Split Zone No.13

Volume 2

93 A Hostile Visitor

Pu-sst! Pu-sst! Pu-sst!

Ahwoo! Ahwoo!

Ahwo–!

Ahwoo–!

Nie Zun leapt up and stopped in mid-air, as the red fog in his eyes surged, red laser streaks impaled the wolf- and tiger-like beasts.

The carcasses of these beasts slumped onto the ground amidst painful howls!

Nie Zun looked like the god of death levitating in the air, with the red fog in his eyes, a pair of black gloved hands and a black jacket flying in the wind!

The giant marionettes were about to chomp on the dark shadow they were holding on to, when the shadow seemed to become enraged!

The shadow put up a violent struggle, and the two marionettes were thrown back as if they had been shot by bullets!

Bam! The giant marionettes were thrown with such force that they flew into the air before dropping onto the ground!

The dark shadow looked as if it had devoured countless other shadows, and became a gargantuan shadow which covered almost half the sky!

Stabbed in her tail by the many tiny violet blades of mine, You Ji’s green hair started to fly up. She still had an arrow stuck in her head, and the sight of her hair blowing in the wind like this looked horrifying!

She ignored the arrow as she seemed to feel nothing even when that arrow had been coated with a pain-inducing agent.

Crackle crackle crackle!

I could see air vortexes appearing in the air in the part of the sky not yet covered up by the massive shadow!

You Ji stared at me angrily!

Between the swirling air vortexes, countless air needles were shot in my direction!

Before I could react, the air around me seemed to condense.

It was the same crackling sound, but this was not from You Ji’s side. There was a frenzy of sound all around me!

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

A few transparent sheets resembling glass doors materialised above me, before descending into the ground, blocking the many air needles coming toward me!

As I collected myself, the massive shadow which seemed to cover half the sky had suddenly stopped moving!

Ta Lai was in mid-air like Nie Zun, and both of them were stock-still!

They were all looking at something behind me!

You Ji’s gaze was also directed at something behind me! She wanted to attack me with the air needles but it was neutralised by those sheets that appeared!

Sensing something amiss, I slowly turned my head to look back.

Following my movement, a menacing voice floated by.

“Addicted to copying my skills? Can’t you switch it around, learn some other tricks?”

Our visitor carried his usual indifferent expression on that charming face, with hands in both pockets, white sportswear from head to toe, and that same pair of bright yellow sneakers. He walked with light steps, and the air crackled around him as he walked.

With a menacing smirk, a pair of dazzling eyes fixated on my own.

You Ji said from behind me, “Gaoqin Jiuye, I don’t think we have any enmity between us. Why are you being so nosy?!”

“I don’t like it that you’re copying me, so I wanted to intervene. What of it?”

Although his steps were light, his eyes revealed otherwise. He shifted his eyes and locked his menacing gaze on You Ji.

Crackle!

Whoosh!

Air needles sharper and more powerful than You Ji’s buzzed past my ear, flying towards her!

When I turned to look back at You Ji, she already put up a giant defensive air sheet, but it was not nearly enough for those needles which were already crushing the sheet!

The air needles dropped on the ground, and You Ji retreated several steps!

A long trail of blood was left on the ground as she slid away with her injured tail!

You Ji looked at Gaoqin Jiuye, incensed. Her blood-stained lips quivered as she breathed heavily, but she did not dare to make any sound!

Shadow Rong Jin who was extending across the sky stopped what he was doing, and asked with a string of laughter, “Gaoqin Jiuye, what brings you here?”

Raising his eyebrows coldly, Gaoqin Jiuye said, “Isn’t it because of you the soul snatcher, Rong Jin?”

“Oh? When did you care so much about me?”

Gaoqin Jiuye looked up at that shadow covering half the sky. “Si Luo wants me to bring you back, and prohibits you from participating further in Du Yue’s absurd acts. You won’t even listen to Si Luo anymore?”

The ghostly shadow burst out laughing. “Gaoqin Jiuye, when have I ever listened to Si Luo? Even if I don’t listen to him, he still treats me as well as he treats you. Gaoqin Jiuye, you think you’ll be able to become his most capable assistant just by following him around like a lapdog? You are merely a selfish jerk.”

I widened my eyes in surprise, and my jaw was about to drop to the ground. Someone actually dared to speak to Gaoqin Jiuye in such a manner?

I looked around with shifty eyes, this is pretty weird. Not far from me, You Ji was also observing the situation, while Nie Zun and Ta Lai seemed to have been petrified into stone statues in mid-air. They were so still and quiet that I could not figure out what they thought of this. Rong Jin’s shadow seemed alive. It was covering half the sky in front of me, and seemed to lock its gaze on Gaoqin Jiuye.

