Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Sitting in the dirt, my eyes focus on the Shrikes swaying bottom as she stomps away, my mood stuck somewhere between scared and horny. Baledaghs presence hovers in the back of my mind, alerted by my internal screaming when the Shrike grabbed me by the throat, and his wry voice sounds in my head. Well, that went poorly.

Youre telling me. Brushing the dirt off my hands, I take a quiet moment to reflect on my poor life decisions. Its like I have some morbid, underlying desire to fuck things up. I had her on the intellectual ropes, but I went too far and forgot the golden rule: might makes right. What ever happened to the brush is mightier than the sword?

Dont be silly brother, a brush is poor defence against a dagger, much less a sword.

Too drained to bother explaining the idiom, I sigh and pick myself up. All things considered, our head is still attached, so it didnt go too badly. Besides we probably wont have to ride at the front anymore, so thats another plus. Gotta stay optimistic. Wouldve been nice to stay off her shit-list though, bloodthirsty fanatics arent known for their forgive and forget attitude. I should have known better than to open my mouth, no good ever came from arguing over religion. I let my guard down around her feminine wiles, with those pink, luscious lips, radiant green eyes, and ample, voluminous...

Get a hold of yourself. Shes a mass murderer, stop being so attracted to her, stupid.

Concerned for my well-being, Mafu waddles over to sniff and chitter, his posture submissive and scared. Patting the chubby coward to ease his worries, I feed him some apples to perk his spirits and calm my nerves, focusing on the adorable face of delight he makes while chomping down his favourite treat. Simple pleasures, thats what Im missing. How did things get so complicated? I came out here to earn respect for the People and raise my reputation, but instead Im robbing merchants, arguing religion, and taking part in the slaughter of innocents.

This is ridiculous. All I want is a nice, quiet life with my two to seven lovely wives. Is it too much to ask for?

Unable to read the mood, Baledagh asks, So what now? Do we reveal my ability to sense the Defiled?Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Honestly? No idea. Thoughts?

Id prefer not to be forced into servitude and used as a bloodhound, which seems likely considering her zeal. Besides, how would you explain it? I cant, its nothing more than a feeling.

I dont know. The lie comes easily. Lets sleep on it for now, itll be a day or two before the first group of prisoners arrive. Satisfied by my decision, Baledagh returns to his self-imposed exile, leaving me to wallow in anxiety. What am I going to do? I mean, she said if I can pick out the Defiled, shell let the others go, which is great, but what happens afterwards? Although Baledagh cant explain how he does it, I can, but admitting I have an ignorantly Defiled alter-ego isnt high on my list of things to do. Am I capable of convincingly pleading ignorance or spinning it as some manipulation of chi? What happens if Im questioned under oath and forced to reveal how I detect the Defiled?

Youre thinking too much. Zian stands before me, interrupting my internal strife while the others wait beside him. Dastan offers a sympathetic pat on the arm while BoShui barely hides his glee, taking pleasure in my hardships. With his head held high, Zian waves dismissively, arrogant even in magnanimity. The prisoners are doomed regardless of your actions. Pick a few at random, keep your mouth shut, and the Shrike lose interest in you soon enough. When this is over, return to the Bridge with all haste. Shes been avoiding her father ever since she took up her sacred duty.

Judging by BoShuis incredulous stare, Im not the only one who finds it strange that Zian is giving me advice. Quickly collecting himself, he sniffs pretentiously and declares, Your life is mine to take, in a duel for all to see. Ill not stand idly by while you martyr yourself for a hopeless cause. Punctuating the statement with a flick of his sleeves, Zian haughtily struts away and returns to his tent, leaving me standing with Dastan and BoShui.

All he needs to do is blush while calling me an idiot and I can confidently label Zian as tsundere, a cold, hostile exterior with a warm, loving core. Seriously, why do I attract all the crazies? Where are all the normal, non-murderous people? My closest friends, Mila, Yan, Huu, and Fung are a smidgen too bloodthirsty for my tastes. It makes me cherish little wifey Lin all the more, her gentle, harmless demeanour a soothing balm for my soul.

Coughing lightly to catch my attention, BoShui flashes his irritating smile. Tread lightly, Undying Savage, for though she appears little more than an impassioned woman, my cousins harrowing reputation is well earned. Ive seen first-hand reports of her madness, so stay close to Major Yuzhen unless you wish to put your title to the test. Then again, if you die, Ill be able to taunt Zian with his defeat for the rest of time. So win-win for me. His piece said, BoShui leaves without waiting for a reply, chuckling beneath his breath.

Oddly enough, if I were to pick between them, Id choose Zian, a man who almost killed me and hopes to try again, over BoShui, the smarmy twit. Am I the reason I cant make normal friends?

Why does the death of these villagers bother you so much?

Faced with Dastans crude but honest question, I can only shrug in response. How do you explain basic empathy? Why doesnt it bother you? I dont understand, everyone unilaterally agrees the Purge is appalling, but when it comes right down to it, they all wave their hands and mumble something about fate. These arent lives lost in an earthquake or flooding, we are conscientiously choosing to have thousands of people tortured to death because they might be Defiled. Doesn't that seem ridiculous to you?

