Chapter 681: Why Must You Push People to This Point

And almost at the same moment his puppet was bound, a vast wave of consciousness instantly swept through the entire area where it stood.

Immediately after, the ground began to rise.

More blood-and-flesh vines burst through the earth like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, rustling loudly as they erupted.

Those blood-and-flesh vines twisted together rapidly, forming a humanoid outline made entirely of branches and flesh, with only eyes and a pitch-black gaping maw.

That hand violently tore off the black cloak draped over "Lynn."

Then it saw through the puppet's nature at a single glance.

Pfft—

The puppet Lynn had created was instantly crushed by the tree-human, blood splattering everywhere, bones and flesh flying in all directions.

"As treacherous and cunning as ever! But let's see how long you can keep hiding!"

From that pitch-black gaping maw came a bone-chilling, icy voice.

Her blood-red gaze swept across the entire Wandering Souls Alley shrouded in black mist, then she suddenly spiraled upward and let out a piercing, terrifying roar that echoed through the entire alley.

Buzz—

In an instant.

Countless tentacle-like vines surged from her entire body, spreading like a tsunami toward the buildings of all sizes.

But Lynn had already turned around and plunged back into the labyrinthine alleys of Wandering Souls Alley the moment he saw the puppet being bound.

"That bitch of a tree!"

Lynn cursed loudly, dashing left and right through the alleyways, quickly dodging the collapsing debris from falling buildings.

Just as he had thought.

While he was being interfered with by the projection, the Desire Mother Tree had silently woven a pocket around this illusion, ready to catch him like a turtle in a jar.

If he hadn't kept his wits sharp.

He would probably already be back in her clutches by now!

"Lynn, I have run out of patience with you!"

The Desire Mother Tree's murderous female voice boomed across the sky above Wandering Souls Alley, rumbling like thunder that blotted out the heavens.

"How strange! How truly strange! So where did the error occur? Aren't you the Colossus's Heart? Why does this space also cast down a projection upon you? Where is your authority? Where is your immunity?"

"Is this your scheme against me? All the time you've been stalling, you were waiting for this projection to descend so you could hold me back?!"

"But let me tell you, Lynn, you've underestimated the power of a Root-level being, and you've also underestimated my three thousand years of experience. I truly cannot let go, but having me witness that Cataclysm again only makes me hate you more. I will break free from the shackles of this hell, and no one can stop me!"

The killing intent in that terrifying voice became almost tangible.

And throughout Wandering Souls Alley.

The calamity of the vines had fully descended.

But Lynn had already turned around and plunged back into Wandering Souls Alley's labyrinthine alleyways the moment he saw the puppet being bound.

Large swaths of buildings and towers collapsed with a thunderous roar into the sea of vines.

The Desire Mother Tree revealed her most insane side.

There was no doubt.

At this moment, she had been completely enraged.

Lynn's heart was also burning with anger, but even in this desperate situation, he still refused to give up. The instinct for survival drove him never to abandon any possibility of escape.

He squinted his eyes and suddenly pulled a pitch-black eyeball from the System Space.

It was covered in cracks.

Nearly shattered.

He wouldn't just give up like this, and he wouldn't admit defeat. From the fact that he could pull the Demon Hunter Revolver out of the System Space earlier, he could tell that although this space belonged to consciousness, it was more like a realm between reality and illusion.

And his biggest trump card right now was the two Root-level curses in his hands!

"Won't you show yourself?!"

That murderous voice rang out again.

And almost at the same time, as if triggered by the final burst of defiance, the sky above Wandering Souls Alley shattered violently. Countless vines cascaded down like a heavenly waterfall, roaring as they flipped over most of the remaining alleyway into a calamitous Tree Realm.

Lynn's refuge had been compressed to the extreme.

He looked up sharply.

This time, he didn't run anymore.

Instead, he shoved the Cursed Eye into his right eye socket, leaped into the air, and landed directly on the top of the highest tower in the center of Wandering Souls Alley.

Dong—

The massive bell tolled heavily, accompanied by the tremor of the entire alleyway.

Lynn grabbed the spire of the tower, lifted his head to gaze at the vines writhing in the sky and on the ground, adjusted his Monocle, and said with a faint smile:

"Desire Mother Tree, why must you push people to this point?"

"You know full well that killing me does you no good. If you spare my life, perhaps we can still find room for cooperation and negotiation in the future. Don't take things too far, Mother Tree."

Lynn's tone was very calm.

But anyone could hear that this was the last shred of compromise Lynn was willing to offer her.

On the high tower.

The wind howled fiercely.

A massive wave of energy locked onto him the moment he appeared.

And from all directions, the sea of trees surged toward the tower where he stood. At a glance, it looked like falling into the abyss of hell, an endless expanse of blood-red writhing.

Above the sky, a massive outline of a murderous face slowly emerged.

"What? Finally willing to show yourself?"

"But what you said is indeed true—you're a hot potato. Killing you does me no good. If you hadn't repeatedly tested my limits, I wouldn't have wanted to go this far!"

"I still hold to what I said before. If you can lead me to find the Colossus's Brain, I promise you can leave this space safely!"

The Desire Mother Tree revealed her most insane side.

He adjusted his Monocle.

Lifted his head.

Smiling as he faced the vines covering the entire sky, he shook his head and laughed:

"Not tempting at all, my Mother Tree. I won't take you there. Because, just as you said, if you truly devour the Colossus's Brain, who would still be a match for you? And at that point, would you still care about the promises you made to a mere human like me?"

"I also want to give you a piece of advice."

"You are the Desire Mother Goddess, but don't let yourself be devoured by your own desires. The things placed before you, the things that seem within easy reach—those are the most dangerous."

"The Flesh and Blood Dominator won't let you obtain the Colossus's Brain so easily. Neither will the God of All Machines. In fact... you've already placed yourself in the most dangerous position, because you've laid your desires bare for everyone to see... It's still not too late to back down now."

His voice was so gentle, betraying not a hint of panic.