Come and Go as I Please
2087 Words
The System———
[Ding! Do you want to purchase bio Stringed - Parasite; Blood Curling Worm?
Fee: 200/1 Yuan coins/One Blood curling Worm.
Accept or Reject?]
“ Accept.” Aeries bought enough for everyone in the hall. Proceeding to implant it on all of them after he was through with The First Prince...
Maybe because of his breakthrough, the function of keeping the blood-curling worm in a hibernating state was available... Although the organism would die after few weeks due to the absence of brain matter...
"Great, everything has been done. I don't have the hobby of killing people in such a disturbing manner. So am letting you off."
Like a set of computer codes, these worms were set to explode when tampered on or whenever the victim or host, goes against Aeries command.
He just had three of such rules for them; First was to be silent for 8 hours. Whispers and normal talks can happen within this time, but any louder and their brains would explode.
Second, and most importantly, he made the rule not to leave the room for two days!
.
To the hopeful ones gambling on getting help from their friends at the Main Hall, Aeries' next words broke their last hopes.
“Do not even move 2 meters closer to the door. If you do, you have yourself to blame."
And then, thirdly; After the third death, all worms are set to self explode. The meaning is... everyone would die after the third person dies.
His preparations were finished, he stood out of the King's bedroom in such las Saadi manner it unintentionally brought fury In the hearts of everyone.
“Should we stop him?”
“Are you stupid? If you want to try be my guest.”
“Hmmph! I don't believe a measly youth could make you all pee your pants. I'm leaving to have his head as soon as I can move!"
After three minutes of contemplation, one cultivator could no longer hold back his fury and even disdain for the others, scoffing at their submissive looks.
He was a silent man but fought like a barbarian, he believed tricks and deception could never win against brute strength.
“Damn fools! Just the wavering of a stupid boy got you all scared? How can you even call yourself a cultivator?"
One step, two steps, tenth step closer to the door and nothing happened, other cultivators saw this and felt like boring a hole to hid in shame, how did they believe stupid lies that boy said? only if they skin him alive before they would be able to calm the hate in their hearts.
“It's been twenty meters now.”
“That damn boy! Am going to kill him! Let's go!"
“En, if I don't wash the shame of today I can no longer call myself a man.”
The man, seeing himself getting closer to the door couldn't help jeer at the cowering losers behind.
“Nonsense! When were you ever a man? A man would never hesitate like you fools. A man would move forward with a dauntless will. A man would —”.
. [Spalt!!!]
Although the sound couldn't be compared to the dreadful explosions during their battles, heck! it could not even be described in relation to a kid slapping his hands... yet that soft sound brought terror in all their faces.
Who doesn't treasure his life? Entering the world of cultivation. and witnessing the allure or long life... none of them would boldly declare they have no fear of death.
Everyone quickly distanced their selves from the door as if avoiding some sort of plaque.
‘Thank the gods I wasn't any closer to the door.’
“What should we do!?”
“The kid was serious this whole time”
“F*ck! we are all going to die!!! —”
[Spalt!].
An unfortunate man raised his voice in desperation. And another horror happened. Brain matter sprayed on the faces of the nearby cultivators, making them all shrink back in fear!
None of them wanted to test the last rule...
As if in accordance with their thoughts, they all got into a meditating posture to continue their recovery...
At their peak, it would be easy to sense the location of the parasite and quickly eliminate it.
But now? they were too weak to even lift a finger, and due to Aeries rules, they could not step out from this room to look for the aid of another Powerhouse.
"We're finished.”
—————————————————
Aeries was naturally unaware of what happened back in the room. After putting a huge sign that said... “In Private Meeting with King. No entry”, he did not even spend a second more but move boldly to the Main Hall.
This wasn't arrogance, but instead, complete confidence in his planning.
[Bang!]
The door to the Main Hall shot open, Aeries unceremoniously walked in.
" Everyone! The Second Prince and First Prince have made a consensus, no one fights until they finish their agreement.”
“Huh? Who are you, even?"
“How should a kid be the one to tell us this important news? Boy, if you dare lie to us!"
“Naturally, I'm not a fool that will stake my life to bring up some noncommittal lies.”
“Hmm! Then it's alright. Gordon, go and confirm his story!” The Red Team's head, The Martial Flying Lord commanded a cultivator named Gordon.
“Yes Sir—”
“I advise that you don't go anywhere near the King's room to disturb them. This was the Second Prince's only order.”
The whisperings grew louder, most of them just could not understand why things might have been brought to this level.
.
Most Houses had expended a lot of materials and resources... Including Human resources, In their gamble for the benefits that come with choosing sides.
To be told to just leave without an apparent conclusion all of a sudden — Truly unreconciled!
“I refuse! How can this be!?”
