97: We are still thinking about how to dress up as the evil god, but the captain has already cosplayed the ancestor of the evil god?

Temple of All Evils, Palace of Jealousy.

Kuji Demon General's earth-shattering shout, "Welcome back, Lord of the End!"

It was like a nuclear bomb detonating on a calm lake.

The entire palace, and indeed the entire Temple of All Evils, fell into a deathly silence.

All eyes focused on the black-haired youth standing in the center of the square, his expression indifferent.

Lord of the End... returned?

The source of all evil, Lord of the End, who single-handedly defied the Heavenly Dao and created the Fallen Immortal Path... he, he's back?!

The other four members of the Joint Squad had completely frozen brains at this moment.

They all turned their heads in unison, staring intently at Gu Yanci with a complex expression of seeing a ghost, mixed with "holy crap," "no way," and "so you were the mastermind all along."

'After all that, we worked so hard clearing three dungeons, and it turns out Captain, you're the final boss of this world?!'

'If we had known you had this identity, why were we even putting on an act here! Couldn't we have just flipped the table directly?!'

'Captain, please be a decent human being! Next time you have such an astonishing background, can you give us a heads-up in advance?! My heart can't take it!'

This was their only and shared sentiment at this moment.

Meanwhile, Mother Goddess - Jealousy and Suspicion, who had been so arrogant and ready to annihilate the Joint Squad, now looked worse than if she had eaten ten pounds of dead flies.

Her hand, frozen in mid-air, was neither able to be put down nor kept up.

Her beautiful face was filled with terror, disbelief, and a fleeting hint of venomous resentment.

She couldn't understand.

How could a wild god who appeared out of nowhere, not even reaching the Demon Lord realm, suddenly transform into the legendary, supreme Lord of the End?!

However, Kuji Demon General's aura couldn't be faked.

That power of desolation and decay originating from the end of the universe was something no deity could imitate.

As the chief of the Seven Great Demon Generals who once followed Lord of the End and fought against the Heavenly Dao, his loyalty and strength were beyond doubt!

Could it be... Lord of the End...

He truly returned?

Just as all the gods were lost in their thoughts, not daring to act rashly.

Gu Yanci, the center of attention, remained as calm as an ancient well that had existed for ten thousand years.

It was as if this earth-shattering upheaval, enough to overturn the entire world's order, was merely an insignificant farce to him.

[Ding! Detected that your temporary identity has undergone a major change due to irresistible factors!]

[Updating your identity panel...]

[Update complete!]

A magnificent panel, interwoven with dark gold and crimson, filled with supreme majesty and an aura of finality, slowly unfolded before his eyes.

[Temporary Identity: Lord of the End (Pseudo · Reincarnated Body)]

[Divine Authority: Terminus, Decay, source of all evil (Not activated)]

[Role-playing Core: You are the progenitor who created the 'Fallen Immortal Path,' the king of all evil gods. Your will is the heavenly law of this realm. Every glance you cast should be filled with indifference towards all beings; every word you speak should contain the majesty to overturn the universe.]

[You are capricious, you view all living beings as ants, you never explain, you only issue commands.]

[Current Role-playing Progress: 10%]

[Warning: This identity is extremely dangerous! Once role-playing fails, you will bear the wrath and covetousness of all evil gods in the entire world! Please proceed with caution!]

Looking at this brand new, sparkling identity panel.

A hint of playfulness flashed in Gu Yanci's eyes.

He knew that a certain supreme existence was quietly changing something... and now, this was the first test.

Although Kuji Demon General knelt on one knee seemingly respectfully.

Yet, a shrewd probing glint occasionally flashed in his murky old eyes.

"My Lord Lord of the End, do you... still remember this old man?"

"During the hundreds of thousands of years you slept, the Temple of All Evils has changed too much. Many petty individuals have long forgotten your former glory."

Every word he spoke subtly posed a "question."

Attempting to discern from Gu Yanci's reaction how much memory and power this "reincarnated" Lord of the End still retained.

[Ding! Detected probing behavior, "Lord of the End" Role-playing Progress -2%!]

[Current Role-playing Progress: 8%!]

Gu Yanci's eyelids twitched slightly.

