Chapter 203: Useless 8

A bad foreboding overcame Yano. The grey sky and the screams were the first things that welcomed him as he stepped through the portal. It has been a long while since Yano has returned to the Immortal World. If it weren't for Maria urgently reporting the situation, Yano would've stayed in the Mortal World.

With Yano's power, he could freely traverse between the Immortal and Mortal World. If it wasn't because of his selfish desire, Lia could've returned earlier and all of this could've been prevented.

Yano sighed. The portal closed behind him. Funny enough, every time he used his own portal no matter his desired destination, Yano was teleported to the mortal gate next to the palace.

The moment he appeared, the frightened soldiers stopped Yano, "You can't pass through!"

Yano tilted his head, "Why not?"

"It's not safe!"

"Not safe?" Yano repeated the words and the screams gradually got even louder. The situation in the Immortal World seemed to be worse than he thought.

It was brutal to listen to.

"I need to go. Step aside," Yano had no time to waste with the soldiers.

"No!" the soldiers brought out their spears and surrounded Yano. The tips bored into his clothes.

"I'm not playing with you," Yano's voice turned dark, "Step aside."

"No one's allowed to pass! The Ghost King orders no one from the Mortal World is allowed into the capital!"

"You're saying you don't know who I am?"

Sparks flew and surrounded Yano's body. His fierce eyes made the soldiers back off but their weapons were still held high towards Yano.

"I-It doesn't matter who you are! We're not allowed. Please cease your power."

Yano saw their frightened expression and calmed down. Forcing himself through them would only complicate matters, he had to find another way. Yano heard the loud bangs and explosion sounds and got worried. Lia… please wait a bit more.

***

"Min," Lia's voice flowed from her lips engulfing Min who escaped the stage, running towards the palace.

Lia still stood on the stage and raised her arm. With a sleek movement of her hand, a wave of corpses rushed towards Min.

Kluck. Kluck. Kluck.

The gurgling sounds of their salivating mouths, their echoing footsteps all brought a slight terror into Min's heart. But he wasn't too fazed. He still had the upper hand.

Lia might have an army of corpses but she was alone. What could she do with these brain dead zombies? If she had an army of zombies, Min had an army of ghosts.

But before Min could raise his arm to lead the ghosts here, he was swept up by the corpses that dragged him back onto the stage.

In front of Lia, Min knelt.

Her cold gaze penetrated his thick skin but Min kept his clam. Lia regretted destroying the broadcast. What an exhilarating sight it would've been to witness how she tortured and destroyed Min completely.

The corpses held Min down.

"His arms," Lia didn't need to say any more. The corpses put both of Min's arms behind his back and slammed his head into the ground. Blood dripped from Min's forehead but he didn't panic nor did his calm expression disappear.

"You're still naïve as ever, Lia," Min's lips curved as he struggled to look at her. Lia got instantly angry. She looked calm and cool on the outside but inside she was boiling with hatred. Naïve? Yeah, she might be naïve but so was he!

"Don't say my name with your filthy lips," Lia stepped closer to Min and raised her leg. Then with all of her forced-

BOOM.

She stomped Min's head through the ground of the stage. A large hole appeared. Blod covered Min's good-looking face.

"Hahaha!" yet only mocking laughter escaped from his lips, "Revenge. Isn't that what you want?"

Min's laugh hollered through the battlefield where the corpses tore and tore through all these innocent yet not innocent immortals. Soon, they came to an end.

Soon only a sea of corpses remained. However, the life force that relentlessly poured out of Lia to control new corpses was slowly running out.

Lia suddenly felt exhaustion overcoming her. She has used too much power. Her lifeforce couldn't keep up with the immense loss of it. Lia had to replenish and hide. She knew she couldn't kill Min here. In the first place, she'd be slandered and seen as a tyrant if she forcefully took on the role of the Immortal King now.

She has introduced herself but Min was admired and a hero in the public's eyes. If she couldn't prove and show his plans and goals, Lia would never escape the curse.

