Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Even though it was already noon when the sun was the most abundant, the Wizard Li jungle was still very dark. However, they relied on their familiarity with the terrain and the help of the light passing through the gaps between the canopies. With this, the mainland children demonstrated their youthful vigor exclusive to youngsters and ran with laughter on the woodland.
Following by the side and seeing this scene, Zhang Lisheng could not help but show a satisfied smile. Having thoughts about kids and teenagers were the ones most difficult to hide. To him, the fact that these mainland teenagers could adapt to the Hellfire island’s lifestyle and have a pleasant experience living there without attempting to commit suicide repeatedly was praiseworthy. After all, the barbarians would always mark them as a target for kidnapping.
As the young man was thinking proudly, a voice of concern suddenly resonated in his ear, “Sir, can you keep up with us? Guys, slow down. Don’t forget that we have a ‘guest’ with us.”
“It’s alright, Miss. I’m used to walking in woodland, so no matter how fast you guys walk, I can still keep up with you.” Zhang Lisheng snapped back to reality and looked at the silver-haired girl who was looking at him with a concerned expression before speaking with a smile. “Looks like you guys have lived quite a nice life here in the Hellfire island. You all seem energetic.”
“Actually, staying here did not differ much from staying in Venis City.” The girl was touched, so she did not notice that this ‘shipwreck victim’ had asked a strange question. After pondering for a while, she showed a healthy smile and pointed to her companions and said, “Oh yeah, I haven’t told you yet. We’re all Venisans. Every day when the morning bell goes off, we’ll go to Mr. Charlot’s place to study and learn arithmetic, nature, and history. Once we have our lunch at noon, we’ll go to the jungle and the beach to play. This jungle looks horrifying, but actually, it’s not dangerous at all. However, it’s said that the reason it’s not dangerous is that the Hellfire people will clean up the jungle around the town, so we can’t go too far. Speaking of them, the Hellfire people on this island are ruled by a mighty demon. You may not believe this if I tell you, but the ship that they sail can sail speedily at sea to fish and battle without sails and oars. There are even airships that can fly in the sky…”
As the silver-haired girl continued to ramble, they crossed a vast moss-covered pond. Soon, a town in the middle of the jungle that could accommodate tens of thousands of people appeared before Zhang Lisheng’s eyes.
The town was formed from buildings made from a combination of stone and wood. At a short glance, one might think that it resembled the architectural style of the Kattaman City State. However, when one looked closely, they would realize that the surrounding had a touch of the Hellfire culture. Be it the damp-proof tree bark polished to resemble stones stuck outside of the house or the ground made from fine soil strengthened with seawater, all of them had a hint of the Hellfire tribe’s shadow in it.
“This is really a nondescript, erm, I should describe it as ‘thoroughly integrated’ town…” Now that Zhang Lisheng came to this mainland town built based on his order for the first time, he stood outside of it and looked around as he muttered.
“Sophinea, who did you guys bring back?” When the young man observed the town, he saw that an exceptionally beautiful young woman dressed in a plain robe and carrying a clay pot on the way to get some water from the pool outside of the town saw the teenagers. She realized that they were returning with a pale-looking young man looking at the verge of his death, whose nether region was only covered by nothing but leaves into the town, prompting her to ask in shock, “Don’t tell me that he’s a shipwreck victim?”
“What else can he be if it’s not shipwreck victim, Sister Amenas? I’m bringing him to see Mr. Charlot now so he can have some clothes to wear and food to eat…” The silver-haired girl answered.
“Oh, Sophinea, this gentleman right here needs a doctor, not some clothes or food…” The young girl carefully studied Zhang Lisheng’s face and threw the clay pot to the side of the pool. She scrutinized him before anxiously walking up to him and said, “You should bring him to see Amoley immediately!”
“Thanks for your kind intention, Miss Amenas, but I’ve never been better. I don’t need any doctor…” Looking into the woman’s eyes, the Wizard Li’s overlord replied with a smile.
“Sir, it’s not the time to show your masculinity now. You need help,” Amenas, on the other hand, pulled Zhang Lisheng’s arm without allowing him to explain himself, pulling him while speeding towards the town. Walking on the flat dirt road leading to the town, she suddenly turned around to look at the young man in confusion, while continuing to walk without stopping, “Sir, have we met before? Why do I feel as though you’re somewhat familiar?”
“I don’t know whether we have met before, but I also think that you look familiar,” Zhang Lisheng casually replied. “Miss Amenas, I really don’t need to see a doctor. Why don’t you bring me to see your Sir Charlot first, I still…”
As he was speaking, a group of tall and strong young men carrying axes made from black iron joke fishily and ran up from behind him.
