Hero? Are You Worthy?
Chapter 637 - 463: Where are the Shackles of Destiny? (2)

Chapter 637: Chapter 463: Where are the Shackles of Destiny? (2)

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Because of Angelica’s insistent demands, Qin Chu rarely had a few days of leisure.

His body may have been at rest, but his mind was not.

The soul of the Pride Witch was recovering inside his own body, wrapped within the Little Tree Seedling, while her corpse was preserved in ice within his storage ring.

But the words of the Pride Witch kept echoing in Qin Chu’s ears.

The shackles of destiny?

This was not the first time Qin Chu had heard of destiny.

Jie Luo’s Soul Fragments also frequently mentioned destiny, and the Goddess of Destiny’s name appeared in the proverbs left to Phil by the Fire God’s soul.

This mysterious Goddess seemed to have arranged everything, weaving the destinies of everyone.

Destiny, invisible and intangible, yet like an unseen thread, it runs through all things.

Qin Chu could be certain that traces of destiny were entangled around him as well...

Destiny, the remnants of the Evil God, Divine Authority...

Pride, Gluttony, Fury, Lust, Greed...

Great and Small Shaye...

How much of what was around him and within him were traces left by destiny?

The Pride Witch sensed the influence of destiny on herself, and due to her inherent pride, Adelina refused to submit to fate, even choosing a path rife with death.

She destroyed the followers of the Evil God, dismantled the malevolent Church, and even confronted the Evil God in the Void herself.

She fought according to her own will for a thousand years without dying, yet just as she met Qin Chu, she was at the end of her tether, on the brink of death, then could it be considered natural to pass the Authority of Pride on to him?

Was this really just a coincidence?

It always felt like the Authority of Pride was forced into his hands.

A smile curved the corners of Qin Chu’s mouth. Perhaps, this was what they called destiny?

Qin Chu did not fancy the kind of destiny that was neatly arranged by others, and somehow, he had a premonition that if he followed the predetermined trajectory of destiny, it would lead to a more tragic end for him.

Unfortunately, that arc of destiny was invisible and untouchable.

Qin Chu deliberately spared Adelina’s soul and life, as a small act of rebellion, although even he himself did not understand if this act of resistance was of any use.

Stretching vigorously, Qin Chu climbed out of bed, glancing at his right arm, which was now fully healed, flesh regenerated.

This arm felt just the same as before.

Speaking of which, the last confrontation with the will of the Void God exerted immense pressure on Qin Chu’s body, which also greatly stimulated his absorption of the remnants of the Evil God.

The beating of the two hearts within him was gradually synchronizing, and one day, they might merge completely.

And his right leg, too, seemed to have become incredibly powerful after absorbing the power of the Divine’s Right Leg; although it appeared unchanged on the surface, this leg was now extraordinarily strong.

His own strength was increasing every minute and every second.

The Demigod Realm seemed to be ever closer now.

Although Demon King Nage and Second Generation Jie Luo were colossal threats, Qin Chu had decided not to provoke those two until he entered the Demigod Realm.

Whether it’s to follow the script written by destiny or to struggle desperately on his own, power was the foundation.

Leaving the room, Qin Chu saw Catherine’s figure in the hall downstairs.

The Crimson Valkyrie, in her bright red armor, was always so captivating no matter when he saw her.

Upon noticing Qin Chu descending the stairs, Catherine’s eyes suddenly lit up, "Master, what brings you down here? If Angelica sees you, she’s going to blame you again."

Qin Chu gave a helpless wry smile. In the past few days, Angelica had been caring for him like he was a child, so attentive that although Qin Chu felt he had largely recovered, he was still forced by Angelica to stay in bed and recuperate, not allowed to go anywhere.

"I feel I’ve mostly recovered, and staying in the room all the time is a bit tiring. Come with me for a walk," Qin Chu said.

Catherine nodded immediately; opportunities to be alone with her master were not abundant.

Walking on the street, the Imperial City of the Empire was gradually recovering.

Since the multiple earthquakes, the wall separating the Civilian District from the Noble District had also collapsed, and the lines between commoners and Nobles no longer seemed so clear, with commoners occasionally appearing in Noble areas.

Because of the crowded confusion, Catherine furrowed her brow and subconsciously stayed close to Qin Chu, ready to protect the Hero against anyone taking advantage of the chaos for an attack.

A few crimson strands of hair brushed against Qin Chu’s face, tickling slightly in the gentle breeze.

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I always feel that Catherine, compared to her initial sharpness, now possesses a charm that is more enchanting and flirtatious.

