach you slowly."

"Somewhere safe? What, are we in danger now?" Yuan asked in confusion, only to receive an answer he had never expected.

Morgana suddenly gritted her teeth.

"I can practically smell that filthy stench on them. Those bitches are haunting us! Damn Kaisha! Damn little angels!"