Chapter 104: Why Are There More and More Wings???

Chapter 104 Why Are There So Many Wings Now???

Xiao Chuzao lay nestled in Amos's arms, whimpering pitifully as his six fluffy little wings quivered uncontrollably behind him.

This was an extremely dangerous tainted wasteland.

Amos's spiritual energy enveloped the surroundings—apart from aberration beasts, no other normal lifeforms thrived here. Everything was painted in the ashen, monochrome ruin.

If not for the little one in his arms, Amos would’ve never set foot in such a place.

Moreover, this wasn’t the location where they had entered the Angelic realm. Amos was still trying to get his bearings.

Despite being in a state of disconnection, Amos showed not a shred of panic, gently patting his little one’s back.

Looking down at the tiny figure sobbing in his embrace, Amos recalled how unfamiliar he had been when he first started raising this little one. Now, he had grown adept at handling everything.

"Oh?"

He soothed along with the little one’s murmurs, his scarlet eyes half-closed, lashes lowered. This Emperor, known for his ruthless decisiveness in slaughtering countless aberration beasts, now appeared uncharacteristically gentle.

"What did Grandma say to Zao Zao?"

"Grandma said... Zao Zao’s name came from the habitat planet—Grandma also said... she had been with Zao Zao since a very, very long time ago—Grandma said... it was only a fluke that Baba got Zao Zao... Grandma also said Grandpa was an idiot—Zao Zao never met Grandpa, Zao Zao doesn’t know," the little one whimpered, struggling to recall the lullaby’s tune, trying to grasp scraps of his earliest memories. "Grandma said Zao Zao was a good baby... *sob*—Baba—*sob*... Grandma was so tired, she needed to rest... She told Zao Zao to grow up well... and when he’s big, to defeat that monster... or else Grandma and the others... couldn’t rest in peace—Grandma left..."

The sobbing little one lifted his head: "Zao Zao wants Grandma to rest well—but, but—"

The almost seven-year-old had once vowed not to cry so easily anymore, yet now he couldn’t hold back, weeping just as he had when he first arrived here.

"But—Zao Zao... Zao Zao wants Grandma... Zao Zao doesn’t want Grandma to leave... Zao Zao never even... really met Grandma... *sob*—"

That lullaby, not part of his memory, he had only truly heard twice.

"And the angels... *sob*—Baba, they’re all bad—the Archangel, and that monster—why wouldn’t it let Grandma rest well—why didn’t Zao Zao ever get to meet Grandma—"

When a previously abstract term suddenly took on concrete meaning for such a small child, emotions found their anchor, bursting forth belatedly.

The little one only cried harder.

The Halo hovering above the little one’s head glowed brighter than before. Normally, he should have fallen asleep peacefully by now, but his emotional turmoil was too overwhelming—even the Halo flickered unsteadily, mirroring his agitation.

"Mmm."

Amos cradled the tiny figure, comforting him.

Repeating Xiao Chuzao’s words, he murmured,

"They’re all bad."

Amos’s wings spread wide as he flew silently toward a certain region.

He simply waited for the little one in his arms to cry himself to exhaustion.

Then, glancing down at the stubborn child who refused to sleep, still gazing up at him with big, watery eyes, Amos listened as the little one clung to his neck and spoke in a soft, trembling voice.

"Baba."

His words were still tinged with sniffles.

"Will everything get better in the future? Why did Grandma say the future is bad... Was Zao Zao really bad in the past?"

In that instant, glimpses of the future flashed before Amos's eyes.

"No."

Amos looked down at the little one in his arms.

"No matter what kind of Zao Zao you are, you're amazing."

In another timeline, Finn had no idea what kind of life Xiao Chuzao had endured—oppression, exclusion, forced conformity, surveillance, manipulation, and the gradual crushing of his spirit.

Yet even so, the grown Chu Zao still found his way to Saint Cas. At a time when he should have been timid and fragile, too afraid to act, he arrived in Saint Cas alone.

The thought twisted Amos's heart—he had only been a little too late back then.

