Emperor of Soul Pets

Chapter 30: Suicide Squad

Rumble! Du-Du-Du...

"Ow!" Rao Wu grumbled as he was awakened by a bump to his head. The child massaged his sore temple as his eyes creaked open, wincing at the harsh sunlight that seeped through. "What the? Where am I?" Rao Wu's brows rose in question as he looked around the wooden cage. Through the gaps in the bamboo walls, Rao Wu could see several bird-like creatures pulling carriages with similar wooden cages.

"Finally awake, kid?"

Rao Wu turned to see a heavily bearded man with dirty, grime-covered orange hair seated across. The man, whose canine-like ears gave away his identity as a beastkin, smiled as he regarded the child. "How're you feeling little fox?"

Rao Wu shook off his grogginess as he hesitated on whether to answer. There were six types of beastkin in the world—two clans for air, two clans for land, and two for the sea. The air boasted the Hawk and Eagle clans, the sea claimed the Shark and Whale clans, and the earth was torn between the fox and wolf clans. Uncle Twilight once said that of these clans, the Wolf and Fox clans fought each other the most to determine which was the rightful ruler.

Rao Wu was naturally hesitant when he saw the canine-ears. This was a wolf hybrid. Would he attack Rao Wu?

The man, as if expecting Rao Wu's reaction, revealed a sly grin. "Oh? Are you scared of me? Is it the ears? Either you've lived a sheltered life, or you're not from around here. Our clans haven't fought in years." Sighing, he leaned against the cage and then looked out the bars with angry eyes. "Not since those damned humans."

"Humans?" Rao Wu's curiosity instantly piqued. He temporarily forgot his situation as he inquired. "What did they do?"

The man frowned as he gave Rao Wu a once-over. "Kid, who are you? There's no way a beastkin hybrid doesn't know the humans."

Rao Wu nearly jumped in fright. When the man got angry, he felt tremendous, bone-crushing pressure. This man was much stronger than him! Rao Wu quickly racked his brain for an answer, and then said, "My name's Rao Wu. I used to live with a pack of wolves in Elder's Forest. I fell asleep one day and woke up here. I don't know what happened in-between."

"Elder's Forest?" The man's brows furrowed. "I don't recognize that name. It must not be in this region." His eyes began to shine with intrigue. "Could you be one of those famous Spirited Away people?"

"Spirited Away?"

"Mm. According to legends, people all over the world were transported from their homes to a random location." The man scratched his beard as he regarded Rao Wu with interest. "I thought that was the stuff of legends. Guess we should respect the old folks' tall tales, after all."

'Spirited Away... Is this cause of the previous test candidates, or is it something else?' Rao Wu kept his musings to himself, and instead, asked, "Can you tell me where we are, and how I got here? I'm completely lost."

"Haha. No problem, little fox. The name's Denuchi, by the way." After introductions, Denuchi's eyes turned grave. "Like you, and many other hybrids, I was captured by the humans to fight their war against the first-generation beastkin."

"War? Why are they at war?"

Denuchi sighed. "This world used to belong to the beastkin. Their primitive civilization stretches back countless millennia. No one knows when, but one day, humanity suddenly popped up and started challenging the beastkin for territory. Initially, everyone thought humans were mounting a foolish challenge, but then with technology, and their ability to command soul monsters to fight on their behalf, they actually began to push back the beastkin."

"Seriously? The beastkin are that weak?"

"Shut it, kid!" Denuchi's eyes redden with rage as he made to charge at Rao Wu. Fortunately, the chains held him in place until he eventually calmed down. "Ugh. Sorry, little fox, I forgot you don't know anything. It's not a matter of being weak or strong." Gritting his teeth, Denuchi said, "Humans can command soul monsters to fight for them. Do you know what that means? A dead monster can be replaced, but a dead beastkin can never be replaced. One human can summon up to five monsters to fight for them. Does the scale seem balanced to you?"