章 12: Reality Is Cruel

"We are finally home." Yu Chen said after he put down the groceries that he bought just now on the floor and lies down on the sofa.

Yang Guang also put down his groceries on the floor, he then pushes Yu Chen to the other side of the sofa and sits down.

He then pours himself a cup of tea and look at the time.

Yang Guang sighs to himself when he saw what time it is, he finishes his tea in 1 gulp and said to his grandpa. "I'm eating out tonight, Yu Chen you coming?"

Yu The then looks at the clock and sees it is already 9 o'clock.

"Oh yea, I haven't eat dinner yet." Yu Chen then stands up and walks towards the door.

Yang Guang then throws Yu Chen's jacket at him and say. "We are not coming back home until dawn anymore so bring your gear."

The both of them then walks on the streets together just like their first night, when Yang Guang is the one leading Yu Chen.

"Senior Yang Guang where are we going to have our dinner?" Yu Chen asked Yang Guang.

Yang Guang then stops and take out his wallet and look inside, a few seconds later he quickly closes his wallet and say. "Cup noodles at a convenience store."

"What?" Yu Chen then pulls back Yang Guang and asks once more. "Senior Yang Guang are you serious?"

Yang Guang looks into Yu Chen's eyes and say. "I'm broke; I use all my money at school."

"How, what did you buy?" Yu Chen asks Yang Guang while both of his hands are griping his shoulders.

Yang Guang then sighs and pushes Yu Chen away, he then says. "Before you came to Song City I have already eaten steam buns every day for a whole month, so when I was at school I get the chance to eat something else other than steam buns so I use all my money on other types of foods."

"I can't believe that we are really buying cup noodles right now." Yu Chen sighs when he is looking at the steaming cup noodles that he is holding.

Yang Guang then walks closer to Yu Chen with his cup noodle and say. "Just eat, no bitching. After you are done follow me."

The both of them started walking slowly on the streets of Song city; they keep on walking until they reach the river running through the city.

The both of them sit down at the riverbank and look at the night sky. The moon's faint glow shines on the flowing water in the river.

"This is the river where you first tell me that you are the only damn hunter left in Song city right?" Yu Chen asks while enjoying the breeze.

Yang Guang nods and said. "I killed a giant salamander that night."

"Till today I still cannot believe that somebody this young can one shot something so big." Yu Chen then picks up a pebble and crushes it into dust.

"But now look at me I'm already 1 rank higher that that giant salamander." Yu Chen the takes another pebble and throws it into the river.

Yang Guang then takes a pebble and throws it across the river but before the pebble lands another pebble comes from behind and crushes it into dust. Yang Guang then turns to Yu Chen and say. "Being a hunter isn't about physical strength but it is also about knowing to use your skills."

"Skill, do you mean something like secret arts?" Yu Chen asks Yang Guang with a curious face.

Yang Guang scratches his head and reply. "What is that, something to eat?"

When Yu Chen is about to explain what is a secret art to Yang Guang.

Yang Guang suddenly stops him and say. "Listen to me first, what I'm about to teach you is probably more useful than a secret art or whatever."

Yu Chen then nods and start to listen to what Yang Guang have to say.

Before Yu Chen hears anything he starts to feel a chill down his spine, as if something is looking at him from every direction even from underground.

All the sudden, that scary feeling disappear into thin air. Only then Yang Guang starts to speak.

With a smile, Yang Guang says. "What you experienced just now is a technique that I learned when I was younger call fear lock, by raising you killing intent and aura higher than your opponent while focusing it on them you can cause them into a state of fear and confusion; it is the same technique I use last night."

"Did patriarch Yang teach you this?" Yu Chen asks. Yang Guang replies by scoffing and says. "I doubt that he can do this, I learn this technique by mimicking those damn creatures, and do you still remember that feeling when you meet that blue spider?"

Yu Chen nods when he remembers the moment that the blue spider scares and tried to eat him. Yang Guang then nods and continues. "The blue spider did the same to you, that is why you can't even move a muscle at that time, when all of these damn creatures keep on doing this to me I decided to give them a taste of their own medicine so I learn fear lock from them."

