Chapter 76: Chapter 76 - Journey Ahead (1/2)
BOOK I
PEST OF THE UMBRA KINGDOM
VOLUME IV
THE DEATH IS HE
CHAPTER 76
JOURNEY AHEAD
Heavy silence hung inside a rather s.p.a.cious room fitted with several sets of tables and chairs, all carrying cups of various drinks. Of the six people sitting inside the room, two appeared rather anxious, one wholly nonchalant and three were expressionless as they sipped their teas slowly.
Old man Van wasn't kidding when he said he'd gather the Elders quickly, as even before the day's end, Lino found himself in a room with three big-shots from the Su Main Family. They were so above him in Levels that he couldn't even perceive their names, let alone anything else.
Still, he remained completely calm and simply drank bad wine he bought on the market just a few hours ago, while Velin and old man Van appeared rather tense and uncomfortable.
”... you expect us to leave the town's fate in the hands of a child?” the only woman in the room - who appeared to be in her fifties with first signs of gray hair and tempting, blue eyes broke the silence, glancing at Lino indifferently.
”Elder Wan--”
”Save it,” she interrupted old man Van who tried to explain. ”Kid, if you have any pride, get up and walk out of this room right now. You don't belong here.” Lino glanced at the woman indifferently before taking a sip of wine.
”f.u.c.k off, old hag.” he spoke casually, as though merely uttering a greeting. Velin's and old man Van's fears came true as both their heads simply sloped down, shaking in disbelief. ”You come into my home,” Lino continued, his voice growing icier. ”Barely look at me - and when you do it is with contempt - and then tell me to kick it? You're neither naked nor sucking, so what right do you have to speak to me like that?” silence that was perhaps even heavier than before the conversation was started emerged as the woman stared at Lino in surprise and shock while two other Elders next to her glanced at Lino with faint interest.
”You little--”
”Save it,” Lino interrupted her, smiling faintly. ”Old hag, if you have any pride, get up and walk out of this room right now. You don't belong here.” he chuckled for a moment before continuing. ”Now, before your old heart bursts and you either kill me or die yourself, let's put all that behind us and focus on the task at hand: those eyes aren't real, right? I mean, G.o.dd.a.m.n woman! The rest of you is like a compilation of world's filthiest mold, but those eyes are like gems in a pile of dung! Hey, wanna trade? I read somewhere that there was this guy about a few centuries ago who went around collecting eyeb.a.l.l.s of powerful cultivators and then melded them all into his own eyes, improving vision and color till his eyeb.a.l.l.s were literal rainbows. Too bad he eventually got caught and was publicly tortured for one month before being crucified. Yikes.”
”...”
”...”
”...”
”... too far?” Lino tilted his head for a moment before sighing. ”Forgive me, I have to keep my tongue at a leash. Bad dog. Bad, bad dog!”
”... pft.” both Elders barely held back from laughing as the woman glared at them for a moment. Velin and old man Van on the other hand appeared petrified as they stared at Lino in disbelief. ”Alright kiddo, you've proven your bravado,” one of the Elders sitting next to the woman decided to intervene, speaking in a calm tone; he appeared to be in his fifties as well, but his hair was already wholly gray, face slightly wrinkled, and eyes strangely brown. ”You ought to understand Elder Wan's perspective as well, though. We don't know you, and you're barely a Soul Realm kid in the sea of those just like you. Besides, with Devils, to us it's personal.”
”... I watched my hometown, my entire Kingdom scorched in their filth,” Lino said. ”While I could only flee with my b.a.l.l.s contracting back into my stomach, swearing inside my heart I'd come back to liberate the land one day. In the end, I don't see any Demons and Devils crawling around these parts.” Lino lied through his teeth, as he didn't really want to give up the dominant position; Writ had informed him there's an interesting piece inside the basin that Lino didn't want to give to anyone else. ”To you it's personal, you say? What's it to me, then?”
”Ho ho,” the third Elder who abstained from talking up until now finally spoke to Lino, laughing lowly while stroking his rather long, white beard. He appeared to be the oldest and as he was sitting in the central position, Lino a.s.sumed he was the leader of the three, immediately s.h.i.+fting his focus onto the old man. ”Your tongue sure could use a leash, lad. But,” the old man stared intently at Lino who appeared indifferent to the gaze, surprising him. ”We'll compromise. You take one side of the wall to defend, we'll take another.”
”... defend?” Lino tilted his head slightly, smiling. The other five all suddenly felt chill crawl down their back. ”Who said anything about defending?”