Chapter 315: Chapter 240: Cross-Ocean Lock-On, Three Brains Sever the Tribulation Thread (Part 2)

「Across the ocean.」

Inside a secret room, culture dishes lined the walls. Brain tissues could be seen floating within each one, suspended in nutrient fluid. Signal tubes pierced the brains, linking them together and converging on a single chair in the very center of the room.

A mass of wires and tubes ran into the chair, while another set of wires extended from the chair and connected to Dr. Beretta.

The Brain Domain Matrix, the chamber for the Descent of the Gods!

"Hm?!"

Suddenly, Dr. Beretta, who had been controlling Hoffman’s body with his eyes shut, snapped them open and stared at a point above him.

He was looking at a metal wall, one that not even a nuclear strike could scratch.

But right now, he could see a fine, red thread imbued with an ominous aura passing through the steel wall and creeping toward his body.

Beretta didn’t try to dodge. Or rather, he couldn’t. How could anyone evade a Tribulation that had already latched onto them?

「Back in the banquet hall.」

"Found you."

A sharp glint flashed in Yi Beidou’s eyes as he looked to the west. He had a faint sense of his target’s location. The distance was too great, making even the Tribulation’s lock on him vague. But as he got closer to the right area, the sensation would sharpen until he had a perfect lock.

There was no escape!!

’A Tribulation? Interesting. Very interesting.’

Beretta watched the thread attached to his body, his face devoid of any panic.

He closed his eyes again.

One of the brains in its culture dish suddenly began to glow. The nutrient fluid around it churned as if boiling. Within the light, a flickering image appeared, as though it were a window into another world.

The images were all of a young man who looked remarkably similar to a younger Dr. Beretta.

Something incredible happened.

The blood-red thread attached to Beretta trembled, then changed course, connecting instead to the glowing brain.

The next moment...

POP!!

The brain suddenly burst apart like a scoop of silken tofu.

The blood-red thread that had been connected to the brain trembled, its light flickering uncertainly.

’One isn’t enough?’

Beretta muttered to himself.

A second brain began to glow, then it too exploded. Then a third.

After the third brain burst, the now-faint blood-red thread suddenly snapped and vanished completely.

Dr. Beretta had used three brains from his Brain Domain Matrix to bear the Tribulation in his stead, deceiving fate itself and severing the connection.

However, this also meant he could no longer use Descent of the Gods on Hoffman’s body for the time being. In the future, he would have to be extremely cautious when using the technique against Yi Beidou, lest one careless move expose his location.

The intelligence from Japan was likely lost now. In his last clash with Yi Beidou, he had gained the upper hand. This time, he had failed.

The young man had kept his word.

’The Power of Tribulation... it’s surprisingly potent. To establish a connection with me from across the ocean without any auxiliary equipment... This young man’s power is growing too quickly. Was this part of your plan as well, Wandering Immortal?’

Dr. Beretta muttered to himself, a contemplative look on his face as he sank deep into thought.

’If this Power of Tribulation could be properly harnessed, it would be a formidable weapon. It might even be able to ferret out those other entities hiding in the shadows.’

’It seems I’ll have to study it carefully.’

"Whether you like it or not," Dr. Beretta said, "perhaps you and I are destined to work together one day."

Though the two had never met, their clash across the ocean was a perilous, back-and-forth struggle.

「Meanwhile, back in the banquet hall.」

Freed from Dr. Beretta’s control, Hoffman’s eyes rolled back into his head and his body slumped to the floor.

Normally, the chip in his brain would have activated, but it had been disabled by Yi Beidou’s Demon Flame.

Yi Beidou, however, showed no sign of joy. Instead, his brow furrowed slightly.

Just a moment ago, he had felt his Tribulation Sense sever. He had clearly locked on to his target, but only moments had passed before the connection was cut.

’This person’s methods are not to be underestimated,’ Yi Beidou thought. ’He won’t be easy to deal with.’

’Still, I’ve accomplished my goal for this trip. I need to deal with this man and the chip in his brain quickly.’

FWOOM!!

He snatched Hoffman up by the neck, the man’s large frame feeling weightless in his grasp. The burning Demon Flame distorted the light and magnetic fields around him, and he vanished on the spot.

In the lavishly decorated banquet hall, nothing remained but fallen socialites, shattered glass, and spilled expensive wine.

「The Donghua Embassy in Japan.」

The man in charge, Ambassador Wen, hadn’t had his phone stop ringing all night. In fact, ever since Yi Beidou had shown up in Japan, the ambassador hadn’t had a single day of rest.

Although Yi Beidou was no longer a Donghua citizen, he still had deep ties to the country. His actions in Japan would undoubtedly put the embassy under immense pressure from both Japanese officials and the general public.

Yi Beidou’s recent disappearance had caused a considerable stir, and he had to tread carefully when dealing with inquiries from both Japan and his home country.

In just over ten days, he had already lost about five pounds.

And just a short while ago, he had received even more explosive news.

The Emperor and Japan’s top leader were very likely dead, and their deaths were probably connected to Yi Beidou, who had been missing for days.