The little one, unaware of those scenes, simply nestled trustingly against Amos's chest, his small, soft hands wiping the tears from his large eyes. His honey-gold eyes seemed to deepen from crying, glistening with moisture.

"What else did Grandma say?"

Amos lowered his voice, gazing at the little one. Within the silent, desolate tainted zone, shielded by his psychic barrier, his voice was soft as a lullaby.

"Did she repeat over and over that after dealing with the bad guys, you should make sure they're dead? Preferably by chopping them to mincemeat?"

Xiao Chuzao: ?

"Oh, and did Grandma tell you—"

Amos glanced at the six tiny wings on his little one's back, now puffed up from crying. King Amos exhaled faintly.

"—that you’ll grow even more wings later?"

The same little one, but the workload just tripled.

Xiao Chuzao: Huh?

Distracted from his sorrow, the little one turned his head, gazing dumbfounded at his own fluffy, tear-mussed wings—

One, two, three, four… five, six—?

One, two, three, four, five, six?!

"Papa, did Zao Zao grow more wings?"

Xiao Chuzao counted twice in disbelief before snapping his head around to look at Amos.

Amos said nothing, merely reaching out to neaten them a little.

Ah, forget it. They could deal with it properly once they got back.

Exhausted from crying and now diverted, the welling grief gradually settled. Though his eyes were still teary, they were drooping shut.

The little one's face nuzzled into Amos's chest.

Held securely in one arm, his curly hair bobbed gently with Amos's movements.

Still damp from crying, soft and warm, he was drifting off.

With the little one calmed, Amos's face hardened in the shadows where the child couldn't see, his gaze icy.

His thoughts turned to the blood-red eyes in the void, the taunting presence, the source of the corruption—the root of his entire race's tragedy.

Having destroyed the Angelic Realm, Amos felt no satisfaction—

Upon learning what was truly behind those so-called angels, his fury shifted toward the monster behind it all.

Outwardly, he appeared calm, but around his psychic power, the uncontrolled power once again slightly warped space, the unleashed aura utterly terrifying. His formidable psychic power, spreading across the area, had already obliterated the newly spawned low-level beasts.

Calm—yet furious.

Until the little one in his arms murmured drowsily.

"Papa—"

"Hmm?"

Amos's comms had begun picking up faint signals.

He glanced down and responded to Xiao Chuzao.

"Does Papa miss his own papa and mama?"

The little one asked softly, then thought for a moment and decided to be more specific.

"Does Papa miss Grandma?"

The little one blinked his big eyes open and stretched out his arms.

Zao Zao was done crying.

"It's just us now, Papa."

Papa can cry in Zao Zao's arms.

Amos stiffened slightly, looking down at Xiao Chuzao.

He paused briefly.

"Dad will always remember Grandma, and—Grandma already said goodbye to me."

After telling him—you lucky brat, protect Zao Zao well, don’t forget to finish off the aberrant beasts and monsters—and to protect yourself too—she walked away.

That always-chattering Ms. Solan—

Amos thought—he did kind of miss Solan's nagging. But indeed... he could no longer hear it.

The little one curled up in Amos's arms, seemingly murmuring in response. Half-asleep, he faintly glimpsed strange Psychic threads appearing above him, like clear fishing line, flickering past—as if something was slowly approaching.

His mind overcome by sleepiness, he couldn’t think clearly in that moment. Finally closing his eyes, he still whispered what he’d long wanted to say—

"Grandma must’ve been as strong and reliable as Papa—Grandma and Papa’s psychic energy both smell like strawberries."

The little one finally fell asleep after being soothed to sleep.

—So when did you sneak a taste? And there was no need to emphasize the strawberry scent.

That restlessness gradually eased. Amos sighed wordlessly at the ruffled little one in his arms.

He held the little one close. Just as he received a clear message from the Saint Cas Empire, still deep in the highly contaminated zone—it seemed they had broken through to this area as well—his comms suddenly started pinging nonstop.

Frowning, Amos reached over and turned it off, ignoring the Crown Clan’s unwanted attention in his little one.

*

At the same time, due to the presence of the Saint Cas Empire, this wave of disaster had limited impact.

