DSAW Ch.381

Chapter 381 – Self-Destruction

 

Tang Ying jumped out of the mecha, carrying Tu Ran, and the guards who Xi Chunzhi hadn’t dealt with immediately shifted their focus. They raised their weapons and charged toward them.

From a distance, Xi Chunzhi saw Tu Ran, who looked pale and clearly hadn’t fully recovered, as well as Tang Ying, who was supporting her while struggling to fend off the surrounding guards. Without hesitation, Xi Chunzhi quickened her pace.

She had to go help them.

In her urgency, she forgot to assess the situation around her carefully. As she leaped over a deep pit, a long, strong arm suddenly appeared, grabbing her ankle with precision and pulling her into the pit.

“Xi Chunzhi!” Tu Ran’s pupils contracted when she saw this. She released the arm she had been leaning on from Tang Ying and rushed toward Xi Chunzhi, but she forgot that her strength hadn’t fully returned. Her legs went weak, and her body tilted forward, about to fall.

Tang Ying reacted quickly, stepping forward and grabbing her shoulder, pulling her back.

“I’ll take you over there.” She picked up the storage device that had fallen to the ground and placed it in Tu Ran’s arms, then supported her as they dodged the guards and moved quickly toward Xi Chunzhi.

As they got closer, a hand emerged from the edge of the pit.

With exertion, faint pink blood vessels bulged slightly, and the nails turned pale. Then, a figure slowly climbed up from below.

It was the “Red Crown Clan Leader.”

It was Xi Chunzhi!

Tu Ran’s anxious heart finally settled. They were still trying to get closer.

Xi Chunzhi, who had crawled out of the pit, slowly stood up and looked at her, his crimson eyes filled with a strange smile. The corners of his lips split, revealing sharp teeth.

Tu Ran’s heart inexplicably tightened, and she had a bad premonition.

Tang Ying, still unaware of the danger, continued rushing toward that direction.

“Xi Chunzhi” gave Tu Ran one last deep look but didn’t wait for them to reach him. He turned and left.

Tang Ying: “?”

She finally carried Tu Ran to the edge of the deep pit, but Xi Chunzhi was no longer there.

“Why did she leave?” Tang Ying furrowed her brows, staring at the retreating figure of Xi Chunzhi, clearly confused about the meaning behind her actions.

Tu Ran didn’t respond. She leaned forward slightly, gazing down into the pit. At the bottom, lying on his back, was Hache Bulu.

At this moment, he had lost all the dignity of a leader of one of the three ruling clans. His white hair was matted with blood and dirt, covering his entire face, making it difficult to even recognize his features.

“Hache Bulu?” Tang Ying crouched down to take a closer look at the situation at the bottom of the pit. “Do you want me to check if he’s still alive?” She tilted her head, asking Tu Ran.

Tu Ran stared at the motionless Hache Bulu, and Xi Chunzhi’s final expression resurfaced in her mind.

Something was off.

Inside the pit, Hache Bulu’s long eyelashes trembled violently, and his lips moved, “I… I am… Xi… Chunzhi.”

Tu Ran immediately grabbed Tang Ying’s shoulder, intending to have her release the mecha and pursue the fleeing “Red Crown Tribe Leader,” when a loud crash sounded behind them.

The two turned around to see the already escaped “Red Crown Tribe Leader” being slammed onto the ground, not far from them.

The one responsible for this was a young woman dressed in the attire of the Bulu Sanda tribe.

Her clothing was luxurious, and she wore accessories on her forehead, distinguishing her from ordinary Bulu Sanda tribe members. She had long limbs, radiating the strength typical of the Bulu Sanda people, yet her figure remained slender.

Tang Ying stared at the woman for a few seconds, her features matching those of someone from her memories. She murmured, “It’s the princess of the Bulu Sanda tribe.”

She and Tu Ran had learned as much as they could about Hache Bulu’s family from Wuma Fenghua.

Hache Bulu had only one daughter, named Oranto Bulu.

Hache Bulu was incredibly powerful, and his daughter, as rumors went, was considered a failure—her abilities were said to be less than one-billionth of her father’s strength, even weaker than that of an average Bulu Sanda tribe member.

As a result, the selection of the next clan leader of the Bulu Sanda tribe had always been a highly controversial topic.

Fortunately, the Rulers generally had long lifespans. Leaders like Hache Bulu could live up to seven or eight hundred years due to their strength, which gave Oranto Bulu time to improve.

The moment Tu Ran saw Oranto Bulu, the tense nerves in her body finally relaxed, and the hand she had been gripping on Tang Ying’s shoulder slowly dropped.

Tang Ying gave her a puzzled glance.

Meanwhile, Oranto Bulu stomped heavily on the “Red Crown Tribe Leader’s” chest, leaning slightly forward with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “Father? Why are you in such a sorry state?”

Hache Bulu stared at the familiar face in front of him, quickly seeing through the situation. “Who are you?”

