Chapter 655: Chapter 365: Who is the Protagonist After All?_2

He had even resorted to using his race’s unique telepathic transmission.

However…

Feeling the large hand gripping his neck…

Octopus Head was on the verge of tears.

“Brother, is there anything else you need to instruct me?”

All he could do was look at the Heavenly Beings’ King with an apologetic smile on his face.

“The others can leave.”

“But you cannot.”

The Heavenly Beings’ King spoke with an indifferent tone.

As soon as his words dropped…

The Heavenly Beings’ King directly picked Octopus Head up, without bothering to explain why, and headed towards the interior of the Inverted Divine Tree.

Very quickly…

The two had reached the Divine Tree.

“Brother, let’s be honest.”

“What you’re doing is really no fun at all.”

“I am, after all, a subordinate, just like you on a strict level.”

“I’m not unable to run, I just want to be friends with you.”

“Otherwise, I would have——”

Although Octopus Head didn’t know what the Heavenly Beings’ King intended to do with him…

He felt that it was probably not anything good.

Therefore…

He had been pleading all the way, hoping that the Heavenly Beings’ King would let him go.

Unfortunately…

No matter what he said…

The Heavenly Beings’ King remained completely unmoved.

At last…

Even the most adaptable Octopus Head felt a surge of anger in his heart, his speech carrying a hint of threat.

It was only then…

That the Heavenly Being casually responded.

“You can try.”

But even that simple sentence…

Left Octopus Head, who had mustered up the courage to stand his ground, sighing in frustration.

He released a long sigh…

And let the Heavenly Being lead him into the interior of the God Tree, to the Government Affairs Hall.

Inside the hall…

The Heavenly Beings’ King surveyed the surroundings.

Above him was a dome made of glass…

The walls around were composed of alloy.

There was nearly no furnishings in the vast hall…

Just subordinates coming and going, each in charge of different tasks and reports.

Even though the number of people was not small…

The atmosphere was unusually quiet.

Even when the subordinates were talking, their voices were so low that they were almost inaudible.

With a single glance…

The Heavenly Beings’ King retracted his gaze and led Octopus Head deeper.

Coming to a deserted corner…

The Heavenly Beings’ King lightly tapped on the wall.

“Task Exchange.”

As soon as he finished speaking…

A face emerged protruding from the wall…

“Please specify the task series.”

This was the way tasks were exchanged within the God Tree.

Inside the Government Affairs Hall…

Anyone could merely strike any part of the building and state their purpose.

Then this face would appear…

The Heavenly Beings’ King had been here multiple times and it had always been the same.

It was hard to tell the gender of this face…

And its voice had no emotional fluctuations.

It was questionable whether it was an intelligent creature or some mechanical program.

“LV66598…”

The Heavenly Beings’ King reported a series of numbers.

“Please submit the Origin Power.”

The face slowly opened its mouth, pushing the other features to the point of distortion.

This disturbing scene was something the Heavenly Beings’ King had grown used to.

He directly pulled out a pearl emitting a crimson glow from inside his armor and threw it into the face’s mouth.

The mouth closed once more.

“Verification complete.”

After a brief silence.

The face spoke again.

“The merit rewards for the task have been distributed into your and other recipients’ accounts according to the predetermined ratio. You can check it later.”

Any intelligent life form would find it hard to keep engaging in the same cycles of war and destruction over the long years.

Subordinates are no different.

If there was nothing to pursue or enjoy in their long lives…

Even though the subordinates were immortal, their spirits would collapse without the supreme power.

However, they would definitely slack off.

Hence…

The existence of merit became necessary.

Completing tasks would earn merit rewards.

Planets, items, creatures, even Rule Fragments…

Everything one could think of could be exchanged in the merit system.

Merely at varying costs.

As for the Heavenly Being…

Since becoming a resurrected subordinate, he hardly took a single day off.

In just half a month’s time…

He had completed ten tasks, almost equal to half a year’s worth for other subordinates.

What for?

Of course, it was to advance his rank, lead his own subordinate squad, and settle the score with Chen Sheng.

According to normal procedures…

Failed tasks would reenter the task system.

They would then be allocated to free subordinate squads based on priority.

Ordinary subordinates, or even members of a small team, don’t have the right to autonomously accept tasks. Only those at the management level of an outpost can do so.

However, the energy level of both the world where the Heavenly Beings’ King and Chen Sheng originated from is too low, and the tasks available in the system are unending.

Waiting for the system to allocate tasks automatically.

At the quickest, this would take a year and a half.

