vncnus Page 16
Page 16
The aged yet resounding words echoed in the living room, striking the hearts of everyone present like a hammer blow.
It contains a weight that transcends life and death, making sorrow seem insignificant and sacrifice sacred.
Mingyuan Qiu bit her lip tightly and buried her head even lower, while Yuanyuan threw herself into her grandfather's arms and could no longer hold back, bursting into tears.
Volume 1: Chapter 16: Summoning Order, Arrest Warrant!
After the two cried for a while, Dongyuan Qiu gently patted Mingyuan Qiu and Yuanyuan Qiu on the back with his wrinkled hands: "Alright! What kind of behavior is this, crying and sobbing? Lord Zhang Su's time is precious, how can we waste it?"
His cloudy yet dignified gaze swept over his two grandchildren, silencing their sobs.
"Yuanyuan, immediately use the 'blood talisman' to notify all family members that no matter what they are doing, they must all return home within two hours. Tell them that this is a matter of life and death for the family, and anyone who dares to delay will be punished according to family law!"
His tone was stern, brooking no argument.
"Mingyuan, help me up. We'll go to the 'Quiet Room,' which is also the 'Anomaly Containment Room,' now to prepare what we need. Time is short, so we need to hurry!"
"Yes, Grandpa!" Yuanyuan Qiu wiped away her tears forcefully, her voice firm despite a slight sob, and immediately stood up, rushing out of the living room like a gust of wind.
Mingyuan Qiu quickly wiped away the tears on her face and carefully helped her grandfather up. Before leaving the living room, the two stopped at the same time, turned to Zhang Su, and bowed deeply, almost at a ninety-degree angle, their movements perfectly synchronized, filled with heartfelt apology and reverence.
"I am deeply sorry, Your Excellency Zhang Su!" Dong Yuan Qiu's voice was sincere and heavy. "My two grandsons were just confused and mistook our savior for an enemy. It was extremely rude and offensive. I beg you to be magnanimous and forgive their ignorance! I sincerely apologize to you."
Mingyuan Qiu followed closely behind, his tone filled with shame: "Please forgive our ignorance and offense! Just now... just now we dared to be hostile to you, which was extremely rude. Please forgive us."
Zhang Su raised his hand slightly, indicating that they didn't need to be like this: "It's alright. It's only natural to be suspicious in this situation. I would have done the same if I were in your shoes. I understand how you feel. There's no need to bring up past misunderstandings. Go quickly, time is of the essence."
"Because I'm not sure how much longer I can stay in Muyun Harbor, some troublesome things are chasing me."
He was reminded of the Church of the Sea God—Kurokawa had been taken away for so long, and with the methods of these true god churches, they probably would have already extracted all the truth from Kurokawa, knowing everything that happened on the "Black Sea" and his identity as a "member of a mysterious organization."
In this situation, there is a good chance that he will be wanted as a cult member.
Therefore, he must plan ahead and devise his next steps as soon as possible after obtaining the "Tai Sui embryo".
Upon hearing this, Dongyuan Qiu's cloudy old eyes flashed with understanding, followed by a deeper solemnity: "Rest assured, Your Excellency! I will not take up too much of your time! I swear in the name of my ancestors that within two hours, everyone will be assembled and ready! Please wait here in peace."
He bowed again, then, as if remembering something, said, "Mingyuan, you can stay and serve His Excellency. You don't need to come with me to the 'clean room.' If His Excellency gives any instructions, you must do your best and not be negligent in the slightest!"
“Yes, Grandpa!” Mingyuan Qiu replied immediately.
Dongyuan Qiu and Yuanyuan Qiu bowed respectfully to Zhang Su again before quickly leaving the living room, which was filled with a "stereotypical oriental style," with the help of Mingyuan Qiu.
Only Zhang Su and Mingyuan Qiu, who stood respectfully to the side with his hands at his sides, still looking tense and awe-inspiring, remained in the living room. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed tea and an indescribable tranquility.
