Scions of the Undead

Half-Undead

Under the dense forest at the foot of the Yin Mountain.

Ah Heng chewed on a dark green leaf, the bitter and spicy taste forcing tears from his eyes. Yet he continued to chew it into a pulp, then spat it into his palm, spreading it evenly over the wound on his foster father's shoulder. The arrow had been removed, but the wound still oozed foul-smelling black blood.

The scene of their recent entrapment still haunted him, as if they had been surrounded by an entire army. The attackers kept coming, wave after wave. If not for the intervention of a new force that created a gap in the encirclement, giving them a chance to escape, his foster father might have been even more gravely injured.

Ah Heng was consumed by guilt. It was all because of him; if he hadn't been such a burden, his foster father might have escaped long ago. The relentless pursuers always aimed their arrows at him, forcing his foster father to turn back and defend him.

"Foster father, you should go alone," Ah Heng whispered.

Yue Wuying didn't respond. He simply stood up and carried Ah Heng on his back once more. This silent man, his figure always like a towering mountain, insurmountable by anyone.

Ah Heng noticed that a thick fog had risen in the forest, making the trees appear hazy. In the fog, numerous red-glowing eyes blinked, making him feel drowsy.

"Focus, Thousand Layer Eyes," his foster father's voice suddenly echoed in his ears.

Ah Heng's eyes immediately became ethereal, as if countless stars were swirling within them. Instantly, the drowsiness vanished. He could even see through those eyes to a woman, ageless in appearance. Her face was youthful, like a neighborly sister, yet the cold killing intent behind her visage was chilling, like a venomous witch.

"Whoosh!" An arrow suddenly shot out from the fog, aiming straight for Ah Heng's forehead.

"Ding!" This time, without any action from Yue Wuying, the arrow was blocked. A transparent ice shield appeared in front of Ah Heng's forehead, the arrow deeply embedded in the hard ice, unable to penetrate further.

Ah Heng's hand trembled slightly; the force of the strike had almost made him lose control of the hastily conjured ice shield. Just then, a warm current flowed into his body, calming him instantly. He knew it was his foster father helping him.

A soft laugh echoed, followed by a woman's voice: "I didn't expect such a young age to have already awakened his talents. This child is indeed a rare genius of the Divine Clan. What's more surprising is that the union of the Blind Clan and the Ice Clan didn't produce a fool, but a rare dual talent."

As the voice spoke, a woman emerged from the fog. With a wave of her hand, the fog dissipated, revealing that Ah Heng was surrounded by black-armored warriors. From their imposing presence, it was clear they were formidable fighters. They held crossbows, the arrowheads glowing blue, clearly poisoned.

"It's a pity such a genius was born in the wrong era, and in the wrong family. His existence will only bring misfortune to the Divine Clan." Elder Luo Si's eyes fixed on Yue Wuying. "Yue Wuying, you have a choice. If you hand over the traitor's child, I can offer you forgiveness from the Divine Clan and the Elder Council. Please, don't make the wrong choice again."

"Who are you, babbling on?" Yue Wuying asked nonchalantly.

"You—" Elder Luo Si felt a surge of shame and anger. For years, she had watched him silently, only to be met with such a dismissive response. In his eyes, was everyone but that wretched woman mere air? Her composure faltered for a moment.

In that instant, Yue Wuying moved, his form like a shadow, slipping into the void.

"No, it's a trap!"

"Stop him!" Luo Si's figure shot up, like a human-shaped dragon, punching into the void. With a bang, the force of her punch made the surrounding knights retreat, shielding their faces.

"Come out!" Luo Si roared, her body suddenly collapsing on one side, splitting into a beautiful maiden and a skeletal figure. Simultaneously, a massive vortex formed around her, drawing everything towards her. The surrounding trees withered rapidly. The knights struggled to maintain their footing, resisting the vortex that felt like a black hole, threatening to drain their life force. As the vortex expanded, Luo Si's withered side gradually filled out.

"Half-Undead, you've been to the Land of the Dead," Yue Wuying's cold voice came from the void. With his words, the space seemed to isolate. Luo Si suddenly found herself unable to absorb any life force.

With a crash, Luo Si was thrown back, slamming into a tree and spitting blood. He was so strong. Despite her sacrifices, she was still no match for him. But Luo Si believed he wasn't unscathed either; she had confidence in her own strength.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh," the knights' crossbows fired, but all missed.

In the void, Yue Wuying's voice echoed: "Luo Si, you chose darkness. One day, it will consume you, and you will no longer be yourself. Take care."

He's lying. He recognized me long ago. Luo Si thought, gritting her teeth. Why, after all these years, was she still so powerless before him? She was no longer that naive girl with fantasies.

But then, a strange smile appeared on Luo Si's lips. Yue Wuying's actions showed he still acknowledged her feelings.

"Elder, should we pursue them?" a knight asked.

