Void Beetle Evolution Guide

"Thank you for your help. I will definitely find a chance to repay you in the future." Riven turned back to thank Wild Hunt, then hurriedly left the Soul Well.

"Then it's time for us to leave." After watching Riven leave, Wild Hunt also planned to retreat with Cassiopeia.

Just as he was about to tear through space to leave, Wild Hunt seemed to remember something, took a few steps to the well, and peered down.

Thresh, an old acquaintance, was still hanging himself from the inner wall of the giant well with his scythe, concealing his presence and trying not to attract attention. This time, Wild Hunt spotted him; their eyes met, and he inwardly knew something was wrong.

"Oh? So there's one survivor here. Since you didn't go down with the undead, I'll send you on your way."

"If you dare throw me into the underworld, I will surely return one day!"

The desperate warden spouted nonsense on the spot, saying that the underworld was such a wretched place that there wasn't even a living person in it, so how was he supposed to have fun? Torturing the dead was nothing compared to torturing the living.

Seeing the Wild Hunt grinning as he drew the Ruined King's Blade, Thresh suddenly fell silent again. Because this sword truly could annihilate his soul, he had no choice but to swallow his anger. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)

As long as the green hills remain, there's no worry about running out of firewood. Being banished to the underworld is better than death; if you lose your life, then it's truly the end.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you scared? Don't think that I can't do anything to you once we're in the underworld. I'll play with you slowly after I finish what I'm doing."

Wild Hunt swung his sword and severed the chain connecting the Spectral Scythe. Thresh immediately cried out in agony as he fell into the miasma vortex and was completely swallowed by the underworld.

Now, this persistent ghost won't be able to cause trouble for quite some time. As for why he wasn't killed on the spot, it's mainly because Thresh is the person who knows the Shadow Isles best.

The island still holds many secrets and treasures that have yet to be discovered. Without finding someone familiar with it to understand, it is possible that even after a thousand years, the hidden value of the Shadow Isles will not be fully realized.

"Now that this matter is settled, let's go."

Wild Hunt casually tore open space and left the Soul Well with Cassiopeia, leaving Swain and LeBlanc standing there staring at each other.

Their eyes clashed, neither of them concealing their murderous intent.

This was their weakest period. Swain, having lost his demonic powers, felt he could easily control LeBlanc, while the Blessed Water given to him by the Wild Hunt was like poison to LeBlanc. Mordekaiser was already gone; if she killed him here as well, then Noxus would be hers to command from now on.

Their gazes clashed so intensely they almost sparked a flame, but a few seconds later they both looked away simultaneously.

The Wild Hunt asked Swain to use the Blessed Water to heal Nera. If they didn't prioritize completing their mission and instead hindered each other from doing so, the Wild Hunt would take his anger out on them, and neither of them would have a good time. Even if they were unwilling, they would have no choice but to give up.

Clearly, the Wild Hunt deliberately kept them around to keep them in check.

……

Just like when she arrived, Riven boarded a Noxian troop transport ship and embarked on her journey home. The difference was that this time, instead of being enslaved and locked in the hold with lizards and man-eating bipedal dragons, she was assigned a room all to herself.

The capital's port was bustling with activity, teeming with thousands of soldiers clad in iron armor and bearing red thorns, along with countless quartermasters, armorers, cooks, builders, repairmen, priests, and blacksmiths supporting the army's logistics. All were boarding massive troop transports, preparing to unfurl their scarlet sails, extend their sturdy oars, and embark on their transoceanic voyage.

Dressed in burlap and without any armor, Riven stood out from the Noxians around her. Under their strange gazes, she walked all the way until she sat on clean bedding. Riven couldn't believe that she had been assigned her own room among so many people. This treatment felt like a dream.

She also owes a great debt to that person, who not only saved her life but also helped her overcome difficulties, allowing her to get past many unreasonable officers and board the ship home in just half a day.

"It will take at least six or seven days to get to Philol." The voices of soldiers talking came from the doorway, catching Riven's attention.

Chapter 780 Nightmare

"It will take at least six or seven days to get to Philor." The sound of soldiers talking came from the doorway, catching Riven's attention.

“You’ve been to the battlefield,” one of the recruits asked excitedly, “Tell me quickly, what is Ionia like?”

“That’s a beautiful land, a land of death,” a deep voice sighed, sounding quite experienced. Riven agreed; for Noxus, the Earth Spirits of Ionia were an unimaginable enemy.

"The whole of Ionia is just a giant jungle bird with a beak cut off its head," another veteran said. "We cut off its head last time, and now it's just scratching around and struggling blindly, refusing to admit that it's dead."

“Even without a head, they can still rip your guts out,” Riven thought to herself, disagreeing.