He understood that if he followed the other party's words, whether he said "I remember" or "I don't remember," he would immediately be exposed!

Because the true Lord of the End would never bother to answer a "subordinate's" question!

Just then!

A glint of surprise flashed in Ye Liuli's eyes!

She quickly sent a telepathic message in the team channel: "Captain! My 'Interlude Script' has a reaction!"

The next second, a blurry, incomplete, yet supremely domineering scene surged into Gu Yanci's mind!

It was above the endless sea of stars.

A mighty figure whose face couldn't be seen stood alone, facing the "Will of the Heavenly Dao" composed of billions of thunderbolts and chains of laws.

Facing the Heavenly Dao's questioning, he merely impatiently picked his ear.

Then, in a tone as if shooing away a fly, he said one sentence.

— "You talk too much."

It was just these five short words!

It was this ultimate arrogance and contempt that regarded even the "Heavenly Dao" as nothing!

Gu Yanci quickly grasped the core persona of Lord of the End!

— Arrogant and self-centered!

"Kuji."

Gu Yanci finally spoke.

His voice was not loud, but it was like an invisible heavy hammer, striking hard at the hearts of all the gods!

He didn't look at Kuji Demon General, he didn't even lift his eyelids.

He merely spoke slowly in a tone that sounded like he was talking to himself, filled with annoyance and impatience:

"Do you... also think..."

"This Lord has slept for too long and can no longer lift a blade?"

Boom—!

At these words, Kuji Demon General's withered old face, which had been unchanging for millennia, instantly lost all color!

He was as if struck by divine lightning, suddenly burying his head deep into the ground, his voice distorted by extreme fear!

"Your subordinate would not dare! Your subordinate would not dare even if it meant ten thousand deaths!!!"

[Ding! Words and actions conform to "Lord of the End" persona! Role-playing Progress +15%!]

[Ding! Authority successfully established! Role-playing Progress +20%!]

[Current Role-playing Progress: 43%!]

It worked!

Gu Yanci's heart settled, but he knew this wasn't enough.

A play needs a perfect opening, and it also needs a "sacrifice" to make an example of others.

His gaze finally retracted from the void.

Slowly, it fell upon Mother Goddess - Jealousy and Suspicion, who had been frozen in place since the beginning, her face alternating between green and pale.

The moment she was gazed upon by that look, she felt as if her divine soul was about to freeze!

What kind of gaze was that!

There was no anger, no killing intent.

There was only pure, utter indifference, as if looking at an ant beneath one's foot.

It was as if her existence, her Tier 10 divine power, everything about her, was no different from dust in the other party's eyes.

"You."

Gu Yanci slowly raised his hand, pointing his finger distantly at her.

"Just now, you wanted to lay hands on this Lord's... 'things'?"

Her heart skipped a beat!

She knew he was referring to the Joint Squad!

"No... no! My Lord Lord of the End! This is a misunderstanding! I... I didn't know they were yours..."

She tried to explain incoherently.

But Gu Yanci didn't give her a chance to explain at all.

He merely turned his head and glanced with his indifferent eyes at Kuji Demon General, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"Kuji."

"Yes."

"This Lord dislikes hearing noisy insect chirps."

A simple sentence.

Yet it made Kuji Demon General instantly understand Lord of the End's meaning!

He suddenly looked up, and his murky old eyes erupted with endless killing intent and ferocity!

"Shira!"

He let out a roar that shook the entire temple!

"You dare to disrespect My Lord Lord of the End!!!"

— "You seek death!!!"

Before his words finished, his withered palm.

It had already transformed into a gigantic, pitch-black claw that blotted out the sky, imbued with the "corrosion power" capable of decaying the entire universe.

It fiercely grabbed towards her!

"No—!"

She let out a shrill scream!

She wanted to resist, wanted to escape!

But in front of Kuji Demon General, a genuine, ancient Demon General infinitely close to Tier 12!

Her Tier 10 divine power was like paper, instantly torn to shreds!

There was no scream, no struggle.

A dignified "Mother Goddess" who dominated a region within the Temple of All Evils.

Just like that, she was clutched by that gigantic black claw, and then... like crushing a ripe tomato.

With a "squelch."

