Chapter 332: Douluo God Realm Era Part XXII: Troubles
As the world consciousness's voice grew louder, Ye Wen snapped back to reality.
"What's your problem?!"
Ye Wen shot an annoyed look at the world consciousness, who was showing the attitude of an unruly child. He wasn't about to go easy on her, regardless of any emotional issues or childish innocence she might have.
In an instant, Snow Empress's eyes filled with tears.
Smack!
Ye Wen slapped a hand to his forehead in exasperation.
This was a mess.
Frigid, powerful snow energy immediately permeated the entire space, and even Ye Wen felt a layer of frost forming around him. But Ye Wen had anticipated this, isolating Snow Empress's power with a barrier of spatial energy.
Just my luck to end up with a brat who cries at the slightest scolding, he thought.
Putting aside his earlier harsh tone, Ye Wen sighed and walked up to the world consciousness, now inhabiting Snow Empress.
"Stop crying already. Snow Empress has gone thousands of years without a single tear; you're completely ruining her image."
The ice and snow finally subsided, leaving behind a scene of disarray. Snow Empress resumed her calm expression, wiping away the tears on her cheeks.
"Forgive me, my lord," she said softly.
Ye Wen waved his hand dismissively. "I get it," he replied, then continued, "Let's try to talk calmly now. Why don't you discuss this with the world consciousness first? I can tell that interacting with strangers tends to provoke extreme reactions from it, and that won't work for our conversation."
Snow Empress nodded in agreement, clearly preferring not to have to deal with the erratic nature of the world consciousness herself. After all, she was no longer who she once was, and if she had a choice, she'd steer clear of this role. But the consciousness was technically the "boss," so she had little say in the matter.
Ye Wen gestured with his hand, and the chaotic room returned to its original state. Sitting back down, he calmly began, "First, let's talk about Douluo Star's ownership."
He thought for a moment before adding, "As per our original agreement, I have already fulfilled my duty to restore Douluo Star. And with the resources I've poured back into it through my campaigns, Douluo has improved beyond recognition. Surely, we can say I've repaid my debt to the world consciousness."
Meeting Ye Wen's gaze, Snow Empress nodded in reluctant agreement.
Ye Wen, seeing her response, nodded back. The world consciousness really is just a simple minded creature, he thought.
"So, going forward, I should be free to take whatever actions I deem necessary," he continued. "Therefore, I will proceed with building the new God Realm. No matter what you say, it's essential for this planet's future."
However, Ye Wen's expression quickly darkened. Snow Empress's aura was growing erratic again, and her eyes had turned red as she glared at him.
"Why? Why?! I nurtured all of you, but in the end, you all chose to abandon me and continuously exploit me! Answer me, Ye Wen! What have I done to deserve this?"
Sigh.
Ye Wen sighed. A kid with tantrums and trust issues he should have expected this outburst. Using his godly authority, he forced the world consciousness to stay in place, limiting her ability to act out.
"Look," he said, "I know what the Dragon God did to you. I understand why you might fear the creation of another God Realm. But you misunderstand my purpose I'm not building this new God Realm to drain Douluo of faith energy, but rather to advance Douluo Star itself. Can you keep your emotions in check, world consciousness? I owe you a debt, but this instability is wearing on me. It makes me consider extreme solutions."
Ye Wen's voice was calm, but his words carried a pointed threat. The world consciousness shivered as if caught in a blizzard.
"How…how did you know I could be taken over?" she asked hesitantly.
Ye Wen gave her a cool glance. "You yourself said you can separate a fragment of your consciousness to act independently, just like a god's avatar. That means your core, or your attachment to Douluo Star, isn't permanent or absolute. Besides," he added, "you saw my memories, didn't you? Without me, you'd face a grim fate. Can we talk like reasonable beings now?"
The world consciousness stared at him, all her earlier fear and anger subsiding. She sat back in place, hands folded primly on her lap, her expression compliant.
For the first time, the bratty energy from earlier dissipated, leaving the room quiet.
Ye Wen examined her thoughtfully. Despite her overwhelming power, the world consciousness had taken residence in Snow Empress, and Snow Empress was a striking beauty in her own right. If Douluo ever had a "goddess ranking," Snow Empress would surely rank among the top.
Yet here she was, a powerful spirit trapped in a body not fully her own. She seemed aimless, almost pitiable. She may not be hostile, Ye Wen thought, but with her mood swings, there's always the chance of betrayal.
He let out another sigh.
"What am I supposed to do with you?" he muttered under his breath, half to himself.
If the world consciousness could become a genuine ally, helping him shape Douluo's future, he'd welcome her. But in her current state, all he saw was a nervous wreck, one prone to drastic outbursts.
"Are you really that troubled by something?" The world consciousness looked at him with newfound curiosity, as if sensing his dilemma.
Ye Wen, barely glancing at her, sighed. "I am troubled, yes. I don't want to kill you I really don't. But I also want complete control over Douluo Star, and you're making that difficult. So, what do you think I should do?"
Ye Wen's words, though blunt, held a certain honesty that made the world consciousness pause in surprise.
"You…you truly don't want to kill me?"
Ye Wen rubbed his head and looked away. "Why would I? You gave me a second chance at life. I'm no backstabbing monster."
Something flickered in the world consciousness's eyes. Hearing Ye Wen's sincerity, she seemed to grow a little bolder. For the first time, she looked directly at him with a glimmer of hope.
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