Dragon Shaman: The Mystery of the Blood Sacrifice Curse

"The black night has given me black eyes, but I search for the light through my nostrils."— Liu Zhenhan Liu Zhenhan felt as if his nose had shattered into pieces.He slowly opened his eyes, only to quickly close them again. The sharp pain in his nose shot through the nerves in his eyes, and the pain seemed to ripple through every part of his body, in a way that was almost tantalizing. As his mind began to clear, Liu Zhenhan gradually felt strength returning to his body, finally shaking off the feeling of complete exhaustion.Enduring the searing pain that felt like his body was being torn apart, Liu Zhenhan mustered all his energy to turn over, his injuries searing as they pressed into the hot sand beneath him. It was unmistakably sand; he could feel it through his fingertips.As his strength slowly returned, Liu Zhenhan opened his eyes again. A massive, soil-brown giant crab scuttled past him without a care in the world. Its beady eyes glanced at him dismissively, as if filled with contempt. The creature mumbled something incomprehensible, a frothy, white foam bubbling from its mouth, as it scraped a faint trail in the sand before disappearing into the gravel.Liu Zhenhan was furious.The way that crab had looked at him, like a mere coconut, ignited a fierce rage inside him. In a swift motion, he reached out and yanked the little creature from the sand, tearing it apart in two or three pulls and shoving it into his mouth, chewing furiously.The crab's taste was surprisingly pleasant, with a faint saltiness. As he chewed on its pincers, Liu Zhenhan tried to push himself to his feet.Around him was an unfamiliar scene: a golden beach stretched endlessly before him, the vast ocean ebbing and flowing, its waves lapping at his ankles. In the distance, plants resembling palm trees swayed, while the wind, as gentle as a lover’s kiss, carried the salty scent of the sea.A crab claw slipped silently from Liu Zhenhan's mouth, and he stared vacantly, his mouth hanging open like a lustful hippopotamus.Where am I? Wasn’t I just on the battlefield in the southern frontier? Gunfire, explosions… Wasn’t I shot?His mind flashed through fragmented memories like a montage.Looking down at himself, Liu Zhenhan noticed that his body was bare, not a scrap of fabric remained. His skin was pale from being soaked in seawater, except for one sock still clinging to his foot, its gray polyester color strangely altered by the saltwater.He ran his hands over his body; miraculously, the bullet-riddled, near-death body he remembered was intact. The sharp sting of his chest hair tug reminded him that this wasn’t a dream.Where am I? Liu Zhenhan couldn’t fathom it.The sharp pain in his nose jolted him back to the present. Though his movements had been slight, his nose had begun to bleed again. He felt the liquid dripping from his lips, a familiar salty, metallic taste filling his mouth.It seemed as though his nose had turned into a leaky faucet.Not caring about the filth, Liu Zhenhan quickly removed the sock from his foot, pressing it firmly against his nose. This couldn’t continue. He staggered to his feet and began scanning his surroundings.This was an island—isolated and desolate. The wind felt primal against his skin. The beach he stood upon was the only incline on the island, and not far from him lay the skeletal remains of a large fish, perhaps a whale, bleached white by the sun, half of it submerged in the water, covered in a patchwork of seaweed.Liu Zhenhan looked down at his feet, where brightly colored clams lay scattered on the beach, the ocean water still lapping at them. His stomach grumbled audibly; he had forgotten about the crab in his daze. His trained instincts as a scout warned him that these clams, like the previously encountered fiddler crab, could cause severe stomach problems if consumed in excess. On this desolate island, any illness could be a death sentence.But hunger was an overpowering force. After a brief internal struggle between reason and reality, Liu Zhenhan chose survival.The colorful clams, though raw, tasted surprisingly fresh, their natural flavor enhanced by the salty tang of the sea. Liu Zhenhan ate several, feeling his strength returning bit by bit.His discipline, honed as a scout, kept him from overindulging. Though still famished, he stopped before he could consume any more. He couldn’t afford to let his hunger overcome his reason.Survival was