# 1672
Chapter 1665: The Hidden Variable
On the ruins of the city wall, a black severed finger was pinned to the stone surface by Ame-no-Murakumo.
"It seems the [Key to the Gate] really went all out this time... An attack spanning across the river of time of this magnitude must have cost Them dearly." The severed finger's voice drifted out. Gazing at the gradually dissipating temporal vortex in the distance, the corner of its fingertip's mouth curved slightly upward.
"Is it over..."
A willow branch with eyeballs protruding from it emerged from the iridescent mist, wrapping around the hilt of Ame-no-Murakumo. Just as it was about to pull the blade free, a spear whistled through the air from the distant horizon, instantly shattering the branch into scraps!
The spear tip pierced through the blood mist, precisely striking beside the severed finger. It slightly turned toward the direction the spear had come from, seemingly displeased.
From within the dust crackling with electrical arcs, a figure clad in blood-red armor and a shabby-dressed youth walked slowly forward.
At the sight of the young man, the severed finger paused, then spoke in astonishment:
"It's you? How are you still alive?!"
"The [Key to the Gate] failed to kill me... That surprises you, doesn't it?" Lin Qiye's expression was utterly calm.
The severed finger's palm faced Lin Qiye. It didn't speak again. Logically speaking, since the [Key to the Gate] had paid such a heavy price, there was no reason It shouldn't have completely obliterated Lin Qiye... It didn't know what had gone wrong.
But Lin Qiye was alive, which meant it had fallen into danger once more.
"How is this possible... How did you survive?" The severed finger faced Lin Qiye, as if having sensed some change in him, its voice filled with disbelief. "You hid your own karma?! Erased your existence from the river of time?"
Lin Qiye spoke faintly, "The reason you're so certain humanity has no hope is precisely because you have the [Key to the Gate], an omniscient and omnipotent observer constantly watching over the past and future... Now, a variable beyond your control has appeared.
Tell me... what do you think I'll do now?"
The severed finger stared intently at Lin Qiye, its heart slightly startled.
It had considered that Lin Qiye's abilities would be extremely troublesome, but it never expected Lin Qiye could directly conceal his own existence... With that, even the [Key to the Gate] couldn't see his movements. Moreover, both his past and future were hidden away. Even if the [Key to the Gate] wanted to alter history, it couldn't affect him in the slightest.
In other words, Lin Qiye had completely broken free from their control. His karma was now in his own hands!
To accurately set up an ambush and assassinate Lin Qiye like this time had become nearly impossible.
The severed finger's thoughts spun rapidly.
Just as Lin Qiye was about to speak, a voice suddenly came from the distance.
"Lin Qiye!"
Lin Qiye turned to look. He saw Chloe, covered in injuries and clutching a corpse of a willow branch, running toward them quickly.
Seeing the injured Lin Qiye, she seemed relieved and walked over. "I just saw lightning explode over there and thought it was you inside... Are you alright?"
Lin Qiye glanced at her, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He flicked his finger, and Ame-no-Murakumo violently tore free from the severed finger, whistling across the earth, instantly piercing through Chloe's heart!
A blood-red flower burst forth. Chloe's pupils filled with disbelief as she stared blankly at the indifferent Lin Qiye, seemingly unable to understand why Lin Qiye would strike to kill her.
"The same trick won't fool me a second time. Put away your schemes, [Chaos]."
Lin Qiye grasped the returning Ame-no-Murakumo as it flew back, his gaze falling once more on the severed finger before him. He walked toward It step by step.
Meanwhile, the Chloe corpse lying in a pool of blood eerily transformed into a willow branch with eyeballs, staring intently in their direction.
"So you saw through it that quickly?" The severed finger had intended to catch Lin Qiye off guard and repeat the same trick, using Chloe to assassinate Lin Qiye. It had even had the fake Chloe pick up a willow branch to increase credibility... after all, this was its final move.
But it never expected Lin Qiye to strike so decisively this time, leaving it not the slightest chance for a counterattack.
"Appearance can deceive, but karma cannot."
Lin Qiye stood before the severed finger. A cold gleam flickered in those eyes.
He stepped on the lower half of the severed finger, directly causing a massive crater to form in the earth. Amid the billowing dust, Lin Qiye slowly spoke:
"[Chaos], you listen carefully... You can't kill me, nor can the [Key to the Gate]. Since I've survived, the grudge between us—I will eventually settle the score with interest.
Since I've returned to this era and become a variable hidden beyond your control, I won't leave empty-handed... The more you fear something, the more I will bring it to you.
Starting today, I, Lin Qiye, will be the nightmare of your Cthulhu Pantheon."
As his words fell, Lin Qiye's foot pressed down with sudden force. Surging power gushed forth. With a thunderous explosion, the severed finger beneath his foot had already been crushed into a bloody mess!
"Marquis, burn it for me... Not a single trace should remain." Lin Qiye spoke slowly.
Huo Qubing nodded slightly. With a flick of his fingers, a cluster of flames from the distance flew over swiftly, instantly engulfing the bloodied remains.
The crackling sound of burning echoed as a foul stench spread. The two of them stood before the flames until the fire consumed the very last trace of blood. Finally, peace returned to heaven and earth.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
A red-haired girl in priestly robes walked slowly from the distance. The iridescent mist dissipated behind her bit by bit. Her fair face was now covered in dust, as if she had just been through a fierce battle.
"So... did you see my duplicate?" Chloe walked to Lin Qiye and Huo Qubing's side and asked.
Lin Qiye pointed to the willow branch corpse nearby.
Seeing this, Chloe breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"What about Kusuen?" Lin Qiye asked.
"You mean that willow tree monster?" Chloe shrugged. "I killed it. Without those duplicates to obstruct me, its true body seemed quite fragile."
Killed?
Lin Qiye pondered this. He had previously thought Kusuen should be a deity of the Cthulhu Pantheon, unable to be killed without the laws. But looking at it now, that wasn't the case.
This Kusuen seemed to have not yet reached divine level in terms of realm or combat power. It was probably just a monster of the Cthulhu Pantheon—even without the laws, it could be killed.
"Good."
A glimmer of dawn light rose from the edge of the horizon, dyeing the pitch-black night into a hue of pale white. The faint white sunlight swept across the blood-red walls of Chang'an City and the three injured figures standing on the ruins, stretching their shadows long...
"What's your next plan?" Huo Qubing asked.
Lin Qiye gazed at the gradually fading flames. After a long silence, he slowly spoke:
"I want to make some preparations in this era."
"To stop the Cthulhu?" Chloe thought for a moment. "These things really are terrifying... Do you have any ideas yet?"
"I still need to think about the specific plan... However, I may need help from both of you."
"Those monsters seek to annihilate all living beings. This Marquis certainly won't sit by and do nothing." Huo Qubing said deeply. "Lin Qiye, whatever you need this Marquis to do, just say the word."
"Count me in too." Chloe said seriously. "If everyone is killed, then there will be no more faith left in this world."
Lin Qiye's gaze swept over Huo Qubing and Chloe. Under the dawn light, the corner of his mouth slightly curved upward...
"Good."