Manipulative Harem God

[When are you leaving, host?] It was a whisper, but it cut through the silence like a blade.

"Leaving?" Zhang Wei muttered, his voice barely audible as he chuckled to himself. "Not happening today." His words were a defiant proclamation, a challenge to fate itself.

His hands began to glow with an eerie white light, and in an instant, a double-edged axe materialized within his grasp.

The air seemed to hold its silence as Zhang Wei's eyes fixated on the Celestial Reaver.

He inspected it with the meticulousness of an artist examining a masterpiece.

The axe, in stark black, possessed a blade surface that shimmered under the soft caress of moonlight.

Yet, a strange transformation was afoot; crimson veins bulged and pulsed on the axe's handle, as if it hungered for the touch of his skin, drawing power from his very being.

!!

A sudden, palpable drop in his vitality seized Zhang Wei's senses, making him acutely aware of the cost of wielding this formidable weapon.

But just as swiftly as the darkness threatened to encroach, a torrent of newfound strength surged through him, emanating from the Celestial Reaver.

In that exhilarating moment, Zhang Wei's eyes ignited with a fierce excitement.

His veins surged with newfound vigor, and he felt the unmistakable surge of power coursing through his veins.

[IT'S NOT ENOUGH, HOST. YOU WOULD STILL DIE!] The system's ominous warning echoed in his mind, a haunting reminder for his lack of strength.

Unfazed, Zhang Wei's response was tinged with a wry defiance. "If you're so inclined to save me, protect me at the last moment and execute your earlier plan." He spoke with a measured resolve, then with unwavering determination, he swung his axe toward the shimmering barrier, a declaration of his intent to challenge destiny.

Whoosh!

*Boom!* The impact reverberated through the chamber, causing the ethereal barrier to ripple like a disturbed pond.

A hairline fracture appeared in the otherwise impenetrable shield.

With an agile grace born of desperation, Zhang Wei seized the opportunity and leaped through the opening.

As Zhang Wei burst inside the barrier the air was thick with tension and a sense of despair lingered.

His eyes widened in sheer disbelief as the grotesque scene unfolded before him.

Lian Shen, stood ruthlessly imposing torment upon Wu Xue, leaving her on the verge of unconsciousness, her once vibrant face now drained of color.

In the midst of this nightmarish tableau, Zhang Wei's gaze darted to the other monk, He Ming, who sat in a state of mortal agony, desperately attempting to heal himself.

A gaping wound on his shoulder bore witness to the recent brutal onslaught.

It was He Ming who first noticed Zhang Wei's presence, but Lian Shen remained oblivious to the impending peril.

He Ming was on the cusp of uttering a word when he suddenly witnessed a malicious smirk dance across Zhang Wei's face.

In a swift motion, the axe cleaved through the air, its deadly trajectory aimed directly at him.

*Shua!*

He Ming's cry of disbelief and horror was cut short.

"W-Wh—" He Ming's mouth gaped wide with shock, but his weakened state left him no more formidable than a mere mortal.

Under He Ming's horrified gaze, the axe's gleaming blade closed in on his neck, severing it in a brutal, unforgiving stroke.

*Thud!*

The head fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

The last sight etched into He Ming's fading consciousness was a vision of sheer horror, witnessing his own demise flash before his eyes.

The abrupt change in the atmosphere snapped Lian Shen's attention away from his cruel activities.

He turned to face the unexpected intruder with a mixture of anger and surprise, his voice laced with irritation. "Who are you!?"

His eyes slowly traveled to the lifeless body of his disciple, lying decapitated on the ground, and a chilling stillness overcame him.

"He Ming!?"

Wu Xue, who had been subjected to torment, fell to the ground alongside the others as Lian Shen's control over the talisman was broken.

With a swift, almost graceful movement, Rose sprang forward, catching the unconscious Wu Xue before she could crumple to the ground.

"Finally.." She heaved a sigh of relief, her eyes locking onto Zhang Wei, giving him a faint nod of gratitude.

Zhang Wei's gaze remained locked on Lian Shen, his eyes piercing like daggers.

He could only imagine the horrors that these monks might have inflicted upon his little secretary.

