The dense vegetation nearly covered the entire sky, the air was also moist and hot.
Because it had rained a few days ago, there was still a lot of water left on the ground. As Hei Juan’s group traveled through the underbrush and vines, they quickly became damp all over.
“Ahead of us is the edge of the containment zone, everyone take care!” Hei Juan said as he creased his brows.
“Ok!” The ten people behind him responded.
A short while later.
Hei Juan led his group around a messy battlefield.
The battlefield had already been cleaned up.
But there were still many traces, such as scaled leopard scales.
“A battle happened here!”
“It didn’t happen too long ago, it’s very possible that it occurred yesterday.
“The scaled leopard group was actually the losing party!?”
“No, it was not a simple loss. These scaled leopards could not retaliate, they were easily and cleanly massacred. Their opponent was most likely a magic beast!”
“Ss……could it be a gold level magic beast?”
Everyone felt shock, then fear.
After all, this was a monster that easily slaughtered a large scaled leopard group.
Hei Juan looked gloomy, he stood in place and looked around him: “This is important information, you two bring it back to camp. The rest follow me, we will continue investigating the environment, we must find the mysterious magic beast’s trail.”
They quickly found a trail.
The trail pointed away from the ravine and towards the rainforest’s depths.
Hei Juan bit his teeth and led the remaining team members onward.
The two team members returned to camp as fast as possible, gasping for breath while relaying the information.
Learning about this information, the higher ups became gloomier.
Cang Xu pondered: “It can unexpectedly clean up the battlefield, it seems we cannot look down upon this mysterious magic beast’s intelligence.”
Zong Ge deeply gazed: “It is only a magic beast; how could it clean up the battlefield? Does it have companions or is it a part of a blue dog fox wolf’s magic beast legion, what is the likelihood of this?”
Hearing Zong Ge’s reminder, everyone became unsightly.
That “mysterious” blue dog fox wolf and its underlings followed them into the rainforest and had repeatedly subdued magic beast groups, however an enormous magic beast corps had never appeared.
Zi Di glanced at Zhen Jin with worry: “My Lord, last night you were still patrolling. Please don’t do that anymore, ok? A massive magic beast corps might be hiding near us, that blue dog fox wolf might have learned something new and subdued new kinds of magic beasts. My Lord, although you have spirit power, during the night you are just a lonely person”
Zhen Jin looked very serious.
Of course, he was the one who cleaned up the battlefield.
After continuous nightmares and being unable to sleep again, he went out on a nighttime patrol.
He hurried to the battlefield; it was packed with scaled leopard carcasses.
Zhen Jin absorbed and converted all of them, boosting his magic reserves.
“It would still be for the best if these carcasses disappeared.”
“If Hei Juan cleans up this battlefield tomorrow, all of this will be returned. With someone as shrewd as Cang Xu, it is very possible that from the carcasses, they can find out after the leopards were electrocuted or paralyzed, I sliced them up with my blades.”
This was detrimental to Zhen Jin.
Naturally, the fewer flaws one had, the better.
After yesterday's fright, Zhen Jin became very cautious, he feared if he divulged anything, it would become a flaw.
Even if the flaws were very small, each and every one accumulating would cause the people to connect them together.
Although Zhen Jin could now discharge electricity, no one else knew about it. But in the future?
If by a chance situation, Zhen Jin publicly used his electrical discharge ability, if he had not dealt with the scaled leopard carcasses, it would become a flaw.
“Lord Zi Di is very reasonable. Master, your individual safety is related to the general situation. For a long time now, because you were here, we were able to unite, build a ship, and collaborate together in order to flee this place. Without you leading us, we will become like a sheet of loose sand. You are too precious; you shouldn’t risk yourself.” Lan Zao also advised.
Cang Xu and the others nodded one after the other.
Even Zong Ge opened his mouth: “Templar knight, we understand your mood and bravery, you have never avoided your responsibility as our leader. But because of this, we must be more careful. If late at night you are besieged by a magic beast corps or attacked by that mysterious magic beast, it would cause immense damage.”
Zhen Jin was expressionless.
If this was before Hei Juan detected him, Zi Di’s concern, Lan Zao’s esteem, Zong Ge’s approval, and so on might have made him feel better, and excited his sense of honor and responsibility.
But now, the warmth rising in his heart quickly became ice-cold.
He could not help but think: if my secret was known, what kind of attitude would they have?
The young knight’s heart was filled with complex feelings, these feelings were hard to express and something he did not dare express.
Finally, he nodded: “I will think over your proposal. Many thanks for everyone’s concern!”
That same night, Zhen Jin went on patrol again.
He transformed into a scaled leopard, this creature form was currently at the iron level, it was also his newest form.
The feeling of novelty over a new form already vanished completely.
He had transformed into a monkey tail brown bear, a bat monkey, a spear scorpion, a green lizard, and more, compared to his previously inspired and striving heart, his heart seemed to be crushed by a boulder currently.
He practiced discharging electricity again, obviously this muscle movement was from a thousand bitter hardships, until he finally fumbled his way through with a trace of inspiration and some luck. He should have felt accomplished, especially after the electrical discharge ability shined during yesterday’s combat.
But he appeared calm.
Even if his heart had a faint trace of jitteriness and loathing.
