My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel Chapter 435 - 436: The Gradually Awakening Human Race

The small frame of Little Lizi trembled ever so slightly.

Fear clouded her gaze as she stared at Gu Xing, whose appearance was as ethereal as a phantom, yet she forced herself to find her resolve.

Even though this ghostly brother looked frightening.

She remembered that it was this very person who had brought her father back to life, and her gratitude quickly drowned out her natural terror.

So, even though the prospect of confronting those two horrific Demon Race lords terrified her to the point of tears.

She squeezed out every bit of her strength to ask for his path to power.

Gu Xing lowered himself slowly, gently lifting the delicate but courageous girl into his arms.

She felt weightless, smelling of the mine's grit and the biting cold.

"Are you not afraid?"

Little Lizi gave a firm nod at first, but then, as if trying to bolster her own heart, she shook her head with all her might.

"I... I believe in the Divine Envoy!"

In response, Gu Xing shook his head slowly.

Leaning toward the girl's ear, he whispered in a tone meant only for her:

"I am no Divine Envoy. I am merely an ordinary person, just like you."

"I have simply been fortunate enough to grasp a certain... Power."

To Little Lizi, those words were like a thunderous explosion shattering her simple reality!

An ordinary person?!

A human just like her?!

How was that possible?!

Could an ordinary person truly be translucent?

Could a normal person slay that monstrous Demon Race warrior in a heartbeat?

Could an ordinary human make her deceased father breathe once more?

Little Lizi stood frozen, her wide eyes swimming with confusion.

Her entire understanding of the world had been flipped upside down.

For her whole life, the Demon Race had been seen as invincible and supreme.

Yet now, a being who could wipe out a Demon Race lord in an instant was telling her...

He was just an ordinary man?

This revelation was like a beam of sunlight piercing through the heavy darkness that had long crushed her spirit.

If...

If even ordinary people could wield Power...

Did that mean...

That she, her father, and everyone trapped in these mines might one day...

Stop being slaughtered like cattle by demons?

Could she also... find the strength to protect those she loved?

Gu Xing watched the fire ignite in the young girl’s eyes and gave a subtle nod of approval.

He had spoken those words with intent.

Rescuing a group is a simple task, but teaching them how to stand on their own feet is the true test.

He could not be their guardian forever, and his time in the Demon Abyss was limited.

The only sustainable path was to leave behind the legacy of a Beast Master.

To do that, he needed to find a leader possessed of a firm spirit, bravery, and hope.

The grown miners had failed to impress him earlier.

It was this child, Little Lizi...

Who had displayed the true mettle of a leader.

Gu Xing then turned his attention away from the girl toward the anxious adults.

If they turned out to be nothing more than a hopeless rabble...

Luckily, the bravery shown by Little Lizi acted like a pebble dropped into a silent pond, creating a ripple effect.

"Even... even Little Lizi has the guts to go. How can we grown men hide in fear?"

"The worst that happens is death! After years of being crushed, we might as well go down swinging!"

"That's right! With the Divine Envoy backing us, there's nothing to fear! Let's take the fight to them!"

Low, gritty whispers of determination began to circulate through the crowd.

Voices echoed one another until their terror was buried under a long-dormant courage that finally burst forth.

The way they looked at Gu Xing shifted from desperate pleading to a sharp, fierce resolve.

Seeing this change, Gu Xing finally nodded, satisfied.

The stubborn spark of the Human Race had not been fully extinguished yet.

The elder miner also seemed to reach a final decision at that moment.

Taking a heavy breath, he stepped toward Gu Xing and offered a profound bow:

"Divine Envoy, the tunnels of this mine are known to me. Allow me to guide you! Little Lizi is too young; don't let her be frightened by what's ahead."

Gu Xing nodded, setting Little Lizi down gently and ruffling her hair:

"Stay here and look after your father."

With that, the group began their descent toward the mine's heart.

Meanwhile, inside Gu Xing’s Beast Taming Space.

Long Qingyan, the Little Dragon Maiden, was pacing back and forth, her dragon tail twitching with nerves.

She had nearly shrieked when Gu Xing first laid out his plan to her!

She was painfully aware of her own limits!

With her Dragon Race bloodline and Talent, she felt capable against Monarch Level foes, but these were Totem Level!

They were two entire Realms above her!

And he wanted her to take them down instantly?

How was such a feat even possible?!

A wave of panic and regret washed over her.

She cursed herself for not being a better student back on Dragon Island.

Why had she spent all her time being lazy and playing around?

If she had only mastered the Law Body—the ultimate technique of the Dragon Race—back then, she wouldn't feel so powerless now.

Furthermore, she could feel Gu Xing's unshakable, cool emotions through their temporary Contract.

This only served to make her more frantic.

Was Gu Xing putting too much faith in her?

What if she slipped up?

Wouldn't that lead to everyone's demise?

Gu Xing felt Long Qingyan’s dread, yet he offered no words of comfort.

Nor did he mention that his own Talents, like Sovereign and Soul-devouring, could massively boost her combat effectiveness.

He needed her to endure this stress!

Long Qingyan was already manifesting faint Law ripples, standing on the very edge of Awakening the Dragon Race's peak skill...

He had to push her to cross that threshold on her own!

Before long, following the miner's lead.

Gu Xing threaded through the twisted, stinking corridors of the mine until they reached a colossal subterranean cavern.

The area was flooded with light from glowing Demon Crystal Stones embedded in the walls, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and Demonic Qi.

A massive clearing sat in the center of the cave, packed with tens of thousands of skeletal, vacant-eyed Human Race miners.

They huddled together like sheep waiting for the knife.

At the far end of the clearing stood a tall dais constructed from Demon Stones.

Upon that platform sat two entities radiating a crushing, suffocating pressure.

These were the two Totem Level Demon Race commanders!

They appeared to be in the middle of a serious discussion.

"The Demon God has given the word; the Demon Abyss legions will soon invade a new world!"

"The front lines are demanding more Demon Stone! We must increase production here by thirty percent!"

One of the Demon Race leaders declared.

The other leader chuckled darkly, dismissively waving a claw:

"Do not fret! We have plenty of these two-legged sheep to spare!"

"Starting tomorrow, add five more hours to their shifts!"

"If one group dies off, just bring in another batch from the other pits! The army's needs must be satisfied!"

"Hmph! So be it!"

"Once production rises, you and I will surely gain favor with the Demon God."

Following their decree, the voice of a Monarch Level Demon Race overseer boomed across the cavern:

"By the lords' command! Effective immediately, the workday for all miners is extended to twenty hours!"

"Anyone caught slacking—dies!"

This announcement sparked immediate chaos among the masses.

Twenty hours?!

That left almost no time for rest or sleep!

It was a death sentence designed to work them into their graves!

Muffled sobs and groans of hopelessness rippled through the crowd, but years of being broken had left them without the will to even shout their protest.

"Hmph!"

The Demon Race leader on the platform let out a cold snort, releasing a wave of terrifying aura.

The noise vanished instantly, leaving behind nothing but a heavy, graveyard silence.

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