IW: Chapter 261 - Angel Queen, Kesha, and the Young and Naive Liang Bing!
"Choose a true King?!"
The words echoed through the cavernous, battle-scarred hall, striking the assembled assembly like a physical blow. Shock, heavy and palpable, rippled through the gathered nobility as every eye locked onto Bai Ye.
When these powerful regional lords had first arrived in the capital, they hadn't dared to approach the mysterious vanguard immediately. Instead, they had spent the last few days quietly gathering intelligence from the traumatized survivors slipping out of the imperial district. The reports they received were nothing short of apocalyptic: the seemingly invincible King Hua Ye had been instantly obliterated, and the elite male legions anchoring his decadent regime had been systematically massacred, leaving only a scattered handful of stragglers fleeing into the deep space of the nebula.
At first, the lords had dismissed it as absurd rebel propaganda. But standing now amidst the colossal, melted craters and fractured golden architecture of the Heavenly Palace, the physical reality was undeniable. The total, eerie absence of the royal guard confirmed the impossible.
The man standing casually before them possessed the raw, terrifying power to single-handedly overturn their entire civilization.
"You... do not wish to claim the throne for yourself?" one of the bolder feudal lords asked, his voice tight, eyes darting between Bai Ye and the surrounding ruins.
In truth, the moment Bai Ye posed the question of choosing a new ruler, a spark of intense temptation had ignited in the hearts of many lords present. The ultimate seat of power was suddenly vacant. Yet, despite the burning ambition humming through the room, not a single soul dared to step forward or voice their candidacy. They were terrified. No one could guarantee whether this terrifying outsider was merely putting on a performative display of democracy to test their loyalty, or if he genuinely had no interest in the crown.
In this new reality, Bai Ye's lack of angel wings was entirely irrelevant. With the absolute, god-like martial dominance he had laid bare, who among them would be foolish enough to object if he demanded the title of Angel King?
"If the future ruler is merely a reflection of the past, wouldn't appointing another Angel King simply invite a brand-new disaster?" Hofman interjected, breaking the tense silence.
The old Duke honestly couldn't parse Bai Ye's ultimate motives, but his own experiences had left him deeply cynical. Having watched the Angel Nebula rot under Hua Ye's tyrannical excess, Hofman genuinely believed that if the choice was between an absolute monarch and total lawlessness, they were far better off with no King at all.
He remembered a time when a young Hua Ye had first inherited the mantle from his father, the former King. Back then, his behavior hadn't been nearly so unbearable. But as the years bled on and his authority became absolute, his ambitions expanded exponentially. Or rather, the moment his terrifying power grew to a point where his darkest, most depraved whims no longer needed to be hidden from the public eye, his true, monstrous colors were fully exposed to the cosmos.
For centuries, Hofman had harbored a naive, desperate hope that the court could be reformed from within. He had been comfortably deceiving himself—until Bai Ye's arrival violently shattered his last illusions, forcing him to finally resolve to pick up a blade and resist.
"He's right," another lord murmured, nodding in somber agreement. "If the next crown simply births another Hua Ye, wouldn't choosing a successor just trap us in the exact same bloody cycle?"
The lords shifted uncomfortably, realizing that the old rules of the galaxy no longer applied. They weren't just choosing a leader; they were staring into the blank canvas of a completely rewritten future, and the man holding the brush was watching them with a calm, unreadable smile.
Initially, some people did have ideas, but thinking of Hua Ye's fate, although they didn't know if this person would act.
But no one dared to gamble.
To gamble and lose meant death, and the probability of death was quite high.
"I think it's necessary."
When everyone else's expression changed at the mention of the King, Kesha's voice rang out loudly among the group.
After she finished speaking, everyone looked at Kesha in astonishment.
A King is needed?
Who is the King?
In fact, everyone knew that a scattered group of Angels was not as good as a united one.
But who would become this King was crucial.
"I can become the King of Angels."
Kesha's eyes were like torches. After saying this, she stared intently at Bai Ye.
Actually, Kesha had no intention of becoming King at first.
But after following Bai Ye these past few days, she witnessed some ugliness and wanted to change something.
