Han Zhen sat alone, his eyes locked to the door. The air was cold, heavy. His mind, colder. Even after waiting for two hours straight, maid yan didn't come. He had plan to kill her tonight but there were no traces of her.
Tomorrow, the physician would arrive. If maid yan and that physician stood together, he would die. There was no room to escape or resist.
He pressed his hand against his temples. His heartbeat was normal, his blood calm, yet something deep inside whispered.
You must act first.
The room was empty, quiet enough for him to hear the sound of dust settling. She must have gone to fetch that physician.
Han Zhen chuckled weakly. "Ha…perfect. The heavens mocked me again".
He rose. He body felt lighter, but his very soul was now bounded by revenge. It was not Le Han's or Han Zhen's revenge but a wrath of Rakshaha . He slowly moved to the wardrobe beside his bed and pulled it open. A black robe hung inside, old but clean. He wore it, tied the gray sash around his waist, and bound his long dark hair. His cold gray eyes met the mirror's reflection. The face staring back felt unfamiliar, distant, but close. Without another word, he turned and stepped out, the robe trailing quietly behind him.
Morning light painted the Lian province streets. The wind blew sharply, stirring the faint smell of incense from the temple nearby, dust were rampaged all over.
His goal was clear and straight- the Heavenly Suppressing Hall.
On his way to the hall, a narrow street, dim and half covered in mist caught his attention. For a moment his very soul was drawn to it. His pulse throbbed, his bones felt heavy. He unconsciously followed it.
At the end of the alley, a croaked shop stood still ruined. The scene felt strange, almost familiar, like fragment from his past life when he met that old man.
"Young master..are you here to buy a mask?", breaking his thoughts a sweet and innocent voice spoke. A thin young boy sat behind a wooden table, rows of masks arranged before him. His face was pale, clothes worn thin, eyes dark yet strangely bright, was looking in a daze.
Han Zhen slowed. The sight of the boy reminded him of himself- alone and desperate to live one more day.
He stepped closer. "show me the masks," he said quietly.
The boy nodded happily, voice weak. "These are all I have, sir."
None drew his interest, "they just looked ordinary, and system didn't even bother to show to status". Han Zhen's gaze hardened. "Do you have something else? Something you haven't sold to anyone or are afraid to. Don't worry about the price.
Well in some novel if asked like this something interesting would eventually come up.
The boy hesitated, his eyes shifting. "There is one in a basement but.. it's cursed. It will bring you no good."
He paused, eyes narrowing. After a deep pause he asked to bring the mask. To his surprise, it seemed to work.
"This boy is too innocent", a heavy sigh.. followed his mouth. The world was true cruel for him. He also didn't have anything to give him but one thing he can do was to make him strong enough against the world.
The boy vanished inside and returned holding a small rusty box. The box was not too opposing but the energy inside it was overwhelming and mysterious yet familiar. Han Zhen's spine tightened. "System, display its status.."
[Artifact: Mask of ปใ฿©®™] [Grade: Unknown] [Effect: Allows the host to distort perception. Illusions form through eye contact. Duration depends on target's soul strength.]
The letters twisted across the panel, foreign and alive. Han Zhen frowned. "Again this language..", he chuckled, his mind in deep confusion. It was the second time it had happen since the system name. It seemed the system itself was hiding something for him.
He opened the lid, and lifted the mask from the box. Its surface was dark gray, cold and carved with thin lines forming a demon;s twisted face. The metal felt alive, pulsing faintly beneath his fingers.
Without hesitation, he placed it on. The world spun. A sharp pain was casted through his skull as if countless needles were pierced through his brain, his senses were gone. His vision turned black.
[Warning: Host's Qi unstable] [Foreign energy invading core] [Stabilizing the energy ….37%… 62%… 100%][Successful] [Successful]
He staggered , gripping the table. The boy behind the counter rushed forward. "Sir, are you okay?"
Han Zhen raised his head slowly. His voice came low and rough. "I'm fine."
The boy froze. The eyes staring back at him weren't human anymore, faintly glowing red eyes that were life less, his whole body was now covered in vast death energy.
[Item: Mask of Deception – Bound][Effect: Conceals aura, alters face, enables minor illusion through eye contact]
Now, finally the name showed. It seems my intuition was correct.
So this is why… Han Zhen's lips curled slightly.
The mask belongs to me now. It is entirely bound to my soul. That is why it revealed its name the moment I touched it.
He lowered the mask, thinking.But the system… it is not fully mine. To make the system mine, to uncover its true identity, I need to locate the remaining fragments. Only then will the full authority awaken, only then will the mask and system work together completely.