Chương 132: Massacre - Strange Lense.
The cave was like an open maw, inviting him to step into a small slice of hell on earth.
He knew what he would see with his own two eyes, yet he wouldn't hesitate, however he couldn't just run in haphazardly, in an enclosed space like that anything could happen, who knows what a panicking man may do when cornered?
He had to be careful of the dynamite set up at the main entrance as well, if that goes off it's likely a large portion of the main shaft would collapse as well, it was an old mine after all, the supports had fallen into disrepair and erosion from dripping water had made it unstable.
Shu He picked out a vial from his robe and took a small sip.
Then, he lifted his hand then placed it on the earth just below his feet, soon another plant began growing out of his gauntlet and dug in to the ground like it was soft butter, he kept feeding it his Qi as it began growing larger and larger until it reached just over his height at 1.6 meters, it had a large thick stem with a closed flower on top, as he fed it more and more Qi the bud tipped over towards the inside of the cave and unfurled.
As it did, an invisible scent began to drift inwards, following the wind down into the cave, nearly none of the bandits noticed it as they played around and argued between one another, and then very quickly they began dropping one by one, falling into a deep sleep.
This was a Spiritual Flower known as the 'Snoozing Trapperflower', it usually exists in nature in a smaller form and remains in its inactive state, but as an animal attempts to eat it or harvest it for the sweet nectar inside it will open up and release a cloud of tranquilising dust unseen to the eye, as the sleeping prey slept at its feet its roots would dig into their bodies and suck them dry.
Shu He had adjusted its nature, focusing on the distribution of sleeping powder and the quantity while increasing its growing speed, unfortunately because of this it has become an expendable item, it will die shortly after without leaving any seeds behind.
After 5 minutes was up he lifted his hand of the ground, just doing that had used up 15% of his Qi so it wasn't a easily expendable technique, but in an enclosed space it was especially effective.
'Only 5 people realised quick enough and covered their mouths with something…'
Because the dust wasn't quite fine enough to pass them, cloth masks and such was an effective counter, it was a price the flower paid for having such an effective tranquilising effect.
'But, that's enough'.
Shu He watched as the flower began turning black, dropping to the floor and melting into a black rot of fibre and material before he began walking steadily down the small passageway, a bow was next to useless in these close quarters, so he reached to his waist, pushing apart his cloak and drew a short, silver sword.
It's name was Enduring Edge, unlike the Dire Fang, which was Shu He's knife he broke; it was made focusing on its usage as a melee weapon without many special gimmicks.
In essence, it was just a really good short sword.
Its edge glimmered in the dark light of the tunnels that was lightly lit with torches like a moon in the darkest of nights, Shu He's grip tightened as he reached the body of a bandit lying on the ground next to him and –
STAB
The sword easily pierced him through the heart, he didn't stir nor make a noise, he just died without so much as a whimper.
He drew the blade out of the dying body and flicked the blood on to the stone walls and carried on, his eyes lacking light as he moved with a single purpose.
He kept going, finishing off any bandits he came across until his eyes shifted slightly, up ahead there was a side room that was filled with crates, one of their food storage rooms, inside was one of the 5 that had managed to mask himself, he was pressed against the wall holding a sword waiting for someone to pass by, hoping to catch them off guard.
Unfortunately, Shu He knew he was there, and knew his exact location.
As he passed by the wall, he adjusted his grip on the Enduring Edge and stabbed it straight through the wooden wall, piercing through the man's throat from behind and severing his spine.
"Gahk!" He made an odd noise as he collapsed to the floor, left to bleed out.
'I need to deal with those that are awake before I go and wake the captives' He thought as he headed towards the direction of another one, as he turned the corner a crossbow bolt flew at him.
*CHING*
He knocked it out of the way with ease as the bandit shakily loaded another bolt as Shu He walked towards him, then fired it again right towards his torso, of course Shu He dealt with that as well, seeing that the bolts wouldn't work he pulled out the cutlass like sword and charged at Shu He.
"Die!!" He screamed as he put all his strength into his attempt to behead Shu He, yet a swing of Enduring Edge bisected his sword and created a large gash from head to hip, killing him instantly.
"Three more, they're all together" He murmured as he wove through the twisting halls of the dusty mine, the last three were in a large room together, standing and sitting still as they stared at the one and only entrance.
He walked up to said entrance and casually strolled in with his sword at the ready as the stared down the figure in the middle.
He was a larger man with scars covering his body, his hair was lacking on the middle of his head, but he had long black hair that was filthy hanging from the side, his sly grey eyes looked Shu He up and down.
He sat on a large seat like he was king among bandits.
"Who're you? You here for my bounty?" He asked with caution.
"…" Shu He deigned to answer him, merely continuing to walk forward.
"No? Then you're here because of those villagers…" He scratched his chin "Odd, the city lord shouldn't have moved this fast…" he glanced at the sword Shu He was using with scrutiny.
"What a fine weapon, how about joining us? You may have used that fine trick to put all my men to sleep but we're not push-overs, once they're up you'll be outmatched and outnumbered".
*Step*
"They're not coming" Shu He said, his words devoid of emotion.
