On the Hog’s Kiss.
Standing in the cabin assigned to him, Zhen Jin had an ugly look: “Don’t tell me after I get on the boat, I still have to act as Hei Juan? Is there not a bigger cabin?”
The cabin before him was very normal, this kind of treatment was normally given to iron level mercenaries.
Zi Di softly advised: “My Lord, don’t forget we are in disguise. We issued a facade that you are staying temporarily, and as your fiancée, I will be the only one leaving to the Wilderness Continent to make advance preparations.”
“There aren’t many differences between the cabins on the Hog’s Kiss. The biggest is occupied by Priest Jia Sha. The rest are about the same size.
Zhen Jin reluctantly nodded: “Then when does the body double appear?”
“We will wake up the body double when we reach White Sands City. At that time, we will surely shock our two competitors.” Zi Di laughed.
“Haha.” Zhen Jin daydreamed for a bit, “I can already see their faces.”
“Forget about it, I will only be crammed in this cabin for a few days.”
“Tonight, you can keep me company.”
Zi Di suddenly revealed a perfect regretful look: “Lord Zhen Jin, despite my desire to do so, don’t forget, Lord Jia Sha is on this boat.”
“In fact, according to our plans, information on us has already been accidently leaked to the guardian templar knights.”
“Next, we will cause a chance encounter and set up a first meeting with your Lordship’s examiner ahead of time.”
“If we disguise ourselves and move secretly, I fear living together will give Jia Sha an exceedingly bad impression.”
Zhen Jin’s complexion turned somewhat ugly again: “You are right. Hmph, then I will endure for the time being.”
……
The deep curtain of night.
The Hog’s Kiss quietly sailed above the ocean.
Zhen Jin turned over in his sleep when suddenly, the bed turned upside down and threw him to the floor.
The fall woke Zhen Jin up, he opened his eyes and saw the floor filling with water. At the same time, his ears heard many yelling in panic.
“What is going on?!”
Just as he reacted, the cabin door was suddenly pushed open by rumbling seawater.
“I……” Zhen Jin wanted to cry for help, but seawater ferociously poured into his mouth, completely submerging him.
……
Zhen Jin gasped for air, making his way through the waves, his feet finally touched the sand.
His body was dripping with water, after staggering a dozen steps, his knees fell to the ground.
The surroundings were in chaos, many survivors had also swum to shore. Some prayed, some wailed, some sobbed spasmodically, and some tried to assist others.
“Hey, quickly come over, help us save the others.” Upon seeing Zhen Jin, someone ran over and yelled at him.
But Zhen Jin did not react, his head was buzzing, as if he was isolated from the entire world.
He blankly stared for a good while, words repeating in his mind.
“A shipwreck happened?”
“How can this be!”
Zhen Jin seemed to fall into an icy cave, and dryly wept.
The increasing amount of survivors helplessly watched as half the Hog’s Kiss completely sank while the other half ran aground on the beach.
“We were really shipwrecked!”
“What terrible luck.”
“Hold on!” Zhen Jin’s body trembled, he reached towards his waist, after touching Silver Lightning, he immediately relaxed.
“That’s good.” As for how to equip this sword during disasters, Zhen Jin did not know.
He now felt joy and lingering fear.
Everyone around him began to call out the names of their relatives and friends, Zhen Jin also began to search the crowd for Zi Di and other mercenaries.
He saw some familiar faces, but never saw Zi Di’s figure.
“My fiancée……perished!” Zhen Jin’s heart sank to rock bottom.
……
“The ship captain is missing; I am the first mate. This shipwreck was very strange, there were no signs before it happened. Speaking of the shipwreck origin, I feel we should also think of a way to escape this place.”
“Currently, we don’t have much food and water. But this island is covered in rainforests, there must be ample supplies here. First we need to establish an exploration team to scout out the terrain here and look for large and steady sources of food and water.”
The first mate exclaimed publicly.
Zhen Jin was in the crowd; he saw a group of people gather and Cang Xu requesting that he join them.
“These people are taking a risk! This island is very strange, it actually prohibits the usage of magic and battle qi, the prohibition limit is unknown, yet they unexpectedly dared to go exploring.”