The soldiers carried crates filled with tools, stone, and timber away from the gate. This mobilized army wasn't there to attack Ionia; their main purpose was to repair the ruins of the Philo Isle fortress.

That happened after she was taken back to Noxus. She heard that the fortress had been completely ripped open, and the once impenetrable defenses had crumbled. What remained on the ground now looked like a pile of charred, broken teeth.

The damage extended beyond the walls and towers; the entire island itself was disintegrated, torn apart, and fragmented, as if it had been struck by some rare natural disaster.

Even the largest warships were split in two, like a blow to the knee. The wreckage required massive winches to pull from the water, and the sea was littered with the pale, bloated remains of the drowned.

And all of this stemmed from a witch who had awakened.

Riven secretly hoped that Ionia could defeat Noxus, but when she heard about that terrifying power, her resolve began to waver. Regardless, she didn't want the war to continue.

Although Noxus's repair of the fortress was a preparatory step for an attack on Ionia, there seems to be no immediate concern. The High Priest appears to be focusing on developing the Shadow Isles and may not take action against Ionia during his term.

After the initial excitement came endless exhaustion. The previous experience had kept Riven on edge, but the moment she touched the bed, she immediately relaxed and began to drift off to sleep. Even the occasional footsteps of metal boots and the noise of cargo being moved outside the door couldn't disturb her; she lay on the bed, her eyelids drooping incessantly.

Although she knew she couldn't possibly sleep for seven days straight, she still hoped to wake up to see the coast of Ionia; she couldn't wait to return to her second home.

I heard that the Spirit Blossom bloomed not long after she left. I wonder if her adoptive father was able to see his adoptive mother's spirit and their son who died in the war, so as to comfort his soul in heaven.

……

A deep unease evolved into a familiar nightmare. You Mei, I'm not busy, you Lin are here, aren't you...

Riven pulled one foot out of the mud, trying to prevent the mud from sucking her boots away, but she was only halfway there. She hopped a few steps on one foot, bent down to pick up her boots, and trembled all over, feeling as if the whole world was against her.

"Will this rain never end?" she complained to her sisters, the youngest of the four, whom the others called "little sister."

“Bear with it, they say they have a way to break the deadlock,” Tinef said. “Amyst has hired a Zaunite, and he has some new weapons. If we can escort these weapons to their destination, we should be able to break the Navori Brotherhood.”

“Really? But something doesn’t seem right with Amyst’s people,” Ariel said. Amyst was the leader of another chapter, escorting weapons alongside Riven’s chapter.

Following Ariel's gaze, Riven noticed that the carriage they were escorting was filled with fragile amphibian jars. She couldn't imagine what use such things would have on the battlefield, while the neighboring regiments remained silent on the matter.

“The rain is getting heavier, it’s impossible to travel through the night. How about when we set up camp later, I sneak into the carriage and see what they’re up to?” Unlike the others, Marit was born into nobility, and she joined the war not only to make a name for herself, but also for fun.

“I’ll go talk to Amystine and distract her.” “I’ll protect you from the wind.” “I’ll go with you.”

The four sisters made up their minds, but things didn't go as planned. As the battle group set up camp, a storm triggered a massive mudslide that cascaded down the mountain.

"Quick! Forget the car, grab the pottery jars and get to higher ground!" Amystine ordered, and the soldiers hurriedly carried the pottery jars to the woods on the other side of the hillside.

However, the clay pots severely slowed their pace, and apart from Amystine who ran fast, most of them were overtaken by the mudslide and trapped in the forest along with the clay pots.

"The earth is punishing us invaders!" Riven clearly saw the shape of a human face emerge from the churning mudslide, uttering a silent, angry curse before dissolving back into it.

It seemed as if countless hands were moving through the mud and water, so they had no choice but to climb the tree, clutching the pottery jars and holding tightly to the trunk, to face wave after wave of mudslides.

Just then, a group of figures appeared on the hill. They were the Navori Brotherhood, all wearing black iron masks and straw hats, light armor and raincoats, and carrying various swords, many of which gleamed with magical light.

The Ionians charged down the mountain, moving freely through the mud. The two warbands were ambushed and, lacking home-field advantage, the tide of battle turned rapidly; they fought with all their might but could not prevail.

Riven called for help from Amystine, but they were unaware of their location. In the pouring rain, Riven saw Amystine's people open fire, burning arrows rained down, and then the clay pots exploded.

This betrayal caught Riven off guard. The magic on her greatsword shielded her from the scorching poisonous mist, but others were not so lucky.

They were set ablaze like torches, their bodies engulfed in green flames. The scent of earth was masked by the pungent poisonous gas, and screams filled the night sky.