She was crushed.

Her divine soul annihilated!

Her divinity shattered!

Divine blood and pure fragments of the "Jealousy" authority rained down upon the square.

All the evil gods who witnessed this were terrified out of their wits, not daring to even breathe heavily!

Too overbearing!

Too terrifying!

Is this the majesty of Lord of the End?!

Just because of a single sentence, a powerful Mother Goddess instantly perished!

As the instigator of all this, Gu Yanci didn't even blink.

As if he had merely crushed an insignificant ant.

[Ding! Authority successfully established! Role-playing Progress +30%!]

[Current Role-playing Progress: 73%!]

Very good.

Gu Yanci thought to himself.

He knew that his identity as "Lord of the End" was temporarily secured.

But his doubts in his heart did not diminish because of this.

For these evil gods who believed in "might makes right," there was no such thing as "loyalty."

The reason Kuji Demon General was so respectful was only because he believed that Gu Yanci still retained the power of Lord of the End.

Once he discovered that Gu Yanci was just a "paper tiger" with an imposing facade.

Then, the first one to rush up and devour him alive would probably be him!

He must regain his strength as soon as possible!

Thinking of this, Gu Yanci retracted his gaze and issued an order to Kuji Demon General in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Lead the way."

"Return to the palace."

...Temple of All Evils · Central · Lord of the End's Palace.

This was a palace more magnificent and ancient than any other temple.

It was entirely cast from a pitch-black crystal that could devour all light.

Above the palace, there was no dome.

Instead, there was a gigantic, slowly rotating, terrifying vortex composed of countless shattered world remnants.

This was the legendary abode of Lord of the End.

It was also the absolute center of power for the entire Temple of All Evils!

At this moment, the Joint Squad stood within this empty, silent Demon Lord's Palace hall.

The relief of surviving a disaster and the confusion about the future were intertwined on everyone's faces.

"Captain... no, My Lord Lord of the End..."

Fate Seer Cang Xuan murmured in a sleepwalking tone.

"You... really gave us a huge 'surprise.'"

"Shut up."

Gu Yanci rubbed his brow, interrupting his complaint.

"This is no time for jokes."

His expression became extremely solemn.

"Kuji Demon General is not so easily fooled. We are now like walking on a suspended tightrope; a slight misstep will lead to eternal damnation."

"The most urgent task is to restore our strength as soon as possible."

"Only by possessing the power to protect ourselves can we survive this 'Lord of the End role-playing game.'"

Ye Liuli nodded, saying in a deep voice, "The chat group's mission is for us to develop faith in the Human Realm. This is our only way out right now."

"But we are currently trapped in the Heavenly Realm and cannot descend to the Human Realm at all, so how can we develop followers?" Ling Xi raised the most crucial question.

"No."

A glint flashed in Gu Yanci's eyes.

"Although we cannot descend in our true forms, we can, through 'divine oracles' and 'sacrifices,' find our 'spokespersons' in the Human Realm."

"Just like a game player controlling his game character on a screen."

"Now, what we need to do is to find our respective 'Player 1s' in the huge Novice Village (newbie village) that is the 'Sin Ranch.'"

"Then, guide them to establish our churches and harvest our first batch of 'faith'!"

At this point, he looked at the other four members of the Joint Squad, his expression becoming serious.

"Remember."

"We are 'evil gods' now."

"Therefore, our criteria for selecting 'players' must also conform to our 'persona.'"

"Ye Liuli, you need a deceitful, ambitious schemer."

"Ling Xi, you need a prophet who can accurately convey 'despair.'"

"Cang Xuan, you need a master of contracts skilled in manipulating human hearts."

"Ye Qiong, you need an assassin hidden in the shadows, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment."

"As for me..."

A cold arc formed at the corner of Gu Yanci's mouth.

"I need a hero who can personally create and ultimately be consumed by 'tragedy.'"

While they were discussing how to develop their "downlines" in the Human Realm.

No one noticed.

In the shadows of the Demon Lord's Palace.

A pair of eyes filled with desolation and decay peered through endless time and space.

Silently, watching them.

Those eyes were filled with scrutiny, suspicion, and a hint of... deeply hidden, complex emotion called "expectation."