No, I've been used again. Luo Si realized her resolve had been shaken once more. Her face flushed slightly. She touched the bone eagle on her shoulder; this bird from the Land of the Dead was unusually sensitive to the Divine Clan's aura. As long as he used his Divine Clan abilities, the bone eagle would find him. The world was vast, but Yue Wuying would have no place to hide. This time, he would submit to her.

"Follow them, we pursue."

The bone eagle flew forward like a sharp blade.

The previous poisoning had worsened. Ah Heng looked at his foster father, whose breath was unstable, and felt a surge of sadness. They had faced two more ambushes. Each ambush brought more soldiers, who seemed more desperate and frenzied.

"Who sent you?" Yue Wuying asked the captured officer.

"Traitor, kill me if you want. The Third Legion of the Southern Tribe won't flinch," the officer, seemingly of high rank, was defiant, though his bravado was laughable to Ah Heng, revealing his identity with a single sentence.

"Southern Tribe Army," Yue Wuying smirked. "Since when did you care so much about the Elder Council's affairs? Are you trying to curry favor with them?"

The officer turned his head: "Kill me if you want, enough talk."

"If not for favor, then it's blackmail. You want to use us as leverage to negotiate with the Elder Council."

The officer's face changed but remained silent.

Yue Wuying knew he was right and sighed inwardly: The so-called Divine Punishment War had drained the Divine Clan's fortune for a century. What a pity. He smiled: "It's one thing for humans to meddle, but even the Southern Tribe's ragtag army has ambitions."

"Traitor, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"What you gain on the battlefield can't be won at the negotiating table. If you want to rebel, don't hesitate, or you'll always be slaves." Yue Wuying stood up. "Since you're so eager for merit, I'll give you a chance. We've been captured by you. Take me to your highest commander."

"Ah," the officer, expecting death, was stunned.

In the dense forest, Luo Si found herself struggling to move.

"What are these damned savages up to?" a knight cursed after dismantling a trap.

Luo Si's face changed: "No, Yue Wuying has fallen into their hands. These savages aren't helping us; they want to hold him for ransom." Combining the Elder Council's intelligence and the Southern Tribe's actions, she quickly understood.

"We're near the Third Legion's base. We must go and demand his release. Do these savages think they can bargain with us? Naive," Luo Si ordered.

"Elder, what if they turn on us? This is their territory," a knight worried.

Luo Si looked at him deeply. The rumors were true; the Divine Knights had lost their edge. Such behavior was unworthy of one of the continent's top three armies. But after the Divine Punishment War, the ambitious were restless, and the Divine Knights' loyalty was the Elder Council's only support. They couldn't be neglected.

"Don't worry, they don't have the guts. They want more benefits. The Elder Council received similar reports but didn't take them seriously. This is a minor issue."

The Third Legion's commander, Grandet, was drenched in sweat. The invisible pressure had almost suffocated him. He watched the two figures disappear into the darkness and shook his head.

The demon-like man was right; only strength mattered. The Third Legion couldn't hold him. In that situation, Grandet believed he'd be the first to lose his head. Besides, he couldn't kill them; a dead Ice Clan orphan was worthless and would only make the Elder Council harsher on the Southern Tribe. Killing the orphan would earn a useless banner, but nothing else.

He hoped the legendary man would keep his promise. He didn't want to be targeted by the continent's top assassin.

Grandet watched the figures disappear, feeling like he was witnessing the last moments of a fallen hero. Could he force the Elder Council to comply? Maybe he was just walking into death. But what difference did it make? The world was full of death. Seeking life in death, let a legend shine one last time.

Deep in thought, a guard reported Elder Luo Si's visit. Grandet shook his head, preparing to argue. The old woman was said to be tough; should he hide?

Grandet's eyes twinkled as he slipped into the latrine.

Concealing their presence, Yue Wuying and Ah Heng lay on a small hill. Yue Wuying had coughed up more black blood, feeling weaker. The woman's poisoned arrows were targeted at him, and his vision blurred.

Not far from the hill, the human camp was ablaze, with cavalry patrolling. Reinforcements had arrived, but only about ten thousand. In contrast, the Divine and Orc camps were vast, their fires blending with the stars. In the center, a black hill stood out, where the human emperor was besieged. The hill, called Refusal Hill, was a stronghold, but escape seemed impossible.

Ah Heng smelled the blood in the air, knowing the peaceful night hid fierce battles. This grand war would decide the fate of three races: Divine, Orc, and Human. They were all fighting for their future. His and his foster father's fate were tied to this war, at a critical juncture.

According to Grandet, the Elder Council's chief, Hawkins, was in the camp. After successive victories, he was likely celebrating early. Ah Heng worried, could they fulfill their promise to the Southern Tribe? Could they find a chance for survival?

At that moment, Ah Heng felt a strange connection, as if personal and racial fates were intertwined. They were small against history's tide but had to resist its direction.

Yue Wuying closed his eyes, then gripped Ah Heng's hand firmly: "Let's go." From their first step, there was no turning back; behind them lay only cliffs.