124. Female mortal
"Well done, Romulus. Seven children are enough to accomplish the mission. Once my father returns, we shall transform them into colonized troopers."
A voice sounded slowly, and a young figure appeared faintly within the space. One moment, he was observing from a staircase not far away, the next, he seemed to pass through a layer of reality, appearing on a nearby wall as though he was merely a painted image.
The sensation was uncanny, as if he didn't quite exist in three-dimensional space. He flickered in and out of sight, but this strange phenomenon did not last long. The blue-haired youth finally stood still before Romulus. He raised his hand, and the scorpion tattoo on his face twisted horribly with dissatisfaction, seeming almost alive as if it were crawling across his skin.
"Ugh, this damned Sequence Omega energy curse..."
Mozilan spat out in anger:
"Whoever created this Omega energy, I'll throw their soul into the deepest part of the Star Abyss to make sure they never escape!"
"Please, Lord Mozilan, remain calm. Once Master returns, we will launch an attack soon, and we will be sure to solve your problem."
Romulus hurriedly tried to calm the young master's emotions.
Mozilan clenched his fists. With a slight exertion, the surrounding air seemed to tear apart into pixelated fragments, as if it was breaking into pieces like a mosaic.
Sequence Omega energy, that legendary force of calamity—even the weakest Sequence Omega energy, when used with intelligent refinement, could unleash a world-shaking effect.
The first generation of [Mutants] had pursued Sequence Omega energy, but for their descendants, it was often a curse rather than a blessing. Due to the mutated genes of the previous generation, the offspring of [Mutants] were often deformed and grotesque—either mentally deficient or genetically ill. The lucky ones, with no major issues, were often ordinary talents at best. The hyperactive genes made them incapable of pursuing other paths.
They were left with no choice but to follow the same path as their parents, never seeing any opportunity for personal glory.
Mozilan was no exception.
The Sequence Omega energy inherited from his father had been more of a curse than a blessing, making him prone to illness since childhood. Even after reaching adulthood, he struggled to live normally.
He couldn't even swing his arms freely. Unlike his father's near-divine powers, Mozilan's slightest mishap could confine him into the two-dimensional realm.
[Remaining Moon] was an exceptionally dangerous Omega energy—its danger wasn't aimed outward, but at its very user, causing severe self-harm.
"This power... the name is fitting: 'Remaining Moon.' A broken moon that can never be whole again. I can't even use my own hands properly."
Mozilan cursed.
The essence of the Omega energy Remaining Moon was akin to treating the real world as editing software—modifying spatial layers and surface structures like digital graphics.
Simply put, it involved localized dimensional control.
Taken to its extreme, it could teleport an entire galactic fleet over vast distances, turn matter two-dimensional, or seal an entire planet within a sheet of paper.
This Omega energy had many practical uses, such as eradicating pollutants or dangerous viruses, and rendering certain disputed regions harmless. Using its ability to modify dimensions, it could also provide absolute encryption for certain secret items during transportation.
This was precisely why Li Aozi coveted this power: with a swipe of Remaining Moon, he could 'edit out' the data within his colonized body, making it undetectable to any device.
However, Remaining Moon was ultimately a 'residual' entity, fundamentally different from a complete full moon.
The deadly flaw of this high-risk Omega energy was that, regardless of its level of development, it had to be activated by the user's hands.
As a result, no matter how refined it became, [Remaining Moon] always harmed its user first.
Mozilan had faced the worst of it. As a [Mutant] descendent, he'd battled with out-of-control Omega energy since childhood. He couldn't do anything with his own hands—even needing assistance for mundane tasks. A single wrong move while sleeping could erase his organs. For years, he had to bind his hands every night just to fall asleep without fear.
At this point, switching to a different path was impossible. His only choice was to master the Omega energy, develop it, assimilate it, and force it into submission.
Li Aozi had been observing all of this quietly.
Such problems plagued every [Mutant] family. It was partly why [Dominator] path families rarely developed into large legacies. This adverse effect could easily ruin family dynamics—especially when parents, being accomplished transcendents, felt guilty for what they had inflicted on their children, leading them to spoil them excessively.
Such behavior only made the children even more spoiled.
If it were ordinary Omega energy, it wouldn't be a big deal. A fight might break out, at worst someone might die—but in the vast universe, that wasn't much.
However, with Sequence Omega energy involved, things became serious. Ordinary Omega energy typically caused minor damage, mostly sparing the user. Sequence Omega energy, on the other hand, often resulted in regional catastrophes, likely affecting one's own family.