At the same time, she also had her own ideas.
Kesha was proud to the core, and she also hoped that the King of the Angel race would be an Angel.
When all the feudal lords, including her own father, were intimidated by Bai Ye to the point of not even daring to contend for the kingship.
Kesha decided to step forward herself. Although she was not qualified now.
But she had to stand up.
And after Kesha finished speaking, all the feudal lords, including Bai Ye, were somewhat surprised.
Kesha becoming the Angel King?
Bai Ye was somewhat surprised, that it was still following the path of the anime.
Having not experienced being captured by Hua Ye and a series of other events, Bai Ye originally thought Kesha would take a different path from the original.
But in the end, it was still like this.
"Who agrees? Who opposes?"
Bai Ye actually wanted to see a complete Angel civilization, not the fragmented situation it was in now.
Since Kesha still stood up and chose to become King, just like in the anime.
Then Bai Ye was happy to accept.
He really wanted to see where this wind would eventually blow.
With a destiny completely different from her original experiences, would she still be the same as before?
Moreover, Bai Ye didn't know those feudal lords at all. The First Generation Divine Body technology would definitely not be experimented with by Bai Ye's generation.
He wanted to outlive this group of feudal lords first.
The next generation would no longer have feudal lords, so these old people had already been marked for death by Bai Ye.
At the same time, even if this thing was a First Generation Divine Body, it wouldn't extend life by too much.
Who knows how many years the Second Generation Divine Body experiment would take.
So Kesha's ascension was beneficial to Bai Ye.
One was someone he was already familiar with, and the current Kesha was easy for him to control.
In the future, she would still have to rely on his technology.
Therefore, Bai Ye did not object to Kesha's ascension.
"My daughter is the Angel King?!"
Hoffman's eyes widened. He had originally thought that after Kesha said that, Bai Ye would be the first to object.
But looking at Bai Ye's expression, he seemed to be very supportive?
He had even started asking for other people's opinions.
He would definitely support Kesha becoming King. After all, she was his daughter.
Hoffman had always been training Kesha, intending for her to take over his position.
Although Liang Bing was also very talented, she was still a bit behind Kesha.
However, his thoughts didn't mean others thought the same.
So Hoffman didn't say anything, just waiting to see what the others' reactions would be.
The other feudal lords felt speechless.
In their opinion, Bai Ye seemed to be asking, but to them, wasn't this already decided?
Right after Bai Ye finished speaking, Kesha stepped forward and said she wanted to become the Angel King.
Plus, Kesha and Bai Ye had been together these past few days.
Thinking this way, it didn't seem strange for it to be pre-determined.
Hoffman really did have a good daughter.
The feudal lords looked at Kesha's beautiful face, unconsciously thinking that Kesha and Bai Ye had something going on.
And Kesha was merely a puppet put forward by Bai Ye, who would ultimately still control the Angels.
However, although they thought this in their hearts, their words were different: "We agree."
No matter how much they wanted to object, they couldn't bring themselves to say it.
"If I don't do well, I can step down at any time. I promise everyone that I will absolutely not be like Hua Ye!"
Kesha assured them.
No matter how she performed in her position, she would definitely be better than Hua Ye.
Hua Ye not only pursued extreme hedonism but also sought to eliminate all feudal lords.
The other feudal lords actually had little goodwill towards Hua Ye in their hearts.
On second thought, if it was truly as Kesha said, then indeed, just being better than Hua Ye would suffice.
Although it wasn't their first choice, it was indeed the best choice at the moment.
These feudal lords wanted to become the Angel King, but the other feudal lords were quite unwilling.
But Kesha was different. Kesha was appointed by Bai Ye. Even if there was some reluctance in their hearts, they could comfort themselves that it was Bai Ye's choice, not theirs, and they had no choice.
Finally, amidst the feudal lords' hidden agendas, the matter was settled.
And all the feudal lords also honored their previous agreement, bringing their respective Angels to the Heavenly Palace.
Unlike the extreme Hua Ye and Kesha of the past.
This time, the equal status of both sides was established, and female Angels would no longer exist as mere playthings.
