Short, Light, Free

Chapter 147: Mountain, Sea: Ten Sons

“You pulled the alarm?” Jiao Tu asked.

“I’ve been releasing bits of essences during your past experiments. I’ve waited thousands of years for this plan to work. I had thought that you would use me to fuse Pi and Xiu’s souls and when you gave up on that idea, I was convinced that I had lost my only chance,” the face stated as it slowly transformed into a more concrete form.

The big face whipped a long tongue out, which lashed straight for Jiao Tu.

Kylin’s first reaction was to pounce forward to push Jiao Tu away. He received that blow as a result and blood spurted out of his arm.

Kylin’s left hand fell onto the ground. With his right hand holding onto his wound, he yelled, “Run, quick!”

Chaos burst into a maniacal laughter. “Don’t even think about that.”

Outside the room, a palm-sized Chaos knocked onto an antique and set off the alarm once more.

The metal doors started shutting.

Dongfang reached out to grab a corner of Xiaoai’s cosplaying costume and took out a cloth pouch. She opened it up and a few needles flew toward Chaos.

Chaos opened its mouth wide and laughed wildly, its body slowly vaporizing into a ball of black mist.

The needles pierced through the mist and landed on the wall behind Chaos.

One missed the wall and fell onto me.

It wasn’t painful but I was annoyed. The fact that I was paralyzed did not help.

“Who’s my match if we go one on one? There’s only Xiu and Jiao Tu here. You two won’t last a few minutes against me. Call at least half of the sons out.” Chaos grinned.

Jiao Tu removed his jacket and pressed it over Kylin’s broken arm. “Don’t move it and hold this cloth to the wound, it’ll stop the blood flow.”

Kylin did not speak, just gripped the jacket tightly with his right hand.

Jiao Tu turned to look at Chaos, his head turning into a dragon form and immediately launching a series of water bullets.

Chaos split into two balls and the shots landed on the wall once more before dripping down onto my whole body.

I had thought that it was water but my wet body started to foam.

My clothes started to melt and the green dragon trace released a faint green glimmer.

My body ached terribly; the substance I had thought was water was actually corrosive.

My flesh had distorted dents and I could see parts of my bones. I probably would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for the green dragon trace’s resistance.

“What are you doing, Senior? Help! Save me!” I cried out.

Bursts of water bullets shot toward me once more, effectively throwing me onto the ground. His water bullets washed away the remaining substance on my body.

The green dragon trace slowly healed my body but the pain made it hard for me to breathe.

“I’ll start with the weakest one,” Chaos decided before splitting into two chaos and opening his terrifying mouths. Two eerily long tongues rolled out toward me.

Dongfang appeared before me in an instant and shot a needle at one Chaos.

The target transformed into a black mist while the other flashed past Dongfang and wrapped his tongue around my arm.

Chaos pulled me up midair and got ready to swallow me whole.

The black mist gathered into a concrete form again and said, “I’ve been starving for tens of thousands of years now.”

Just as I was about to be pulled into Chaos’s mouth, Xiaoai flew over with a sword and chopped his tongue off.

I slammed heavily into the ground and the tongue around my arm disintegrated.

“Look what you’ve done to me,” Chaos screamed at Xiaoai. “I’m smaller now. You baddies shall be killed today!”

Chaos opened his mouth and charged toward Xiaoai.

Instead of backing away, Xiaoai attacked with her sword, albeit ineffectively. She was swallowed by Chaos and Chaos continued shouting hysterically as he chewed, “You are all going to die! All going to die!”

Though no one spoke, I could tell that everyone was terrified.

“Xiaoai!” I shouted.

Suddenly, Xiaoai floated out, in mist form, from Chao’s tummy.

“You’re not human?” Chaos questioned.

“Have I ever claimed to be human?” Xiaoai grinned, fleeing downward.

Tears gushed out from Chao’s big innocent eyes as he lamented, “You guys are bullies. You’re all bullying me...”

Xiaoai floated to my side and transformed back into a human form before supporting me up. Dongfang continued to stand in front of me to protect me.