Amidst the raging flames, Riven stared blankly at Amystine in the distance. The torrential rain seemed to wash away her disguise, and a pale face gradually became etched in her mind.

LeBlanc!

Riven woke up with a start, but it was as if she had never escaped the nightmare, and once again saw LeBlanc's hateful face.

"It's you!" Riven roared. The shaking beneath her indicated that the troop transport had started moving, but LeBlanc had somehow entered her room and bound her limbs with black and red chains, trapping her on the bed.

"Shh." LeBlanc put a finger to her black lips to silence you. "Don't make a sound or move. I'm just asking you a few questions, and I'll leave after that."

Chapter 781 Curious LeBlanc

Upon discovering that LeBlanc had broken into the room and locked her limbs, Riven, who had been half asleep, was instantly wide awake.

"Evil wizard! What do you intend to do to me now? Aren't you afraid he'll come after you?"

"I didn't hurt you, what can he say?" Since Riven had already seen her face, LeBlanc felt there was no need to hide it anymore, but she still set up a barrier to block out sound.

She followed Riven all the way here, and only made her move after confirming that Wild Hunt wasn't there. Once she'd done it, she'd done it; as long as she wasn't caught red-handed, it wouldn't be so easy for Wild Hunt to settle scores with her later.

"Haven't you hurt me enough? You ruined my life, and all my scars are your doing. You impersonated Amyst, you orchestrated everything!" She struggled fiercely, ignoring the thorns of the chains that tore at her skin.

LeBlanc paused for a moment, then corrected, "To be precise, it wasn't me, but one of my sisters. She's still active in Ionia, and she was the one who orchestrated the events at Fortress Feral."

This explanation did not quell Riven's hatred. Looking at that pale face, the nightmare resurfaced in her mind. Overwhelmed with anger, she could not calm down and became hysterical and out of control.

"I don't care! You'll pay with your life!!!" As Riven struggled harder, the chains binding her limbs groaned as they gradually broke.

A hint of surprise flashed in LeBlanc's eyes. When did Riven's power become so great? Could this also be one of the Wild Hunt's schemes?

She sneered, her interest piqued even more. With a slight twitch of her fingers, more chains were coiled around Riven's body.

"You have no chance of escaping from me." LeBlanc's dark lips parted slightly, and the chains wriggled and tightened, once again binding the enraged Riven to the bed. "Tell me, what did you get from him?"

I don't know what you're talking about!

"Don't you know? Don't you know your own body? This power is something no ordinary person can unleash."

LeBlanc left Riven speechless on the spot, but judging from her innocent look with gritted teeth, she clearly hadn't thoroughly examined the secrets of her own body.

“What a boor. Fine, I’ll figure out your secrets myself.” With that, LeBlanc extended her jet-black fingers. Her lich body was not immortal; these withered, black fingers and her gradually darkening skin were proof of the deathly aura emanating from her.

LeBlanc usually uses a thick layer of gold powder to cover her withered, dark fingers, as if she's plated them with gold leaf, but her overall darkened skin tone isn't so easy to conceal. Fortunately, if someone doesn't know her, they wouldn't immediately associate her with the Pale Lady based solely on her appearance.

"What are you going to do?" Riven watched as the golden finger got closer and closer, thinking that the other party was going to take her life, and tried to move her cheek away so that she wouldn't be touched.

LeBlanc watched this unfold, snorted coldly, and changed direction, reaching her fingers towards Riven's neck.

She remembered that Wild Hunt had placed his hand on Riven's neck, and that Wild Hunt had done something similar to her before, with his hair-thin tentacles burrowing into her neck, only to give up because she was dead.

LeBlanc came here to investigate what the Wild Hunt intended to plant in her—a shackle or power? If so, what kind of power did it possess? That thing she missed was something she truly cared about.

Dark magic seeped into Riven's neck, suffocating her as if sealing her throat. Upon investigation, LeBlanc discovered something seemed to be buried within Riven, but she couldn't pinpoint its exact location.

To get a closer look, she pulled aside Riven's clothes and saw a breast wrap tightly bound with layers of white cloth. Desperate to uncover Riven's secrets, she untied the breast wrap without a second thought, revealing a pair of shockingly large breasts.

"I didn't expect you to be so shrewd," LeBlanc said with a hint of sarcasm, even though she knew Riven was only doing this to prevent her swaying breasts from hindering her movements.

LeBlanc examined the chest from head to toe but found nothing unusual. Her fingers then continued to search downwards.

Riven, unable to bear this humiliation, shouted, "What exactly do you want?!"

"Aren't you curious about what he did to you? You suddenly have so much power out of nowhere, aren't you afraid of paying a price for it?" LeBlanc coaxed Riven, trying to get her to cooperate, but the latter couldn't hear her at all.

All I know is that he saved me!

