Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Chapter Seven: The Unseen Threat

A/N: All rights to the original content are reserved by the respective copyright owner.

Chapter Image Source: Pixiv Artist Code "85698568" / Pixiv Image Code "111783347"

Edit as of July 19, 2024: I am rereading my previous chapters and couldn't help but cringe at some aspects, particularly the repetition caused by my past self. Even the English is too complex for normal readers. So, I am editing some segments to use more natural vocabulary (screw you again, past self) and removing repetitions.

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Jingliu embarked on her mission to investigate the Bloodshot War Wyverns, leaving the opulent capital for the rustic settings of Xianzhou Luofu. The difference between these environments was striking. In this rural area, villages clung to ancient traditions, making her feel as though she had stepped onto a different planet.

As she delved deeper, Jingliu noticed the sharp contrast between the capital's splendor and the simple, close-to-the-earth lifestyle of the rural folk. Their clothes were made of natural fibers, and traditional symbols adorned their homes, each step taking her further from the capital's technological marvels and closer to the heart of Xianzhou's cultural heritage.

The overwhelming sense of hopelessness that enveloped the villages struck her profoundly. The villagers' faces bore the marks of despair, and their eyes, once vibrant, now reflected a deep weariness from daily struggles.

Approaching a villager, Jingliu asked about their situation, her expression concerned. The villager's response was laced with frustration: "We've lived off this land for generations. Our ancestors toiled these fields. But now, everything's rotting away, and we don't know why!"

Another villager added bitterly, "We've reached out to the capital, to those officials in their grand chambers, but no help has come."

A third interjected, anger evident, "Our livelihoods, our way of life—it's all being destroyed. It's unjust!"

Listening intently, Jingliu noticed the stark discrepancy between these tales of hardship and the reports she had received months earlier. She felt a deep concern for the suffering communities.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered softly.

"We appreciate it, but these are hard times. Nothing we've tried stops the rot," the first villager replied, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation.

When Jingliu mentioned the Wyverns, the villagers expressed palpable fear. "Those accursed Wyverns have been terrorizing us," one explained. "They're just a few kilometers away, and we hide in fear whenever they appear."

Thanking the villagers for their candor, Jingliu realized her mission involved more than confronting the Wyverns; she needed to uncover the cause of the turmoil affecting these communities.

With a heavy heart and renewed determination, she continued her journey, committed to finding the truth and alleviating the villagers' suffering.

-Timeskip-

As Jingliu's investigation deepened, her sharp instincts uncovered mysterious clues suggesting a larger, hidden threat lurking in the shadows.

While tracking the Bloodshot War Wyverns, Jingliu made a chilling discovery. Deep, enormous gashes scarred the landscape, clearly not the work of the wyverns she was tasked with eliminating. These marks, indicative of a brutal force, were unlike anything related to the creatures she pursued.

"By the Aeons," Jingliu muttered, scrutinizing the gouged earth. "These marks are far too large to be from Wyverns."

Her exploration brought her to an area overwhelmed by a horrific stench, so rotten and putrid that it nearly made her gag. This indescribable odor was like nothing she had encountered before, hinting at a sinister presence tied to the recent disturbances.