Shackles of Humanity

Leaflets drifted through the air, and more were scattered across the ground. Luo Kai picked one up. As it turned out, the news of Hulu Pass’s fall was being spread by the Nanzhao Kingdom. Their goal was clearly to shatter the morale of Ironwood Castle’s defenders, and they had already succeeded. A bleak and despairing mood now permeated the castle.

He felt a pang of sorrow. He didn’t want to see the Xingma Kingdom suffer a crushing defeat, but the course of the war was beyond his control. An individual’s power, even that of a formidable Martial Artist, was insignificant in a conflict between nations.

The Mercenary Corps’ quarters was a dormitory converted from an underground parking garage, piled high with all sorts of weapons and ammunition. The small remaining space had been partitioned into several single rooms.

Luo Kai had just laid down when Ah Hu ran over and called for him. "Brother Luo, Sister Hong wants to see you. Captain Gao and the others are back."

"So soon? I thought Ironwood Castle was already surrounded. How did they get back?"

Ah Hu scratched his head. "I don’t know about that."

It was the same bar, but now with five new men inside—the kind of men who would stand out in any crowd. One of them was over two meters tall, built like a tank, with a bare chest covered in black hair. With his fierce expression, he looked just like a bear.

Another man was about Luo Kai’s height, but his arms were unnaturally long, nearly dangling to his ankles. That, combined with his high, protruding forehead, reminded Luo Kai of a gibbon.

The other three were just as peculiar in their own ways, hardly looking like normal humans. Each one seemed more like a wild beast.

The five men were chatting and laughing with several women in heavy makeup, getting a little handsy from time to time, which elicited a flurry of playful giggles and mock-angry scolding.

When Luo Kai arrived, the five men immediately turned to size him up. The bear-like man walked over, enthusiastically extending two hands covered in black hair. "You must be the new brother! Welcome, welcome!"

Luo Kai’s sense of smell was exceptionally sharp. The moment the man got close, he was hit by a pungent, foul stench, as if the man had just crawled out of a pile of rotting corpses. Luo Kai shook his hand with some reluctance. Just as he was about to let go, a great force suddenly gripped him. Caught off guard, his hand was squeezed out of shape.

The pain made him let out a muffled grunt, and his eyes instantly flashed red. His distorted hand rapidly swelled back to size as he forcefully squeezed back. His opponent’s strength was no less than his own; in fact, his Explosive Power might have even been greater. For a moment, the two were locked in a stalemate.

After a moment, a tall, scar-covered man stepped forward to intervene. "Black Bear, let go. Is that any way to greet a new teammate?"

"Heh heh, this kid’s not bad. I approve," Black Bear said, grinning as he released his grip.

Luo Kai rubbed his sore hand, feeling a healthy dose of respect. ’This bear of a man is definitely a powerful Martial Artist,’ he thought, ’and anyone who can be his teammate must be extraordinary as well.’

The tall man also had a strange appearance; he was as thin as a beanpole. He came over to shake Luo Kai’s hand. "Black Bear was just joking with you. Don’t mind him. You’re Luo Kai, right? My name is Gao Gang. Welcome to the team."

"Hello." Luo Kai stabilized his Qi and Blood Circulation. He was actually quite pleased. ’It would be boring if all my teammates were weaklings,’ he thought. He had always been rather solitary, but now he had finally met people he could spar with and measure himself against.

The other three also gathered around to shake his hand and introduce themselves.

This was a five-man squad that had spent years on battlefields across various countries and possessed a wealth of combat experience. Gao Gang was the captain, responsible for strategy and coordination. The bear-like man was nicknamed Black Bear, renowned for his Power. The long-armed man was named Ah Shan, who was incredibly skilled in close-quarters combat. The member carrying the sniper rifle was named Gu Ming, a formidable sniper. The last member was an older-looking man named Gu Shun, Gu Ming’s older brother, who was in charge of stealth and reconnaissance.

The two brothers looked somewhat alike, both possessing the slender build of a wildcat and round faces. Combined with the mustaches on their cheeks, they strongly resembled members of the Felidae family.

As Luo Kai had expected, all five men were Martial Artists, and not ordinary ones at that. Martial Artists were divided into simple tiers: First Rank, Middle Stage, and High Rank. The First Rank and Middle Stage were primarily assessed based on physical prowess, with a Mid-level Martial Artist being roughly twice as strong as a First Rank Martial Artist.