the first priority. With that resolve, Liu Zhenhan limped towards the massive skeletal remains on the beach. The bones were large and intact, and Liu Zhenhan felt an overwhelming sense of smallness in comparison.Carefully inspecting the bones, Liu Zhenhan’s gaze fixed on a ribcage. One of the ribs was broken, its jagged edge sharp and about a meter and a half in length. The other ribs were around two meters long. This particular rib was perfect—its broken end made it an ideal spear for self-defense.Although Liu Zhenhan was famous on the battlefield for his strength, right now, he felt as weak as a newborn, with no strength to be picky.After several futile attempts, he found a fist-sized stone on the beach. With some effort, he managed to lift it.The stone was used to hammer at the rib, and after numerous strikes—each more exhausting than the last—he finally managed to break the bone off. The force caused Liu Zhenhan to stumble, throwing himself into the skeletal remains, the sharp edge cutting into his exposed stomach.Startled, Liu Zhenhan pushed himself out of the bones, his bare skin scraped and bloody. He collapsed onto the sand, taking several moments to catch his breath. Checking the wound, he sighed in relief—it wasn’t serious, just a shallow cut, and the bleeding was minimal.Looking up, he saw strands of black, curly hair still clinging to the rib’s broken end. Liu Zhenhan, never one for superstition, couldn’t help but mutter a silent prayer.His situation remained dire. His nose continued to throb, making his head feel dizzy, and compared to that, the cut on his stomach seemed trivial. His lips felt parched, and when he licked them, he noticed they had cracked. His throat burned with thirst.He picked up the bone spear, deciding against sharpening it further with the stone. Although the bone’s curve resembled a katana, he lacked the strength to refine it further. For now, he would use it as a walking stick.Slowly, he made his way toward the higher ground. The tide had begun to rise; the ocean water that had only reached his ankles earlier was now at his calves. Liu Zhenhan considered himself lucky—he could have easily drowned before even making it to the shore.The higher ground was a tangled mass of thorny bushes and red willows. The island was large, with several rolling hills scattered about. Among the low willows were tall coconut palms and scattered date palms. The landscape was desolate and bleak.Breathing heavily, Liu Zhenhan stumbled toward the nearest coconut tree, scanning for rocks to knock down a coconut. After much effort, the soft, formless stones failed to reach the coconuts, but a few bounced off his head, nearly knocking him out."D*mn it! Am I still Liu Zhenhan, the so-called 'Human Grenade' on the battlefield?" He growled, rubbing his aching head and shoulders, glaring at the coconuts above him, mocking him from the trees. His throat felt like it was on fire, thirst gnawing at him.Could it be that I, a man of renown, am simply going to watch these coconuts, like the female soldiers in the comms unit? Just a decoration, unable to act? Liu Zhenhan’s frustration boiled over.Liu Zhenhan gently pinched the little face of the creature, feeling a rush of pleasure as the soft, rosy texture of its skin pressed into his palm. Finally, after a long period of frustration, Liu Zhenhan felt his mood lighten considerably. He glanced down at his bare hands, realizing he had nothing to offer. He gave an apologetic smile. "Let's head home!" he said, reaching out once more to stroke the little creature’s head. Rising to his feet, he began walking toward the red willow forest. There, he noticed several bird nests perched in the low branches. His decision was made—if the ground was dirty, so be it! He wasn't here for a beauty contest. There were bound to be bird eggs in those nests, and taking a few home for dinner in the coming days wouldn't be a bad idea. Within the thicket of red willows, Liu Zhenhan found numerous bird eggs, alongside many newly hatched chicks. He carefully selected about a dozen eggs, filling his helmet to the brim, though he left the chicks undisturbed. Overhead, seabirds cried out in a frantic, shrill chorus, whether in praise of his kindness or condemnation of his cruelty, it was hard to say. Turning around, Liu Zhenhan was startled to find the little creature still trailing behind him. To his astonishment, it had used a slender wooden stick to skewer the wild fruit it