Chapter 245: Wanna Be Human?
Translator: Irene Editor: X
He Yong looked on listlessly at the densely packed vine creepers. They hung down like snakes, their ends slightly moving. They would flock to whichever wounded person who made any movement. He Yong was a brave wood elementalist. The vines he once treated as his partner were now indicting him cruelly.
From his initial fear to his collapse to the numbness he felt now, He Yong already knew he had no hope of surviving.
At this point, he was actually less afraid. He was merely waiting for the Death God’s arrival.
Without hope, people were able to feel calm instead. Complain? There was nothing to complain about. Death meant the end. Killing his partners with his own hands had brought greater and endless suffering.
His trial had already started when he was infected with the blood poison.
The blood poison spread inside his body and he felt a terrifying, ferocious beast awakening within. He would rather die a quiet death as a wounded soldier in the military camp than lose consciousness and start attacking humans like a wild beast. He would rather die than use this body to kill his friends and family.
Death did not arrive immediately. The blood poison was still spreading.
The moments before death often made people reflect on all that they had done in life. While he had not accomplished anything significant his whole life, had not earned a lot of money, had not achieved great success, and had some unfulfilled wishes, he was already very content.
He had a cute child, a beautiful wife, and most importantly, they were still alive.
He had pushed them aside at the last moment. Feeling proud of his bravery, there was no better ending than this.
He was going to die, but they would live on nicely. That was enough for him.
He felt lucky in fact. All he needed to do now was to enjoy his last moments of glory as he waited for the arrival of death.
The blood poison spread very quickly and he could feel the changes within his body. It was not weak. Rather, it was filled with power. Impetuous power. Thoughts of massacre and the intention to kill emerged in his head continuously, growing uncontrollably like wild weeds.
His body was strengthening, his nails becoming as sharp as feline claws. In the middle of the night, he could hear sounds of bones growing. His flesh was becoming thicker, and his hair was growing at a visible speed. His voice became coarser, more turbid, and he even started howling lowly like a wild beast.
His vision became blood red. He stirred restlessly. Any tiny bit of sound greatly provoked his murderous instincts.
He started losing control over his body and would attack anyone who came near.
He Yong noticed that his control was rapidly declining, but he was not that afraid. It happened to the other wounded people as well. The spread of the blood poison would beastify them, turning them into dangerous blood fiends who frantically attacked everything around them.
At this time, the vines above his head would make the final judgment and end his life.
He Yong knew that his time was almost up. The closer he came, the more he felt that death was a form of release. He could not control his body. His mind was filled with evil thoughts, unable to recall the beautiful moments of his life or the beautiful smiles on his wife and child’s faces.
What was the point of living like this? The thought that his family would see him in this ugly state made him tremble. When compared to that, death meant nothing.
It was time to end everything.
Come on!
Yet, what he feared happened. The fluttering vines continued swaying leisurely above his head, as if he was not there.
Kill me quickly!
He shouted madly, but only angry, beast-like grunts came out of his throat.
The vines above had no reaction whatsoever.
Why?
An insane bloodlust overtook his body and mind, exploding suddenly. The scarlet red world was like a tide that occupied his vision and brain. His remaining rationality shrank into a corner, witnessing everything that was happening. His body felt so foreign and was no longer under his control.
All of a sudden, he pounced on the person closest to him, his hands full of sharp nails that effortlessly pierced into the victim’s body.
What he got in return was a beast-like bellow.
The whole camp turned into a cruel wrestling ring.
Looking down at the fight that was currently raging, Yan Hai’s heart was filled with frigid air. Thousands of people killing simultaneously… such a chaotic, bloody scene made his hands and feet icy. He had never thought of himself as a good person, but the sight before him still frightened him.
What he feared more was the person beside him. The mastermind of it all, Sir Tian Kuan.
Half had fallen in the blink of an eye. The wild beasts’ angry grunts became sparser as well. Corpses and crisscrossing streams of fresh blood filled the ground. It was simply a bitter and bleak looking battleground.
Tian Kuan fiddled with the plants unhurriedly.
The densely packed vines grew swiftly, and like agile snakes, they dipped into the bloodpool. They suctioned and absorbed the fresh blood greedily, as if they were tasting a delicacy. Blood red wisps invaded the tender greenery, producing an exceptionally demonic effect.
"This fresh blood is first-rate fertilizer. It cannot be wasted," Tian Kuan commented indifferently.
Yan Hai quivered. "Sir, your subordinate is slow-witted. There’s something I don’t quite understand," he started to say, but not without hesitation.
"Oh, what do you not get?" Tian Kuan replied casually.
Yan Hai questioned carefully, "These wounded soldiers were infected by the sacred blood and are already our people. Isn’t this… a pity?"
