Cang Xu looked astonished. This was the first time he had heard the secret of Zi Di’s and Zhen Jin’s inseparably close relationship.
“Lord Zhen Jin, you are a true knight.” The old scholar sincerely exclaimed, “Ever since you started traveling with us, your noble behavior has always been our spiritual flag.”
“Perhaps we still have hope.”
“These scorpions’ tails are very sharp, and according to your Lordship’s strength, throwing a scorpion tail could fatally injure another scorpion.”
“We can absolutely rely on this cave to attack from time to time. When the spear scorpions retaliate, we can hide inside.”
Cang Xu proposed a good plan.
The memory that Zhen Jin recovered made his weapon throwing skills very formidable.
The destruction of the flying squirrel group had left a profound impression on Cang Xu.
But Zhen Jin shook his head and candidly said: “The possibility is very small.”
Without the amplification of battle qi, the only reason that he could kill the flying squirrel leader was because his arms transformed and swelled, allowing him to surpass the current limits of his bodily strength.
But now the young knight seemed to have lost the transformation ability.
Regardless of when it was provoking the scorpion group or breaking out of the lizard group’s nest, or even during the recent battles against the silver level scorpion, all of these were life and death crises.
Zhen Jin had relied on his battle experience to get through these dilemmas.
From start to finish, no transformations occurred.
During the moments of life and death, the transformation ability never activated.
“It seems that the magic crystal in my heart does not have enough magic power.”
There were actually some ways of replenishing magic power.
Such as eating magic beast meat and drinking magic beast blood. However, although Zi Di processed the monkey bear blood, only a few bottles had been saved, and they had all been given to Zhen Jin.
But because of the sandstorm, these bottles of magic beast blood had been lost.
At the moment, Zi Di’s small handbag did not have any similar potions.
“I fear that I cannot transform again in the current situation.”
Without transforming, the young knight using just his strength to throw these scorpion tails would result poorly. Without speed and power to support it, the tails could not threaten the scorpions.
“Is that so?” Cang Xu sighed, disappointment spreading across his face.
Zhen Jin gave a water bag to Zi Di and the young girl gradually stopped sobbing as she drank small mouthfuls of fresh water. The motion of drinking gradually stabilized her mood.
The cave sank into a deathly silence.
It really was the end of the line.
A long while later.
“My lord, you should also drink some water.” The young girl handed the water bag from her hands back to Zhen Jin.
Zhen Jin drank a mouthful and moistened his throat that was as arid as a desert.
The cave air was no longer as stinging as before, it seemed that the human adaptability sometimes exceeded expectations.
Besides, in this kind of situation, what could they do if they couldn’t even adapt?
“You should escape, my Lord.” Zi Di advised again in a whisper.
Zhen Jin resolutely made up his mind and responded with a nod: “I will leave at dawn. After I leave and attract as many scorpions as possible, you guys will seize the opportunity to leave separately.”
Although Zhen Jin wanted to protect Zi Di at her side, he understood that among the three here, he was the only one who could assume the heavy responsibility of drawing away the scorpions.
This was the last chance.
Choosing to flee during the day was because the terrain here was uneven with many deep holes and magma pitfalls. Before lava was discharged, ashen smoke would first be ejected. It was fine during the day, however, at night, the smoke was very hard to detect by human eyes, thus making it very dangerous.
“Ok.” Zi Di’s heart trembled as she accepted Zhen Jin’s escape plan.
Cang Xu also nodded but did not speak.
All of them knew that this plan was crude and that the hopes of successfully escaping were very slim, but what else could they do?
It seemed like they were throwing away their lives.
But again, what else could they do?
This was their last resort.
Zi Di quickly drifted off to sleep while hugged by Zhen Jin.
She had drunk some water, but her belly was still rumbling with hunger, yet Zi Di did not sense it as she slept soundly.
This was the most peaceful sleep she ever had, since falling into the desert.
Perhaps it might also be the last sleep she would ever have in her life.
Zhen Jin did not sleep.
He looked at the girl curled up in his chest, the affection and pity in his heart becoming increasingly deeper. He felt that she looked like an emaciated and skinny stray kitten that had been roaming adrift for a long time.
Bai Ya was still unconscious.
Almost all of the exploration team died in battle yet he was still alive.
But if he did not wake up, he would also be buried here.
Time slowly passed by, elapsing midnight into the small hours; at about three to four, Cang Xu slowly opened his eyes.
The old scholar deeply sighed: “My Lord, you are exceedingly hungry.”
The dozing Zhen Jin slightly opened his eyes.
It was indeed a fact.
The stronger the battle qi cultivator, the more nutrition they needed. Archduke Gang Jia in the empire’s north ate three meals of lesser-dragon meat every day, and Prince Huo Huang
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of the Elven Empire ate two kilograms of white frost spirit deer every day.
