Chapter 39 The Death of Brothers
Chapter 39 The Death of Brothers
Yin Langtou said, “You can still live for five or six hundred years. Why are you in such a hurry? Besides, the entire Naga tribe listens to you. Is it really that hard to find a female snakeman?”
The Hydra’s heads tangled together.
“I’m not in a hurry. Didn’t I say that? But if I want a wife, I’ll need your help. The women of the Naga tribe won’t do.”
I asked curiously, “Why not? Aren’t you of the same race? Do you need another Hydra as a wife?”
The Hydra smiled bitterly.
“Where would I find one? Our lineage is passed down from firstborn to firstborn, don’t you know?”
“For the Lernaean Hydra race to reproduce, we must find a female from the dragon race. Only then can we produce offspring.”
“How could an ordinary snakeman withstand my enormous energy?”
Jin Langtou was shocked.
“You want a dragon as your wife? With your appearance, who would follow you?”
The Hydra flushed in embarrassment.
“What’s wrong with my appearance? Aren’t I much more handsome than you?”
“I’ll have you know—my mother is a dragon from the Dragon Clan.”
He immediately covered his mouth after saying that.
Jin Langtou pressed him further.
“What? Your mother is still alive?”
The Hydra lowered his hand. His expression dimmed.
“Yes… she is still alive.”
“My father used his overwhelming strength to capture her and bring her into that forest. He forced her…”
“My mother gave birth to me and then returned to the Dragon Clan. Since dragons live far longer than we do, she is still alive.”
Yin Langtou said bluntly, “So your father was a rapist?”
Strangely, the Hydra did not become angry. He only sighed.
“My father didn’t want to do it either.”
“He once told me that the greatest regret of his life was forcing my mother like that.”
“And the time he treasured most was the period he spent with her.”
Jin Langtou shrugged.
“Then just follow your father’s example. Once you reach the Zenith Realm, capturing a female dragon should be easy.”
“It wouldn’t be too late even two hundred years from now.”
The Hydra shook his heads firmly.
“Before my father died, he told me that forcing my mother was the greatest mistake of his life.”
“He begged me never to repeat it.”
“He made me promise that I would never force myself upon a female dragon.”
“I could only reproduce if the dragon gave her consent.”
“He insisted on this point.”
“He even said that if I could not find a suitable mate, then the Lernaean Hydra bloodline should simply end with me.”
“Even on his deathbed, he was still calling my mother’s name.”
“I could tell he loved her deeply.”
“So I promised him I would never follow in his footsteps.”
I nodded.
“Your father was a truly honorable man. Since he entrusted you with that request, you must honor it.”
“We will definitely help you.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Even if a dragon doesn’t find your appearance appealing at first, if your sincerity is genuine, you can win her heart.”
“Your father’s greatest wish was probably to spend his life with your mother. You will fulfill that wish for him.”
“But remember—if you want a dragon to become your wife, you must work hard for it.”
The Lernaean Hydra nodded vigorously.
“Thank you for understanding and supporting me.”
“Don’t worry—I won’t be lazy anymore. I will definitely try my best.”
I smiled.
“Then let me give you a new name.”
“Alright?”
The Hydra brightened immediately.
“Of course! Of course! Please give me a dignified name—not something tacky like theirs.”
Yin Langtou curled her lip.
“What’s tacky about our names? Jin and Yin are precious metals. Who wouldn’t want more gold and silver?”
Jin Langtou suddenly spoke with a very solemn expression.
“I’ve thought of a very suitable name for you.”
The Hydra and I asked at the same time,
“What is it?”
Jin Langtou said gravely,
“Tiny Worm.”
The moment he finished speaking, he dashed away like lightning.
The Hydra froze for a moment. Then fury erupted.
“Don’t run, you two bastards! I won’t let you get away with this!”
He immediately chased after them.
I laughed and followed behind him.
“Don’t be angry. They were only joking.”
“These two bastards are insufferable!” the Hydra shouted while chasing the Wolf God. “They made fun of me again!”
“But don’t worry—I’m not offended. I’m just furious!”
After spending two days with him, I had already noticed something.
The Hydra’s temperament was incredibly tolerant—something rarely seen among the Naga.
The Hydra was slightly faster than the Wolf God, and he soon caught up with them on a hill.
Suddenly, countless fireballs, water blasts, and wind blades filled the sky and flew toward the Wolf God.
The Wolf God had no choice but to deploy defensive barriers.
Jin Langtou shouted,
“Lei Xiang! Come help us! Are you just going to watch him beat us up?”
I chuckled.
“I’m not helping this time.”
“This is your problem.”
