Dark Moon Era

Chapter 199: Slay

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The cigarette flickered in the dark night while the footsteps in the alley were light and rhythmic.

Half a minute later, the footsteps stopped. Under the moon, in the cold wind, Tang Ling’s black mantle fluttered, revealing half of his serene face.

The man smoking the cigarette stood up. Even though he wanted to stay calm, his excitement got the best of him. His steady hands started to shake. Nonetheless, he was able to fiddle skillfully with his butterfly knife despite the excitement, so he put it away. ‘Damn it. Why is my throat so dry? Why can’t I say anything? I’ve seen this face on the communication device, yet when he’s right in front of me, my excitement gets the best of me!’

“Uncle Su Yao, that isn’t you, is it?” Tang Ling said as he removed his hood and looked at the unfamiliar man, a little surprised.

“It is I who waits...Uh, he still needs a little time.” The man inhaled deeply and tried his best to calm down. He introduced himself to Tang Ling, “I’m Ah Bing. You can just call me Bing.”

“Uhmm, okay, Uncle Bing,” Tang Ling greeted the man.

Even though Uncle Bing was a simple name, Bing’s eyes started to well up with emotions. However, he held back the tears and said, “What are you going to do?”

“Me?” Tang Ling raised a brow. “Shouldn’t you tell me what are you guys going to do and...”

“No, we don’t have anything planned. We only have one goal, which is to ensure whatever you are going to do is carried out smoothly and then bring you out of Safety Sector No. 17 safely. That’s it.”

Tang Ling was quiet for two seconds before he said, “What I want to do is dangerous and reckless. I can do it myself.”

“No, your safety is our priority. I don’t think we have a choice either, so I guess we’ll have to follow your reckless plan since you’ll probably make a grand entrance. That’s what Su Yao told me anyway.” Ah Bing stood up. Around his waist was a belt holding a row of 20 darts arranged neatly together with a butterfly knife.

Behind his back was a longbow, its string glaring coldly under the moonlight. The quiver was also holding at least 30 arrows at his waist.

“Don’t worry about our lives. Our lives should have ended 13 years ago, and living an extra 13 years is suffering for us. We’ve been waiting for this night. Just do whatever you want. Like Su Yao said, your grand entrance is not only inevitable, but it’s necessary. You cannot just sneak out of Safety Sector No. 17, not after you decided to stay behind because of that girl, Vian.”

Although Ah Bing was saying something difficult to understand, it moved Tang Ling. Unusual emotions rumbled in his heart as he asked, “Who am I?”

Ah Bing remained silent.

Tang Ling sighed, then continued, “I got out of the prison smoothly. Castellan Worf helped me clear the path and even opened the prison gates for me, but it will only buy me five minutes at most before I’m exposed. I don’t have a lot of time, but I want to go to the Tower.”

“Fine, as you wish. Just go and do what you want.” As he said that, Ah Bing put his hand into his pocket and crushed a half-broken dog head sculpture.

It was at that moment that many other people in Safety Sector No. 17 received a specific signal and heard the message: Time is running out. I want to go to the Tower.

...

Weeeeeuuuuuuuu...

The irritating siren disrupted the quiet night.

Red sirens and searchlights lit up in an instant, turning the entire inner city bright.

The people, who were already anxious and could barely sleep, were startled like high-strung cats. Most of them jumped out of their beds. Even though discomfort rumbled in their hearts, many chose to stand by the window, lifting the curtains for a peek at the streets.

“Gosh, what is going on? Who are they?” a lady asked after a quick peek at the streets. She was surprised, but before she could say anything more, her husband covered her mouth.

“No matter who they are, I believe they are here because of what happened in the day. No one will be happy about the purge that happened, including me,” the husband spoke, his voice growing softer. His wife widened her eyes in shock at her husband’s words.

Who were they on the streets? Covered in black mantles, fully armed and popping out from corners and basements, who exactly were these people?

Safety Sector No. 17 responded as well. The alarm in Glory Hall rung. With a heavy expression, Arhan led 50 Purple Moon Warriors and moved out urgently. The elite warriors were already deployed and every one of them was armed with firearms. Tonight would be a night of slaughter.

