Chapter 390

Chapter 390

Red One wasnt kidding when he said the Death Corps were well-versed in attending to my needs. In the time it takes to mop a few puddles of filmy poop water, gather my soiled bed sheets, and bring the mats out to dry, my Death Corps honour guards have finished setting up the most lavish and extravagant impromptu bath I have ever seen. Instead of the strung up blankets I was expecting, I find several beautiful wooden folding screens cordoning off a small area in front of my yurt, their polished surfaces elaborately carved and lacquered with depictions of beautifully life-like birds amidst blooming floral scenery. Heart gripped by fear and apprehension, I hop over only to be greeted by an even more costly sight, a carved stone bathtub complete with integrated side-table for food and drink and a built in wood-stove to heat the water. Overcome with regret for not being more thorough, I swallow hard and ask two questions Im not sure I want the answer to. Where did you get all of this and how much did it cost?

So focused on stoking the fire, Red One only now notices my presence, dropping everything as he turns to kneel and salute. Responding to Imperial Consort, these items were gifted during his wedding banquet with Imperial Servant Luo.

Oh thank the Heavens... I forgot about all my fancy gifts. I dont remember seeing any of this stuff, but I suppose its because it was probably delivered after the fact. Having resolved my minor anxiety attack, I take the time to appreciate the lovely artwork and remind myself to thank whoever gifted it. This is way nicer than the dividers and bathtub I used after the wedding banquet, though considering the copious amounts of blood I left behind, I can forgive Nan Pings Magistrate for not lending the best he had to offer. That said, I should take inventory of all my stuff. Lovely as all of this is, its not exactly practical to bring into a war zone, but for now, theres nothing wrong with indulging while I still can.

After declining Red Ones offer to stay and help and similar offers from his fetching female comrades, Orange One and Yellow One, I disrobe and sit on the stone stool to lather up and rinse off. Doing my best not to look too closely at the run-off for the sake of my sanity, I scrub my skin and hair clean with soap and rag in the cold morning air, wondering if there will ever come a time when I can enjoy bunny kisses ever again. Probably not, which is a shame. Sweet as they are, quins dont like to kiss since they clean themselves with water and vigorous rubbing, and I taught my wildcats not to lick people on account of their skin-scraping, flesh-rending barbed tongues. I suppose Ill have to settle for bear kisses for now, but Banjo and Baloo prefer showing their affection in different ways, like hugs, nuzzles, and motor-boat grunts.

I dont think I can live like this, which means theres only one solution: I must find more floofs. Adorable, affectionate, non-poop eating floofs, preferably something which subsists on fruits and vegetables so I dont break the bank feeding them.

Imagining myself snuggling with an army of red pandas, I lower my squeaky clean self into the steaming hot water with a satisfied sigh, feeling the knots unwind and unfurl as tension melts from my muscles. Overhead, the perverted Ping-Ping peeks over the dividers with obvious interest while Blackjack enjoys the sun from atop her head. Truth be told, I kinda forgot about Blackjack last night and left the tiny hare outside with Ping Ping, which is good because it means Blackjack did not partake in the poop-water buffet, so I can still enjoy little hare kisses for now.

Determined to enjoy my downtime, I ignore Ping Pings urgent squeaks and settle in for a long, relaxing bath. I already thought ahead and left the water untouched by soap, so she can wait an hour or two until Im done. Okay, not two hours, because Id clearly be putting off dealing with my problems, but I deserve at least 30 minutes of me time. This is nice, sitting beneath the open skies in my fancy heated tub, while Ping Ping watches over me and Yipi and the other Laughing Birds fly overhead. Kingfisher, thats what Mahakala called them, so I suppose I should start using their proper name, even through theyre hardly regal and Ive never seen them fish.

...

Poor Mahakala. He seemed so resigned to death at the end there, regarding his entire life as failure. I cant blame him for not clinging to life, Heaven knows how many times Ive thought about a fresh start. I hope he survived the mindless Spectres and hes out there somewhere, waiting to be born again. Perhaps hes even already back in the world as a newborn and ready to give life another try. I wonder if theres any way to track him down or something, though itd be awkward if hes reborn as a little girl, or worse, not even human.

Hmm... If Im reborn as anything other than human, I hope its something adorable and furry. Not that I aspire to being a furry, but Id be super depressed if I woke up in a new body covered in feathers or scales. Then again, it might be nice to fly or have armour-like skin, but honestly, if my mind were in an animals body, I doubt Id last long. The lack of opposable thumbs is so limiting and eating raw meat is just icky. On the plus side, if Im cute and fluffy, maybe I could find a beautiful lady to love and pamper me, one wholl share her bed and hold me close against her bosom...Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

Yan doesnt have much in the way of boobs, but theyre still nice. Shes also got killer hips and legs for days, a gorgeous, sensuous woman through and through. This is all without mentioning her captivating demeanour, starting out strong as a bold and dominant lover before turning shy and girlish the second she experiences something new. Shes so incredible, I love how she runs her hands over my muscles, how she presses her lips against mine, how her eyes drink in the sight of my body... Yan makes me feel wanted, needed even, and its not something I knew I even wanted until last night.

