Chapter 9: Fang Shi (1)

The atmosphere completely changed after they arrived at Fang Shi.

Liu Kai felt uneasy after they arrived. His 'perception' is higher than before but it feels like he is blind inside Fang Shi.

His senses are dulled and can't feel anything. The only thing that they can trust is their eyesight.

"I can't sense anything. Can you?" Jin Chow asked.

"I can't also. It's like our perception is being blocked by something that I can't identify." Liu Kai closed his eyes and tries to expand his 'perception' but he can't sense anything at all.

'This is gonna be harder than I thought.'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

Fang Shi is one of the greatest countries in Seventh Domain before the Great Catastrophe happened. But look at the streets right now, the streets are like a river.

The whole Fang Shi became a big swamp. Maybe because of the low altitude of the whole country that it became a wetland.

The water is stagnant and water plants like lotuses, water lilies, frogbits, and other plants that can be found in wetlands can be seen in the country. But the sizes of the plants are humungous compare to their normal sizes.

The water is about 20 feet above the ground. It is not that clear be you can still see the ground from the top. Some cars can also be seen underwater.

Trees that are bigger than normal sizes can also be found growing out from buildings and different structures. The trees' roots infiltrated the inside of the buildings with the branches hanging out on the streets and the vines hanging from the branches. Mosses can also be found on any surface.

Liu Kai and Jin Chow are now on top of one of the buildings.

"So this is the appearance of an abandoned country." Liu Kai stated.

Jin Chow can't believe that Fang Shi will look like this after the Great Catastrophe. He is just scanning the area with astonishment.

"This is beautiful." Jin Chow said.

"Nature is beautiful." Jin Chow added.

Nighttime is coming and they are planning to camp on top of the building but...

KABOOM!!!

Liu Kai and Jin Chow fall from the top of the building and sinks in the water.

"What happened?" Jin Chow asked after he swam onto the surface while holding on to a big floating plant.

They both cover their faces as the strong gust comes from the direction of the explosion.

"Something fell from the sky." Liu Kai answered. He's already on top of a floating plant.

Liu Kai tries to expand his perception once again but can't sense anything. When the smoke is gone, they both used the plants as a footing to jump and grab on to the hanging vines.

They climb the vines and walk to the tree branches of the tree that used the building they fall from for its rooting.

Liu Kai and Jin Chow look at each other after checking the cracks. They are sure that they are being attacked.

"It's like from an air cannon." Liu Kai stated.

"Let's try to hide." Jin Chow suggests.

"Yeah, let's go." Liu Kai said.

KABOOM!!!

Something fell from the sky again. Liu Kai and Jin Chow barely dodged it.

Before they can even recover-

KABOOM!!!

Another explosion was made again.

'Again from above.'

'I think it can only attack from above.'

'In that case to see what's attacking us-'

"Jin Chow let's get on top of the trees." Liu Kai shouted.

"What? why?" Jin Chow asked.

"Use your skill. Let's check what's attacking us, I think it's in the sky." Liu Kai asks Jin Chow.

"I can only use my skill twice a day, are you sure that this is a good time to use it?" Jin Chow asked Liu Kai.

"Yes, do it." Liu Kai shouted in a hurry.

Jin Chow went on top of the trees first. He can't identify what is it because it's too far but something is in the sky.

KABOOOOOOM!!!

Jin Chow was hit by the attack and hit his back on one of the tree branches hanging out to the streets and fall into the water.

Liu Kai is also climbing the building to get on top but he saw Jin Chow falling.

"Jin Chow!" Liu Kai shouted.

Liu Kai plans to jump from the building to catch Jin Chow but.....

KABOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

Another attack came out and force Liu Kai to take cover.

The attacks are getting vicious and the building is collapsing from the attacks.

Liu Kai plans to receive the attack head on to activate his skill. But he might get killed before the skill activates by looking at the damage on the building from the last attack. But Jin Chow is at risk because he sunk underwater.

And he is in that position because of Liu Kai's suggestion. That's why Liu Kai cannot afford to remain standing.

'What happened to Jin Chow? I told him to activate his skill.'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

Liu Kai is calculating the delayed time before every attack and used that delayed time to jump into the water.

Liu Kai found Jin Chow sinking and unconscious. He swims to Jin Chow's direction and picks up his body and swims to the surface.

Liu Kai hides to an abandoned building and removes Jin Chow's armor. He then proceeds to pump his chest so Jin Chow can properly breathe. He checks if Jin Chow is already breathing and after he verified that Jin Chow is breathing he pick up his body.

He decided to go outside of Fang Shi for now while Jin Chow is unconscious.

He is not sure if the assailants will follow them but he can fight back outside better than inside of Fang Shi where his perception is being blocked.

Thankfully, whatever attacks them didn't follow Liu Kai and Jin Chow.

He is carrying Jin Chow on his shoulder while jumping from floating plants to floating plants as fast as he can.

Liu Kai arrives outside of Fang Shi. He carefully leans Jin Chow on a tree.