The civilians around them flashed smiles and greeted Qin Chu as he passed by; after all, Qin Chu was not only the Hero but also the Pope of the Holy Court, holding an extremely revered status.

Moreover, the expansion of the Holy Court’s faith and the inclusion of numerous elders from the civilian district meant that these young people’s families were relieved of a significant burden. Just the fact that the elderly could eat a full meal under the blessing of the Holy Goddess was enough for these civilians to be endlessly grateful to Pope Qin Chu.

What Qin Chu did for faith was but a small gesture for him, yet for these people, it was an event that could significantly affect a family’s life.

Qin Chu merely nodded with a smile as he greeted them. Unintentionally, his gaze seemed to catch a familiar figure.

He slightly furrowed his brow and, making a subtle sign to Catherine beside him, immediately gave chase.

The robust figure no longer had the gaunt appearance of before. His body had become strong and powerful, and his ten fingers had grown increasingly sharp, like the claws of a beast.

This was... Lex.

The man who crafted weapons for Qin Chu, who also left traps within them... Of course, the magic restrictions in the weapons had already been cleansed by Shaye.

Qin Chu’s hatred for Lex was not much less than that for others.

In the first week, it was this bastard who manipulated rumors to slander and tarnish Qin Chu’s reputation. It was also under Lex’s orders that industries designed a sinister slow-acting poison that prevented the healing of Qin Chu’s wounds, which even worsened over time.

This guy had not completely lost control yet.

Perhaps his insignificance spared him from the standard of transformation, allowing Lex to survive longer under the erosion of the Evil God’s threads.

There were already clear signs on his body that differed from that of a normal human being.

His hair had become exceptionally thick, with dark red manes visible on his neck, face, and arms. If one looked closely, they could even sense a faint crimson aura surrounding Lex’s body.

His gaze, like that of a mad dog, continuously surveyed the people passing by, as if he saw them purely as food, intending to devour their fresh flesh completely.

The remnants of his reason understood very well the grave consequences that would follow if he acted on these impulses, so Lex was enduring with near madness.

"Lex will probably turn into a monster in a few days," Catherine whispered.

Despite being busy and even traveling to the Exeter Kingdom, then resting for many days upon returning, Qin Chu had arranged for someone to keep watch over Lex.

Sometimes it was Norma, other times Catherine, so Catherine was somewhat informed about Lex’s condition.

"His situation is very dire. Recently, he often sneaks out at night, searching for stray cats, dogs, and rats in the dirtiest, most chaotic areas," Catherine shared.

"The pork and beef he purchases no longer satisfy his cravings; he longs for the freshest, most alive flesh," Catherine recalled the scenes she witnessed while trailing him, feeling nauseous at the memory.

More than once, this guy had grabbed filthy rats and stuffed them alive into his mouth, chewing vigorously.

Feeling the blood splatter in his mouth and crunching the bones between his teeth would elicit a sickly smile on his face.

At that time, Lex only ventured out at night in search of animals as food, but now he could hardly control himself even during the day, and had even gradually begun to target humans.

As they trailed him, Lex was unaware of Qin Chu and Catherine’s presence. Although the people around them continuously stirred his appetite, he could still barely control himself, and it was clear that he had a specific target. Despite looking all around, he did not show much hesitation.

Finally, Lex stopped walking.

The sight before him was none other than the execution ground.

A large crowd surrounded the area eagerly, pointing and discussing, and at the center of the execution ground were three nobles bound with iron chains, kneeling on the ground.

This was already the thirteenth batch of nobles executed by Wozworth recently, all of whom shared the consistent charge of treason.

The three nobles loudly proclaimed their innocence, and even the executioner’s face looked strange; these nobles had merely grumbled a few complaints about Wozworth at a gathering, which somehow had reached Wozworth’s ears, leading to their arrest before the event ended.

The executioner also felt that the three were wronged, but no one dared defy the Emperor’s command.

Instead, in recent times, all the nobles lived in indescribable fear, worrying that even a slight misstep could lead to capture and death as their fate.

The three nobles were then sent onto the guillotine.

With the sound of ’pu-chi!’, three heads promptly rolled away into the distance.

Lex’s eyes, meanwhile, burst forth with a scorching and greedy light; he wished he could pounce immediately, tearing into those freshest of bodies.

Only human flesh could fill the vast void deep within his heart.

Lex endured with all his might, intending to wait until the bodies were buried before digging them up again; this was the last of Lex’s rational thoughts.

But in that moment, a thread of scarlet blood mist seemed drawn by some power, making a weird arc in midair before spiraling once and then shooting straight into Lex’s nostrils.

The scent of human blood...

Lex’s eyes turned a deep crimson in an instant.

He could bear it no longer.