"Speak or we will be forced to shoot you down!"
"…Eh?"
Xing Cai was currently being surrounded by men cladded in what seemed to be a black armor, their helmets pitch black. They were pointing these weirdly shaped steel rods towards her. Xing Cai was completely at a lost.
She stared at the metal rod the men were holding, 'Is that some sort of artifact? And who are these people… soldiers? I was just in Taizhou a while ago… what exactly is happening here?', Xing Cai was currently deliberating her current situation. There was also the fact that she went through the portal in order to follow and find Viel.
"We will count to 5! If you do not respond, we will shoot you!", one of the men started counting, it was hard to identify whether the one speaking was a man or a woman, as their voices seemed to have been altered to a deep monotonous tone.
"4…. 3….2….-"
"W…what the hell…!?"
Before the man can count to 1, a heavy pressure dawned upon them, crawling all the way to the base of their spine.
As soon as Xing Cai started to feel the hostility from the people that surrounded her, she quickly released her killing intent, "Answer me, where am I?", she asked with a domineering tone.
"W..what!?"
"I said, where am I!?"
The pressure that the black clothed men were feeling started to become even heavier as Xing Cai shouted.
"Weijing! Weijing City!", the man who gave the countdown earlier started to speak, or perhaps it would be more appropriate to address her as a woman. The low-pitched monotonous voice was no longer to be heard, instead, it was replaced by a woman's voice.
"Weijing City?", the colossal pressure that the men were feeling started to dissipate. Xing Cai placed her hand on her chin, but no matter how much she dug deep in her mind, she does not recognize a city named Weijing in the Eastern Continent.
"Y-yes. We are currently in Weijing City, master! Please forgive us, if we had known that master was a celestial, then we would have not even dared to point our guns towards your greatness!"
"Guns? …Celestia-", Xing Cai was about to ask what a Celestial is, but she was interrupted by the other's questioning.
"H-has master come to help us clear the Drakel wave!? Master's help is much appreciated! Men, salute and thank the master!"
"Wha-"
Before Xing Cai can even talk, the black clothed men placed their so-called guns by their shoulders and gave a salute, all of them not missing a single beat and highly synchronized.
"This humble servant thanks the master!"
"We will not forget this kind gesture, master! This humble servant's name is Xianying, Second Lieutenant and leader of the 9th army corps! May we have the honor of knowing master's name!?", Xianying's helmet opened. Revealing a brown hair tied in a bun, and a cute and young face. One could say that the black armor that the soldiers were wearing truly did not match Xianying's face.
"….", Xing Cai pinched the bridge of her nose. Since when did she even say that she was here to help them clear this Drakel wave or whatever this thing is? She was here to find Viel.
"Master? W-what's wrong, h-have I done something to offend you!?", Xianying panicked. Her team of soldiers also started to look at each other, they truly did not know what to do if this master in front of them started to attack. The weapons they have right now are for fighting beasts, not celestials.
"It's nothing…", Xing Cai sighed as she gave up. "My name is Xing Cai, Secondary Elder of the Golden Pavilion"
"Ah! This humble servant greets Master Xing Cai of the Gol…den…. Pavilion!", Xianying slightly paused as she searched her mind for the Golden Pavilion, but to her distress, she has never heard of it before. However, it did not even take a second for her to regain her composure as she once again saluted towards Xing Cai, her soldiers following her.
Xing Cai waved her hand, "That's quite enough saluting for one day. Tell me, Lieutenant Xianying. Have you seen a small cute boy with golden hair around here? He may or may not be… fighting against these flying beasts"
"A small cute boy fighting against Drakels? I… I am afraid not.", Xianying shook her head.
"I see. That is alright, I shall find him myse-", before Xing Cai can finish her words, she was once again interrupted by Xianying.
"Chicken Dinner 69, Chicken Dinner 69… This is Sick Lion, Over"
Xing Cai squinted her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows as she saw the woman in front of her talk to a black box, blurting out some random words. She looked at the other soldiers, they did not seem to think that there was something amiss. But as far as Xing Cai is concerned, this Xianying was probably crazy.
But then, Xing Cai quickly looked at the black box in awe as it started to emit a clear voice.
"This is Chicken Dinner 69, I read you, over"
"Currently in the presence of a celestial. Trying to find a small cute boy with golden hair, possibly fighting with Drakels, over"
"S..say again?"
"In search of a small cute boy with golden hair, possibly fighting with Drakels, over"
"D-did you say a small cute boy fighting with Drakels? Over"
"Yes, over"
"N…negative. No sighting of the given profile. D-do you want us to contact the other platoon?"
"Yes, over"
"R-roger that, give me five minutes. Over and out"
Xing Cai watched Xianying's whole exchange with the black box. She looked at the black box intensely, like with the lights in the tall buildings, she could not even sense a sliver of qi being inserted in it.
"I-is something the matter, master Xing Cai?", Xianying's voice was once again filled with nervousness as she felt Xing Cai's stares at her.
"That small black box that talks, what is it?"
"Y-you mean t-the radio?", Xianying's hand slight shook as she presented the radio that she was holding to Xing Cai. Celestials were truly weird beings, she thought.
