Mainly because he harbors deep hatred toward most churches.
He can’t stand those who put on airs, appear tolerant and kind on the surface, but reveal their ugliness behind the scenes.
So he’s been toying with the church all along, even hunting down their high-ranking followers.
As a result, most churches see him as an evil being akin to a false god.
Whenever he shows up, he is immediately hunted by the churches’ Half-gods.
“Looks like it’s time to leave the Badlands…”
“If you want a reward, just say it.”
Sislia was the first to speak.
“Your Highness has shown me more kindness than I can ever repay, I don’t need any reward.”
Garcia quickly chimed in.
“I don’t either… um, well, actually, I’ll need to ask my father first.”
Her little face showed a hint of embarrassment.
“Garcia, if you need anything, just tell me. You’re a kindhearted child.”
Garcia pursed her lips, barely able to keep her smile in check.
Zorg listened in silence, and only when Lu Ming looked over did he finally speak.
“Great Highness, please allow me to keep this reward for myself.”
Lu Ming nodded in approval.
Then.
A faint sound suddenly came from the courtyard, like someone stretching after waking up.
Lu Ming’s brow lifted.
He quickly said,
“It’s time to go. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Lu Ming waved his right hand gently, and a soft light flashed.
The three instantly vanished without a trace.
Only then did he let out a breath of relief—he almost forgot that Lisi was still here, getting caught up in conversation for too long.
If Sislia and the others saw Lisi coming out of his courtyard,
that would be hard to explain.
With a click, the elegant door was pushed open.
Lisi rubbed her eyes as she walked out, still not quite awake.
But her complexion was unusually good, and her charming eyes sparkled brightly.
She was still in her Water Elf form. The distinctive Watersilk she wore had several large holes in it, especially at the soles of her feet.
The entire thing had been torn open, revealing Lisi’s tender, pink feet.
The “Watersilk” bunched around her ankles, only making her look more youthful and girlish.
It was impossible not to notice.
Lisi seemed to realize something was off. She held onto the door, turned slightly, raised a leg, and reached out
to take off one of the “Watersilk” coverings.
Then she repeated the motion, taking off the other one as well.
Both bare feet, illuminated by the soft light, were as white as jade, with pinkish soles that glistened with a watery sheen, fully revealed to Lu Ming.
Compared to the dim illusionary dreamscape of last night, Lu Ming found this sight even more alluring.
“Morning, Your Highness. Why didn’t you wake me when you got up?”
“There was something I needed to do, so I didn’t call you.”
He kept his expression calm as he pulled Lisi onto his lap and sat her down.
He began to gently caress her.
‘Lisi, can you make another pair of “Watersilk”? Can you make them in a lace style?’
“Let me explain it to you in detail, it’s just…”
***
Badlands.
Zorg had returned to this land steeped in evil.
As far as the eye could see, there was not a sign of life.
Mainly because the Ancient Evil had just appeared, leaving behind traces of pollution on the Badlands.
Only Legendary transcenders could resist that pollution, and even they would only show up after the Ancient Evil’s corruption had fully dissipated.
The moment he appeared,
the ground trembled violently, a tremendous rumble echoing out as if something massive was writhing beneath the earth.
Dust billowed everywhere.
A massive worm, its body covered in sinister eyes and as huge as a mountain, burrowed up from underground.
It swung its immense, bloated head, lunging straight at him.
Zorg watched it silently.
His eyes betrayed neither joy nor sorrow.
He casually took off the mask from his face, revealing sharp, androgynous features. His long silver-white hair was restrained by a voluminous black robe.
“I already told you, I don’t have time to play with you.”
Zorg’s voice was unusually calm.
Then, a palpable aura of malice swept forth like a hurricane.
Zorg’s entire being surged with divine power, radiating an overwhelmingly evil transcendent presence.
“Go roar at the universe instead.”
With that, he turned into a black shadow and shot straight for the Evil-Eyed Worm’s enormous head.
He was immediately knocked flying.
He crashed into a mountain before finally coming to a stop.
But just then,
a torrent of malice surged toward the Evil-Eyed Worm, enveloping its head.
Yet it seemed unaware, opening its deformed maw and emitting a shrill screech.
As if mocking Zorg.
But then, a thunderous cracking sound rang out.
The mountain that Zorg had crashed into suddenly split down the middle.
The jagged, towering peak hurtled directly at the Evil-Eyed Worm, tearing through the air with an earth-shaking roar.
Though the mountain was much smaller than the worm’s head, it still made the creature sense a trace of danger.
The Evil-Eyed Worm twisted its head, its countless eyes rolling frantically.
Despite its enormous size, it moved with surprising speed.
An adult Evil-Eyed Worm was a Half-god level creature.
Even though this one was only sub-adult, it still possessed power comparable to a Half-god.
The shattered mountain peak fell to the Badlands below, its tip stabbing deep into the earth.
Forming an inverted peak.
Before the Evil-Eyed Worm could continue chasing Zorg,
the repeated booms seemed to have disturbed some unknown ancient presence.
A wave of twisted, polluting energy burst forth from the Badlands like something tangible, dyeing the ground blood-red.
The instant it appeared, all the worm’s evil eyes spun wildly in terror.
It writhed violently, shooting up into the sky and fleeing toward the cosmos at top speed.
As if running from that terrifying presence.
A massive, almost comical worm twisted through the air, gradually fading from Zorg’s sight.
He got to his feet, dusted off his black robe,
then let out a quiet chuckle as he watched the evil creature, having lost its prey, turn and charge at him.
“Nice to meet you, and never again.”
Holding his mask, he gave an elegant bow.
Behind him, a Spider Rift appeared, and his entire body vanished.
***
Two days later.
Lu Ming’s covert plan in the Kingdom of Nature officially began.
Located in the far east of the Violet Empire was Durant City.
This was one of the poorest parts of the Empire, which had once conscripted many soldiers here.
Although the war had been stopped thanks to the efforts of the Church of the Dawn, Duke Niel’s Mansion, and other leading powers,
the damage was still irreparable.
On average, three out of every ten households were widows.
The maimed veterans who returned also faced the misery of their wives taking their belongings and leaving them.
This city, already impoverished, was now filled everywhere with a sense of desolation and decay.
The old soldier Trow wandered aimlessly in the barren outskirts, his left arm amputated after infection from an arrow wound.
His wife had already run off two months ago when she heard the news.
Although the war was over, he felt it might have been better to die on the battlefield.
Taking a sullen swig from his bottle, he suddenly seemed to see something, his eyes widening.
Carriage after carriage was rolling slowly toward the city.
But these were not loaded with goods—instead, they carried Elves, Beastfolk, and beings of extraordinary allure with slender, heart-shaped tails trailing behind them.
There were men and women, all without exception strikingly beautiful.
“Are those… Elves, Beastfolk, Succubi?”
Trow was stunned.
Could this be the twisted amusement of some powerful lord, sending his men to capture these other races for their entertainment?
His last shreds of justice compelled him to follow quietly.