Chapter 293 – Face

Chapter 293 - Face

Wen Ying leaned against Beros, his weary face displaying a deep concentration as he pondered the current situation.

He had originally planned to reveal his possession of angelic power ten years after ascending to the throne of the Devil King. By then, he would have grown strong, and the devils would have already lived with the fact that they had an angelic Devil King for a decade, making it acceptable to retreat.

The fallen stone monster created by Wu Mixiu had disrupted his plans. In the urgency of the situation, Wen Ying hadn't had much time to consider his actions. Now, after dealing with Wu Mixiu, he needed to carefully calculate his next steps.

From Lan Jiaying's reaction, the Devil King didn't seem to be in a rush to engage him in battle. Moreover, there was a chance that he hadn't yet decided to revoke his appointment as the next Devil King.

Lan Jiaying's pupils trembled with anger and shock. Veins bulged on the hand holding his phone, which he would have surely crushed if the call hadn't been from the Devil King himself.

In full view of everyone, Lan Jiaying didn't tear away his facade of a refined and arrogant noble. However, his gaze was so dark and ferocious that it seemed as if he wanted to devour Wen Ying alive.

Putting down his phone, he drew out a faint smile, "Your luck is quite good."

In those six simple words, Wen Ying detected a profound intent to kill and jealousy.

Wen Ying replied earnestly, "You value your pride more than Beros does."

Beros: "..."

Lan Jiaying almost lost his temper, barely managing to hold back as he crushed his phone with a snap.

Taking a deep breath, Lan Jiaying reminded himself that there were many humans around, and he couldn't lose control, no matter what...

Weiyun and the other demons rushed over to help soothe his agitation with their words.

The ants in the vicinity had mostly been dealt with, allowing a few skilled exorcists to turn their attention towards Wen Ying. He noticed the approaching exorcists.

The young demons took out their phones at this moment. They had all received new messages and, glancing at them, realized that other demons were also reading their screens. They exchanged knowing looks.

Lou Wangmiao appeared unguarded as he moved through the group of young demons with potent demonic bloodlines, but in reality, his muscles were tense.

Trudging through the muddy ground, Lou Wangmiao and the others approached Wen Ying.

Wen Ying was physically exhausted and didn't feel like engaging in a lengthy conversation, so he got straight to the point. "I'm in a hurry, so let's cut to the chase. I'm a second-generation angel. Do you have any more questions?"

The surrounding demons were once again stunned, with the exception of Beros.

Humans were also astonished.

Not only did he possess the power of an angel, but he had truly become an angel in identity! Wen Ying's words indicated that the laws had indeed acknowledged him!

But why was he a Second Generation Angel?

Muershi was the first to ask, "Are you still considered a demon?"

Wen Ying answered with confidence, "Of course, I have half-demon blood. Why can't I be considered a demon? I even have demon wings."

Everyone looked at the second pair of wings from the top on Wen Ying's back, which were his original demonic bat wings. The scene fell into a silence.

They had never seen anything so hybrid before—an angel's wings and demonic bat wings on the same body...

Lou Wangmiao stroked his white beard and said, "Young man, why do you claim to be a Second Generation Angel? I'm an old man with limited knowledge. Could you explain it to me?"

With a slightly distant look in his eyes, Wen Ying tried to gather his spirits and replied, "A Second Generation Angel is one who inherits the power of a First Generation Angel."

Lou Wangmiao and the others felt a chill in their hearts.

"That generation..."

Wen Ying: "Has rested eternally."

Upon hearing this, humans couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow, while the demons rejoiced at the news.

"But only one has fallen into eternal slumber," Wen Ying glanced at the demons deliberately or inadvertently, "Assuming no unforeseen circumstances, the others will remain in the heavens."

Lan Jiaying narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I need to tend to my injuries," Wen Ying waved his hand, "Discuss any matters when I'm recovered."

Wen Ying nudged Beros with his elbow. Beros whispered, "Where to?"

"Let's head to where Elgar and the others are stationed."

