Chapter 26: Wall Taizhou

A few minutes before Viel trapped the whole city, Diao Mei exited her room.

Diao Mei was going to ask for milk in the kitchen because she couldn't sleep. She has been thinking of Viel since he hasn't shown himself for 2 days in school now. She's been wanting to ask him what theme he wanted for his birthday, so that they could prepare the manor.

She and Violet were going to go to Viel's house after school today, but halfway through their route, they came to the conclusion that it was better to surprise Viel with a random theme. So they decided to no longer visit and just use this time to think of a theme that Viel will like.

On her way to the kitchen, she saw a guard rushing towards the direction of his Grandfather's office. Initially, she was only slightly curious as to why there was a guard at this time of the night, but she just shrugged it off because it is probably just another group of thieves breaking into houses. It has become a repeating occurrence that it's starting to become troubling.

Diao Mei was about to take a step towards the kitchen, when she heard the guard say a name that she was familiar with.

"V…viel… Viel is at the city gates!"

"And? Then let him in! What are you doing here wasting both our time!?"

"N..no.. he…he might have killed someone!"

When Diao Mei heard this, her eyes widened as she stopped on her tracks. She silently ran towards the nearest window to hear the conversation better.

"What nonsense are you spouting!?"

"V..viel… he might have killed Ling Hao!"

"What!?"

"He…is holding Ling Hao's severed head!"

Diao Mei covered her mouth to stop the exasperated gasp that wished to come out of her mouth. She did not really believe the guard's words, but hearing that Viel was carrying his grandpa's head, she immediately felt a heavy feeling in her chest.

'N..no.. Vi-', her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud noise coming from General Diao's office.

"Take me to him at once!"

Diao Mei quickly hid herself in the corner as General Diao and the guard exited the room. The two quickly disappeared as they ran towards the city gate. Diao Mei was at a lost at to what to do, should she go to the city gates and follow her Grandpa? But if she goes, she might see the violent side of Viel again that she did not want to see anymore.

No, what was there to hesitate for? Viel was one of her true friends. She must always be there in his time of need.

No longer having any second thoughts, Diao Mei quickly followed her grandfather, she did not even notice that she was wearing her nightgown.

On her way to the city gates, she also noticed the changes in the environment surrounding their city, but this only made her quicken her steps, she knew that it was Viel who was doing this…and that he was in pain.

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"V…viel!?"

At the city gate, Diao Mei arrived, only to see Viel shouting, his face was filled with blood. She looked further and noticed that the blood was coming from his eyes and nose.

She knew it. She was right, Viel was in pain, so much so that she wanted to hug him and cry with him the moment she saw him.

Diao Mei slowly approached Viel, tears slowly falling from her eyes.

When Viel saw her, his previous rowdy behavior towards General Diao suddenly disappeared, like it didn't happen at all.

"Miss Mei, good evening. It's the first time I am seeing you without wearing your uniform. I think this suits you more.", Viel casually smiled, blood still oozing from different parts of his face.

Diao Mei, however, ignored Viel as she continued to approach him, almost reaching the end of the light.

"Miss Mei, please don't go through the light, your clothes will be ruined. I'm afraid I won't have any coins to pay for it, neither does Grandpa Ling"

"It's okay, Viel. You don't need to pay for anything", Diao Mei shook her head as she continued her way towards Viel.

As she was about to pass through the light, she felt someone grabbing her shoulders and pulling her back.

"Listen to the boy, little Mei. You don't want to ruin your clothes", General Diao said as she held Diao Mei's shoulder. Diao Mei moved her shoulders to break free of General Diao, but she couldn't even budge her grandfather's grip.

Diao Mei does not know of the effects when one touches the end of the light dome, and General Diao was aware of this. She wasn't here when the soldier almost lost his hand, and when General Diao tried to stick his palm out.

"G..grandpa, please let me go! V..viel… is suffering", she stared at the pale boy in front of him.

Viel's condition was worsening, and it was getting evident due to the color of his face. His skin was also starting to dry out due to the loss of blood.

"W..why won't you let me go to him, grandpa!?", Diao Mei tried to wiggle her way out but General Diao's grip grew even tighter. As much as possible, General Diao did not want anyone to know the effects of the light, even her own granddaughter. If the effects were to be known by the citizens inside the wall, it would surely add to the panic.

He needed to control the situation as much as possible.

"Guardsman, who is the guard leader on duty tonight?"

"I..I think it's Guard Leader Bai, sir!"

"Okay, call Guard Leader Bai! Tell him to double the guards in every entry points of the city! Do not let anyone in or out! Force them to their homes if the situation allows it!"

"A-at once, General Diao!"

Whether General Diao wants to admit it or not, the whole city was in lockdown. Literally. And no one will be able to get out, at least not until the source of these mysterious powers will it so… or if he dies.

General Diao examined Viel. Should he just wait until the boy dies? Looking at Viel's condition, General Diao concluded that he won't survive for long, letting the problem solve itself.

He stared at Viel as he shook his head in disappointment. It was a pity. He just met the boy a few days ago and quickly took a liking to him, and by the looks of it, his granddaughter was infatuated with the boy.

The boy's strength was abnormal as much as it was mysterious, but it didn't matter. As far as he could see, the boy was pure, untainted by the world they live in. He could have been Taizhou's biggest support if he grows and fall in love with the city.