“Apologize to the Hydra. I’m sure he’ll forgive you.”
The fight continued for nearly an hour. Gradually the Wolf God began to lose ground under the Hydra’s relentless bombardment.
Yin Langtou finally shouted,
“Lei Xiang! You’re heartless! You found a new friend and now you’re letting us die?”
“Hurry up and help us! We can’t hold out much longer!”
Only then did I step forward and speak to the Hydra.
“That’s enough. They’ve already paid for their mistake.”
“Besides, I’ve thought of a new name for you.”
“Would you like to hear it?”
Hearing this, the Hydra immediately slowed his attacks.
“Tell me quickly.”
Jin Langtou yelled,
“Hydra, stop fighting! I can’t beat you!”
The Hydra snorted.
“If you dare call me that name again… I’ll let you taste my Meteor spell.”
Jin Langtou raised both hands.
“Fine, fine! We’re scared of you, alright?”
The Hydra looked extremely pleased.
“Now you know my power.”
Then he turned to me eagerly.
“Lei Xiang, what name did you come up with?”
“Please don’t make fun of me like those two.”
I shook my head.
“Don’t worry.”
“You came from the Spherical City, and with your strength you’re considered a first-class master.”
“So I thought of the name Panzong.”
“Does that sound alright?”
The Hydra murmured the name several times.
“Panzong… Panzong…”
He nodded with satisfaction.
“Not bad.”
“From today onward, my name is Panzong.”
“Thank you, Lei Xiang.”
“You’re far better than those bastards over there.”
I shook my head.
“We’re all friends. Saying that makes them sound like outsiders.”
“Alright. Let’s get moving.”
Jin Langtou looked dissatisfied.
“I just got beaten up and now he gets a fancy name?”
“Panzong? Might as well call him Frying Pan.”
Panzong immediately assumed a fighting stance.
Jin Langtou quickly backed off.
“Fine! I won’t say it. Let’s go.”
By the afternoon of the second day, we were approaching the border between Sasi Territory and Yuna Territory.
However, the ominous feeling in my heart grew stronger and stronger.
During the day’s travel, both the Wolf God and Panzong had already recovered most of their strength.
Jin Langtou glanced at me.
“Lei Xiang, why do you look so gloomy?”
“Did Panzong provoke you? If he did, we can teach him a lesson together.”
Panzong glared with all eighteen eyes.
“Only a troublesome wolf like you would provoke Lei Xiang.”
I looked toward the sky. The sun was slowly descending toward the western horizon.
“I don’t know why…”
“I’ve had a suffocating feeling all day.”
“It feels like something bad is about to happen.”
Yin Langtou waved a hand dismissively.
“You’re overthinking it.”
“What do the three of us have to fear?”
“Relax.”
I considered her words and nodded.
“You’re right.”
“Let’s hurry. We must meet my companions before sunset.”
We rushed the remaining distance toward the border.
Finally, I led the Wolf God and Panzong to our meeting place.
The sun was already dipping below the horizon. Only half of the hill was bathed in the golden glow of the evening light.
But I had no mood to admire the sunset.
My ominous premonition had come true.
The hillside was completely deserted.
The only thing left behind were dark, dried bloodstains covering the ground.
I stood frozen on the slope.
A terrifying killing intent slowly spread from my body.
Who was it?
Who dared attack my men?
Wolf God walked to my side. Jin Langtou patted my shoulder and said, “Lay, don’t panic. They must have survived. Let’s search for them.”
Panzong called from not far away, “Hurry! Over here—there are more bloodstains. And… a corpse.”
“A corpse?”
I activated my Heavenly Demon Art and rushed to Panzong’s side at my fastest speed.
As I feared, one of my centaur escorts lay there.
His face was frozen in a mixture of terror and anger. His chest had been split open by a sharp blade. His entrails were scattered across the ground. His eyes were wide open, already clouded with the gray of death.
I slowly walked to his side and crouched down. Reaching out, I gently closed his eyes.
My voice was flat and completely cold, like the icy wind of winter.
“Brother… if your soul still lingers, tell me who killed you.”
“Who was it?”
“Which bastard killed you before you could even close your eyes?”
The more I spoke, the more furious I became until I finally roared toward the sky.
These escorts had followed me for a long time. Even if we were not deeply close, I had long regarded them as my own men.
They were my brothers.
All of them.
I suddenly lifted my head and fixed my gaze on Panzong. My eyes burned with killing intent.
“It was you… wasn’t it?”
“Your subordinates did this, didn’t they?”
“It was you!”
I strode forward and grabbed Panzong by the collar.