Lia needed to retreat. She knew this painfully clear yet… retreat and then what? No allies, no power, nothing, no one- if she didn't kill Min now then there'd be no chance for her. Lia has already lost everything.

It didn't matter what the public thought of her. It didn't matter what happened to the Immortal World afterwards. She'd kill Min now and escape. She could find refuge in the Mortal World. As long as Min died no one could threaten the Mortal World and Lia could live in peace.

Yes. There was no reason for her to become the Immortal King anymore. No. She'd become the Immortal King, cause destruction to the Immortal World and then leave. Yes. No.

Lia froze in front of Min. She stared at him with intense and crazed eyes but her mind was split.

Kill him or leave. Kill him and leave. Kill him, destroy everything and then leave. Lia's mind stopped functioning. She was desperately holding herself together but now she was falling apart again.

Anyone… Anyone….

Lia raised her lifeforce and poured out everything at once. Stronger. Faster. Better. Her corpses started to run amok. Some of them ran towards Min.

"You will die here," Lia made a choice. Min had to perish.

"A foolish choice," even in the face of death Min was still unbelievably arrogant.

"Don't think you-" Lia's raging voice was silenced by Min's calm one, "You should know. Once you kill me here, you'll be the target of hatred. All these immortals you've killed, everyone will try to kill you. Even if they cant, they'll torture you and-"

"Shut up!" Lia ordered her corpses. Slam. Min's head was slammed into the ground again.

"I don't care," suddenly Lia's voice turned into a whisper, "I don't care. After you die, I'll follow along. We can continue this in hell."

Lia made a choice. Her decision was the end.

"Come!" Lia ordered the corpses. The hundred of corpses that aimlessly walked around in the plaza after everyone had died, instantly rushed to the stage after hearing Lia's command.

Once they arrived, their filthy hands touched Min's body and feasted on his flesh. Lia silently watched. Yes, this was what she wanted. Min's defeat. It should bring her joy yet why… why didn't it?

Lia knew it was because of what came after. Lia didn't want to be hated. Didn't want to die. Lia… Lia wanted to live. A happy and carefree life. But all of this was shattered to pieces.

Lia's eyes turned red. Resentment spilt from her body as she has truly exhausted herself. She couldn't keep this up for even a minute. Her lifeforce ran out.

Yet Min didn't die so easily. He coated his own body in his lifeforce, reducing the damage by a bit.

More. Lia needed more corpses.

"All of you, come."

It was a straight horror scene. All the corpses around them crowded the stage, stepping over each other to get to Min. Yet Min was still smiling.

Lia hated this smile. This damned-

WOOSH.

Lightning streaks fell onto the stage, causing the corpses to scramble apart. Blue sparks electrified the air, a turbulent current swirled around.

None of the corpses could get closer to Min. Then they were cut into pieces.

"Timo," Lia hissed and backed off. In the far, she could see the other captains coming with an army of ghosts equal to Lia's amount of corpses.

Lia couldn't fight them. Lia had to retreat. Run away. Escape.

"No!" instead Lia forced more lifeforce out of her to the point she started to cough blood. The white smoke violently danced out of her body towards the cut corpses. One by one the limbs attached themselves and the corpses stood up again.

"Insane," for the first time Timo made a startled expression.

He was nervous. This power really defied heavens. Timo couldn't fight against Lia now. She was at her end anyways.

Instead, Timo grabbed Min and put him over his shoulder. Then with more electricity flying through the air, Timo managed to slash a way out of the mountain of corpses.

"Eri! Zayn! Take care of it!" Timo leapt away gradually getting smaller in the sky.

"NO!" Lia sent her corpse after Timo but she knew she couldn't catch Min. Min escaped. This realisation brought Lia back to her senses.

Lia also needed to escape. Ordering her corpses to form a wall behind her, Lia jumped off the stage and headed through the plaza. She could feel her lifeforce leaving the corpse. She bought enough time to vanish out of Zayn's and Eri's field of vision. But, exhaustion overcame and Lia collapsed, she has lost too much.