Their actual combat effectiveness was far greater. A single Mid-level Martial Artist could take on three or four First Rank Martial Artists without being at a disadvantage. Against an ordinary person, they could score an instant kill. And five Mid-level Martial Artists grouped together? To put it simply, they could annihilate a military camp of several thousand soldiers with ease!

As for High-Rank Martial Artists, they were far more mysterious. It was said that to reach that level, one must either master a certain Body Technique to its absolute peak or touch the threshold of the Refining Spirit Realm and awaken some sort of mystical Superpower.

In fact, at his peak, Luo Kai had been a High-Rank Martial Artist. Now, he could barely be considered Middle Stage. However, he possessed unique Qi and Blood Circulation techniques. Combined with the profundities of his Mighty Dragon Fist and Soft Body Technique, if he were to truly unleash his full power, his combat effectiveness would be no less than that of a High-Rank Martial Artist.

The men carried in case after case of beer and entered the private room where Hongyun was. She was still sitting inside, elegantly sipping red wine. It seemed she had nothing else to do—she didn’t eat, she didn’t sleep, she just sat here drinking all day.

"Alright, now that you’re all acquainted, it’s time to head out on a mission together," Hongyun announced. "Your next task is to investigate the layout of the Nanzhao Kingdom army’s blockade and find a way to disrupt it!"

Gao Gang asked with concern, "Sister Hong, are you saying the Xingma Kingdom still has a chance to turn the tables?"

Hongyun gently swirled the wine in her glass and shook her head. "That’s not our concern. We just get paid to do a job. I expect the war will be over soon, and then we can all take an early vacation. You have four hours to rest. You leave tonight."

The men left, once again carrying their beer. Luo Kai was the last to go, but as he stood up, Hongyun called out to him. "Luo Kai, I hope you’ll look after these brothers of yours. I don’t want to see a single one of their corpses."

Luo Kai froze, then pointed at himself in confusion. "Me look after them? You don’t have that backward, do you?"

Hongyun just smiled. With a sudden, slight wave of her hand, the red wine bottle on the table floated slowly into her grasp.

Luo Kai felt a familiar frequency emanating from her—it was the unique Resonance of the Water Element. He couldn’t help but exclaim in shock, "You... You’re an Elemental Master, too?"

Hongyun poured herself a glass of wine and inhaled its aroma with an appreciative air. "The frequency of wine is even more subtle than that of water," she said softly. "And in the same way, every person’s frequency is unique."

Luo Kai sat back down, his consciousness extending beyond his physical body, allowing him to perceive that familiar frequency with even greater clarity.

Hongyun closed her eyes as well. Their two consciousnesses gently brushed against each other, sending a jolt like an electric shock through him. A tingling numbness spread from his mind throughout his entire body. The sensation was sublime. Luo Kai instinctively sped up his Qi and Blood Circulation, increasing the efficiency of their frequency’s Resonance, seeking to achieve Fusion with her consciousness.

Hongyun’s consciousness gradually lost the strength to resist, helplessly accepting the Fusion. Before long, both of their faces were flushed.

At that same moment, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky above Ironwood Castle. All the surrounding water molecules rapidly converged on this one spot. A torrential downpour was imminent.

"Hmph! You little brat!"

Just as Luo Kai was reveling in their spiritual union, Hongyun let out a muffled grunt and severed the connection. She glared at him furiously. "You little brat! Do you have any idea that what you just did is called taking advantage of someone?!"

Luo Kai opened his eyes, only to find himself completely soaked. Droplets of pale red wine were floating in the air beside him. "What’s wrong?" he asked, bewildered.

"Do... do you not know that you can’t forcibly initiate a Fusion with someone else’s consciousness?"

"Ah, I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t know."

Her anger unabated, Hongyun stood up and stormed out.

Luo Kai remained on the sofa in a daze, still basking in the sublime feeling from moments before. He finally snapped out of it after a long while. Thinking about it, he understood why Hongyun had been so angry. ’A person’s consciousness, just like their body, is governed by Yin and Yang,’ he realized. ’Likes repel, and opposites attract. My consciousness’s frequency was drawn to hers, and instinct drove me to seek Fusion and communication. But since she was unwilling, it became an act of force.’