“Zi Di is dead, Jia Sha and his people are also missing, everything is pointing towards disaster!”
“Oh dear, I still need to stay here first, I have concealed my identity, thus the others will think I am a mercenary.”
“I will wait until my clan searches for and rescues me, it won’t be too late then to reveal my identity.”
……
Zhen Jin breathed as he threw an axe to the ground.
“All day long, it's been chopping trees, and chopping more trees.”
“I am a grand templar knight, yet I have to do these kinds of things!”
“Shipbuilding? When will that happen? Waiting for help is still more reliable.”
“I am the Bai Zhen Clan’s sole heir, yet I lost the Wisteria Merchant Alliance President as well as Priest Jia Sha here. Someone will definitely rescue me!”
“Eh? What is that sound!”
Zhen Jin had iron level cultivation, with a bodily essence that exceeded ordinary people, he heard a rustling sound.
He followed the sound and found an old man eating.
“Old fellow, what are you hiding?” Zhen Jin happily drew near.
After the old man sensed Zhen Jin’s iron level cultivation, he immediately lost his head out of fear: “My, my Lord, this is mine. I brought it to the island. I am very hungry, I beseech your kindness, don’t accuse me. I am willing to share these things with you.”
The exploration team had not returned for a long time, without a steady external food source, food reserves continued to be consumed around the clock, especially because trees were being chopped down for a new ship. Therefore, the first mate implemented rationing, no one could steal or hide food.
Zhen Jin coldly snorted, kicked the old man down, and snatched all of the food away.
The old man held onto Zhen Jin’s lower leg: “My Lord, please be charitable, give me a bit to eat. If I don’t eat, I will starve to death.”
“A rubbish ordinary person, isn’t death good for you? Why must you still squander food!” With incomparable contempt, Zhen Jin ruthlessly kicked the old man and ran off.
The old man’s back was nearly broken by this kick.
However not long after, three sailors found Zhen Jin.
“Hei Juan, I heard you stole some food. Do you not know the current rules?”
“Child, speak tactfully and obediently hand over the food.”
“That’s right, this benefits all of us.”
Zhen Jin looked at the head sailor, sensing the same iron level life aura from him.
“The old man must have indignantly announced that secret! Dammit.”
“There are many sailors, I can’t risk my life. When my clan rescues me, I will humiliate these guys!”
Scheming in his heart, Zhen Jin smiled on the surface: “I have something else that will benefit us more.”
Saying this, he pulled out three gold coins.
Seeing the gold coins, the three sailors’ eyes shined.
“Good, this is indeed better.”
“Speak youngster.”
“How did you make so much money as a mercenary?”
Zhen Jin beamed: “I purely want to make friends with everyone, also I ask everyone to be easier on me from now on.”
The sailors laughed, and the lead sailor clapped Hei Juan’s shoulder: “Youngster, you have a clear view of things.”
After the sailors walked away, Hei Juan disdainfully swept his shoulder, spitefulness coloring his entire face: “This group of bottom trash, just three gold coins was enough to make you leave. When my clan saves me, you will all regret your attitudes today!”
……
Food reserves reached a critical level, and the first exploration team was missing, thus the first mate tried to organize a second exploration team.
“The lots drew my name; I will be in the second exploration team……”
After the first mate made his announcement, everyone protested.
“Why hasn’t a single sailor been picked?”
“I doubt these drawn lots were fair!”
“Resign, resign!!”
Zhen Jin hid in the crowd and looked at the indignant people like he was watching a good show.
He didn’t appear on the list, instead he bribed the sailor in charge with another gold coin.
……
Very late into the night.
A noise woke Zhen Jin up: “What happened?”
“Someone take the lead; the sailors are attacking!”
“What?!” Zhen was shocked, he promptly took Silver Lightning and went up to watch.
He witnessed Zong Ge take the lead, his rival, effortlessly defeat the giant, bear witness for Que Shan, and publicly execute the first mate.
“This half beastman is too strong, and his equipment is excellent! This place prohibits battle qi and magic, and on the contrary, that half beastman’s filthy bloodline makes him the strongest person.”