Mozilan's tone still sounded immature. Though he was at Delta tier, his behavior was still childishly petulant, clearly showing his father's indulgence.
Li Aozi wasn't in a rush to act—[Remaining Moon] offered almost no counterplay opportunities in its early stages, requiring caution.
Fortunately, their conversation had provided him with some information.
Mozilan's father, nicknamed 'Remaining Moon,' led a group of more than a dozen Gamma-tier followers, all originating from the notorious Moras Star.
Moras Star was an independent planet, notorious as a criminal haven. Though it was a tax haven and a transport hub that attracted outside investors and the wealthy, it remained filled with a mix of fugitives, resulting in a paradoxical blend of high crime rates and soaring GDP.
On Moras Star, one was either a millionaire or a murderer and thug. The disparity was extreme.
'Remaining Moon' seemed to be a well-known gang leader. Apart from his Gamma-tier [Dominator] path followers, he had his own fleet and dabbled in interstellar piracy, including assassinations and robberies. He was a figure who thrived in both black and white sectors.
Leveraging his two-dimensional ability, Remaining Moon's fleet came and went like the wind, living freely for a long time. If he had laid low for a while, breaking into Zeta tier to dominate a region, he could have been considered a warlord.
Truthfully, when the time came for him to reach Kappa tier and return from Star Abyss, he might have become a local overlord.
However, as Li Aozi had gathered, the offspring of [Mutants] were rarely fortunate. Mozilan's situation had deeply troubled Remaining Moon. With his wife's early death and immense guilt towards his son, Remaining Moon spoiled him even more, hoping to remove the Sequence Omega energy curse.
At some point, he'd heard rumors that on White Candle Star in the Crystal Tower civilization, there were studies related to Sequence Omega energy, and that a relic from a previous civilization could lift the Remaining Moon curse.
Perhaps it was just a rumor, but to a father desperate to save his son, it was worth grabbing even if it meant potential doom. He dove in headfirst.
Three years ago, he led his troops and colonized troopers to infiltrate Trevilla, aiming to steal data, seize that relic, and perhaps make a fortune on the side.
When their plan was exposed, he chose to detonate the troopers, killing a large number of innocent civilians and students.
[Oh? So there's more to this story?]
Li Aozi grew more excited as he listened to their conversation.
Who would've thought that White Candle Star harbored such secrets?
[So the Higgs field was installed because of your family. I knew there was no reason for a magic civilization to be prejudiced against the Dominator path.]
Eating popcorn while listening to drama was indeed enjoyable.
After a while, finding nothing else of value, Li Aozi pondered how best to leverage this newfound information.
Reporting it was, of course, an option, but it would definitely alert the target.
A Zeta-tier going all out could easily cause a massacre on White Candle Star, an educational planet. Li Aozi wouldn't be surprised.
A Kappa-tier powerhouse descending onto a planet would require time—time to compress his power to avoid destroying the planet's ecosystem.
That time would be enough for a Zeta-tier to accomplish many things.
It would be best to draw the snake out of its hole, to lure Remaining Moon himself...
[Oh, right! I'll use this.]
Li Aozi quickly formed a plan in his mind.
Romulus departed first, and just as Mozilan was about to leave, Li Aozi suddenly sprang into action, tearing the air with Resonance Force, instantly teleporting behind Mozilan.
[Calamity•Curse]
Mozilan reacted quickly, trying to slip into the two-dimensional realm at the first opportunity. But in that moment, his supply of Omega energy—was cut off.
"How is this possible—"
Gravity Distortion!
With a flick of his wrist, Li Aozi twisted space and time using gravity combined with Resonance Force, trapping Mozilan within a chaotic temporal current.
"Who—are you—"
Battles between Omega energy users were all about seizing the initiative. Once the opponent was allowed to act, it would easily devolve into a turn-based battle of spells.
As a master of his craft, Li Aozi knew this all too well.
Boom!
"Female mortal."
He stomped down on Mozilan's spine. The strength provided by [Bloodline] crushed Mozilan's vertebrae instantly. Mozilan lacked the specialized abilities like [Stubborn Resolve], and though his [Charisma] was high, he couldn't resist Li Aozi's forceful suppression.
"Damn it—who are you?!"
"Good question. Your grandpa Duzexin is here."
Without mercy, Li Aozi extended a blue neural tendril from his palm, stabbing it into Mozilan's neck:
"Say goodbye to your curse!"
[Ability Capsule Activated]
[Extracting enemy's transcendent gene...]
[Omega energy extracted from target]: [Sequence Fifty-Six•Remaining Moon]
[Rating]: Omega Sequence (Ω, Final Greek Letter)