“True, True! Throughout ages past, the succession of the throne has always been through the gambling of heirs... The battle of the fittest... only the best Prince wins.
To just wrap this up in such a cowardly manner. Wouldn't the ghost of their previous generations hunt them till madness!”
Everyone was infuriated. Their screams grew even more frantic as some started debating on forcing their way in.
In the whole hall, only three people looked calm as the surface of a lake.
The first was naturally Aeries. He was weighing his option, trying to determine the best way forward while frowning at his almost futile plan.
The second and third were the Top Powerhouses on both sides—Flying Lords of the Red and Purple Teams respectively.
The old cultivator had not said a word up till now... But Aeries watched his eyes pass through a philippic of expressions —thoughtfulness, Some suspicions, before a final decision.
“Boy! Your next words would determine whether you Live or Die. So think before you speak. The Second Prince—How was his expression like when he gave that order.”
‘Oho? So you know something’
Aeries corked his head thoughtfully, but still choose to answer correctly, “Am not sure. .. From what I could tell, he looked Excited, Mad even. His fist clenched and unclenched several times, just as if—”
“That's enough! — Purple Team! No one shall take a step out of this Main Hall. No matter how long they stay inside that room... we'll wait.”
“T—this, We understand” It's the Law! one must always bow towards circumstances and the words of a terrifying overlord were the Law.
Even though they found such command unreasonable to say the least, they could not do anything except frowning their eyes to slits, making incorrigible noises in their throats, and watching their fantasies fall under them.
“Hmmph!" The Purple team Martial Flying Lord saw this but choose to ignore them. To him, rulings of ants were like a farce to his eyes. If one dares disobey, Kill one.
If three disobeys Kill Three.
“Bai Wong! Tell me what you know this instance!” The Red team would have none of this though. Their Flying Lord wanted an explanation.
“Hunter!? No need to ask me about this. It's a secret I rather take to my grave.”
.
“Oho! You mean it's about the new Master you took? The one that was only a bit older than twenty-five? Do you think you can hide this from us? There are only 5 of us capable of overturning the entire Kingdom... The other three wouldn't want to be this active, but still— every bit of news still reaches our ears!”
“Damn you, Hunter! Stop messing in my turf!”
“Is it that you've gone senile? or your eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be? What would compel the great Soul Poison Master, Bai Wong to kowtow to a random master?”
The old flying lord broke into a sweat. since things have escalated to this extent, the only thing to do was to make some compromise
“Hunter! If you know up till there then am sure you know why I did that. This King is not going to waste his breath. Stay out of this and I'll owe you a favor”
After some thought to this appeal, the Red team leader gave out a hearty laugh but accepted still,
“Sure! This King has been interested in testing the authenticity of the stories behind the Lost Ruin, with one more person at almost the level as me as an escort... He he, I believe I'll be unstoppable that time!”
“I-i see. Okay, I'll naturally cancel all my plans before then”
“Good! Red Team, all fall back if you don't want to lose your head. No matter how long it takes, we'll wait here for the good news.”
Although no one said a word, their eyes — the windows to the soul, spoke volumes of their unreconciled feelings to this... But in the end, none spoke up. They all sat down to restore their spent up energy,
The one's with lower cultivations had the burdensome responsibility of dragging the corpses of their teammates and cleaning the bloodied floor... This was because all the maids and the thousands of people had occupied this huge Castle had taken the initiative to 'ghost' before the start of the main skirmish.
“Since everyone understands, this junior would take his leave now." Aeries laid the last card after everything.
“Huh? You aren't going towards the Meeting room? Where to then?”
“I've been tasked with searching for a type of precious herb. He called it Snake froth Flower. A lot of it.”
The old man's eyes gleamed with excitement. Every bit of doubt washed away with the name of that herb.
But the faces of scholars and wizened masters in the hall blanched for a while... then turned to one of horror.
’Whatever 'He' wants this deadly herb for... it won't be good ’ They sighed at their helplessness.
“Good. You can go then” Purple Flying Lord nodded.
Aeries heart papillated at this close save... Thankfully luck was on his side, or else... He was planning on taking everyone for a game of 'Tom and Jerry'
But the Flying Lords would pose as a great crisis for even him... Thank the gods he went through that without any problems.
Like the lord of the house, Aeries made soft but well pronounced steps out of the Main Hall and off from the Castle,
He thought of a poem, and muttered, “Even in the nest of dragons,
Righteous Hearts shall please.
Free and Unfettered like a Sage,
Come and Go as I please!”
A gust of air that felt somehow like the green in fairy tales washed over Aeries at his last step outside the castle...
He was cut short at the moment of his reverie, his mouth curved to a booming smile,
[Ding, Congratulations Player 'Scourge' for Completing Mission, Loot The King's Treasury,
You have gotten—
- Writer
