281 The Aftermath, The Final Moments at the Death Valley Settlemen (1/2)

Mutagen Exallion 49170K 2022-07-24

Day 41 – 10:12 PM – Barangay Pamplona, General Nakar, Quezon

While riding on Chaflar's back, Mark returned to the monastery to pick up the unconscious girl she left there. Of course, he was not alone this time. The [BloodChildren] that was left under Chaflar's care inside [Blood Metal] containers Mark hanged on the dragon's neck was released and was frolicking around Mark.

As for the mermaid he found, Mark also brought her along. Seeing a creature of legends of the sea for the first time, there was no way that he would leave her there to die. If possible, he wanted to keep her together with Amihan who was also a denizen of the mystical part of earth. Not to mention that there was also Pefile, the Tamawo who was Edzel's father, who could possibly be recruited in the future.

”Still, a mermaid, huh.”

Mark muttered as he glanced at the unconscious mermaid.

Their legends could be heard in almost any part of earth. A lot of countries had them in their mythologies, stories that even started way before science and religion was popularized. Many skeptics and fake accounts about them but there were also those that seemed to be true. Of course, as their existence was way far from norm, stories about them were often deemed as hoax.

Unfortunately, the Mutagen's arrival on earth slowly broke the barrier that separated the norm everyone knew and the mystical face of earth. It was not surprising though that they were really existing. After all, no matter how people deny things, the fact that no one in the world truly knew everything in earth remained true. Although their existence was always renounced, there was never evidence found that they really did not exist.

In fact, there was a huge load of things that humans were yet to understand about earth. Yet, people always behaved as if they knew everything.

Looking back at the mermaid by his side, she looked beautiful and she had the looks of a western beauty. However, her beauty was just not in Mark's taste. If he was asked, he would surely say that he preferred eastern faces as an Otaku. In fact, Mei totally fit that criterion.

Mark did not know why he suddenly brought this out of his mind. Probably, the possibility of this mermaid being the last of her kind or at least, the last of her tribe triggered something inside him. What if he was left alone once more like how he lived the past four years? Mark felt rather complicated thinking that. It was very rare that he would feel something like this.

He raised his head and looked at the sky. Stars and the moon started to peek out from the clouds as the dark clouds started to disperse. The rain had already stopped and the lightning in the sky was nowhere to be seen. Without the whale, the storm finally stopped.

”I wonder if they are also looking at the sky right now.”

Mark muttered. As some quotes in dramas, anime and manga, they might be separated for now but they were always under one sky.

He suddenly smiled with a hint of self-ridicule. The base was established, the danger in the surrounding area was dealt with, and the remaining [BloodChildren] were also retrieved. With all the things he wanted to do finally finished, it seemed that he became a bit sentimental. It was because finally, he could meet them.

Just a little more and he could meet them…

As he flew in the sky towards the monastery, he noticed a huge convoy of vehicles that arrived in the ruined settlement. Mark was quite surprised. He did not expect that they would come too fast. It was just more or less half hour after the battle finished and the military had already appeared to deal with the aftermath. However, it was not really that surprising that he remembered the spies left in the settlement. They should have contacted the military as soon as they were able to. As for the spy captain, Mark was not able to deal with him, that guy probably escaped already.

Mark sighed in relief finding the unconscious girl safe when he returned to the monastery. After all, he left in a hurry because of the crystal that suddenly flew off. Well, with every living thing and infected around dying due to the lightning strike he triggered, it would be surprising if the girl was suddenly in danger in the short time he was gone.

Soon, he returned to the Death Valley Settlement. The appearance of a huge creature suddenly landing in the middle of the school grounds alerted the soldiers that already occupied the place. Chaflar was immediately surrounded but seeing the familiar dragon and Mark riding on its back, those that recognized him immediately put their guns down.

The area was illuminated by spot lights and the noisy sounds of generators could be heard from several places. People who looked like slaves wearing tattered clothing and had wounds and scars on their bodies were being carefully escorted by the military into their vehicles. It seemed that the arrival of the military lightened the load in their hearts and hope could be seen in their eyes.

When Mark jumped down, two girls hurriedly approached him.

”MARK!”

Karlene and Alana came running with worried faces.

Back at East Port Settlement, Mark stayed behind for an unknown reason and they were already worried because of that. Hearing that Mark suddenly appeared and participated in the destruction of the dangerous settlement further bolstered their worries. Not to mention Mark's tattered appearance right now.

Remembering how Miracle fearlessly confronted Adrik back then and how Mark fearlessly participated in the destruction of this settlement, it really seemed like they were father and daughter. They were alike in some ways.

The two were about to complain to Mark but before they could utter a single word, Mark raised his hand to stop them.

”I know you two want to complain but can you two save that for later? I'm tired. Look at me, I'm all tattered and soaking wet.”

Hearing that, the two swallowed the words they were about to say. What Mark said was reasonable. The two already heard from the soldiers about what they saw Mark did and of course, he would be tired after that. He succeeded in destroying this forsaken place after all.

While the two girls looked at each other with bitter smile and shrugging shoulders, Mark spoke once more.

”Also I want you two to help me a bit.”

Mark then took the girl from Chaflar's back.

The first thing they saw the girl's missing arm.

”This is cruel, what happened to her?”

Karlene approached and touched the burnt stump of the girl's missing arm.

”Some cannibal snacked on her arm. I think she belong to East Port. Apparently, she was abducted when you encountered them.”