Tang Ling strode forward quickly. Beside him, behind him, and even in front of him were a bunch of unfamiliar black mantled figures who amassed on his location. He might be overthinking, but he could feel a sense of enthusiasm when the people looked at him.

What are they so excited about? Tang Ling could not find an answer.

The first wave of elite warriors with firearms appeared. Without a word, a sign or even a warning, both sides clashed like water flowing from different directions, and the battle started in an instant.

Bang, bang, bang!

Gunshots were fired upon the encounter.

Ah Bing, who stood beside Tang Ling, threw a flying knife at the elite warriors at a speed that even Tang Ling failed to capture. When Tang Ling got a clearer look, the flying knife was already embedded in the throat of the elite warrior holding a machine gun on the front line.

At that very moment, an unfamiliar man standing in front of Tang Ling turned around and called loudly, “Young Master, if you slow down, it’s an insult to us. Please move on.”

Tang Ling tightened his lips. He did not slow down at all. He saw the man who spoke to him bound across the buildings and run on the walls as if they were flat ground. He ran straight towards the elite warrior squadrons.

In less than three seconds, he reached the dead elite warrior, grabbed his machine gun, and fired it at the remaining elite warriors without even looking.

With him acting as a cover, a dozen more black-mantled figures charged towards the elite warrior squadrons. Scanning the place, Ah Bing hurled out a flying knife from time to time to disable the heavy firing of the squadrons.

The man who stood in front as a cover started to receive a barrage of attacks. His body started to shudder, and a minute later, blood spewed from his body like fireworks.

Did he get shot? Tang Ling’s heart started to hurt, but he also saw the rest of the black-mantled figures manage to dive deep into the elite warrior squadrons because of the man’s bold move. Without the advantage of their firearms, the elite warriors collapsed easily.

“This is what battle is. You need to get used to sacrifice.” Ah Bing said calmly beside Tang Ling’s ears.

Tang Ling did not respond or slow down just because someone died. Do I have to get used to it?

Further away on the streets, gunshots, clanks, and other noises could be heard. Tang Ling felt like he was in a strange condition. While his mind was clear, he was also confused at the same time.

He was perplexed because he thought this whole operation just involved a dozen men protecting him as he went out of the safety sector. Since when did it escalate into the black-mantled figures going up against the entire Safety Sector No.17?

However, he clearly knew he was an important figure. His identity was on the brink of getting revealed. All the operations were being carried out in his wake, so he had to bind himself with the unknown responsibility and honor from now on.

As though to verify Tang Ling’s thoughts, Ah Bing added, “This isn’t just about you making an entrance. It’s also us telling the world that we are back, so...”

Ah Bing suddenly paused before finishing. He quickly drew the bow from his back, loaded an arrow, and fired it up into the sky.

Bang! The seemingly normal arrow exploded in the air, revealing a Purple Moon Warrior in the sky in the wake of its explosion.

The Purple Moon Warrior was not in good shape as his left pauldron was shattered.

Then, a woman behind Tang Ling suddenly sprang up to the Purple Moon Warrior. “Leave him to me.” A second later, loud bangs exploded continuously behind Tang Ling as though some ferocious beasts were fighting each other.

Then, a second Purple Moon Warrior appeared at the further end of the street. Similarly, another figure silently charged towards the second Purple Moon Warrior.

Upon contact, swords were brandished at each other, glaring brightly as they clashed. The metallic clanks from the impact were heavy to the ears.

Go! He had to go forward!

Tang Ling frowned as more and more people gathered around him and then left for battle one after another. When he looked at the entrance of the street where the first squadron of elite warriors had appeared, a hundred of the elite warriors were wiped out and their firearms had been confiscated by the people in black mantles.

The black-mantled figures then used the confiscated firearms to join the next battle.

It was only a minute since the battle started, yet the onslaught had already reached its climax. In just a minute, the tide of battle had consumed more than a hundred lives.

Get used to it? Tang Ling’s furrowed brows were locked tightly as he strode faster and ultimately sprinted. Even though he had to face the battlefield ruins almost every day in the past few months and had gone through blood and death numerous times, he still could not get used to people killing others in this era.