Mingyuan Qiu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and respectfully walked to the tea table. He picked up the warm teapot and poured tea for Zhang Su: "Your Excellency, please have some tea. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."
Zhang Su didn't touch the cup of tea. He raised his pure black eyes and looked straight at Mingyuan Qiu.
“Mingyuan Qiu,” Zhang Su’s voice was not loud, but it struck Mingyuan Qiu’s heart clearly, “I do have something that I need your immediate assistance to complete.”
Mingyuan Qiu straightened his back, his eyes focused: "Please give your orders, Your Excellency. I will go through fire and water for you!"
Zhang Su's gaze fell on Mingyuan Qiu's chest, as if he could see through the fabric to the terrifying thing that was parasitizing beneath.
His tone was as calm as if he were discussing the weather, and he said casually, "It's very simple. Open your mind to me and don't resist."
He leaned forward slightly, staring into Mingyuan Qiu's suddenly constricted pupils, "Anyway, we're just sitting around doing nothing now, so let's start the process of removing the 'Tai Sui embryo' from you."
Mingyuan Qiu's body jolted violently, his face turning deathly pale, his eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment: "Your Excellency?! You mean... now? To remove the Tai Sui embryo from my body?!"
This completely exceeded his expectations!
He had thought that "removal" would be a complicated process that required a specific ceremony and the joint operation of his grandfather, and he never expected that this esteemed gentleman would actually do it himself, requiring only him... and making him the first target!
Zhang Su's gaze remained unwavering as he calmly confirmed, "That's right, now. I need to test the removal procedure on you first to determine if I can do it; this is important for both of us."
He needed data, experience, and firsthand confirmation of the effectiveness of the Source Core's "containment protocol" on this type of biological anomaly.
Mingyuan Qiu, as a ready-made "sample", is the best choice.
"But don't worry, I won't forcibly remove it at your risk. If there's any possibility of endangering your life, I will stop the surgery immediately. Please don't be afraid."
Looking into Zhang Su's deep, dark eyes, as clear as an ancient well and devoid of any hint of jest, and feeling the invisible pressure emanating from the depths of his bloodline and the immense gratitude he owed for saving his grandfather, Mingyuan Qiu's surging fear and hesitation lasted only a fleeting moment.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes shifting from fear to resolute obedience. Without hesitation, he lowered his head deeply, his voice trembling slightly, yet utterly firm:
"Yes! I understand! I will obey your command! My body and soul are at your disposal!"
After saying that, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, tried to relax his tense muscles, forced himself to fully open his mind, and waited for the unknown and possibly extremely painful "removal process" to begin.
For the sake of his family's continuation and to repay the kindness of this benefactor, he was willing to become the first test subject.
……
Inside a secret room at the deepest part of the 'Qiu Family Building'.
Yuanyuan Qiu is currently immersed in it.
The place was dimly lit, with only a few oil lamps casting a dim, yellowish glow, and the air was filled with the peculiar smell of old wood and dried herbs.
In the center of the secret chamber, a cylindrical stone altar, about half a person's height, stood silently. The altar was dark in color and its surface was covered with runes that flowed with a faint, eerie light.
The top of the altar was not a statue of a god, but rather a recessed groove in which lay a palm-sized, blood-red jade token—a blood talisman.
Yuanyuan took a deep breath, quickly stepped forward, extended her right index finger, and bit down hard on the pad of her finger with her teeth! A piercing pain shot through her, and bright red blood immediately seeped out.
She held her dripping fingertip above the blood talisman.
"In the name of our family and blood ties, I call my kin back to their home!" Yuanyuan murmured, her tone resolute and unwavering.
Blood droplets fell, landing precisely on the smooth, warm surface of the jade talisman.
"Zi la..."
Like a hot iron touching grease, the drop of blood was instantly absorbed by the blood talisman, leaving no trace.
Immediately afterwards, the entire red jade token suddenly burst forth with a dazzling red light. The light did not spread, but rather contracted and condensed violently inward.
