Chapter 280: 280. The Will of Survival and the Ape-like Man
As Freya disappeared, Yin Shi’s gaze suddenly froze in astonishment. His face turned pale for a moment, and he looked up, confused, in the direction of the blue whale above White Emperor City.
“He’s dead?” he murmured, blood oozing from the corner of his lips as he turned and vanished into the depths of the dense forest.
The image cut off abruptly.
Xia Feng understood. Yin Shi must have sensed the death of his clone. When a blood spirit clone died, it caused a certain degree of backlash, one of the side effects, and a very fatal one, of using clones.
Generally, no one learned clone-type spirit robes, as good ones without fatal side effects were extremely rare.
After a moment of silence, Xia Feng looked again at the red cloth bag in his hand. This was also from Li Zaishi’s belongings, containing oval-shaped pebbles that flickered with an eerie red light. Milky white airflow circulated within the stones.
Xia Feng sensed a strong life aura from them. “This is…”
“Stones of Survival.”
Li Zaishi looked up and leaned against a tree stump, his eyes vacant. “This should be their purpose…”
His voice was hoarse, and his words came out intermittently.
Xia Feng largely understood. These stones were products of the [God Relic·Core of Survival].
Within the scope of the Core of Survival’s effect, if a deceased person carried a strong will to live and their emotions were unified, their souls would be absorbed and sealed, forming mechanical consciousness without independent thought—the Stones of Survival.
Historically, people had used the Stones of Survival as cores to create puppet legions that wreaked havoc.
The one hundred thousand troops who died on the battlefield of White Emperor City had all become Stones of Survival.
But was the purpose of these people harming one hundred thousand civilians and soldiers merely to create puppet legions? It seemed unlikely and unnecessary, Xia Feng mused with doubt.
Perhaps the Stones of Survival had other uses?
“Actually, I discovered this a month ago…”
“Heh heh~” Li Zaishi gave a pained laugh. “The remnant souls of those who died on this island would form Stones of Survival and be silently absorbed underground. Perhaps there was a problem with the absorption device, and I found a clue… But at that time, I didn’t dare to think about the truth this represented. Not until… not until I met you.”
Xia Feng was taken aback and understood. It was no wonder that when they mentioned the White Egret Campaign had ended thirty years ago, the other old soldiers were skeptical, but Li Zaishi immediately believed them.
“Then do you know who is behind this, betraying you?” Xia Feng asked deeply.
“Who? Heh… who else could it be?”
Li Zaishi closed his eyes in pain, his voice hoarse and filled with gritted teeth, yet weak. “I understood a long time ago, I just refused to believe it. The commander of the Li Dong Legion, Ye Li Dongjun, was the commander-in-chief of the White Egret Campaign back then. Only he could have trapped and killed us, one hundred thousand troops, on this isolated island.”
“But I don’t understand. At the last moment when City Lord Wei Zhong died heroically on the battlefield twenty years ago, he still believed the commander-in-chief would send reinforcements! The City Lord was Ye Li Dongjun’s confidant, yet he was also betrayed. What was his purpose in doing this!”
Li Zaishi spoke a great deal in one breath, his angry voice becoming more vigorous, like a final burst of energy.
After a few curses, he deflated again.
“Your Excellencies are already involved in this matter. Whether it’s Heavenly Revelation or Ye Li Dongjun, they probably won’t let you two go. These more than five hundred Stones of Survival are all formed from the souls of us remaining soldiers. Please take them. If you want to make them into puppets, that’s fine too. I just hope they can be of some use to you.”
Xia Feng took the heavy bag of stones, his heart heavy.
“Actually, I have a way to allow the remnant souls in the Stones of Survival to survive and gain their own consciousness.”
Mu Qingtong suddenly spoke. “But you would only be able to live in a fabricated world forever, completely cut off from the real world.”
Li Zaishi was stunned for a moment but still shook his head.
Of course, it was good to be alive, but both he and his deceased old soldier brothers had only one thought in their hearts.
“Our purpose in seeking survival is to make Ye Li Dongjun die, uncover the truth, and restore our pure reputations. If our deaths can kill Ye Li Dongjun, then we are willing to die.”
Mu Qingtong nodded, not surprised by Li Zaishi’s refusal.
These old soldiers were not people who would cling to a false illusion for survival. They only wanted to clear their names and exact revenge, willing to pay any price for it.
“Cough!! Haa—” Li Zaishi’s chest heaved, he tilted his head back and then let it droop again, his breath faint. This time, he was truly at his limit. He struggled to raise his hand.
“Two… Your Excellencies… I wish to make two final requests…”
Xia Feng knelt down, leaning closer to him, and said seriously in a deep voice, “Speak.”
“I have… I have a daughter, in Sector 41… The photo and address are in the back pocket of my pocket watch.”
“If it’s possible, Your Excellencies, could you look after her?”
“No problem!” Xia Feng quickly agreed.
“And over twenty years ago… there was one person we successfully sent out of the forbidden zone. He is the son of Lord Wei Zhong. Could you deliver a message to him?”
“Just say that… when Lord Wei Zhong died bravely on the battlefield… he looked very cool.” Li Zaishi gave a pained smile.
“?” Xia Feng was stunned. What did that message mean?
“What was his name, and where can I find him?” Xia Feng asked, confused.
“His name is… Uncle Wei.” He said it in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s whine. Li Zaishi’s pupils completely lost their luster, his life force extinguished.
The distorted spirit body above his head suddenly dispersed and then instantly reformed into a red stone, falling at Xia Feng’s feet.
!
Xia Feng didn’t pick it up, just stood there stunned, his mind somewhat dazed.
Uncle Wei?
Uncle Wei!!
Damn it, Old Wei was Wei Zhong’s son?
His thoughts paused for a moment. No time to think about it. As if sensing something, Xia Feng suddenly looked up at the northern sky, his expression changing slightly.
Someone was coming!
The aura was extremely powerful!
It was Yin Shi! This guy had probably dealt with his injuries and was now looking for the only survivor, Li Zaishi, to confirm his death.
Xia Feng quickly threw Li Zaishi’s body and the Stone of Survival he had become into the Nascent Ten Space.
“Let’s go!”
The two turned and ran.
“Enter the Spacetime Turbulence!” With Xia Feng’s telepathic message, Mu Qingtong did not hesitate and followed Xia Feng, soaring rapidly towards the sky.
But Yin Shi’s speed was terrifyingly fast. In an instant, he appeared behind the two.
Mu Qingtong blocked Xia Feng’s front. The moment her pupils flickered with cross-shaped, pale gold holy light, Yin Shi’s gaze was filled with surprise, and his stiff, immobile body began to fall towards the dense forest below.
At the same time, Mu Qingtong’s face turned pale, and blood flowed from the corners of her lips. Her eyelids drooped, and she fell into a half-conscious state.
Xia Feng reacted quickly, activating his Nascent Ten Sacred Armor while enveloping her waist. The instant they rushed out of the island’s barrier, they were swallowed by the chaotic Spacetime Turbulence outside.
Yin Shi was not incapacitated for long. His expression was solemn as he followed closely behind the two, also charging into the Spacetime Turbulence.
The dim dense forest returned to silence.
And at the top of a treetop stood a tall man with brown fur growing on his temples. His facial features resembled an ape-like man, with a long scar diagonally across the corner of his right eye.
He casually carried a stone club on his shoulder, his golden eyes narrowing:
“Tsk~ Sirius, is this one of the three people…”
