Chapter 132 - Defend
"What's wrong?" seeing Hao Xuan's troubled expression, Sin inquired.
"Check your Spirit Band," he said dismissively and sat next to them.
"Daddy, look," Kana jumped out of Sin's lap and trotted over to Hao Xuan with hurried steps. She still had the puppy in her hands which seemed to be doing much better now. She shoved the little pup in Hao Xuan's face after getting up on his leg.
"Mhm, xiao xiao seems to be much better doesn't he?" he patted her head with a smile. Kana was only about 5-6 years old at most. She had black hair and was wearing pink pajamas. That was her condition when she died in her sleep.
"Poor thing, not even knowing you have passed. How long till you disappear from this world?" he thought inwardly as the smile on his face turned into a sorrowful expression.
There were probably hundreds of other kids like her, no millions if the casualties from the entire kingdom were taken into account. How many others were wandering the road between life and death? How many of them were screaming for their parents? He and Sin were here for Kana but who was there for the others?
"I'm sorry child," he whispered in her ears while trying to hold back his anger and sorrow. Maybe it was the constitution but he had always been like this. When the need arose he could become completely heartless but then there were times that he was so empathetic towards total strangers that it was stupid.
Like right now for example, it wasn't his fault that these people died. He had absolutely nothing to do with it, yet he felt their sadness like it was his doing.
Why did it hurt so much?
"Daddy, don't be sad, where does it hurt? Kana will make it go away," seeing the change in Hao Xuan's expression, she stood up in his lap and caressed his face lovingly.
"Hahaha, nothing, its nothing child. Don't worry about it. Is Xiao xiao awake?" he tried changing the topic and put on a cheerful expression.
"Hmm, Xiao xiao always sleeps when its cold. He is so lazy," she carefully patted its head.
"Mhm," he nodded and then looked over at Sin who was still looking at her Spirit Band.
"We have to leave right now. This place isn't safe," he said trying to get her attention. She looked up at him anxiously.
"What?"
"Kana can't leave this place. If she goes too far then her soul will be damaged. Same if it's attacked. We can go.....but she....can't," Sin couldn't even look at him while saying the last part of the sentence. Her background and training had allowed her to face almost any situation, almost.
Hao Xuan was startled by this sudden development, to say the least. He also went silent, thinking of another way.
"Is there no way we can help her move on quicker?" he inquired hopefully but Sin shook her head dejectedly.
*Sigh*
Hao Xuan checked the time and it was almost 6 p.m. Night was almost here. "Alright, it's pretty clear then. Where's the nearest settlement?" he put Kana down on the sofa and stood up.
Sin was taken aback by his question but then looked at him with absolute disgust. Yet it was human nature to save themselves first. Even she had some thoughts of escaping but she didn't expect Hao Xuan to be so quick.
"Straight South. There's a grade 3 town there with a population of about 2 million, you will be safe there," she pointed at a certain direction and went up to Kana and snuggled next to her on the sofa, ignoring Hao Xuan completely.
"Mhm," Hao Xuan nodded and took out a raincoat and a sword.
"Daddy?" Kana looked at him nervously seeing him getting ready to go out.
Hao Xuan smiled and bent down to pat her head, "Don't worry, Daddy will be back soon. You have to be a good girl and take care of mama and Xiao xiao while I'm gone alright?"
"Mhm," she wanted to say something but held back and simply nodded, tightening her grasp on the pup.
Sin's contemptuous expression turned livid looking at Hao Xuan and any good feelings she had towards him were gone. If not for Kana she would've attacked him herself.
"Good girl," he flashed a smile and quickly walked out of the Inn, disappearing into the pouring rain.
"Mama, when will daddy be back?" Kana asked seeing Hao Xuan's back vanish from her view.
"Soon child. Don't worry, you just focus on helping Xiao xiao," Sin's eyes were watering as she lied through her teeth and hugged Kana.
Time passed slowly as Sin and Kana cozily sat in front of the fireplace and chatted about everything. It was about 1 a.m and Kana's body was becoming more and more ethereal. She seemed to be there yet not there. Soon she would disappear and move on to the next world.
"Mama.....when will daddy be back?" Kana muttered with her eyes half-closed.
"Soon, he is almost back. Just a few more minutes," trying to hold back her own tears she said through gritted teeth.
"You better not show your face in front me ever again, otherwise I will kill you myself," Sin made a vow as Hao Xuan's smile flashed past her eyes.
She checked the time and was surprised. How come there hadn't been any beast attacks yet? If the government's predictions were correct, there should have been several small scale hordes by now, let alone one.
But she didn't linger on it too much as it was a good thing for her. The longer they took to arrive, the less she would have to fight.
*Tik*Tok*Tik*Tok*
The clock's hands moved bit by bit and it finally struck 4 a.m. Kana's legs were already gone and only her upper body was left, which would also be gone soon.
"Mama...daddy..." Kana mumbled incoherently while tightly holding onto Sin with her little fingers.
"Soon child, he's almost here," she consoled her and embraced her even tighter, trying to hold on to her disappearing body.
*BOOOOM*
Suddenly the entire village shook and all the windows of the Inn shattered by the sound wave.
"They're here. Finally, I can take my anger out on someone," her expression turned furious as she got up with Kana and Xiao xiao in her arms and slowly walked out of the Inn. She waved her arm and a pink umbrella with white stars over it appeared in her free hand.
"Pretty," Kana slightly opened her eyes with some effort and looked up at it.
"Do you like it? It's yours," she smiled and brought it closer to Kana who weakly grasped it with an innocent little smile on her face.
*Tap*Tap*
Sin slowly walked out towards the main gate while strands of black Qi surrounded her body. Her two daggers were being held by these strands and were hovering above the head.
The giant iron gate was bent inwards. As she got close to it the daggers struck down once, cutting the gate open.
*Thud*
The gate's pieces fell down and the scene on the other side appeared in front of her. Kana slowly turned her head and a dazzling smile bloomed on her face, "Daddy!"
On the other side, Hao Xuan was standing in front of the gate, huffing loudly.
There were mountains of beast corpses in front of him that blocked out most of the path into the valley.
Currently, there was an Obsidian Saw-toothed mammoth facing off against him. It was around 7 meters tall, dwarfing Hao Xuan. It had some gnashes on it and was bleeding here and there, but compared to Hao Xuan was in a much better condition.
Hao Xuan had a hole the size of a watermelon on his abdomen and his entire body was covered with all kinds of wounds and gashes. His left hand was dangling lifelessly from his body. Although he was bleeding profusely, there was still a bright smile on his face.
"Just with that much power you dare dream about stepping into the village?!" he said with a grin and raised the glaive in his right hand for probably the ten-thousandth time that night.
"Not as long as I f*cking breathe. HEAVENLY BLARE!"
*BOOOOOOOM*