Nightmare's Call

Lin Sheng slowly retracted his fist and walked up to it. “Done. The semi-dragonized power, the impeccable free-fighting ability, the terrific maneuverability, and explosive force together with the Sacred Blood make me invincible.”

To be honest, Sacred Shield Tyrant’s strength was by no means inferior to Lin Sheng, but his moves and maneuverability were far agile than Lin Sheng’s. This difference akin to two swordsmen with the same physique, just that one was more agile and quicker than the other was. This advantage had enabled Lin Sheng to fool Sacred Shield Tyrant with only a few false moves and beat him to the punch. If he willed it, he would have instantly hit his opponent’s vulnerable spot and ended the battle.

Thick armors might be able to shield one from some of the damaging harms, but after the semi-dragonizing process, he had never fought using cut, pierce nor slash but the power of shockwave. Lin Sheng willed it, and Sacred Shield Tyrant instantly turned into a plume of black smoke before rapidly dissipating. “Experiment’s done. It’s time to head back and practice the harp.” Since the completion of the Bloodazure Harp, he had been immersed in it all day. He could not hold back his passion for it although the sound he made with the harp was no way near pleasant. He was still unfamiliar with it and making jumpy notes. He could clearly sense the sacred power in his body; during the harp practice, his strength had gained triple improvement over the regular session. And it was this hyperbolic rate of improvement that engrossed him in the world of the Bloodazure Harp.

Lin Sheng looked around and made sure that no one was looking at what happened in the woods, he waved his hand and summoned a black crow landing on his shoulder. “Time to go back.”

After leaving the woods, he set the crow free and looked around again. He rode a bicycle and moved in a leisure pace along the road in the direction of his house. The bike that he had just bought this morning made a convenient transport. He need not have to spend endless time standing on the roadside waiting for buses anymore.

Lin Sheng steered the bicycle left and right, trying to get around the potholes on the road. It was a bumpy ride, but he was thinking about Ashen Seal-Furious Roar. His sacred power increased exponentially with the help of the Bloodazure Harp. Not only that, but he had also made tremendous progress on Ashen Seal-Furious Roar meditation. Now, he had that explicable feeling that he could perhaps produce a second Ashen Seal ability. “It’s just that... what method should I use?” Lin Sheng fell into deep thought. Furious Roar must be accompanied by the angry howl of its user. Roaring was the easier part, but anger was a lot trickier, he thought.

He rode at an unhurried pace along the road, passing through the open fields, the utilitarian mud houses in the suburban, where he saw more and more farmers were carrying vegetables and fruits on their shoulders to sell them in the city. When he passed by a teenager selling tomatoes, he stopped and bought a kilogram from him. The fresh tomatoes were a good source of nutrients for his elder sis, he figured.

Twenty minutes later, Lin Sheng stopped at the entrance of Huilian Neighborhood. Alighting from his bicycle, he carried the tomato and headed back to his place on foot. Once he was up to the floor where his house was, he fished out the key from his pocket to open the door. As soon as he put the bag of tomatoes on the floor in the doorway, he saw a young woman whom he found somewhat familiar sitting on the sofa. She was Chen Minjia, the young woman who saved his elder sis earlier. Lin Xiao and Chen Minjia were hitting it off well with each other, totally unlike strangers who only knew each other not long ago.

“You’ve come at the right moment. I’ve bought some fresh tomatoes from the farmers while on my way back.” Lin Sheng nodded at Chen Jiamin with a friendly smile.

“Mom and dad have gone out for New Year shopping. Since Sis Jiamin is here, why not we have steamboat today?” Lin Xiao suggested.

“I’m okay with that. Let me go to get some ingredients from the market.” Lin Sheng turned around and yanked open the door again. To his surprise, he saw a well-built teenager standing outside the door, face pale and panting. The teenager saw Lin Sheng, appeared delighted and wanted to say something.

“Take it easy. No hurry.” Lin Sheng calmed himself down and closed the door behind him softly so that the two in the house would not notice it.

“Something happened in the club... and also to Sarroux. We have lost contact with him!” Gasping for air, the teenager managed to put his words together. The news had unnerved Lin Sheng.

He remembered Sarroux told him that he went with his dad for some business and that Lin Sheng could call him on his phone. “Did you call his house?”

“It’s busy!”

In the woods. Sarroux’s lips looked pale, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead. His dad held him to sit down, leaning against a tree trunk. “Sarroux, hang on there. I will not let anything happen to you!” Wayne said assuredly as he held his son’s hand, face ghastly pale.

“I... I’m fine... Take... Take this to Ironfist Club in Blackwater, let the big brother come! He is the only one who can save us! Hurry!” Sarroux shoved a business that had the drawing of Ashen Seal-Sanctuary on it before he passed out.

Not long ago, Wayne was surrounded and attacked; half of the bodyguards had revolted against him. His side had suffered a heavy casualty. Amid the chaos, someone fired a shot at him. Unable to stop nor kill the shooter in time, Sarruox flung himself in front of his dad and took the bullet himself. Then, something unexpected happened. A monster that came out of nowhere began to slaughter the bodyguards nearby. Sarroux and his dad managed to flee with a few loyal men under cover of the chaos.

Wayne’s face turned pale when he saw his son passing out. Upon knowing that his son was still alive after feeling his breathing, he only breathed a sigh of relief. Xu He and the other two bodyguards looked at each other, trying to get a grasp of what happened. They were the only ones out of the 25-team members who had made it out alive after the ambush and the monster attack. They knew the monster would be looking for them in the dense forest for sure after finishing off the traitors. That meant their danger was far from over.

Wayne held his son in his arms, glancing at the business card with the Ashen Seal drawing. As things had come to this stage, he did not know whom to trust anymore. It was as if everyone around him was a spy; he could not know who was loyal to him and who would betray him. He became hesitant. But at last, he still passed the business card to Xu He. “Xu He, make the trip. We can’t appear in the open right now. Don’t go back to the city hall building. Instead, head straight to the place and find the person just as Sarroux has instructed.”

“But minister, Sarroux is still young, what if his condition...” Xu He was worried.

“My connection is no longer safe. Many people are involved in this ambush this time. Instead of trying to figure out who is with me, it’s better to change our direction and try Sarroux’s idea.” Wayne said calmly, but there was a sense of sadness in desperation in his voice. He did not want to count how many people had betrayed him. Except for the three men beside him, the others... he would not want to think about it. The most urgent thing now was to treat the gunshot wound of his son.

Xu He was silent for a moment before finally nodded his head. “Understood. I will go right away.”