But that also didn't matter now. At this point, it was evident… the boy was blaming them. All of them. That is why they are in this situation in the first place.

Even if they somehow manage to calm him down, he was sure that the boy will no longer be an asset to their city. Losing the boy is regretful, but his potential alone does not amount to the lives of the citizens of Taizhou.

A pity, truly a pity.

"Let go of me! I hate you grandpa!"

General Diao recovered from his contemplation when he heard Diao Mei shout again. That's right, what was he even thinking about?

He started thinking like a soldier again, he was already old. Isn't it time to think about his family first? If the boy dies, their Little Mei will surely be sad. It doesn't matter if she will just forget all about this and move on when she grows up, the most important thing is how she feels now.

"Little Mei…", Grandpa Ling kneeled down as he looked at Diao Mei with warm eyes, "Let Grandpa handle this. I will go and get your boyfriend. Okay?"

"G-"

Before Diao Mei can even talk, she felt a sting right above her shoulder as her vision quickly turned dark. General Diao caught her with a single hand as she fell into unconsciousness. He gently lifted her up and handed him towards one of the nearby guards.

"Take her home"

The guards that were ordered to take her home saluted as they gently carried Diao Mei inside the city. After he was sure that Diao Mei was already far enough, he sighed.

"Ohohoho. How wonderful it is to be young", General Diao awkwardly chuckled as he looked at Viel. Although he said he would handle it, he was still in the same situation as he was from the start. He did not know how to calm the boy down. If only a miracle will show itself to him.

"Guard Leader Bai reporting! I have done as you ordered, sir. But what exactly is going o… t..that… isn't that the ghost!?"

Suddenly, a guard approached General Diao from behind.

"A ghost? What are you saying?"

"This…"

Guard Leader Bai knew of Viel and his problematic antics, but he did not exactly know what he looked like since his usual shift was during the night, when everything was usually quiet.

But seeing the bloody boy that was in front of them, he quickly remembered the mysterious accident that happened sometime a month ago now.

He would never forget it. A group of notorious thugs were scattered in an alleyway, their faces in pain as they held their crotches.

It wasn't really a scene you can easily forget.

He also remembered seeing a golden-haired child laughing mischievously, but the child quickly vanished into thin air as soon as he saw him. So, Guard Leader Bai just thought that he was either seeing things, or he was seeing ghosts.

But this boy covered in blood, he was sure of it. He was the ghost. It didn't help that the boy was holding a severed head. There's no mistake, it really is him.

"A group of thugs?", General Diao's ears perked up when he heard the story.

"Yes sir, their balls were… well they are eunuchs now"

"That's not what I was asking, these group of thugs, where are they now?"

If what this Guard Leader was saying is true, then this could be the answer to his prayers. Right when he asked for a miracle, he was answered.

Truly, fate is kind.

These thugs have proper motive of seeking revenge, as far as General Diao was concerned, this makes them suspects.

"Uhm… I do not know their exact location, sir. But they are usually in…"

"What do you mean you don't know!? Shouldn't they be locked up in jail?"

"S.sir?"

"You said it yourself, they are notorious thugs. So why are they not locked up!?"

"T..this…"

Guard Leader Bai could not look at the General in the eye. The thing is, the thugs were a part of a group that he was very familiar with. They fill his pockets, after all. Guard Leader Bai was being paid by the gang to look the other way.

So he just stayed silent. He can't very well tell this to the General, 'less he wanted to die right here and now.

"Tch. It doesn't matter. Find them and bring them here."

"S-sir?"

"NOW!"

"A-at once! You and you, follow me!", Guard Leader Bai saluted as he quickly ran away, not taking any chances that the General would inquire any further on his relationship with these thugs.

Now, let's just hope that they find them quick. It does not matter whether they were guilty of killing old man Ling Hao or not, what matters is that with this, he finally has the chance to turn the situation around.

How the boy would react, however, is another thing. All of this was a gamble. General Diao just hoped that luck was on their side.

If Viel puts all of his attention towards the suspects and cancels his powers, then that would be for the best.

But if this only makes Viel even more unstable and decides to unleash more of his mysterious powers, then all he could do was protect as many people as he can. But Viel's condition is already critical, how much power can he actually even exert anymore?

Truly, a gamble.

General Diao decided to have second thoughts, but he quickly shook his head. This still all relied on whether or not the suspects will make an appearance before Viel reaches his limit.

He once again stared at Viel. Viel was now ignoring everything and was just talking to himself, or rather, to his Grandpa Ling.

He saw as the boy started to struggle to even keep his eyes open. The pool of blood that the boy was sitting on was enough to make General Diao knit his eyebrows.

Any normal person, or even cultivator, would have already died with the amount of blood loss that Viel has incurred.

This boy, how is he still even alive?

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In the vast darkness deep inside Viel's core, the three souls all had their eyes closed.

The three of them had their arms stretched out, touching the huge screen in front of them.

[Converting a percent of Lu Yi's Life Force to Player's HP… successful]

[Converting a percent of Friend's Life Force to Player's HP… successful]

[Converting a percent of Jack's Life Force to Player's HP… successful]

"….."

"Please… Baby Viel, hold on"