Super Gene

“Why?” Han Sen was surprised by this, and it seemed as if Baby Ghost knew a thing or two about what was going on.

Baby Ghost said, “You don’t need to know the specifics. You are going to die, so give me the relic and speak your last words.”

“Ah, is this about Immortal Emperor sacrificing the whole tree? That’s old news,” Han Sen said.

Baby Ghost looked as if he’d swallowed a bug, and in utter shock, he gasped, “How do you know about that!?”

Han Sen smiled and looked coy. He didn’t answer him, and instead said, “You don’t need to know the specifics, but tell me: what makes you think you and Qing Jun will be spared?”

Baby Ghost was still in shock over the fact Han Sen knew what was going on, and he answered, “Qing Jun is Immortal Emperor’s daughter. And me? I’m the one who concocted this scheme!”

“Hmm, I see. So, have you been avoiding the consumption of lifewater?” Han Sen asked.

“What does the lifewater have to do with anything?” Baby Ghost asked, but right after, his mind seemed to get snagged on a sudden, disturbing thought.

“Whoever has been drinking the lifewater will be sacrificed. There’s no particular discrimination, as it’s a catch-all type of thing.” Han Sen was extra smug, rubbing it in. He could tell Baby Ghost had been drinking the lifewater.

Baby Ghost’s facial expression was beyond distraught, and so he said, “Impossible! Qing Jun has been using lifewater as well. Who has been feeding you these lies!?”

“Well, let me ask you: have you been told how these sacrifices are to be… well, sacrificed?” Han Sen asked.

Baby Ghost looked clueless. He wished to speak, but he seemed to be struggling to force out words. His face turned green at the sudden turn of events, and all his throat could end up spitting out were the words, “H-have I been tr-tricked!?”

After that Baby Ghost turned to run, but Han Sen stopped him.

“If you’re going to consult the emperor with this, you’re a dead baby. Tell me about the relationship between Han Jingzhi and Blood Legion,” Han Sen told him.

Baby Ghost said, “I don’t fully believe your forked tongue. Not yet, leastways. I must go and… confirm something.”

“No. You tell me what I want to know now.” Han Sen didn’t think Baby Ghost would ever come back, once he left.

Baby Ghost then answered, “Gah, but it’s a long story! The short version is, something huge happened within the Legion. We needed help. Han Jingzhi was then kidnapped by Blood Legion forces.”

Han Sen was shocked. The revelations were coming thick and fast. There was a connection between Han Jingzhi and Blood Legion, but the way it came about was very unexpected. Han Jingzhi had actually been the victim of kidnapping.

Han Sen wished to ask more, but Baby Ghost was already gone.

“Han Jingzhi was kidnapped by Blood Legion forces? That must mean he was there with them for some time, in some way or another. That might also mean he learned much about the organization, including the Nine-Life Cat. But why was he kidnapped? Why did they need to do that? Did they kidnap just anyone? Did it happen before or after he visited that realm with the maybe-a-god-maybe-a-demon being?” Han Sen’s mind was now wracked with countless more questions.

Han Sen hoped Baby Ghost wouldn’t be killed, so he could ask the spirit a bunch more questions.

Han Sen was not too worried what he might do, though. If Han Sen was attacked and had to make an escape, he believed he could do so with the aid of Little Angel.

A few days later, Qing Jun came looking for Han Sen.

Han Sen was surprised to see her, and when she approached, she asked, “You didn’t drink the lifewater you were given?”

“Nope,” Han Sen answered simply.

“Good.” Qing Jun handed something to Han Sen, turned around, and left as swiftly as she appeared. Han Sen wasn’t sure why she had just done what she did, and truthfully, he fancied asking her a few questions.

It seemed like Baby Ghost had told Qing Jun what Han Sen had told him.

She had given Han Sen a small bottle with a piece of paper attached.

The paper said the contract on Qiu Ping had been forfeit. Han Sen had long wondered how he might get Qing Jun to let Qiu Ping go free, and now, it had been done without any effort on his part.

Han Sen was delighted, so he left the worksite. He wanted to visit Qiu Ping and guide him out. Han Sen thought someone might stop him, but no one did. He scanned the nearby area and then realized the king spirits and super creatures were all gone.

Han Sen returned to the fourth floor without issue and escorted Qiu Ping out of the tree. When Han Sen returned to the underground shelter with him, he noticed all the walnut trees in the forest were dying.

“Baby Ghost must have done something to make the Sky Tree revive even sooner!” Dragon King exclaimed.

Han Sen frowned and flew back towards the Sky Tree. As he was returning, he saw countless creatures writhing on the forest floor in agony. You could see their lifeforces being pulled from their bodies, heading for the tree that contained Immortal Shelter.

Green sprouts began to grow from their corpses, becoming vines that absorbed their flesh.

Seeing all the creatures become fertilizer, Han Sen could not help but think, “Dragon King was right. Creatures that have consumed walnuts or lifewater are being absorbed no matter where they are.”

Before Han Sen arrived back, though, a scary presence startled him on the approach. A black and red tree was growing incredibly quickly, heading high up into the clouds.

There was this a menacing spire in the land now, surrounded by countless dried up trees and creature corpses. Even the ground and earth were being sucked dry of life, transforming the area into an apocalyptic hellscape.