Michael had always been cold-blooded, but that didn't mean he didn't get excited about his work. Killing was his profession, and in this new world—Earth 69—it looked like his skills would still be very much in demand. As he raced through the dense forest, the wind brushing against his face and his long black hair flowing behind him, he marveled at how light his body felt. This world's rules were different, and his enhanced senses made it clear that he wasn't just faster but stronger than before. He could feel the energy of the world, the Qi, flowing through him.
Suddenly, something caught his attention—a faint but unmistakable smell of blood. Not just any blood. Human blood.
"Interesting," Michael smirked to himself, adjusting his direction to follow the scent. His heightened senses led him through the trees, down a path lined with thick foliage, until he found himself at the edge of a river. There, lying on the bank, was a woman, bleeding heavily.
Michael's sharp eyes quickly took in her appearance. She was in her mid-thirties, with a sharp, striking figure and long, dark hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Even in her injured state, there was no denying her beauty. But Michael wasn't here to admire her looks—she was in danger.
He knelt beside her, inspecting the wound. A clean sword thrust had pierced her stomach. Deep enough to kill, but not instantly. If she didn't get help soon, though, it would be over.
"What a mess," he muttered to himself.
His hand hovered over her stomach, and instinctively, he could feel the pulse of energy within him. Spiritual energy. He had no idea how it worked, but he felt confident that he could heal her. After all, what was the point of this "System" if it didn't give him some new tricks?
"System," Michael called out in his mind.
"Yes, Host?" the familiar voice responded immediately.
"Help me patch her up," he commanded, already scanning the area for useful materials.
"There is a cave to the south. You can carry her there and find herbs nearby to create a healing paste."
Michael didn't waste time. Gently, he scooped the woman into his arms, her body limp and fragile against him. He flew through the forest, his senses guiding him toward the cave. As they neared, the wind picked up, brushing against his face, but he stayed focused. He found the entrance hidden behind a cluster of rocks and landed inside the cave softly, careful not to jostle her wound.
Laying her down on a patch of moss, he immediately got to work. He undressed her carefully, his hands moving with the practiced precision of a professional, though he couldn't help but notice her goddess-like figure. He shook the thought from his mind. Focus.
With the help of the System, Michael gathered herbs from outside the cave and crushed them into a thick, pungent paste. He applied it carefully to her wound, the cool mixture beginning to work its magic. As he bandaged her stomach with pieces of cloth, her eyes fluttered open for a brief moment.
She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, confusion and pain swirling in her gaze before she slipped back into unconsciousness.
"She's tough," Michael thought, tightening the makeshift bandage.
He knew he couldn't stay here. He had a mission to complete, and this wasn't part of the plan. But something about this woman intrigued him—who was she, and why had someone tried to kill her?
Before leaving, Michael scribbled a note on a piece of parchment he found in his storage ring. He placed it next to her, careful to make his intentions clear:
"I didn't do anything to you. I just applied medicine to your wound. Don't misunderstand anything. You're welcome."
Satisfied, he left the cave and continued toward Xianwu Province, where his real target awaited—Lin Yu.
By the time Michael reached the towering walls of Xianwu Province, it had been a full day since he left the injured woman. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows over the city. He strolled casually through the gates, blending in with the crowds. But despite his effort to keep a low profile, he was drawing attention.
The people in the street couldn't help but stare. With his long black hair, sharp blue eyes, and perfectly chiseled features, Michael was the kind of man who turned heads without trying. He could feel their eyes on him, but he ignored them, focused on his mission.
"I need to gather information on Lin Yu."
He wandered through the streets, his keen hearing picking up conversations from locals. They spoke in hushed tones, their fear of Lin Yu palpable. He ruled over Xianwu with an iron fist, enforcing his will through brutality. A competition to recruit bodyguards for Lin Yu was being held tomorrow, a perfect opportunity for Michael to get close enough to end the tyrant's reign.
"This will be easier than I thought." He smirked and made his way to a nearby inn, hungry after the long journey.
Inside the inn, Michael sat down and ordered a simple meal of bread and meat. As he took a bite, he couldn't help but notice the bread tasted surprisingly better than anything he'd had back on Earth.
"Not bad for a backwater fantasy world," he thought, continuing his meal.
Meanwhile, back in the cave, the woman Michael had saved was waking up. Her eyes blinked open, and she groaned as the pain in her stomach flared up. She quickly assessed her situation. Her clothes were gone, replaced with bandages, and she was lying in a cave alone.
Her sharp gaze fell on the note left beside her. She read it slowly, and her expression darkened as she crumpled the parchment in her fist.
"That bastard! How dare he?!"
Though he had saved her life, her pride burned at the thought of a stranger seeing her vulnerable, naked, and near death. She could feel a faint trace of her clothing's energy on him—she would track him down. But first, she had her mission to complete. Lin Yu. That corrupt lord had been the one to send assassins after her, and she would see him dead for it.
Dressing quickly in a fresh set of clothes from her storage ring, she summoned her spiritual energy and took to the skies. Her eyes narrowed as she flew toward Xianwu Province. The man who had saved her was there—she could feel his essence. And as fate would have it, so was Lin Yu.
By the time the woman arrived at Xianwu Province, night had fallen. She landed gracefully just outside the city gates, her figure cloaked in the shadows. But even in the darkness, she drew attention. Men turned their heads as she walked through the gates. She was breathtaking—her figure sculpted to perfection, her eyes fierce and determined. Whispers followed her as she made her way into the city, but she paid them no mind.
Her thoughts were focused on two things: killing Lin Yu, and finding the man who had saved her.
Michael had rented a small room at an inn near the Province Lord's Palace, where Lin Yu resided. He sat on the bed, cleaning his weapons and preparing for the next day's competition. He had no idea that the woman from the riverbank was already in the city, closing in on him.
The game had just begun.
To be Continued...