Shackles of Humanity

The giant bird in the sky saw that Luo Kai was trying to escape into the river. The Nili Long River, nearly a hundred meters across, was still narrower than the creature’s wingspan. It flapped its wings again, tilting its body and diving downward. Its pair of brilliantly colored wings bloomed with a pale golden light, like a magnificent Colourful Cloud about to land.

Luo Kai’s skin prickled as his body suddenly stopped, slamming heavily onto the ground. He felt as if the Space around him had been Frozen, rendering him unable to move an inch.

Just as the strange bird’s enormous talons were about to sweep down, his vitality blazed. He swung his blade forward in a slash, pouring all his Power, his very Essence Qi and Spirit, into this one strike. The Severing Blade once again condensed a nearly two-meter-long black Sword Aura. With a sharp CRACK, the intangible, Frozen Space was sliced open.

He shot forward and plunged headfirst into the Nili Long River. The water above him sizzled incessantly as steam filled the air. The giant bird, venting its frustration, had unleashed a blast of fire into the river.

The giant bird flapped its wings and soared back into the sky. To it, this human was just a slightly larger bug. Killing him would be ideal, but it was no great loss if it failed. The creature was unwilling to let the filthy water soil its feathers.

Luo Kai swam downstream with the current, sneaking his head above the surface every so often. He didn’t climb ashore until he reached the coast. He gently laid the two girls he was carrying on the bank. They had been knocked unconscious by the powerful Fierce Beast’s Mental Suppression. Their breathing was stable and their lives weren’t in danger, but their hair and clothes were curled and singed from the intense heat.

They awoke a short while later, both a little dazed. To them, the earthquake felt like nothing more than a bad dream.

Xiaozhuo stood up, looking around in confusion. ”Big Brother, what happened? How did we end up by the sea?”

Luo Kai let out a soft sigh and told them what had happened.

Only then did the two girls realize it hadn’t been a dream at all, and tears immediately welled in their eyes. Xiaozhuo collapsed to the ground, sobbing inconsolably until she could barely breathe.

Luo Kai didn’t know how to comfort them. The earthquake had been incredibly strong. For ordinary people, survival was a matter of pure luck, and the odds were slim.

Erya wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up. ”Uncle, my father and my brother are still in the city. I have to go back and save them.”

Luo Kai shook his head. ”We can’t go back now. We don’t know if those two Fierce Beasts have left.”

The words had barely left his mouth when he saw a dark cloud drift in over the sea. He saw clearly that it wasn’t a cloud at all, but countless strangely shaped flying birds, each much larger than a normal seabird. They were flying toward the land in a massive, dark swarm.

Luo Kai’s expression changed. He hurriedly pulled the two girls into hiding in a patch of nearby seaweed.

...

The Xingma Kingdom suffered a massive attack by Fierce Beasts. In a single day, two Complete Form Fierce Beasts brought about the Destruction of three human cities, all of them populous Commandery Cities. What followed was an innumerable horde of different Fierce Beasts and mutated creatures, some flying in from the sea, others emerging from the Mist Mountain Range. In an instant, more than half of the Xingma Kingdom’s territory fell. This nation, peaceful for nearly a century, had become a hunting ground for Fierce Beasts.

The other human Lordship Kingdoms reacted with incredible speed. The first to provide support was the Jingnan Army from the Dongyuan Upper Country, which was responsible for the Central Combat Zone. Ten thousand Sky Warriors rushed to the Xingma Kingdom’s capital, Jinlan Prefecture. Simultaneously, the Dongyuan Upper Country’s Mechanical Science Academy used transport planes to urgently deliver several giant cannons capable of firing High-Power Weapons to aid in the defense.

Only High-Power Weapons could threaten a Complete Form Fierce Beast, but they were only effective for defense, not offense. This was because Complete Form Fierce Beasts stood at the apex of evolution on Earth. They possessed an extraordinary ability to sense danger, instantly detecting anything that posed a threat to them—the legendary instinct to seek good fortune and avoid calamity.

