Starforce Warriors-Chapter 544: Nether God Spear

"You shouldn't ask what you’re not supposed to." Monkey raised his hand and slapped Mitsui Masao hard across the face.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The sounds of the slaps echoed as the twisted Jiepeng scientist's face was brutally savaged. Mitsui Masao felt as though a battering ram had smashed into his skull. His cheekbones shattered, his head started ringing, and his vision plunged into darkness.

Thankfully, his Dao Union Realm cultivation allowed his body to recover quickly. But before he could regain his composure, Monkey loomed over him, his voice cold and commanding.

"Look up. Look into my eyes."

Mitsui Masao instinctively obeyed, lifting his head. Through the eyeholes of the monkey mask, he saw dark pupils illuminated by a faint, eerie purple glow. The black depths seemed even more profound, like an abyss that could devour his very soul.

Mitsui Masao felt his consciousness slipping away, as if his spirit had been pulled into the endless void of those haunting eyes.

"Now, tell me," Monkey said, his voice sharp and unrelenting. "What exactly are the gods of subspace?"

Mitsui Masao began to speak like a puppet.

"Through the divine weapon Eye of the Void, we discovered the existence of subspace and established contact with the great and mysterious entities of that realm..."

The Eye of the Void, a divine weapon obtained by Jiepeng from a sea beast, had been an accidental find. While they had studied it and found ways to use it, they had also discovered the existence of subspace. Research into the secrets of subspace had been ongoing for hundreds of years.

Ultimately, Jiepeng's mech forces had succeeded in venturing into subspace multiple times, where they discovered the remnants of an ancient battlefield. Jiepeng's advancements in New Martial Arts surgeries, power armor, mechs, and other cutting-edge weaponry had largely been derived from the technology and artifacts uncovered at this site.

Even more disturbingly, they discovered subspace creatures that had survived in a state of dormancy within the ruins. These beings possessed an array of extraordinary abilities. Some could control humans. Others could parasitize hosts. Some could grant humans immense power. But there were also those who could corrupt and pollute any living being they encountered. Their abilities were beyond human comprehension and resistance.

Even quasi-Saints and Saints stood little chance against the average subspace creature. Their strength was rendered meaningless before these entities worshipped as gods.

Jiepeng forged a pact with these subspace creatures. With their aid, the nation conducted various experiments and developed countless forbidden techniques. This very laboratory was one such example. In truth, this laboratory was a small warship from subspace. The massive activation machine at its center was an ancient instrument transported from the subspace battlefield at great cost to Jiepeng.

Its function was to siphon life energy, creating the optimal conditions for subspace creatures to parasitize their hosts with minimal risk. The grotesque grafted specimens seen earlier in the storage chambers had been modified according to the subspace creatures' specific requirements. Those grotesque forms were the bodies the creatures preferred.

"The gods of subspace harbor an insatiable desire to conquer and claim everything on Earth," Mitsui Masao confessed under the influence of a mental manipulation technique. "They are eager to descend upon this world and have made countless promises to achieve their goal. The demigods within the Temple are humans who have made deals with the gods of subspace, gaining powers that are entirely separate from Earth’s cultivation systems. They communicate directly with the gods of subspace. As such, they proclaim themselves as gods."

Mitsui Masao went on to reveal the grim truth behind the Nether God Fortress. The fourth zone of this prison had always been a hub for subspace research. Both entering subspace and establishing contact with its creatures required a medium—life itself. This led to the imprisonment of countless living beings within the fortress. Jiepeng filled the prison with their most heinous criminals and a steady supply of slaves imported from across the globe.

The experts of Great Xia formed the largest group, most of them sold into captivity from Haijing City. When the Dragon Group members listened to this horrific revelation, flames of hatred burned brightly in their eyes.

These accursed Jiepeng dogs!

Li Xiaofei pressed Mitsui for additional information, asking questions about other matters of interest. But when Mitsui Masao began to plead for his life, his begging was cut short.

Li Xiaofei brought his palm down without hesitation, crushing Mitsui into a bloody pulp and ending his twisted existence once and for all.

Li Xiaofei approached the so-called demigod weapons, his gaze lingering on the infamous Nether God Spear. The weapon was about one and a half meters long, its surface black and leathery. It was covered in chaotic, vein-like textures. At first glance, it resembled the dried, blackened arm bone of some unknown creature. Li Xiaofei followed the instructions Mitsui Masao had provided before his demise and channeled his inner qi into the spear.

Instantly, a strange energy surged from the Nether God Spear, manifesting as a pitch-black laser beam that shot toward a nearby metal gate. The ultra-alloy gate that was a full three meters thick was pierced through without a sound, leaving a hole the width of a human arm.

Li Xiaofei moved closer to examine it. The hole was flawlessly smooth. The edges radiated a faint aura of violence, darkness, and death. At the same time, Li Xiaofei felt a chilling sensation. Apart from the depletion of his inner qi, the spear had also drained some of his life force.

He gasped in shock. Mitsui Masao had mentioned that the descent of subspace creatures, their connections and trades, all relied on life force as a medium. But Li Xiaofei hadn’t expected that even activating a weapon would come at the cost of one’s life.

A sinking feeling washed over him. This Nether God Spear seemed to awaken slightly after siphoning some of his life force, as though it had come alive. There was no denying the weapon’s immense power. If it was infused with greater energy and life force, it could undoubtedly slay even a Saint. But the spear exuded an overwhelming sense of malevolence.

Frequent use, Li Xiaofei realized, would unknowingly steal the user’s lifespan. More troublingly, he could sense that, after just one use, the spear was subtly tempting him. It felt insidious, like an addiction that would slowly ensnare and bind its wielder over time.

