It was a mountain of corpses. The disfigured bodies, their faces twisted in agony, were piled in a pile like cement bags at a construction site. Around thirty people stood around the pile of corpses. They were completely naked, without a single piece of clothing.
Seven or eight grotesque figures were scavenging corpses. They tore strips of human skin and tufts of hair from the lifeless bodies. They then pressed the skin, hair, and facial features onto themselves like craftsmen molding clay figurines, slowly taking human form.
The arrival of Li Xiaofei and Liu Diqiu immediately caught their attention.
Their gazes locked onto the two newcomers. The air suddenly fell silent.
In that awkward, eerie stillness, a stray thought inexplicably surfaced in Li Xiaofei’s mind. There was air inside this starship. So the God Warriors of Eden, the ones controlling Eden’s creatures, also needed oxygen to survive.
"How could there still be two survivors?" A man built like a beauty pageant champion spoke. There was a trace of reprimand in his tone that quickly turned into delight.
He eyed Li Xiaofei up and down before exclaiming in admiration, "Tsk, tsk. Perfect. This skin is the most flawless attire I’ve ever seen. I want to wear him—I need a new outfit..."
He grinned as he spoke. But the grin continued to widen until the corners of his mouth split all the way to the base of his ears. His skin peeled apart like torn paper.
A few swift tugs shredded the flesh on his own body. It was like he had shed his clothes as a monstrous being with a head resembling that of a Tyrannosaurus and a thick lizard-like tail, covered in dark brown matte scales, emerged .
A tangible wave of murderous intent surged forth, filling the entire room with suffocating hostility.
"Reaper!" Liu Diqiu screamed, her voice filled with despair.
Li Xiaofei had heard of them before. Little Aunt had once named them as humanity’s greatest enemy. If the Fallen Gods of Eden were Earth’s traitors, then the Reapers were the true invaders. Even the likes of Lin Beichen, Ye Qingyu, Sun Fei, Li Mu, and Ding Hao had struggled to eradicate them and become mired in a war without end. They were the sworn nemesis of this universe.
The monster lunged forward in a blur, its razor-sharp claws slicing through the air like divine blades. Li Xiaofei reacted instantly, throwing a punch.
A shockwave rippled outward as Li Xiaofei was pushed back more than ten meters, his feet digging into the metal floor as he skidded to a stop.
Such overwhelming strength.
He was shaken. On the other side, the Reaper had also been sent flying, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact that made the metal floor tremble.
"Strong, strong, so strong!" said the monster as it licked its lips excitedly. "I want it, I want it, I want—"
A tall, pale figure slapped the creature’s head. It was so gaunt and colorless it resembled a plucked chicken.
"He’s mine now," said the tall, pale figure.
Having witnessed the brief exchange, this plucked chicken was now eyeing Li Xiaofei’s body with greedy anticipation. It wasn’t the only one. The other Reapers who were already dressed in human skin were also eyeing Li Xiaofei with covetous, hungry expressions. A good outfit wasn’t just about durability; it allowed them to unleash their power to the fullest.
So, one after another, the Reapers tore apart the skins they had just put on, turning on each other in a frenzied brawl for the ultimate prize.
Li Xiaofei was speechless.
Since when did I ever suffer such humiliation? Do they all think I am an easy target?
He slowly raised his hand, preparing to summon the Flame Blade. But then, he felt a small, soft, trembling, icy-cool hand land on his arm.
"Run," said Liu Diqiu, shaking from head to toe. "Go back through the teleportation formations, destroy them, and prepare for battle..."
It was the first time Li Xiaofei had ever seen this girl so utterly terrified. He had a feeling that Liu Diqiu's reaction wasn’t just fear. Something buried deep in her past had been brought to the surface. Something darker.
"No need," said Li Xiaofei, gently squeezing her hand. "The only way to conquer fear is to face it head-on. So... watch closely."
Flames flickered to life in the air. They gathered in his palm, shifting and morphing like stars burning in the darkness, until they became a blade.
A Great Xia war blade. A Mountain-Cleaving Blade. A long-handled, broad-bladed weapon whose spine was as heavy as a mountain. Li Xiaofei seemed to ignite from within, his entire being blazing like an inferno.
"Fuck you," cursed Li Xiaofei as he charged forward. "You think you can wear me like a suit? You’re not worthy!"
He leaped into the air and swung his blade. A single journey across the Naihe Bridge. The Tyrannosaur-lizard hybrid froze as a blade flashed. Then, its head tumbled to the ground.
A geyser of blood erupted from its severed neck, soaring into the air. Blade and fire intertwined, illuminating Liu Diqiu’s face. Her fear and panic began to melt away under the relentless glow of blade and flame.
But Li Xiaofei didn’t stop. His technique never changed as the same slash burst to life again and again. But with each swing, another Reaper's head flew skyward.
Li Xiaofei’s voice rang out like the death knell of the God of Death knocking on the door. Each number was accompanied by a Reaper’s head thudding to the ground and its body being reduced to ashes in the flames.
No one knew how long it lasted. Perhaps it was only a few seconds, but to Liu Diqiu, it felt like an endless, freezing night slowly fading away. She saw Li Xiaofei, gripping his flaming mountain-cleaving blade, standing before the last remaining Reaper.
It was not a large one. It seemed to be an immature specimen. Its head bore a grotesque resemblance to a human. But it had bulging eyes, a row of dagger-like white teeth, and a tongue over a meter long, lolling limply to the side. Clear saliva dripped from its mouth, while a hoarse, guttural sound escaped its throat.
For the first time, Liu Diqiu saw a Reaper desperately masking its fear with a facade of forced rage.
"Leave its corpse." Liu Diqiu spoke loudly.
The blade flashed. The immature Reaper collapsed into a pool of blood. Li Xiaofei withdrew his blade and turned to look at her.
Liu Diqiu swallowed hard and said, "Keep it... for dissection. I want to understand these creatures better. There might be unexpected discoveries."
"Alright," replied Li Xiaofei.
The Mountain-Cleaving Blade slowly disintegrated, fading into countless sparks that scattered into the air.
"So, what exactly happened here?" He asked.
Liu Diqiu wiped the sweat from her forehead. "It must have been... a Reaper attack. But that’s strange—wasn’t Eden supposed to be working for the Reapers?"
The mystery deepened. Suddenly, Li Xiaofei understood something.