57 Blood of God (1/2)

Kelly cupped her mouth in shock. She threw down the whip in her hands and hugged her father Mark, ”Father, what happened?”

Kelly was crying. She saw the blood on her hand, her voice sour, ”Why… why... are you covered in blood?”

Mark had wanted to sell the gemstone with the ichor. All he asked for was a thousand gold. With the money, he could escape his identity as a slave and take his daughter away from this life of servitude. He could buy a large piece of land and an identity as a free citizen, forever freeing himself from the shackles of a slave. From then on, he could perhaps become a merchant, or a craftsman.That way, his children and grandchildren would never have to become a slave.

However, he was betrayed. He was stabbed from the back while he escaped in a fluster through the window. After a simple bandage, he spent an entire day trying to reach his daughter at the village, as the partner that betrayed him knew where his daughter was. He had to reach this place faster than him!

Kelly helped her father into her dilapidated house as she chased the sheeps into their pen. There were not many things in the house, not even a bed. There was only a rug on the ground.

Kelly got her father to sit on the rug. Mark leaned on the wall, unable to stop coughing, ”No, Kelly, we have to leave immediately!”

Kelly immediately said, ”Why? We're slaves, it'll be hard for us to survive even if we escaped from this place. We have no land, and nobody would take us in!”

Mark smiled, ”It's alright. We have this.”

Mark took out a golden gemstone from his robes. There was a drop of golden-red blood suspended in the gemstone. Mark instantly revealed a smitten look. Kelly asked out of curiosity, ”A gemstone, how beautiful. Father, where did you get that? You didn't steal the leader's item, did you?”

Mark shook his head, ”No, not just a gemstone. It's ichor. No one is worthy enough to own it. The nobles, even the emperor, would become the descendent of God and inherit his power if they drank the ichor inside!”

”Cough! Cough! Unfortunately, I do not know how to open it and could only think of ways to sell it. Kelly, we'd never have to be slaves again. We can have a rich, free life. I can marry you off to a respectable person, and not keep you here to shepherd sheeps, then be violated by those filthy people!”

”That's my biggest wish. Unfortunately, your mother's dead, killed by those nobles. I really want our family to live happily together and have a piece of land to our name!”

Suddenly, there were noises outside. Mark was worried, immediately propping himself up against the wall. He looked through the window and saw a group of soldiers on horses, heading toward the small hut. The person that betrayed him had changed into a set of presentable clothes and riding on a horse, giving the group directions to this place!

Mark was very flustered, his expression that of shock, ”They're here! They're here! Kelly, run quickly. Jump out from the window at the back and hide. Don't come out, no matter what!”

Kelly instantly hugged her father, ”No, father, let us run together!”

Mark shook his head, ”No, my injuries are too serious. I cannot run much father. Oh, yes, take this. Run, and do not look back!”

Mark stuffed the gemstone with the ichor into Kelly's hand, then pushed her out of the window. Mark blocked the window no matter how much Kelly cried. Soon after, the noise outside the window stopped, while the sounds coming from out the door became louder and louder. Mark wiped his tears. At this moment, he saw the door to the hut being kicked open. A few soldiers burst into the room, quickly suppressing Mark and dragging him out the hut to the front of a knight. The armored noble youth lowered his head and looked at Mark, then tilted his head.

Another man immediately came forward and searched Mark. Mark spat on him. ”Ian, you traitor!”

Ian kicked him onto the ground, ”In front of money, be it you or me, friendship is worth nothing!”