The red light pulsated violently, like a heart beating. Each beat caused the air in the secret room to hum deeply, and the runes carved on the walls flickered and shone, echoing the call of this bloodline.
The red light reached its peak, and the token itself became like a red-hot iron, radiating amazing heat. Yuanyuan, who was illuminated by the light, also felt the warmth of blood ties.
Then, she placed her hand on the token, closed her eyes, and channeled her consciousness into it, sending a message to her blood relatives.
Ten seconds later, the red light suddenly receded, transforming into a highly condensed crimson pulse that was almost invisible to the naked eye. It silently pierced through the stone wall and roof, disappearing into the sky above Twilight Cloud Harbor.
Yuanyuan's voice, filled with deep sorrow and urgency, was clearly imprinted in the core information of this bloodline pulse, reaching all relatives who shared the bloodline of the Yuan generation of the Qiu family branch:
"Listen up, all clansmen: The fate of our clan has arrived! No matter where you are or what you are doing, drop everything immediately! Within two hours, everyone must return to the clan headquarters! Those who disobey will be punished according to clan law!"
The red light went out instantly after the message was sent.
The blood talisman returned to its warm, reddish-jade appearance, though a faint trace of scorching heat remained on its surface.
Yuanyuan looked at the blood talisman with a determined gaze, then turned and rushed out of the secret room. She was going to find her grandfather and Mingyuan too.
—The call of blood has been conveyed throughout Muyun Harbor.
Pier 13, next to the berths.
On the deck of a medium-sized cargo ship, Yuanfeng Qiu—Mingyuan and Yuanyuan's uncle, a shrewd-looking middle-aged businessman, was fiercely bargaining with a well-dressed chamber of commerce representative wearing gold-rimmed glasses, their words flying.
"The price of the last batch of concentrate must be reduced by another fifteen percent! Mr. Mike, by the grace of Poseidon, this is the highest price I can offer, otherwise we'd rather not..."
Before Yuanfeng could finish speaking, a red-hot needle suddenly pierced deep into his mind!
The intense buzzing, accompanied by the tremors in his blood, instantly turned his face deathly pale, and blood streamed down his face.
The voice of my niece, Yuanyuan Qiu, echoed in my mind: "The time of death for the family has come... Everyone return... Those who disobey will be punished according to family law!"
"Mr. Qiu? What's wrong?" The chamber of commerce representative asked, looking at Yuanfeng Qiu, who had suddenly frozen and turned pale.
Yuanfeng Qiu suddenly snapped out of his daze, his shrewdness instantly replaced by immense panic and urgency.
Before he could even explain, he shoved aside the chamber of commerce representative blocking his way, staggered toward the ship's railing, and roared hoarsely, "Something terrible has happened at home! We'll talk later!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already slipped like a fish, leaping over the ship's side and off the dock, instantly disappearing into the bustling crowd.
The chamber of commerce representatives and their subordinates stared in disbelief, thinking to themselves, "See? These rare individuals really do possess the legendary 'combat skills'; they can jump off such a tall ship so easily..."
……
A clothing store on a commercial street.
Yuanping Qiu, a woman around forty years old with a slightly harsh face, stood with her hands on her hips, sternly reprimanding a meek and submissive apprentice: "How many times have I told you! The formal wear ordered by the gentlemen in Golden Flower City must have..."
Suddenly, her words caught in her throat, her body swayed violently, and she had to grab the ironing table next to her to avoid falling.
The buzzing of the blood talisman and Yuanyuan's voice echoed in her mind. The harshness on her face instantly turned ashen, followed by extreme anxiety.
Then she shoved aside the bewildered young apprentice and shouted, "I'll talk to you about it later. I'm leaving now. Take care of the shop!" Without even locking the shop door, she lifted her skirt, which was in the way, and rushed towards the alley entrance like a madwoman.
No dress orders, no difficult customers—none of that mattered as the survival of her family. She had to go home immediately!
Xiacheng District Fish Market:
In the distant sea in autumn, a dark-skinned, robust man, shirtless, was working with several other fishermen dressed similarly to carry a large basket of silverfish that had just been unloaded from the boat ashore.
