Shackles of Humanity

The Nanzhao Kingdom launched its offensive before dawn. The thunderous roar of cannons was incessant as the group finally gathered, preparing to escape the fortress that was about to fall.

Leaving the underground bar, Luo Kai looked up. Wisps of grey mist still lingered in the sky, visible only to him. The people beside him were completely unaware.

This reminded Luo Kai of a famous scientific experiment—the renowned double-slit experiment. To put it simply, microscopic particles exhibit two different states depending on whether or not they are being observed by a human. It was as if the particles had thoughts and consciousness, as if they were omniscient and omnipresent. When there was no observer, they existed as wave functions. But the moment they ”knew” someone was watching, they would immediately exhibit only their particle nature.

This was the truly terrifying part. The Material World people saw was only what the particles allowed them to see. No one knew what the world truly looked like.

The double-slit experiment had led people to doubt the very reality of the world. The existence of Dark Matter also lent credence to this doubt. Dark Matter accounted for 80% of the total matter in the Cosmos, which meant the world of Dark Matter might be the true reality—a reality humanity knew nothing about.

Gao Gang and the others had already planned several escape routes. One was to climb the mountain peak that Ironwood Castle was built against. At the summit was a small airfield. The Nanzhao Kingdom had long since bombed it, leaving it pockmarked with craters and littered with the wreckage of fighter jets, but that wouldn’t hinder their escape. Since it was not yet dawn, the group crept down from the summit like a line of ants.

When it was time to part, Gao Gang hesitated, as if wanting to say something more. In the end, he pulled a large handgun from his waist and handed it over. ”Xiaoluo, this is called the Desert Storm. It’s custom-made and very powerful. Keep it as a souvenir.”

”Thank you.” Luo Kai reached out and took it. The gun was much larger and heavier than a standard handgun; an ordinary person would have trouble lifting it with one hand. It reminded him of the famous Desert Eagle from his past life.

Hongyun hesitated for a moment before taking out a Genetic Potion filled with a pale blue liquid. ”You might really need this,” she said, ”so I’m giving you one. When you have time, focus on your Meditation and Cultivation. We Elemental Masters are different from Martial Artists. You can practice some simple Body Techniques to strengthen your body, but there’s no need to delve too deeply into them.” Before he could refuse, she pressed it into his hand.

Luo Kai was touched. He opened his mouth, but not knowing what to say, he could only manage another ”thank you.”

Black Bear came over and clapped him boisterously on the shoulder. ”Xiaoluo, I don’t have anything to give you, but when you come to the Dongyuan Kingdom, I’ll treat you to some fine liquor!”

”Sounds good.” Luo Kai nodded, then leaned close to Black Bear’s ear and whispered, ”I think I’ve figured out a way to get rid of your... smell.”

”Really?!” Black Bear exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

”I’ll look into it when I get back, and we can give it a try next time we meet,” Luo Kai said with a smile. The truth was, the putrid smell on Black Bear was a physical manifestation of Evil Energy. Removing it shouldn’t be too difficult. However, this was a battlefield, and there was far too much Evil Qi around. It would be troublesome if he caused the Evil Qi to run rampant again. Besides, Evil Energy had its pros and cons. It could significantly boost a person’s courage, even amplifying their Power and speed. For mercenaries like them who frequently fought for their lives, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

After they parted ways, Luo Kai headed toward a remote mountain range, away from the smell of gunpowder. Along the way, a pretty face kept flashing through his mind, making his blood race. He broke into a run, going faster and faster until he became nothing more than a blur.

The feeling of sprinting at full speed through the wilderness was like being a bird soaring through the sky. It was an ultimate sense of freedom, unrestrained, as if he could roam Heaven and Earth at will. Gradually, his feet left the ground entirely as he began leaping directly between the trees. With just a light push, he could glide seven or eight meters...

He had no idea how long he’d been running. Endless, overlapping mountain ranges still stretched out before him, and they were starting to look familiar. Luo Kai stopped and looked around, scratching his head. ’It looks like I’ve been running in circles.’

