Chapter 1665
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Chapter 1665 Hidden Variables
On the ruins of the city wall, a black severed finger was firmly pinned to the stone surface by the Ama-no-Murakumo sword.
“It seems this time, that [Key of the Gate] fellow was also serious… Launching an attack of this scale across the river of time, the price He paid must have been considerable.” The voice of the severed finger drifted out. He looked at the gradually dissipating space-time vortex in the distance, the corner of his fingertip’s mouth slightly curling upward.
“Is it over…”
A willow branch with an eyeball extended from the phantasmagoric mist, wrapping around the hilt of the Ama-no-Murakumo sword. Just as it was about to pull the blade out, a long spear whistled through the air from afar, instantly blasting the willow branch to pieces!
The spear tip pierced through the blood mist, accurately striking beside the severed finger. He turned slightly toward the direction the spear came from, seemingly somewhat displeased.
From the dust swirling with electric arcs, a figure wearing blood-colored armor and a young man in tattered clothes slowly approached.
Upon seeing the young man, the severed finger froze, then spoke in surprise:
“You? How are you not dead?!”
“[Key of the Gate] couldn’t kill me… surprising, isn’t it?” Lin Qiye’s expression was completely calm.
The finger pad faced Lin Qiye without speaking further. Logically, after [Key of the Gate] had paid such a great price, there was no reason not to completely eradicate Lin Qiye… He didn’t know where things had gone wrong.
But Lin Qiye being alive meant He was in crisis once again.
“How is this possible… how did you survive?” The severed finger faced Lin Qiye, as if detecting a slight change in him, his voice somewhat incredulous. “You’ve hidden your own causality?! Erased your existence from the river of time?”
Lin Qiye spoke calmly, “You all are so certain humans have no hope, isn’t it because you have [Key of the Gate], the omniscient observer, constantly watching the past and future? Now, a variable beyond your control has appeared.
What do you think… I’m going to do?”
The severed finger stared intently at Lin Qiye, inwardly startled.
He had thought Lin Qiye’s abilities would be troublesome, but He never imagined Lin Qiye could directly conceal his own existence… This way, even [Key of the Gate] couldn’t see his actions, and since he had hidden his past and future, even if [Key of the Gate] wanted to change history, it would have no effect on him.
In other words, Lin Qiye had completely transcended their control, and his causality was now solely in his own hands!
To set up another precise ambush for Lin Qiye like this time would be virtually impossible.
The severed finger’s thoughts raced rapidly.
Just as Lin Qiye was about to speak, a voice suddenly came from the distance.
“Lin Qiye!”
Lin Qiye turned to look and saw Chloe, covered in wounds, carrying the corpse of a willow branch, quickly running toward them.
She looked at the badly wounded Lin Qiye, seemingly relieved, and walked over. “I just saw lightning erupting over there and thought you might be inside… Are you hurt?”
Lin Qiye glanced at her, his eyes narrowing.
He flicked his finger, and the Ama-no-Murakumo sword violently pulled free from the severed finger, whistling through the air, instantly piercing through Chloe’s heart!
A blood-red flower burst forth, and disbelief appeared in Chloe’s eyes. She stared blankly at the indifferent Lin Qiye, seemingly unable to understand why Lin Qiye would kill her.
“The same trick won’t fool me twice. Drop your schemes, [Chaos].”
Lin Qiye gripped the Ama-no-Murakumo sword as it spun back to him, his gaze returning to the severed finger before him, walking toward Him step by step.
Meanwhile, Chloe’s body lying in the pool of blood bizarrely transformed into a willow branch with an eyeball, staring fixedly in their direction.
“You saw through it so quickly?” The severed finger had planned to use the same trick, using Chloe to ambush Lin Qiye when he let his guard down. He even had the fake Chloe pick up a willow branch to increase credibility… after all, this was His last resort.
But He never expected Lin Qiye to act so decisively this time, giving Him no opportunity for a counterattack.
“Appearances can deceive, but causality cannot.”
Lin Qiye stood before the severed finger, a cold gleam appearing in his eyes.
He stepped on the lower half of the severed finger, immediately creating a huge crater in the ground. Amidst the rising dust, Lin Qiye slowly spoke:
“[Chaos], listen well… You can’t kill me, neither can [Key of the Gate]. Since I’ve survived, I will eventually collect on our grudges with interest.
Since I’ve returned to this era, becoming a variable hidden from your control, I won’t leave empty-handed… Whatever you fear most, that’s exactly what I’ll bring to you.
From today onward, I, Lin Qiye, will be the nightmare of your Cthulhu pantheon.”
As his words fell, Lin Qiye’s foot suddenly exerted force, releasing a surge of power. With a thunderous boom, the severed finger beneath his foot was crushed into a bloody pulp!
“Marquis, help me burn Him… Don’t leave even a speck behind.” Lin Qiye slowly spoke.
Huo Qubing nodded slightly, curling his finger, and a burning flame quickly flew over from the distance, instantly engulfing the bloody mess.
The crackling sound of burning arose, and a foul stench spread out. The two of them stood before the flames, waiting until the fire consumed the last trace of blood, and finally peace returned to heaven and earth.
“Cough, cough, cough…”
A red-haired girl wearing a clerical robe slowly approached from the distance. The phantasmagoric mist dissipated bit by bit behind her. Her fair face was now covered in dust, as if she had been through a fierce battle.
“Um… have you seen my counterfeit?” Chloe asked as she walked up to Lin Qiye and Huo Qubing.
Lin Qiye pointed to the willow branch corpse nearby.
Seeing this, Chloe sighed in relief.
“Where’s Cthusun?” Lin Qiye asked.
“That willow tree monster?” Chloe shrugged. “I killed it. Without those counterfeits interfering, its true form seemed quite fragile.”
“That’s good.”
A glimmer of dawn rose from the edge of the horizon, dyeing the pitch-black night sky a pale white. The faint sunlight swept across the blood-colored walls of Chang’an and the three wounded figures on the ruins, stretching their shadows long…
“What are your plans now?” Huo Qubing asked.
Lin Qiye stared at the gradually dissipating flames, and after a long silence, slowly spoke:
“I want to make some preparations in this era.”
“To stop the Cthulhu?” Chloe thought for a moment. “Those things are truly terrifying… Do you have any ideas?”
“I’m still thinking about the specific plan… However, I may need help from both of you.”
“Those monsters seek to destroy all life, this Marquis naturally cannot stand idly by.” Huo Qubing said solemnly. “Lin Qiye, whatever you need this Marquis to do, just say it.”
“Count me in too.” Chloe said seriously. “If everyone is killed, then there will be no more faith in this world.”
Lin Qiye’s gaze swept over Huo Qubing and Chloe. In the light of dawn, the corner of his mouth slightly curved upward…
“Good.”
