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RD - 012 - An Unfortunate Reality
🕑 Added 2024-09-26 15:08:54 +0000 UTCNing Shan remained still for more than two hours, carefully watching for any signs of the beast he had felt. Fortunately, the creature seemed uninterested in a small prey like he was. Still, he remained vigilant. He knew full well how these creatures hunted in his previous world, and didn't think it would be any different in this new environment. The countless vultures flying overhead made it abundantly clear.
When calm returned, and peace remained, Ning Shan emerged from his shelter of stone, dusting his clothes of the dirt that clung to him. His once pristine white garbs were now dirty and ragged, making him look nothing like he once was. He felt more like a peasant than an emperor.
However, these two hours have given him time to process these new circumstances. Once, he would have lashed out at this humiliation, trying to clear away the shame. But now, he was calm and serene, only glad he would have the opportunity to do so. His shame had transformed into a cold flame, slowly but eventually consuming the world.
With this behind him, he scanned his surroundings, only to find not even minute traces of the conflict that occurred only hours prior. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of beings these creatures were, so ephemeral that not even their corpses would remain after their demise. They all seemed to turn into the same dusty powder before being blown by the wind or consumed by other creatures.
Isn’t that the carrier that woman spoke of?
He laid eyes on the overturned spiderbot not far from here. It lay on its side, unable to move forward despite its efforts. Its legs flailed into the air, trying to reach the ground—at least some of them did, while others were simply too broken for them to move.
He stood next to it, examining the large opening on its back, only to find mere residue of what it once contained. Deep grooves were carved near the hatch that once sealed it shut, most likely caused by the scratching of avian claws and beaks. Only a slight trace of dust remained. Still, Ning Shan wouldn’t let it go to waste.
His hand reached for the opening, only for the dust to congregate into a small crystal no larger than the tip of one of his fingers. His eyes narrowed slightly. Something was gnawing at his mind.
This didn't happen when the vultures came to collect their fallen comrades. They just inhaled the dust as if breathing it in, while it always turned to crystal in my presence. Is it the same for all humans, or am I special in some ways? Considering the mask they wear, I probably am.
Without hesitation, Ning Shan closed his hand around the dust fragment before it crumbled back into dust, infiltrating his flesh, coursing through his veins and reaching his core, adding to the ringed planet rotating there. He couldn’t help but show a smile as he noticed it had grown substantially, almost enough to produce another ring.
What now? Should I delve deeper or seek to find where these humans have made their shelter?
He looked toward the depths of this abandoned city, only to remember the creature who seemed to be the overlord of this place. While not the strongest he had ever encountered, he knew he stood no chance against it. Its aura alone was enough to send him to the afterlife.
Early stage tribulation realm... I didn’t expect this world to be able to sustain its existence. Is this its limit, or are they able to break past it? After all, there doesn’t seem to be a Heavenly Dao to restrict them, or is there?
It was then that Ning Shan's gaze was attracted to the window of light constantly advertising its existence at the corner of his eye. It pulses with an incandescent glow, making it almost impossible to ignore.
What's the ARK System's purpose in all this? Is it merely the Heavenly Dao's replacement or the reason for its absence? He sighed. Let’s not get lost in conjectures. This world may not even have had a Heavenly Dao in the first place. I need more information...
With his path chosen, Ning Shan avoided going further, opting to reach the city’s edge instead. While the opposite would probably allow him to grow faster, doing so wasn’t worth the risk. To rely too much on that system as the source of his strength would only be foolish.
He took a single look behind him, his eyes narrowed as a cold killing intent flashed in them, if only briefly before being extinguished by reason. However, something caught his eye: a glint in the distance, a reflection of light buried beneath a tall building.
Cautiously, he approached it, only to feel an overpowering presence within. He hesitated only for a moment before steeling his nerves.
Let's just take a quick look. This presence is at most in the Golden Core realm. If anything happens, I'm sure I can run away unscathed. I feel that if I don't go, I'll regret it...
He peeked into a half-destroyed window, masking his breath and presence, only to be stunned by the sight. In the middle of a large atrium was a gigantic red crystal that sought to reach the ceiling. Around the base were countless small insects, almost invisible, slowly gathering the red dust and adding it to the pile.
The mound slowly grew, only to collapse as it reached a critical mass before fusing into each other, forming even more crystal structure. Those ant-like beings worked tirelessly to increase their stockpile. As for where they gathered all this, Ning Shan didn't know but could infer some things.
I assume predation is a constant around here. Large creatures probably cannot consume their prey whole, so some waste is inevitable. After all, this dust isn't much different from blood, and blood is sure to be spilled in any conflict. These insects act as scavengers, gathering the leftover remains of battle. But for what purpose?
Ning Shan's eyes narrowed as he looked at the core of the red crystal. There was an ant, only slightly bigger than his fist, stuck within the crystal as if it were a piece of amber. Yet, Ning Shan could very clearly see that it was still alive. After all, the aura it emitted was plain for all to see.
The peak of the Golden Core realm... just a step away from a breakthrough, but its energy isn't even close enough to achieve it. Usually, one would have to rely on the heavens to give the final push, yet here, they can only rely on brute force.
