Just like how Zhenin was able to sense Ninzhe was in danger when the soul decaying blood hit him, Ninzhe could tell that Zhenin was in a precarious position.
"Did that shot hit big bro?" Ninzhe worried, his face contorted, clearly displays this.
The half-elephant heard the noise but remained kept his stare at Ninzhe. He was fully aware of what that sound was.
That was the sound of his mate's charged sniper shot.
Even if he and the half-bull block this shot, they'd only turn into minced meat.
Although the sound came from a bit further away, the elephant knew that something must have happened.
Looking at the pained expression of the half-snake in front of him, he regained his composure.
"You! Fuck! You dare kill my husband?! Let me choke you to death!" shouted the half-elephant as he rushed towards Ninzhe.
Killing nowadays had never been personal, thus talking wasn't really all that practiced during a fight.
But this half-snake in front of him dared to take away his husband while he's completely healthy?
Impudent!
With his bloodshot eyes, he threw a punch at the dazed Ninzhe.
The blissfully innocent and still stupefied Ninzhe almost failed to react when the half-elephant charged at him.
When the punch was about to hit Ninzhe's abdomen, a golden light flashed and created a spherical barrier around him.
The half-elephant felt like he punched a stellix wall as his wrist broke with all the force he exerted in that one punch.
The stupefied Ninzhe, however, was actually looking at his system.
[There's a half-chameleon with a laser sniper on the second floor just opposite of where Zhenin is…]
Jack decided to tell him the entire truth. That includes Zhenin's visit. He also knew this would happen. Instead of calming Ninzhe down, he decided to show a video of the entire fight.
Since Ninzhe is occupied, time for me to act.
The golden barrier began to ripple and congregated to one point. The half-elephants bloodshot eyes slowly returned to normal as he stared at the light with fear.
Slowly, the congregated light formed into a humanoid. When the details of the body came, Jack immediately spoke.
"You husband isn't dead."
His four words were simple. Without any sugarcoating, deceit, or maliciousness, his voice carried an aura of someone who holds true to their words.
The half-elephant was not a genius nor a stupid person. The only reason he and his husband was living on the slums was due to an accident where they were wrongly blamed. Originally, he and his husband were of Stage 1 Level 4 beings. But due to the supposed crimes they committed, the court of law had their cells regress back to stage 0.
Jack knew this the moment the half-bull entered his kingdom as his soul had visible signs of changing. He had to get the pair to work for him.
"Wh… what do you mean?" spoke the flustered half-elephant.
"He's alive in my kingdom."
"You… What?"
"This is my one of my messenger, Ninzhe. I got him to screen the survivors to see who can be part of my kingdom in a place beyond this dying universe."
Truthfully, the half-elephant doesn't understand Jack at all. His mind had wanted to shout preposterous a million times. Still, something about the golden light diffused to the area had calmed him. There is also Jack's voice filled with confidence that makes people want to salute to him from his time being a captain, the half-elephant's heart was in conflict.
"If that's true, then is the killing part of the screening?"
"He's not dead," Jack answered, "a drop of blood let's me read the entire state of a being. I know your circumstances and I want you to work for me."
"Huh?"
Jack told him the story about his regressed cultivation and the false accusation.
"So Kelhim, I have plans for you. In life, with my guidance you shall prosper. In darkness with my light you shall find a way."
Summoning a piece of white stone in his palms, he reached out to Kelhim, the half-elephant.
"Drip your blood here and you shall enter my kingdom along with your husband."
Kelhim was inclined to disagree as he wanted to remain alive in his flesh.
"My kingdom welcomes both the alive and souls. Entering it doesn't mean you'll die."
With a sigh, Kelhim surrendered. His thought wasn't even complete, and Jack could already respond. Not to mention, living in a new world sounds nice.
Kelhim wasn't able to say anything. This timidness surprised Jack a bit when he remembered about the sounds they were making earlier.
Biting his fingers, blood was released. When he was about to reach out to Jack, he remembered something. "What happened to Michael and Don?"
"Both the half-mantises has just entered my kingdom along with your husband."
"What will happen to me?"
"You will enter the trials of heaven."
"What is that?"
"You'll naturally learn more about it when you join."
"Wha…"
"That is all the things I'm willing to answer."
Since Jack had Kilhem's husband's memory, he knew the questions would keep going on and on unless stopped.
This time, Kilhem kept quiet and began to ponder.
"10 seconds and I'm gone," Jack timed.
If Ninzhe wasn't in a terrible state of mind, Jack wouldn't appear in front of Kilhem at all. And while someone experienced with cultivation is an excellent seedling, it is not necessary as he has a lot of time planting some.
Jack's current goal is to be able to restore souls. For him, the supposed army is only a case study to see the viability just in case he found something.
Now that Jack had given Kilhem a time, he dropped his attempt at gaining more benefits and immediately dripped his blood to the stone.
A golden light shot out from the stone and enveloped him. In the next instant, Kilhem disappeared along with Jack.
Ninzhe, who just finished watching the video, finally woke up and looked around.
Looking around, everyone else had disappeared. But when he glanced down, Ninzhe saw a white stone similar to the one in his ring.
Unable to think of the reason why Jack would leave the stone, he still picked it up, grabbed the phone on the bed, and rushed out.
"I gotta help bro," he thought.
*DING*
[The house is empty, no need to take caution, and rush out now.]
For someone as straightforward as Ninzhe, Jack's action of showing everything to him honestly earned his respect.
If Ninzhe's loyalty points were 100 over 100 before, now it's 105.
Rushing down the stairs, Ninzhe tried to pinpoint where exactly his brother was. His worry made him forget that he could check the windows.
Holding a 5-inch phone and a new sword in its scabbard, Ninzhe dashed through the streets without attempting to sneak.
When he reached the corner, he saw the broken fences where Zhenin shot his gun.
To the right is where the house Zhenin hid, and to the other side of the street is a half-snake slithering hard on the ground as he tried to chase a half-chameleon.
Before Ninzhe rushed out, he heard another sound.
*DING*
[Do not attempt to capture her. Kill her. I can sense a different kind of invisible energy emitting in her every step.]