Volume Six: What She Lost, What I Gained - Hell Express

Since completing my super evolution on the West Saint Continent, I can absorb not only Blood Energy, but the life of living beings themselves. I can use blood as a medium to absorb the life of others and make it mine. Each life I absorb adds another life. I can also use life as pure energy. This can be said to be the foundation of my current strength and my greatest reliance.

But Neumann said that this is theoretically impossible.

Is that really the case?

"Ha..."

I had a look on my face that said, "I don't know whether to be happy or sad."

I did something that shouldn't have happened in this world.

Having devoured countless lives, my blood is now like a broth of life. Using it can not only restore youth to an aging body, but also replenish lost life, making it even more miraculous than the flesh of Tang Sanzang.

If I wanted to, I could grant immortality to countless people in the blink of an eye—simply by distributing my blood to everyone and merging it with theirs.

"Hey, hey, in that case..."

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.

My hands are shaking a little, but I don't think it's because of nerve spasms or anything like that.

"... Have I become exactly the same as that Jili?"

I suddenly remembered what she said to me when I traveled with Rakshasa True Word to the homeland of Blood Fiend in the West Saint Continent.

In the Spirit Star world, those with superpowers must absorb spiritual energy when using their abilities; without spiritual energy, they cannot use their abilities. However, I am not subject to this restriction.

The moment I realized this, something terrifying lurking deep within the world suddenly awakened, and just as it was about to lock onto me, Yusuo Zai appearance saved me.

From that moment on, I officially began my journey to becoming the "world's biggest bug."

And now?

Having power comparable to high-ranking officials—that's not important. What's important is the ability to wantonly devour life, transform life, and even bestow life upon others. No matter how you look at it, this has crossed the line, hasn't it?

In other words, it wouldn't be surprising if the World Will suddenly appeared and killed me.

"... Xiao Ye?"

"Ye? What's wrong? Your hands are shaking."

"You look terrible..."

Am I going to die?

I still remember when we were at the Central United Academy, the invincible and powerful Jili was defeated and fled after only one round of fighting with the World Will. When I saw that scene, I felt a huge sense of relief and thought it was kind of funny that the big boss was fleeing in such a sorry state.

But I can't laugh now. I finally understand why Jili could put aside his dignity, flee in panic in front of his subordinates, and even hide in the Void Space and not come out.

This feeling is really awful.

It's fine when you're not aware of it, but once you are, the hostility from the whole world will come rushing in, as if every drop of water, every grain of dust, and every wisp of wind has become an enemy. People who want your life are everywhere, not to mention that the ultimate executioner who can kill you with one move at any time is hiding somewhere, watching you like a hawk.

Unlike Jili, who could truly gain the power to create and destroy worlds in an instant if he continues to grow, I can at most break the ironclad rule that "there is no eternal life." With Jili as the primary target, the World Will will not focus its attention on me for the time being.

But that's only for now; who knows if the World Will might suddenly shift its focus?

"Finish..."

If this chaotic execution continues, what will be the final outcome for me?

"But... it's time... it's time to end this as soon as possible..."

Will it kill me a year from now, a month from now, a week from now, a day from now, or even a second from now?

Jili had a special talent under his command, the Void Realm, who was like a cheat code, capable of creating Void Space to evade the World Will. That's why he was still alive and well even after thousands of years.

But what about me?

When the World Will emerges, who can protect me? Haoyue? Xiao Wu? No way, they probably wouldn't even be enough to fill the World Will's teeth.

At that point, I'll be truly doomed; no number of lives would be enough.

It's time to end.

It's time to end this.

It must end.

At this point, it's impossible for me to continue this journey to another world.

I said this to Givinia during the Northern Realm Rally.

There was a time when I loathed my life on my home planet Earth, that predictable existence, that fear of following in the footsteps of countless predecessors toward the grave yet being unable to escape it.

Having left Earth and arrived in another world, I am a defective product that fell off the assembly line on Earth, and an uninvited guest and a complete exile in this other world.

That is why I can live as myself, free from the constraints of either Earth or the other world, truly living the path I have forged myself.

When I have enjoyed everything I wanted to enjoy and experienced everything I wanted to experience, then I will return to my hometown, the place that is like a tomb to me, and put an end to my own story.

That's all I have hope for.

There's no need to become so strong, no need to go through so many dangers, no need to fight those ridiculously strong enemies, no need to keep repeating the cycle of gain and loss.

All I want to do is forge my own path, walk it well, and enjoy life to the fullest.

That's all there is to it.

But all of this went off track.

It's been off track for a long time.

I became entangled with the organization, met too many people I shouldn't have met, and experienced too many things I didn't want to experience.

When I came to my senses, my life had become more than just my own.

Everything is pushing me forward.

