Soon, the 24 hours ended. Those who failed to cultivate their dantian were dragged off by the guards. Liam knew where the hostages were being taken but he couldn't do anything. His survival mattered the most.
The guards moved through the crowds, roughly grabbing those who had failed. Children cried out in terror, their pleas falling on deaf ears. Adults tried to resist, but they were no match for the guards' strength. Liam watched, his fists clenched, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. He wanted to help, but he knew better. His survival was paramount.
"Please, let me go! I can do it! I can cultivate my dantian!" a young boy pleaded, his voice choked with tears.
"Shut up, you useless brat!" a guard snapped, striking the boy across the face. The boy fell silent, his eyes wide with shock and pain.
Liam gritted his teeth, his gaze following the guards as they dragged the hostages away. He knew exactly where they were being taken—to the well, where their lives would be brutally ended.
Liam's fingers dug into his knees. 'Not my problem. Not my problem.'
[System: Keep telling yourself that.]
'Shut up.'
Once the 'failures' were removed from the squads, the commanders gathered in the center of the valley. Wu Jinhai, the Iron Fang, stepped forward. His voice boomed through the valley, "You have proven your worth by cultivating your dantian. Congratulations. You will now be fed, but remember, this is not a reward. It is merely enough to keep you alive.
Liam's gut churned. 'The well. Those bodies. That fucking old man. I just want to get out of this fucking mess before I become mental.'
The survivors got their "meal"—one moldy bun each.
A guard tossed Liam's portion into the dirt. "Eat. Training starts at dawn."
Liam brushed off the grit and bit into the rock-hard bread. 'Tastes like sawdust. And regret.'
"Eat up, you worthless scum!" a guard barked, kicking a hostage who had hesitated to take the food. The hostage quickly grabbed the bread and water, his hands trembling.
The bread slipped through the kid's hand and rolled towards Liam. The bony kid stared at Liam,, saliva dripping down his chin.
"What?" Liam snapped.
The kid flinched.
"...Here." Liam tossed him the bread. "Don't choke."
The kid scarfed it down, crumbs clinging to his lips.
[+100 XP: Petty Charity]
'Fuck off.'
After eating, Liam slumped against a boulder and let out a sigh.
Liam's eyes narrowed at the flickering quest prompt. [Find Information About the Shadow Clan – 0% Progress].
[System: 100 XP for a page. Take it or keep crying.]
'Fuck you. 100 XP for one journal page. Highway robbery.'
[System: You're the one who added 120 names to your kill list to farm XP. Blame your ego.]
His finger stabbed the air, selecting [Shadow Clan Journal – First Page]. The XP counter dropped like a guillotine.
[100 XP Deducted.]
Text scrawled across his vision like blood on parchment:
700 years past, three brothers forged the Shadow Clan from blood and whispers. The eldest – a serpent in silk, weaving politics into poison. The second – a forge-mad genius, hammering martial arts into blades that cut fate itself. The youngest – a butcher with a poet's grin, carving corpses into sermons.
The clan grew, claws sunk into kingdoms. Shadows became their scripture. Then the youngest brother slit the clan's throat from within – birthed the Assassination Sect. Half the disciples followed, hungry for his gospel of slaughter. The eldest raged. The second stayed silent, lost in his workshops. Until he vanished. No body. No blade. Just silence.
The eldest accused the youngest. The youngest laughed, and accused the eldest. War ate them both. Thousands died. Shadows drowned in blood.
Liam spat. 'Idiots. Should've just killed each other quietly.'
[Quest Completed: Find Information About the Shadow Clan.]
[Rewards: 1 RP. 1000 XP. 1 AP.]
[System: Achievement Unlocked: Zero Fucks Given (Historian Edition).]
'Where's my refund?'
[System: Spend 1000 XP to burn the journal. You'll feel better.]
'Tempting.'
Somewhere in the valley, a scream echoed – high, thin, young.
Liam's fingers twitched.
[New Quest: Shut That Noise Up]
[Reward: 1 RP. 2000 XP. A headache.]
He stood, cracking his neck. 'Fine. But only 'cause the XP's good.'
The scream cut through the air like a blade, sharp and desperate. Liam froze mid-step, his body tensing. 'That's not a training scream. That's… something else.'
He followed the sound, his steps cautious but quick. The path led him to a dark, secluded area where sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy. The air felt heavy, suffocating, as though the shadows themselves were alive.
Liam's eyes adjusted to the dim light, and what he saw made his blood boil.
Three guards surrounded a small figure—a girl, no older than thirteen. Her clothes were torn, her face streaked with tears and dirt. One guard pinned her arms while another loomed over her, his intentions clear. The third stood watch, grinning like a predator.