“I was correct to conceal my identity, who knows how much these half beastmen and half elf bastards would hate me.”
“All of these sailors are rubbish!”
“Without a good cause, that thing has grown so big, yet it doesn’t have any martial skills.”
“Hateful!”
“The sailors lost their power; my investment of gold coins has been squandered.”
……
Zong Ge replaced the first mate and began to control the situation.
However, every night, the survivors suffered a mysterious attacker, and people died one after the other.
“Absurd, truly absurd!” Zhen Jin cursed.
“What demonic thing killed these people?”
“Dammit, help is too slow, when will they arrive?”
……
The sailors that were bribed the most by Zhen Jin secretly came to him.
“Hei Juan, follow us closely. The captain was assassinated, and we suffered mysterious attacks, I fear that half beastman Zong Ge is playing tricks on us!”
“We plan to organize an exploration team to slip away together.”
“Who do you have?” Zhen Jin’s heart was startled as he handed over a gold coin.
The sailor happily agreed to answer: “Lord Xi Suo, the boat craftsman, Mu Ban……to tell the truth, only the boat craftsman can build a new ship. You understand?”
Zhen Jin repeatedly nodded; “I understand!”
Being under a half beastman made Zhen Jin feel humiliated.
Besides, every night mysterious attacks happened here, and the living environment was very nasty, thus Zhen Jin no longer wanted to stay in this place.
……
Xi Suo, Hei Juan, and the others secretly mixed into the exploration team, however they were quickly detected and pursued by Zong Ge’s group.
During the pursuit, teleportation occurred.
When they accidently found a strange camp, Xi Suo shouted: “This must have been arranged by the gods, they allowed us to break away from our savage and treacherous enemy, while also bestowing upon us a temporary camp!”
The camp was renovated, but quickly suffered the attacks of bat monkeys and a strong life white rhinoceros.
“No, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die!” Zhen Jin’s heart roared, and extreme longing for survival filled his chest.
“This place is already finished! Staying here is certain death.” Zhen Jin grinded his teeth, he suddenly turned around like a cat and rushed out of the wooden house.
During a life and death battle against a bat monkey, Zhen Jin received unexpected help.
“People!” He was overjoyed at the unexpectedly good news; he didn’t dare to turn around as he ran towards where the dart was shot from.
Quickly dashing into the woods, Zhen Jin found a few individuals behind a tree.
“That’s not Xi Suo’s people……hold on.”
Zhen Jin could not believe it, and his heart was ecstatic. He unexpectedly found Zi Di, his fiancée was still alive!
His eyes suddenly brightened, showing a pleasantly surprised expression, he blurted out: “Zi……”
“Its Hei Juan!” At the same moment, Zi Di saw Hei Juan’s appearance and shouted, “He is a member of the mercenary corps I hired!”
“Eh?” Zhen Jin’s thoughts went blank.
“Lord Zhen Jin, the people in the wooden house should be from the Hog’s Kiss.” Zi Di told the young knight at her side.
“That person? That’s my body double!” Zhen Jin’s heart suddenly saw the light.
The young knight nodded: “I have to save them as soon as possible! You guys stay here.”
He quickly walked forward, after a few breaths, he came in front of Zhen Jin and quickly sized up the dark youngster: “Can you still fight?”
Zhen Jin stood in place and blankly stared at the body double.
“He really looks like me!”
His heart filled with laments, for a moment he couldn’t respond.
The young knight secretly shook his head: “It seems he has already lost his courage.”
He had observed Zhen Jin’s escape.
As the young knight charged into camp, Zhen Jin promptly opened his mouth to block him: “Don’t……”
You are my body double, don’t stupidly throw away our life. Don’t take risks, come back and protect me!
But after a moment, Zhen Jin saw the body double’s formidable battle strength.
Zhen Jin safely watched the body double’s back, exposing his shock.
“How can he have such terrifying strength?”
“Battle qi cannot be used here.”
Yes, he was a beastified person.
Before his transformation, he was a silver level knight, his bodily essence greatly exceeds mine.
How did he compare to Zong Ge?
