The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns Chapter 342: Freedom

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I quickly walked around, finding the others making their way toward us. Bloodclaw looked exhausted, leaning on Merneith and Peperina for support. My sister and her boyfriend were unharmed, emerging from the forest with their weapons and armor covered in blue blood—they had been slaying Ice Beasts the entire time.

“Ah, Master! I did my best today. I even achieved a new transformation… Did you happen to see it?” Bloodclaw asked, shuffling to my side.

“I caught a glimpse with my Heavenly Senses, yes,” I nodded. “You’ve grown remarkably fast, Bloodclaw. Well done! However, you overdid it today, so it’s time to rest, alright?” I kissed her lips, and she responded by licking my face several times.

“Yes, yes, I understand…” she nodded, hugging me tightly. “Can’t we cuddle together in my nest?”

“Hahaha, maybe, but not right now, alright? There are a lot of things we have to do first,” I said.

“Don’t be selfish, Bloodclaw. You have to share her with us too…” Merkite said, glaring as she bared her sharp canine teeth.

“Grrr… But I called for cuddles first!” Bloodclaw hissed like an angry reptile, her large tail slamming the ground.

“Now, now, calm down, you two. No fighting,” I said. “Merkite, be nicer. Bloodclaw, you too.”

“Fine…” Merkite sighed. “But don’t let her manipulate you, dear. She loves hogging all your attention…”

“Hmph! Perhaps Bing Xue prefers beautiful, scaled women like me over fur-covered creatures,” Bloodclaw mocked.

“Hey! Don’t say stuff like that, geez,” I facepalmed. “Or I’ll punish you, hm? Do you want to be punished?”

“P-Punished?” Bloodclaw panicked but then grew oddly excited. “W-What kind of punishment…?”

Ah, yes, her logic is a bit backward. Even with everything, she’s still villainous and rather ruthless…

Okay, I know what to do.

“If you don’t behave and act nicer with everyone, you won’t get any cuddles,” I said. “Nor will I… uh, give you love at night.”

“Eeeh?! B-But…” Bloodclaw looked crestfallen. “I… I concede then… It’s not like I can fight against that…”

“Wow, she gave up quickly, huh?” Merkite raised an eyebrow.

“Now apologize to Merkite. She’s also my wife, and she came before you. I love her very much too,” I said, patting Merkite’s hips and kissing her lips lovingly. “See? I love her dearly, so please never insult those I love, okay?”

“Okaaaay… I… apologiiiize…” Bloodclaw took a while to say it, but she managed.

“Alright! Anyway, too many distractions. We should quickly announce the big news to the population or… wait, maybe the System will handle it?” I wondered. “Hmm! Oh, yes, there it is, everyone. Look at the skies!”

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[The Tower God of Floor 3 {Insect Queen of the Frozen Lands} has been slain by Players: [Bing Xue] and [Icebloom]!]

[The {Curse of Eternal Winter} that permeates the World of Floor 3 has been dispelled.]

[The Bright Sunlight reawakens the Bloodline within the surviving Red Ants, helping them regain their {Blazing Red Flame} Innate Ability.] 

All over the world of Floor 3, the ants gazed at the blue skies, the bright sun, and the lush jungles and forests, now free of snow, which lingered only atop distant mountains.

The insect people gasped, realizing that the days of slaving under Winter’s Reign were over. Frost Ants suddenly felt weaker beneath the sun, while Red Ants, still carrying the Blessing of the Sun, regained their fiery powers and fought back against their oppressors.

Revolution spread across the world. Knowing the evil Ice Queen was dead, the Red Ants—descendants of the last survivors of the Eternal Winter that wiped out over 90% of the population—rose up.

Fathers, young children, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and grandfathers united, using their numbers and reawakened fiery powers to clash against the Frost Ants’ Dominion.

The surviving Winter Generals, realizing their goddess was dead, panicked and fled into the Tower, abandoning their world and subjects to whatever fate awaited them. 

Meanwhile, in the Anthill where Bing Xue and her family had arrived, she was addressing the citizens after rebuilding their homes and introducing Icebloom and Coldpincers, explaining what had happened.

The people were mostly speechless. The arrival of a Player capable of slaying gods, coupled with two Winter Generals betraying the Queen to help Bing Xue kill her, was a shocking revelation.

Some could scarcely believe it, arguing that they were lying, while Bing Xue did her best to assure them that everything was the truth, projecting images from her mind through her Domain to show what had transpired. 

“Icebloom has inherited the Divine Fragment of the Ice Queen, while I slew her Avatar earlier, taking the other half,” Bing Xue explained to the crowd. “This means that this world is virtually godless, but at the same time, it has two people who possess fragments of its divinity.” 

“W-What does that mean, Lady Bing Xue?”

“Does that mean we’re free?”

“Or… under new management?”

“Please, we need to know!”

“Is the nightmare finally over?!” 

The crowd was restless, but Bing Xue remained silent, letting Icebloom step forward to deliver her carefully prepared speech. 

“Yes, the nightmare is finally over, everyone… Although I possess a part of the Queen’s divinity, I do not intend to rule this world or force everyone into another eternal winter. I will use these powers to protect this world and its people and to make amends for everything I did wrong before…” Icebloom sighed. “The other Winter Generals fled, but I will not. I will remain here with my brother.” 

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