Chapter 117
/*unedited*/
Boom!!! Boom!!! Boom!!!
A loud deafening explosion thundered over the air as high caliber long-range cannons ripped over the battlefield destroying anything it hits. The smell of gun powder permeated the air as the whole area began to be covered with dust, fire and thick black smoke. The place is full of casualties on both sides, but worst of all many innocent lives are lost in this nonsensical war over pride and beliefs. The world has its eyes on this event as it was the start of a genocidal act of another country just like what has happened in many others.
A young man was sent in this war-torn place because of a mission, a mission to extract a person out of the country. The mission was sanctioned by the U.N. and is deemed dangerous and almost impossible. Hence a deliberation was done and ten names appear, these ten people have a 100% completion rate when it comes to their missions.
But out of ten, there is one among them whom the world leaders had quite a reservation to call. Though his missions are 100% completion however he is not ruthless enough and would seldom go the hard way just to finish his mission. But they could not deny that he is the perfect agent for the mission. And thus he was sent to this hell-like place.
That young man was Shin Jiao; he is currently wearing a simple cloak covering his body. As he weaves through the forest avoiding anything that could detect his presence, his figure began to blend with his surroundings.
As he moves through the woods, the voice of his master would always echo in his mind.
"Young man, you must remember to be one with your surroundings. Your breathing should blend with the air and your scent should not be masked but instead combine with your environment… and most of all is your movement. You should move like the shadows quiet and deadly."
It didn't take long before Shin Jiao was able to reach the prisoner's camp where many people are holed up like pigs in the slaughter. Shin Jiao can even see some men taking their liberty on some of the women in the cell.
"Damn animals…" he muttered.
He wanted to help but as a single individual, he can only do so much. So he decided to just focus on his mission. Shin Jiao stealthily blended in his surroundings and caught one of the guards who have the same build as he is, and then he impersonated that guard.
It didn't take long for him to find the man he is looking for. The man looks inconspicuous among the prisoners and seems to be blending with the others. When Shin Jiao appears, everyone was scared out of their wits and immediately scuttled away from him.
"You!... come with me." Shin Jiao said with the same tone and language as the guards.
The man suddenly showed a fearful appearance and wanted to rebut, but when he saw the fierce glare from Shin Jiao, he was stunned. The man unconsciously followed Shin Jiao out of the cell. When the other guards saw this they look at him in confusion.
"You guys are having the time of your life. It's my turn then." Shin Jiao casually said.
This made the faces of the guards flustered. They know that not all of them prefer women, some of them have a different preference so they just nod their heads and walk away. But the man in front of Shin Jiao began to tremble, he unconsciously tightens his butt hole and covers his behind.
Upon seeing this Shin Jiao almost laughed in exasperation. This is his only chance to save the man, so it just came out of his head.
"Sir… Sir… I'm… Please, sir, have mercy on me. I have a wife and a daughter, I don't want to die." The man suddenly begged.
Then Shin Jiao said something in a hushed tone, which made the man calm down.
The mission was smoothly done that only one casualty was recorded and that was the unlucky guard. Later, Shin Jiao discovered the man to be a great doctor and a researcher. The man is researching artificial organs and body implants.
One day when they saw each other, the man told him something that he could not forget.
"Shin, if ever you are in a bind and in need of medical help. Just call me and I will be there, I can assure you that my research can save your life… heck, I can even change any of your vital organs." These words from the man, made Shin Jiao suddenly feel shivers down his spine.
But then all of a sudden the words of the man echoed through his mind and continuously repeated itself over and over.
Then suddenly darkness permeated his consciousness and faces of all the people he has killed suddenly pops up in his mind. He didn't know why he saw that particular memory of his, and the images he is seeing now, but this time, Shin Jiao didn't feel guilty or any remorse. He just observes them calmly and without any reaction. He has already gone through these many times before and for someone who has trained himself to control his inner demons, Shin Jiao wasn't fazed by these images.
Then suddenly everything turns dark once more, and Shin Jiao heard some voices.
"Grandfather, I think he is coming through." A sweet melodious woman's voice suddenly enters Shin Jiao's ears.
"Hmm… he is still out of it. His memory should be in shambles after being hit by that ability of the second elder of the Nian clan. I didn't expect that the old man was the master of the shadow organization forming within the town of Crow." An old voice said.
Though he could not see it, Shin Jiao seems to have heard the two voices before. From where he did not know or even remember.
"By the way, grandpa, have you discovered how to use the artifacts we found with him?" the young voice asked.
When Shin Jiao heard this, his heart didn't feel worried. His guns and gloves have a fingerprint code on them. Only he can use those artifacts. He has learned his lessons from when he lost his BARRETT and would not fall to the same mistake. Without his finger and spiritual imprint, the two artifacts would be just a lump of metal in the hands of others.
"No, it seems that they are just ordinary ornaments crafted in a unique way." The old man said shaking his head.
"What!? That is impossible, we saw it clearly right? He used this thing to hit the head of the Nian clan elder with something before he was pierced with the sword."
When Shin Jiao heard this, he suddenly remembers what happened at that time.
"Wait a minute? Why is my memory still intact? I remember that before the man fell he was able to touch my head. I wasn't able to evade as my body seemed to have been locked down by his last remaining spiritual suppression. What is going on here?" Shin Jiao thought.
Then he tried to scan his body and was dumbfounded to find something which made him dumbstruck. He could not have known that this would have happened. Right now he could not use spiritual Qi once again. So he decided to use his absolute sense, though it burdens his mind.