“Hei Juan.” Zi Di, Lan Zao, and the others walked over.
Hmph, his acting is well done. Do I want to continue covering up the truth? No, exposing the truth now does not benefit me. Let that idiotic body double sacrifice his life for me.
“Miss Zi Di.” Zhen Jin tidied up his mood and bowed to Zi Di, “His Lordship is……”
Zi Di smiled and was just about to answer.
But the previously silent Lan Zao was the first to speak: “He is my master——Lord Zhen Jin! He is Lord Zi Di’s fiancé, the Bai Zhen Clan’s sole heir, a true templar knight, and White Sands City’s future master. He is my life saving benefactor and now he is also yours.”
Zhen Jin: “???”
“Who is this idiot?”
“It seems an opportunity has been seized; I have received a slave that will give his life for me. Not bad.”
Zi Di nodded: “I hired you all to protect me when traveling to the Wilderness Continent and White Sands City, Lord Zhen Jin was always hiding at my side. The purpose of that was to pull wool over the eyes of others and to guard against malicious rivals that wish to obstruct our journey. I believe that Lord Zhen Jin will lead us out of this island alive.”
“So that’s how it is.” Zhen Jin’s Adam’s apple rolled as he thought to himself. “Your words aren’t bad my fiancé, clan support is no longer reliable, thus helping myself is the way forward!”
……
After beating back a beast group, Zhen Jin received a warm welcome, everyone treated him as a hero.
“That body double is actually pretty good.” Zhen Jin was secretly gratified.
Zhen Jin secretly found Zi Di and conversed with her alone.
“My dear Zi Di, nothing has happened to you, that’s amazing! During the days I thought you were dead, I felt incomparable sorrow.” Zhen Jin stepped forward with outstretched arms, he wanted to hug Zi Di.
Zi Di stepped back, nervously looking around: “My Lord, be careful of others seeing us.”
Afterwards, she continued to speak in an emotional tone: “After the shipwreck, I and another group of people landed on another beach on the island. My Lord, I have always tried to find you. Not all of us are dead! Look around you, I nearly shouted your identity in excitement, fortunately when I saw your Lordship’s hinting gaze, I sobered up.”
Zhen Jin rubbed his chin, this beautiful misunderstanding immediately dispelled many grudges in his heart, he laughed: “Your intelligent communication indeed caused no trouble and saved effort.”
“How is the current situation? Have you sent out a distress message? Did you get a response?”
Zi Di shook her head and sadly said: “No response, this island is very strange and dangerous. I was forced to wake up the body double. Without him, I would have died already.”
“You have done well. What kind of strength does the body double have?”
Zi Di shook her head: “He is a beastified person, but he was not imbued with complete memories, and I discovered he can beastify parts of himself. As for his battle strength, I don’t think many can match him.”
Zi Di gave a detailed narration on some matters.
Zhen Jin couldn't help but show his disappointment: “It seems, he cannot beat Zong Ge.”
“Someone is coming.” Zi Di suddenly warned.
Zhen Jin could only terminate his brief interaction with Zi Di and quickly depart.
……
Following the two’s conversation, when the body double took out some armor, Zhen Jin’s heart couldn’t help but shake, “Not good, it seems Zong Ge was also teleported, I have to warn them!”
“My Lord.” Zhen Jin clenched his chest and bowed to the body double, “You deserve to be called a templar knight who upholds the spirit of justice and fairness. However, my suspicions about Zong Ge are not unfounded.”
“He has received strict battle training!” Zhen Jin continued.
Everyone looked at each other with dismay.
Zhen Jin then proceeded: “Each mercenary and perhaps each sailor receives battle training. The battle training, I speak of is not ordinary training, rather they are military exercises.”
“I am certain that he definitely served in the army at one point. Only by passing such stringent military exercises and serving in the army can he have the aura of a soldier on him, this I am most clear about.”
His opinion had never been said publicly before, and the body double and Zi Di attached great importance to it.
……
Zong Ge and the others were hiding outside, while Xi Suo, the boat craftsman, and the others with them were still missing. Thus, the body double immediately decided to look for them
“It’s a good sword.” The body double returned Silver Lightning to Zhen Jin.
