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墨書 Inktalez
The name of a person, the shadow of a tree!
Although I did not know the Old Man, from the techniques he had just displayed, it was clear that he was a master among masters. The warning I had on the tip of my tongue was swallowed back down.
How could these black-robed figures escape?
The Old Man watched as the black-robed individuals scattered in all directions, his gaze calm. With a wave of his hand, numerous tiny particles flew down from the air. These particles seemed to have a mind of their own, heading straight for the fleeing black-robed figures.
Those who ran slowly found themselves invaded by the particles, collapsing to the ground and rolling about in agony, their screams chillingly reminiscent of evil spirits from hell.
It sent shivers down our spines. I couldn't help but wonder what these things were that could torment a person so severely.
The Old Man snorted coldly, “You’ve injured my men. If you manage to leave here unscathed, where would I, An Zijie, put my old face?”
So this Old Man was quite protective of his own, after all. He was rather endearing in a way.
Of course, this endearment only applied to us; for those black-robed figures, he was like a reaper from hell.
These seemingly inconspicuous particles, resembling sesame seeds, appeared harmless individually. However, when they gathered in swarms, even those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies would find it unsettling.
The Black Sesame Seeds attached themselves to the bodies of the black-robed figures and transformed into thin worms that burrowed through their pores into their skin. One or two might not matter, but a swarm of them wreaking havoc inside a body would be unbearable even for the strongest of individuals.
The cries of those who lagged behind gradually faded away. Their faces twisted into grotesque shapes, their eyes bulging with blood as they met horrific ends.
Even more terrifying was how those black-robed figures struggled violently before dying, their bodies marred by their own frantic clawing—scratches covering them like a gruesome tapestry, flesh and blood a blurred mess.
After the person had died completely, the flesh and blood within the wounds began to churn, and a swarm of gray moths suddenly emerged.
These moths were entirely gray and not very large, continuously swirling in the air. They then landed on the corpse, incessantly sucking the blood and flesh from it.
Everyone was stunned by the actions of the Old Man, their mouths agape as they watched the bizarre scene before them, accompanied by the sounds of screams echoing from the forest.
At that moment, a figure stumbled back from the woods. I focused my gaze and realized, to my surprise, that it was an old acquaintance.
The Wasp King!
At this time, the Wasp King looked terrified, frantically swatting at the insect eggs on his body. He then knelt directly before the Old Man, repeatedly bowing his head and pleading, “Please, spare me! I won’t dare again. I was forced into this…”
The Old Man showed no sign of emotion on his face, exuding an overwhelming aura of authority. “Special Investigation Bureau, An Zijie. I have come to see you, Wasp King.”
Upon hearing the Old Man introduce himself, the Wasp King’s face turned pale. He had prided himself on being able to cultivate some insects and ruled over this small territory, but compared to the Old Man before him, he knew he didn’t even qualify to carry his shoes. The Wasp King wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered, “How did you end up here? Aren’t you supposed to…”
The Old Man clasped his hands behind his back and replied, “You’ve made quite a calculation by hiring someone I respect. However, that fellow is someone I know well. The bond we share is not something outsiders can comprehend. Thus, your Ruyi calculations are off. So many fine young men from our Homeland have poured their blood and lives into this land. Since I’m here, let’s first collect some interest for those children.”
The Old Man lowered his gaze, his expression somewhat dimmed as he sighed deeply. He then slowly walked toward the Wasp King.
With each step he took, it felt like a death knell echoing in the Wasp King’s heart. Everyone fears death; trembling, the Wasp King explained, “This is all a misunderstanding! I only came to help because I listened to Shi Bu Er! I swear on my life’s cultivation that if you spare me this time, I will never oppose our country again.”
A mocking smile curled at the corners of the Old Man's mouth; such a pitiful display could hardly catch his eye as he murmured softly.
Seeing that there was no way out, the Wasp King turned to flee. However, he hadn’t gotten far before he was surrounded by a mass of insect eggs.
The insect eggs attached to the Wasp King seemed to have received a signal. They crazily converged towards the Wasp King, enveloping him in a dense layer, resembling a sesame cake.
Despite this, the Wasp King was still unwilling to accept defeat. He roared, "Damn it! I'll fight you all!"
Yet his body continued to instinctively move forward in an attempt to escape. The Old Man scoffed, "If you really self-destruct, I might just think a bit higher of you."
The swarm of insects began to burrow into the Wasp King's flesh, forcing their way through his skin. The originally fine pores were transformed into visible holes.
The Wasp King cried out in agony, pleading for mercy as his voice gradually weakened. He collapsed onto the grass.
This man, who had adeptly used insects, finally met his end at their hands—a fitting retribution!
After dealing with the Wasp King, the Old Man turned to look at the group behind him, a look of approval in his eyes. He nodded silently.
I raised my gaze and saw everyone standing straight. Even those who were heavily injured managed to rise with the support of their companions, like soldiers awaiting inspection from their leader.
Victory had finally arrived at the last moment. Yet there was no joy on anyone's face; too many companions they had spent day and night with had their young lives forever frozen in this tropical rainforest at the border.
I surveyed my surroundings, my vision filled with a dark crimson hue, the air thick with a metallic sweetness, and the flies drawn by the scent. For the first time, I understood how cruel war could be. Life was so fragile.
The Old Man stood in the center of the scene, reciting sutras for the deceased. Initially, it was just his voice, but soon everyone joined in.
All their collective thoughts coalesced into a gentle rain that fell upon this blood-soaked ground.
An Old Man sighed as he looked up at the blue sky and softly said, "Everyone, safe travels on your journey!"
All stood in solemn silence. After a long while, the old man instructed, "Though the children fell in He Xiang, we cannot let them go home unretrieved. Pass the word down; carefully account for every fallen soldier's body and ensure they are brought back home."
Han Che acknowledged the order and began to organize those who were still able to move. These brave young men sacrificed themselves for their country; they deserved to be returned.
An Old Man seemed weary, indicating that his earlier opponent must have exerted considerable effort, contrary to how easy he had described it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have arrived so late.
In the tropical rainforest, the climate was certainly not suitable for preserving bodies. Aside from wild beasts and mosquitoes, the humid heat was stifling, and we simply lacked the strength to manage much more.
An Old Man ordered all the soldiers' bodies to be gathered together and then arranged a formation.
Fortunately, help arrived quickly. We were assigned to recuperate in the nearby Y City.
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