For a brief, haunting moment, an ethereal aura seemed to leak from Zhang Wei, causing Lian Shen to feel an inexplicable chill, goosebumps prickling his skin.

It vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Lian Shen questioning his senses.

"I see... So you are their leader," Lian Shen muttered in realization, a mixture of understanding and trepidation coloring his tone.

Suddenly, Lian Shen's demeanor shifted, and he let out a dark, ominous laugh. "Since they won't tell me about their plans, I should just ask you! So, what vile scheme are you planning to unleash chaos upon this land?" With a determined step, he advanced several meters closer to Zhang Wei, ready to confront the new intruder.

Zhang Wei's eyes narrowed, a sneer playing on his lips. "He was your comrade, yet you value my secrets more than his life?" He jabbed a hypocritical finger towards the lifeless form of He Ming, sprawled in a pool of crimson.

Lian Shen turned to behold He Ming's lifeless body, his eyes flickering with a hint of bitterness before he shook his head in a display of staunch conviction. "We are warriors of the temple. We serve and are willing to lay down our lives for its cause!"

The words were a testament to the unwavering allegiance he held for the temple!

"Fanatic," Zhang Wei muttered to himself, his grip on the Celestial Reaver tightening.

The axe seemed to respond to the surge of anger, its aura pulsating with spiritual energy.

Lian Shen's eyes narrowed, an edge of concern flickering across his face. "You wield a cursed weapon!"

"What of it? Your blood will cleanse its taint," Zhang Wei announced defiantly, his resolve unyielding.

!!

With a burst of determination, he advanced swiftly, eyes locked onto Lian Shen, ready to strike and seize the element of surprise.

Lian Shen's gaze remained steady, a mask of unsettling composure concealing any unease.

But just as Zhang Wei was about to unleash his assault, a sudden, blinding flash erupted before his eyes, plunging his vision into an ominous darkness.

!?

Zhang Wei's world spiraled into chaos, quite literally.

As he stood in the midst of the confrontation with Lian Shen, an abrupt shift in reality shattered his senses.

Darkness enveloped him, and his surroundings took on an eerie, hypnotic quality.

It was as if he had plunged into a nightmare where the boundaries of his existence were unraveling.

Whoosh!

A sudden, disorienting sensation gripped Zhang Wei. He felt himself being drawn inexorably toward a mesmerizing vortex at its center.

The darkness relented, yielding to an explosion of light that drenched his vision. However, this time, the world had transformed in ways he couldn't fathom.

He was no longer grounded but suspended in mid-air, and the Earth below him seemed to have shrunk to minuscule proportions.

The people he had known, including Wu Xue and Rose, appeared as mere ants scurrying about.

The thrill of newfound flight coursed through him, but it was short-lived.

His elation was marred by an unsettling revelation.

There, on the ground, he saw himself, locked in combat with Lian Shen.

The sight sent shivers down his spine, and he stammered in disbelief. "W-What!?"

His mind spiraled once more as he floated closer to the surreal battlefield.

To his shock, he encountered an exact replica of himself, engaged in a fierce struggle with Lian Shen.

*Boom!*

The Celestial Reaver's blade struck, but it was effortlessly deflected by Lian Shen. Helplessness washed over Zhang Wei as he watched him losing the battle he himself wasn't even fighting.

'What is happening?' he wondered, his bewilderment deepening.

His gaze shifted to Wu Xue and Rose, their worried expressions heightening his sense of confusion.

In that bewildering moment, Zhang Wei grappled with the inexplicable nature of his surroundings.

It was as if he had been thrust into some ethereal astral plane, an observer to his own defeat.

And then, a chilling realization seized him.

He was no longer in control of his own body.

Some mysterious force had taken the reins, and he was relegated to the role of a bewildered spectator in this twisted, otherworldly confrontation.

The sudden realization sent a cold shiver through Zhang Wei.

This was a situation he hadn't even remotely anticipated.

The prospect of someone impersonating him in such a dire situation was an ordeal he couldn't fathom.

Even with the many women in his life, this was a nightmare unfolding.

"Damn, what is happening! System!? Do you have any idea?" Zhang Wei yelled in desperation, but his voice fell into an eerie silence, leaving him stunned and helpless.

He halted for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm his frayed nerves, attempting to gather his thoughts.