Kesha's ascension indeed immediately won over the female Angels.
No one wanted to be a plaything.
...
"My becoming the Angel King is also what you wanted to see, isn't it?"
Inside the laboratory.
After the inauguration ceremony, Kesha immediately sought out Bai Ye.
Kesha knew very well that her becoming the Angel King was actually because of Bai Ye.
At that time, she simply did not possess the conditions to become the Angel King.
So she was actually benefiting from Bai Ye.
"That is indeed the case."
Quite intelligent.
Bai Ye was a little surprised.
However, after thinking that it was Kesha, Bai Ye felt it was quite normal again.
If she couldn't tell that he was doing it on purpose, then the Kesha in his mind would have to be questioned.
"It seems you have other ideas about the Angel race?"
He Xi put down the instrument in her hand, a hint of inexplicable meaning flashing in her eyes.
Clearly, Bai Ye didn't seem to be as he claimed.
"Compared to those I don't know, I think it might be better if the King of Angels is someone I know, and besides, I believe Kesha's potential is greater than anyone else's!"
Bai Ye made no effort to hide his little scheme.
Since the other party already knew, why hide it?
He hadn't intended to hide it in the first place.
Any normal person would do this, right?
After hearing Bai Ye's words, Kesha's eyes flickered, and she looked at Bai Ye with a hint of inexplicable meaning.
"You understand me?"
Kesha actually wasn't sure if Bai Ye truly understood her.
In fact, when she became the Angel King, it was simply because she saw that the other feudal lords didn't have the courage to fight Bai Ye at all.
If they didn't even have the most basic courage, why could they become the Angel King?
She wasn't without other thoughts in her heart.
For example, if Bai Ye were to do something that threatened the Angels in the future, or something she considered a threat to the Angels, she would not hesitate to expel Bai Ye.
"What do you think?"
"You understand me!"
Kesha did not hesitate at all. She had a misconception, or rather, an intuition, that he seemed to understand her very well.
From her ascension to everything now, Kesha felt as if she was a puppet controlled by Bai Ye, which made Kesha feel somewhat displeased.
It was just that she seemed to have no way to resist now.
"You still can't hide your emotions. After becoming King, you should hide your emotions, otherwise anyone can read your thoughts from your facial expressions."
"I don't need you to teach me how to be King!"
"Quite spirited, aren't you?"
Bai Ye shrugged. Kesha's expression, telling him not to lecture her, always gave Bai Ye a strange sense of cuteness.
Indeed, Kesha who hadn't gone to extremes was the best Kesha.
"I'm not spirited, but a King doesn't need anyone to teach them. From today onwards, I am the King of Angels, and that includes you; you must also obey my command!"
"I am not of the Angel race, and I am not subject to your command. Don't forget our previous conditions."
Failed at showing off, huh?
He Xi looked at Kesha with a smile. She understood now; it seemed that Kesha had been suppressed by Bai Ye all this time, and then controlled by Bai Ye to reach this point.
This probably made Kesha very displeased in her heart.
So, after she became the Angel King today, her first action was to seek out Bai Ye and try to show off.
But she didn't expect Bai Ye to not fall for it at all.
Now Kesha seemed to be in a bit of an awkward position?
"Not bad. Becoming King indeed gives you the demeanor of a King, but a King needs not only demeanor but also strength."
"I want the 0.5 Generation Divine Body. What do you need?"
Kesha was still thinking in terms of exchange.
She was pushed into power by Bai Ye.
And she also knew that to get the 0.5 Generation Divine Body, she would have to pay something.
She wouldn't just ask Bai Ye for it directly.
"The 0.5 Generation Divine Body is trash. We are already researching the First Generation Divine Body."
Bai Ye shook his head. He wasn't going to give Kesha the 0.5 Generation Divine Body.
He himself would also immediately upgrade to the First Generation Divine Body later.
Why would he want that trash when he had the First Generation Divine Body?
"That fast?"
Kesha's face flashed with surprise. She truly hadn't expected Bai Ye to have the technology for the First Generation Divine Body so quickly.