Moreover, their bodies were incredibly tough, and few things in the world could harm them. They could achieve a full Recovery from any injury in a day or two. Flying-type Fierce Beasts could travel a thousand miles in an instant, making them impossible for technological weapons to lock onto. Other types of Fierce Beasts had their own formidable strengths. Once they advanced to the Complete Form, they would all possess the Ability to control the Heaven and Earth’s Great Power—for example, triggering earthquakes, controlling hurricanes, or conjuring severe cold.

In the hundreds of years of war between humans and Fierce Beasts, the number of Complete Form Fierce Beasts killed could be counted on one hand. Each instance required five or six powerful Body Masters fighting in concert with High-Power Weapons, and even then, a great deal of luck was needed. If a Complete Form Fierce Beast was determined to escape, the chances of stopping it were practically zero.

With two Complete Form Fierce Beasts now in the Xingma Kingdom, the land was considered completely lost. There was no longer any possibility of humanity taking it back.

...

As evening fell, Luo Kai led Xiaozhuo and Erya, carefully sneaking toward Longyang City. They saw many strangely-shaped mutated creatures, which Luo Kai did his best to avoid, only killing them when there was no other choice.

The path was littered with overturned vehicles, collapsed buildings, and corpses that had been picked clean. Now, he finally understood that between humans and Fierce Beasts, only one could survive in this world.

The closer they got to the city, the more mutated creatures they encountered. Luo Kai stopped. If he were alone, he could fight or flee as he pleased. But with two young girls who had never experienced combat behind him, he couldn’t guarantee their safety if they ventured deeper and attracted a swarm of mutants.

Xiaozhuo’s face was already pale with fright. Though terrified, she was even more worried about the safety of her family. Seeing him stop, she asked cautiously, ”Big Brother, what’s wrong?”

Luo Kai said in a low voice, ”I’m going to find a safe place for you two to hide. Remember, do not make a single sound.”

Xiaozhuo opened her mouth to speak, but seeing Luo Kai’s stern expression, she didn’t dare say a word. Erya was more mature. She knew that if they tagged along, they would just be a burden, not only useless but also a distraction for him. She took Xiaozhuo’s hand and whispered, ”Listen to Big Brother.”

On the outskirts of the city, Luo Kai found a basement that was still intact. He placed the Insect Mother’s Insect Pupa inside and instructed them, ”As long as you hide in here, you’ll be safe. No matter what happens, do not leave.”

Just as he was about to leave, something occurred to him, and he pulled the Military Dagger from the sheath on his calf. He had rarely used it since acquiring the Severing Blade. His fighting techniques stemmed primarily from the Mighty Dragon Fist, and he was deeply influenced by its core tenet of overwhelming enemies with raw Power. After comprehending the Azure Wave Force, he had focused all his efforts on maximizing that Power. A Military Dagger, however, required techniques based on dexterity, which didn’t suit his current fighting style.

He handed the Military Dagger to Erya. ”Erya, if you run into real danger, use the Mighty Dragon Fist techniques I taught you for channeling your Power. Don’t be afraid. For humans, the biggest factor in combat effectiveness, besides physical condition, is willpower. As long as you conquer your Fear, you can fight with many times your normal strength.”

Erya took the Military Dagger and nodded firmly.

Luo Kai slipped away, lowering his heart rate as he crept toward Longyang City. The city was filled not only with mutated creatures but also a fair number of Fierce Beasts. They weren’t High Rank, however; most were Growing Stage Fierce Beasts, equivalent to human High-level Martial Artists. They were extremely territorial. If another Fierce Beast entered their area, they would bare their fangs and snarl a warning. If intimidation failed, they would launch into a vicious battle.

Fierce Beasts, like humans, were highly intelligent. They didn’t blindly expand their populations like animals. Instead, each one would occupy a territory, essentially farming the creatures within it to maintain the balance of the local food chain.

In the past, to all other life on the planet, humanity had been like a God, with the power to kill and plunder at will. Now, the Fierce Beasts had taken that role.