Chapter 685: Cleaning up the Messes
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From one inexplicable moment to the next, the giant shadow that was looming over everyone’s heads had disappeared shortly after it had devoured the [Ghost Flame] in its entirety.
People didn’t know whether or not this was a good thing or a bad thing to be honest, namely due to not knowing anything about this monstrous shadow other than, “it was there”. But there was one good thing that came to people’s mind now that the giant had disappeared, alongside that ominous flame.
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There aren’t a lot of good ways to celebrate surviving a terrorist attack, what with all the people that died, got kidnapped or went missing as a result of the mayhem induced, but…a sigh of relief and thankful prayer is one of the more appropriate measures. That said, not everyone could relax after surviving this attack.
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Despite having been the main targets for the attack, the Zhen Clan didn’t shirk in their duties as the main peacekeepers of the Blossoming Scales Kingdom. That said, their reputation at this moment wasn’t great.
“I thought the Zhen Clan was supposed to be one of the top hero makers of the region. How could their security be this shoddy?”
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{Oh princess, please be okay…}
While nobody had seen this attack coming, it was still the Zhen Clan’s responsibility to make sure that not only was the audience safe, but they also had to guarantee the protection of all of the contestants as well. After all, many of them were young hopefuls and prodigal warriors that had come to the Zhen Clan in order to establish a relationship between them and their respective organizations.
How would it reflect on the so-called “hero makers”, if the safety of students wasn’t guranteed?
Every member of the Zhen Clan that was able to help in the relief and rescue efforts did so, even if they were technically only “branch” members.
Reluctant branch members at that.
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“Father, are you sure you want us to assist in this?,” Zhen Hou asked as he and his brothers followed their father to assist the main clan’s soldiers. “While we’re technically branch members, we’re barely even in that in their eyes, hell, they already think of us as born exiles and criminals anyways. Even if the kids did amazing out there.”
Despite all that had happened today, the branch clan members of the Zhen Clan didn’t forget that the whole reason they were here in the first place was due to being forced to participate in this familial competition of theirs, with their patriarch’s status being determined by whether or not the scions of their branch could prove themselves better than their peers.
The scions had managed to do that task in spades, despite the fact that there was a terrorist attack and that one of the favorites was the tournament was revealed to be an Imperial Royal no less. None of that really mattered though, unless the matriarch of the main clan, the woman who had shoved this task onto them for no discernable reason other than her own amusement, had been there to approve and witness all of it.
Unfortunately, that aforementioned woman was currently missing.
Zhen Shi let out a sigh before answering his second son’s query. This sigh was made partially in relation to his old age getting to him, partially due to his second son’s question and partially in regards to the whereabouts of the matriarch. In essence, he had a lot to sigh about.
“Xiao Hou, I know this isn’t exactly ideal and that our relationship is rather rocky with the main clan, but they’re still family. The least we can do is help in regards to this moment, especially after all the losses and injuries sustained. I mean, look at him.”
“What about that guy?”
“Don’t you see the marks on his neck? He almost got decapitated, and yet, here he is. Helping! We’re healthier than at least half of these guys, it’s only right that we at least try to help as well.”
“Huh…wonder what happened to that guy…”
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“Oh you have got to be kidding me!,” Zhen Hai cursed as he slammed a fist into a supporting pillar.
In a moment that Zhen Hai could only call a poorly written plot twist, the traitorous warrior he had been fighting had somehow managed to escape despite having taken an electrified chop to the neck. Then again, he probably should’ve realized something was wrong when instead of seeing the guy he was fighting collapse to the ground like a sack of potatoes, Zhen Hai heard the sound of a glass bead popping instead.
Immediately after somehow tanking that attack like it was a mild determent at most, the warrior managed to blind Zhen Hai with some smoke based aether art that caused him to sneeze in an uncontrollable manner. In retrospect though, it might’ve been a pollen attack.
‘Well…at least I’ll be able to spot him easily among the other soldiers…I think…”
Despite his attack failing to be fatal, Zhen Hai knew for damn certain that his attacks at least left some marks and injuries in the process. If the guy did try to blend in with the rest of the Zhen Clan troopers, Zhen Hai would be able to spot him by the injuries he sustained.
“And if that doesn’t work…maybe I can use this…”
Zhen Hai knelt down in order to pick up something that fell off the traitor’s neck in the process of the battle, a funky looking jade necklace.
‘While I ain’t the greatest tracker in the world, I think we brought some aether beasts that can…that or I just hand it over to Zhen Liu and see if his mysterious master can help…speaking of Zhen Liu…’
After pocketing the necklace, Zhen Hai made his way over to the window that the traitor from before was looking out of.
Zhen Hai figured that the weird fire eating demon was related to Zhen Liu in some way, given that the shadow looked an awfully lot like Zhen Liu’s ice puppet. However, once he stuck his head out the window, he was shocked to find that nobody was down there.
‘Huh…that’s weird…’
Zhen Hai was fairly certain he had detected Zhen Liu before, so how did the man suddenly disappear in an instant?
He thought about this problem for a couple moments before deciding to shove that thought to the back of his head. While he didn’t have any other things to worry about for the moment, he did have a good enough reason as to not worry about Zhen Liu’s well-being.
‘This ain’t the first time he disappeared like this and it won’t be the last…besides, he normally has a crazy story to share about where he went after he comes back anyways…wonder what happened this time?’
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Kaijin Lord: Zhen Liu has acquired |Ghost Flame|
User is now able to instill [Flames of the Underworld] into appropriate kaijin.
Additionally, user is now able to increase the potency of [Death] aether in suitable materials, zakos and kaijin.
Addendum: Due to requirement: [Unusual Spirit Flame] having been fulfilled, [Alchemy] function is now available in the library.
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=To be fair, the beast essence we picked up didn’t exactly have flames as part of the package deal. Just be happy we can access it now.=
=I prefer to think of it as a means to get in good with a high tier powerhouse. Especially one that seems to have somehow gotten along with one of our former charges…=
=We’re about to find out…=
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In being forced to teleport alongside Zhen Xun Tian, Zhen Liu learned that he was essentially spoiled when it came to the methods of teleportation that the Library of Nowhere provided.
For reasons he couldn’t completely understand, Zhen Xun Tian’s teleportation via scroll was about as pleasant as going on a rollercoaster ride after eating three plates of fully loaded nachos.
On the plus side, her inner sanctum made for an interesting sight at least.
‘Damn…first hot springs I’ve seen in a while…’
