To facilitate his actions, Bai Qi deliberately adopted a human guise, indistinguishable from the soldiers.
Led by the squad leader, they traversed a wooded path to a village, though the state of this village was rather difficult to describe.
The entire village reeked of a strong death aura. Upon entering, not a single person they encountered was whole. Each was emaciated, their faces sallow as if already dead. Missing limbs were common; some were so severely afflicted they lacked lower bodies entirely, crawling with difficulty on a single hand. Seeing the squad leader and his party, they struggled to lift their heads, attempting to speak but only managing weak whimpers.
The squad leader sighed helplessly upon witnessing this.
"These are all pitiful souls. They were once normal people, all thanks to Kun Sasi that they became like this."
Perhaps sensing the return of the squad leader and his men, more and more people emerged from their homes, gathering in their direction. Su Dan Novel Network.
Once a sufficient number of villagers had assembled, the soldiers behind them efficiently dismounted their packs. The cloth wrappings unfurled, revealing the mangled survivors who had been so brutally ravaged.
Although these survivors had already had many of their "parts" taken, compared to the villagers, they were still relatively intact.
It was evident that these people were not new to this practice.
The moment the survivors were seen, the entire village erupted. The villagers, who moments before had appeared half-dead, were now energized as if injected with adrenaline. They madly brandished axes and cleavers, lunging forward to seize their useful "parts."
The entire process took less than five minutes. Those quick enough, having obtained what they needed, left with joy. Those who didn't, found that the survivors had already been dismembered into countless pieces, their bodies even ripped open with gaping holes, their internal organs snatched by the villagers. To call them "human stumps" would be an understatement.
Even so, despite the blood and organ fragments staining the ground a vast crimson, these survivors did not die. They lay scattered on the ground, their mouths emitting whimpers that could not form a single coherent word.
The squad leader looked at the survivors on the ground and sighed resignedly. "We have no choice. Without this, we cannot confront the Golden King. We..."
Before the squad leader could finish, Bai Qi interrupted.
"I don't care about your reasons, but I must remind you, if you remain this way after the light barrier outside falls, I will not be the only powerful entity in this world."
This blatant threat caused the squad leader to instinctively step back.
"Yes, yes. We only wish to defeat the Golden King. Once we defeat the Golden King, we will be liberated."
"Stop with the useless platitudes. Take me to your leader."
"Certainly, this way, please."
Led by the squad leader, the two arrived at a small wooden house that looked no different from its surroundings. Upon opening it, they stepped inside. The squad leader quickly moved to clear debris from the floor, revealing a hidden door leading underground.
Descending a set of subterranean stairs, Bai Qi found himself in a dimly lit underground chamber, where he met the leader of the resistance, Madam Kunna'er.
The only light in the entire chamber was a candle on the table, which flickered as if on the verge of extinguishing.
Under the candlelight, Bai Qi observed the woman before him.
She had healthy, tanned skin, not a trace of excess flesh on her body. Every inch of her muscles exuded immense explosive power. Beside her lay two double-bladed axes, taller than she was, presumably her weapons. However, these were not what concerned Bai Qi the most. What truly caught his attention was the black cloth covering her eyes.
"I didn't expect the leader of the resistance to be blind."
Bai Qi's mockery was direct and unapologetic towards Kunna'er.
Perhaps accustomed to such remarks, Kunna'er did not become angry. Instead, she replied with a smile, "Sometimes, not having eyes allows one to see the true essence of this world, doesn't it?"
"Indeed, you are absolutely right. So, you are Kunna'er, correct?"
"Yes, I am the strong one of this world. I am Kunna'er, the second daughter of the Golden King Kun Sasi."
"Interesting. How did you know?"
"As I said, not having eyes allows one to see the essence of matters more clearly. Please, have a seat."
The squad leader pulled a chair and placed it behind Bai Qi. He then gave a military salute to Kunna'er before withdrawing, not forgetting to close the door behind him.
The moment the door shut, the candle flame on the table flickered violently, as if foreshadowing what was to come.
"You don't genuinely intend to help us, do you?"
"No."
Bai Qi admitted without any concealment, "The forest you inhabit is merely a fragment left behind after the original world shattered. It has now merged with my world. I am here to investigate on behalf of the will of this world. If you are unwilling to integrate into this world and strive to protect it, I see no objection to slaughtering all living beings in this forest, leaving behind a pristine land."
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing Bai Qi's words, Kunna'er seemed to find a sense of relief.
"In that case, you must help us defeat the Golden King even more. For the sake of your so-called world peace."
As soon as the words left her lips, the previously calm Kunna'er suddenly attacked. She grasped the axes beside her with both hands, her legs propelling her forward with explosive force. Her arms bent backward, her body forming a crescent moon shape. With all her might, she swung the twin axes down at Bai Qi.
*Buzz!*
Kunna'er, along with the double axes in her hands, was suspended in mid-air by a single glance from Bai Qi. Then, a tons of pressure descended upon her.
*CRASH!*
With Kunna'er's heavy fall, a humanoid imprint appeared on the ground. As Bai Qi applied further force, Kunna'er was driven forcefully into the earth.
The tremendous sound alerted the squad leader waiting outside. Assuming the negotiations had failed, he drew his sword and charged into the chamber. Upon seeing Kunna'er embedded in the ground, he did not hesitate, thrusting his sword towards Bai Qi.
However, how could a mere mortal body be a match for Bai Qi? With a casual swipe, he sent the charging squad leader crashing into the nearby wall.
"Instead of rushing to your death, go and check on your leader. She's not dead yet."
The squad leader, peeling himself off the wall, heard Bai Qi's words. Without a second thought, he hurried to check on Kunna'er. Bai Qi's words proved true. Although the two instances of pressure had caused her significant injury, with multiple bones crushed and fractured throughout her body, she was still clinging to life.
This Kunna'er was truly peculiar. Bai Qi sensed no magical fluctuations from her. Yet, her physical body was preternaturally strong compared to ordinary humans, especially her potent regenerative ability, which allowed Kunna'er's injuries to recover substantially by the time the squad leader pulled her from the ground.