Zi Di suddenly said to Zhen Jin: “Hei Juan, I know your sword is not ordinary, I ask that you temporarily give it to Lord Zhen Jin so he can use it.”
Zhen Jin stared blankly, and his complexion changed slightly: “But this sword is my family heirloom.”
“He didn’t think about it as he flatly refused.
The body double faintly laughed: “Zi Di, it is unnecessary to make things difficult for him.”
“My Lord, that won’t do!” But Zi Di insisted, “Based on our recent analysis, Zong Ge is a strong opponent. He also has top notch armor made of high quality steel and impressive war spears. Your Lordship only has ordinary weapons, if you and Zong Ge fight, there would be little difference from simply coming unarmed.”
The body double stared blankly and then bitterly laughed
Zhen Jin shook his head: “Yes. I should give this rapier to the body double, Zong Ge is very strong and must have more equipment than the body double.”
“He takes my place in combat! If he loses because he lacks a weapon, the one out of luck will be me.”
“Zi Di is very considerate, she considers my needs.”
“Giving the body double my rapier lessens the risk to me!”
“My Lord!” Thinking of this, Zhen Jin changed his plan. He advanced with cupped hands and offered the rapier of his own accord, “This ignoramuses’ scope was too narrow. This sword can display its true worth in your Lordship’s hand. The name of my family heirloom sword is Silver Lightning. It is bound to blossom brightly and brilliantly in your Lordship’s hand!”
Zi Di smiled: “Hei Juan, for this employment, I will pay you double.”
Zhen Jin immediately smiled.
“That’s good. I will treat this sword well and do my best to return it to you intact. “Seeing Zhen Jin’s attitude, the body double confidently received the rapier again.
Pleased at the bottom of his heart, Zhen Jin laughed: “Good, shed every gram of strength for me.”
……
Zhen Jin, the body double, Zi Di, and others successfully saved Xi Suo, the boat craftsman, and the others with them.
The body double and Zong Ge confronted each other.
“Humph. A pretty boy noble!” Zong Ge looked down on the body double, however his gaze did stop temporarily on the rapier strapped to the body double’s waist as he indifferently assessed it. ” However……that sword is pretty good.”
The body double slightly smiled, he gazed at Zong Ge’s broken steel battle armor: “Your armor is also pretty good.”
Zhen Jin secretly observed, his heart was incessantly nervous: “You must not fight!”
Seeing Tripleblade, Zong Ge, and the others reject Zi Di’s offer, his heart was nearly unable to restrain his anger, he secretly vowed: “To my surprise, you group of hybrids and dregs refused to become my subordinates. You despised me! This proves your identities are deserved?! Very good, this disgrace is already engraved in my memory, there will inevitably be a day where I will make you all regret this!”
When Zong Ge made the body double use a divine spell to prove his identity, he made the body double indignant.
The body double immediately grabbed his sword hilt, his brows deeply wrinkled, his complexion sunk, his gaze became as chilly as ice, and he growled: “Zong Ge, pay attention to your words! You have the audacity to scorn the gods! My body sustains the gaze of Emperor Sheng Ming, this is the blessing of the gods. Divine spells are the gods giving more favor, they are not something to show off or used to proof status. Apologize to me at once! If not, you invite a templar knight’s fury!”
As the body double said that, he stepped forward and approached Zong Ge.
Behind him, Lan Zao, Hei Juan, and the others touched their weapons. Zi Di’s hand entered her handbag and the oaf picked up his wooden log with a low growl from the depths of his throat.
Zhen Jin’s heart immediately jumped into his throat, he nervously sweated: “Dammit! Why is he so rude and impetuous? You cannot fight Zong Ge!”
Following Zong Ge withdrawal, Zhen Jin finally felt himself finally retreat safely from a precipice: “This body double is a little too heroic.”
The body double then publicly admitted Zong Ge’s group, taking the initiative to invite them back to camp.
Zhen Jin wanted to stomp in anger: “You don’t show the wolf into the house! This stupidity is simply beyond redemption!
