Chapter 36

Time rewound to before Sigma arrived at the half-orc valley.

In a secluded forest to the west of the valley, the earth bulged, and a massive plant burst through the soil. Its buds unfolded layer by layer, revealing the figure of Beifeng. He leaped down from the flower, lightly touching the ground, and the mutated giant plant slowly withered and sank back into the earth.

He glanced in the direction of the village, his eyes gentle and filled with longing, which eventually turned into a determined look.

The forbidden area marked by the king was to the north. From a slope to the west, one could see the cave palace carved into the mountain wall, with a long staircase leading up to it, the path of death to the palace. Anyone other than the Great Elder who dared to enter the forbidden area would be cruelly killed by the king, without exception.

Beifeng took a deep breath, summoned the power of the wind, and darted through the small forest toward the forbidden area. He silently slipped past a few clan members he encountered along the way. In the dense forest, druids were in their element.

He leaped up the steps, reaching the massive stone door. The door was adorned with ancient carvings of various mythical creatures, some with lion bodies and human faces, others with human bodies and snake tails, all hybrid beings, tall and imposing, evoking a chill.

Beifeng's heart raced. He knew little about the king, but the villagers' fear of the king had subtly influenced him. After a night of contemplation, he had prepared for the worst. Overcoming his fear, he called out, "O King, Beifeng the half-orc humbly requests an audience."

He called out twice, receiving no response. Slowly raising his right hand, he formed a rapidly spinning wind blade, "Then, I have no choice but to force my way in."

But at that moment, the stone door rumbled and slowly opened a narrow gap, just wide enough for one person to pass. Beifeng glanced at the deep, dark void inside, steadied his nerves, and entered with a determined stride.

Inside the cold, dark hall, a row of lamps lit up spontaneously, the light dispelling the darkness and guiding Beifeng forward. A cold voice echoed in the hall, "You have come, much earlier than I expected. Was it the meddlesome necromancer who incited you? Young people are naive and short-sighted, driven by pointless passion and a sense of justice. When you and he learn the truth, you will realize how wrong you are."

The lamps lit up one by one. Before Beifeng could ask, the voice continued, "Since you are here, the necromancer will likely begin his actions soon. Time waits for no one. Follow the light and come to me; you will find all the answers. Damn it, we need at least three more years to fully activate the Blood Blade plan..."

The mysterious man's rambling words piqued Beifeng's curiosity. Without asking, he ran forward, passing through the side hall. The path suddenly sloped downward, and he realized he was now inside the mountain, heading deeper underground.

One stone door after another opened.

He passed through corridors and tunnels.

When the last stone door opened, a vast square appeared before him.

There were no open flames here, only rows of glass columns emitting a greenish glow, arranged neatly. They seemed to be filled with some kind of liquid, and something was suspended inside. Beifeng approached curiously, and when he saw what it was, his pupils dilated, and he took a few steps back, his face pale. He muttered, "This... this..."

Inside the glass columns, there were creatures with human bodies and lizard heads.

He ran frantically between the rows of cultivation tanks, seeing all sorts of bizarre "hybrid monsters" with human and animal parts. He had heard Sigma's theories about the origins of the half-orcs but never believed anyone could be so depraved. The horrifying truth almost shattered his sanity. This must be the filthiest place in the world.

His eyes turned red, perhaps from anger, and his body felt hot, as if an endless surge of power was welling up inside him. He roared, "Who are you! Come out! Come out!"

"You seem very angry? For these half-human, half-monster things? I can tell you, it's unnecessary. The humans used as experimental subjects are all heinous criminals, deserving of the most severe punishments. It is their honor to serve as experimental subjects, as their sacrifices will save countless innocent humans. As for the animals? You are human; why should you care about the lives of other species? Are you pitying them?" The voice was close, tinged with mockery. "It seems those hypocritical, self-righteous people have brainwashed you thoroughly."

"This voice is..." Beifeng turned abruptly, "You are Elder Juventus! Weren't you supposed to be in seclusion to consolidate your Holy Rank? So, you are the one..."

He then became furious, "Why are you doing this? Have you forgotten the druidic creed? This is a grave sin against life! You will be punished by the Father God!"

"Why am I doing this?" Juventus paused for a moment, then said slowly, "For survival."

"Originally, only a few people knew about this. I might as well tell you now. In ten to twenty years, the Noren continent will face an unprecedented catastrophe. The earth will crumble, the sea will rise, and the sky will collapse. Powerful invaders will destroy us, and countless innocent lives will perish. To preserve our race, we will have to fight an unprecedented and brutal war. We need a strong, brave, and loyal cannon fodder army to assist us in the war..." Juventus continued slowly, "The ideal members for this army would be the northern orcs, who have almost infinite reproductive capabilities. However, many years ago, their legendary leader Conan sacrificed his life to engrave a mark of defiance on the soul of the entire orc race. This mark, while making the orcs forever fragmented and impossible to unite under a powerful leader, also ensures that they will never be enslaved by anyone..."

"So you created the half-orcs, desecrated them, enslaved them, and ultimately sent them to their deaths?" Beifeng shook his head, muttering, "They are living beings, capable of crying and laughing. I cannot accept this..."

Juventus sneered, "Put away your childish pity. The upcoming war will be far more brutal than you or I can imagine. We believe our cause is just. For the survival of humanity, we would not blink if all other races on Noren were to die. What are these mass-produced, cheap monsters? We created them solely to fight for us. If the death of a hundred half-orcs can save one human, it's a good deal!"

"You... Are you saying this is the decision of the masters? The entire Natural Academy is involved in this plan?" Beifeng's body swayed. If he received a positive answer from Juventus, he might go mad.

"Of course not. The hypocrites still cling to their so-called principles and will only prepare for the war openly. So, we will do the dirty work. In the end, it will be we who save humanity." Juventus' smile was strange. "Remember, our organization is called 'The Temple.' We are the martyrs who are willing to dirty our hands for the future of humanity, and you will soon become one of us..."

Beifeng instinctively sensed something was wrong and quickly retreated. If the mastermind was not the Natural Academy, then...

"Having told you this, do you think you can escape?" Juventus flashed forward, "From the moment you were cultivated and placed in the Natural Academy, it has been almost twenty years. The dragon factor in your body is on the verge of awakening. After awakening your hybrid dragon lineage, I will take you back to 'The Temple' to sleep for three years. After three years, your power will reach its peak, and you will establish a mental connection with all the half-orcs. You will be crowned king, the supreme commander leading the half-orcs in battle!"

***

PS1: Phew... Still lacking experience, rushing the plot has thrown off the pacing, and it doesn't look good. But now, I can only try my best to write the last part of this volume well, then return to the initial light-hearted style and proceed gradually. Apologies to everyone; I don't have much experience writing for the main site, so I'm feeling my way through. Please understand.

PS2: Shamelessly asking for some recommendation votes.

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