"My lord, why don’t we take these weapons with us?" The Doctor suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

The other Great Xia Dragon Group members had already started gathering the other demigod weapons scattered around the laboratory. These weapons came in various bizarre forms. Some resembled swords and daggers; others looked like firearms; and a few defied classification entirely. They all appeared strange and unorthodox, far removed from traditional designs. Yet, their power was undeniable as each one was capable of extraordinary destruction.

If the Dragon Group could wield these weapons, it would significantly enhance their combat capabilities and strengthen their resistance.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Li Xiaofei shook his head.

"These weapons are far too sinister," he explained. "They’re prone to losing control, and their unique aura makes them extremely easy to track. Carrying them around would almost certainly draw the attention of Jiepeng’s Temple forces."

He made his decision. Ultimately, all the subspace weapons were destroyed. In reality, however, Li Xiaofei had temporarily stored them within the Secret Time Pavilion. He figured that once Dog Brother returned, they could study the weapons further. Perhaps they would be able to uncover new insights.

Li Xiaofei couldn’t shake the feeling that these so-called subspace creatures were an inherently malevolent race that posed an immense threat to Earth. Jiepeng’s reckless experiments were akin to playing with fire. They were opening a horrifying Pandora’s box, driven by greed and arrogance. This vile and avaricious nation, as always, seemed intent on pursuing its own twisted path toward self-destruction.

Li Xiaofei proceeded to destroy everything in the laboratory. Every machine and piece of equipment within the subspace warship was obliterated. He also wiped out all experimental data without hesitation.

Outside, he found the lifeless shells of the grafted beings, warriors who had already perished, in the storage chambers. He solemnly destroyed their bodies as well, ensuring they would finally rest in peace.

Rest well, my comrades. No one will disturb you again.

The group bowed their heads in silent mourning. Afterward, Li Xiaofei led the Doctor and the others to rescue a total of sixty-four Great Xia prisoners from the fortress. Once all the prison's restrictions were disabled, they slipped away into the cover of night.

Not long after, the piercing wail of alarms echoed throughout the Nether God Fortress. Flames erupted into the sky as chaos descended upon the prison. Freed death row inmates, intoxicated by their newfound freedom, clashed with the prison guards who had rushed to contain the chaos.

That night, the gates of the Temple opened as a god named Barush emerged. He resembled a Jiepeng man, his head styled in a traditional chōnin topknot, but his pale skin was tinged with an unhealthy hue.

Short and stout, his enormous belly resembled that of a woman carrying quadruplets at full term. His eyes glowed with a chilling, inhuman light in the darkness of the night.

"Who dares destroy the path to the glorious new world granted by the King of Terror?" Barush’s voice thundered as he stood atop the sacred mountain, gazing down from the Temple's gates.

Tokyo, glittering and bustling in the night, stretched out before him like a vast and thriving livestock farm. Countless vibrant and delicious lives thrived below like cattle waiting to be harvested. Barush could hardly contain his eagerness to begin corrupting the city.

***

The Tsukiha Manor.

"The gates of the Temple opened yesterday," Tsukiha Yaiba shared the news with Li Xiaofei. "A god walked out from within."

A god?

After learning the truth about subspace creatures, Li Xiaofei knew the so-called gods for what they truly were.

"I also heard that something major happened at the Nether God Fortress," Tsukiha Yaiba continued. "The one called Barush went straight to the fortress as soon as he emerged. By dawn, the century-old prison had become his godly nest. The royal family has begun sending large numbers of young men and women into the nest to undergo the god’s so-called blessings."

Tsukiha Yaiba added, "Rumor has it that some who successfully received the blessing, now referred to as disciples of the god, are already roaming Tokyo. Their mission is to hunt down those responsible for the destruction at the Nether God Fortress. They've reportedly captured quite a few people already."

Li Xiaofei silently reclined in his chair, showing little interest in the information. Seeing his lack of response, Tsukiha Yaiba pressed on.

"Tan Zhenwei and Zhou Rulong are scheduled for execution today at 12:15 PM, in the plaza outside Kanzaki Palace," she said. "At the same time, the empire’s Red Sun Rising plan will officially commence. The royal family has stockpiled a massive number of slaves to use as sacrifices to charge the divine weapon Eye of the Void. They aim to drive the star beasts of the sea to attack the coastal regions of Great Xia."

Li Xiaofei opened his eyes.

First, save Old Tan. Then, disrupt the Red Sun Rising plan. However, those so-called godly disciples could complicate matters.

After a moment of thought, Li Xiaofei decided to contact the Doctor and the others, warning them to be cautious and avoid exposure. As for himself, he casually pushed Tsukiha Yaiba off the bed, ending the conversation. ƒreewebɳovel.com

"I’m feeling a bit tired. You should leave; I need some rest," Li Xiaofei said as he unceremoniously shoved the soon-to-be empress out of the room and locked the door behind her.

Turning away, he sat down and began cultivating. However, as soon as he entered the Secret Time Pavilion, he froze in disbelief.

The Black Emperor wasn’t its usual mischievous self; it wasn’t urinating everywhere, nor did it have its usual unbearable stench. Instead, it was gnawing on something distressingly familiar.

"Wait... what the—" Li Xiaofei’s eyes widened in panic as the realization hit him. "Stop! Don’t eat that! I need it for research!"

But it was too late. The Black Emperor was busily munching on the Nether God Spear and the other subspace creature weapons.

Crunch, crunch, crack!

Each bite sounded crisp and disturbingly satisfying. Li Xiaofei had no idea if it tasted like chicken, but the Black Emperor seemed to enjoy every mouthful.