Chapter 1735
Chapter 1735 - 1731: Hunting-dragon
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The nicknames for the three World-Destroying Evil Gods were quickly cemented.
The one flying northward was named the "Blood-Winged Golden Crow." Clearly, this nickname was derived from Eastern Country mythology.
Considering its temperature had already reached the level where it could smelt steel in seconds, the name was quite fitting.
The headless beast was called the "Steel-Forged Xingtian"... it was obvious the namers were still Easterners; after all, headless creatures were abundant in various mythologies, but this name revealed its essence most frustratingly—its virtually invulnerable body.
As for the final one... perhaps the weakest, or perhaps the most dangerous... or maybe there were already five hundred of them.
It had already shattered—or more precisely, it had birthed countless offspring.
Each multi-headed creature quickly matured, was killed, and then spawned more.
And each one dove into the deep sea without hesitation.
"World-Destroying Dragon-Serpent... an apt name."
The most malevolent moniker was attributed to it, and once its expansion reached a critical mass, merely destroying marine ecology could very well annihilate the entire planet.
Notably, as more deities fell and the world climbed in dimensionality, that "Poison Sea" was gradually being cleansed.
The extraordinary toxins of the past were rapidly deconstructed and adjusted under the emergence of the newborn nature... it seemed as though the world was striving to restore global ecology.
But if this catastrophe couldn’t be overcome, none of it would matter.
"Has the strength of the split forms been confirmed yet?"
Countless strongmen, deities, and avatars had already set out toward the Arctic, targeting the northern-bound "Golden Crow." They aimed to obstruct and kill that fiery bird.
That beast on the ground, resembling an eternally tireless entity, had already slain an uncountable number of strongmen and deities.
It lacked wings, yet its colossal frame towered atop the sea... such a terrifying creature, impervious to blades and bullets, had become the most grueling battleground imaginable.
It displayed an exceedingly peculiar ability... around its vicinity, most extraordinary powers were rendered inert.
This divine beast’s anti-magic field coupled with its steel-constructed body were nightmares for its opponents. While there were abilities specifically geared toward countering heavy armor and high defenses, all of them were blocked. Attempting close combat with it would be nothing short of a mortal’s nightmare.
Currently, the beast was most attracted to various powerful, tamed creatures, used either as cannon fodder or as bait to delay its actions.
Meanwhile, the production rate of those "New Gods" had slowed somewhat, but it hadn’t ceased entirely... this unbearably oppressive workplace environment even made Lu Ping’an consider giving up his responsibilities altogether.
But as the nicknames foretold, the most unsettling aspect remained the "World-Destroying Serpent," already fractured into countless fragments.
At the same time, it was part of the frontline combat force, including Dragon Moon Island... in this arena, the deities couldn’t compare to professional human combatants.
Their immense powers obliterated the skies and the earth, yet for opponents with specific traits, humans proved far more adaptable and flexible.
"The strength of the first-generation World-Destroying Serpent is no longer measurable, but it should be below the level of Tenth Order Gods. The second generation appears to be Quasi-God tier. The third generation is suspected of exceeding the eighth tier. The fourth generation is seventh tier..."
These creatures seemed to grow progressively weaker, but when you considered that there were already over a thousand Rule-level creatures in the sea—and their numbers might still be surging—it was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
"... Replica forms should weaken infinitely over time, right? As long as it deteriorates to a certain extent, it can be rendered harmless. Even if it’s a Decree-level demon, we can handle it."
"The problem is, based on our tests, the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth generations are still Rule-level... with several traits that allow them to crush Decree-level lifeforms outright."
"Even though energy conservation laws have become uncertain, the total contamination (scale of existence) remains finite. What’s going on? How is it possible for them to split infinitely..."
"... Haven’t you noticed? The number of new gods has dropped significantly these past few days, even though their initial population wasn’t all that different."
Quickly, a disheartening revelation was confirmed.
Indeed, the fragmented forms of the World-Destroying Serpent could reproduce by hunting New Gods.
In a straightforward recorded clip, it even showed a highly intelligent New God, clearly above eighth-tier, being effortlessly chewed up and devoured by a fourth-generation, seventh-tier Multi-Headed Dragon.
"On one side, there’s the will of a God Above Gods. On the other, mere flesh it separated from itself—naturally, no resistance is possible..."
The conclusion was simple enough, but the possibility that the entire world’s New Gods might turn into nutritional supplements for these serpents was horrifying to contemplate.
Some even speculated this might be a method for a God Above Gods to "reclaim" its own flesh—perhaps, once the Multi-Headed Dragon reached a certain scale, it would reabsorb itself entirely.
But others refuted this notion... Lu Ping’an explained bluntly that currently less than one percent of the dissolved portions of the God Above Gods had been observed; it had no need to engage in such unnecessary efforts.
With matters reaching this stage, dwelling on the cause had become meaningless. The focus remained entirely on the present response.
"... The next orders are to spare no cost in thoroughly eliminating these Multi-Headed Dragons—or rather, this ’serpent catastrophe.’"
Lu Ping’an sighed. He could empathize with the urgency from the rear lines; this was undoubtedly a calamity for the world. Just thinking about it revealed the staggering difficulty—a task essentially forcing the impossible.
"The most troublesome factor is their aquatic nature. This means humanity’s primary military force—drones—are almost ineffective against them. Whether for reconnaissance or tracking, we’ve lost our most critical eyes."
"Sending top-tier combatants on patrol missions... please, spare me... spare them. They’re all on the edge of exhaustion; channeling combat power into such mundane tasks is catastrophically inefficient."
Perhaps by coincidence, perhaps by divine irony, these Multi-Headed Dragons undeniably struck at humanity’s weakest point.
But solutions soon emerged.
A massive fleet of underwater submarines had discreetly arrived on the frontlines. They carried with them swarms of unmanned reconnaissance drones—small, underwater UAVs.
Even though the underwater environment was truly "network-less," these newly designed devices carried digital AIs (extraordinary artificial souls). They recorded the biological characteristics of the Multi-Headed Dragons and, upon locating a target, could transmit signals for hunters to intervene.
Thus, quite naturally, hunting dragons became the primary job at Dragon Moon Island.
In fact, to prevent excessive proliferation of these creatures, humanity began actively protecting the New Gods.
Having already developed numerous anti-Nine-Headed Serpent techniques, Lu Ping’an was overworked... one side tasked him with distributing these resources (even offering interest-free loans), while he personally accelerated the dragon-hunting efforts.
Yet, as the war dragged on, all the news received was disastrous.
Failed attempts to encircle the Golden Crow. Another countless tally of casualties for the day. Another deity devoured by the Xingtian Evil Beast—with no way to reclaim even the divine position.
Though reason dictated he not dwell on the situation, even Lu Ping’an couldn’t help but wonder if the world might truly meet its end.
And at this juncture, the long-awaited turning point finally seemed to arrive.
— End of Chapter 1735 —