Chapter 203 ·Why Didn’t You Help Me Before

Gray ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍dust drifted down gently.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍leading red-robed deacon still maintained the posture of swinging his bone staff. The dark green glow that had been flickering earlier now sputtered twice like a faulty light bulb—and went out.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍face hidden beneath his hood twisted in shock.

What ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just happened?

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had been an experimental subject he painstakingly created over several months, using hundreds of resentful spirits and magical beast blood. Although it hadn’t fully matured yet, its flesh alone could withstand bombardment from high-tier magic.

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just like that… it was gone?

He hadn’t even seen how that silver-haired woman made her move.

“Run!”

As a high-ranking deacon of the Immortality Society, he understood better than anyone that the level of power that erupted in that instant was something he absolutely could not contend with.

Without any hesitation—without even throwing out a token threat—he turned and bolted toward the cave exit. His red robe billowed, black mist coiling around his feet as his speed surged, leaving behind afterimages.

Lilia stood atop the pile of rubble, her silver-gray pupils devoid of any ripple.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Her voice was soft—so soft it was like a lover whispering in one’s ear. She slowly raised her right hand, slender fingers aimed at the void, at the figure already dozens of meters away.

Her thumb and index finger gently pinched together.

“Crack.”

A crisp sound echoed.

The red-robed body began to disintegrate—first the robe turned to ash, then the skin, muscles, bones…

In just two seconds—

Nothing remained on the ground except a gray-black imprint.

The entire underground cavern fell into deathly silence.

The gray-robed followers who had been charging forward moments ago now seemed frozen by an immobilization spell. Each one remained in their attacking posture, eyes bulging as if about to burst, staring at the girl standing above, faintly glowing with a silver-gray light.

“Clang.”

Someone’s weapon fell to the ground.

Then came the sound of knees hitting the floor.

The remaining gray-robed figures’ mental defenses completely collapsed. They scrambled and crawled as they dropped to their knees, smashing their foreheads into the muddy ground, their bodies trembling like sieves.

Lilia lowered her head and looked at her palm.

That feeling just now—of holding another’s life and death in her hand—was simply… exhilarating.

This kind of power didn’t require any mana consumption, nor did it need those tongue-twisting incantations. All she had to do was see that point—and crush it.

As simple as crushing an ant.

“System,” Lilia swallowed, “did I just… bug the game?”

【Hmph, inexperienced.】

The system’s voice carried a hint of pride. 【After playing so many games, don’t you know this is called ‘execution’? The Seed of the Undead is the embryonic core of this land of death. Even as a mere embryo, it’s born with terrifying power. Right now, even if you encounter high-tier demons, as long as you catch their ‘execution threshold,’ they’ll still drop dead.】

Lilia’s heartbeat quickened slightly.

This cheat-like feeling was indeed addictive. She clenched her fist, sensing the immense power of life and death intertwined within her. That sense of fullness almost gave her the illusion that she was omnipotent.

But soon, something crossed her mind, and her brows furrowed.

“If this thing is so easy to take…” Lilia narrowed her eyes, “then back in the Forest of Life, when Vivian had that Seed of Life, why didn’t you give me an ‘auto-loot’? Instead, I got force-fed by Hera—cough, by Her Majesty—and almost choked to death.”

And turned into a tireless production beast.

She remembered that account very clearly.

【Host, be reasonable!】 the system protested. 【Vivian’s was a fully matured form! That was her life’s root cultivated over thousands of years, layered with hundreds of spiritual imprints and protected by the barrier of the Tree of Life. If I had tried to forcibly loot it, we would’ve been instantly backlashed into idiots!】

Lilia curled her lips.

That did make sense.

【This time it’s different!】 The system grew more excited. 【This Seed of the Undead is still an underdeveloped embryo, ownerless to begin with. Those idiots from the Immortality Society may have built a pool to nurture it, but they don’t have the ability to imprint it. It’s like finding money on the roadside—no reason not to pick it up!】

Lilia raised a brow.

She turned her head to look at the other two “spectators” hiding behind the rocks.

Little Red was clutching a protruding stone tightly, her once-ferocious beast-like eyes now filled with pure, innocent stupidity. Her mouth hung open as she stared at Lilia, as if seeing for the first time the “big sister” who had once beaten her senseless.

What… was that just now?

A simple grasp, and that terrifying villain—scarier than grandma—was gone?

Is this the level of people from the capital?

Too terrifying…

Little Red silently withdrew the foot she had been planning to use to escape in the chaos. Then she sniffed hard and put on an expression of “I’m a loyal dog, I’m very obedient.”

On the other side—

The puppet Bulara, who had been in a constant crashed state, suddenly emitted a faint mechanical clicking sound from her neck joints.

“Click.”

She slowly turned her head and stared fixedly at Lilia.

Lilia felt a chill under that gaze and subconsciously moved her left hand behind her back, covering the ring that was still faintly warm.

“What are you staring at?” Lilia glared back, putting on a tough front. “Never seen a beauty unleash a big move before? Hurry up and get to work! Clean up the remaining trash down there—I’m going to loot the spoils!”

Bulara didn’t move.

A full three seconds passed before the purple flame in her eyes flickered. In her usually stiff voice, there was now a trace of something strangely human… and meaningful.

“…Transmission sent.”

Lilia froze. “What did you say?”

The light in Bulara’s eyes instantly went out. Her head tilted, returning to that half-dead puppet state, mechanically walking toward the gray-robed figures below as the bone sickles on her arms extended once more.

……

Thousands of miles away.

In the Palace of Eternal Night, upon the throne.

“Heh.”

A soft chuckle slipped from those pale lips.

Standing below the steps, the Succubus Grand Duke Camilla shuddered and cautiously raised her head. “Your Majesty? Is it intelligence from the Black Sea side…”

“Nothing.”

……

Although Bulara liked to play dead most of the time, she was extremely efficient when it came to clearing the field. The gray-robed figures, already terrified out of their minds, had no ability to resist.

Lilia jumped down from the pile of rubble. Her lambskin boots sank into the soft, rotting flesh beneath her feet, making squelching sounds.

Suppressing her disgust, she walked to the spot where the red-robed man had vanished.

Aside from that patch of ash, only the bone staff remained on the ground, along with a black metal bracelet that looked like some kind of equipment.

This was likely his storage device.