Nightmare’s Call

Chapter 172: Light: Part 3

“Another again? Why… Why? Do you all have a death wish?” Khadula walked toward the man slowly.

“I was supposed to kill Elba here,” the man pulled himself to his feet and spat a mouthful of blood, “but it seems I have missed the boat.”

“Don’t you run away!” Khadula was startled at first, but very quickly, he came to his senses and lunged at the man. With his six-meter body, he came up before the man in just a giant leap, striking at him at an even higher speed and force than before.

“I will see you again.” The man’s body dissolved into electric arcs and vanished. “Remember, my name is Beijiu. I will come back to revenge my little brother’s death.” His voice reverberated in the air, but his body had already disappeared into thin air.

Khadula missed his target and his hands struck the ground in full force, creating hundreds of burnt-out pit in the ground. He lifted the car blocking him in anger and tore it into pieces barehanded before looking into the sky and hollering frenziedly.

“Knock it off!” Lin Sheng’s consciousness suddenly woke up to the frenzy. The body of the six-meter-tall giant elder began to vaporize into black smoke. In just a few seconds, Khadula’s body vanished.

As Lin Sheng emerged from the ruins of the Ironfist Society, he found a uniform of the society and put in on. He held Elba in his hand and gazed in the direction where Khadula disappeared. “Fearsome…”

Suddenly, he felt a gush of blood rushing up his throat, but he forced it back down. “Khadula’s instinct is too strong. There is a vast gap between my consciousness and his. I couldn’t fully control him.”

At the last moment, it was Khadula’s own instinct and memories that were controlling his actions. Lin Sheng’s consciousness had unknowingly drowned in it, thinking that he was the reborn Khadula.

“It looks like the problem lies with my soul and consciousness—they aren’t strong enough. Sure enough, there is a downside to taking a shortcut…” Lin Sheng knew what he had been getting into and what the consequences were just as the grimoire clearly stated.

When the consciousness of a summoned creature is stronger than the soul of the summoner, it could bring unintended side effects upon the summoner.

**

Depending on the relevance and completeness of the souls, although the soul of a summoned monster could not become self-aware and self-directed, there is still some level of probability that some of the summoner’s instinctive traits could be homogenized if the gap between the summoned monster and the summoner is too huge. If that happens, the summoner could experience the summoned creature’s traits, such as its habits, interests, grudges…

“I don’t want to become the spoiled little prince who acts cute all the time.” Lin Sheng could not help but shiver upon thinking of it.

He then looked at Elba in his hand. “Miss Elba, stop pretending when you’re already awake. Now, let me make myself clear.”

Lin Sheng had resisted his murderous zeal and stopped Khadula from killing this woman because of her unique identity. Elba was a senior military officer of Redwin, her status and position were plain to see. Instead of killing her, which was a foolishly unwise action, incapacitating her and using her as a hostage and a bargaining chip was a far smarter move.

Now, Lin Sheng could hear the wailing of the sirens and roar of the engines. Apparently, the police and the military were coming. He could hear the rapidly approaching chopping noise of the helicopter’s rotor.

With her ruse failing, Elba could only open her eyes. “Can’t you just let me take some rest when I have already lost to you?” She said helplessly, pointing at the tearing mark on her arm. “It requires energy to grow a pair of arms, don’t you think? What’s more, I’ve grown four times in a row.”

“The emissary is pursuing the other one; let me take care of the things here. Madam, the sincerity of the Ironfist Society has been quite evident now, don’t you think?” said Lin Sheng frankly. The fact that he had merely beaten her half-dead and ripped off a few of her hands was considered merciful enough.

“All right…” Elba was aware of that. For all the serious-looking battering that her body took, she needed only a week of recuperation, and she would be alive and kicking again, thanks to the restraint that Lin Sheng had shown. But when recalling the Ironfist Society monster that she battled earlier, Elba still could not help but feel a chill run up her spine.

“I have lost, and I admit it.” Not wanting Lin Sheng’s help anymore, she pulled herself to her feet helplessly. “Beijiu had been here just now. But thanks to you all, I’ve just evaded a disaster. As a gesture of appreciation, I will ask Redwin to leave you all to yourselves—as long as you all don’t make trouble again.”

Elba had always been a grateful person, and since the Ironfist Society had shown her a friendly gesture, it would only be natural that she reciprocated the same. Especially so in the occupied zone where things had always been volatile, one more friend meant one less foe.

The reason for Lin Sheng not killing her was simple; it was to avoid escalation of the conflict. He had never expected Elba to compromise in the first place. “I appreciate that very much. In the meantime, I will convey your message to the emissary,” Lin Sheng said softly.

“I’ll leave it to you then.” Elba waved feebly at Lin Sheng. The strength of the Ironfist Society was a hell much more impressive than she had expected it; they could even stave off someone as formidable as Beijiu. Nevertheless, things had worked in her favor. Had she met Beijiu herself, the result could have been a lot nastier.

“Again, since your emissary has pulled his punches earlier, in return, let me give you a friendly reminder: this is a war zone, and if there is nothing else, get out of this place quickly.” Elba let out a sigh, fished out a wrinkled cigarette from her pocket, and put it in her mouth. “By the way, you got fire?”

“No.” Lin Sheng shook his head.

Helplessly, Elba took the cigarette out from her mouth. “You guys have killed a master of the Starfury Clan from the Heaven’s Spire. They will not let this go by unrevenged. You all had better leave. I can get you all a travel pass to leave the war zone.”

“I will suggest it to the emissary. How could I contact you if we decide to leave?”

“Take this.” Elba took out a black metal plate that looked like a business card. “This is a temporary travel pass, good for ten persons. You had better hurry if you decide to leave. I will return to my home country to recuperate. The travel pass will be invalid once I leave.”

Lin Sheng nodded and took the card. With his identity as a small potato and Khadula as the boss, he was not so worried about whether Elba had any evil intention. Even Lin Sheng himself would prefer anyone who could leave to leave as quickly as possible and not getting in his way.

“There they are; my men have come. You had better rush while you still can.” Elba stood upright, pretending to take everything unruffled and under her control.

“Got it.” Lin Sheng got the message. He shook his head, turned around and darted into the distance. While he went, he informed Sarroux about the situation through the vault guards. It would be more convenient for Sarroux to clean up the aftermath in the Ironfist Society on behalf of him.

Right now, Sarroux had gathered the remaining disciples in a safe place, awaiting the news. These disciples were of no help in a battle of such a level. The only thing they could do was wait.