Chapter 13: A Rotten World (1)
The banquet ended amid cheers filled with hope.
Wozwoz prepared a luxurious carriage and handpicked dozens of elite guards from the imperial city to escort Qin Chu to his residence.
Angelica followed alongside, seemingly intending to leave with Qin Chu as his personal maid and servant.
However, Augustus didn’t wish to let Angelica depart so easily.
“Angelica, a moment.”
Angelica trembled slightly, her pallid face turning to regard the Pope. With her intelligence, she knew what would happen next.
“Hero, Angelica still has personal belongings to collect from the Church. If you don’t mind?” Augustus smiled inquiringly at Qin Chu.
Though vastly weaker than them currently, Augustus, Wozwoz and Monique afforded Qin Chu utmost respect.
They understood the hero’s immense potential – excessive arrogance now could leave a poor impression, benefiting none of them.
Qin Chu naturally grasped Augustus’ intention of brainwashing Angelica, hoping to replace Loseweisse’s influence over him. He nodded lightly, “Of course.”
He had already defied this old fox once – a second slight would sour expressions unnecessarily while he still needed to develop stealthily.
Moreover, even preventing this attempt, he couldn’t remain constantly by Angelica’s side, allowing Augustus endless future opportunities. Best to afford him a minor concession.
Waving to Angelica, Qin Chu approached the carriage. His gaze suddenly fell upon a figure beside it.
A tall, muscular youth in armor revealing his explosive physique, handsome features holding a sharp spear.
A trace of immaturity remained, yet his face overlapped with someone in Qin Chu’s mind.
“Your name?”
“Nikles, commander of the imperial guards charged with protecting you by imperial decree. Rest assured, no demon shall disturb you.” The young commander stood ramrod straight, saluting crisply.
A highly capable youth maintaining composure before one with two transcendent abilities, neither arrogant nor servile.
Though unaware of his precise level, Qin Chu sensed formidable power – at minimum a high-ranking knight.
Per the leveling system: Knights 1-20, High Knights 21-40, Frenzied Knights 41-60, Royal Knights 61-80.
Above 80 attained the Great Sage equivalent Titled Knight rank, each receiving a unique title.
Further subdivided into one, two or three-star rankings based on abilities, martial skills and magic mastered.
While only the second tier, a High Knight’s prowess was considerable – such characters formed this world’s primary fighting force.
Considering his youth, this young man showed remarkable talent, perhaps one day reaching Frenzied or even Royal Knight through diligent cultivation.
“Skilled with the spear?” Qin Chu asked with keen interest, smiling.
Unsure what had piqued the hero’s curiosity, Nikles humbly nodded.
Qin Chu’s fingers traced along the spear shaft, the lethal tip shockingly cold as his nail produced a crisp ring upon flicking it.
“Have you ever speared a person? What’s that feel like?” He tilted his head curiously.
Perplexed, Nikles didn’t understand such an odd query from the hero.
“Apologies, but I’m uncertain. This spear is only to protect the city’s residents, aimed solely at demons, never humans.”
“However, I have pierced many demons before – the sensation should be similar, I’d imagine.”
“I see.”
Qin Chu said no more, entering the carriage as Nikles – puzzled by his behavior – promptly ordered his men to flank the hero’s transport to the residence.
Inside, Qin Chu’s narrowed eyes glinted with chill light.
Nikles.
Though youthful now, seven years later this knight who only aimed his spear at demons would impale a helpless crippled girl on its tip, leaving her struggling in agony, blood flowing as he and his men guffawed over her spasming torment.
All for defending the executed hero with a single remark.
What could transpire in seven years to provoke such extreme change within this knight?
Through the window, Qin Chu surveyed this world under dual full moons bathing the land in silvery luminance like a frosted glaze.
Crisp winds rustled leaves as opulent carriages carrying nobles from the banquet back to their manors crunched over the magical lamps spaced every ten meters, emitting soft radiance.
Even at this late hour, the imperial city’s interior lacked any night ambiance.
Those magic crystal lamps were precious alchemy materials capable of forging exceptional magical weapons, each worth around a thousand mana – exceeding a commoner family’s annual expenses. Yet here they merely provided lighting to prevent nobles from stumbling at night, as claimed.
Though the Celestial Continent suffered demon attacks, within this imperial city felt utterly paradisiacal, a veritable heaven.
In the interior, banquet leftovers were piled high by staff for concentrated disposal.
In the outskirts, ragged orphans brawled over a discarded chicken bone.
A single wall divided heaven and hell.
This wretched world would be better off ruined sooner.
Of course, Qin Chu held little more pity for the commoners who, in his previous life, had jeered loudest for his execution, twisted faces flinging rotten vegetables and foul eggs at his dismembered body.
From the highest to the lowest, this world was utterly rotten to the core.
Perhaps a few individuals retained goodness, like matchsticks providing scant warmth in a raging blizzard.
Shaking his head, Qin Chu opened his status panel instead:
Level: 13
Class: Hero
Strength: 19
Endurance: 19
Agility: 19
Spirit: 62
Defense: 19
Charm: 6
Martial Skills: None!
Magic: Illusion Creation – Intermediate spell granting the ability to create illusions.
Abilities:
Greed: Transcendent Ability, craving to possess everything; Special Effect: Devourer – You can seize others’ power and abilities for your own.
Rage: Transcendent Ability, enraged, anger becomes your strength; Special Effect: Outburst of Rage – Erupting anger grants far superior power.
Forced Calm: High-Rank Ability, remaining perpetually calm and rational, auto-activated but can manually disable.
Lust: Special Transcendent Ability, cannot be publicly displayed. Touch of Lust – Your touch can ignite the hidden flame in the opposite sex’s deepest desires.
Metamorphosis: Intermediate Ability, freely alter physical form.
Each level increased Strength, Endurance, Agility, Spirit, Defense by one point while Charm remained fixed from birth unless enhanced through exceedingly difficult special means.
The Level 60 illusion demon disguised as Count Dunard clearly illustrated severe conversion loss when devouring – only raising Qin Chu’s level to 13 while abundant magic solely translated to 43 Spirit points.
Of course, following this world’s standard cultivation pace of constant meditation, training and demon battling, reaching Level 13 would minimally require months. Qin Chu achieved it in under a minute – devouring others’ power truly was the fastest way to grow stronger.
With 62 total Spirit points, he approximated a High Mage by magical standards.
Unfortunately, the only magic he currently mastered was the illusion demon’s Illusion Creation spell which it never had a chance to use before being devoured.
He also seized its Metamorphosis ability.
Overall, Qin Chu felt immensely satisfied devouring such a bountiful experience source.
Nearly an hour later, the carriage halted before what could only be called a palace – supposedly Wozwoz’s summer retreat temporarily granted to Qin Chu, demonstrating the Emperor’s emphasis on the hero.
The expansive compound spanned thousands of square meters, its towering outer walls patrolled ceaselessly by hundreds of guards preventing any danger from approaching.
The carriage entered the inner courtyard where servants, pre-arranged by Wozwoz, guided Qin Chu to his guest quarters as Nikles’ elite guards trailed protectively until the bedchamber entrance.
“Nikles…”
“At your service, Hero. Your orders?”
Qin Chu yawned broadly, feigning weariness. “I’m quite exhausted and require rest undisturbed, no matter what transpires. Understood?”
His revenge would commence tonight.
He hoped no interruptions to disrupt his plans!
