Chapter 377: A Crisis of Trust Within the Seven Deadly Sins

"Sure," Su Mu agreed without hesitation. It wasn't for the noble title—he had no interest in such things—but because he already planned to head to the coastal cities and use the endless horde of Nightmare Creatures to accumulate baleful aura.

His second Silver Law, Demonic Heart Baleful Soul, required a massive amount of baleful aura to reach true perfection. He had been so busy dealing with Supreme Heaven recently that the law's progress had stalled, which hindered his growth in strength.

If his cultivation remained stuck at Silver 2, his physical body would soon fail to keep up with his ever-growing spiritual power.

"Excellent. You've just returned from the Nightmare World. Rest for three days, then depart!"

...

...

Su Mu returned to his manor and began to recuperate.

With his Undying Body, he hadn't sustained any physical injuries. What he needed to organize were his memories.

The Pope's memories kept surfacing from time to time, severely disrupting his thoughts. Now that he finally had a moment of peace, it was the perfect opportunity to sort through them.

He locked himself inside the manor and refused all visitors. Outside, however, the world was undergoing an earth-shattering upheaval.

As time passed, the impact of Pride's actions swept across the globe like a tsunami. Coverage of him was overwhelming, dominating the front page of every newspaper.

In every street and alley, people no longer gossiped about celebrities or trivial scandals. Everyone was focused on a single terrifying fact: Pride was going to destroy the world.

"I thought the Seven Deadly Sins was a righteous organization like the Revolutionary Army, helping us commoners overthrow the nobles' rule. I never expected they actually wanted to destroy the world!"

"Good riddance. This rotten world should have been destroyed a long time ago."

"Aren't you afraid to die?"

"Of course I am. But whenever I think about those high-and-mighty nobles dying right alongside us, the fear goes away. We're all going to die anyway. I'm dirt poor, so if I die, I die. It's not like those nobles with their daily feasts and endless concubines. They're the ones who are truly terrified of dying. Death is the only fair thing in this world!"

"Did you hear? The entire Chiyan Empire is drafting soldiers right now. Anyone who joins the army gets a free Transcendent Potion and becomes a Transcendent! Damn it, chaotic times like these are the only chance us nobodies have to make something of ourselves. I'm already planning to enlist!"

"You're dreaming. Do you actually believe the words of those nobles? My cousin is in the military and even made it to squad leader of a ten-man team. He still hasn't managed to get his hands on a single Transcendent Potion, so what makes you think you new recruits will?"

"But the announcement said..."

"That's just to trick idiots. My cousin said the higher-ups did distribute a batch of Transcendent Potions, but ordinary soldiers will never see them. They all go straight to the children of wealthy merchants and nobles. When the time comes, the regular troops will be sent to the front lines while those brats sit in the back and steal all the glory."

"No way. Those rich merchants and nobles can afford to buy Transcendent Potions on their own, and they have the connections to get them. Why would they steal ours? Even though the higher-ups handed out a lot of potions, most of them are the most ordinary kind. Would they even want those?"

"This is exactly why you're an idiot. Who ever complained about having too much money? Even if they don't use the potions themselves, they can still flip them for a profit."

"Fuck! Aren't they worried the world is going to end if they pull this shit? This is an apocalyptic crisis!"

"That's what you don't understand. The worse things get, the more those nobles hoard their own strength. They'll keep all their forces close to protect themselves instead of sending their men to the front lines. Even if the world gets destroyed, we'll be the first ones to die, and the nobles will be the last!"

Amidst the crowd, the Seven Deadly Sins' reserve chief, Lin Canyang, listened to the discussion in silence. He held a steamed bun in one hand and a newspaper in the other, his expression bleak.

"Destroying the world... is this the Leader's true goal?" Lin Canyang let out a bitter laugh. He knew he wasn't a good person, but even he didn't want the world to end.

If the world was destroyed, where would he go?

Originally, he had just wanted to find a powerful backer. By clinging to the Seven Deadly Sins and following in the footsteps of Leader Pride, he figured he could rise above the masses and enjoy boundless wealth and glory. He had even hoped that if Leader Pride established a new nation one day, he could secure a spot as a top-tier noble.

But instead... the true goal of the Seven Deadly Sins was actually the annihilation of the world.

Truth be told, he was starting to think about leaving the Seven Deadly Sins. He even considered defecting to stop Pride from destroying the world.

The Seven Deadly Sins could be an evil, extremist organization, but they couldn't be this extreme!

Yet, the moment he recalled the Leader's mysterious and overwhelming strength, a terrifying chill washed over him, like falling into an ice cave. He had gathered plenty of information through various Transcendent channels, and Pride's true identity was no longer a secret.

Pride was a God of the Nightmare World. In fact, the current era was already being called the Age of Gods—or perhaps... the Age of the Seven Deadly Sins!

Lin Canyang, the reserve chief of the Seven Deadly Sins, stood blankly in the crowd. His expression was lost and desolate, entirely unsure of what to do next.

He wasn't the only member of the Seven Deadly Sins having these thoughts. Far away in Star City, Nangong Mengli and the others felt exactly the same.

Inside the Bronze Coffin.

"Sister Mengli, do you think it's true? Why would Mr. Su..." Duanmu Qing gripped the newspaper tightly, a deep worry filling her eyes.

Nangong Mengli, dressed in a women's suit, sat rigidly in her executive chair. She stared blankly at the pristine white teacup in her hand, watching the steam coil into the air.

"Sister Mengli?"

"What is it, Xiao Qing?" Nangong Mengli snapped out of her daze and looked at Duanmu Qing.

Duanmu Qing pointed at the newspaper. "Is Mr. Su really going to destroy the world?"

Nangong Mengli forced a smile. "Of course not. He isn't the cynical type. Why would he destroy the world for no reason?"

"But this time, Mr. Su opened the gate to the Nightmare World and unleashed countless Nightmare Creatures. The oceans have already been overrun. Once those monsters come ashore, a lot of people are going to die. Some of the closer countries might even be wiped off the map entirely. When that happens..."

"When that happens, the death toll will surpass the combined total of every war in human history. Hundreds of millions—perhaps even billions—of lives will be threatened," a low voice said from the corner. It was Jun Wushang, who had been completely silent until now.

He was dressed in the same style of Daoist robe as Taoist Priest Xuanqing, and strapped to his back was the very sword the old priest had wielded before his death.

Suddenly, he stood up, his gaze filled with conviction. "My Master worshipped the Celestial Sovereign of Longevity and told me to follow the Divine Envoy. But if their true goal is the destruction of the world, then this God... is not worth worshipping!"

In Jun Wushang's mind, Su Mu was the Divine Envoy of the Celestial Sovereign of Longevity. With the rumors swirling outside that Pride was a God of the Nightmare World, he instinctively drew a connection between the two. He believed it was highly likely that Su Mu was the human incarnation of the Celestial Sovereign of Longevity, and that the Sovereign was the one truly orchestrating the destruction of the world.

This was the God his Master had worshipped his entire life, but Jun Wushang did not share Taoist Priest Xuanqing's devout faith. If his suspicions were right this time...

Then... he would have to go against his Master's wishes. It wouldn't be the first time, anyway.