“Me?” Oranto Bulu tilted her head, applying more pressure with her foot. “Tu Ran? You still can’t recognize me? I could tell it was you right away with the way you look now.”

Tang Ying: “?! Tu Ran?!”

Hache Bulu: “Tu Ran?”

Tang Ying looked over at the person beside her, holding the spiritual power storage device, standing awkwardly, and realized that this version of Tu Ran was identical to the one in her memory. This was the real Tu Ran.

Tu Ran waved her hand in front of her eyes. “Stop overthinking. We’re both real, just one is a clone, and the other is the main body. It’s just one of my abilities.”

On the other side, the humiliation caused Hache Bulu’s face to flush red. He pushed at Tu Ran’s leg, but it didn’t budge.

“Hahahaha, I don’t care who you are!” He completely lost his mind, laughing manically toward the sky.

“Want me to self-destruct? Want to save the universe? The chance is right in front of you. Your friend, she’s occupying my body,” Hache Bulu pointed to his original body, his tone particularly provocative. “The Order Cube is inside her body. If she self-destructs, the cosmic order can still be restored. Hurry, convince her to self-destruct.”

Tu Ran, standing on top of him, looked down with a compassionate gaze, but she said nothing and didn’t move.

“Hurry up! Convince her! Didn’t you both want to be heroes, to save the universe? What, you can’t even make the ultimate sacrifice?!” Hache Bulu yelled.

Far away from the venue, on a certain floor of the demon cavern building, Wuma Fenghua clung to the window, holding a telescope, her upper body nearly hanging outside the window.

“Tch, I really overestimated Hache Bulu. He still hasn’t figured out why Tu Ran made a clone? Does he think threatening with Xi Chunzhi can intimidate Tu Ran? Tsk, so foolish.”

The Hundred-eyed Elf floating behind her flickered with light, sensing everything happening at the venue. Hearing Wuma Fenghua’s words, it replied, “He’s not foolish, he just underestimated his enemy.”

…

Tu Ran released her foot from Hache Bulu and, with a shift of her form, Oranto Bulu gradually disappeared, replaced by the figure of Tu Ran in a bodyguard uniform.

Tang Ying glanced at her and then at the Tu Ran standing beside her—both were identical.

She knew that Tu Ran wouldn’t create a clone for no reason. The Tu Ran beside her had caught Hache Bulu’s attention from the start and successfully made him swallow the final piece of the cosmic fragment. Therefore, the other Tu Ran must have done something.

What was it? She racked her brain, trying to think of an answer, but couldn’t come up with anything. She could only continue watching.

Freed from his restraint, Hache Bulu quickly stood up, warily eyeing Tu Ran, stepping back to put some distance between them.

“Hache Bulu, look over here,” Tu Ran suddenly pointed to a spot in the sky to her left.

Hache Bulu didn’t believe Tu Ran would use such a crude excuse to launch a surprise attack. So, he casually looked in that direction. A very bright star caught his eye.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the star was slowly growing larger and brighter.

Tu Ran lowered her head and blew on her nails. “I heard that the Bulu Sanda clan’s summoning arts can summon anything, so I summoned a star.”

Hache Bulu: “What did you say?!”

Tu Ran lazily lifted her gaze. “I summoned a star. Don’t understand? A star powerful enough to destroy the entire Rulers World.”

Tang Ying was also shocked. How could Tu Ran talk so casually about controlling a celestial body?

Hache Bulu involuntarily took a few steps back. His gaze toward Tu Ran was filled with disbelief, muttering, “I can’t even summon a celestial body. How could you possibly…?”

Tu Ran smiled in surprise, spreading her hands. “Hache Bulu, your memory is so bad. Don’t you know my abilities? Do you remember my ‘Mirror’ ability? The weaker my target, the stronger I become. Luckily, you have a daughter who inherited all your powers, but is weak to the extreme.”

As she spoke, Tu Ran circled in front of Hache Bulu. “Such a perfect mirror imitation, and Hache Bulu actually carelessly left her alone.”

Hache Bulu’s emotions were indescribable at that moment—regret, anger, and despair all surged at once, his eyes bloodshot from the intensity.

Tu Ran crossed her arms, her gaze passing through Hache Bulu’s shoulder to look at Tang Ying and the other Tu Ran behind him, as well as the deep pit where Xi Chunzhi was located.

“Leader Hache, the future of the entire Rulers World is now in your hands.” She tilted her head toward the star, now twice its original size, the corners of her lips curling in a light smile. Hache Bulu had spent half his life trying to spread the iron fist of the rulers across the entire universe—now, she would use the entire Rulers World to make him bow down.

“Time waits for no one. Leader Hache, you better make a quick decision. Otherwise, if it gets too close, even if you detonate it, the Rulers World will still be affected.”

Hache Bulu pointed at the star, then at Tu Ran. “Do you think I care? The Rulers World without me is no different from losing its future. Without a leader to guide them, they’ll fall apart.”