"A pity?" Tian Kuan burst out laughing. "You think it’s a pity?"
Yan Hai stammered, "What I meant was that if this many people were to team up, their power would be commendable."
Tian Kuan smiled. "I only need useful people. There are many of them, but the majority are useless. I only need the cream of the crop. 50 of them is all I need."
Yan Hui trembled inwardly, his legs fighting to remain straight. Cold sweat poured down his back.
"Filtering 50 out from a few thousand is enough of a chance given to them." Tian Kuan laughed lightly. "If they die, it only means that they were too weak. Only victors have the right to gain that opportunity."
Yan Hai was full of regrets. How could he have forgotten? Sir became a victor himself by surviving such elimination methods.
Tian Kuan’s gaze fell onto the battlefield, the smile on his face growing.
"Wanna be human? Not so easy."
The number of survivors decreased as the vines became plumper and replete with fresh blood. They were like demonic, yet quick-witted, blood snakes.
Only 50 were left on the field and those demonic blood red vines flocked toward them, binding them tightly. They were like wild beasts, yelling and struggling.
"Look, these are the strongest 50. Only the victors will have a chance of survival." Tian Kuan paused, a smile breaking out. "And a reward."
He extended one leg out of the window, and the blood red vines rushed over from all directions like a tide, forming a flight of stairs beneath his feet.
With the aura of a ruler, Yan Hai descended the interwoven vine steps.
Behind him, Yan Hai crept forward, his heart filled with reverence.
Tian Kuan mumbled to himself, "No wonder so many people enjoy borrowing outside forces. It feels pretty good."
The survivors raised their heads and glared at Tian Kuan, their red pupils filled with indignation and wrath. They snarled at Tian Kuan.
The anguished wailings of the wounded was a big blow to morale, so the quarantine camp made special arrangements. The vines produced a soundproofing effect, so earth-shattering bellows would not be heard from the outside at all.
"Respect the strong players."
Tian Kuan’s smile carried a tinge of callousness, emitting a rich bloody glow.
The bloody glow was imposing and overbearing. Still bound by the blood vines, the anger in the survivors’ eyes instantly vanished as fear took over, and they started trembled uncontrollably. Plop! All of them fell and crouched on the ground when the blood vines released their grip.
Yan Hai’s body was shaking as well. He finally knew how frightful Sir’s abilities were.
The bloody glow surrounding Sir made him fear and comply. Not a single rebellious thought surfaced in his brain. The temperature of the blood within his body fell rapidly, as if he was in a cold, icy place.
"Congratulations, a new opportunity awaits. An opportunity is always given to the victor as a prize."
That voice amid the bloody glow was imposing, yet enticing.
He Yong was shivering from the chill. His body trembled. Just like how wild beasts react toward their predators, his urge to kill was gone and replaced by obedience and fear, which instinctively settled in the deepest part of his body
He lost complete control of his body.
That remaining trace of reason shook amongst the tide-like scarlet red. He saw himself killing an unfamiliar elementalist who was close by as well as a friend of 20 years. One after another, some foreign and some acquaintances...
His palms were covered in fresh blood.
He was like a bystander, fearfully watching the crazy massacre. During that nonstop slaughter, his last bit of barely existing reason floated helplessly amid the raging tide of attacks. The thrill of killing was so distinct, so dreadful.
No…
He just wanted to die. To end it all.
The red bloody glow enveloped his world, and the voice within said, "An opportunity is always given to the victor as a prize."
Opportunity…
The wild beasts started to stir, their last thread of reason on the verge of collapsing. What opportunity could it be?
"How does it feel being like a wild beast? Uncontrollable, killer instinct… does it feel very terrible? Do you want to gain control of it all? Gain control of your bodies? You can restart. Restart everything and regain control of everything. You can live on happily, start a new life, and be a human once again."
"Wanna be human?"
Amid the red light, that voice was at times misty and remote and at times up-close.
"Wanna be human?"
...
"Wanna be human?"
Like an echo, he questioned over and over again.
He Yong last trace of reason almost crumbled. Memories of his first meeting with his wife, how he taught his child to walk, how he blocked the blood fiends, and how he saw that his family was safe and sound flashed across his mind. Peace befell his heart.
Not everything can be restarted because not everything can be given up on.
"No…"
The wild beast’s low howl was exceptionally clear.
Tian Kuan was rather surprised. "What a pity."
The blood vines suddenly stretched taut and pierced into the back of the wild beast’s head, causing its body to stiffen as the luster in its red eyes faded. The blood vines withdrew, and the wild beast’s corpse fell onto the ground. An indescribable calmness was evident on its hairy face.
"Next."
"Wanna be human?"