The demon witch fairy watched them leave, raising an eyebrow, "Is Beros giving up on treatment altogether?" There was no pretense, he had simply given up.

The succubus chuckled, "I wonder if his father is aware of this."

"You can still smile," the butterfly merman said, his brows knitted tightly, his face cold as ice, and his eyes serious.

Muershi replied casually, "Didn't the Devil King not say anything?" He nodded his chin towards Lan Jiaying. Though he didn't know the content of the phone call, Lan Jiaying's tone and expression had revealed too much.

Scarlet crossed his arms, appearing deep in thought. The Devil Kings... they wouldn't still choose Wen Ying as the next Devil King, right? That would be even more devastating than having a Devil Mirror Demon on their heads.

Wen Ying clung to one of Berossus's arms, leaning entirely on him as if he had no bones.

Berossus flew with Wen Ying to the location where the Devil Army of Mu City was stationed. It was a simple earthen city built with earth magic, providing basic functions.

Berossus landed in front of an empty house and carried Wen Ying inside.

Upon entering, the soft glow from angel wings illuminated the room with speckled light. A few drops of blood dripped onto the floor.

Wen Ying lay down on the wooden bed and took out a pile of healing magic cards, using them one after another.

Seeing that Wen Ying was fine, Berossus walked to the window, gazing outside with a blank expression.

He wasn't as indifferent as he appeared; instead, he was burdened with worries.

First, there was the matter of his withholding information about the angel. His father and the other demonic authorities might brand him as a traitor, but even more terrifying than that label would be being branded as... love-struck.

Then the entire demon realm would label him as such.

The mere thought of this situation sent a chill down Beros' spine.

He glanced at Wen Ying, who was healing himself with magic cards, and let out a silent sigh, wondering if this was karma for his previous dismissive stance on love.

Unaware of Beros' concerns, Wen Ying continued to channel magic cards for his own recovery. As the cards dwindled, so did the severity of his condition.

Beros approached and said, "I'll take over with the remaining magic cards."

...

With the Queen Ant eliminated, the demonic ant armies around the world assisted in suppressing the remaining threats. The dark clouds of doomsday began to dissipate, and hope reemerged.

Most smaller nations sought aid from the demons, while a few larger ones handled the situation independently. After eliminating or driving out the ants from major populated cities, humanity could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Now that the majority of ants had been eradicated, those that remained were in hiding. Humans' morale soared, and individuals who had taken advantage of the societal unrest were being rounded up. Prisons became overcrowded in a short span of time.

The apocalyptic threat brought by the ants seemed to have passed, and the internet was no longer filled with despair. Instead, various news and rumors sprouted like mushrooms after the rain, reporting on young exorcist prodigies dealing with ants in different places, groups of exorcists collaborating to handle ant infestations, heroic acts of young people, as well as the rivalry between associations and churches – what one's talented youth accomplished today, and what the other's dependable master exorcist achieved tomorrow. News spread wildly across the web.

It appeared that the authorities were intentionally diverting public attention from the grim reality towards emerging heroes, fostering individual and team heroism to inject vitality into the traumatized population. They also dispatched personnel for post-disaster reconstruction.

Those who perished in the disaster were buried in specially established cemeteries in various cities, with monuments erected in their honor. Fallen exorcists, soldiers, and courageous civilians were posthumously awarded the title of martyrs, and their families received subsidies from the state.

With its people's willpower tightly knitted, Flower Bud Country became the first nation in the world to restore social order.

Everything seemed prosperous, with the exorcist system fully integrated into society, no longer isolated from it. However, the country's leadership didn't let their guard down. Another war threat still loomed over humanity like a sword suspended above their heads, ready to fall at any moment.

Demons.

Legions of demons from the Realm of Demons had been actively invited by smaller nations, only to find that sending them back was far more difficult than summoning them. Upon tallying the current number of demon soldiers within the human realm, sleepless nights and sudden awakenings from nightmares about demonic attacks became common.

In Mu City, where the demon army was stationed, Wen Ying stayed for fifteen days. During this time, he called his parents to reassure them. Surprisingly, the Demon King didn't call him, nor was there any sign of activity. Even Perseus didn't receive any calls from the Realm of Demons.

