Chapter 1364: Chapter 1362: Death Gamble

“Place your bets! Place your bets!”

On a certain planet within the Shattered Border, inside an extremely luxurious casino building as perceived by human vision.

In front of a gambling table marked with a [Hyperion] sign, the sudden flurry of activity attracted the attention of numerous gamblers, including an old man whose heavy scent of madness seemed as old as the world itself.

On the gambling table.

The most eye-catching item was an exquisitely crafted chess piece with a knife inserted into its neck and its body wrapped in bandages, its standards of refinement, delicacy, and coloring quality far surpassing the other pieces.

It even emanated an aura of ‘execution.’

Beyond that.

Also displayed were a chess piece symbolizing Han Dong, half-grey, half-human,

A deep Abyss chess piece symbolizing Green,

A mimetic chess piece symbolizing Miss Helen,

And a Dumps chess piece with six Fingers.

A large-scale flat game board, similar to a kind of tabletop game, was fully unfolded on the table, with different sections representing the various floors and workshops of the Hyperion Corporation.

There were several ways to place bets.

1. Bet on the overall situation, such as betting that the Beheading King could annihilate Han Dong and the others, or that Han Dong and company could escape using some means, and even betting on how many members of Han Dong’s team would die.

2. Bet on individuals.

If Han Dong’s team eventually executes, pushes back, or manages to escape using special means, the outcome of the bets will be judged based on individual contributions.

The gambling odds were all provided by a mysterious person dressed as a bartender, based on objective information.

“Three ‘King-level Land Deeds (Lower)’… betting on Nicholas.”

In such a situation, a gambler wearing a grey vest continued to bet on Han Dong without hesitation.

However, as this person placed his chips in front of Han Dong’s chess piece, the bartender in charge of the game immediately offered a friendly reminder:

“Please make sure to follow the rules of the game. Direct or indirect interference with the game process is strictly prohibited… Any violations will result in the confiscation of the deposit and a 200% penalty fee.”

Who knew, the grey gambler smiled in response:

“Don’t worry, even though Nicholas is quite important.

If he dies in this kind of situation, he’s not worth further investment… I’ll just start over. Naturally, I will abide by the casino’s rules, not to mention the ‘Boss’ is also here, how could I break the rules?”

…

While the Old Kings were engrossed in the gambling, Han Dong was facing the moment closest to death since his rebirth.

Snap!

The withered Mummy’s arm fell to the ground.

Severed completely.

The detachment of the left arm severely reduced Han Dong’s efficiency, magic level, and power when releasing Death-related magic, also greatly weakening the domain generated by the Pharaoh’s Will.

The domain began to grow unstable.

Within the domain, the miniature pyramids and Sphinxes were crumbling rapidly, and the area covered by the domain continued to shrink.

Just as the Desert Domain was about to be overtaken by the Knife Domain… Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

One by one, towering Grey Tentacles emerged from the sand, forcefully maintaining the domain’s effect.

Staring at the fallen left arm, any thoughts of negotiation, preservation, or resistance that Han Dong had were completely overturned in his mind.

Right now, he’s only pondering one question–how to survive?

The Knife edge trembled, and an elegant female voice spread through the workshop:

“Apart from your head being somewhat peculiar, I have a clear view of your body… Were you just about to touch that strange hole on your shoulder?

A very curious and special structure, it seems bottomless even though it’s on your body. That must be a special communication method among Demons, right?

Considering you have too many Special Traits that I don’t know about, our conversation ends here.”

“Wait a moment!”

Just as Han Dong wanted to say more.

Unable to evade or see through… Even as Han Dong had preemptively constructed a hyper-dense growth shield with his Right Arm and parried with the Holy Sword, it seemed hardly different from having a mere sheet of paper in between.

Whoosh!

A slash of exceptional purity,

When the knife edge cut through Han Dong’s body, for the first few seconds, no change could even be seen.

The Holy Sword used for parrying turned into blood and water,

The amassed, varying-density meat shield was bisected down the middle…

And Han Dong’s head, along the smooth cut of the neck, fell to the ground.

Not dead.

The purpose of this sword strike was merely to separate Han Dong’s head from his body.

It was apparent that the Beheading King was very interested in Han Dong’s head, first because the “Will Slash” had just failed to take effect and was even blocked by a mass of grey substance inside the head.

Second, because the Beheading King herself was missing a head, she had a special obsession with them.

It seemed that she wanted to take Han Dong’s head back with her, or perhaps she was just temporarily curious, intending to cut open the head later to examine its internal structure.

Thud!

As the head hit the ground, the headless body also knelt down as a result.

The Beheading King was approaching step by step.

“Your head must not entirely belong to you, otherwise it would be impossible to resist my Will Slash in an Open Door State… If you are willing to reveal its secrets, I might consider preserving your head for now.

If you’re not willing, I will personally open your skull to check.”

Due to the beheading, Han Dong’s expression was one of extreme pain, looking as if he hadn’t heard the Beheading King’s words, his eyes were bloodshot, feeling as if his eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets, even several of his teeth had been bitten to pieces by himself.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

The gradually approaching footsteps of the Beheading King sounded like the tolling bells of death.

A short knife, resembling the specifications of a scalpel, was taken from the throne… This knife, specially used for assassinations and precision cuts, would help the Beheading King to examine Han Dong’s brain structure.

The footsteps ceased,

The short knife was held above the head,

Just as the Beheading King determined that the head in front of her had no ability to resist, slowly lowering the knife in her hand.

Han Dong’s agonized expression immediately dissipated, and the bloodshot in his eyes faded away swiftly.

“Maritzis! Full output of space energy!”

A burst of brilliant starlight erupted from within the brain.

The kneeling body beside also displayed speckles of starlight.

Unlike when the left arm was severed, Han Dong anticipated that the Beheading King would be interested in the ‘head’ and would most likely proceed with decapitation… he had already separated the head from the body trunk in advance.

That last chop had caused no damage, it was merely the natural separation of the head from the body.

At the same time.

The kneeling body also took the opportunity to grab the ‘Arm of the Undead’ that was cut off.

[Void Transfer]

Even under great suppression within the King’s Domain, with the space completely sealed, the Void Passage was still able to be established normally.

The ‘Void Formation’ previously constructed inside the body was fully activated.

At the same time.

Hundreds of tentacles grew from the back of the head, attempting to bind the Beheading King in front of them.

Whoosh!

The once easily enemy-slaying grey tentacles were all severed in an instant.

Plip plop plip plop~ the severed tentacles scattered on the ground, turning into puddles of filth and emitting billowing grey smoke.

Han Dong’s head, the kneeling body, and the scattered right arm had all vanished.

“Hmm? He could escape this… How interesting?”