Book 1 Chapter 12:Bloodwind Arts!
In the corridor, Ye Zhu and Bai Long werequietly in wait. Amidst the dreadful silence, Bai Long couldn"t help but reachfor a topic in order the break the awkward atmosphere, saying: "Is that guyreally your brother?"
Ye Zhu gave him a peculiar glance, beforereplying: "Of course he is."
Upon hearing her reply, Bai long sighedexaggeratedly saying: "No matter how hard I look, I really don"t see theresemblance. The guy is like an ice cube, no emotions whatsoever. He didn"tfeel anything even though I was in such a pitiful state. You"re much morecompa.s.sionate compared to him."
Ye Zhu laughed while saying: "You"re notworried if I"d tell on you?"
Bai Long confidently shook his head beforespeaking nonchalantly saying: "An adorable beauty with a heart as kind as you,absolutely wouldn"t do something so underhanded."
Ye Zhu snapped an agitated glare at him,saying: "Don"t think you can trap me with your words! You only say that becauseyou don"t understand my big brother."
Bai Long was about to say something, whensuddenly, from a room with a half-closed door came a zombie. It was probablyattracted over by their loud conversation. With a snarl, it came rushing over.
Bai Long was terribly startled; he knew wellhow formidable zombies were. In his mind, encountering a zombie spelled certaindoom. Subconsciously he turned to flee. However as he stepped backwards, afaint fragrance caught his nose. Immediately, he remembered that behind himstood a delicate young girl….
Turning his head, he glanced at Ye Zhu. Itseems as though this beautiful yet adorable girl was faintly knitting herdelicate brows, she didn"t seem very disturbed by their current predicament.Looking at her closely, Bai Long felt that her facial features were vaguelyfamiliar, resembling the image of the girl carved within his heart….
Yi"er….
With that, he adamantly clenched his teeth andglared unyieldingly at the incoming zombie. Wearing an expression of madness,he swiped the watermelon knife from Ye Zhu"s hands and stood before her to actas her defender. With a hushed tone, he ordered: "I"ll hold it back, you shouldrun, now!"
A slight gust of wind gently blew against herface, lifting slightly the hair upon her shoulder. Upon staring at this man"sback, Ye Zhu found herself momentarily surprised. Eventually, her eyes softenedas a hint of a smile came upon them.
"Rrrargh!"
The zombie rushing over began to swipe its clawtowards Bai Long"s shoulder while aiming its jaws at his throat.
With only one knife, if he deflected the claw,he won"t be able to stop its jaws!
Bai Long"s eyes were aflame; it was as thoughhis blood and soul were burning furiously. Like a brave knight heading intobattle, he shouted a battle cry before slashing out at the zombie"s head.
Mustering all his strength, he slashed outviciously sparing nothing at all. It was a resolve born out of completedisregard for his own well-being!
Die!
Ker-sshluk!
The zombie"s skull was split open. However,that didn"t stop its claws from tearing into Bai Long"s shoulder. This oneswipe tore deep into his flesh, revealing his bones underneath.
Bai Long powerlessly dropped his hand,releasing the watermelon knife. As the knife fell, it hit the blood-stainedfloor with a "clang". His face was pale as he gazed hopelessly at his gapingwound. Laughing mockingly in self-depreciation, he dropped into a seatingposition upon the floor. With ragged breaths, he began to sweat profusely.
Ye Zhu was instantly horrified, gazing at hisopen wound, she exclaimed: "You"re hurt gravely!"
Bai Long inclined his head to look at the girl,smilingly he said: "It"s only a flesh wound, I"ll be alright."
Ye Zhu was visibly distressed, she franticallyexclaimed: "You"ll be infected by the virus, turning you into a zombie!"
Bai Long"s lips were pale as paper, his skinalso gradually took on a ghastly hint of green. The gaping wound on hisshoulder began to darken, and with it came the elongation of his canines.
These were the early signs of zombification!
Gazing upon the grief stricken girl in front ofhim, he couldn"t help but smile in an attempt to lift her spirits. Eventually,he told her: "Promise that you"d kill me before I turn."
Ye Zhu felt the words p.r.i.c.k like a needle,causing tears to well up in her eyes. Regretfully, she said: "Actually, youdidn"t have to do that. I can actually kill zombies myself."
With a trace of pride in his eyes, Bai Longsaid: "In my presence, how could I ever let a girl face such an unsightlycreature? What"s more, your cold-blooded brother put me in charge of yoursafety. If any harm were to befall you, I"d be buried alive."
Shrrrk!
As the mutant dog"s claws tore into Ye Chen"sback, it shredded open his thick clothes and ripped four b.l.o.o.d.y streaks acrosshis skin.
Ye Chen"s demeanor was grave, he had justsuffered a serious wound, yet he didn"t utter a sound.
Abruptly, he dashed into one of the bedrooms inthe room. There was no way the mutant dog would allow him to escape, it rapidlylunged in pursuit.
Upon entering the room, Ye Chen dove to hidebehind the door. He waited for the mutant dog to rush inside before slammingthe door shut behind it. Simultaneously, he rushed into position behind thecreature. With a slide of his feet, he spun his body while lashing out thefireman"s axe in a bizarre stance. As the axe slashed out, it carved open ab.l.o.o.d.y wound on the mutant dog"s flank.
"Bloodwind arts first stance: blindsidea.s.sault!"
Ye Chen used the fireman"s axe like acarpenter"s sculpting knife, flourishing it rapidly whilst kicking up gusts ofhowling wind. Although he was clearly standing behind the mutant dog, hemanaged to tear into the creature"s belly, ripping open a sizable wound.
Bloodwind Arts!
This was a blade art which Ye Chen created byhimself in his previous life. This stance in particular was createdspecifically for attacking mutant creatures from behind. It was conceived froman inspiration Ye Chen got after hunting a Blood-eye mutant porcupine.
The porcupine"s back was protected withnumerous bone spurs that were ridiculously st.u.r.dy. However, the hide on itsbelly was quite soft. Therefore, it could be said that this stance was theperfect counter for species similar to mutant porcupines! A mutant dog also hasmuch thicker skin on its back than its belly; this stance was perfect againstit.
"It"s a shame that this body is still too weak.Had I been able to perform G.o.dfiend Arts, this mutant dog would perish in onestroke." Ye Chen inwardly sighed, in his previous life, everyone who knew himwould call him the Frigid Bladefiend!
He wasn"t very exceptional in the beginning.However, fighting in a certain war tempered his blade arts into something trulyremarkable!
Even a martial pract.i.tioner could become amaster after training on wooden dummies for ten years. It"s no wonder why YeChen could perfect his art in battle; he had to face horrifying monstrositiesevery single day.
"ROOOAR!"
The injured mutant dog became increasinglyagitated. With swift movements, it jumped onto the bed and turned around tobare it fangs menacingly at Ye Chen. This human actually had the means toinjure it. With its limited cognitive thinking, the mutant dog has alreadyregarded Ye Chen as a dangerous ent.i.ty! However, fear would not deter it fromcraving fresh meat!
Whoosh!
With a flash of its body, it pounced straightat Ye Chen. Its sudden burst of movement greatly increased its momentum. If YeChen were to take this attack head on, he would be sent flying!
However, this was also a chance!
Ye Chen narrowed his eyes. With the veins onhis arms bulging, he focused all his strength into them and pushed into theground to perform a handspring. Whilst midair, he kicked against the mutantdog"s belly causing its lower body to shift upwards.
Immediately after landing, Ye Chen swung outthe fireman"s axe aiming at the gash in the mutant dog"s belly.
The sharpest part of an axe was not its bladebut its hook!
As the hook of the axe dug into the mutantdog"s wound, Ye Chen vigorously pulled. The combined force of Ye Chen"s pulland the forward momentum of the pouncing mutant dog caused the axe to rip openits belly like a zipper. Out from the creature"s torn belly, various intestinesand organs sprayed forth onto the floor in a ma.s.sive shower of gore.
"WUuuu…."
Collapsing onto the floor, the mutant dog beganhowling in agony. With its internal organs littering the floor, no matter howstrong a body it had, fighting was no longer possible.
Without a moment"s pause, Ye Chen finished thecreature off with a swift cleave into its skull. Afterwards, he lifted itsma.s.sive corpse and slung it over his shoulder as he left for the corridor. Witha corpse the size of a lion, it weighed over four hundred pounds. With thismuch meat along with its durable hide that could be fashioned into leatherwear,it"d be a waste to leave it rotting.
Upon entering the corridor, Ye Chen saw hisyounger sister sitting on the floor with her eyes swollen from crying. Rightbeside her laid Bai Long whom at this point had greenish pale skin and twovisibly elongated fangs….
Zombification!
Ye Chen was shocked, with swift steps, heclosed in on Bai Long"s side. Just as he lifted the fireman"s axe to deliver anexecution, Ye Zhu hurriedly cried: "NOoo----"
Ye Chen hesitated, with furrowed brows he said:"How did he end up getting injured by a zombie? At this rate, it won"t be longbefore he turns."
Ye Zhu sobbed, confessing: "It"s all my fault,he did it to protect me and ended up being hurt."
Ye Chen glanced at the slain zombie on theground, and then he glanced back at Bai Long. With a frown, he stepped over BaiLong"s body and ordered: "First get him back to the room!"
Ye Zhu was astonished, overjoyed she exclaimed:"You know how to save him, right?"
Ye Chen was silent for a moment, beforereplying: "I can only try."
On the floor, Bai Long"s consciousness washazy. Overcome with a sinking sense of entrapment and fatigue, he knew that hecouldn"t afford to let go. If he were to allow himself to "sleep", he wouldimmediately start to turn!
In such a hazy state, he could vaguely feelsomeone carrying him. With only an inkling of what was going on, he eventuallyfelt himself placed upon a comfortable surface. From somewhere close by came acold voice ordering: "Boil some water to clean the wound. Get some alcohol too.Have the mutagenic flesh washed as well."
Bai Long was aware of whom this cold voicebelonged to. He was inwardly at a loss, unaware of what was going to happennext.
Translator"s Notes:
Bai Long briefly mentioned a girl named Yi"erin his thoughts. Yi (怡) means joy or harmony. The "er (儿) is just anaffectionate way of referring to someone dear in Chinese. It applies tochildren or loved ones in general.
The bloodwind arts first stance more accuratelytranslates to exposed back strike, but I decided it didn"t flow as well asblindside a.s.sault.
Ye Chen"s nickname in his previous lifedirectly translates to Cold-faced Blade Demon.