As people were enveloped in an echo chamber of information, discussions about the miraculous mixed-blood demon who single-handedly killed the ant queen, or perhaps the angel, reverberated through every corner of the streets.

Wen Ying remained in the demon army's base in Mu City for those fifteen days. He called his parents to assure them of his safety. To his surprise, the Demon King didn't contact him, showing no signs of activity. Not even Beros received any calls from the Realm of Demons.

No demons came looking for them, except for those already present from the demonic legions, such as Elgar.

Catastrophe did call the department, and Wen Ying told them to wait until he recovered before discussing anything further.

Beros once suspected that he had been abandoned by the Demon Realm.

Wen Ying's injuries were almost fully healed, so he ventured out to see what the demons in the Demon Realm were up to. The quietness of the Devil King was surely a sign of mischief brewing.

The power of the Human Realm's Judgment Bureau still rested in his hands. With no new appointments from the Devil King, Wen Ying utilized the bureau to gather intelligence. As expected, during the past half-month, the demons had been exploiting the chaos to expand their influence in the Human Realm.

That Devil King even shamelessly used his identity as a second-generation angel to stabilize the laws and humans, implying, albeit indirectly, that the next Devil King would continue in the same vein.

Reading the messages delivered by his subordinates in his room, Wen Ying could only laugh in exasperation. He gained a newfound understanding of the Devil King's shamelessness. For the sake of the Human Realm, the Devil King was willing to bestow the position upon a second-generation angel.

Beros had been unusually melancholic during this period. The once ferocious three-headed hellhound appeared listless, like a stray dog.

At first, Wen Ying felt deeply pained and guilty. Upon inquiry, he discovered that Beros was upset about being labeled as "love-struck."

Wen Ying was speechless but thought, typical Beros. However, he had no solution to this problem. All he could do was take Beros out for a stroll once his wounds were nearly healed.

Wen Ying first headed home. At present, Belos appeared listless, his malevolent aura dissipating, making him seem less threatening – an ideal moment to introduce him to his parents, though he felt guilty about it.

As they flew, people on the ground spotted them, gasping in astonishment. The recent gossip about the two demons flying overhead had piqued everyone's interest, and they couldn't help but discuss the spectacle.

On the street, a man took out his phone to report what he had seen to his superiors. In Mu City, the disaster department leaders were thrilled, exclaiming, "They're coming! They're coming!"

Promptly, they assembled the team that had been diligently preparing and, after grooming them meticulously, set off with eager anticipation.

As it turned out, the seemingly dispirited Bellerophon only appeared like a pitiful stray dog in Wen Ying's eyes. To ordinary people, he was still quite intimidating. In Wen Ying's home, Wen Qinxue and Lin Tianbao sat on the sofa, feeling uneasy before the towering, menacing young demonic figure.

The two of them forced smiles. Wen Qinxue whispered to Lin Tianbao, "This demon doesn't need makeup; he could easily play the role of an exclusive villain in any production."

Lin Tianbao replied softly, "Now isn't the time to talk about that, I think."

Wen Ying nudged Bellerophon with his elbow. With some effort, the demon took out a gift and said, "This is a token of my respect for meeting you. I've learned that in the Huaxia nation, it's customary to give a gift upon first acquaintance."

Lin Tianbao mustered the courage to look into Bellerophon's eyes, but quickly averted his gaze, not daring to continue. He fumbled for words, "O-Okay."

Wen Qinxue asked rather stiffly, "Would you like to stay for dinner tonight?"

Wen Ying nudged Paris with his elbow again, and Paris grunted in response, plunging the living room back into an awkward silence.

Wen Qinxue continued, "Little Ying, how's your health...?"

Suddenly, the doorbell rang loudly, and Lin Tianbao perked up, standing up as he said, "I'll get it."

Wen Ying casually inquired, "Dad, who's there?"

After Lin Tianbao pressed the intercom button, he replied, "They say it's someone from the local disaster relief department."