Chapter 1.1 – No Choice
Henry was dead, Sousa was lead, the bearded officer was dead. Even all of the soldiers whose names no one knew were dead.
Everything from Henry’s waist up had disappeared, and of the bearded officer, only two naked legs remained. Sousa completely turned into a blob of unrecognizable flesh, but what was scary was that the pile of flesh continued to wriggle about. Fortunately, it didn’t move and was just trying its hardest to change its shape.
There wasn’t a single survivor among the soldiers on Su’s side, but it was the same for Henry’s side as well. In this dark night, in front of an enemy that could hide and move like the wind at any time, no matter how many soldiers there were, they were just prey waiting to be slaughtered, with the difference only being in the duration and method of death. Neither courage nor quantity could change the result. The proof of this cruel reality were the deaths of 35 soldiers.
As for how they died, they were relatively fortunate, at least all dying under ordinary bullets. Wasting an electromagnetic powered bullet on an ordinary soldier wasn’t that good of an idea. With the panoramic view, Su could, while moving at great speeds, use ordinary assault rifles to produce sniper rifle results. Even though it was rather useless against individuals with powerful abilities, for cleaning up foot soldiers, it couldn’t be any easier.
Within the ground of corpses, Jast’s death was rather strange. His death of having his skull shattered was rather unusual when taking into account his seven levels of ability. If it was in a peaceful era, or under some special type of setting, those that mainly strengthened mysterious perception abilities like Jast would undoubtedly possess great status. However, in this era of chaos, Jast already became a non-essential chess piece. There were two reasons for this, the first that he didn’t have the essential combat ability, and the second, he didn’t have a master that thoroughly understood his value.
Su wandered about through this chaotic battlefield, continuously scanning the remains. Madeline followed behind him the entire time, silently helping him sort things out. Li was busy about as well, but her movements were clearly a bit rigid. Even though most of her injuries had already received emergency treatment, there was no way she could completely recover in such a short time. However, she knew that time was pressing, so she endured the pain and helped Su clean up the battlefield.
Apart from a small bruise on her face, Madeline didn’t seem to have received any other injuries, and her movement was calm and normal as well. However, upon closer inspection, one would find that the bruise on her face was currently disappearing at a visible speed. Several minutes later, her small face became just as pure as before.
Li Gaolei had already been transferred to an off-road vehicle, asleep under the effects of medication. His injuries were extremely severe, with large areas of bone fractures and internal damage. These types of injuries could only be treated under the complete facilities of general headquarters’ hospital. What Su could do right now was only temporarily stabilize his condition.
Su transferred all the complete med kits he could find onto the off-road vehicle, and then he carried a case of nuclear fuel over, placing it in the trunk. Only then did he clap his hands and walk towards the driver’s seat. Madeline was just like before, sitting in the front passenger seat without consulting anyone.
Li entered an off-road vehicle in the back by herself, that vehicle carrying a still quite full fuel cell and small amounts of nutrient-filled paste. There seemed to be something stuck in her chest. The engine was started as soon as she got into the vehicle, and then the off-road vehicle immediately began to rumble and shake like an unreconciled vicious beast.
Su didn’t get on the vehicle, instead silently gazing towards Dragon City, unknown as to what he was thinking. Only after remaining quiet for a long time did he retrieve the portable Black Dragonrider intelligence system and send Persephone, Helen, General Morgan, and Dyke Avidar each a message. When the last piece of information flew into the distance through electric waves, the small and refined portable combat intelligence system slowly slid down Su’s hands and fell onto the solid ground. Its firm and exceptional tough body bounced a few times, but unfortunately, the laws of physics meant that it was fated to bounce lower and lower each time. Right as it was carrying out its final struggle, a military boot trampled down on it. Under the tough military sole and ground, it had no choice but to shatter.
Su unscrewed a small metal bottle and poured out several drops of fuel onto the intelligence system’s broken pieces. Then, a small spark flew off the tip of his finger, igniting the fuel. The intelligence system’s fragments immediately began to distort, change shape, and turn into coal from the raging flames.
The great earth suddenly began to shake. Then, an enormous and dazzling ball of fire rose from the horizon, slowly forming a mushroom cloud that made contact with the clouds full of radiation. Inside the raging flames, metal components flew everywhere from time to time, to the extent where entire off-road vehicles were flung into the distance.
The distant fiery light was so brilliant it even illuminated Su’s driving seat, the alternating bright and dark rays forming grotesque and varied shadows between both Madeline and himself. Currently, the off-road vehicle was heading north west. Madeline turned around and looked at Su calmly. She suddenly asked, “You’re not going back to Dragon City?”
Su chuckled bitterly a few times and slowly said, “Can’t go back. I heard that Bevulas only had a single son.”
Madeline occupied the Trials Division for two whole years, so her understanding towards the Blood Parliament and political affairs could only be greater than Su’s. She became momentarily silent, and then in a soft voice, she said, “Sorry.”
Su laughed, but when he laughed, his body that had always been stretched taut finally relaxed. He reached out his hand and rubbed Madeline’s head before saying with a smile, “You don’t have to worry about something like this! Actually, I always knew that this day would come, whether it be a bit sooner or later.”
Su’s hand was long, soft, and warm. Madeline didn’t move at first, allowing him to mess up her long gray hair. However, she seemed to suddenly think of something, and then her expression changed slightly. The young lady suddenly grabbed Su’s hand, placed it by the edge of her mouth, and then she bit down!
Su was quite surprised, but he didn’t withdraw his hand, allowing Madeline to bite down heavily on his hand. She bit down quite heavily, making Su who had the panoramic view activated receive a bit of injury. Meanwhile, Su had no way of knowing just how long he had to wait before he would learn the reasoning for this action.
Deep inside, Su was not as relaxed or calm as he looked on the surface. He suddenly recalled the words Angelina Lanaxis spoke to him that day eight years ago: In this world, the most difficult path was a life with dignity. Su couldn’t help but release a bitter laugh. He originally already planned to give up a portion or even all of his own dignity as the price for Madeline’s peaceful growth, as well as to allow Persephone a stable life.
Only, in this kind of world, in this kind of era, he didn’t even have the opportunity to exchange his dignity!
It was a choice beyond his authority.
Henry didn’t know anything, and that was why he was fearless. Meanwhile, Su didn’t have a choice, and that was why he was also without fear!
The two off-road vehicles, one in front and one in the back, travelled further and further into the boundless dark night.