"Jin Chow wake up!" Liu Kai demanded.

But there's no response.

Liu Kai checks Jin Chow's body. There are no bruises on his arms, which means it hit him without having a chance to defend himself.

'His injury is severe, this is the effect of those attacks earlier.'

'I am correct, I won't even have a chance to activate my skill if a receive that attack.'

'If I manage to damage myself and activate my skill, I still don't have a way to fight back in the sky.'

'Even if I reduced my health to near death, there's no chance for me to win.'

'And it's too risky to do that option.'

"Tsk."

Liu Kai frowned.

Liu Kai is so frustrated that they need to slow down earlier, but now he even needs to go back because of what happened.

'Thankfully Jin Chow is not bleeding, he just unconscious from a powerful attack.'

'I need to calm myself and wait for Jin Chow to wake up for now.'

'Those attacks is that the power an S-Rated Bug?'

'But what kind of bug has the ability like that?'

'I don't even know whats the enemy.'

Liu Kai decided to take shelter for now and take care of Jin Chow. Since he doesn't have a choice. He is the one to blame why Jin Chow is in this state in the first place.

'Night time is coming.'

It's a cold starry evening. Liu Kai started a fire and sleep beside Jin Chow. They already moved to a cave to take shelter and Jin Chow is still unconscious.

*****

"Liu Kai you must save the world before it's too late."

*****

Jin Chow wakes up Liu Kai.

"What happened?" Liu Kai shouted after waking up. He is full of sweat and breathing heavily.

"You are dreaming." Jin Chow replied while kneeling in front of him.

'The voice is the same voice of this game like system.'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

"Are you okay now?" Liu Kai asked Jin Chow.

"Yeah somehow." Jin Chow answered.

"About yesterday, It's just a glimpse but I think that it's a human." Jin Chow added.

"A human? how?" Liu Kai is confused.

"Yeah at first I thought that it's an aircraft attacking us from above. But after going up, before I can even activate my skill, I saw the attack descending and it's a human wearing a bird mask hits me." Jin Chow stated.

"How is that possible?" Liu Kai asked Jin Chow.

"I don't know." Jin Chow replied.

Liu Kai re-imagine the power of the attacks yesterday and can't believe that it's a human.

'But if it's really a human, then the enemy is not staying above.'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

They decided to enter Fang Shi again.

They are extra cautious now than before. They are expecting an attack anytime especially from above.

Jin Chow is ready to cast his skill if something happens. Now that he doesn't have an armor he will surely die if the person hits him again. They entered the inside of one of the buildings to avoid aerial attacks.

They are also using the vines to move from abandoned building to building. They are advancing without getting attack but they are not sure if they are already noticed by an enemy.

It is scary because they don't know who is their enemy and how many are they. S-Rated Bugs can also be found in this abandoned place.

It's a good thing that most bugs are alone and will kill each other if they meet even if they are in the same family. Because, if they join forces humanity is surely screwed up.

KABOOOOM!!!

'It started.'

Liu Kai thought to himself when they were attacked after stepping on the top of a building.

"So you didn't learn your lesson yesterday."

A voice of a man came out from the smoke.

The Falcon Mask of the man was seen when the smoke perished. He is wearing a hooded cloak that hides his body.

"Why are you attacking us?" Jin Chow asked.

"No humans are supposed to be here. Go back if you still want to live." The masked man told them.

"You are not in the right place to say that. I am Jin Chow, a Knight Apprentice from the fourth squad and assigned to investigate this place by the Monarchy." Jin Chow stated while raising his Knight medallion.

"I don't care, if you want to live you should go back to the human territories." The masked man told them.

[Health is reduced to 30%]

[Skill Berserk will now be: Activated]

[100 total points are now added on all of your stats]

Liu Kai already cut his wrist using a broken glass that he saw on the floor to inflict damage to himself.

"I have a lot of questions, answer me if you want to live." Liu Kai fiercely walks in between Jin Chow and the Masked Man.

"Ohh, you are acting tough because of gaining a bit of strength?" The Masked Man replied to Liu Kai.

Liu Kai and the Masked Man are now facing each other in a close distance.

Jin Chow plans to talk some sense to the Masked Man but Liu Kai doesn't have the patience to wait.

The Masked Man punched Liu Kai on the face but...

Liu Kai remained on his feet. Liu Kai tilts his head back to look directly at the Masked Man.

"You're tougher than I thought." The Masked Man stated.

[Activate Probability]

Liu Kai speaks to the system in his mind.

[Probability is activated]

[The Die (Dice) indicates the number 3]

[Power will be multiplied by 3]

The masked man sensed the abnormal change of strength from Liu Kai's arm and tilt his head to look at it.

Because the Masked Man was so close to Liu Kai, Liu Kai can use his perception if it's this close and felt the Masked Man's worries after looking at his right arm.

But the Masked Man didn't run or he doesn't have a chance to run anymore. Liu Kai clenched his fist and punched the mask.

The Masked Man flew and hit his back on the fence of the rooftop.