Chapter 1440: Chapter 1438: Pope’s Attitude
Soaking within the restorative fluid, Eugene could only watch helplessly as his subordinate members of the Elder Race were taken away by Han Dong.
Thankfully, there was a silver lining.
Though Han Dong walked past each of the Elders, in the end, he only took two of them.
This number was insufficient to significantly affect the total count of Elders in the Black Flesh Mountain. With the current technology at hand, low-efficiency propagation of successors could still proceed.
“This guy knows his limits…”
Eugene suppressed his inner fury as much as possible to avoid interfering with his gradually recovering wounds.
Moreover, he now held a certain apprehension toward Han Dong.
On the way to Hyperion Corporation, Eugene had already learned from Pope about a major event that had drastically altered the overall battlefield situation.
A plan outside the city, orchestrated by [Han Dong] with participation from Green and Helen, not only delayed the enemy’s King Level commander, the ‘Beheading King,’ to a considerable extent but also managed to bring the enemy’s main city crumbling down at a critical node.
This singular contribution was directly tied to the victory of the game.
Setting aside Han Dong’s other achievements, this feat alone was enough to overshadow Eugene, and possibly all other Elements and Mythic Bodies.
…
From Han Dong’s perspective.
The two Elders he took were initially reluctant.
But once they heard Han Dong’s promise of unrestricted research permissions, and saw the biological mechanical equipment and technology from other worlds, the tentacles atop their chrysanthemum-like heads curled into tight knots, showcasing an otherworldly “change of face.”
They promptly signed long-term contracts with Han Dong, joining the research team led by the Swollen Doctor.
Next.
As the Bishop of the Night in London City, Han Dong carried out a general inspection of the overall situation with the Demons.
The Progenitor Mother had temporarily established a dark space with the [Black Witch Group] from her personal guard and was recuperating there.
The final explosion had nearly drained all the energy within the Progenitor Mother, and her body sustained multiple damages.
“The price was indeed steep… Before the final explosion, the scattered remnants of the enemy forces across London City followed the will of their commander, committing mass suicide to buy time.
This abrupt turn of events directly resulted in approximately 40% of the Demons failing to escape successfully.”
The injured were being tended to by priests and their sects, leaving no tasks needing Han Dong’s attention as the nominal bishop.
As he bypassed the temporary treatment area set up within the Flesh Mountain, he arrived at a special stone chamber suffused with an astral glow, isolated from stench and pollution.
The [Void Sect] headed by Pope had created a zone here that could seal off plague and foul odor.
After all, the hostile environment inside the Flesh Mountain was deeply uncomfortable for Void Creatures like Pope.
However.
Not only was Pope resting inside.
Aside from Eugene, who was still recovering in the laboratory, and Green, who was nowhere to be found,
all the other Elements were gathered here to rest and heal.
Moreover, to Han Dong’s surprise, his friend Dumps Martin was chatting enthusiastically with Pope. Pope’s brain was even blossoming like a galaxy, seemingly oblivious to Han Dong’s arrival.
Han Dong was about to interject into their conversation when two distinctive sounds approached him from behind.
Tap tap~ The sound of goat’s hooves.
Crunch crunch~ The sound of skulls grinding.
To his surprise, two female members of the Elements approached him simultaneously, both eager to speak.
“Sister Sally, you first…”
“Helen, you go ahead~”
Of course.
Helen wasn’t here to fight over a man; her gaze shifted toward Dumps, who was enthusiastically chatting with Pope.
“Alright~ I just wanted to ask when exactly did my Dumps get so close with Pope? I hovered near them a few times, and he didn’t even notice me.”
Han Dong looked at her helplessly.
“Well… I’d like to know that too.
Wait here a moment; I might be able to slip into their conversation.”
Miss Helen’s feelings were already quite apparent.
After witnessing Dantès’s heir status and experiencing his Finger techniques, Helen had been utterly captivated.
She had never encountered such a unique male,
neither one of those who obsess over outer appearances, nor like Green or Aslan, who remain unaffected and formidable among the Elements.
Dumps gave her a sense of unparalleled singularity.
Han Dong tried to edge closer to the two who were “deeply engaged in conversation” and inserted a question during a pause: “What are you talking about?”
To his surprise, such a simple question had no impact on the pair. They still failed to notice Han Dong’s presence.
“Their verbal exchange is merely superficial. They are engaging in a level of [interaction] through consciousness… Just what are these two up to?”
Han Dong immediately unleashed his Brain Domain, using his shared Void attributes with Pope and his familiarity with Dumps to successfully enter their unique conscious interaction space.
It was a stream of starlike flows,
a peculiarly eerie stone courtyard,
and on a stone bench and table, Dumps and Pope were immersed in a game of the “Fate Card Game.” Although Pope had the upper hand, securing victory was proving challenging.
“Nicholas, you’re here?”
Only now did Dumps notice Han Dong’s arrival. He had just ended his turn and quickly greeted him.
“So you two were just playing cards… Alright, carry on then. I’ll head over to the Expeditionary Army to check things out.”
As Han Dong was about to leave,
Pope, who had maintained his cold demeanor, suddenly spoke: “Regarding your operation at [Hyperion], Dumps has already explained it to me in detail.
It seems Green has changed since working with you.
Thank you for the immense contributions you’ve made to the London Game.”
“I merely stumbled upon the core of the world and leftover spatial devices in Hyperion. These ‘parts’ can only be converted into dimensional transfer devices by you, Pope.
If you ever have the time, feel free to visit our Holy City… Within humanity, there are still many unique individuals who could discuss topics regarding the stars with you.”
“Hmm, I am indeed quite interested in humanity right now. I’ll find time to visit.”
Han Dong didn’t push for a friendly relationship with Pope, as long as there was an opportunity to engage in communication.
Concerning Void attributes, Han Dong was confident in his ability to grow independently.
Next.
At the request of Sally the Black Goat, Han Dong accompanied her to the Expeditionary Army’s base to express their gratitude for the cooperation provided by its commanders during the war.
Just as the two stepped out of the Flesh Mountain.
A strange starry vortex appeared in the sky, scattering the Eternal Night mists entirely… The vortex glowed with the brilliance of stars, and at its center, one could faintly glimpse a special planet.
Pope, who was in the middle of his chess game, was suddenly startled.
“Teacher!”
One by one, tendrils of starlight poured out from the vortex, stabilizing the surrounding space.
Certain participants of the [London Game] displayed inverted triangular Void Marks on their chests.
Simultaneously, a vast and distant voice reverberated across the sky.
“Those marked as ‘Contributors’ will be subjected to ‘Void Traction’ in five minutes. You will be transported to a special planet, where we shall personally award your game rewards.
During the traction period, you must maintain absolute stability of your individual state.
Any energy fluctuations or acts of resistance will nullify the transmission and be considered a forfeiture of the reward.”