It was all too easy to get lost alone in this boundless sea of trees. He racked his brain for what little he knew about wilderness survival, trying to get his bearings as he walked.

After about an hour, he once again caught the scent of gunpowder. The woods ahead seemed to have been the site of a fierce battle. They were riddled with bullet holes, and there were bodies everywhere. Judging by their uniforms, they were all soldiers of the Nanzhao Kingdom. Luo Kai skirted this section of the forest and headed southwest. He hadn’t gone far when a faint, intermittent sobbing, almost too quiet to hear, reached his ears.

Luo Kai frowned and stopped. He looked up into the dense canopy, where he could faintly make out a human figure hiding. After a moment’s hesitation, he leaped lightly into the branches.

Squatting in a narrow hollow of the tree was a woman dressed in black. She had an oval face, ear-length short hair, and a pair of phoenix eyes that were red and swollen. It was none other than the young female soldier, Yue Han. ’Talk about a small world,’ he thought.

Seeing her tear-streaked face and how she was trying so hard to suppress her sobs, Luo Kai actually felt a sense of satisfaction. The urge to scare her was too good to pass up. He concealed his presence and crept along the trunk. When he was right beside her, he whispered in a raspy voice, ”Got you!”

The young soldier was scared out of her wits. Without even daring to look, she scrambled out of the hollow in terror. The moment her feet touched the branch, her legs gave way, and she plummeted downward.

Only then did Luo Kai see that her right leg was covered in blood. She was clearly badly injured. He immediately leaped down after her. In midair, his arm shot out and grabbed her.

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, the young soldier suddenly whipped out a pistol and pulled the trigger. The distance was too short, and they were both still in midair. Even with his reflexes, Luo Kai couldn’t dodge completely. He twisted his body just enough to protect his vitals. A ruthless glint appeared in his eyes as his other arm shot out, clamping around her neck. The skin was soft and smooth to the touch, and he was suddenly reminded of their first encounter. The killing intent that had surged within him vanished.

BANG! The two of them hit the ground together. Yue Han cried out and went limp in his arms.

Luo Kai glanced down at his left side. A bullet was lodged in the outer layer of his skin. His skin, modified by Evil Energy, was incredibly tough; the bullet hadn’t managed to pierce it. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of delight, but that turned to teeth-grinding anger when he looked at the person in his arms.

But the young soldier had already passed out from the pain. Her leg had been injured to begin with, and then she had fallen from the tree. Although Luo Kai had absorbed most of the impact, she couldn’t withstand the agony of the landing.

Luo Kai felt helpless. ’If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have scared her,’ he thought. What was he supposed to do now? He needed to keep moving, but he couldn’t just leave her here. After pondering for a long moment, he had no choice but to pick her up and walk in the direction where he could sense flowing water.

He came to a small stream and laid her down on the bank. Tearing open her pant leg, he saw that her slender calf was a bloody mess, with a bullet lodged in the bone. The wound was severe. If he didn’t treat it soon, she would probably lose her leg.

Luo Kai had some experience treating wounds, but he had no Anesthesia. He wasn’t sure if she could handle the pain. First, he tore a strip of cloth and tied it tightly around her thigh as a tourniquet. Then, he built a fire, pulled the tactical knife from his waist, and held it in the flames. Once the tip glowed red, he prepared to extract the bullet.

The moment the searing-hot tip of the knife touched her skin, Yue Han snapped awake. Her first instinct was to throw a punch at Luo Kai.

Luo Kai caught her arm. ”I’m taking out the bullet,” he said. ”If you want to lose your leg, keep moving.”

Yue Han finally recognized him. Seeing her leg almost completely exposed, she flushed with a mixture of shame and anger. ”It’s you! You’re the bastard from before!”

”If you want to keep that leg, you’ll listen to this bastard.”

Luo Kai couldn’t be bothered to argue. He picked up a nearby stick, placed it by her mouth, and said coldly, ”Bite down.”

Yue Han froze for a second, the situation dawning on her. She realized the bastard was actually helping her. With an indignant huff, she bit down hard on the stick, her cheeks puffing out and her eyes glaring fiercely, as if it were Luo Kai himself she was chomping on.