Dark Civilization Volume 1 Chapter 12

Book 1 Chapter 12: Bloodwind Arts!

In the corridor, Ye Zhu and Bai Long were quietly in wait. Amidst the dreadful silence, Bai Long couldn't help but reach for a topic in order the break the awkward atmosphere, saying: "Is that guy really your brother?"

Ye Zhu gave him a peculiar glance, before replying: "Of course he is."

Upon hearing her reply, Bai long sighed exaggeratedly saying: "No matter how hard I look, I really don't see the resemblance. The guy is like an ice cube, no emotions whatsoever. He didn't feel anything even though I was in such a pitiful state. You're much more compa.s.sionate compared to him."

Ye Zhu laughed while saying: "You're not worried if I'd tell on you?"

Bai Long confidently shook his head before speaking nonchalantly saying: "An adorable beauty with a heart as kind as you, absolutely wouldn't do something so underhanded."

Ye Zhu snapped an agitated glare at him, saying: "Don't think you can trap me with your words! You only say that because you don't understand my big brother."

Bai Long was about to say something, when suddenly, from a room with a half-closed door came a zombie. It was probably attracted over by their loud conversation. With a snarl, it came rushing over.

Bai Long was terribly startled; he knew well how formidable zombies were. In his mind, encountering a zombie spelled certain doom. Subconsciously he turned to flee. However as he stepped backwards, a faint fragrance caught his nose. Immediately, he remembered that behind him stood a delicate young girl….

Turning his head, he glanced at Ye Zhu. It seems as though this beautiful yet adorable girl was faintly knitting her delicate brows, she didn't seem very disturbed by their current predicament. Looking at her closely, Bai Long felt that her facial features were vaguely familiar, resembling the image of the girl carved within his heart….

Yi'er….

With that, he adamantly clenched his teeth and glared unyieldingly at the incoming zombie. Wearing an expression of madness, he swiped the watermelon knife from Ye Zhu's hands and stood before her to act as her defender. With a hushed tone, he ordered: "I'll hold it back, you should run, now!"

A slight gust of wind gently blew against her face, lifting slightly the hair upon her shoulder. Upon staring at this man's back, Ye Zhu found herself momentarily surprised. Eventually, her eyes softened as a hint of a smile came upon them.

"Rrrargh!"

The zombie rushing over began to swipe its claw towards Bai Long's shoulder while aiming its jaws at his throat.

With only one knife, if he deflected the claw, he won't be able to stop its jaws!

Bai Long's eyes were aflame; it was as though his blood and soul were burning furiously. Like a brave knight heading into battle, he shouted a battle cry before slashing out at the zombie's head.

Mustering all his strength, he slashed out viciously sparing nothing at all. It was a resolve born out of complete disregard for his own well-being!

Die!

Ker-sshluk!

The zombie's skull was split open. However, that didn't stop its claws from tearing into Bai Long's shoulder. This one swipe tore deep into his flesh, revealing his bones underneath.

Bai Long powerlessly dropped his hand, releasing the watermelon knife. As the knife fell, it hit the blood-stained floor with a 'clang'. His face was pale as he gazed hopelessly at his gaping wound. Laughing mockingly in self-depreciation, he dropped into a seating position upon the floor. With ragged breaths, he began to sweat profusely.

Ye Zhu was instantly horrified, gazing at his open wound, she exclaimed: "You're hurt gravely!"

Bai Long inclined his head to look at the girl, smilingly he said: "It's only a flesh wound, I'll be alright."

Ye Zhu was visibly distressed, she frantically exclaimed: "You'll be infected by the virus, turning you into a zombie!"

Bai Long's lips were pale as paper, his skin also gradually took on a ghastly hint of green. The gaping wound on his shoulder began to darken, and with it came the elongation of his canines.

These were the early signs of zombification!

Gazing upon the grief stricken girl in front of him, he couldn't help but smile in an attempt to lift her spirits. Eventually, he told her: "Promise that you'd kill me before I turn."

Ye Zhu felt the words p.r.i.c.k like a needle, causing tears to well up in her eyes. Regretfully, she said: "Actually, you didn't have to do that. I can actually kill zombies myself."

With a trace of pride in his eyes, Bai Long said: "In my presence, how could I ever let a girl face such an unsightly creature? What's more, your cold-blooded brother put me in charge of your safety. If any harm were to befall you, I'd be buried alive."

Shrrrk!

As the mutant dog's claws tore into Ye Chen's back, it shredded open his thick clothes and ripped four b.l.o.o.d.y streaks across his skin.

Ye Chen's demeanor was grave, he had just suffered a serious wound, yet he didn't utter a sound.

Abruptly, he dashed into one of the bedrooms in the room. There was no way the mutant dog would allow him to escape, it rapidly lunged in pursuit.

Upon entering the room, Ye Chen dove to hide behind the door. He waited for the mutant dog to rush inside before slamming the door shut behind it. Simultaneously, he rushed into position behind the creature. With a slide of his feet, he spun his body while lashing out the fireman's axe in a bizarre stance. As the axe slashed out, it carved open a b.l.o.o.d.y wound on the mutant dog's flank.

