Shackles of Humanity

Images of simple, rustic smiles flashed through his mind, but now they were all corpses. The fury in his heart erupted like a volcano. His heartbeat quickened, his body temperature soared, and in an instant, his eyes turned blood-red.

The violent rage intensified his Qi and Blood Surge Ability. It was as if a Singularity had exploded in his mind, or as if some shackle Binding the human Spirit and consciousness had been unlocked. His mind began to expand outward, every change in his surroundings perfectly clear to him. The sensation was like becoming a human radar. Countless subtle fluctuations from the environment flowed into his mind, where they were continuously collected and synthesized, ultimately forming a three-dimensional image.

The image of a black-clothed lookout hiding on the eaves ahead appeared clearly in his mind. Luo Kai slithered down from the tree, landing on all fours and moving without a sound. With his mind clearer than ever, he drew upon all the methods of concealment from his past memories. Unconsciously, he began to use the Body Techniques of a Snake-man, his body twisting and coiling as he crept forward, just like a man-eating viper waiting in the shadows to strike.

Luo Kai crawled onto the eaves, the fish spear in his hand silently Piercing the black-clothed man’s chest. He then crawled toward another target. The night became his best cover. His powerful mental Perception gave him a Prophet’s Insight, and the dozens of black-clothed men in the fishing village became his prey.

The great fire devoured the village houses one by one. The fishermen had all been slaughtered. The leader of the black-clothed men began to whistle, signaling a retreat. Only when he saw men were missing did he realize what was happening. ”Enemy attack!” he roared.

The words had barely left his mouth when a gunshot rang out. A black-clothed man beside him fell backward, a bloody hole appearing in his head. The other men dove for cover.

The gun fired again. Another black-clothed man’s head exploded, splattering brains and blood everywhere. The hunter had become the hunted.

The deadly gunshots were like the footsteps of the Death God, ringing out from the left one moment and from the rear the next. Each shot heralded the death of another black-clothed man. Within moments, five of them were dead.

Fear spread among them. The black-clothed men could no longer maintain their discipline. They became paranoid, firing wildly in every direction. Amid the chaotic gunfire, some scrambled for cover while others scattered and fled.

Luo Kai crouched behind a collapsed wall, a long rifle in hand. It was similar to a WWII-era Mauser, a bolt-action rifle that required him to work the bolt before each shot. The magazine held only five rounds, and he was currently trying to figure out how to reload it.

This was the first time he had ever held a gun, but the rifle felt like an extension of his own body. His superhuman physique and mental Perception made him a born marksman of the highest caliber.

Now that all the lookouts around the village were eliminated, he would change position with lightning speed after every shot to avoid taking concentrated fire. This was a battle of endurance and patience. The Qi and Blood Surge was incredibly draining, especially during a life-or-death struggle that demanded such intense focus. He had to consciously maintain his racing heartbeat to ensure enough Energy was delivered to all parts of his body.

After reloading, Luo Kai forced his heart to beat faster and moved out again, hunched over. With his powerful, radar-like Perception, he was aware of the slightest change in his surroundings. He naturally made micro-adjustments for airflow as he fired, and his physique was such that the rifle’s recoil and vibrations were negligible.

The darkness didn’t affect him in the slightest; he could even shoot through obstacles. If this were a video game, it was like he was using a cheat engine. The black-clothed men had become nothing more than helpless targets.

...

The leader of the black-clothed men hid in a cellar. A collapsed beam burned just above his head, the heat starting to singe his hair, but he didn’t dare move. Facing this phantom sniper, the normally calm leader’s eyes were now filled with nothing but Fear. He had watched his men die one by one without even catching a glimpse of the mysterious shooter. ’Why would such a minor mission attract such a terrifying enemy?!’

A long time passed without another gunshot. The only sound was the CRACKLE of the flames. The Silence was terrifying.

A man wearing glasses was also hiding in the cellar. The silent Fear had shattered his will. With a deathly pale face, he muttered, ”It has to be him... He’s not human. He’s an Evil Ghost from Hell!”

The leader turned his head. ”The vagrant you mentioned?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

As soon as he spoke, a face appeared at the cellar entrance above—a face mostly melted by intense heat. The leader raised his gun and fired. BANG! BANG! The face was blown to pieces. His eyes, however, were locked on the oval object that followed it down. It was a hand grenade.

...

Waves of dizziness washed over him. Luo Kai dropped his rifle and slowly sank to the ground. He was covered in blood; the capillaries all over his skin had Burst under the intense pressure. The Qi and Blood Surge had given him the physical prowess of a Superman, but it had also completely drained him of all his energy.

After a long while, the red faded from Luo Kai’s eyes and his heartbeat returned to normal. He picked up the rifle, using it as a crutch to stand. Amidst the surrounding sea of fire and mountains of corpses, he searched for any possible survivors. He kept searching until dawn broke, but found no one.

In total, there were twenty-three bodies belonging to the black-clothed men. There was nothing on them that could prove their identities—only daggers and firearms.

Looking at the ruins before him, he no longer felt anger, only a profound sense of desolation.

A dark cloud drifted across the sky, making the air feel heavy and oppressive. It was broad daylight now. After a short rest, he dug a large pit beside the village and buried the fishermen together. Chinese tradition values a proper burial for the peace of the soul; he hoped they would find rest in death.

He returned to his home at the village entrance. The small yard was smashed to pieces, and his simple wooden hut had been reduced to a pile of black ash. Nearby, Old Huang lay covered in blood.

He rushed forward to check on him. A bullet had torn a massive hole in Old Huang’s stomach, and his intestines were spilling onto the ground. Even so, he was still breathing. Sensing his master’s presence, the dog let out a low whimper, his eyes filled with a desperate desire to live.

A pang of sorrow shot through Luo Kai’s heart, and tears finally began to stream down his face. ”Old Huang,” he whispered, ”hang in there. I’ll save you.”

He carefully tucked Old Huang’s organs back inside his stomach. Then, remembering something, he pulled a needle and thread from his pocket. He had borrowed them yesterday to mend his clothes; now, he would use them to stitch up Old Huang’s wound.

Perhaps it was a sign from heaven. When Luo Kai finished stitching the wound, Old Huang’s breathing slowly began to even out.

He carried Old Huang into the forest, settled him down comfortably, and then hurried up the mountain to look for medicinal herbs.

Old Huang’s Life Force was unbelievably resilient. Two days later, his wound was already showing signs of Healing. At the same time, a row of fine black scales had appeared on his exposed skin, much to Luo Kai’s secret amazement.

On the third day, outsiders finally arrived. They found the fishing village reduced to ruins and discovered the numerous, decomposing bodies of the black-clothed men. Soon after, large teams of people arrived to investigate the scene.

Luo Kai hid in the distant woods, not revealing himself. He was filled with distrust for the people of the Xingma Kingdom and had no desire to interact with them.