Lin Kai thought back to the fight and the rush of power he felt. At least something good came out of it. His continuous use of the technique, his fight to the death, had honed his skills, and he felt a mental sharpness that he hadn't felt since his last life. He was a survivor, a leader. He was a fighter.
When he reached the grand gates of his family's mansion, his heart gave a small thrum of relief. He saw Han Zhe standing vigil at the gates, his posture alert, his face a mask of weary caution.
When Han Zhe's eyes fell upon Lin Kai, his face went white with horror. Lin Kai was limping, supporting his body with one katana, his clothes torn and bloodied. He looked like a man who had gone through hell and back.
Han Zhe rushed to him immediately. "Lin Kai! What… what happened to you?"
Han Zhe helped him inside. The other survivors, who had been resting in the foyer, immediately became alert. They saw his terrible state, the bloodied clothes, the limping gait.
As Han Zhe was helping him, Lin Kai instructed him calmly. "Get the first aid kit from my room and help me get bandaged up. I have food for everyone."
Before they could even move, one of the survivors, a thin man with a nervous face, spoke up loudly. "Don't heal him! What if he was bitten by one of those things?"
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. The quiet fear turned into open suspicion.
Lin Kai saw the others whispering, their eyes shifting from him to Han Zhe. Han Zhe and Jing Lie, who had heard the murmurs, got an expression of guarded caution.
Han Zhe's voice was filled with a subtle anxiety. "Lin Kai, do you… do you feel okay inside? Do you feel any pain?"
Lin Kai's heart sank. He had risked his life for these people. He had fought a monster to the death for them, and this was their reaction? He felt a pang of anger and disappointment, a sharp jab of betrayal.
He was disheartened, but he took a deep breath, and he calmed himself. He was not like them. He would not give in to his own emotions.
He looked at them with a calm, cold expression. "I am fine. The wounds are from the fight."
"We can't just take your word for it," another survivor said loudly. "What if you get infected?"
Another survivor chimed in. "We should treat him in the garden, near the gate. If anything happens, we can take action."
Lin Kai sighed. He was tired, in pain, and utterly exhausted by the selfish nature of people.
He looked at his uncle and aunt, whose faces still held that guarded look. He had seen enough. "Han Zhe," he said, his voice quiet but firm, "heal me in the garden near the gate."
Han Zhe's face fell slightly, but he nodded. In his mind, he knew it was the right course of action to protect the others. He helped Lin Kai outside.
Lin Kai leaned against the mansion wall, his body still in agony, waiting to get bandaged up. He looked out into the street, his mind far away from the selfish people inside. He turned to his mental interference and sees his status.
Vitality: 250/700
Aether: 100/400
Order: Zero Order (Peak)
Rune: Locked
Jiang Lie had tended to his wounds, wrapping his hands and legs in pristine white bandages from the medical kit he'd retrieved from his house.
The cold wind whipped around the corner of the building, a refreshing contrast to the feverish warmth of his exhausted body. He let out a long, slow breath, a faint plume of mist in the chill air, feeling a rare moment of peace.
He had faced down a First Order monster, but the real enemy now was the despair gnawing at the survivors' hearts. With a single thought, a cascade of canned food, bottled water, and snack packages shimmered into existence beside him, spilling from his storage space and forming a small pile on the ground.
A few minutes later, he called out to the mansion. "Han Zhe! Jiang Lie!"
They emerged from the door, their faces haggard but their eyes holding a desperate hope. When they saw the pile of food, their exhaustion vanished. Han Zhe's jaw dropped. "Lin Kai… is that…?"
"It's a start," Lin Kai said, a hint of a smile on his lips. "It's all I had left. Distribute it among everyone. That should calm them down for the night."
"The food isn't the only problem," Jiang Lie said softly, looking at the bandages on his arms. "You should be inside. People need to see you. They need to know you're okay."
"I am okay," Lin Kai said, holding up a hand. "I'm fine right here. The cold wind feels good. Just go, make sure everyone gets a share."
Han Zhe looked at the food, then at Lin Kai, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Are you sure? Have you eaten?"
"I've eaten," Lin Kai replied, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue. "But they need."
The couple sighed, but they saw the stubborn resolve in his eyes. They knew arguing was useless. Jiang Lie went back inside for a few moments and returned with a blanket and a thick pillow, which he dropped beside Lin Kai.
"Fine. But at least take this. You don't have to freeze out here for their sake."
Lin Kai didn't argue. He took the blanket and pillow, arranging them on the cold ground. "Now go. Before they start to riot for food."
The couple left, Han Zhe carrying armfuls of cans, and disappeared back inside. Lin Kai sat back, pulled the blanket around his shoulders, and closed his eyes. His body was tired, but his mind, now fully focused and alert, was not.
The Primal Decree had given him new senses. He was now a Zero Order (Peak) powerhouse, and he knew he could sense anything coming from a mile away. Still, the world was a dangerous place, and an unknown terror could be lurking anywhere. Even as he drifted to sleep, he stayed vigilant, a small island of calm in a sea of chaos.
He woke with a jolt, not from a sound, but from a feeling. A faint, unfamiliar aura, devoid of any killing intent, was drawing near. He was confused. The only auras he'd felt were the sickening, malevolent ones of the corrupted.
This was different. He pushed the blanket away, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his twin blades. He got to his feet, a battle stance already ingrained in his very being.
Then he saw it.
It looked like a mix of a dog and a wolf, larger than a German Shepherd, with sleek, muscular limbs and a coat of shimmering, glittering red fur. A single, dark horn spiraled from the center of its forehead, and its paws were oversized, with claws that looked like obsidian.
Its aura pulsed with the clean energy of a Zero Order (Mid) being. Lin Kai relaxed slightly; it was something he could handle. Still, he didn't move. He wanted to see what it would do.
The creature sniffed the air, its head held high, and then trotted right toward him, its tail giving a happy, energetic wag. It stopped a few feet away and sat on its haunches, its head cocked to the side, giving a soft, excited woof. It was a sound he knew.
Lin Kai stared at it, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over him. Its bright, intelligent eyes looked at him with an undeniable recognition.
He took a cautious step forward, his mind racing. He had seen thousands of strays in his life. The creature's face... he had seen it before.
A memory, buried under the weight of the calamity, surfaced. It was the same dog he used to feed on his way home from school. He'd named it—what was it? Spark. He felt a rush of happiness. It was alive.
The dog, sensing his recognition, whined happily and bounded forward, jumping up to lick his face. Lin Kai flinched back, but then he let his guard down and wrapped his arms around the beast. It was not a monster. It was a friend. He pulled away and knelt, stroking its beautiful, velvety fur. "You... you're Spark, aren't you?" he whispered.
The dog gave another happy woof, its tail a blur. Lin Kai chuckled, a genuine laugh of pure joy, and then he pulled out a can of meat from his storage space. The dog devoured it, and Lin Kai watched him, a peaceful warmth filling his chest.
He found himself talking, telling the dog everything. He told it about the hunger of the crowd, their distrust, and his decision to feed them despite their apathy. "Do you think I want a revenge?," he murmured, petting its head.
"No. When I saw the children, Spark. I saw the fear in their eyes. I couldn't be a monster like them."
The dog licked his hand, and Lin Kai laughed. He wasn't sure if the dog understood, but it felt good to talk. Finally, he asked, "What about you? How did you survive?" The dog barked and licked his face, and Lin Kai just smiled. "Alright, alright. Come on, let's get some sleep."
They laid down together, the dog's warm body pressed against his, its soft purr-like breathing a constant comfort. Lin Kai drifted off, feeling safer than he had in weeks.