No. What would you have us do instead?

The question takes me off-guard and I take a moment to study this enigmatic officer. Hard to read, the common-born warrior stands at attention with a neutral expression, his posture neither challenging nor submissive. Wearing an unadorned lamellar breastplate over a modest hemp robe, theres little to differentiate him from a common soldier aside from the decorated golden hand-axe hanging at his waist. His stern features, scruffy sideburns, and developing mustache make him seem older than his twenty-two years, the lines around his eyes etched into his skin. Though of little renown, I cant underestimate his skill and handwork, the youngest person present aside from myself.

I never said I spent a week underwater. I fell in, and someone found me a week later. I dont know what happened in between. His eyes stared off into the distance, as if piercing through the fog with sheer power of will. Maybe I was under there the whole time, or maybe I was saved by Heavenly waters, or tears of the Mother, or giant turtles. For all I know, I was stuck on some wreckage and drifted here over the course of a week.

Sighing, she nudged him with her shoulder. See, saying things like this is how you caused this mess with Han BoLao. Its clear you are not a true believer of the Mother and under normal circumstances, it wouldnt matter, but youre dealing with the Sanguine Priestess. A fanatic like her makes no distinction between a non-believer and a heretic, and considering how she sees your survival and your talents as a gift from the Mother, its no surprise she reacted poorly to you questioning her beliefs.

Sorry. I cant help it, it is in my nature to question. Im a curious fellow.

My old man is the same. He likes you, you know? Calls you a fine, upstanding young man every time your name is brought up. Hes obsessed with the repeating crossbow you brought him, spends all his free time with Husolt and Chakta tinkering with the design.

Glad to hear it.

The surprising thing was, he meant it. Rain cared little for ingratiating himself with her old man, never asking for anything in return. The way he saw it, helping prolong the Marshals life was no different from helping a grandmother carry her groceries. No matter, whether he asked or not, Yuzhen was determined to help him here. You neednt worry, I will shelter you from her wrath. Now come, we cannot delay any longer. You will go humour Han BoLao, it doesnt matter who you choose. Though the guilt weighs heavily on you, the fault lies not with you. Ive already given the order, their lives are forfeit.

...What if I can do it? What if I can pick out the Defiled?

Taken aback by the question, she blinked and asked, Can you?

...Maybe? I dont know. Things have been weird since I came out of the lake. With all the new skills and whatnot I showed you, I dont understand how they work, they just... do, easy as breathing. I dont even understand this purity nonsense, Im just channelling chi normally. The weird thing is, when I fought the Defiled in the village, I felt a wrongness to them but thought nothing of it, almost forgotten it. Now... Im not sure. Maybe I can sense them.

Poor, naive child, tormenting himself by hoping to save the doomed. If you can, and thats a stretch, then you would save hundreds of thousands of lives. His mood improved at her words but she mercilessly cut him down. However, those here are still doomed. No matter how overwhelming the proof, I would still order them Purged. Then I would send you to meet with Imperial experts to determine the validity and mechanics of your skill. The Empire will accept no risk when it comes to a Defiled outbreak within its borders. Sensing someone approach from behind, she stood and held a hand out for him, pulling him up gently. Please, ignore your fancies of saving their lives and do as I have asked.

Hmph, what arrogance. Striding out of the fog, the Shrike sneered. To think, you truly believe yourself so blessed, to succeed where untold generations have failed. There is no method to determine if someone is Defiled. No longer dressed in flowing robes, the Shrike came ready for work wearing a leather breastplate and trousers shockingly red in colour.

Well technically, you cant prove a negative. Rains quip earned him a pleading glance from Yuzhen and an angry glare from the Shrike. Foolish boy, always poking the bear. Undeterred, Rain continued imploring the Shrike. I dont have all the answers, but that doesnt mean I should blindly accept the solutions given. Im sorry if I offended you, but my question still stands: who decided massacre and torture was the only way?

Ill not listen to your nonsense any longer, there is work to be done.

Sighing in defeat, Rain followed the Shrike with his shoulders slumped, Yuzhen staying close to his side. Before long, they stood in front of a crowd of unwashed peasants, their eyes pleading as they huddled together, too terrified to speak. Unable to stop herself, Yuzhen scanned the crowd with her chi and senses, praying for a miracle.

If ever there were a time for one, it would be now.

Shedding all his fears and doubts, Rain appeared a different person as he inspected the crowd. Expertly feigned disinterest, he strode into them and looked each over one by one. Sensing something was amiss, the poor souls pleaded with him, some throwing themselves at his feet while others begged for the lives of their children. Yuzhens heart trembled at the sight, her eyes misting as she looked away, unable to bear it for any longer. Prolonging this was cruel, these people knew what awaited them.

Rain continued unperturbed, his stony silence and scrutinizing glare silencing the crowd with little effort. The minutes passed slowly, with Rain's frown growing deeper by the second. Only after making his way through each person did he return, walking away and signalling for the Shrike to follow. Once out of earshot, he turned to face them with back straight and shoulders square, confident as hed been during his first duel. Something is wrong, he said, his demeanour betraying no emotion. None of them are Defiled.

...

Oh dear sweet Mother, shelter this poor fool.

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