had just eaten and, with the stick resting on its shoulder, it was now looking at him expectantly. Liu Zhenhan stood there, staring dumbfounded at the little creature. After a long while, the fruit-laden stick dropped from its shoulder with a loud thud, splattering bird droppings across the ground. "It... it's copying me?" Liu Zhenhan muttered in disbelief, his scalp tingling. The little creature, belly swollen, waddled over with its tail held high. Its golden fur was speckled with patches of black and white bird droppings, and the wooden stick, still bearing the wild fruit, rested proudly on its shoulder like a victorious general returning from battle. "Could it be?" Liu Zhenhan felt his throat tighten, his instinct telling him to close his mouth. The little creature's eyes were narrowed in a satisfied, almost smug expression. Liu Zhenhan, momentarily struck by the wisdom behind that smile, recalled his mother's old tales about animals being able to communicate with the spirits. At the time, he had dismissed them as fantasy, but now—remembering how, as a child, he had witnessed a cow on its way to s*******r with tears rolling down its eyes—he understood that such moments of pure astonishment were rare, and perhaps only now could he truly appreciate their depth. He bent down and beckoned. The little creature immediately dropped the stick and scrambled up into his arms, its tiny head resting against his chest. Liu Zhenhan's heart swelled with contentment as he lovingly petted its head. The creature, eyes half-closed in bliss, purred softly like a contented cat, its long, rabbit-like ears standing high. After a brief moment of “affection,” Liu Zhenhan continued his journey, now feeling as though he could never part with the little creature. Agile like a squirrel, it frequently dashed into the bushes, bringing back berries as though offering a treasure. Although Liu Zhenhan never ate them, the satisfaction of receiving them was more than enough. The only exception came when the creature presented him with a fat, bloated insect, resembling a giant silkworm, translucent and plump. Liu Zhenhan nearly lost his lunch. Fortunately, his stomach was mostly empty, and his digestive system swiftly neutralized most of the nauseating sight. A few dry heaves later, he muttered, “D*mn it, that almost killed me.” Though it had become increasingly bold, the little creature still managed to surprise him. Climbing onto Liu Zhenhan’s head, it sat there proudly, looking as if it were wearing a furry crown. Despite being covered in bird droppings, Liu Zhenhan couldn't bring himself to dislodge it. After all, what could he say? It was “destined” to be there. Eventually, Liu Zhenhan arrived at his destination—a small dirt mound about five or six meters high. After circling it, he discovered a dense grove of coconut trees on the far side, a realization that only deepened his frustration. He took off his gear, surveying the surroundings. The location seemed perfect—sheltered from the wind, bathed in light, with the sound of the ocean like music to his ears. Relaxing for the first time in days, he appreciated the peace, even as he puzzled over the mound’s lack of plant life. The only vegetation was a thin layer of moss, and beneath it, exposed rock was visible. Despite his exhaustion, Liu Zhenhan was no stranger to survival skills, having once been a scout. He quickly gathered some dry twigs and fashioned a fire, remembering how to start one from his time in the military. Using his modified sock as a fire starter, he soon had a blaze going. As the fire crackled, the little creature sat obediently by his side, its little legs splayed wide, its round belly rising and falling contentedly. Liu Zhenhan gave it an affectionate pat, murmuring, “Fruity,” since the creature always made a "fruit-like" noise when petted. “Fruity, you’re a little troublemaker, aren’t you?” he said, smiling. He had grown quite attached to it, and the name seemed to fit perfectly. Later, after the fire had warmed the air and cooked some bird eggs Liu Zhenhan had dug out from the fire, he sat down to eat. Fruity looked on eagerly, trying and failing to eat the eggs by itself. Liu Zhenhan laughed at the creature's antics, feeling a rare sense of happiness. But then, the sound of something moving nearby made him freeze. A massive, cobalt-blue wolf appeared from behind the mound, its eyes glowing eerily like phosphorescent embers. Liu Zhenhan's blood ran cold.