A year and a half.

Given Chen Sheng’s rate of growth, the Heavenly Beings’ King is scared to consider how terrifying Chen Sheng could become.

This is why he gives himself no opportunity to breathe and seizes every moment to complete tasks.

Presently,

With the investment of half a month’s time.

The Heavenly Beings’ King’s merits and power are sufficient for him to become the captain of a subordinate’s team.

By then, he could undertake tasks that are of a higher difficulty and offer better rewards.

Every second counts.

He must completely strangle Chen Sheng in the cradle before Chen Sheng grows stronger!

“Redeem merits.”

“Promote to team captain.”

Having thought about this,

Without any further delay, the Heavenly Beings’ King directly submits his request to the human face.

The promotion takes about half a day to review.

Conveniently,

Once the review has been completed, he can start forcibly recruiting team members and accept higher-challenge tasks.

The octopus head in his hand is the second teammate that the Heavenly Beings’ King values.

“Received, please wa——”

“Your rate of growth have far exceeded my expectations.”

Just when the human face is about to answer Heavenly Beings’ King’s request,

Its words are soon interrupted and replaced by another slightly harsher voice.

This is——

Upon hearing the voice,

The Heavenly Beings’ King promptly kneels on one knee without hesitation.

“I salute the Commanding Officer.”

Thud.

The Octopus Head he was holding falls to the floor.

However, this annoying alien subordinate doesn’t make a sound but quickly crawls up off of the floor to kneel, just like the Heavenly Beings’ King, before the suddenly appearing voice.

At this moment,

The initially genderless human face has been replaced with a spiky face.

Its triangular eyes, filled with admiration, fixate on the kneeling Heavenly Beings’ King.

This person,

Is the commander in chief of the Apocalypse Planet’s Outpost.

A powerful dependent known as Ashen Annihilation.

Half a month ago,

Just after the Heavenly Beings’ King resurrected and got the chance to connect with the God Tree’s branches and leaves, he had a meeting with him.

At that time, the Heavenly Beings’ King also mentioned Chen Sheng’s case to him.

Regrettably,

He didn’t take it to heart at all.

He just expressed anticipation towards the Heavenly Beings’ King’s performance, then expelled him from the God Tree.

But now,

It’s their second meeting.

“I’ve approved your promotion directly.”

“As for the merits, you keep them.”

Perhaps the Heavenly Beings’ King’s style of work and ability have been recognized after half a month.

Compared to last time,

Ashen Annihilation’s attitude has changed a lot.

He not only gives a green light to the Heavenly Beings’ King’s promotion review but also directly waives his costs.

However,

After Ashen Annihilation finishes speaking,

The scene of the Heavenly Beings’ King showing gratitude doesn’t happen as he anticipated.

Instead, it’s a plain response.

“Please command, my lord.”

Hearing this,

Ashen Annihilation laughs.

He’s not angry at the Heavenly Beings’ King’s attitude.

On the contrary, he finds it very interesting.

“I originally thought that you were just a lucky person who was accidentally noticed by Lord Ligel and that you wouldn’t last long before you blend in with ordinary people.”

“It seems, I was wrong.”

“In this case, I’ll give you a chance.”

“If you pass the test, I will send my direct team to your hometown.”

“Your enemy you mentioned before, what’s his name…. Chen Sheng, right?”

“Exchange his head for your loyalty and ability.”

“What do you say?”

Whoosh!

The initially unresponsive Heavenly Beings’ King.

The moment he hears this, his head suddenly lifts, and he looks at Ashen Annihilation.

He doesn’t care about personally crushing Chen Sheng’s head.

As long as he can witness his death, that would be enough.

As for Ashen Annihilation’s direct team,

Each member has the power at the Star-Bursting Level.

You have to know,

Even if the Heavenly Beings’ King, who has just been able to touch the branches and leaves of the God Tree and has achieved great progress, has barely reached the Star-Bursting Level.

Even at the same level,

There are differences.

The full force of some at the Star-Bursting Level is just able to destroy a small planet.

But others at the Star-Bursting Level only need to casually point a finger, and no planet can withstand the ensuing destruction.

At the very least, one of the latter exists in Ashen Annihilation’s direct team.

Supplemented by the other nine at the Star-Bursting Level,

The Heavenly Beings’ King doesn’t believe Chen Sheng will have any chance of winning.

How can he not be ecstatic!

“I am willing to lay down my life for you!”

This time,

The Heavenly Beings’ King speaks again.

His voice is no longer emotionless.

Only full of fanaticism.