Nervous?
The few n on the ship glanced at each other as if they had heard an absurd joke, then suddenly burst into mocking laughter.
At this ti, should they be the ones feeling nervous, or this stranger of unknown origin standing before them?
The tattooed Sublimator, who had been wearing sunglasses, opened his mouth and spat his gum at Huai Shi's feet, his smile gradually turning icy. "Be honest. Where do you co from? Why are you here? What's your purpose?"
"I think I understand."
After so thought, Huai Shi replied, "I set out from Darwin, planning to head to Canberra. As for my purpose, would traveling count?"
The Sublimator wearing sunglasses was taken aback for a mont, then his expression grew even colder. "Are you kidding , kid? Are you trying to tell you crossed the desert alone to get here?"
"Isn't that what traveling is all about?" Huai Shi shrugged. "It was tough, but it also gave quite a sense of achievent."
CLICK.
The sound of firearms being loaded echoed.
On the ship, several n had already raised their weapons, aiming them at the young man before them.
"Next ti you lie, pick a better excuse, kid," the Sublimator said indifferently. "Just a week ago, a radiation storm swept through the entire central desert of Australia. No one below a Fifth Stage Sublimator could have walked out of there alive."
"Uh, actually, you don't need to be that high a level."
Huai Shi shook his head and sighed. "Besides, from what I know, more than one person has managed to stroll out of there. Look, can you please lower your guns for now? It's hard to talk like this; I'm getting quite nervous. Let's just calm down. I need to get sothing from my pocket. Don't shoot, okay?"
As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand and reached into his saddlebag, but the tattooed Sublimator instantly drew a pistol and pressed it against Huai Shi's forehead.
"Don't move!"
"Alright then..."
Huai Shi sighed. "I won't move. Can you help get it out? My identification is in the bag. I should at least get a chance to prove my origins are legitimate, right? Trust , I don't want any trouble, and I don't think you do either."
After a mont of silence, the Sublimator with the sunglasses took a step back, holstered his gun, and waved to soone behind him.
Soon, soone jumped down from the ship, frisked Huai Shi thoroughly, and, finding no weapons, finally reached into Huai Shi's bag.
He quickly pulled out a damaged and heavy Longsword...
As if stung by a scorpion, the frisker cried out and snatched his hand back. The Longsword clattered to the ground, and a burn mark appeared on his palm.
Instantly, rifles and guns were aid at Huai Shi's face, their killing intent palpable.
"You grabbed the wrong thing," Huai Shi sighed, explaining helplessly. "Equipnt binding, you understand? Only I can use this sword... Could you please try again?"
The frisker was furious, pressing his gun against Huai Shi's forehead.
Then, he saw Huai Shi raise his eyes to et his gaze. Huai Shi told him, "Try again. Quickly."
Do as I say.
It's for your own good.
Huai Shi's calm expression showed not the slightest hint of fear or panic. Instead, it conveyed an undeniable order, urging the man not to waste ti.
The frisker swallowed hard and looked toward his captain. He saw the captain's expression change; the captain quickly glanced at him. Finally mustering his courage, the frisker swallowed again and reached out once more.
This ti, under Huai Shi's guidance, he succeeded.
He retrieved the identification from the outermost pocket of the bag.
Then, he saw the black leather cover, gleaming with the emblem of the Astronomical Society.
The frisker's hands trembled as if stung by a scorpion again, and he dropped the identification onto the ground.
The atmosphere grew tense once more. So n raised their guns, but the frisker scread, "Don't shoot! Don't fire! I'm okay!"
The atmosphere solidified for a brief mont.
Soon, as they clearly saw the emblem on the docunts, a chill crept up everyone's spines, despite the oppressive heat of the sun.
It was bone-chilling.
Especially when the docunt that had fallen to the ground slowly unfurled, revealing the credentials of an Astronomical Society Registered Military Officer and Inspector.
Everyone froze, realizing the gravity of what they had just done.
Cold sweat quickly drenched their backs.
No one was foolish enough to think that just because this place was remote and desolate, with no one else in sight, they could kill this little bastard in front of them. They weren't naive enough to believe that if everyone kept it a secret, no one would ever find out.
If the Astronomical Society restrained its actions within the sovereign territories of the Five Constants, then outside their borders, the Astronomical Society was a behemoth capable of intimidating any individual or organization.
Even if it was a seemingly insignificant Second Stage Sublimator who died at their hands, The Wasteland Child would undoubtedly pay a terrible price for incurring the Astronomical Society's thunderous wrath.
Besides, it wasn't even certain who would be the one to die...
The tattooed Sublimator swallowed, looked down at Huai Shi's credentials, and then back at the young man's face.
Unbelievable.
"Could it be fake?" soone behind him speculated.
Instantly, before Huai Shi could answer, the Sublimator spun around and slapped the idiot so hard his head nearly flew off his neck.
"What are you still standing around for!" he roared at his subordinates. "Lower your weapons!"
All the rifles and guns vanished as if by magic, their handlers displaying astonishing, miraculous speed.
The tattooed Sublimator had already bent down and picked up the Longsword from the ground. Ignoring his sizzling hands, he bowed respectfully and offered it to Huai Shi with both hands.
"I apologize for the offense just now, sir," the tattooed Sublimator said. Without any regard for his own dignity, he knelt on the ground. "I earnestly beg for your forgiveness for our transgression."
In the silence that made everyone drip with sweat, Huai Shi looked down at the man's terrified face.
After a long mont, he suddenly laughed.
"Just like I said earlier—" he reached out, took the Sword of Virtue, and put it back into his saddlebag. Then he suddenly remarked, "Your vehicle is really nice, isn't it?"
This ti, without needing an order from their leader, everyone jumped out of the vehicle without a word. The driver presented the keys, terrified Huai Shi might refuse them.
They didn't even take their water and food.
Huai Shi scratched his head, eyeing the strange vehicle he had never seen before. "Even if you give it to , I don't know how to drive it."
"Then I shall drive," the tattooed Sublimator said, his head bowed. "Where would you like to go?"
"Canberra," Huai Shi replied. "How long will it take?"
"Four... no, three hours should be enough!"
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Huai Shi swiftly turned, packed up his tent, stuffed it back into his bag, boarded the vessel, found a comfortable chair, and sat down. "Let's get going."
Soon, ignoring the confused questions from their companions over the radio, the black sail steamboat, personally piloted by the tattooed Sublimator, turned around and sped back in the direction they had co from.
A distance of several hundred kiloters was covered in just two and a half hours.
Three hours later, Huai Shi was sitting in the most luxurious hotel in all of Canberra, enjoying the Presidential Suite all to himself.
Five minutes later, the hotel's internal phone rang.
A waiter politely inquired, "Sir, the councilor from Canberra City Hall and leader of The Wasteland Child, Mr. Sand King, has specially reserved the top-floor revolving restaurant for today. He was wondering if you would do him the honor of joining him for dinner?"
Huai Shi scratched his head.
It felt like my original plan of playing the pig to eat the tiger had taken a wrong turn...
Sothing about this plot doesn't seem quite right...
User Comments
0 comments from readers