She subconsciously glanced at He Xi, and upon seeing her nod in confirmation, Kesha had no choice but to believe it.
He Xi had no reason to deceive her, and neither did Bai Ye; what reason would he have to deceive her?
"The technology given by Bai Ye."
It seems he had the First Generation Divine Body technology from the beginning?
He Xi also didn't know why Bai Ye made her research the 0.5 Generation Divine Body when he had the complete technology for the First Generation Divine Body.
Was it to test her?
"I want to strengthen the Angels' power, and I also need to improve my own. What do you need?"
"Upgrading to Divine Bodies demands an astronomical amount of energy, so there is no immediate rush on that front. What I strictly require right now is an abundant energy supply. Once that foundation is laid, I intend to establish a comprehensive information database where all angels can interface to upload and download data dynamically."
This proposed database functioned essentially like a cosmic, biological Wi-Fi network.
The underlying strategic beauty of this system was simple: as long as Bai Ye bound the entire civilization's neural network directly to his own consciousness, he effectively held the master switch. He could sever a specific node or cut off an entire faction's access at any given moment afterward.
In truth, this architectural concept closely mirrored the cosmic framework Kaisha would naturally implement during her future reign in the original timeline. When the Holy Kaisa was active, every vanguard angel under her command fought like an unstoppable god of war. This terrifying combat efficiency existed solely because Kaisha served as the central, high-powered server terminal. Every soldier seamlessly retrieved strategic predictions, tactical weaknesses, and combat computations directly through her link.
However, the moment Kaisha met her explosive demise in the future, the network crashed. Without their central terminal, the angels instantly suffered a catastrophic drop in raw processing capability and combat efficacy, their operational power plummeting across the board.
Now, Bai Ye was stepping in to permanently occupy that supreme terminal position himself.
"My expertise does not lie in high-level technology, so I confess I do not entirely grasp the mechanics of this database," Kaisha admitted, her brow furrowing slightly. "You are free to pursue whatever research paths you deem necessary. It is just... I find myself deeply perplexed. Are you truly offering to elevate our entire race completely unconditionally?"
She had already actively proposed two high-stakes trade agreements during their short acquaintance. Yet, every single time she attempted to hammer out the exact price he expected them to pay, Bai Ye casually deflected the topic. It was as if he hadn't come to the Angel Nebula to execute a transaction at all.
Kaisha was intensely curious—and naturally suspicious—about what the Lord of the Western Wilds truly desired from them.
"I have already stated my terms: I only require a relatively stable, unified research environment," Bai Ye replied with a dry chuckle, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I possess absolutely zero interest in claiming a throne, amassing wealth, or collecting beauties. My singular pursuit is pure scientific advancement. The angel race happens to possess the perfect genetic and intellectual baseline for my goals, which is why I selected your civilization."
He was internally exasperated. Why on earth does nobody ever believe me when I say I just want to conduct research?
Granted, he didn't plan on sitting down in a white lab coat and mixing chemicals himself, but he desperately needed a highly capable, localized labor force to do the heavy lifting for him. Looking across the current landscape of the Super God Academy universe, how many factions actually possessed the intellectual capacity to drive cutting-edge genetic and spatial research?
The Super God Academy itself held a portion of that talent pool, but their administration was far too bureaucratic and riddled with hidden agendas. The vast majority of the universe's premier scientific minds belonged to the Angels.
Therefore, anchoring his operations within the Angel Nebula was infinitely more cost-effective. Compared to the entrenched, manipulative directors of the Academy, the current generation of angels was far more straightforward to manage and control. They were desperate for stable technology to survive the post-Hua Ye vacuum, and he desperately required world-class researchers. Furthermore, he had already successfully bound the brilliant Hexi to his inner circle. If he had chosen to partner with the Academy instead, he would have surrendered the strategic initiative and placed himself in a passive, defensive position.
"If an elite research mind is truly what you seek above all else, I can personally recommend a prime candidate," Kaisha said, her expression softening slightly as a specific figure crossed her mind.
"Oh?" Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. "Who?"
"My younger sister... Liang Bing."