Chapter 159: Honored

Chapter 159: Honored

My scan let me know that the best way to make an impact on the shining people was to just drop off the meat and continue on. From what I could tell, this was successful in varying measures, even making some people shine a little brighter. Others, however, dimmed.

Those people werent shining bright for me anyway, so it wasnt too much of a loss. I noticed that many of the ones who dimmed were the richest ones or those poor enough to not be able to afford things, but not rich enough to bypass this journey.

I initially wondered why the rich people weren't able to get an artifact, but then I realized some artifacts can't just be bought, no matter how much money you have. In this situation, technically, they could buy it, but it's not worth the cost when they could just go through the journey with the pills instead. Since they're not nobles and are typically are much more maneuverable in lower circles, there isn't as much animosity towards them.

I finished relatively quickly. With the rest of the meat, I hurried down the steps at my higher speeds to get to these weaker people. Specifically, about 10 kilometers down, I set up another fort area.

This time I'm able to go much quicker, since there's no one else around that I might hurt. Even I can make mistakes while in this mode, so I try to go but slower to compensate for that. Because of my increased speed and using my scan to determine where things will fall and when, this only takes 10 minutes to set up instead of the thirty to an hour that it was before.

Unfortunately, just before I finish, I can hear frantic yelling. The sound of a life and death struggle.

It's already begun

The people who cannot move because of tiredness or were just able to just bring themselves to the side of the road, but with no other people or defense, are being attacked by creatures looking to prey on the weak.

I immediately throw the logs I'm setting to block off this area, to get to the sound. Even as I do this, I have to be careful, as stopping when going downstairs is tougher than going up.

My scan quickly picks up what's going on. Looks like a man is having his arm being practically ripped off by a big hamster-like creature. I increased my speed, and use the force generated to slam into the creature, knocking it off the man. I did so at just the right angle, where it had to release his arm at the same time.

Obviously, the creature has exploded because of the force of the impact. The man on the ground is cradling his arm in pain, but is very much alive.

Luckily for him, because he could defend his body by using his arm as a shield, I can still help him.

Doesnt take much time to find a big leaf and make a small poultice from ingredients around which I wrap around his arm to prevent infection. He doesnt seem to say much, but just lets me do it. What I see is that hes shining much brighter, showing the appreciation that he has for what Ive done.

Honestly, these trials have been a major boon for me, being able to plant the seeds for positive interactions with so many people.

Being able to help many people get through issues really helps in establishing trust. Many people wouldnt do the same for others in bad times. Not in this world.

Its hard for them not to feel something for someone, when someone does something like that asking nothing in return.

As long as something major doesnt happen, I should be able to just continue on like this.

Almost in response to my thoughts, I can hear many other screams of fear happen. During this night of the trial, this is pretty common.

I quickly firefighter carry the guy into the Fort, putting him down and then moving to the closest person who I could identify using my scan.

Alerted by the first guys scream, these people seem to have realized that they are being hunted as well, seeing the glowing eyes in the dark and have yelled preemptively. Mostly to scare them away from them.Thê source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

This will work for a period At least until they lose their voice or more of the animals arrive.

With this in mind, I once again sprint down the stairs, picking up and grabbing people. Each of them frantically fights against me until they hear me reassuring them Im not there to hurt them. Their attacks would hurt a little if my body wasnt so tough. They literally scratched at my eyeballs and I felt almost nothing but the urge to blink. It barely came to the level of dust in the eye.

However, not everyone I could save.

By the time I reach some people near to the bottom, theyre already gone. Just animals eating the remains of people that used to be alive. Unlike how we do it on earth, I left the creature alive. Admittedly, I really really want to kill them. But it would serve no purpose since these animals are already used to eating people, and thats normal in this world.

My scan has been up this whole time, to protect me from any ambushes or surprise attacks during the night. I also have been doing regular pulses to ascertain the general situation around me.

One of the people who were laying there is now standing. Shes being approached by an animal. A typical situation for this night.

What isnt typical is that I see them perform some type of complex martial arts movement. One that blows away the creature and scares off any others. Something that shouldnt have been possible with their body type and strength.

While this might seem like a fortuitous situation, to gather another skilled persons trust something seems immensely wrong about this person from my scan.

Like this persons body is breaking down and used like a tool.

One could say like a puppet.

I can see them collapse to the ground, out of energy.

My suspicions are confirmed, when my scan picks up the words that flow out of their mouth, as their mouth gapes open like a dead fish.

This body is too weak. It had much promise, but it cannot hold one is great as myself. I need to find a better one.

Despite the fact that I am a few kilometers away, I can practically sense their empty eyes landing on me.

Almost as if teleported, they are now here. Right in front of me.

Perfect.

Their words resound in my ears, as I feel their hands grab my face with a strength beyond any other Ive faced yet. A transparent, bubble-like structure tightly surrounds us. One that I only just noticed was around them this entire time.

The skin and flesh around their bodies are stripping away like flakes.

There were no discernible Qi fluctuations from my scan.

Nothing that would alert any cultivators that something was wrong. Which means this must be an extremely advanced cultivation technique, that can hide those indicators.

No one will know what happened.

no one is coming to save me.

I can feel the flow of time slow for me, as the world turns dark.

My eyes open in a black void. My body feels real, yet not.

My thoughts on this are jolted away, as I can hear malicious laughter resound around me.

Feel honored, child, for you shall be the vessel for me, Wang Fei, the Demon Abyss Master. Bow before me and I shall make this less than extremely painful for you.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.