The Aberrant Beast Legion near the pollution border had already been purged by the Crown Clan earlier. Moreover, after the explosion of something resembling the Divine Grace Stone, Saint Cas further fortified its defenses, minimizing the impact—not to mention the current density of the Crown Clan at the contaminated borders.

If they couldn’t resolve the issue, no one else in this galaxy could.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the galaxy—

The now strangely empty base of the Hymn Organization.

Only three of Hymn's Seven Virtues remained. In such a short time, they had lost so many upper echelon members and a considerable number of Divine Grace Stones, yet failed to achieve their objectives. The atmosphere turned grim.

"What exactly are these barriers? Are they psychic energy? Or some other power? Why—when they were already shaking violently, when the entire barrier should have been shattered—didn’t the divine messengers within the contamination wear down the Crown Clan? How could this happen?!"

"Ever since that Little Crown Clan appeared, our plans have been failing one after another, my lord. This is unacceptable. And we’ve already missed the best opportunity to eliminate him—"

Indeed, back when they first discovered that Little Crown Clan, the numb and tormented Crown Clan had not yet grown so protective of him. Had they acted decisively then, everything would have taken a completely different turn.

Seated at the head of the table, Chastity, cloaked in a hood, was a holographic projection. He silently watched the screen, observing the foolish masses on the star network placing their trust in the Crown Clan, witnessing the unparalleled morale and zeal of the Saint Casians.

In the end, he only scoffed lowly.

"I heard that specimen survived?"

"Specimen—? Ah, my lord, you mean Xi?"

A nearby high-ranking member hesitated before responding, his voice laced with resentment.

"Yes, yes. He’s still alive, isn’t he? Rescued by that devotee called Shenghua."

"We should begin recruiting and cultivating new followers. Our Sacred Rites have been delayed because of the Crown Clan. I’ve reviewed Shenghua’s reports and the damage to their starship. Plus, she was wholly ignorant of the reality—she acted on faith alone, retrieving those she believed to be high-ranking members of the organization. My lord, she merits closer examination."

Another member spoke up.

"This time, we must act for the 'Divine One'—"

Before he could finish, the Divine Grace Stones they carried suddenly flared with light. A terrifying, transdimensional presence emanated from them.

This was an unprecedented occurrence since the founding of the Hymn Organization.

Countless voices seemed to speak simultaneously in their ears—shrieks of despair from men, women, and children, mysterious and chaotic. For a moment, it was as if an eldritch god murmured directly to them.

The three high-ranking members instinctively doubled over, as if infused with some unknown power.

Amidst the cacophony, they could barely grasp the meaning.

—O faithful ones, break through the barriers. Release all of His envoys. Throw the galaxy into turmoil, and let despair multiply.

—He watches, He delights in the despair and perishing of these ants.

As the Hymn Organization’s leaders writhed under the onslaught of the voices, their vision blurred, and disjointed visions flashed before them.

A pair of crimson eyes observed the deaths of the Longlived race. He watched as one race after another fell, his lips curling in cruel delight. Among the visions was a familiar planet—the Crown Clan’s homeworld.

Once vibrant, the planet was relentlessly sapped of its vitality and power, fading to ashen barrenness. Proud Crown Clan members broke in their dying, and even after returning to the embrace of their homeland, their anguish endured.

Finally—they saw the Realm of Angels they had never witnessed before, watching It secretly lower Its gaze, manipulating all the faithful, toying with that Little Crown Clan—rejected, suppressed.

As if everything moved according to Its whims—what game will It play today? How about issuing a divine decree commanding the Little Crown Clan to remove their crowns? That scene would surely be amusing.

So, it didn’t matter. To It, they were mere ants.

Whether Its followers or Its enemies, they were nothing more than occasional playthings in Its gradual process of growth and domination—unworthy of concern, merely there for Its amusement.

But as Its followers, they still received some favor.

Places like the Angelic Realm still remained—

You could become the next Angelic Clan.

With a beautiful living environment, endless resources, and a life of leisure—

Because you are Its faithful.

—Yes, I’m starting to expect things from you now.

