They walked through a dimly lit corridor adorned with ancient runes, leading to a series of caves. The air was thick with the scent of old stone and subtle hints of iron. Arriving at a small, unassuming counter, Lee Ann addressed the old man in charge of the blood pools.
"We'd like to rent a mid-tier blood pool for fourteen days," she stated with determination.
The old man looked up, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Fourteen days? Little girl, don't make jokes like that."
Lee Ann, with a confident smile, shook her badge and replied, "I'm not joking."
The old man's surprise turned into reluctant acceptance. "Fourteen thousand Babel points, non-refundable."
Lee Ann proceeded with the payment, her heart racing with anticipation. Yan Jin followed her to the designated cave, where the entrance door slid shut behind him with a soft hiss. Inside, the cave was a serene chamber, illuminated by a soft, ambient light.
As Yan Jin stepped into the small pod, he felt a comforting warmth envelop him. The pod began to fill with the rich, crimson blood of the pool, reaching up to his chest. He settled into a meditative pose, focusing his mind as the blood slowly surrounded him.
This immersion was reminiscent of the red blood cell absorption he had experienced during the Iron Blood Cell Tournament, but this time, the intensity was heightened. The blood's nutrients flowed into him, enhancing his vitality and pushing him toward his goal of building another halo.
--
Nie Yang, seated in a luxurious chamber, reviewed the report with growing intrigue. "So you're telling me that Yan Jin is the one causing all this stir?" he asked, his voice steady yet laced with curiosity.
"Yes, Young Master," replied his attendant. "Nie Lie has been causing problems wherever he goes—failure to report his imperial bloodline, dereliction of duty, killing civilians, even torture. Because of all that, he's made an enemy of Huang."
Nie Yang sighed, leaning back thoughtfully. "There goes my chance of recruiting him. But I'm more interested in his movement technique and that Garuda Feather Storm. He clearly picked up something special during the blood cell tournament."
The attendant's eyes flickered. "Since recruitment is off the table, shall we... encourage him to share some of his treasures? Or at the very least, we could make his climb more difficult."
Nie Yang smirked, clearly entertained by the idea. "Let him spill some of his secrets. Where is he now?"
When Yan Jin reached his room on the 100th floor, he immediately noticed something was off—the door had been forcefully opened. Walking in calmly, he saw a man sitting on his bed, casually petting Scara, who was caged and strangely docile under the man's touch.
"Who are you?" Yan Jin asked, his voice cold but undeterred, as he headed toward his wardrobe to change in front of the intruder.
"I am Nie Yang," the man responded with a casual tone, his piercing gaze following Yan Jin's every move. Yan Jin acknowledged the name without breaking stride, remaining as composed as ever.
"You must have guessed why I'm here," Nie Yang continued. "Your identity has been unmasked, Yan Jin of Pine City."
Yan Jin gave no indication that this revelation concerned him in the slightest. He continued changing into fresh robes, the silence thick with tension. After putting on his robe, he finally turned to face Nie Yang.
"So, Mr. Nie," Yan Jin said, his tone emotionless, "What do you want?"
Nie Yang leaned forward, eyes sharp. "I'm Nie Li's half-brother, leader of the younger generation in the Nie family, and General of the Golden Warrior Division."
"And?" Yan Jin asked, unimpressed. "Why are you telling me this?"
Nie Yang's smile faded slightly as he got to the point. "I know about your conflict with Nie Li. I can mediate for you—on one condition. I want the Garuda technique you've learned."
Yan Jin's expression remained unreadable. He took off his wooden mask, revealing his scarred face and hollow, empty eyes, and sat next to Nie Yang on the bed, meeting him at eye level.
"Who asked you to interfere?" Yan Jin asked, his voice low and calm.
"Huh?" Nie Yang seemed momentarily thrown off.
"You think I'm afraid of your family because of your ties to the Archduke?" Yan Jin's voice remained steady, but there was an underlying sharpness. Nie Yang, sensing something darker in Yan Jin's calm demeanor, reached out his hand as if to touch his scarred face, but Yan Jin caught his wrist mid-air.
"Do you pity me? Don't," Yan Jin whispered, pulling Nie Yang's hand closer to his face, their noses almost touching. "I will kill Nie Li. And if your Golden Warrior Division or your Nie family tries to stop me, I'll unleash a massacre. I won't hesitate."
For a moment, Nie Yang was lost in Yan Jin's hollow gaze. It was as if, through those dead eyes, he could see rivers of blood and the severed heads of the Nie family members—his own bloodline—piling up like sacrifices to the wrath of a silent storm.