"Hmm…", Xing Cai thoroughly examined the radio. She thought that if the Golden Pavilion were to have some of this mysterious artifact, then their sect would surely rise to the top, leaving the others behind. Communication is, after all, the best weapon. Plus, if Viel were to have one as well, then she would not have any problems in finding him anymore.
"How exactly does this artifact work?"
"U..uhmm… i-it emits signals that… uhhmm.. You! Explain to Master Xing Cai how the radio works!", Xianying pointed at the nearest soldier.
The soldier did not know what to do with this sudden order. He too, does not know how exactly a radio works. But still, he needed to try, 'less they want to offend the master in front of them.
"Uhh… Well, y..you press this button…"
"You idiot! Of course Master Xing Cai already knows that, tell her how it works instead!", Xianying stomped her foot and lightly hit the soldier's head.
"W-what… uhmm, well you see… the signals… the signals are-"
Before the soldier can continue impart his superb knowledge, a voice coming from the radio can be heard. The explaining soldier breathed a sigh of relief, it was as if the gods had granted him release from an unending torture.
"Sick Lion, Sick Lion. This is Chicken Dinner 69. Do you read me over?"
"This is Sick Lion. I hear you loud and clear, over"
"We may have information regarding the POI. Horny Turtle is currently in custody of a child matching the profile you have given, over"
"That is good. Send me the location, over"
"Roger that, Sending you the location now, but there seems to be something weird going on there. Stay safe, Sick Lion. Over and out!"
A translucent map suddenly appeared on top of the radio. Xianying glanced at the floating map before nodding her head.
"Chong, I place this division in your hands. I shall guide master Xing Cai towards the location of interest. Kill every Drakel you see, but rescuing civilians is still your top priority!", Xianying pointed at one of the soldiers.
"Yes ma'am!", the tall soldier saluted without hesitation. The other soldiers followed suit.
"Good", Xianying nodded in satisfaction. She then turned to Xing Cai with a huge smile on her face, "Master Xing Cai, let me have the pleasure of guiding you to Horny Turtle's division. It is not far from here."
Xing Cai was perplexed by Xianying's unwieldy attitude. Everything this woman does seemed to be done in a very quick fashion, making Xing Cai somehow not able to keep up with the events. It did not help that everything she was seeing here was new to her.
She could only nod her head and follow Xianying.
It took about an hour of walking before they arrived to Horny Turtle's nest. It was not that far, but there were groups of Drakels attacking them along the way. Xing Cai could have probably made quick work of the flying beasts, but Xianying told her that she should just relax as Xianying shot down the horde with her gun.
It only took a few shots before downing one beast.
Xing Cai was thinking that if they had these so-called guns in Taizhou, then probably they could have lessened their casualties to a minimum. It seemed even more effective than some middle-grade long range artifacts that they had in the Golden Pavilion, and these people had them all.
It allows individuals with not even a whiff of qi to kill beings that are far stronger than them. Truly a marvel. Xing Cai's curiosity to this mysterious and weird place has grown even bigger.
Xing Cai shook her head, this was not the time to be amazed. She needed to find Viel, she promised him and herself that from now on, she would always be there for him. Her thoughts were interrupted by Xianying, who currently seemed uneasy.
"Master Xing Cai, we are here. The boy matching the description you have given me should be inside that giant tent. But… something feels wrong here. It is too quiet, master"
Xing Cai noticed it too, it was far too quiet. And there were no soldiers to be seen even though they were already at the center of the camp. What exactly happened here? She slowly and warily approached the big tent, as she was about only a meter away from the tent, Xianying went ahead of her.
"L-let me open the entrance for you, Master Xing Cai", Xianying bowed as she elegantly opened the tent's flap.
And then there, Xing Cai saw a very bizarre scene. Even the ever talkative Xianying held her tongue as she was shut up in bewilderment.
There, right in the center of the tent. She saw a golden-haired boy, sitting on a grand and luxurious chair with his legs crossed and eyes closed, it was almost as if he was floating. Or maybe he was?
But this was not the thing that made Xianying speechless, above the boy's head, was a halo. A glowing giant halo. And to top it all off, there were soldiers surrounding the golden-haired boy, kneeling towards him, forming a circle.
What is it, if not a truly bizarre sight? Xianying was about to ask what was going on, before the golden-haired child spoke.
"Ah, I see we have new members. Come come, join us, child. Bow, bow before your god and I shall grant you your deepest desire", said the mysterious boy while still having his eyes closed.
Xianying was at a lost as to what to do, and since the other soldiers are kneeling, should she actually also bow down to this mysterious… god?
And she almost did, but then, she saw the expression of Xing Cai. Her eyes were twitching and her face red, her brows furrowed.
And then, as if impatient, the golden-haired boy spoke again, his tone full of majesty.
"I see you do not bow, what is wrong, child? Are you not- Eh! M-miss X-Xing Cai!?", the fabulous golden-haired boy opened his eyes, only to jump in shock, the giant halo on top of his head instantly disappearing.
"VIEEEEEEELLLLL!!!!", Xing Cai shouted on top of her lungs. Once again, somehow, even in an unfamiliar and unknown territory, Viel was the most interesting and troublesome thing.