"There's no such thing as a free lunch. Every gift of fate comes with a price tag attached."

"Don't assume everyone is like you. You're just jealous that I got something you don't deserve!"

LeBlanc's expression changed slightly, and she immediately bound the chains around Riven's mouth. Although she was patient, she was also a vengeful person. If she let Riven continue to shout like this, she feared she might not be able to resist strangling Riven to death.

"It's much quieter now." LeBlanc continued her examination and finally found a strange mark on Riven's palm. "Too clever by half, it's in such an obvious place. I thought it would be well hidden."

This mark does not belong to any known writing system, and even with LeBlanc's experience, she could not recognize its origin. However, its shape suggests that it is some kind of pictographic symbol, but it is not as complex as a totem.

"What does this mean?" Just as LeBlanc was deep in thought, the mark suddenly twisted and swirled like a vortex, generating a strange suction force that seemed to devour her vision.

Looking at the eerie vortex, LeBlanc felt a chill run down her spine, as if a thousand needles were pressing against her scalp. She instinctively turned her head away, and the next moment, a beam of purple light shot out from the vortex, grazing past her head.

LeBlanc quickly turned around, but the light that she dodged did not disappear; instead, it opened a spatial rift.

A gigantic hand tore through the void, rapidly enlarging before her eyes. In that instant, she saw the details of the hand; the palm lines were as lifelike as the scales of a moth's wings, and then it seized her in one swift motion.

"Dishonest woman, you dare to lay a hand on my people after I just warned you? Don't you value your life?" Wild Hunt's voice came from the crack in space. The voice contained divine power and echoed in layers throughout the room, almost collapsing the soundproof barrier set up by LeBlanc.

"How...how did you find out?" LeBlanc's eyes were filled with disbelief. She had been as discreet as possible; had the Wild Hunt's attention never left Riven? Or had she triggered the mark? (The last part, "你梅我想梅咏空你林在在没...", is a nonsensical string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

Chapter 782 The Discovery of LeBlanc

"Didn't you already find out? Those who bear the mark are like my eyes. You're doing this right under my nose, and you expect me not to notice? How is that possible?" The Wild Hunt's voice was slightly mocking, and the giant hand gripped LeBlanc even tighter, the seams of the bones creaking.

He indulged his perverse sense of humor, listening to LeBlanc's painful yet alluring moans in his hands, as if he had found an interesting new toy. This kind of self-righteous woman was the most fun to train.

"As I suspected, you didn't give this power without a price." LeBlanc was still stubborn, clinging to her unfounded conjecture. She believed that the Wild Hunt had placed an extremely vicious curse on Riven, and that Riven herself had luckily escaped unscathed.

"So what? You've only found a few clues and jumped to conclusions. If I told you that Riven's performance was less than one percent of her full potential, would you go crazy with jealousy?"

"How could that be?! You're exaggerating!" LeBlanc summoned chains to bind the giant hand's five fingers, attempting to pry it open. However, she was still recovering from severe injuries sustained in the battle, and her strength was reduced to less than one-tenth of its former value, making it impossible for her to shake the Wild Hunt's giant hand.

She didn't believe that Wild Hunt could simply leave a mark and increase the overall strength of an ordinary person by hundreds of times, or that he would make such a large investment in a stranger for no reason.

If such a good thing exists, why doesn't she deserve it? Just because she's unlucky? Her life was robbed by Mordekaiser, and she was deprived of a tremendous opportunity.

She didn't choose to become like this. Wild Hunt was right, she was just jealous, which is why she refused to believe it was true.

"Don't believe me?" Wild Hunt sneered, but he didn't let Riven slap her in the face on the spot. Doing so would not only drive LeBlanc crazy, but Riven herself would probably be terrified.

"Knowing full well that you're doing this, it seems I have to teach you a lesson." The Wild Hunt held LeBlanc in his large hand, as if he were holding a giant Barbie doll.

The Wild Hunt treated LeBlanc the same way he had treated Riven. His thumb scurried across LeBlanc's body, quickly stripping her clothes off and exposing her firm breasts to the air.

“Oh, I thought you’d smear some gold dust on here, but it’s as black as your heart.” Wild Hunt teased LeBlanc’s breasts with his fingernails, trying to pry the two dark purple nipples. But given the vast difference in size, the nipples weren’t even as thick as his large fingernails, and they were incredibly painful to touch.

"I see that you, pale lady, still retain your charm, but there's an unmistakable stench of decay about you that makes one lose interest."

If you walk on the shore often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet. Even if LeBlanc thought her chastity was worthless in the face of absolute power, she couldn't help but be wantonly played with by the Wild Hunt, let alone have the whole thing witnessed by a pawn, leaving her utterly humiliated.