Currently, Zhen Jin was sitting against the cave wall and did not dare to move. He was afraid of pointlessly consuming strength, even a tiny bit of strength in tomorrow’s battle was valuable, therefore he was saving as much strength as he could.
“Lord Zhen Jin, you need food immediately.” Cang Xu intoned again, this time, his tone was several degrees heavier than before.
Zhen Jin opened his eyes fully and saw the grief and indifference reflected in Cang Xu’s grey eyes.
Zhen Jin coldly snorted.
He knew what Cang Xu meant, the food that the latter was alluding to was Bai Ya!
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But could a templar knight eat a person? That was simply a fantasy! A most repulsive suggestion.
“My Lord, if you are too hungry, how can you have the strength to fight? Bai Ya is our only food and his blood can also substitute water.”
“Shut up.” Zhen Jin softy berated, his gaze filled with fury, “I will never slaughter the innocent on account of myself. If you were Bai Ya, would you want to be treated as food?”
Cang Xu went silent for a moment, then he suddenly smiled, his smile was bitterful, there seemed to be some relief within it as well.
Cang Xu raised his head, took a deep breath, and said something astonishing: “Then I ask my Lordship to eat me first.”
Zhen Jin was stupefied.
Seeing doubt appear on Zhen Jin’s face, Cang Xu smiled and said: “Perhaps you misunderstand me, Lord Zhen Jin. I do not fear death; having lived to my age, what can I not see through? I am only afraid that my pursuits and dreams cannot be realized. Therefore, I understand the value of my own life more than those youngsters because I know I do not have many days remaining and that my time is very precious.”
“But if fate bestows my end, what can I still do? I have fought with all my strength to make a stand and wrangled with my life. Perhaps my struggles could be considered ridiculous, pitiful, lamentable, but I have no regrets.”
“Lord Zhen Jin.” Cang Xu gazed deeply and solemnly at Zhen Jin, “Although I have not traveled with you for long, I still understand you are a noble and true templar knight. You are brave, strong and rises to face difficulties. No matter how powerful the foe is, they cannot topple the flag in your heart. Although you are far stronger than an ordinary person and have outstanding talent, you have always remained humble, while filled with the thirst for knowledge. Although you are young, your adaptability is exceptional and your growth is astounding. You were born a noble, yet you still approach others of lower status as an equal, this is especially invaluable.”
“My Lord, if we try to break through at dawn, Miss Zi Di and I basically have no hope of escaping. It is improbable that the scorpion group will let us off and a single ordinary spear scorpion can end our lives.”
“Your Lordship is probably the only one who will live.”
“However, my Lord, in your present condition, can you still escape ?”
Cang Xu shook his head: “You do not have faith in yourself.”
“Before that happens, any food can raise your Lordship’s probability of survival.”
“If we throw out morality and emotions, then eating Bai Yai would be the wisest decision. Can you deny this point my Lord?”
Zhen Jin did not speak.
Cang Xu continued: “I have once studied the notes of ogres. According to their food standards, the meat quality of young Bai Ya is more tender and nutritious than mine. But I could also serve as food.”
“The most crucial difference between me and Bai Ya is that I am willing to offer myself. So my Lord, you will not be a devil that slaughters the innocent, you are a saviour. The difference is that instead of saving the insignificant life of the weak, you are actually fulfilling a negligible wish before death. Before I die, I have a small wish that I hope your Lordship can fulfill.”
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Cang Xu had a deep understanding of his situation.
He was too old and would almost certainly die when they tried to break through in the morning, in addition, he had a request he wanted to ask for, thus, he put himself forward as a sacrifice for a chance of salvation and having his last wish fulfilled.
Zhen Jin sighed and shook his head: “I will not eat a human being, regardless of whether it is you or Bai Ya. Because I am a knight, a Templar Knight! Fate favors the strong but never pities those who resign themselves to it. Cang Xu, if you believe that you will die, then you will die for certain.”
“But if you have any last wishes, you can say it. I promise you that I will strive to my extent of my abilities to help you accomplish it, while not violating my principles.”
Notes
Half the battle is mentality. The emotions of one person can be a self-fulfilling prophecy that can determine the difference between life and death. There can always be a path forward as long as one believes in hope and themselves, yet there may be other casualties along the way of life, things that one may regret in the future. Compromise is an interesting thing in the realm of morality and ethics, especially in places where such things cannot be enforced.
Translation Notes
(Sunfang hungers, inb4 William Tell Overture starts playing) (there are two other perfectly dead people that Zhen Jin could theoretically still eat, how unfortunate that they vanished without trace) Editor Notes
(damn, this line was hella confusing and ended up getting chibi’s help)