Panzong was stunned at first, but anger quickly rose in his eyes. He shook his arms and pushed me several steps back.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“What proof do you have that my subordinates did this?”
Wolf God hurried forward to stop me.
Jin Langtou said, “Lay, calm down. We need to confirm the facts before accusing anyone.”
Struggling against their grip, I roared bitterly.
“What is there to investigate?”
“This is the territory of the Naga tribe!”
“Even though we’re near Yuna Territory, your people would never attack my escorts.”
“Only the Naga could slaughter them like this!”
“And don’t forget—weren’t we attacked by the Naga not long ago?”
Without warning, Wolf God punched me directly in the face.
The tremendous force sent me flying backward. I crashed into a large tree before dropping heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Wolf God glared at me angrily.
“Lay, you bastard!”
“Do you not trust us at all?”
“If you don’t trust us, why did you ask us to follow you?”
“You jumped to conclusions without even searching for the truth!”
“Even if the Naga tribe did this, you must prove it before taking revenge on Panzong!”
“What will you gain if you act like this?”
Panzong’s nine heads revealed a trace of gratitude at Wolf God’s words, but he remained silent.
Jin Langtou struggled to control their shared body so Yin Langtou would not strike me again.
“Lay, wake up!”
“Your escorts weren’t weak. Do you really think a group of ordinary Naga could kill all twelve of them?”
I covered my aching cheek and slowly stood up.
First I looked at Wolf God. Then at Panzong.
Finally, a look of anguish appeared on my face.
I spoke calmly.
“Yin Langtou… thank you for bringing me back to my senses.”
“The deaths of my brothers made me lose control for a moment.”
I walked over to Panzong and bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Panzong. I was reckless just now.”
“But if we discover that the killer really was from the Naga tribe, I will not spare them.”
After saying that, I turned back to the centaur’s body.
Now that my mind had cleared, I realized the corpse might hold clues about the murderer.
Panzong looked at Wolf God and shook his heads helplessly.
Jin Langtou said, “Lei Xiang, you continue examining the bodies here. We’ll search the surrounding area for clues.”
I nodded and carefully examined the centaur’s corpse again.
Soon I noticed something strange.
The wound had already begun to rot.
Traces of corrosion were visible around the cut.
But judging from the blood on the ground and the condition of the body, he could not have been dead for more than three days.
The weather was already turning cold.
Why would the wound already be rotting?
That should not happen.
“Lay! We found another body!” Jin Langtou shouted.
I rushed toward a patch of shrubs stained dark purple with blood.
Less than a hundred meters away, Wolf God had gathered four more corpses.
All of them were my escorts.
Their condition was far worse than the centaur’s.
Some had been decapitated. Others had been hacked into more than ten pieces.
I pushed my Heavenly Demon Art to its limit. The icy current of dark magic flowed through my body, suppressing the grief and rage in my heart.
I raised my head and looked toward Panzong.
He instinctively stepped back, clearly thinking I was about to attack him again.
“Brother Panzong,” I said calmly, “I apologize again for earlier.”
“I believe now that the killer was not from the Naga tribe.”
Panzong stared at me blankly.
“How can you say that?”
“All I see are dead bodies.”
I sighed deeply.
“I personally trained these beastmen. I know exactly what they are capable of.”
“There are many corpses here—but none belong to the enemy.”
“That means the difference in strength was overwhelming.”
“They killed my men without suffering any casualties.”
“Among the Naga tribe, only you possess that level of strength.”
“But you were inside your palace the entire time.”
“So the Naga tribe cannot be responsible.”
“The same goes for the werewolves.”
“Our enemies might not even be beastmen.”
“Among beastmen, only my father could kill my escorts so easily.”
“But he has no reason to come here and slaughter them.”
Yin Langtou wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Lay… you’re finally thinking clearly.”
“You analyzed the situation very well.”
“So tell me—who do you think planned something this vicious?”
Jin Langtou stared at her in surprise.
“Wow… Yin Langtou, this is the first time I’ve seen you act so gentle.”
“Lay, I’m jealous.”
Yin Langtou immediately punched Jin Langtou in the stomach.
“How am I not feminine?”
I looked at them gratefully.
I knew Jin Langtou was trying to distract me—to ease the pain in my heart.
But my brothers… my battle companions…
They had died unjustly.
How could I not feel grief?
I took a deep breath of the cool, grassy air.
“I’m afraid none of my escorts survived.”
“Let’s continue searching.”
“At the very least, we must recover all their bodies.”
After an hour of searching, we found eighteen corpses.
Every one of them had died horribly. Very few bodies remained intact.
But we still found no trace of the enemy.
Only Wo Fu, Mink, and Black Dragon were missing.
