The Great Worm Lich

Zhang Lisheng looked at George in grim and doubt, he said nothing. George, on the other hand, began explaining ignoring Zhang Lisheng’s expression, “Look Lisheng, you’re only 16 this year and you already have a slaughterhouse that’s making hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Not only that, you’re planning to expand the business soon. Furthermore, you have a great vision to become a biologist who is even greater than Darwin. You’re aiming to build the best biology lab in the world with your own ability. In a nutshell, you have a vision and ambition, you have the ability to realize your vision and ambition. If you continue to do what you’re doing and if everything goes smoothly, you’ll be like what I said, a notorious scientist who built everything from scratch, possessing huge fortune. Think about it, how many girls would cheer for you by then! When that happens, these athletes and playboys in front of us like your brother of different father Randy, do you really think he would become a professional football player? Stop kidding yourself, the odds’ less than 1/1000. That guy would probably live his life aimlessly while having a beer belly.. If he’s lucky, he might achieve a little bit of something in life, but he’s too far away from you now…”

“Intermission cheerleading boy,” A faint smile appeared on Zhang Lisheng’s cold face, “George, sorry to trouble you for creating a new term just to calm me down. But buddy, I’m not as…as terrifying and cold-blooded as you imagined. I don’t understand why do you not know me despite the fact that we’ve known each other for such a long time. Maddie’s just a prom date that I hired. Now that I’ve achieved my goal, she could dance with whoever she likes. That has nothing to do with me. I’ll catch some air outside then I’ll head home. Are you leaving?”

George hesitated for a moment and said wearing a smile, “I think I’ll stay here to try my luck. Maybe, you know, maybe there will be babes who would break up with their boyfriends seeing those handsome boys flirting with others on the dance floor…”

“Okay, bye,” Zhang Lisheng stopped listening to George’s nonsense and walked out of the hall in big steps. There was a couple who could not help themselves but kiss each other at the corner of the hall entrance that was dimmed. The chilly wind woke Zhang Lisheng up when he retrieved his backpack, the ridiculous anger that he was feeling had faded much now.

He stood there feeling the wind, then looked at the noisy hall behind him. He snickered silently and walked forward firmly on the red carpet. It had just passed 9 p.m., apart from those couples who sneaked out for some alone time, basically, nobody would leave the prom at such time.

Zhang Lisheng walked on the empty red carpet and thought of his cultivation tonight. Suddenly, he felt something off around him as he walked. He stopped walking and had his guard up, he habitually touched the backpack on his back. He looked around, noticing that there seemed to be low bushes that were added on both sides of the red carpet. Those bushes looked almost the same with those little trees in Lowbige Junior High’s compound to make the school green. They were hard to get anyone’s attention. If not for the intuitive alertness that he possessed since he became a wizard, Zhang Lisheng might still not notice that now.

Realizing something was really off, Zhang Lisheng began chanting witchcraft incantation that went ‘pst shh…’ without hesitation. Unfortunately, it was too late. A person came out of the bush that was closest to him. He appeared next to Zhang Lisheng at a high speed and grabbed on Zhang Lisheng’s elbow softly with one hand.

A warm wind spread from the person’s body, giving warmth and fatigue to Zhang Lisheng’s body, making him weak. At the same time, a courteous voice came into his ear, “Shh, stop ‘singing’, young Dark Walker. Otherwise, I’ll break your bones.”

“Dr. Fracture?” Zhang Lisheng jumped hearing the voice. He said with his deep voice as his body turned stiff while he stopped chanting witchcraft incantation.

“It’s me, Dr. Witch Doctor. I come to you seizing the opportunity that your ‘doll’ is still in your backpack,” The person’s voice was gentle but there was chilling intent to kill in it.

“Are you going to break my neck right here?” Zhang Lisheng took a deep breath in within the chilly wind and asked calmly. Although the witchcraft incantation he chanted earlier was to no avail since it was halted by Dr. Fracture, it gave him the courage to face death.

