Chapter 116: Solitude

“…” When he heard that, Ji Bai went silent for a moment.

“You have truly good fortune for a worm. After receiving a hammer blow, your bones haven’t fallen apart!”  The third troll brother forcefully grabbed Ji Bai by his neck and ferociously threw him down onto the floor.

“Ugh…cough, cough…” Several strands of fresh blood shot out from inside his iron helmet as he coughed.

“Even a weak worm like you want to play a hero? How great that you’re still alive! I can now trample this worm’s head of yours bit by bit and burst it open!” The corners of the third troll brother’s lips revealed a trace of a cruel smile as he pressed his foot on Ji Bai’s head and incessantly strengthened the pressure placed on it.

“Creak…” The sound of deforming metal resounded.

Ji Bai tried to resist, but his body completely ignored his commands. With his limbs seemingly shattered, he was unable to feel any sensation from them.

Gradually, his eyes began to turn dark as they slowly lost their vision.

“Gegege… Weak worm. Die in suffering and despair!” In the eyes of the third troll brother, torturing living beings and humiliating the weak were an extremely joyful pleasure.

“Titemahimeiorum!” Purplish-golden radiance expanded outwards following a delicate shout; A dazzling lotus seemingly made up of crystals expanded with Lil’ Sha at its core. It sent the third troll brother, who was busy flaunting off his strength, flying outwards and wrapped itself around Ji Bai, who was still encased in his broken brigandine armor.

[Primordial Vein – Purplish Golden Lotus Barrier]

“Wh-What is this?!” After falling face-first to the ground, the third troll brother raised his head and looked at the dazzling purplish-gold crystal barrier before him in bewilderment.

“This aura… is it primordial power? Don’t tell me that this brat has discovered a method to awaken her [primordial vein] in the last five years?!” The troll third brother fell on all fours in a sorry display. The big lotus flower that had blossomed before him caused his heart to enter an incessant state of terror.

‘No, that can’t be… If the Asiatic cat race had mastered how to use their primordial vein, our invasion would’ve definitely been forced to a halt. It was impossible for a thing like [Primordial Vein] to awaken naturally within 10 years, especially when it comes to races that have a low concentration of it. This is something I had heard the clan leader inadvertently mention before.

‘But… if the brat really activated her primordial vein, is there still time left for me to escape?” 

“You’re really from a royal demon bloodline, cough…” With much difficulty, Ji Bai turned his body over. Although he wanted to use his hands to prop up his body, he was somewhat lacking the strength to do so and could only lay slumped on the floor with his head hanging downwards.

“This isn’t something great…” Lil’ Sha sat against the railing and let a bitter smile emerge from the corners of her lips.

“Instead, this is a disaster.”

“Is this the reason why you concealed your identity?” Ji Bai tilted his head.

“…Hey, Mr. Ji Bai. What kind of living creature do you think is most unworthy of forgiveness~?” Lil’ Sha smiled lethargically.

Instead of berating her for asking such a meaningless question during a critical moment, Ji Bai had begun to seriously think about an answer. Eventually, one word left his mouth.

“Sinners.”

“Pfft… Your answer is no different than saying nothing. Your pea brain is really slow… Just like that time you were deceived by me. It’s so strange that you would trust a stranger that easily…” After saying this, Lil’ Sha half-opened her eyes and directed her gaze towards the hesitant third troll brother on the opposite side of the bridge.

“Butchers who invade someone’s homeland for their own selfish desires should all go to hell…” Traces of fury and hatred flashed past Lil’ Sha’s eyes.

“But even then… So what? Even when they amassed greater enmity and sins, the oppressive invaders still carried out their tyrannical abuse. So, at that time, I wondered… If I could become as unscrupulous as the invaders, would I be able to obtain the same strength as them?…” Stammered Lil’ Sha, seemingly so fragile that she could faint the next instant.

“At the end of the day, I even deceived so many humans… Why did I do that? The trolls destroyed my homeland and violated my dearest relatives, yet I didn’t dare carry out my revenge on them. All I did was to deceive humans, who had never once wronged me, to seek balance…” Lil’ Sha covered her cheeks.

“I’ve long lost the right to say those words…”

Laying to the side, Ji Bai didn’t comment as he silently listened to her words.

“At least now, you’ve succeeded, haven’t you?”

“Are you talking about this [Primordial Vein] technique? …This lotus barrier doesn’t have any combat ability. Moreover, it can only be activated once and would drain my energy continuously for the entire duration; I won’t be able to maintain this for much longer.” Lil’ Sha bitterly shook her head.

“As a human, you’re actually aware of [Primordial Veins]… Hey, it’s possible that we might die together. Can you tell me what you were before all this?”

“A knight.”

“…What a boring answer.” Lil’ Sha pouted. Taking off the purple gem that was tied to her neck, she threw it into Ji Bai’s hands.

“This is an emergency teleportation gem, a birthday present that my royal sister personally crafted for me… This must be enough to make up for that bit of money I’ve taken from you, right?”

“Don’t misunderstand! I only think that I won’t be able to repay you that money in the future; I don’t want to owe you anything, so…” Lil’ Sha ‘harrumphed’ and cast her head to the side.

“…” Ji Bai brought the gem necklace before his eyes.

Under the dim lighting, a strand of radiant light emerged from within the purplish-golden crystal.

The worth of this precious stone couldn’t be measured with money.

“Try to keep your guard around strangers in the future, you block-headed knight!” Lil’ Sha used the final strength she had to pull a face at Ji Bai.

……..

As he observed the duo talking inside the barrier while being clueless of what they were talking about, the third troll brother, who had vigilantly pulled back to the corner of the wall, felt a trace of suspicion.

‘So much time has already passed, but why isn’t she trying to get rid of me? Don’t tell me it’s just a bluff with practically no power at all? Might as well find someone to test it…”

As he thought up to this point, the troll third brother used his spiked club to nudge at the octopus-monster totem in the center of the stone bridge.

“Bang!” A giant unknown formation began to fire up and rotate.

“Uoahhh!” A clamorous voice resounded, followed by a crowd of green dwarves brandishing their weapons as they squabbled amongst each other and shouted.

“Rush forth and tear this lotus shell open!”

……..

“Them… again…” The color of fear flashed past Lil’ Sha’s eyes.

“Wuuugiya!” The large crowd of goblins frantically hit against the lotus shell. Their coarse weapons disintegrated into powder the instance they touched it.

“Eeee!?” Confusion was written all over the helpless goblins’ faces as they could only eye covetously at Lil’ Sha with gazes filled with passion.

“…Why are you in a daze? Are you waiting to get buried together with me by not leaving? Don’t tell me that you don’t know how to use this.” Lil’ Sha was seemingly losing even the energy to talk. Leaning backward in her sitting posture, her petite body was incessantly panting while her violet irises had turned dull.

“No one will escape if you don’t leave now…”

“Do you really wish for me to leave?” Ji Bai gradually sat up and tilted his head.

“What do you mean? Was what I said earlier all in vain…”

“In reality, you don’t want me to leave, do you? You’re afraid of being alone.” Said Ji Bai calmly.

“…” This rendered Lil’ Sha momentarily speechless.

“While you’re always doing the opposite of what you said during this adventure, you‘ve never carried a substantial grudge inside your heart…You’re very fond of the feeling of being surrounded by your teammates, am I right? Like a cat returning back to shore after falling into the water.”