Yu Chen then feels something was off and asks Yang Guang. "Then why didn't you use it when you fight certain damn creatures like the red snake?"

Yang Guang sighs and reply. "Fear lock biggest weakness is that it can affect other living beings people and damn creatures alike so when I'm near humans I will try to avoid using fear lock, last night I probably cause a bit of chaos around the city for using it that widely."

After Yang Guang had finish talking he stands up and start to walk away from the river.

"Senior Yang Guang why are you leaving?" Yu Chen asks while chasing after Yang Guang.

Yang Guang stops and takes out his phone and shows it to Yu Chen and say. "Its 11 p.m. damn creatures are spawning; don't you know this simple rule?"

Yu Chen just laughs and follows after Yang Guang.

"I can't continue anymore, let me rest." Yu Chen said after lying on the ground drench in blood.

Yang Guang walks up to him perfectly fine and say. "Come on if we stay here too long someone might be dead by now."

"One minute." Yu Chen lies on the ground resting.

Yang Guang says nothing and sits beside him waiting for him to get up.

"Senior Yang Guang how do you raise your killing intent?" Yu Chen asks while still lying on the ground.

Yang Guang thinks for a while and answers. "Hate. By hating something the thought of killing it will surface, that is how killing intent can be develop and increase."

The both of them then continue their hunt surrounded by the shadows of the buildings of Song city.

The both of them pass by a dark alleyway, all the sudden the both of them stops right in their tracks. The drench of blood can be smell in the air and bloods stains can be seen on the ground where light manage to shine upon.

They see a dark figure eating something in the shadows. Yang Guang is the first one to react, he summons his rattan pole and strike the dark figure into the wall.

Yu Chen was slower by half a beat and after Yang Guang summons his rattan pole at that time Yu Chen rushes in to the alleyway.

BLRERGH

"What is that?" Yu Chen asks while covering his mouth to prevent himself from vomiting anymore.

A human body lies on a puddle of crimson blood; its eyes are still open. The look of the horror in the eyes of the man still linger, beside the man is an arm that has been chew up with blood still dripping from it.

Yang Guang pats Yu Chen on his back to try and comfort him, he then sighs and say. "That is a human after being eaten by a damn creature."

He then leaves Yu Chen alone to calm down and turn his attention towards the damn creature.

Suddenly, Yang Guang feels a chill on his back; he turns around and sees Yu Chen starring at the damn creature that kills the man.

The creature looks like a cross between an orc and a goblin.

Yu Chen walks pass Yang Guang and looks at the goblin hybrid.

SPLAT

Yu Chen suddenly smash the goblin hybrid head into a pulp with his fist, his punch make a fist shape mark on the wall where the goblin hybrid's head was once was.

"This is my fault, if I didn't waste time by resting this man wouldn't had died." Yu Chen said while looking at the man's body.

Tears start coming out from his eyes as the sense of guilt and anger overwhelms and controls his heart and mind, Yu Chen start to walk away from the alleyway.

Yang Guang only stares at Yu Chen, not knowing what to do. He thought to himself, should I go after him or leave him alone to calm down?

In the end, Yang Guang decided to chase after Yu Chen, when he finally caught up with him he said to Yu Chen. "It is not your fault."

"It is always my fault, it is because I'm too weak too useless." after Yu Chen finish what he wanted he runs off into the darkness.

Suddenly Yang Guang appears in front of him and stops him right in his tracks he then tells Yu Chen. "Things like this happen; life must go on no matter who died."

"IT IS EASY FOR YOU TOO SAY, IT IS MY ENTIRE FAULT. I'M NOT HUNTER MATERIAL!" Yu Chen shouts out from the top of his lungs.

Yang Guang sighs and punches Yu Chen so hard that it causes Yu Chen to instantly blackout; he then carries him home and tells what happen to his grandpa, before leaving Yang Guang says to the unconscious Yu Chen. "That is why we exist." and continue his hunt.