How long should I wait before going to see her again? Is lunch too soon? How does one propose around here? Do I keep to Bekhai tradition or should I go with Central norms? What if Grandpa Du says no? What if hes already got a partner in mind for Yan? Do I challenge whoever it is to a duel to the death? Maybe I should ask Taduk to Heal my hand and foot instead of regenerating it myself. Its faster if he does it, but puts more stress on my body since it depletes all my fat reserves in one go, and if those arent enough, which they probably arent, Ill lose muscle mass too. Considering how much Yan appreciated said muscles, Id rather not lose them for now, so I suppose slow and steady it is. Besides, if Grandpa Du tries to marry Yan to that loser Jin Tok, I could totally kill him with only one hand and one foot, assuming Yan doesnt kill the snivelling bastard first.

Submerging my head underwater to quench my rage, I come back up for air wondering how people can lie around and do nothing. Ive been idle for five minutes and Im already driving myself crazy with outlandish hypotheticals. Sadly, as much as Id like to relax and enjoy the little things in life, dormancy and inaction are not for me. Maybe I could take up a hobby, like woodworking or stone carving. Ooh, or sewing.

Sitting up in the tub, I dry my upper body and close my eyes, channelling Chi into the bathwater as I slip into my Natal Palace. From the comfort of my (not real) bed, I gaze deep into the darkness of the void and am relieved to find myself alone and untouched by either variety of Spectre. I already checked on the way home last night, but one can never be too sure, especially since this new brand of aggressive, flesh-devouring Spectres makes the old ones look like HIV to their full-blown AIDS. How did Mahakala put it? Itinerant souls seeking to end existence, weaponized into a physical substance which is Anathema to life itself.

Yea, that's a nope from me. Do not want.

Sitting in front of a giant tree? Too obscure. Trolls blood? Too nonsensical. Druids? Too human. A white box with a red cross?

...Sure, why not? Now, all I need to do is associate the first-aid kit with whatever I construct in my Natal Palace, and I have the perfect place in mind. The image comes easily, as its a place Ive spent plenty of time in, a tiny dirt and stone cottage ensconced in the mountainside. A quin stable sits beside the house proper and a bamboo fence encloses a small area around both, where a blossoming herbal garden sits in neat, orderly rows, so at odds with the wild, uncultivated ambience of everything else. Inside, its a cluttered mess with books everywhere and pages strewn about, some written by the inhabitant and others torn out in fit of pique because the author was misinformed or flat out wrong, destined to be burnt in the nearby fireplace. The round dining table tucked in the corner has three wooden chairs arranged around it, two worn and faded while the third is newer and more lustrous.

I never noticed before now, but Taduk bought the chair just for me. There are backless stools in the closet for when guests join him for meals, but in his eyes, I was never a guest, so I needed a chair, even if I only ate lunch with him most days. A small gesture and a minor inconvenience for him and Lin, but one which tells me theyve always thought of me as family.

Cry later. Work now. Also, hug Taduk more. Hes awesome.

The rest of Taduks home comes easily, since his study, his bedroom, and Lins room are all thats left. A quaint and humble affair compared to his manor in Shen Huo, but he loves it here and so do I. If I dont feel welcome in the village anymore and I cant have Taduk in my Natal Palace, then this is the next best thing. Close to the village, but outside it. Not one of the Bekhai, but standing with them.

Its not ideal, but its the best Ive got.

Now... where to put the first-aid kit? My first thought is to hide it in a secret room behind a breakable wall, but that seems silly and counter productive. This is passive healing, which means it needs to be visible, dominant even. Going with my subconscious, I envision the white box floating in mid-air, rotating horizontally while exuding a transparent, spherical domain of increased regeneration. At least, thats what I feel it does, which is more important than its actual purpose, Id hope.

Remember, this is all trial and error still, so its no big deal if this doesnt work. No need to feel all depressed and gloomy, we can try again, and again, and again, as many times as its needed to get it right. Having prepared for the worst, I take one last look around the cottage before closing my eyes, concentrating on the rotating first-aid kit and the Passive Regeneration it provides. Dont think about Healing or creating Panacea, focus only on the first-aid kit and what it does, emanate a natural, perpetual field which Heals you automatically so long as you have Chi. Its just like going to visit Taduk for Healing, a process which requires no effort on your part whatsoever.

Willing myself awake, I open my eyes to see Ping Pings beak inches from the bathtub, her mouth open as she pants in eager anticipation. Giggling at her adorable antics, I get out as quickly as I can and fill a pan for Pong Pong, hoping to see if the tiny turtle would also like some Chi-Water and perhaps validate my hypotheses. There are so many of them now, I can barely keep track, but either way, Ping Ping deserves her treat. With my permission, the big girl dips her beak into the tub and slurps it all in one gulp, her eyes closed in sheer delight as she takes in the moment.

Its still feels weird feeding a Divine Turtle with bath water, especially since I just used it to clean turtle poop out of my hair, but whatever floats her boat.

And now, for the moment of truth... Did it work?

Wrapped only in a towel and standing on one foot, I close my eyes and return to my Natal Palace. As usual, the little room is still there, unchanged with a bed, nightstand, and goblet of Heavenly Water within. More importantly, beside it sits Taduks cottage, exactly as I left it, still exuding the transparent field of Healing energy. Whispering a small prayer to the Mother to cover my bases, I look inwards and squeal in delight as I see my blood carrying Panacea to my severed hand and foot without any conscious effort on my part.

It worked. I cant believe it worked. This is huge! I once called myself a support, but no longer. This has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Right now, its just passive Healing, but throw in Passive Reinforcement, Passive Lightening, Passive Honing, Passive Guiding...

Fuck the Legate and his Imperial Secrets. I dont need him, Ive got buff bots now. Divinity, here I come!

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