I gathered the bodies together and stared at them with bloodshot eyes.
Jin Langtou said, “Lay, we should keep searching.”
“Judging from the positions of the bodies earlier, they were fleeing east.”
“Two bodies are still missing. They might still be alive.”
I nodded firmly.
We continued moving east.
Wolf God led the way, using their keen sense of smell to track the scent of blood.
After about five thousand meters, Wolf God suddenly stopped.
Jin Langtou pointed to the left.
“There.”
I followed his finger and saw a huge boulder.
Yin Langtou pointed at it.
“You mean they’re underneath it?” I asked.
Both heads nodded.
I poured strength into my arms and roared.
“Open!”
My Mad God Qi surged outward as I pushed the massive thousand-kilogram boulder aside.
The moment the rock moved, a familiar voice suddenly roared hoarsely from beneath it.
“You bastards! I’ll fight you to the death!”
A figure burst out from under the stone, wielding two giant crescent blades, and attacked me instantly.
When I identified the owner of the crescent axes, my heart surged with relief. I avoided him and shouted loudly, “Mink, stop. It’s me!”
The mad figure halted when he heard my voice. Clang, clang! The two axes dropped to the ground, and he collapsed while muttering, “Young Master… why did you return this late?”
I quickly caught and supported Mink and felt his pulse.
Good. His wounds were light. His body was simply over-exhausted, and on top of that he hadn’t eaten for a long time, so his body was weak.
Mink gasped heavily for air. “Young Master… please save Wo Fu. He’s on the verge of death.”
“What? Where is he?”
“He’s in the cave.”
I left Mink with Panzong and strode into the cave.
The space inside was extremely small, only large enough for three adult beastmen to crouch.
Wo Fu had only one arm left, resting on his chest. Blood had dyed his warrior suit red. His legs were severed just below the crotch, and his eyes already showed signs of approaching death. Although the bleeding had stopped, if I had arrived a little later he would already have died.
I quickly took out a turquoise gem and placed it on his chest. Absolutely pure Mad God chi surged forth and flowed into him. Wo Fu’s whole body trembled, and a red flush spread across his face.
But I felt no excitement at all. His wounds were far too severe. Not only did he suffer heavy external injuries, but his internal injuries were just as serious. The fact that he had survived until now was already a miracle.
The Wolf God jumped to my side.
Jin asked, “How is it? Can he be saved?”
I slowly shook my head. “His wounds are too severe. Even though I poured a large amount of life force into him, many of his internal organs are already damaged. I don’t even dare attempt treatment. Right now we can only wait and see whether he will wake up again.”
Yin placed her hand on Wo Fu’s hand and sighed. “This guy is truly tough. He suffered such severe injuries yet survived until now. It really is a miracle.”
Hearing her words, I knew there was absolutely no hope.
I took a blood stone from my chest pocket and continued infusing him with energy.
Wo Fu trembled again. He spat out some fresh blood and slowly woke up.
When he saw me, vigor filled his eyes and his spirit seemed to brighten. But my heart steadily sank. I knew very clearly that this was the final radiance of the setting sun.
The pale Wo Fu showed a faint smile and spoke weakly. “Young… Young Master… you… are… finally… back…”
Tears streamed from my eyes uncontrollably. I gripped his hand tightly and said in a choked voice, “Wo Fu, I’m sorry. I came back too late.”
Wo Fu weakly shook his head.
“This… this is… not… your… fault. You… must… have… had… something… important… to… do. I… know… that… you… are always… worried… about… us. Where… where is… Mink? How… how… is… he?”
“He’s up there. He’s fine. I’ll call him over.”
Wo Fu’s voice grew weaker and weaker. The red color on his face gradually faded. He struggled slightly, so I quickly helped him sit up.
He looked at me.
“No… no need… Young Master… Young Master… do you… know… in… my… heart… you’re… my… best fri… friend… yes… my best friend. I… won’t… fear… if you… blame… me. I’ve… always… seen you… as… a friend… even though… you’re… cold… on… the outside… but… you’re… always… very… passionate… especially… toward… us… brothers. Although… they’re… all gone… now… I… believe… they… never… regretted… following… you. Young Master… thank you… for… taking… care… of… us.”
Intense sadness surged through me, and I cried bitterly.
“Don’t talk, Wo Fu. My brother, you must hold on. I will definitely heal you.”
Wo Fu’s expression was calm. He smiled faintly.
“Young Master… I know… my… condition. I… will die… soon… but… before… I die… can I… ask… two… favors… from you?”
“Tell me. Even if you want the sun from the sky, I will find a way to bring it down to you.”
