Chapter 24: Stupidity or Kindness who can say.
He opened his mouth to shout a warning but froze as the system's voice rang in his mind.
«[If your planning on getting a chance to enter their settlement, I suggest you stay back and don't interfere yet.]»
" What do you mean don't interfere?!, can't you see the both of them are in trouble?!." Lin Mu replied back but the system simply remained silent, as if not bothered whatsoever.
Lin Mu could only grit his teeth and wait, his every instinct screaming at him to act, yet the systems words seemed like a pair of shackles that subconsciously kept him in place.
Before he knew it, The ripple surged forward, drawing closer to Lian and Mei's mounts.
Waaaaaa!!!!
The ground suddenly exploded, sand flying into the air in an instant.
A monstrous creature burst from beneath the sand, it's appearance similar to a grotesque shark headed beast with a centipede like body.
«[Warning:"Anthroporal Shark" detected]»
«[Threat level: Peak of Body Refining Realm]»
«[Extra caution is advised]»
'Crap!, just what is that monstrosity!!' Lin Mu's mind was on the brink of collapse at the sight of the collosal creature that easily surpassed the height of a car yet possessed the length of two school buses placed at the end of the other. Reading the systems warning did nothing to calm down his frightened nerves.
While Lin Mu was wondering whether to rush in or not, The beast's serrated maw snapped at the nearest mount, missing by a hair's breadth.
The riders' mounts screamed and reared in terror, their movements frantic.
"Mei!, Watch out!" Lian shouted, her voice sharp with panic.
' Just Where'd it come from!!!' Lian thought to herself, her heart beating rapidly from the growing tension.
Lin Mu who was watching, couldn't understand their words, but even then, there was one thing he could understand, the fact that their fear was unmistakable.
The settlement's watchtowers came alive with activity as alarms blared. Guards shouted down to each other, their gestures frantic, but they were too far to help immediately.
' Damnit, I need to help them!.'
«[I said not yet...]»
«[Going now would only result in zero benefits.]»
«[I suggest you stay and watch, The longer you wait the more dire the situation becomes]»
«[If you rushed in now and get exposed, theirs a high chance they won't even acknowledge your pitiful help and you'd just be getting yourself killed.]» The system said coldly, it's chilling voice causing Lin Mu to shiver involuntary.
«[Just do as I say and you'll have all the time you need to parade around as the hero to your hearts content]»
' But what if their rides get killed–'
«[There's no need to worry about meer animals..., In other to reap the most benefits in life, a few sacrifices must be made or how you humans put it.]»
«[You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.]» The system's voice was calm, almost indifferent.
Lin Mu's jaw tightened, his fists clenched as he watched the creature lunge again, this time catching one of the mounts by its hind leg. The beast's agonized scream echoed across the dunes.
" Arrrgh" Lian cried in pain when she was thrown to the ground, rolling in the sand before coming to a stop.
Her eyes were filled with fear but was soon overtaken by grief when she watched her mount struggle in pain to remove the beasts viscous fangs from sinking deeper into its flesh.
Those mounts were something her father had gifted both Mei and her since their infant day's, Their father had helped the both of them train and raise them from infantry to what they were now. After so many years together, the bond she and her sister had with them were practically inseparable.
---
The chaos of the moment wrapped around Lian like a suffocating fog. Her mount's anguished cries echoed in her ears, each one a knife to her heart. The creature, a gift from her father when she was just a child, had been her steadfast companion through the years.
She had long since developed a bond deeper than mere rider and steed. Now, its legs thrashed in the jaws of the alien beast, and she was powerless to stop it.
She stumbled backward in the sand, her spear clenched tightly in her trembling hands. Her mind screamed at her to act, but her body betrayed her, frozen in place by despair.
"I trained for this..." she thought bitterly, her teeth grinding together. "Years of combat drills, hours spent learning how to control fear in the face of danger and yet I can't even do anything, like some helpless fool.
Her breath hitched as the shark-like beast shook its head, dragging her mount closer to its maw. The memory of her father's pride-filled smile when he entrusted her with the creature resurfaced in her mind.
"Father believed in me," Lian thought, her chest tightening. "He trusted that I would protect it...but there's no way I stand a chance against that thing..."
The beast's growl sent a shiver down her spine, but it was the look in her mount's wide, pleading eyes that shattered something inside her.
For years, It had carried her without hesitation, fought alongside her without fear. And now, it looked to her for salvation yet she felt to weak to do anything.
"What kind of rider would I be if I let this happen?" The question clawed at her soul, each word heavy with self-loathing. Her grip on the spear tightened until her knuckles turned white. She could feel the vibrations of her trembling muscles, the surge of emotion threatening to overwhelm her.
Her eyes darted to Mei, who shouted something, but the words were lost in the ensuing noise.
"Am I really this weak?" Lian asked herself, shame seeping into her thoughts. "Am I just a spectator in my own story?, Is this all I'
ll ever be, someone who watches while others fight." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth.