CHAPTER SIX

A collusion between monsters and gods? It was a conclusion only a few would voice out. Those sentiments kept on replaying in Chen Li Sha's mind for a while but not enough to distract her from Shu Xin.

She could not bug off the feeling of being observed since they started their raid in the city. There was clearly something wrong but she could not pinpoint what it was.

She had been in this war field for so long and her instinct never failed her. Regardless of how many long-range spells she cast, there was no unfamiliar presence that alerted her.

"Ah! Bilatsingilik ya!" 

Chen Li Sha could not help but snicker. There was no need for the Litiera to know that Carlos was cursing. After all, knowing all the curse words in a different language was the first step in learning.

She hurried to his side, pointing the gun at the Amomonggo trying to attack him. With two shots, the creature faced her. Its ape-like features were distorted in anger and pain. Its roar resounded and ran towards her along with Carlos' scream that would have alerted the whole vicinity if not for the Wu surrounding them.

The Amomonggo's footsteps mixed with several of its kind but this one was comparably the tallest. Its hefty size could probably compare to the Yeti of the Himalayas mountain range.

With her fingertips warming up, microscopic dust turned into bullets filling her gun, and consecutive shots were made. Bullet holes stippled the Amomongo's chest but it did not falter.

Chen Li Sha grabbed a lingfu from her pocket, sticking it onto her gun. The paper disappeared and another bullet was made. Her eyes squinted, trying to focus her aim at the monster's erratic movement.

With exact precision, she shot his head.

"Li Sha, no!"

She ignored Zhu Mu Yang's voice and spoke the incantations. An array appeared on the wound before its head exploded. Blood splattered as she stepped back, not allowing a single drop to smear her face.

"Didn't you hear me?" Zhu Mu Yang grabbed her shoulders and shook her but not enough to wake her from her senses.

A familiar stinging spread on her front and back, much noticeable upon killing a high-level monster. Underneath her clothes, fulu marks glimmered on her skin. Those ancient symbols proliferated as the essence of the Levianis she had killed was absorbed by the stone embedded in her chest.

"Chen Li Sha! Why can't you obey orders? Now we got no clues!"

Impatience laced Zhu Mu Yang's voice as she gradually got a hold of her surroundings. A few Amomonggos lay on the ground but among all, the one she killed was a definition of carnage.

It had been a long time since she caused such an onslaught. With Zhu Mu Yang's angry tone paired with the scene around her, Chen Li Sha's mind went back to the memory of years ago.

"I'm so—wait, why is it my fault? There are five of them and I only killed one!" she countered.

Zhu Mu Yang took a very deep breath as if all his patience needed to be replenished. "See those rascals? They also killed the Levanises! I tried to stop you so we can at least have one who can be used for autopsy but you butchered them real good!"

As the team captain, Zhu Mu Yang could be very lenient and easygoing but when it comes to important matters, no one was as strict as him. After they visited Agon, their team shouldered the responsibility of chasing Desastres and Levianises around Iloilo.

Compared to Desastres, one Levianis was much better for interrogation. They were not mindless monsters that popped out of nowhere, Levianis were mythical creatures that had a mind of their own — some even more advanced than ordinary humans.

Letting go of a possible clue was already a loss, building bubbling frustration within him.

"Oh, come one, Ge. It's not that you're not used to it," Guo Feng said while wiping his weapon.

"Bi zui! Where's Liu Hui?"

"Told him to get Carlos," Guo Feng stated.

"What? I did not." Liu Hui appeared behind Guo Feng.

"Then where the hell is he?" Zhu Mu Yang quipped back.

The four of them exchanged glances.

"Damn it! Look for him!" Zhu Mu Yang ordered.

They were in the suburbs with nothing but dense trees. Even the wind was too quiet. When they separated, Chen Li Sha did not hurry. She had trust in her teammates, they could find him without her. What she should do now was channel the qi directly from the stone to her soul.

The vial-like gem radiated amber light as she controlled it. After several minutes of concentration, she could almost feel relief when the sudden change of the wind startled her.

Chen Li Sha moved to the side, turned back, and what she had been anticipating stood opposite of her.

"Shu Xin! You're fvking alive?"

A disturbing grin spread across her face instead of answering. Shu Xin pulled out her sword before rushing toward her. Chen Li Sha let go of the gun and took her dagger.

Under the light of the moon, there was nothing amiss in Shu Xin's features — same bobbed black hair with doll-like eyes — except for the sinister expression she displayed.

Shu Xin may not be her best friend but being roommates for so long, Chen Li Sha still considered her a friend and this was definitely out of character for her.

After all, the issue wouldn't have blown out so badly if not for the fact that she was one of the famous girls who had such a nice personality, a walking saint as the male staff would love to call her.

"Hey! What the hell is going on? Why are you even here?" As their weapons collided, Chen Li Sha drilled more questions.

There was too much to ask but Shu Xin's mouth was sealed. Chen Li Sha raised her right hand to Shu Xin's weapon but she dodged.

Chen Li Sha caught how Shu Xin's glance at her hand before she swiveled back. 'That can't be, right?'

Before she could ask anything, Shu Xin ran. Chen Li Sha's mind had not even registered it yet but her feet already moved to chase after her.

"Wait!"

 Her shout synced with the rustle of the leaves but the both of them showed no signs of slowing down. The local forest was never that expansive to begin with and a clearance came to view in a matter of minutes. But as soon as she stepped into the glade, she was alone.

'Or not...'

Instead of Shu Xin, a man stood just meters away from her. His white cloak covered him from shoulder to toe and he was almost gleaming. He wore a cross-collar shirt, embellished in golden patterns with a matching belt. A dragon emblem was tied on the side yet all of it was outshined by the bamboo hat. The simplicity of the hat appeared so unmatched by his extravagant clothes.

Nevertheless, Chen Li Sha knew that man.

This was the same man she met years ago. That single encounter was enough for her to remember. After all, this was the exact person who told her about her curse.

"Why are you—" She changed her tone. She may be naïve back then but now, she was fully aware she was talking to a god from her pantheon. "Ni weisheme lai zheli?"( Why did you come here?)

He regarded her from head to toe and back, meeting her eyes, and spoke. "You're almost complete."

Chen Li Sha nodded, getting what he meant. "I know. But wait, why are you also here in Maharlika? And, have you seen a woman before me?"

"I have not. As for your prior question, my purpose here is to give a warning. Your twenty-second birthday is fast approaching. You must make haste. Immortality has a great price for one who was not deemed of it."

Her face darkened. 'Right.'

She was now paying the price for her parents' wish. Nevertheless, she was willing to do all of this.

"I have reminded the Queen of the South countless times but those who see life with no value will never be able to see why every creature's life matters. Akin to your power to create anything with the magic of exchange, those lives you have taken are now in your hands. Sooner or later, their blood will seek vengeance."

After those words were spoken, the god disappeared, leaving as if he did not give a premonition she would rather not hear.

U n S c e n e s

???: Can you guess who I am?

Note:
Was not supposed to update but I received a fanart sketch of Chen Li Sha. My heart is so happy TT

See you next week.

Or not :)