“Haha…” Dr. Fracture said while snickering, “How would I be so brutal, without killing an honorable Dark Walker elegantly. I’ve spent a lot of effort to finally get you, of course, I’ll give you the best treatment,” He brushed his hand softly across the canvas backpack on Zhang Lisheng’s back as he spoke. Zhang Lisheng felt light on his back, his backpack was in Dr. Fracture’s hands now.

“A powerful and precious voodoo doll would be sold at a handsome price at the secret meeting. Unfortunately, it isn’t worth my time risking it,” Dr. Fracture tossed the backpack hard and far away as he spoke, “We shall depart now, young Dark Walker. I’ll bring you to somewhere good to spend your last night. Don’t play any tricks on me. Otherwise, I’ll regrettably break your neck and drag you away.”

Zhang Lisheng nodded and walked forward silently. A smiling young man wearing black and gray suit threw his arms over Zhang Lisheng’s shoulders like a good friend. They looked like they were whispering to each other from far away.

“I have a little question for you, is this how you really look like?”

“Of course not, a minor, special make-up skill is all that you need to change your face completely. Don’t I look natural?”

“Really? It sounded like a professional skill.”

“Oh? I’ve never expected that you maintained your strong curiosity even before you’re dead,” Dr. Fracture rubbed the joint above Zhang Lisheng’s shoulder blade hearing his testing question. Peculiar energy flowed into Zhang Lisheng’s body following the tips of his fingers. the energy was warm and soothing, it lingered around Zhang Lisheng’s bones gently and dislocated the joints above his shoulder blade one after another. After a moment of numbing, Zhang Lisheng realized he could no longer move his left arm now. It began twisting following the rhythm of his footsteps, the never-ending twisting brought wrenching pain from his shoulder blade. The sweat dried in the chilly wind and began to drip on Zhang Lisheng’s face again.

“This is the price to pay for your curiosity, Mr. Witch Doctor. You can ask as many questions as you wish, you have over 200 bones in your body after all. You have sufficient joints for you to ask as many questions as you like.”

Zhang Lisheng smiled as he clenched his teeth hearing that and held his left wrist tight with his right hand so that his arm would stop twisting. He then proceeded to walk forward quietly. The duo walked out of the dazzling Walk of Fame to the street. The night was unusually chilly as the snow melted.

Christmas holiday had begun, the temporary New Yorkers who had yet to settle down in New York City left the gigantic concrete jungle one after another. Meanwhile, those families in New York City had done their Christmas shopping much earlier. It was rare that the main streets in Brooklyn had little people when it was only past nine at night. The streets were only left with the sparkling, lonely neon lights on the buildings that were always on.

Standing by the street and watching his Explorer that he parked not far away, Zhang Lisheng had a cold gleam flashed through his eyes. One second, one second was all that he needed to summon the giant lizard that was resting on top of the SUV and tear the insane, dangerous killing machine next to him. However, he had no idea if Dr. Fracture would break his neck with his hand that was placed loosely on his body the second he chanted witchcraft incantation. He was not sure if he would pierce his ribs into his heart.

Nevertheless, Zhang Lisheng must risk that to buy that one second for himself. He thought about it and realized that his only alternative was to lure Dr. Fracture to destroy those unimportant parts of his body with his peculiar energy and prayed that the enemy needed buffering time to cast his energy again so that he would have the opportunity to fight back.

“So how do we proceed next? Do you drive, Mr. Dr. Fracture? Oh ya, I’ve been wanting to ask you. Is Dr. Fracture your nickname or are you really a doctor? Is it right to address you a doctor?” Zhang Lisheng imitated George’s annoying tone as he spoke after making up his mind. What he said made Dr. Fracture’s fingers began lingering around his shoulders but unfortunately, there was no casting of peculiar energy that dislocated his joints as he expected.

“You’re behaving differently than what I imagined, Mr. Witch Doctor. Most of the people wandering in darkness could ignore death, the death of other people. Because we know how fragile life is, people like us would usually value our life even more whereby we would still struggle even during desperate times. You were submissive earlier but now you’re provoking me on purpose. Such strange attitudes…” His lingering fingers stopped where Zhang Lisheng’s heart was as he spoke.

Zhang Lisheng had goosebumps all over his body. He knew that his plan was flawed due to his lack of experience facing the enemy, making him fall into extreme danger now.