Seeing the charming and graceful Amenas from afar, the eyes of this group of sailors who became lumberjacks lit up right away. They immediately whistled loudly and some even catcalled, “Amenas, has your father Constance returned from his work with the Hellfire people? Let me know if he does, alright? I wanna go see him, so I could ask for your hand…”
When the young woman heard such ridicule, colors drained from her face right away. Even so, she stubbornly shook her lips and turned to look at the men, before showing them a rude hand gesture and yelling loudly, “Tonal, Absno! You sons of bitches! Go to the draught animal pens and ask for those pigs’ hands instead!”
“Aww, look, our little beauty dear is angry! Look how cute that little red face is… Oh? Why are you pulling a naked midget? Is he your lover?” The lumberjacks burst into a series of laughter again. Amenas gritted her teeth and said nothing else as she continued to make her way.
However, at this moment, she suddenly felt that the arm that she had been pulling forward had suddenly become as heavy as a mountain. At the same time, she could hear a low voice from behind, “Miss Amenas, are you the daughter of Navigator Constance?”
“Yes. D-Do y-you know my father?” The young woman immediately stiffened. She halted her steps and turned to look at the shipwreck victim beside her.
“Of course, I know your father. I can also tell you now that you and I know each other too.” Zhang Lisheng sighed before saying apologetically, “Your father has died for Wizard Li. Based on my order, your status in this town should be higher than the others. I didn’t expect the others to attack you. It seems that my believers have misunderstood my intention. The peace that I want is not this kind of peace. I’m sorry, Miss Amenas, for making you feel wronged…”
Upon hearing the young man’s words, the woman became stunned. All of a sudden, her eyes turned wide as her mouth dropped. Horrified, she said incoherently in a hoarse voice, “Oh my God! I-It’s you! Y-You… It’s you! W-Why didn’t I… Oh, my God! W-Why did I forget how you look like… Why? Why?”
The woman could no longer say any word.
“Yes, it’s me, Miss Amenas. When we met on the ship, I was neatly dressed. I had a proud air on, but right now, I must be looking very pale and wretched, so it’s normal that you couldn’t recognize me,” Zhang Lisheng answered calmly.
When the young man spoke, the lumberjacks had already come up to them and stopped beside him. One of the slightly short men glanced at Zhang Lisheng from top to toe with a hostile gaze and coldly said, “Oh, a new person, and a serf on top of that! Buddy, where are you from?”
“Robit, has your brain been smashed by the tree into pulp? It’s so obvious that he’s a pitiful bastard who has encountered a shipwreck,” A fat man who had a big belly but agile limbs said in disdain beside the first man, “Chesnu, Angeorge, you mischiefs! It must be you guys who picked this fella up from the beach, right?”
“Y-Yes, Mr. Bach…” Even though those teens were not old, they were already mature enough. When Chesnu heard the conversation between the ‘shipwreck victim’ and Amenas, a lousy premonition already rose from his heart. However, he still refused to think about the worst case scenario as he answered.
“Amenas, you little slut! You actually wanna bring this man back to your house, didn’t you? Since he’s a shipwreck victim, just hand him over to us…” The short man was laughed at by his companion, so rage immediately rose on his face. Even so, he did not dare to lash it out onto the fat man, so he could only grab Zhang Lisheng and shouted loudly.
The others started laughing while watching the scene. Only Amenas, who had focused her gaze at Zhang Lisheng, could read the ferociousness and brutality in the Wizard Li’s overlord’s eyes when Robit reached out his hand. All of a sudden, a gush of uncontrollable chills enveloped her entire body. The woman immediately recovered her ability to talk and could not help but shout loudly, “N-No, Robit…”
However, her warning was obviously too late. When the short man’s hand almost reached Zhang Lisheng, he was suddenly sent flying to over ten meters away as though a fast-moving steel war chariot rammed him. His body broke into a few pieces in the air. When he landed, he struggled with a few shrill cries with what remains of his head before he finally looked up into the sky with a pair of weary eyes and lost his life.
The sudden inexplicable, horrifying death of their companions made the lumberjacks stunned. As they looked at each other with horror, they still could not explain what was going on. When an incomprehensible sense of fear overcome their reasons, a calm and cold voice suddenly resonated in their ears, “Even after you have left the mainland’s order, it looks like all of you sailors have not realized that there is an even harsher order restraining you on the Wizard Li Island. I was the one who made this order, so whoever wants to trample over it must have the power that either surpasses mine or the power that can make me fear or… you must be prepared to die!”
When his voice resonated, the lumberjacks immediately felt that an invisible force had bound their bodies. They were squeezed and twisted while being pulled upward into the air. With a series of crisp cracking along with the sound of their bones cracking, they screamed painfully at the top of their lungs, “G-God! G-God, please let me die…”
“H-help us! W-What happened? H-Help us! Help! Help… H-help…”
“I-It’s that shipwreck victim who is d-doing this! L-Look at his face! H-He’s smiling! H-He must be the devil from t-the sea…”
Shrill cries resonated all over the town.