The heavy fish basket weighed him down, making the veins on his arms bulge and causing him to be drenched in sweat.
Just as the basket was about to hit the ground—
"Buzz!"
The violent tremor in his mind and the throbbing in his blood made his arms suddenly go limp, and the heavy fish basket crashed to the ground with a "thud," scattering silver-scaled fish all over the ground, jumping and struggling in the muddy water.
The fishermen gasped and complained.
Yuan Hai ignored him, his eyes wide and bloodshot, clutching his forehead tightly.
"Yuanhai, what happened? You've released all the fish..." someone asked him.
"There's no time to explain, get out of my way!" Yuanhai Qiu let out a beast-like growl, his thick arms bursting with astonishing power as he roughly pushed aside his companions who surrounded him.
Like a startled bull, it smashed through the crowd and ran wildly in the opposite direction from the port—the direction of home!
All that remained were a mess of fish and a group of bewildered fishermen.
……
Muyun Harbor, a private high school.
Yuanzhi Qiu, a young man wearing round-framed glasses and a faded scholar's robe, was walking hurriedly along the tree-lined path on campus, carrying several heavy books. His brows were furrowed, as if he was pondering some academic problem.
Suddenly, he stumbled, and the books in his arms scattered on the ground with a clatter. He stood frozen in place, his eyes unfocused, his pupils behind his glasses dilated with shock.
The buzzing of the blood talisman and Yuanyuan's calls were clearly imprinted in my consciousness.
The next second, he suddenly sat up straight, his eyes no longer showing any scholarly elegance, but only the urgency of a wild beast.
Without even glancing at the books on the ground, he suddenly exerted his strength and shot out of the tree-lined path like an arrow, his speed creating a gust of wind. This drew astonished glances from passing students, who wondered when this bookish teacher could run so fast. He was almost as fast as their sports club's ace.
The four people who received the blood talisman had only one thought in their minds: go home! Fear and anxiety lashed at their nerves like whips.
They made the same choice without prior agreement—to take the most direct route and use extraordinary power!
Yuanfeng Qiu rushed into a secluded, narrow alleyway at the dock filled with abandoned wooden crates; Yuanping Qiu slipped into a dark, damp gap between two tall warehouses; Yuanhai Qiu smashed open a half-open backyard door; and Yuanzhi Qiu plunged headfirst into the shadow of the deserted clock tower next to the library.
Almost simultaneously, in those unseen corners, a deep hum and psionic fluctuations that were difficult for ordinary people to detect erupted instantly!
In the depths of their eyes, faint yet clear runes flashed by.
Immediately afterwards, a more refined field of perception, seemingly able to merge with the wind, spread out.
"Whoosh!", "Swish!", "Whoosh!", "Swoosh!"
Four figures, like cheetahs breaking free from their restraints, shot out from their hiding places at speeds far exceeding human limits!
Instead of weaving through the crowded streets, they rushed straight towards the exterior walls of the buildings!
pedal!pedal!pedal!
Solid, rough brick or stone walls became their stepping stones.
Their exceptional abilities, combined with remarkable coordination and dynamic vision, allow them to sprint across nearly vertical walls or land precisely on narrow window sills or protruding wall piers.
Yuanfeng ran along the side wall of the two-story warehouse as if it were flat ground, and with a leap he crossed the dead-end alley below filled with junk.
Yuanping's slender figure leaped and bounded across the low-rise rooftops of the houses, like an agile cat, avoiding chimneys and clotheslines.
Yuan Hai's imposing body unleashed terrifying power, each step sending old wall debris flying. He launched himself like a human cannonball, crashing from one rooftop to another in the distance.
Yuanzhi, on the other hand, displayed the calmness and precision of a scholar. His route was optimized, and every jump and step was calculated perfectly, allowing him to quickly weave through the gaps between the city's low-rise buildings.
Several figures sped across the streets and alleys of Muyun Port, faster than birds in flight and darting through the air.