Chapter 1099: Section 1100: Injury
Canaan could feel his life continuously ebbing away. But there was nothing he could do to remedy it; he could only widen his eyes, trying his best not to fall asleep.
Once he fell asleep, he might never wake up again.
He didn’t want to die, even if there was just a glimmer of hope, he wanted to cling to it.
But was there really any hope?
In this remote and desolate wilderness, at a time when humans and demons were in ceaseless conflict, would anyone remember him?
Many shadows flickered through Canaan’s mind, those who had affected his life, all emerging slowly like scenes from a scroll. His mother, who suffered discrimination because of him but never complained; his father, whom he wanted to retaliate against yet yearned to be close to… the Serpent Tail Demon who had humiliated him, Pulapa who watched from the shadows… and the shopkeeper who brought him out from the mire of the lower levels.
These shadows twisted and entangled, some turning into nothingness, some hiding in darkness, and others burying themselves deep in memory.
The only ones that shone brightly were Pulapa and the shopkeeper.
Because only they were still in Lassudral, and only they might remember him, they might even come to save him.
Even though Canaan knew in his heart that the likelihood of this was extremely slim.
That plan was about to be executed, and now that demons had all gone into hiding, who would willingly leave their comfort zone to seek discomfort? As for the shopkeeper, Canaan was well aware that his strength was not great, and it was unlikely for him to leave the security of the Misty Cabin during these dangerous times.
So, in the end, no one would still remember him.
Yet Canaan still refused to give up, even though the severe pain made his whole body convulse, he didn’t want to let go of himself.
He wanted to live, even if he was destined to fall into darkness, as long as he could take one more look at this world, that would be enough.
Canaan opened his eyes, gazing at the flames floating in the sky, watching the icebergs drifting in from the distant heavens, quietly waiting for the final moment to arrive… But just then, Canaan heard a buzzing sound.
It was nearby.
A thought flashed through Canaan’s mind. Did the buzzing sound mean there was life nearby? He tried to turn his head as much as he could, his expression filled with pleading, no matter if it was a human or a demon, as long as they could save him, as long as they could save him…
Canaan turned his head toward the source of the buzzing sound, only to reveal a look of disappointment.
It was just a metallic sphere flying in the air.
He didn’t know what use this metallic sphere had, but it obviously couldn’t save him. However, Canaan thought, this metallic sphere might be the last variable to appear here, no matter what, he wanted to give it a try.
With that in mind, Canaan opened his mouth, which was filled with the scent of blood, and in a voice almost as faint as a mosquito’s, said:
“Save me.”
…
Should he save Canaan?
Angel actually hesitated for a moment because, after all, Canaan was a demon, and ultimately on a different path from humans.
Moreover, Canaan’s will to survive was astonishing. Such tenacity, coupled with his own powerful bloodline of sea demons, made his talent and potential quite good. If he did not perish, he would surely grow into a powerful demon.
The strength previously demonstrated by Jia had already made Angel feel some guilt. If he saved Canaan now, it would be like creating another powerful adversary for humans in the future.
Angel hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he still decided to save him.
It wasn’t just that Canaan had directly asked him for help, but he also felt that his previous thoughts were an overestimation of himself.
The strength of demons is collective, as is that of humans; demons will improve, and so will humans. The strength of an individual, unless reaching the level of a Demon God, cannot affect the overall situation.
What’s more, when Canaan had worked in the Misty Cabin, he had been very dedicated. Without Canaan’s help, Angel wouldn’t have been able to gather the money to buy materials so quickly. For this reason alone, Angel would save Canaan.
“Save me…” At first, Canaan said these words in Demon Language, but later, his mouth switched to speaking the common language of humans, regardless of who it was, he was willing to ask even an enemy for help.
A long time passed, and the metallic sphere showed no response.
Just as Canaan was about to despair, the metallic sphere suddenly began to move.
It swayed up and down in the air, and at first, Canaan didn’t understand its intention. Later, he realized that the sphere seemed to be writing words in the air through its movements.
——Hold on.
Although the “Demon Language” written by the metallic sphere was a bit crude, Canaan still understood it.
“It… is telling me to hold on?” So does it mean it’s going to save me? Hope suddenly burst forth in Canaan’s eyes, but soon, the brightness in his eyes slowly dimmed again. Could the metallic sphere, hovering in mid-air, really save him?
——Canaan.
At that moment, the metallic sphere moved again, and to his surprise, it wrote his name out of thin air.
Canaan was puzzled. How did the metallic sphere know who he was?
In Lassudral, actually quite a few knew his name. But at this time, for the metallic sphere to write his own name seemed to tell him: I know your name; I’m coming to save you.
Canaan’s heart, which had sunk to the lowest depths, began to slowly rise again.
The metal sphere, after inscribing its own name in the air, ceased to move. It was quite a while later, when Canaan began to wonder if his earlier understanding was mistaken and if all this was just a figment of his imagination, that a buzzing noise suddenly came from afar.