The wind whistled in his ears. He felt like he had returned to that ominous night, watching the innocent lives of the settlement fading from his sight one after another.

A kind of power and desire that took shape in his heart. He wanted to shatter this era and build a new one. At least...

Tang Ling clenched his fists while he sprinted at top speed. Nonetheless, the other black-mantled figures beside him were able to keep up with him easily.

The inner city was not that huge, hence the Tower was only around the corner.

However, there were many rows of elite warriors guarding the Glory Square and Glory Hall, which was the sure path to the Tower. Rows of cannons from the old civilization were lined up neatly, pointing at Tang Ling and company.

There were also 20 Purple Moon Warriors lined up in a row with Arhan and his signature red cap fluttering in the middle. He was in a foul mood since he viewed Tang Ling as his biggest foe the moment he appeared. He cleared his throat and slowly stepped out from the row of Purple Moon Warriors.

At that exact moment, Tang Ling felt like he was experiencing deja vu. He felt like he was looking at the stormy night with his cold and hateful gaze as Arhan walked out from the row of Purple Moon Warriors and uttered mercilessly while facing the people of the settlement, “Kill away.”

“Leave him to me,” Tang Ling said to Ah Bing beside him.

Ah Bing was not surprised as if a New Moon Warrior challenging a unit captain of the Purple Moon Warriors was something natural.

“20 minutes. I need to stay in the Tower for 20 minutes and he’ll be the first one I kill when I come out to pay tribute to the people of the settlement,” Tang Ling said calmly.

He made it sound so real and reasonable, hence making him appear arrogant. It sounded like the people in the black mantles could easily break through the defenses or like he could easily kill Arhan after spending 20 minutes in the Tower.

Still, was Tang Ling an arrogant person? Never. He could go as far as playing dumb just to hide his abilities. The other reason he was so calm because he saw three people.

Yes, three seemingly normal people walked out from the black-mantled figures. They were rather inconspicuous at first, but as they stepped up, with every step they took and the distance they covered, their aura got stronger. In the end, their auras were so strong that they could even suffocate Tang Ling.

Shuaaa!

The three of them removed their black mantles together, revealing their uniform underneath. The uniforms they wore made them look handsome as they were white, elegant, clean and grand. Around their sleeves were ancient Huaxia cloud sewings and on their shoulders were abstract sewings of two golden dragons. Their long gowns fluttered in the wind, making the mighty tiger that was sewn on their back seem alive in the wind.

“Ohhhh!” The group of black-mantled people behind them cheered, unable to hold back their excitement.

Arhan was a little confused. Are they seriously wearing white uniforms to battle? With his level of knowledge, he would never understand the meaning of the white uniform.

He was upset that he had to face a bloody battle next. He missed his leisure time when he could enjoy wine and women in his warm room. Then, he removed his gloves, cleared his throat again and waved, he commanded softly, “Fire.”

Boom!

As the row of cannons in front of him was fired mercilessly, giant round pellets flew out from the muzzles with a blast, bombarding the group of black-mantled figures.

It was at that moment that the man in the white uniform who stood in the middle of the three stepped up. His long brown hair and deep brown eyes that were comparable to the starry sky left a strong impression.

His hand softly stroked his white uniform, and the white fabric magically changed color, transforming into a deep blue color similar to the night sky. The long white gown at his waist changed into a tactical belt that automatically buckled up around his waist. The black mighty tiger on his back gleamed with a bright luster, and numerous metallic shards flew out. As the metallic shards shimmered, they quickly merged together and formed the pauldron, the arm guard, the chest armor, and the shin guard plus a tiger-shaped helmet, equipping themselves to the man’s body in a flash.

What a nostalgic scene! Emotions were overflowing from Ah Bing’s eyes. Only he understood what the armor meant.

The man in the tiger armor then raised both his hands up. His brown hair fluttered even without the wind blowing. Together with the black mantle, which had become his cape, they danced fiercely in the air.

“Bind!” the man uttered a single word and the most magical scene happened. The pellets that were traveling in mid-air all stopped as if many invisible hands froze them in mid-air.

