After an unknown amount of time, my eyes fluttered open reluctantly. The first thing I noticed was that the bright lights that once illuminated the room were gone, replaced by moonlight, creating a more serene environment.
"How long have I been like this?" I was startled and quickly tried to rise to my feet, but my legs felt numb.
"Impressive. To think it would only take you nearly seven hours to awaken the power of Qi." Master Zhang's voice rang like a bell in the night, forcing my attention to snap in his direction.
The silver-haired master was smoking from an old yet beautifully designed pipe, gently leaning on the pillars while gazing at me with a strange expression.
Instinctively, I glanced at my hands, and to my surprise, there was a thin layer of translucent gleam over my skin. However, as soon as I saw it, it popped like a bubble, vanishing from sight.
"Master…" I muttered while raising my head to meet his gaze, but Master Zhang nodded with a calm expression, as if he had already expected this.
"You only awakened Qi, but your Qi is still weak and fragile. You still need to learn how to summon it at will and maintain it in intense situations," Master Zhang explained in a calm voice. "You still have a long way to go before you can start practicing a martial technique."
"I see…" I mumbled while stretching my numb legs out.
While I was slightly disappointed, I'm not an impatient man. Nothing good comes easy. If I could make major progress in my martial journey in just a few hours, then it probably wasn't worth much.
"It's late, so whatever you have to say will have to wait. For now, keep practicing Qi awakening on your own, and if you have any problems, feel free to come back here anytime for my help," Master Zhang said before walking out of the room.
Nodding silently, I watched the old man stroll out. Strangely, I felt extremely worn out like never before. Even fighting Alex wasn't this stressful.
[I recommend you only practice before class or at night. Zhang is right, you need to build up your Qi and concentration before delving deeper into the arts,] Lyxor said.
"You know about martial arts?" I was taken aback.
[A little bit,] Lyxor responded, and I nodded.
It was nice knowing I could receive guidance from someone, even in Master Zhang's absence.
"Aah!"
A soft groan escaped my lips as I rose to my feet. They still felt numb, but it was much more manageable now.
"I'm hungry," I mumbled while rubbing my belly. The biting pain had returned, just as intense as when I first came here.
With great effort, I staggered out of the training room, hoping my driver had waited just as I instructed.
— Blackwood Residence —
Clank!
The front door swung open upon my arrival, and the aroma of assorted dishes blew past me, causing my belly to make a funny sound.
From here I could see the dining table. Ralph was tearing through a grilled chicken leg like a hungry criminal eating meat for the first time in decades. He was so engrossed in the act he failed to notice my arrival.
"I hope you choke on it." I cursed loudly.
Cough! Cough!
As if the heavens were on my side, Ralph started coughing and quickly reached for the glass of water. While approaching, I just watched him chug down the contents until it was empty.
"Haaaaa!"
He let out a gasp of relief while I pulled a chair back and sat down. On the table was grilled chicken alongside 6 kg of steak, a bowl of salad, mac and cheese, and egg fried rice.
"Hello," Ralph said shyly, wiping his greasy lips with his shirt even though there was a tablecloth right in front of him.
'Did I really go through all that effort of fighting Dean for this kid?' I couldn't help but wonder.
[I was waiting for you to realize you were wasting your time. Some things are not worth protecting,] Lyxor said, and I rolled my eyes.
Pulling over an empty plate, I was about to reach for the steak, but Ralph got up and grabbed the plate.
"Let me," he said.
Not waiting for my response, he ran around the table and stopped beside me. I watched him cut the steak enthusiastically, leaving me to wonder if this was his way of saying thank you for saving him.
'What would you have me do then?' I asked. 'He is my partner after all.'
[Look for an opportunity to kill him, eat his heart, gain his power, and find a replacement. He is not important. The government hates his family, you have nothing to lose.]
'Eat his heart?' My brows knitted, and suddenly my appetite faded.
[To gain the power of a being, you just consume its core. For humans, it's their heart.]
'That's not what I asked.' I felt irritated for no reason and abruptly stood up, causing Ralph to shiver and take a few steps back.
My cold gaze shifted in his direction, then lightened a bit.
"I'll take a shower before I eat," I lied and quickly walked away before he could ask questions.
[Don't tell me you don't want to harm the kid?] Lyxor asked.
'Harm the last surviving child of a family that fought for a better life for slaves?' I snapped back while climbing the stairs.
[So?]
Lyxor's response made me freeze halfway up the stairs, my eyes narrowing.
'So?' I mentally yelled. Let's get something straight. I may not be a good person, but I'm not a monster. I will not go about murdering people without reason!'
[To think you still have some sentiments left in you even after gaining my genes. Pitiful.] Lyxor sounded disappointed, but I didn't care.
[If only I had more than 10% of my body. Maybe 20%, and I would have been able to rid you of all these unnecessary human emotions.]
'It's not sentiments—it's morality. I will kill those who deserve to die. His family has already paid the price for what they benefited from the country through the punishments they had to suffer. I will not punish them any further!' I snapped back.
I wasn't going to let this animal dictate my actions.