That was the ‘Divine’s’ rare gaze.

All the high-ranking members of the Hymn Organization trembled, still dazed long after that power faded—

That was the power of the ‘Divine.’

“Does such a place—truly exist?”

A high-ranking member of the Hymn Organization was the first to raise their head, eyes alight with fanaticism.

“‘The Divine’ will redistribute everything. That is the ‘Divine’s’ salvation for us, our reward for the ‘Sacrament’—”

“…Indeed—”

Chastity slowly rose, a sweat-dampened strand of hair slipping from beneath the hood before disappearing again, his voice trembling, distorted with fervor.

He looked once more at the distant screen, feeling the power surging through his body. The Divine Grace Stone burned hot, nearly searing their skin, yet they seemed oblivious, still glued to the screen, watching the scenes that had plunged them into despair not long ago.

All that despair was swept away.

“There is nothing to worry about—you’ve seen it,” Chastity said with a smile. “Expand the Hymn’s reach, screen new members. In the end, they will realize how foolish their actions had been. That supreme Divine—It is an existence that can toy with even the Crown Clan—as long as we offer the Sacrament and await Its descent—”

Hear the Crown Clan’s cries of despair from their habitat.

Look at that Little Crown Clan who was nearly broken by the ‘Divine’s’ games.

Doesn’t this only strengthen your resolve? To the ‘Divine,’ even those Crown Clan are nothing to fear.

*

And now, Amos had already arrived at Saint Cas’s starship, holding the youngling in his arms.

Finn stood fuming inside the starship cabin, glaring up at Amos.

“Where have you been? Second Brother, why did you disappear with Zao Zao? Did you go to the Angelic Realm? What’s the situation there? Ugh, I’m still boiling with rage and nowhere to vent it!! Did you smash the place? Smash it thoroughly? Can we go back and smash it again?”

This was Finn, who had been forced to battle through hordes of beasts along the way, delaying his progress until the last moment when he finally reunited with the other Crown Clan.

His doll-like face was hidden in shadow, radiating deep resentment.

Amos glanced at Finn.

"Quiet down."

Finn instinctively clammed up and glanced into Amos's arms.

Amos had taken off his military jacket and wrapped the tiny bundle in his black uniform.

The little one's halo pulsed softly, brighter than when they had left, as he lay quietly in Amos's arms, out cold.

"Asleep?" Finn lowered his voice.

"What's the deal? Oh, right, we made a new discovery. Bro, this hot zone is one we’ve never been to before. We detected a barrier-like force blocking the arrival of space beasts from the other side of the stars. That power somewhat resembles our Crown Clan’s psionic energy, but not entirely—with nearly every Crown Clan member gathered on the starship, everyone’s studying what this force really is—"

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but complain again.

"Bro, you had to hear the communicator on your way back, right? Why didn’t you respond? If you couldn’t be bothered, you could’ve let Zao Zao do it—oh, right, I forgot. Zao Zao’s been busy for two or three days now. The kid must be wiped. Yeah, it’s about time he got some real shut-eye."

Amos carried the little one further into the ship, with Finn naturally following behind. Though still full of questions, Finn held them back and continued reporting in a stage whisper.

But even such a soft voice was enough to disturb Xiao Chuzao.

The little one shifted slightly in Amos’s arms, his small wings giving an uneasy flutter.

Amos’s military jacket slid down some at that moment.

Finn was still talking when he suddenly froze, staring at Xiao Chuzao’s back—one, two, three, four, five, six…?

He hesitated for a second, rubbing his eyes uncertainly.

He looked at Amos, then back at the little one, who had nestled into a comfortable position.

Finally, he pointed in confusion at the small wings on Xiao Chuzao’s back.

"Bro?! Did your genes mutate??? Do you grow a new pair of wings every now and then? Will Zao Zao even have enough space on his back for all those wings later?!"

Amos paused slightly and turned to look at Finn.

In the end, he couldn’t resist kicking Finn, whom he currently found a total pain.

Amos calmly twisted the knife further into Finn’s heart.

"The Dwight family’s real genetic mutation is having you."