'Fucking animals.' Liam's fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms.
[System: Quest Updated: Save the girl.]
[Reward: 1 RP. 2000 XP. ]
Liam stepped forward, his voice cold and sharp. "Hey."
The guards turned, their faces twisting in surprise. The one standing watch sneered. "Get lost, kid. This doesn't concern you."
Liam's eyes flicked to the girl. She was trembling, her eyes wide with fear. 'Not my problem. Not my problem.'
But his feet moved anyway.
"I said, get lost!" The guard stepped toward Liam, his hand reaching for the sword at his side.
Liam didn't hesitate. He lunged, his movements fueled by rage. His fist connected with the guard's jaw, sending him sprawling into the dirt. The other two guards froze, stunned.
"You little—"
The second guard drew his blade, but Liam was faster. He ducked under the swing and drove his elbow into the man's stomach, forcing the air from his lungs. The guard crumpled, gasping.
The third guard, still holding the girl, dropped her and reached for his weapon. Liam didn't give him the chance. He grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it with all his strength. It struck the guard's temple, and he went down like a sack of stones.
The girl scrambled away, her sobs echoing in the silence.
Liam stood over the guards, his chest heaving. 'What the hell am I doing? This isn't my fight.'
[System: Congratulations. You've unlocked Hero Complex (D-Rank).]
'Shut. Up.'
He turned to the girl, his voice softer now. "You okay?"
She nodded, her eyes still wide with fear.
"Go. Run. Don't look back."
She didn't need to be told twice. She fled into the shadows, her footsteps fading into the distance.
Liam stared at the unconscious guards, his hands still shaking. 'This is going to bite me in the ass.'
Quest Completed: Save the girl]
Rewards: 1 RP. 2000 XP. A target on your back.
'Great.'
Liam stood over the unconscious guards, his chest heaving. The girl was gone, her sobs still echoing in his ears. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from the adrenaline coursing through him.
'What now?'
[Quest Detected- Kill the guards]
[Rewards- 1 RP.]
He glanced at the guards. One was groaning, starting to stir. The other two lay still, but their chests rose and fell—alive, for now.
[System: Decision Time. Kill them or get killed.]
'Shut up.'
Liam's mind raced. If he left them alive, they'd wake up and raise the alarm. He'd be hunted, tortured, or worse. But if he killed them…
'High alert. More guards. More trouble.'
The stirring guard groaned louder, his hand twitching toward his sword.
Liam's jaw tightened. 'No choice.'
He bent down, picking up a fallen blade. It felt heavy in his hand, the weight of what he was about to do pressing down on him.
The first guard's eyes fluttered open. He saw Liam standing over him, the blade glinting in the dim light.
"W-Wait—"
Liam didn't.
Thunk.
The blade sank into the guard's chest. His eyes widened, then went blank.
[+100 XP: First Blood!]
'Shut up.'
The second guard was still unconscious. Liam hesitated, his grip tightening on the hilt.
[System: Hesitation kills.]
'I know.'
He drove the blade down.
[+100 XP: Double kill!]
The third guard was stirring now, his hand reaching for his weapon. Liam stepped over him, his shadow falling across the man's face.
"P-Please…"
Liam's expression didn't change. He raised the blade.
Thunk.
[+100 XP: Triple Kill!]
The valley fell silent, save for Liam's ragged breathing. He dropped the bloodied blade, his hands slick with red.
Liam wiped his hands on the grass, the blood smearing into the dirt. The three guards lay still, their eyes empty, their weapons scattered.
'No one saw me. No one knows.'
He turned to leave, his steps quick but silent. The valley was quiet, the only sound was the rustle of leaves in the wind.
[System: Congratulations. You've unlocked Cold-Blooded (C-Rank).]
'Shut up.'
He was almost at the edge of the clearing when a voice cut through the silence.
"Leaving so soon?"
Liam froze. His heart skipped a beat as a figure stepped out of the shadows.
Crimson Shadow.
The commander's scarlet robes seemed to bleed into the darkness, his eyes glinting like shards of ice. He tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"Three guards. One blade. Impressive."
Liam's mind raced. 'Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.'
[System: Cold-Blooded (C-Rank) deactivated. Welcome back, Panic Mode (S-Rank).]
'Not. Helping.'
Crimson Shadow took a step forward, his movements smooth, predatory. "You've been busy, haven't you?"
[Quest Detected- Survive the encounter with Crimson Shadow!]
[Reward- 1RP. Chance to live longer.]
Liam's hand twitched, but he had no weapon. No escape.