300 The Value of Sacrifices (1/2)
Boom! The walls on either side shook with the explosion. Hundreds of holes appeared and a downpour of arrows flew in. Two groups of archers squatted behind the walls with black crossbows fit for the military. One needed the help of a pulley group to pull the bow taut. Shot at this short distance, the arrows were enough to tear down the wall before them and create a bloody path through the crowd.
Ghosthand roared. Like a flash, he transformed into a shadow and practically teleported countless meters away. His invisible arm turned into a beastly claw and blocked the storm of arrows. His speed was incredible.
The arrows shot forward and scattered onto the ground.
Boom! The alchemy arrows mixed into the flurry exploded. Red flames sprang up and overthrew the walls, swallowing Ghosthand. He flew out of the fire and landed heavily on the broken door. Half of his body was charred and blood seeped from his pores. His heart quivered and he spat out blood.
The room was ravaged. The machinery maintaining the Shaman’s life had shattered. The Shaman himself was on the ground, his flesh torn out by the broken tubes. It was unclear whether he was alive or not.
”B*stard!” Gritting his teeth, Ghosthand climbed up with difficulty. ”Hey! Sir, are you still alive? Please don’t die.”
”I…guess…” The Shaman cracked open his eyes. ”Ghosthand, can you do it? I want another bodyguard.”
”To be honest, I want another boss!” Ghosthand sighed. ”I don’t think we should complain about each other now, right?”
”Oh, then good luck.”
”That’s useless!” Ghosthand coughed out some blood. ”Hurry up and take out your hidden tricks. The kind that can bomb all of them.”
The Shaman looked at him as if looking at an idiot. ”Would I have ended up like this if I had those things?”
Ghosthand sighed. ”So you’re saying that we’re dead meat?”
”Yeah.” The Shaman nodded. ”Go. I won’t blame you. As long as the forest still remains, you will have firewood for another day.”
”I can’t move anymore.” Ghosthand shook his head with a wry smile. ”I’ve been with you for more than thirty years. My bones are old enough to be used as firewood. I don’t need any forests. I just hope they’ll be merciful enough to bury me.”
”What about me? You don’t care about me?” The Shaman widened his eyes. ”So I should just be dried out under the sun?”
”Yeah.” Clenching his jaw, Ghosthand pulled himself up and shielded the Shaman. ”Sometimes, I really wish I could chop you to pieces.”
The wind whistled and howled. A torrent of arrows suddenly broke down the wall. Ghosthand shielded the Shaman and roared. His invisible hand transformed into an ax and hacked down! This time, it was an unavoidable hardness!
Boom! Like a tidal wave curling backward, the black cloud of arrows halted and shattered onto the ground. Blood streamed out of Ghosthand’s wounds. Clenching his jaw, he waved his reddened arm to welcome the destructive wind and rain!
”Hey, sir,” Ghosthand said hoarsely as he looked back. ”Do you still remember what you said before?”
”You still remember what had happened. I’m sorry, I lied.” The Shaman lowered his head ruefully. ”No one stole that money. I took it to buy liquor.”
”It was you!” Taken aback, Ghosthand grew furious. ”I wondered why everyone was so poor. It was you who took our money to drink!”
”It’s been so many years so don’t mind it.” The Shaman shrugged awkwardly. ”Didn’t I pay you back?”
”I can’t feel any sincerity now!”
”I’m sorry, I’ve lied to so many people. I feel guilty and these are my sins.” The Shaman sighed and coughed. ”I’m sorry, I lied to you too.”
”Whatever.” Ghosthand shook his head and chuckled. ”I’m…used to it.”
He walked forward to face the roaring arrows. He chopped down and his invisible arm sliced the air, creating torrential winds. The incoming arrows were all blown away like weak waves that broke apart on the rocks.
Ghosthand shook. He was pushed back by the aggressive strength; arrow shards dug into his face and chest, ripping a gaping hole in him. Sticky blood flowed out. The ghastly red was menacing and ugly—he looked like a monster.
Outside the alley, there was the sound of metallic explosions. Countless soldiers had grouped from all directions. They were advancing toward the monster; cold light reflected off their spears and blades.
The Sparrow’s face darkened. He dropped his hand. ”Fire!”
Ghosthand roared. The bloody flames quaked and blood-colored dragon scales appeared on his invisible hand. He grabbed at the thundering rain. The arrows shattered in his fist.
Boom!
His invisible hand was toppled under the rain of arrows. Ghosthand stumbled back. He was pierced by dozens of arrows. Blood spewed out and mixed into the dirt under him, turning it into a bloody quagmire.
”Sir…I never regretted trusting you,” Ghosthand murmured. He wiped the blood away from his lips. ”Look, people like me were born like dogs. There’s nowhere to go but the dog pen. I’m willing to do anything in order to not be a dog anymore. All these years, only you told me that no one has to live like a dog. Lowly people can have value and meaning too.”
For all these years, the homeless fallen ones in the dirty sewer could only look up at the sunlight of the big figures. They wallowed in darkness with no hope of salvation or knowledge of how to live with dignity. But even the lowly ones should be able to walk with their head held high. Even if they could not bathe in the luxurious sunlight, they should go to the grave with pride.
This was a wild wish no one had ever thought about. This was enough.
This was already enough to satisfy one who had nothing.
”To be honest, I never understood what you said.” Ghosthand looked at the Shaman with eyes filled with hope. ”But I want those things called ‘dignity’ and ‘meaning.’ I lived for this, sir, and I’m willing to die for it.”
”Idiot, you only have dignity and meaning if you live!” the Shaman roared.
However, Ghosthand started laughing. He welcomed the advancing soldiers and stumbled toward the ruins before him. ”Sadly, there’s no more liquor.” Ghosthand lowered his head and licked at his blood as if drinking. He happily recited a toast, ”Hope there are more days to come.”
Roaring, fire shot out of his bloody invisible hand. The flames burned at his body, turning it into a shocking red. Terrifying power surged from the old man’s frame. The strength coursed through his veins and body until he was bathed in flames. The weapons could not kill him, the storm could not break him—he was on fire!
If the gods were looking from heaven, they would see his figure jump into the mass of steel. The steel light in his path were dyed red. The red stretched forward in a straight line. It bloomed in the mass of metallic light. Like blood dropped into mercury, it was ghastly and wild. For a moment, Ghosthand was so fast he was a blur.
”Come, b*stards!” Ghosthand cackled. His scarred face was as menacing as a wolf. ”The banquet has just started!”
The crazy old man was covered in injuries now. The horrible wounds revealed the white bone underneath as if he was a monster who had crawled out of a pile of corpses. He fought in the crowd, drinking bloody wine and roaring. Everything in his path was torn apart by his invisible hand, turning into a pile of ruins.
”Stop him!” Ingmar yelled from his stallion. His expression was twisted and fanatic. The commander parroted him. His voice sounded more and more laughable.
Boom! Blades cracked, armor shattered, bodies twisted, heads splintered, hearts were crushed. Ghosthand felled an incoming spear. He abruptly jumped like a bird and stepped onto the soldier’s shoulder. It caved in and the soldier fell to his knees. Ghosthand flew past the formation and pounced directly at Ingmar, his face bloody and monstrous.
Ingmar screamed. He twisted and pulled the commander before him. However, the commander shattered into pieces. Under the spray of blood, a red figure dropped from the sky. The invisible hand grabbed at the Sparrow behind Ingmar.