After returning to camp, Zhen Jin privately found Zi Di again, the body double deciding something without his permission made him feel very resentful.
He was angry at Zi Di: “He really thinks he is still a templar knight. He also said things about fairness, impartiality, and treating everyone equally……this teased Zong Ge’s group, ha ha, this is simply stupid!”
Zi Di was helpless: “My Lord, previously I did not state the situation clearly enough, many grave issues have arisen in the memories given to the body double.”
“It is not good to retort the body double’s actions to his face. That is your Lordship’s authority.”
“His actions are actually very beneficial; it is a perfect pretense. Even Zong Ge believes his identity with absolute certainty.”
Zhen Jin deeply sighed; he was finally convinced.
……
The lumbering team and the camp suffered simultaneous attacks.
During the defense, the body double found clues of a hidden hand.
The body double had a grave expression: “This hidden hand is not simple, not only can they mobilize the bat monkeys and the silver level rhinoceros, they also have impressive tactical skills. They split their force into two with one simply meant to pin us down and another focused on the main target, the camp. They understand that the camp is our weakest and most important area.”
“Good. We must eradicate them!” Zong Ge nodded.
“Then let us move with just the two of us, the others will just be a burden.” The body double took the lead, Zong Ge then threw away his sword before following.
Zhen Jin watched the two people leave camp, he felt both joy and concern.
“This guy takes too many risks. What does he remember that makes him so reckless and brave?”
“This is too risky.”
“Alas, I hope he can return safely!”
Zong Ge returned with a crocodile head hammer tail boa corpse, causing a commotion, but the body double hadn’t returned yet.
Zhen Jin found Zi Di: “We paid a huge price for his body double and just took possession of it. We cannot let him act so independently!”
“He unexpectedly penetrated the forest alone; this is mindlessly risky.”
“We need to be good at using him, make him protect our safety, and produce the most value for us.”
“You are right, your Lordship.” Zi Di acknowledged him and was also vexed, “But what should be done?”
“This……”
Zi Di then said: “Truth be told, I hope the body double can return safely, I have already prayed to the heavens.”
Zhen Jin sighed again: “Alas, I also want that too.”
……
Not only did the body double return, he eliminated a blue dog fox wolf and came back with crucial information about the hidden hand.
Zi Di said: “His Lordship had been tailing the beast group for a long time, and just as the blue dog fox wolf attempted to subdue a monkey tail brown bear, he risked his life to ambush and kill the blue dog fox wolf.”
“Lord Zhen Jin, to just use a human’s strength to resolve the persistent threat to the camp is already extraordinary.”
The body double looked at the girl’s beautiful amethyst eyes, slightly smiling, he reached out and held Zi Di’s hand on the table.
Zi Di subconsciously pulled back her hand slightly, however she stopped and let the body double hold her hand.
“He really deserves to be called my body double!” Zhen Jin also took part, he was very pleased with himself, “Well done……fart!”
“Dammit, he went as far as to hold my fiancée’s hand!”
“Let go now you brute!!”
“It seems we need to change our strategy.” Mu Ban said, “We cannot just cut wood, we need to make powerful crossbows with all speed.”
Everyone began to discuss how they were going to respond to magic beast corps commanded by blue dog fox wolves.
But Zhen Jin was concerned with the body double touching Zi Di’s hand.
“He still hasn’t let go? When will you let go!?”
He was very indignant, he wanted to immediately stand up and stab Silver Lightning into the body double’s forehead.
But he couldn't!
“Calm down, calm down. Currently I am only Hei Juan, he is Zhen Jin!”
“Furthermore……”
“Silver Lightning is in his hands.”
Notes
Imagine thinking your a smooth talking chad yet constantly get talked out of sex by your fiancee in two to three sentences. If you think I have a low opinion of Zhen Jin, you’d be 100% right. I wouldn’t really call him a foil to the MC, that would be too kind. He is a parallel opposite, the MC cares for others while blaming himself for his failings, while Zhen Jin despises his lessers and rationalizes his failings without questioning himself. One questions if memory really determines personality, considering how the MC interpreted Zhen Jin’s memories compared to how he felt during that time.