Canaan was startled and turned his head to look.
He saw a new metal sphere flying over from the sky not far away.
However, this metal sphere did not come alone; tied to its smooth body was a small pouch.
The metal sphere with the pouch slowly descended in front of Canaan, the pouch was untied, and out rolled a light blue little bottle, which landed on top of it.
Canaan struggled to reach out, picked up the bottle, having vaguely seen some writing on it previously.
Indeed, there was a small label stuck to the bottle. At the top, in the common language of humans, Canaan scrutinized it for a moment, and it seemed to read “Water of Life.” Beneath the label was obviously something newly written, the ink not yet dry, with a line of very crudely written Demon Language: Pour on the wound.
He had speculated a lot about who the metal sphere might belong to, and whether the other party really intended to save him. When he saw the handwriting on the label, Canaan suddenly realized the truth.
This clumsy Demon Script was identical to the text on the Misty Cabin’s sign.
It was from the owner’s hand.
Canaan’s hands trembled slightly, and a thin film of moisture covered his eyes.
At least someone in Lassudral still remembered him.
Canaan furrowed his brow, suppressed the surge of emotion, and quietly said thank you.
…
Half an hour later, Angel was still searching for any trace of humans through the Scouting Puppet when footsteps were heard from outside the Domain of Wind.
The footsteps were unstable and staggering.
Angel turned his head and glanced at Fafnir, who was guzzling drink and gorging on meat. When Fafnir’s gaze reached outside the Domain of Wind, and she clearly saw the figure outside, she didn’t say a word, with a casual wave of her hand.
A gap appeared in the Domain of Wind.
Through the gap, one could clearly see the thick smoke covering the sky outside.
Within the rolling smoke, a figure stumbled in. As the figure entered the courtyard, the gap in the Domain of Wind sealed itself back up.
As soon as the person entered the courtyard, they leaned against a nearby tree, gasping for air. It took a good while to settle their breathing before they raised their head and said, “Lady Fafnir, the owner… I have returned.”
“Running out at a time like this, you’re just asking for trouble,” Fafnir said with a cold laugh after inspecting the person’s chest and abdominal wounds.
Angel, on the other hand, greeted them with a smile, “Are your injuries feeling any better?”
The person was indeed Canaan. After being treated with the Water of Life, its wounds had slowly started to heal but a complete recovery would still require a prolonged period of rest.
“Much better,” Canaan nodded, “Thanks to the owner’s potion, otherwise I reckon I would have died out there.”
“Had you not possessed the will to live, you wouldn’t have held out until the Scouting Puppet appeared,” Angel replied.
This acknowledgment by Angel, that it was indeed him who had sent the medicine, deepened Canaan’s sense of gratitude. For it, without Angel’s help, there might have been no hope.
Not knowing quite how to express his gratitude, Canaan simply kept repeating his thanks.
“There’s no need for thanks, think of it as a parting benefit for an employee,” Angel said casually, unconcerned. “Hold on, I’ll check your wound.”
Angel squatted down to inspect Canaan’s injury. From his perspective through the Scouting Puppet, he had suspected it to be a through-and-through wound. Now, seeing it in person, it was indeed the case.
The wound was in the process of healing, but that would at most ensure Canaan wouldn’t die. For complete healing, Canaan would have to find a way himself.
Of course, Angel had medicines that could instantly heal Canaan’s injuries, such as the life-saving Water from Ironclad Granny with such effects. However, even Angel was in short supply of such precious potions.
Moreover, with the tenacity of a demon’s physique, as long as Canaan didn’t act recklessly, recovery was inevitable sooner or later.
After assessing the injury, a look of puzzlement appeared on Angel’s face; Canaan really had no other injuries besides the single through-and-through wound… Earlier, he had speculated whether Canaan might have fought with someone, but it now seemed that was not the case.
“How did you get this wound?” Angel asked curiously.
Canaan fell silent, his expression dimming, seemingly reluctant to speak.
Angel didn’t want to press, ready to move past the question, but just then, after a long silence, Canaan softly said:
“It was caused by a tentacle piercing from Nitotipu.”
Nitotipu? Angel wore a look of confusion. Who was that?
“Nitotipu is one of the seven seats in the Void Tower,” Fafnir said while continuing to eat, speaking nonchalantly, “Its true form is an octopus. Speaking of which, I’ve always wanted to taste what its tentacles would be like?”
As she said this, Fafnir cut a small piece of Magic Marrow Meat with a silver knife, forked it, and placed it into her mouth. Her delicate tongue licked the edges of her lips, conveying a formidable presence.
Angel was briefly stunned before realizing that for Nitotipu to be listed among the seven seats of the Void Tower, it must be one of the great demons at the very top of the Lassudral Pyramid.
Since Fafnir said its true form was an octopus, Angel recalled one of the demons that flew out from the Void Tower earlier seemed to match Fafnir’s description quite well.