Previously, even if things were challenging and exhausting, as long as Zhen Jin thought of his responsibility, his fiancée, Cang Xu, Mu Ban, and the others, he would have endured hardships gladly.
But thinking of them now, Zhen Jin’s heart no longer felt warm, rather it was now somewhat cold.
Many misunderstandings.
Many things to guard against.
His secret hadn’t been exposed, those people still treated Zhen Jin the same, but Zhen Jin was no longer the same.
“Emperor Sheng Ming, my master, your holy illumination penetrates me, allow me to discover I am a helpless sinner. You are a grand victor and a savior. Lend me your kindness, I concede I am a guilty child and wish to repent of everything. I beg of you, absolve me of all my crimes, help me, use your holy light to wash me clean, let me continue walking the knightly road you indicate!”
After training finished, Zhen Jin knelt, faced the Sheng Ming Continent, and bowed in prayer.
He hadn’t behaved in this manner before.
But like every other prayer, Zhen Jin didn’t get a response.
Contrary to Zhen Jin’s silence, the beast roars and bird songs made the night forest seem very lively.
Sunrise and sunset.
The rain stopped; the rain appeared.
Although there was nothing like that full week of rainstorms, the weather was often cloudy and rainy.
The decision to make the ravine a dock seemed all the wiser and more correct.
The ravine clearing gradually filled with boat planks. Some of the boat planks were perfect straight and some were curved. The boat craftsman displayed his skill again, he guided everyone in the sand burial method. This method involved wood being placed into moist sand, the liquid mixture making the wood softer and more flexible.
Following Cang Xu’s overall plan, the people worked hard, and each engineering team coordinated with each other, none of them hindered or restricted the other’s progress.
Zi Di led a group in the difficult task of supplying potions and medicine.
A large scale earthen kiln was constructed, although the environment was moist, it only hindered its construction for a time.
The kiln worked smoothly and began to provide a steady supply of pig iron.
Zi Di could finally breathe slowly.
The purging of beast groups was constantly carried out. Beast groups often broke into the five kilometer perimeter.
Although the rainforest was vast, under Zhen Jin’s ultrasound, no fish escaped the net.
The patrolling team members became increasingly skilled with crossbows, and because of the kiln, iron arrows became abundant, increasing their military strength.
Ordinary beasts and comparatively weak magic beasts were killed by arrow volleys, while stronger magic beasts fell by Zhen Jin’s and Zong Ge’s hand.
After killing every magic beast, Zhen Jin would receive the adoration and worship of onlookers.
However, these praising voices were not as beautiful as before, rather they were like rocks smashing into the lake in Zhen Jin’s heart. The lake would wash away the joyous ripples, and when the stones sank to the bottom of his heart, Zhen Jin would feel a faint pressure.
Despite Zi Di’s, Zong Ge’s, and the others’ advice, Zhen Jin still patrolled every night.
It seems, after beginning to grasp the magic core, he hadn’t stopped training every night.
After Hei Juan’s investigation, Zhen Jin trained harder and longer.
He found that only after tormenting and exhausting himself every night, could he sleep for a few hours before dawn.
He slept deeply and no longer had nightmares. Or perhaps, he had nightmares but didn’t remember them when waking up.
After training every night, he would pray to Emperor Sheng Ming.
Hei Juan’s investigation caused Zhen Jin to reflect on himself and review his experiences.
He began to examine himself——had the magic core led him astray?
During the camp battle, he repeatedly used Emperor Sheng Ming’s name to deceive everyone. Despite having good motives, goodwill, and the disastrous consequence if he didn’t do that, he indeed used a god’s name to deceive others.
This was the sin of deceiving the world with the name of a god!
“Why didn’t I realize how serious my sins were”
“Did I lose myself in power?”
“No, I did these things because there was no alternative. For the sake of everyone, in order to save as many people as I could, I did these things, I am not a bad person!”
“Maybe……I really am a bad person.”
“I confess to you, my master, my god.”
“I know I cannot be irreverent; however I was blind. I should not slight you, grand Emperor Sheng Ming.”
“God, I beseech you to absolve all my previous sins, grant me the ability to walk a just path. Let what I think and say be acceptable to you.”
Zhen Jin constantly reflected and constantly prayed.
The god never responded, but he still prayed.
He believed: maybe this is a test the god bestowed on me alone?
Late into the night, after Zhen Jin finished his bitter training, he dragged his beaten body back to the ravine.
Fei She had been waiting respectfully outside his cave for a long time.
“Zhen, Lord Zhen Jin.” Fei She respectfully saluted.
“What is going on?” Zhen Jin was somewhat puzzled.
“This, this small one hesitated for a long time, although he knows, knows what is appropriate for the times, he could not endure.” Fei She cautious said.
Zhen Jin grew curious: “Please, you don’t need to burden yourself, we are all on the same side.”
The young knight smiled, the smile and the words ‘same side’ let Fei She relax.
Notes
Oh dear, it looks like the paranoia is getting to him somewhat. It sounds like he needs someone to talk to, being alone with one’s fears and despair is self-destructive behavior that is obviously taking a toll on his mental health. Those prayers seem to be a way to vent his feelings, rather than any measure of godly fealty, because there is never a response.