Tu Ran: “…” Really knows how to flatter himself.

“If I die, the Rulers World won’t fare any better. You won’t let them go, and other worlds will retaliate…” Hache Bulu almost seemed delirious, clutching his head as if trying to convince himself.

Tu Ran interrupted impatiently, “Not every world in this universe is like the Rulers World. You should have learned from the Hundred-eyed Elf. I’m a peaceful person.”

Hache Bulu slowly lowered his hands, staring intently at Tu Ran, as if trying to confirm something.

“Would you like me to summon a Hundred-eyed Elf now to prove it?” Tu Ran glanced up at the star in the sky, which had illuminated half of the sky. The previously blood-red sky of the Rulers World had become faint. “Although, time may not be on our side.”

Hache Bulu followed her gaze, and the body of the Red Crown Tribe Leader suddenly collapsed. Tu Ran immediately reached out and caught him, looking down at the person in her arms, gently asking, “Xi Chunzhi?”

“Yes… it’s me.”

The switch had been made.

In the deep pit, Hache Bulu struggled to crawl out. He glared at Tu Ran, his bloodstained face filled with determination and sadness. “Remember what you said.”

Without waiting for Tu Ran to respond, he used his last bit of strength to launch himself toward the sky. Soon, he became nothing more than a speck in the distance.

…

Boom!!!

Self-destruct.

The light of the universe’s rebirth spread from the Rulers World, reaching the nearest world, Wuma Star, then to Jian Star, Chushi Worm Star, Tianyi Star… Haenden Star System, the Federation, Threshold, Blue Star…

And, the ruins of S•Erso.

“Cosmic order,
Reboot successful.”

…

After learning all of Tu Ran’s abilities, Wuma Fenghua designed a plan tailored to her.

After bringing Tu Ran into the venue, Wuma Fenghua excused herself to change clothes, leading Tu Ran into a sealed dressing room. There, Tu Ran used [Shadow Warrior] for the first time.

The clone followed Wuma Fenghua to continue greeting representatives from other worlds, while the original Tu Ran waited in another dressing room for the arrival of Hache Bulu’s only daughter, Oranto Bulu.

Wuma Fenghua knew about the existence of [Mirror Image] and she also knew that although Oranto Bulu had inherited all of Hache Bulu’s powers, she couldn’t utilize any of them. She was very weak, making her the perfect candidate for Tu Ran.

Because [Shadow Warrior] could only replicate the clone and not the abilities, to use [Mirror Image], the main body had to actively initiate it. The clone was then sent out to attract Hache Bulu’s attention.

The clone’s other task was to get Hache Bulu to consume the final piece of the cosmic cube. By provoking him, the task succeeded. During this time, the clone relied on Tu Ran, who rummaged through space and found a few usable inner cores as a temporary measure.

In the beginning, Tu Ran could assist the clone remotely with [Space Cutting]. The clone didn’t know the condition of the main body, but the main body could sense what was happening on the clone’s side.

When Oranto Bulu appeared and Tu Ran transformed into her form, she could no longer use her abilities. To deal with Hache Bulu, only the clone was available.

Meanwhile, the main body exerted all its effort to summon a star that was merely passing through the Rulers World, changing its course to head toward the Rulers World.

Though she had split into two, the amount of mental energy used did not increase. Both the main body and the clone used the mental energy that had been previously stored.

At the moment when the clone was in a soul battle with Hache Bulu, the main body was in the critical phase of summoning the celestial body, which was also consuming a massive amount of mental energy.

The anticipated mental energy shortage became severe, and the situation looked grim.

If the clone died, the main body would suffer significant damage.

In her moment of desperation, she felt a continuous flow of mental energy entering her body.

And the life force that had been lost was also replenished.

Later, Tu Ran learned that the Red Crown Tribe had the longest lifespan among the three major races, with the Red Crown Tribe Leader being the longest-lived of them all. By activating the Life Sharing ability, Xi Chunzhi had shared the Red Crown Tribe Leader’s life force with Tu Ran.

Tu Ran happily gained over a hundred years of life.

This plan, which made Hache Bulu willingly self-destruct, was devised by Wuma Fenghua and executed by Tu Ran.

If not for Wuma Fenghua’s deep understanding of the Bulu Sanda tribe and her psychological insight into Hache Bulu, coming up with the idea to threaten Hache Bulu with the entire Ruler’s World to force his self-destruction, it would never have worked.

If not for Tu Ran’s extraordinary execution abilities—splitting herself into two, using their unique abilities, soul suppression, and controlling celestial bodies.

If not for Tang Ying’s timely provision of unlimited mental energy.

If not for Xi Chunzhi’s Life Sharing.

How could this plan to save the cosmic order have succeeded?

 

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**TN

THE END. Extra chapters next. (⁀ᗢ⁀) You can also check out my other No-Romance TL – LINK