“Hmph, Seven True Words. Bind. How nostalgic.”

To the man’s right was a woman in the same white uniform, She had a voluptuous body and curly hair that was tied up high. As her long legs strode forward, her exotic presence as a dark-skinned woman took center stage.

Her hand softly stroked her white uniform and the same magical scene happened again. The uniform turned into a dark color and the mighty tiger on her back transformed into a set of silver tiger armor.

She walked faster and faster, and in the next moment, she transformed into a bolt of silver lightning that zipped away. When she reappeared, she was in the center of the elite warriors arming the cannons.

Fuuuush!

A huge tornado appeared in her trail. Her hand drew an arch in the air gently and the tornado swept over all the elite warrior squadrons following the line. Almost a hundred elite warriors were sucked into the tornado.

Arhan reacted sourly. He seemed to have thought of something when he saw the tiger armor, so he shouted, “Purple Moon Warriors, attack!”

Huuaaa!

With the command, the 20 Purple Moon Warriors jumped up together and moved forward with their signature Transient Steps. They zipped forward like a bolt of purple lightning that shattered the dark night.

The man wearing the white uniform on the left had the same black hair and eyes as Tang Ling, and when the Purple Moon Warriors moved, so did he. He did not change his uniform black and kept it as it was. Then, he took a hip flask out.

With a sigh, he looked at the Purple Moon Warriors as they were charging toward the black-mantled people. He opened the flask and took a sip of the alcohol inside.

The man then straightened his body and shouted loudly at the 20 Purple Moon Warriors.

Buzzzzzzz!

Tang Ling could not even hear what the man shouted because the moment the man opened his mouth, his ears buzzed and he started to feel dizzy.

Tang Ling was affected even though he was not the target. The Purple Moon Warriors at whom the man shouted were blasted by the soundwave, breaking their formation as all of them had to cover their ears and they crashed into each other in mid-air.

The man did not even glance over at the Purple Moon Warriors. He opened his flask once more for another leisurely sip as if the battle did not concern him.

W-what kind of battle is this? Since when did the Purple Moon Warriors become so weak?

Was the first man an excellencer? Could he control objects with his spirit? Was the second woman a high-ranking wind talent cultivator? And was the third man a cultivator of the unusual sound talent?

Tang Ling was being escorted by Ah Bing and a very strong man wielding a hammer to the Tower.

“Turn.” Behind Tang Ling, the man in brown hair spoke again, and the cannon pellets that he had frozen mid-air turned around and were sent flying back at the elite warriors.

Continuous explosions then followed and painful wails echoed in the air.

Fooosh!

The tornado also burst after sucking more than a hundred elite warriors in. All the elite warriors were thrown on the ground, but it was not the end. The tornado scattered into giant wind blades and sliced the falling elite warriors in half.

“Ugh, ugh...ugh...” The man who was drinking in the midst of the battle hummed an old tune, making him a poet who wandered in the bloody battlefield while humming the saddest ballad.

The Purple Moon Warriors who were blasted by the soundwave got back up on their feet, but a bleak and sorrowful feeling uncontrollably took over their minds, erasing their battle intents and killing their morale.

On the other side, the group of people in black mantles was infused with endless courage after the three men and the woman in white uniform intervened. They flushed as they charged forward while brandishing their weapons in the air as if they were fearless against death. “Charge!”

It was those three men and the woman who helped them turn the tides around.

They fought in ways that exceeded Tang Ling’s knowledge. Who in Safety Sector No. 17 could rival them? Probably only Castellan Worf since his space ability was something fearsome.

Nevertheless, Tang Ling was dauntless. He was not afraid of any ability or any kind of battles. As long as he still had his breath, he would sprint forward to the top because he needed to stand at the highest point to shatter this era and the seed of hope that was buried in his heart so that it finally sprouted into a young seedling!

Amidst the glares of swords and the rain of bullets, Tang Ling sprinted towards the Tower, his blood boiling because of all the battling. He would eventually find a stage that belonged to him. Soon, he would return like the devil from hell, washing the sinners with blood as a tribute to the hatred in his heart.