Chapter 515: Pain (1/2)

[V6C45 – Sorrow of a Silent Parting]

Presently, the right side of Qianye’s entire body was so numb that he couldn’t feel its presence at all. In terms of a gunshot wound, this situation could be considered very bad because it signified the presence of an added effect.

He pried open his chest guard with great effort and looked down at the bullet hole in his right shoulder area. He simply couldn’t see the bullet anymore because the wound had swollen up significantly and closed up the opening. Moreover, the flesh around his injury had turned dark and the skin, almost translucent. Seemingly sentient strands of black energy could be seen moving about underneath. It was a ghastly sight to behold.

Qianye couldn’t help but laugh wryly after seeing the state of his injury.

That was a Black Titanium Bullet of Annihilation, one of the most powerful weapons the dark races had against the experts of the empire. This bullet was one of the foremost causes of death among imperial champion-level experts.

In a battle below the level of marquis, few experts would possess guns above grade-seven, the exception being those with innate talents in firearms. The Black Titanium Bullet of Annihilation was the ultimate weapon at this level—its destructive potential against people of the Daybreak Faction was even slightly greater than the effects of the empire’s Refined Silver Bullet of Extreme Yang. It was roughly equal to the Song clan’s special ammunition.

Without immediate treatment, champions rank-twelve and below would either die or have their combat strength affected for life. The victims were almost sure to be crippled because it was a major injury that would burn off the origin vortex.

The moment she saw him, the sniper rifle’s crosshairs were placed right over his forehead.

Qianye sat leaning on the cave wall without rushing to clean his wounds. He looked up at the ceiling of the cave, plucked out a little fluorescent grass from between the crevice, and began chewing on its stem. It was pungent, tart, and slightly numbing. Apparently, even the vegetation in this odd cavern was poisonous, and it wasn’t mild, either.

However, Qianye just kept on chewing with his eyes on the ceiling.

In truth, he wasn’t thinking about anything.

Or rather, he didn’t dare to think, too afraid to put any notions in his empty mind. But even without thinking, he could still feel the agony from the bottom of his heart.

He wasn’t willing to think about it, but the scene kept flashing past his eyes repeatedly. He was discovered by the strange ability of the demonkin’s third eye, and immediately afterward, the latter yelled, “fire” before rushing straight at him.

The sniper rifle in Nighteye’s hands rumbled at almost the same time. Origin bullets were extremely difficult to evade at this distance, and more importantly, Qianye was in a daze at that time.

It was his combat instincts that had saved him yet again. It could even be considered miraculous that he managed to evade his vitals. But what of it? It was a Black Titanium Bullet of Annihilation, so it was a lethal blow wherever the bullet landed.

This shot had pierced through his defenses and also his heart.

That night at the small trading town felt just like yesterday. He could still remember how that old arachne behind the counter had been smiling spuriously, egging him on in secret. He recalled her flaming passion and the warmth that could scorch everything!

Was everything just a dream?

No, it wasn’t. It was, in fact, the truth, but one that had already passed. It was like an ephemeral illusion which had vanished under the rising sun.

At this moment, the bullet in his chest erupted with a burning sensation. It was like a beast awakened from deep slumber, reminding Qianye with its roar that the world in his senses was incomparably real.

Qianye finally shifted his attention to the wound on his chest and inspected his body. As expected, his daybreak origin power was standing off tenaciously against the black titanium, but its radiance had grown as dim as the twilight.

Meanwhile, the Wings of Inception were beating restlessly. With every flap, it sent out a gold-suffused mass of blood energy which traversed the daybreak tide with great difficulty. The blood energy entering the near-lifeless body was like a small blade of grass poking out amidst a barren land. The seemingly minuscule effort served to revive a sense of pain in his numbed body.

Qianye drew his dagger and cut open the putrid flesh around his wound. He performed another horizontal slash and pushed the tip of the dagger deeper, whereupon it came into contact with the Black Titanium Bullet of Annihilation.

Qianye twisted his wrist and dug out the bullet along with the surrounding bone, flesh, and blood. The ruthlessness of his actions made it seem like the body wasn’t even his own. He couldn’t help but sigh lightly at this point despite his staunch willpower, and his forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

Gasping deeply, he leaned on the stone wall as he brought the bullet—embedded within a bone fragment—up for inspection. Even bringing the projectile close would produce a slight tingling in his eyes and skin. It was as though countless tiny particles were shooting at him.

A smile of mysterious implications slowly appeared on his face as he flicked the bullet toward the wall across—he no longer wished to see this item. It was a premium Black Titanium Bullet of Annihilation, boasting much greater titanium content and firepower compared to the ordinary versions he had bought before.