As if to corroborate his assumption, Ning Shan noticed that the red crystal shifted colour the closer to its core one looked. While its exterior was a deep red, it soon turned to orange, the same colour as the creature Ning Shan had slain. However, further in, where the large ant was embedded, the crystal was now a deep yellow. He could even spy a slight trace of green, if only minute.
Ning Shan could feel the strength comparable to the Nascent Soul realm from that green strand. While nothing compared to his former strength, Ning Shan almost couldn't stop himself from desiring it, even if he knew what his outcome would be if he was that foolish.
Through firm self-control, Ning Shan slowly backed away from the window, hoping not to disturb them. Once far enough away, he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, washing away all the tension and nervousness.
An interesting method for achieving a breakthrough. Still, at the current rate, it would take more than a decade before it has nearly enough time to accomplish its goal—more than enough time to do something about it.
Ning Shan only glanced at the mound of red crystal, remembering its location before walking away. While he didn't have much of a destination in mind, he chose the simplest: away from the feeling of danger that arose in the distance.
******
“How long are they going to keep pestering me?” Sera said to herself as she hid within another abandoned building, keeping her head down as countless vultures hovered overhead.
Ever since she separated from the suspicious man she encountered, the flock had only grown in size, slowing her progress considerably. A distance that would have usually taken less than half an hour to cover had now taken over six.
She looked down on the screen attached to her wrist, only to see that her satiety had dropped considerably. While not on the verge of starving immediately, she couldn't estimate how long they would remain in the sky trying to seek her out. She clicked on a sidebar, and another gauge appeared, only for her to let out a long, silent sigh.
Even my water's running dry... Trying to find some in this barren place is practically impossible. If only I could have reached the transport already, then all of this would have been inconsequential... Don't think about it; you're almost there. Don't rush, and you'll be able to get out of this in one piece.
She looked up above, seeing only a dim shadow blotting the light of the stars, if only briefly; this was how she knew they hadn't given up. There was also the fact that her instinct screamed at her not to leave her shelter.
For more than four more hours, she remained still, nervously watching the bird float overhead. Her stomach started rumbling, and her water had dried, yet she patiently waited, and her patience paid off.
Their numbers slowly dwindle, leaving just a few. She hoped to see them all leave, yet her hopes were dashed. No matter how long she waited, they showed no indication of leaving.
I don’t think I’ll find a better opportunity than this. I’ll be saved if I can reach the transport, then all will be well. It should be right at the end of this street...
She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, preparing herself. A small red crystal emerged from the recess of her clothes, the only one she still possessed. Knowing what she was about to do, she couldn't help but feel a slight pain in her heart, yet she would do it anyway, as her life was worth so much more.
Hidden behind a broken wall on the ground floor, she threw the crystal to her left and waited for it to touch the ground. It made a crashing sound as it collided with the stone, shattering in a cloud of dust. The birds all turned their heads toward the sounds; some even plunged from the sky, attracted by the dust cloud.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Sera sprung from her hiding place, rushing to her right toward where she knew they had left their transport. She ran with all she could, not even bothering to look behind herself to see if she had been followed, for she knew some would. A loud hiss coming from behind her only confirmed her suspicions.
She ran even faster, her legs burning as they screamed for oxygen, as did her heart from the strain. Yet she didn't stop, spurred on by the adrenaline that flooded her system. The screen on her wrist sounded a silent alert. It flashed with countless messages, but she ignored them all, for she knew what they wished to convey.
Her heart rate was much more than she could endure, but she only willed herself forward toward her only chance of survival. Mere machines could never hope to understand what the living could achieve to remain that way.
She turned the corner only to see a flickering light barrier as if a demarcation of the city's boundary. Her legs were on the verge of giving out, yet she didn't stop, giving all she could for one last push.
She jumped forward, passing through the film of light just as a single vulture swooped down from above, missing her only slightly with its large talons before being stopped by the barrier. The creature didn't even try to ram against it and only hovered in place, hissing just as many others swooped down to join it. The sound was deafening, but it only remained so for a moment before they dispersed, dejected.
The government’s barrier is just as wonderful as always... she thought as she rose to her wobbly feet, barely able to stand upright. Her breath was ragged, and her lungs burned, but at least she was alive. She turned toward her former comrades' transport, feeling grateful to be alive, only for something to collide against her stomach. Her breath was cut short, and she collapsed, her vision blurry. Despite the pain, she raised her gaze only to see someone wearing remarkably similar clothes standing over her.
“Sera, was it?”
She didn't recognize the voice at first but found it strangely familiar. It was only when her breath returned, and the pain subsided, if ever so slightly, that it came to mind.
Isn’t that guy the leader of a rival hunter team? What is he doing here?”
Despite the pain, her thoughts were surprisingly clear. However, she knew that this meant almost nothing. What could she possibly do alone against an entire hunter squad?
“Mind telling me where your boss is? We have some scores to settle,” the man said as he bent down, lifting her head by the collar of her jacket. She could see the man’s eyes through his mask. They were filled with murderous intent!