Wo Fu’s voice had already grown extremely weak, and he could barely open his eyes. I lowered my ear close to his mouth.
“Young Master… Mink… is… my… best… brother… please… look… after… him… from now on…”
I nodded. Large teardrops fell onto the back of his hand.
“Young… Young Master… please… don’t… be sad. No… matter… what… creature… they… must… die… someday… right? And… I’ll… see… the… other… brothers… very… soon… I’ll… greet… them… for… you. I… have… one… last… wish. I… have… a sister… we were… chased… away… together… when… we… were young… then… we… were… separated… her… name… is… Woma… there’s… half… of… an… unpolished… gem… in… my… chest… pocket… maybe… she… still… has… the other… half. I… don’t… know… if… she’s… still… alive… please… help… me… find… her… okay?”
I nodded with all my strength and sobbed.
“I will. I will! If she is alive, I will find her and look after her like my own sister. You can rest in peace.”
Suddenly I felt Wo Fu’s hand slide weakly from mine. His head leaned against my shoulder.
I wiped away my tears and looked down.
Wo Fu’s eyes were closed as he leaned peacefully against my shoulder. A crystal-clear tear hung at the corner of his eye, and the faint smile on his face remained.
My whole body trembled.
I understood that he had died with tears in his eyes.
I would never hear his resonant voice again.
I roared angrily toward the sky.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”
My body transformed instantly without warning. In the blink of an eye I entered a fully berserk state. My hair and eyes turned crimson, and my muscles swelled with explosive power.
Yet my mind remained clear. The dark magic was controlling my emotions. I sensed that this Berserk Transformation was different from before. It gave me greater strength, and the endless supply of power showed no sign of fading.
Before my roar had even finished echoing, Mink arrived with Panzong’s support.
Although my appearance was terrifying, Wo Fu’s death made him forget everything. He collapsed over Wo Fu’s body and cried.
“Wo Fu! My brother! How can you leave just like this? It’s all my fault! You became like this to protect me! Wo Fu—”
Mink fainted from emotional shock.
Frenzied red qi exploded outward, devastating everything around me. The immense power tore my clothes to shreds, revealing muscles like those of a demon god.
The Wolf God and Panzong instinctively stepped backward when they felt the overwhelming pressure radiating from me.
I raised my hand and sent red energy toward Mink. His body trembled, and he slowly regained consciousness.
My voice was grim.
“Tell me what happened here. Who attacked you? I swear by the blood of my brothers—no matter who they are, they will pay for this with their lives. My fallen brothers, your brave souls are not far away. Bless me with your spirits and guide me to the murderers!”
A violent crimson beam shot from my body into the sky.
Under my deliberate control, Wo Fu’s corpse and Mink were covered by a protective barrier so they would not be harmed.
I glared at Mink.
“Speak.”
Mink struggled to his feet and cradled Wo Fu in his arms. Fear and confusion flashed through his eyes.
“About seven days after you left, five humans came—one woman and four men. The woman was young and incredibly beautiful. Her figure was perfect beyond words. She also seemed to be their leader. They appeared very friendly at first. Because they looked somewhat like you, we didn’t pay too much attention to them.
“Among them, a man around forty years old approached us and started talking. One of the brothers told them that we were emissaries of the Beast God and that we specialized in helping beastmen solve their problems.
“A strange gleam flashed in the man’s eyes. He turned around and told the others, ‘It should be them.’
“When I heard that, I felt something was wrong, but I didn’t question it. Then the girl walked over, and all the brothers were captivated by her beauty.
“Suddenly she noticed Black Dragon and muttered in surprise, ‘Could it be him?’
“She grabbed one of the brothers and demanded to know who our leader was. The brother she grabbed shook her off and pushed her back several steps, scolding her. The girl’s expression suddenly turned extremely gloomy.
“She asked again, ‘Are you really refusing to say anything?’
“Of course we refused.
“Then she said, ‘Very well. Since you are so persistent, I will kill you. That man will come out on his own. We heard there were suspicious movements in the Beastmen Territory, so it was you who created this Beast God Religion. Since you refuse to talk, you can die now.’
“Then she shouted to her subordinates, ‘Do it.’
“Our nightmare began with that sentence.
“The five of them began muttering strange incantations, and their appearances changed. Two large black wings grew from their backs, and their hair and eyes turned black. The girl did not act personally. She ordered the four men to attack us while she rushed toward Black Dragon.”
I asked coldly, “Did their incantation begin with the words ‘Darkness condense in my soul’?”
Mink thought for a moment and nodded.
“I think so.”
Jin and Yin exclaimed at the same time.
“Fallen Angels!”