“We have no chance against him. We don’t even have weapons! We’re bound to be eaten!” Kylin yelled.

While pressing buttons on his monitor, Jiao Tu informed us, “If the security system is activated for the second time, it will lock this place up for an hour.

“Do we stand a chance if we go all out? He’s been trapped for a long time!” Dongfang asked.

“You’re the strongest among us but you can only launch tangible attacks. Chaos is practically insusceptible when in a mist form. We don’t stand a chance,” Jiao Tu answered.

“My hand!” Kylin cried out.

We turned our attention to him and saw a split body of Chaos chewing on his flesh.

There were two big Chaos overhead and the small Chaos that had been munching on Kylin’s flesh grew bigger each second.

More than twice the size of big Chaos.

The two other Chaos moved toward the biggest Chaos and shouted, “Eaten! We have strength now!”

The three balls converged into one and the black face reappeared, now with a red crack across its face.

The face shrank into the size of a human brain and two hands extended out from the bottom part.

Dongfang continued shooting needles at him until they were all used up.

The needles entered Chao’s body but Chaos wasn’t affected at all. He simply split into numerous balls of mist to avoid the attacks.

Legs started coming out of him as well.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“He’s eaten flesh and has now gotten stronger,” Jiao Tu explained.

Limbs continued extending and Chaos started forming a body.

A black human form filled with red cracks emerged.

He continued staring at us with his innocent eyes, a contrast to the sinister smile he gave shortly after.

“Eat flesh, grow flesh,” Chaos chanted faintly as he let out a cold laughter.

Chaos spewed out the needles Dongfang shot him with and they fell to the ground one by one.

With a wave of his hand, Chaos made a long black sword appear out of nowhere and slashed it toward Dongfang, whom successfully dodged it.

Chaos held his sword up and aimed it at me instead.

Xiaoai pulled me up and flew us away as Jiao Tu launched a water bomb.

It hit Chaos right in the face and his body started emitting black smoke. Chaos shook his head continuously. “Irritating. So many of you. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 5 of you.”

He used the black sword to cut off one of his legs, and just before the severed leg landed on the ground, it transformed into a mini Chaos.

He then chopped off his other leg and his right arm.

The mini Chaos then took over the sword and dismembered his last arm.

Four unequally cut Chaos charged toward us together with the main body, the strongest one leading.

The mist made from his arms became a mini human and dashed toward Xiaoai and me.

“What do we do?” I shouted.

“No idea!” Xiaoai yelled back, pulling me up into the air.

The mini human floated as well and grabbed onto my leg before biting it.

Pain. Extreme pain.

Why was I able to feel the pain despite my paralysis? How great would it have been if I had been deprived of the sense of touch as well?

I looked down at him greedily biting into my flesh.

I was wondering if he would move on to other parts when he was done when another mini human came over to feast on my other leg.

After biting, the second mini human started sucking on it and I felt extremely terrible.

How shameless of Chaos.

An indistinct and fuzzy voice sounded in my ears.

“Leave your body to me.”

“What?” I asked.

“Leave it to me. I can help you.”

“How?” I asked, confused.

“Close your eyes and don’t open it.”

“What...” I experienced vertigo, and it felt as if I had lost a large amount of blood.

I was being jolted out of that state when the mini Chaos took another big bite out of my leg.

I quickly shut my eyes but it was as if a pair of inner eyes had been opened. I could perceive everything that was around me.

I saw a man passing me by and I felt my hands moving uncontrollably.

With my inner eyes shut, my physical eyes opened once more. My eyes were blood red and my aura was of another level.

I heard myself mumble, “You ate my flesh and left me lost for years. I’m going to take revenge today.”

It was Pi.

All five Chaos looked over at me and said simultaneously, “Didn’t the real dragon trap me in that bottle for years, too? I’m the real victim.”

When they were done speaking, the two wild chaos started tearing at my legs again.

Flame erupted over my body and Xiaoai let go in shock.

The two Chaos eating at my legs let go as well.

I landed steadily on the ground. With a wave of my left hand, a trident appeared.