What surprised me was that Gaoqin Jiuye did not seem the least bit angered, and his gaze remained cold and menacing as he spoke,“I can’t help him. You think these reckless acts of yours and Du Yue’s can actually help him?”

“Hehe, are you worried about Du Yue or Si Luo?”

A brief moment of sorrow flashed past Gaoqin Jiuye’s eyes after Rong Jin finished speaking.

I was quite puzzled. Every time that woman with a broken arm, Du Yue, is mentioned, Gaoqin Jiuye’s expression seemed slightly unusual.

“No matter what, Si Luo wants me to take you back. Du Yue already went to see him, and since you haven’t been around for a while now, he is rather worried about you too. Look, he even sent me to look for you. When would you stop being so reckless?” Gaoqin Jiuye said impassively.

“Don’t make it sound like we have such a warm, brotherly relationship. If I go back, wouldn’t you have to start worrying about who Si Luo passes his role to? Won’t you have another contender once I’m back? In this case, when I’m gone, the role will be given to you, what’s so bad about it?”

Gaoqin Jiuye scorned, “You’re not nearly enough to become a threat to me! What I do know is that I will do whatever Si Luo tells me to!”

“Hahaha, a lapdog will remain a lapdog. Now that Huan Qing’s MF is down to zero, you weren’t able to take good care of Mi Fu, and I am involved in Du Yue’s experiment, are you that confident that Si Luo will give you the role? But Gaoqin Jiuye, I’ve seen through you. I know you are ambitious and I know your motive. I won’t allow you to succeed. Si Luo will not die, I will not let him die, and don’t even think about taking anything that belongs to him!”

Gaoqin Jiuye’s gaze was frigid, and I was left rather confused as I listened in to this conversation.

Are these two contesting for the position of Southern District Commander? What does it mean by Si Luo will not die? Is he dying soon? Seems like the situation was what I predicted it to be – that the experiment and everything that happened had a direct connection to Si Luo?

Is the aim of this experiment to find a way to save Si Luo? But why is he dying? Is the condition of his body in the real world deteriorating?

Was it because Jiao S knew some of the reasons behind this situation, that she wanted to look for Si Luo so badly?

“Stop bullshiting. Are you going back with me or not?” Gaoqin Jiuye no longer wanted to continue his conversation with Rong Jin.

“I’m definitely not going back before I can further investigate this matter. I hate seeing a burden like you hanging around him anyway. Don’t you worry, Gaoqin Jiuye, I’ll show Si Luo the real you, and prove to him you are a greedy wolf! As for Du Yue, it doesn’t matter how much power you claim to have, she will not go back to you!”

Gaoqin Jiuye’s eyes seemed to fill with pain and sorrow for a fleeting moment.

The ghostly voice refused to quit, and continued saying, “Being so focused on looking for me, have you realised that this person is actually here? What do you think Du Yue would do if she knew he was here? Hmm? Gaoqin Jiuye?”

A hand materialised from the shadow in the sky, pointing at Ta Lai.

Ta Lai was smiling gently as usual, not moving an inch, and looked like he was completely uninterested in the conversation between the shadow and Gaoqin Jiuye.

Gaoqin Jiuye did not look at Ta Lai, but his eyes darkened. “I saw him. I also know that before I arrived, he was definitely not an easy opponent!”

The ghostly shadow chuckled. “How is it? Being able to see two people who are thorns in your side, do you feel good? Ahahahaha, I feel really good when I see you upset!”

What a lowly attitude...

This Gaoqin Jiuye does not seem to be very popular... If I remember right, Huan Qing did not like him very much either... His relationship between the soul snatcher, Rong Jin, seemed to be filled with tension, and from this conversation, does it mean there was some sort of conflict between Ta Lai and him?

Gaoqin Jiuye finally lifted his head to look at Ta Lai, who was floating in mid-air. “I’m sure you don’t wish for Du Yue’s absurd acts to succeed. If you still care about her, let me take Rong Jin with me today.”

I was baffled. I have never heard Gaoqin Jiuye speak to anyone in this way, as if he was requesting for permission.

Ta Lai smiled, his arm was placed behind him, and he landed on the ground with a quick movement of his feet. Nie Zun quietly followed and landed behind me, standing where he usually stood, by my left shoulder.

Ta Lai’s feet had not yet firmly reached the ground and Rong Jin’s shrill laughter rang out once again. “You will take me with you just because he allows it? Gaoqin Jiuye, when will you ever stop being so conceited?”