Chapter 74: But I Refuse!

Consorts…?

The four girls stared at the Slime Queen in disbelief, unable to process her words for a moment.

The Slime Queen writhed her massive jelly-like body, her pale, ethereal face expressionless, yet her words dripped with unmasked desire.

“Kneel before this queen, swear to abandon your past, and become my consorts.”

Consorts… Bai Yue Ling’s lips twitched. “Uh… you’re a Slime. Why would you need human consorts?”

“Does race matter?” the Slime Queen said coolly. “This queen has slumbered for countless ages and naturally requires loyal consorts to help me understand this unfamiliar world.”

Why does this feel like some ancient emperor demanding tribute…?

“What’s in it for us?” Bai Yue Ling asked, full of skepticism.

The Slime Queen answered bluntly. “Submit to me, and I shall lead you to conquer this world, just as I did eons ago.”

“…Huh?”

Bai Yue Ling’s face was incredulous. Conquer the world? You, a Slime?

And from the sound of it, she seemed to have conquered the world once before, long ago.

But as far as Bai Yue Ling knew, Destiny World had no record of ever being conquered by a Slime—no scholar’s book ever mentioned such a thing.

Seeing Bai Yue Ling’s hesitation, the Slime Queen let out a cold huff, her impatience showing.

“Are you… choosing death?”

A terrifying pressure swept through again, an invisible weight pressing on everyone’s hearts.

The Slime Queen loomed over them arrogantly, her posture that of a queen ruling the heavens.

At the same time, the four girls felt their knees buckle, as if an invisible force gripped their legs, forcing them to kneel.

They instinctively gritted their teeth, resisting, refusing to fully submit.

Yet Bai Yue Ling looked up at the Slime Queen, her cherry lips parting slightly, her tongue trembling as she spoke. 

“I-If I kneel and become your consort, w-will you really spare my life?”

The Slime Queen nodded. 

“This queen never breaks her word.”

Bai Yue Ling’s body glistened with sweat, her Black Stockings trembling on her shapely legs.

It seemed as if, in the next moment, she might swear allegiance to the monster before her.

Ying Ye’s pupils shrank, murmuring, “Little White, don’t…”

Bai Yue Ling didn’t look at her, only staring blankly at the Slime Queen.

The Slime Queen squinted, her lips curving slightly, an indescribable sense of satisfaction filling her—

But then, Bai Yue Ling stood abruptly, her eyes blazing with unprecedented resolve, shouting loudly, “But I refuse!”

The Slime Queen froze. “What?”

“One of Priest Hero’s favorite things is saying ‘No’ to self-important big sisters and rejecting them!”

Bai Yue Ling flashed a playful, mocking smile, raising both hands in an internationally recognized gesture of defiance. 

“A mere Slime, daring to make me submit? Keep dreaming in your little rock crevice—everything’s possible in your dreams~”

At those words, time seemed to freeze.

Even her teammates were caught off guard, staring at Bai Yue Ling as if she were a deity.

At this life-or-death moment, how does she dare say something like that?

The Slime Queen trembled slightly, her calm face now filled with shock, her pale blue jelly-like skin shifting to a furious fiery red, flames ERUPTING across her body.

From the day she was born until now, this was the first time anyone had dared speak to her like this.

As a queen, she felt the sting of humiliation for the first time.

“Good, very good…” The Slime Queen’s face twitched, her voice low. “You ants have successfully enraged this queen.” She turned to the others. “And you?”

Ying Ye hugged Bai Yue Ling without hesitation, scoffing, “I’m not interested in Slimes. 

I only want Little White as my consort.”

Silver Fang shook her head slowly. “Conquering the world is too far-fetched. I hate war—I prefer freedom.”

Princess opened her Ornate Folding Fan, chuckling behind it. 

“A big life decision like finding a wife obviously needs my mom’s approval, but she’d never agree to a Slime. I’d be a laughingstock.”

Without hesitation, all four refused.

“Very well… ignorant humans, become this queen’s sustenance!”

The Slime Queen began to writhe, her massive jelly-like body, mixed with the bones inside, surging like a tidal wave.

With death looming, Bai Yue Ling stood fearless. “We’ve got no escape anyway, so mouthing off before we die? Worth it.”

“No.” Silver Fang suddenly spoke up. “I think we might still have a chance.”

Without waiting for questions, Silver Fang bent her knees, charging forward amid CRACKING rocks.

“Slime Queen! Dare to take my fist!”

Facing the towering armored figure, the Slime Queen sneered. “Ant.”

Her jelly-like body extended a massive tentacle, morphing into a giant fist, smashing toward Silver Fang like a truck—

CRACK!

A sharp sound of shattering steel RANG OUT, and Silver Fang was sent flying, her armor igniting from friction with the air due to the sheer speed.

“Careful!” Ying Ye lunged at Bai Yue Ling and Princess, tackling them to the ground.

The three girls felt a wave of heat behind them as Silver Fang, with her crushed armor, slammed into the ruin’s gate barrier.

CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!

With a faint shattering sound, the invisible barrier broke under Silver Fang’s sacrifice!

“Quick… go…”

Silver Fang, her back to them, used her last ounce of strength to speak.

She’d traded her life for her teammates’ chance to escape.

Bai Yue Ling stood, leaning on her knees, glimpsing Silver Fang’s true face amid the shattered armor fragments.

A head of neat, silver-white short hair, as if cut by a blade.

But before Bai Yue Ling could see clearly, Silver Fang and her armor fragments vanished in a flash of white light.

[Your teammate “Silver Fang” has died.]

“Run!”

Ying Ye pulled Bai Yue Ling and Princess, sprinting into the ruins.

Meanwhile, the Slime Queen stared at the spot where Silver Fang vanished, puzzled.

“Strange… why did she disappear instantly? Was she teleported by some force?”

Unaware of Otherworld Travelers, the slumbering Slime Queen extended a tentacle again, seeking answers.

SQUELCH!

[Your teammate “Princess” has died.]

Watching Bai Yue Ling and Ying Ye flee, the Slime Queen didn’t pursue immediately. Instead, she slowly retrieved Princess’s body, observing as it dissolved into white light.

She then examined the spot where Silver Fang died, noting no trace remained.

It seems during my slumber, this world has changed greatly…