Love, hate, passion, enmity, companions, enemies, past, present, life, death, victory, defeat

Destiny.

This last shackle binding humanity is one I cannot break free from.

We are all soldiers chosen by God, and when the time comes, we will pick up our guns and rush to the battlefield of destiny.

Or rather, once thrust onto the battlefield of fate, none can escape.

"Ha... ha, ah..."

I'm really impressed with myself.

Is the impending death a long, drawn-out ordeal? Long enough for me to ramble on like this.

My body has completely lost its strength.

It's more accurate to say that even the body is gone; all that's left is a pool of filthy blood writhing on the ground, making sounds.

There was no one around; neither Haoyue, Xiao Wu, Winnie were there.

All that was left was me, on the verge of death.

Its life force was exhausted from the very beginning, it suffered a complete defeat in the first battle, and didn't even have a chance to escape, which is why it ended up in this miserable state.

It was so sudden that even after the slideshow ended, I still didn't feel like it was real.

And that thing was hovering above my head—though I no longer had a head—watching me.

I wasn't looking at prey, nor was I looking at a plaything; I simply treated hunting as a natural task to be completed.

Please, please let me go.

The Jili is there; go hunt him first.

I'm just a minor, insignificant character; you can ignore me.

Of course, no one will listen to these words.

All that's left is me, and I'm the only one who will die. The future I hoped for has already been shattered.

People feel despair because they have hope. Now that hope has been completely extinguished, I can't even feel the slightest bit of despair.

As I severed my own consciousness, the merciless hunter, the World Will, bared its fangs at me.

"--Ughhh!!!!!!"

I woke up suddenly, then felt a sense of weightlessness as I fell, and in the next instant I was thrown from the bed onto the floor.

The moment my face touched the ground, I sprang up like a spring, looking left and right, searching for something I didn't even recognize. I held my breath for a few seconds, the only sound in the empty bedroom being my own heartbeat. That's when I realized that my near-death experience was all a dream.

"..."

I straightened up, supporting myself on the bed. The usual feeling of warmth flowing through my body was gone, replaced by a strange emptiness and weakness. A sticky, nauseating chill seeped out from within, making me feel nauseous. The feeling in my body grew increasingly unpleasant. I touched my hands and found them covered in cold sweat. Although my clothes weren't wet because I was sleeping naked, the sheets and blankets were soaked with sweat.

Seriously, I had a really bad dream.

Of all my mornings, this one definitely ranks in the top three for how bad it was.

The physical discomfort was secondary; the important thing was the psychological state. My heart was pounding, and an indescribable sense of fear was surging through my body.

I dreamt of how I died.

Faced with the World Will's fangs bared, there is no room for resistance, only instant death; no chance of resurrection, only annihilation; and no choice but to accept the end.

Everything felt so real.

Was this a manifestation of the fear I felt yesterday in my dream, or... a warning from the world?

"Damn it..."

The deadline is fast approaching.

The end of my journey is drawing ever closer. I either sit and wait for my doom or flee in panic. Whichever I choose, everything has already spiraled out of my control.

"Then... let it end..."

There was no other choice.

Perhaps joining forces with the Leader is another option? I told him we have no real grudges, and if we cooperate, we can travel together through the World Crossing Gate to a higher-dimensional world, never again needing to worry about the threat of this Spirit Star world's World Will.

--What? Absolutely not. Jili is my enemy, my greatest enemy. He and I are both targets of Yusuo Zai's attention, and we've been absolute competitors ever since I transmigrated to this other world. He absolutely doesn't want me to survive to the end, otherwise he wouldn't have sent the higher-ups Yu He, to deal with me. If it weren't for his fear of hunting down the World Will outside, he probably would have taken matters into his own hands.

Just then, the door suddenly opened, and they walked in.

"Xiao Ye!"

"Ye, you're awake?"

"You really slept in late!"

"Xiao Ye, you don't seem to have slept well."

Are you alright?

"The way you're tossing and turning is a little scary, but I don't dare wake you up."

Haoyue, Xiao Wu, Sick Spider, Little Ying, Sin Annihilation, Neumann.

And then there's Winnie, who's far away. For some reason, I really want to see her, even just once.

They are all my current companions, eight in total including me.

The enemy, at present, is Yu He.

But for some reason, I didn't feel any advantage.

It doesn't matter anymore, it doesn't matter what happens.

"Let's set off, everyone. First... let's settle things in Business Capital."

The break is over.

Continuing like this will only erode morale.

Let's go, it's time to fight the boss.

Poke, poke.

Looking down, I realized the Sick Spider seemed to want to talk to me.

"What's wrong, Sick Spider?"

She seemed hesitant to speak, but quickly lowered her head and whispered something.

"We all need to keep going, Ye!"

"... Tsundere?"

"No, that's not true!"