He then saw the status of his dantian; it seems that Ding Gushan was able to use his Qi to destroy his dantian and his core. Then he scans his head and found that the energy and the spheres are in chaos. A theory enters his mind as he saw his state.
It seems that in his last-ditch of effort, Ding Gushan went for mutual destruction. His pride could not accept that his brain which contains his infant soul and the core in his dantian was shot by Shin Jiao. And so in his last-ditch of effort, he exploded his Qi which travels to his sword and destroys Shin Jiao's dantian. But his finger didn't reach Shin Jiao's head but instead, the skill broke the formation of Shin Jiao's power spheres in his mind.
Hence Shin Jiao could now see the chaotic state of the spheres. He could not imagine if he was directly hit by that ability, his mind would surely turn into mush and he will be in a vegetative state. But thanks to the automatic protection of the sphere energy in his brain, it was sacrificed so that his mind can be preserved.
"We can just try and ask him when he woke up." the young woman's voice said.
Days passed…
Though Shin Jiao wasn't able to open his eyes yet, still he continues to use his absolute sense to fiddle with the energy in his mind. He slowly strengthens and gathers the chaotic energy within and continues to try and find ways to form them back into spheres. He didn't know how many times he lost his consciousness doing this but he discovered that his absolute sense was strengthened and improved by a large margin.
Then Shin Jiao also discovers that though he has lost his dantian below his navel he can still feel the existence of the spiritual roots. And from the looks of it, they have already been inserted through every vein of his body.
With this discovery, Shin Jiao's goal now is to recover from his grievous wound and wake up.
He also noticed that it has been a while since he heard the voices of the old man and the young woman. But he didn't bother; they may have abandoned him somewhere after all he is just a stranger.
Two weeks later…
The morning rays slowly illuminated a small room where a figure lay unmoving. With just a glance one can see that the figure has suffered some grievous wounds especially his stomach. The thick tattered cloth covering it is soaked in dried blood, which has dried for a long time now.
As the golden rays from the sun slowly crept towards the figure's face until it hit his eyes, the figure stays unmoving. Then all of a sudden, the golden rays of the sun made his long lashes flicker as they illuminate his face.
As he slowly opens his eyes, the morning rays meet his sight which made him winch by the sudden assault of the bright light. Shin Jiao carefully blinks his eyes as he adjusted his eyesight to the brightness. After his eyesight has recovered, he slowly turns his gaze towards his body. Though he already knew his state he still could not help himself but look at his own body.
Upon seeing the thick tattered cloth covering his stomach, Shin Jiao could not help but let out a heavy sigh.
While sleeping he already planned everything that he needed to do and prepare. This circumstance actually is a blessing in disguise. If his plan will turn into fruition, he would not spend too much time in cultivating his Qi but only have to focus more on his physique. That way he can handle enough amount of energy that his plan would unload on his body.
"I have to return to the cave. I hope that the people who helped me didn't take anything." Shin Jiao muttered.
Then all of a sudden the door open and three figures suddenly barge in. Upon seeing this Shin Jiao could not help but turn a frosty glaze on the people who looks like they have something in their minds.
"What!? You said that the person staying here is unconscious. What should we do now?" one of the men suddenly asked with a tinge of panic in his tone.
"Don't worry, that person doesn't have any cultivation. I saw his wound when I helped them carry him here. I think he was skewered by a thick sword, and from the looks of it, his dantian is already ruined." The middle-aged woman leading the group said with a sneer.
"You are already trash. Since the old man left you with us, he only paid a weeks' time of the room rent. You owe us another week. But since you are unable to pay up, we will just take your belongings and kick you out." The woman said with a malicious smile on her face.
Upon hearing this, Shin Jiao could not help but frown. When he heard that he owes them some money, he decided to lay low and do nothing as it is their right to do this. But when he noticed the hidden agenda of the woman and her group, his decision immediately changed. He didn't expect anything from them, but they would also not blame him for being impolite.
"Go, take his things and kick him out. Let him rot outside. Keke…" the woman shouted.
The two large men standing on her side nod their heads and rubs both of their hands together. It's like they are expecting to get something good. Upon searching the room they already saw the pouches full of things lying on Shin Jiao's side table. With greedy eyes, the two men immediately walk towards it.
"You are too vicious to treat someone wounded like this. I hope you don't blame me for what will happen next." Shin Jiao suddenly muttered with a hoarse voice.
"Haha… What? What can you do? You're just trash; you can't even stand right now. Wait I change my mind. After you get his things, dispose of him, I don't want any trouble." The woman suddenly said with a sinister smile.
The two men then grinned and nod their heads in confirmation.
Shin Jiao suddenly closed his eyes, and just sat in the bed without moving.
"He already gave up… What a coward, I guess that's the reason why your companions left you." the woman said with a sneer.
She can now imagine the many spirit stones she can get, and judging from the thickness of the pouch it seems that the wounded young man is carrying more than some spiritual stones. She can sense that some of the pouches are spatial tools. With this, she can really say that she had struck gold this time. She has gotten herself a treasure.
"Hurry up! We have to be done here as soon as possible. I don't want trouble from our other guests." She commanded with a happy smile.
The two men's footsteps immediately increased their pace and immediately arrive just a couple of steps near Shin Jiao's bed.
As the two men drew closer towards Shin Jiao, they suddenly began to feel something heavy weighing down on them. It's like gravity suddenly changed. Then before they knew it, they were stopped in their tracks.
"You people should not have done this. Don't blame me for being impolite then."