"Bloodwind arts first stance: blindside a.s.sault!"

Ye Chen used the fireman's axe like a carpenter's sculpting knife, flourishing it rapidly whilst kicking up gusts of howling wind. Although he was clearly standing behind the mutant dog, he managed to tear into the creature's belly, ripping open a sizable wound.

Bloodwind Arts!

This was a blade art which Ye Chen created by himself in his previous life. This stance in particular was created specifically for attacking mutant creatures from behind. It was conceived from an inspiration Ye Chen got after hunting a Blood-eye mutant porcupine.

The porcupine's back was protected with numerous bone spurs that were ridiculously st.u.r.dy. However, the hide on its belly was quite soft. Therefore, it could be said that this stance was the perfect counter for species similar to mutant porcupines! A mutant dog also has much thicker skin on its back than its belly; this stance was perfect against it.

"It's a shame that this body is still too weak. Had I been able to perform G.o.dfiend Arts, this mutant dog would perish in one stroke." Ye Chen inwardly sighed, in his previous life, everyone who knew him would call him the Frigid Bladefiend!

He wasn't very exceptional in the beginning. However, fighting in a certain war tempered his blade arts into something truly remarkable!

Even a martial pract.i.tioner could become a master after training on wooden dummies for ten years. It's no wonder why Ye Chen could perfect his art in battle; he had to face horrifying monstrosities every single day.

"ROOOAR!"

The injured mutant dog became increasingly agitated. With swift movements, it jumped onto the bed and turned around to bare it fangs menacingly at Ye Chen. This human actually had the means to injure it. With its limited cognitive thinking, the mutant dog has already regarded Ye Chen as a dangerous ent.i.ty! However, fear would not deter it from craving fresh meat!

Whoosh!

With a flash of its body, it pounced straight at Ye Chen. Its sudden burst of movement greatly increased its momentum. If Ye Chen were to take this attack head on, he would be sent flying!

However, this was also a chance!

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes. With the veins on his arms bulging, he focused all his strength into them and pushed into the ground to perform a handspring. Whilst midair, he kicked against the mutant dog's belly causing its lower body to shift upwards.

Immediately after landing, Ye Chen swung out the fireman's axe aiming at the gash in the mutant dog's belly.

The sharpest part of an axe was not its blade but its hook!

As the hook of the axe dug into the mutant dog's wound, Ye Chen vigorously pulled. The combined force of Ye Chen's pull and the forward momentum of the pouncing mutant dog caused the axe to rip open its belly like a zipper. Out from the creature's torn belly, various intestines and organs sprayed forth onto the floor in a ma.s.sive shower of gore.

"WUuuu…."

Collapsing onto the floor, the mutant dog began howling in agony. With its internal organs littering the floor, no matter how strong a body it had, fighting was no longer possible.

Without a moment's pause, Ye Chen finished the creature off with a swift cleave into its skull. Afterwards, he lifted its ma.s.sive corpse and slung it over his shoulder as he left for the corridor. With a corpse the size of a lion, it weighed over four hundred pounds. With this much meat along with its durable hide that could be fashioned into leatherwear, it'd be a waste to leave it rotting.

Upon entering the corridor, Ye Chen saw his younger sister sitting on the floor with her eyes swollen from crying. Right beside her laid Bai Long whom at this point had greenish pale skin and two visibly elongated fangs….

Zombification!

Ye Chen was shocked, with swift steps, he closed in on Bai Long's side. Just as he lifted the fireman's axe to deliver an execution, Ye Zhu hurriedly cried: "NOoo----"

Ye Chen hesitated, with furrowed brows he said: "How did he end up getting injured by a zombie? At this rate, it won't be long before he turns."

Ye Zhu sobbed, confessing: "It's all my fault, he did it to protect me and ended up being hurt."

Ye Chen glanced at the slain zombie on the ground, and then he glanced back at Bai Long. With a frown, he stepped over Bai Long's body and ordered: "First get him back to the room!"

Ye Zhu was astonished, overjoyed she exclaimed: "You know how to save him, right?"

Ye Chen was silent for a moment, before replying: "I can only try."

On the floor, Bai Long's consciousness was hazy. Overcome with a sinking sense of entrapment and fatigue, he knew that he couldn't afford to let go. If he were to allow himself to 'sleep', he would immediately start to turn!

In such a hazy state, he could vaguely feel someone carrying him. With only an inkling of what was going on, he eventually felt himself placed upon a comfortable surface. From somewhere close by came a cold voice ordering: "Boil some water to clean the wound. Get some alcohol too. Have the mutagenic flesh washed as well."

Bai Long was aware of whom this cold voice belonged to. He was inwardly at a loss, unaware of what was going to happen next.

Translator's Notes:

Bai Long briefly mentioned a girl named Yi'er in his thoughts. Yi (怡) means joy or harmony. The 'er (儿) is just an affectionate way of referring to someone dear in Chinese. It applies to children or loved ones in general.

The bloodwind arts first stance more accurately translates to exposed back strike, but I decided it didn't flow as well as blindside a.s.sault.

Ye Chen's nickname in his previous life directly translates to Cold-faced Blade Demon.