"What are you?..." The man's brows furrowed before his eyes lit with realisation.
"Che', boys, get em' " He commanded and the two standing by his 'throne' as they rushed forward, their actions perfectly synched as they stepped forward, brandishing their blades in a cross manoeuvre.
'They're proper martial artists' Shu He noted as he saw their practiced movements, but unfortunately for two Shu He didn't want to waste any more time, the villager's group would arrive soon.
He channelled some of his Qi in to Enduring Edge and its metal blade shifted, growing ever so slightly as the minor chips repaired themselves and the blade's edge grew sharper.
He then slashed horizontally effortlessly, right through the swords and heads of the two sending them flying as if he was cutting through paper.
"You..!" The man stood up from his chair, equipping a paid of metal knuckle weapons lined with spikes, but he was shaking.
He knew he was in for it.
"Who are you?!"
"You're the boss of this operation?"
Shu He asked as he stepped forward.
"So what if I am?" The man's eyes wandered, thinking what he could do.
"Good" Shu He twisted his blade slightly, a light clicking sound echoing as if spelling the man's death.
The boss lifted his hand, like he was going to deliver a downward punch, but then he threw something to the ground that exploded in a cloud of white smoke.
'Idiot, I didn't live this long by throwing away my life!' He thought as he attempted to dash around Shu He.
*Swish*
"AAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Yet what was heard next was his scream as he collapsed to the floor, rolling in pain as he clutched his left arm.
Or what was left of it.
He then felt a heavy kick to his stomach as he spat out the acid travelling up his throat and flew, hitting the wall, knocking his head.
Very quickly, the smoke settled, and Shu He was standing before a disoriented bandit boss, laying on the floor gripping his missing limb.
"H-how?" He asked in disbelief, the multiple images of Shu He spinning in his eyes.
*Bang*
Shu He kicked him again, moving him in to the centre of the room, laid flat on his back, then stomped on the end of the bloody limb causing him to screech in pain.
But then a small fire appeared beneath his foot along side the sound of sizzling flesh causing him to scream in pain even more, after a hellish few seconds it stopped and the open wound was cauterised, or fully roasted shut.
"There, you won't bleed now; It will probably get infected though" Shu He explained.
"M-monster! You- You're a cultivator! Why are you here?!" The bandit boss screamed.
Shu He placed his foot on his chests and pressed hard enough to cause pain, but not to cause serious damage and pointed the Enduring Edge at the man's throat.
"That doesn't matter, what does is why you kidnapped those people, who was it that asked you to?".
"How do you know someone asked us?!".
"…"
The blade pierced his skin, drawing a line of blood that tricked down his neck.
"I-I'll tell you! Just spare me!".
"Fine, you'll live if you tell me the truth" Shu He promised without a second of thought.
The man sighed with relief, inwardly thinking how naïve Shu He was.
"They came to us one day; we don't know who they were but they wore black cloaks and hid their faces, so they were definitely someone from the our line of work".
"You know nothing about them at all?" Shu He pushed.
"Nothing! I'm telling the truth!".
"Then what was it they asked you to do?".
"They told us to use this tool they gave up and kidnap some people that had a high measurement on it, that's all!".
"Where is it?" Shu He's eyes shook as he almost pierced his throat on reflex.
"IT'S- It's in my pocket!".
Shu He's eyes scanned the man's body before he sliced the cloth open with his sword and a small round object fell out, it was like a small monocle without any way to wear it, it was to be held.
He looked through it at the man below and it glowed ever so slightly, he frowned.
'What does this measure?' He looked down the man expectantly.
However the man shook his head as much as he could with fear in his eyes "I don't know what It means! They never said!".
Shu He sighed as he stored it in his robes to investigate later.
"You'll let me go now? Right?" the scruffy man asked hopefully.
Shu He responded by kicking him over and grabbing his neck from behind.
"WHY? YOU SAID YOU'D LET ME LIVE!" He screeched.
"Yes, I will, but I didn't say I'd let you go" Shu He words were like a chilling frost over the man's mind as he realised he wasn't naïve at all, he was the one that was naïve!
A small plant shoots left Shu He's gloved and pierced the man's skin, blooming throughout his body and central nervous system, gripping, and interfering with it.
It was a brutal method called <<Floral Stigma>>, unlike the nice sounding name the ability was anything such, it can be used with most seeds, but the technique modifies them very specifically to invade a person or living being's body and wrap around their nerves tightly and then emit a numbing chemical, causing them great pain and then the loss of control of their body.
It was hard to use because it required direct contact with the target's nape and any cultivator skilled enough can purge it out of their system with Qi, but against a mortal it's a sure-fire way to disable them.
He had been gifted it by Wu Zhong after he saw his masterful use of <<Vernal Growth>>, it was a technique that resided on the second floor of the Technique Depository, so he was happy to receive it.
Very soon, the man was unconscious, he would still be kept alive but unable to do anything but be a living doll until the technique wore of, or Shu He removed it.
Vines shot out of Shu He's gauntlet as they wrapped under the arms of the bandit boss creating a leash as Shu He began dragging him along.
'Time to get the captives out of here'.
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