The vision I had at that point was akin to that offered by a VR headgear.

I couldn’t move but I could see clearly.

I was tempted to get an even clearer look so I opened my eyes.

I collapsed.

“Do you wanna die? Why did you open them? Control yourself!” the familiar voice sounded.

“Sorry,” I hurriedly apologized and shut my eyes again.

I got up and saw the trident spiraling toward a small chaos by the side.

It pierced the small chaos and turned it into ashes.

The other four chaos started screeching and retreating to form one concrete body.

It was half its original height now.

I understood, then, that the stronger soul would be able to take control of the body.

Weak body but strong soul? Controlling consciousness? Is that what’s happening now?

I, or rather Pi, took big steps forward and waved his trident about.

Chaos summoned two black blades and threw them at me.

“F*ck! You’re good at dodging,” I blurted out.

I did not expect to have control over my mouth so I was surprised that everyone heard me clearly.

“Don’t distract me, idiot,” Pi scolded.

“I thought we had no chance? Why are you taking all five of them at once now? Are you really that great?” I questioned.

“There are actually 10 sons, and I’m the one who’s strongest in combat. It’s a pity that I lost my flesh while trying to protect Xiu. Us 10 sons have our own merits and different revelations,” he muttered.

“I see.”

“Xiu,” Pi called out.

Dongfang picked some needles from the ground and threw them at me.

Instantly, I felt the pain in my legs reduce. I also felt more awake.

“Youngest,” Pi shouted.

Jiao Tu got down on all fours and transformed into a turtle. “I’m here, Big Brother.”

A series of water bullets was launched at Chaos, sealing up the area so the mist had nowhere to run.

“Fifth brother Tao,” Pi called out.

Just then, a thundering roar came out of my mouth, “I’ve always been here.”

Chaos trembled a little before losing focus.

The trident went for Chaos’ left arm this time, effectively severing it.

It fell to the ground and turned to dust.

Chaos grew another left arm but it was smaller this time.

“Third brother Pu Lao,” Pi summoned, holding onto his trident.

“I’ll try my best,” Pu Lao responded.

Pi dealt Chaos a final blow with his trident, causing Chaos to explode into ash with a clap.

I panted heavily.

“We won?” everyone shouted in unison.

Xiaoai pointed at the air vent. “No.”

I looked up and saw a few mini humans crawling into the vent.

“He escaped,” Jiao Tu stated.

“Chase them!” I shouted.

Jiao Tu said helplessly, “The security system will only be turned off in another 40 minutes.”

The next instant, I felt everything disappear.

I was standing on the ground and Pi seemed to have gone away.

I shut my eyes and collapsed.

Dongfang ran over to me and plucked the needles out on my body. “Are you okay, Pi?”

I opened my eyes. “I’m fine but Pi seems to be gone. Too tired perhaps.”

I tried raising my hand but to no avail. Even after gathering all the force I had in me, I only managed to raise it a little. I had lost all control of my body.

Jiao Tu picked up the external exoskeleton gear and put it on for me. “Charge it for six hours and you can use it for three.”

“Why so short?” I commented.

“Why do you think I wanted you to put on the internal one as well?” he clapped back.

Two metal pieces were placed on my temple and I could finally stand up, albeit with some difficulty.

40 minutes later, the metal doors started opening up.

Jiao Tu led us the spiral stairs.

When we reached the entrance, we realized that Skinny Man was gone.

“We’re in big trouble,” Jiao Tu said.

“Where’s he bringing it to?” I asked.

“No idea. He’s probably the size of a child now, but it’s been such a long time so who knows where he is right now. Dragging such a big bomb around... his first goal should be to recover his strength,” Jiao Tu reasoned, tapping on his mobile phone.

He rewound the recording on the monitor aimed at Skinny Man back to over 20 minutes ago and we saw about 30 palm-sized mini humans scooting over to the bomb, raising it up, and exiting the treasury.

“What are we going to do?” Kylin asked.

“Let’s gather the nine brothers first to form our god,” Jiao Tu proposed.