Chapter Fifty-Three: Night Rain

The night was pitch-black, devoid of any dazzling stars, shrouded only by dense, inky clouds of sorrow. Endless threads of rain whispered softly, as if composing a mournful nocturne in the silence of the rainy night.

Ke Bei walked with his head bowed, his expression vacant, wandering aimlessly through the dimly lit streets.

In the cold wind and night rain, he moved slowly, neither holding an umbrella nor caring to do so, letting the chilly rain fall upon him, allowing the biting cold to invade.

Rain like this, nights like these, always evoke memories. At this moment, the beautiful recollections of the past carried an inexplicable sadness—a faint sorrow surfaced in his heart, and suddenly, his heart ached, the pain reaching deep into his memories!

The agony pierced his soul, seeped into his bones, leaving an untouchable wound upon Ke Bei's spirit.

Li Qianqian was gone—gone forever—leaving behind only an unhealing wound in Ke Bei's heart.

Under the night, amidst the rain, Ke Bei drifted through deserted streets, unsure where to go. The home that once sheltered him was now soaked in Li Qianqian's blood, holding her cold body.

At this thought, a chill surged through Ke Bei, so cold that his heart spasmed uncontrollably!

He walked on, and before he realized it, he found himself in the southern part of the city, standing before the small house where he and the bearded old man had lived for nearly sixteen years.

Ke Bei stood in the rain, staring blankly at the little house, gazing at the makeshift recliner made of iron triangles and wooden planks at the door, at the tightly shut wooden door, simply standing there in silence.

Creak—

After a long silence, Ke Bei slowly pushed open the wooden door. His nostrils flared slightly, breathing in the post-rain air mingled with the scent of earth, and some clarity returned to his dazed expression.

Inside, the house felt desolate. Most belongings had been moved to the new home in Mingye District, North City, leaving the once cramped house empty.

The cold night rain had washed away all traces of blood on Ke Bei, and if not for the crisscrossing, deep wounds on his body, one would never guess he had just survived a brutal battle.

Suddenly, Ke Bei wanted to drink—only the second time since the bearded old man's departure that he felt such a desire. He silently walked to the large bed, lifted the wooden board with some effort, revealing several jars of premium rum beneath.

Although Ke Bei had moved to Mingye District, he still cared for this old house, fearing that one day the bearded old man might return unexpectedly, afraid he would find no wine to drink... So he had placed jars of the best rum under the bed long ago.

He grabbed a jar of rum, found the brazier, and lit the oil lamp. In the faint glow, Ke Bei set the jug atop the brazier, watching the sudden burst of flame, listening to the rain outside, as a gentle figure emerged from the depths of his heart.

Gurgle… Gurgle…

Ke Bei grabbed the jug and poured the still cold rum into his mouth. The icy liquor burned his throat with a fiery sting—he drank too fiercely, too quickly, coughing violently, nearly choking.

He drained the jug in one go. Perhaps his tolerance was poor, or perhaps it was not the wine but his own grief that made him drunk. Ke Bei collapsed onto the bed, now reduced to a single layer of wooden boards.

The night rain was bleak, and Ke Bei's body was exhausted to the extreme. As the heavy night deepened, he sank into sleep.

Lingfeng City, the City Lord's Mansion, lights blazed brightly as the three great commanders gathered.

"Ninety-three members of the Blood Sword Alliance are dead. Among them, seven are Level Two enhancers, seventy-three Level Three enhancers, twelve lower transcenders, and one upper transcender," reported a man in black battle attire, whose square face gave him an air of upright honesty.

"City Lord, rules and laws must not be broken," he declared.

This man, dressed in black, was Li Suo, one of Lingfeng City's three commanders.

"To kill openly within the city is an unforgivable crime!" Li Suo's face was cold as he looked toward the middle-aged man seated upon the obsidian throne.

"Brother Li, your words are a bit much," retorted Wang Zuo, another of the three commanders, stepping forward to meet Li Suo's gaze.

"The Blood Sword Alliance's leader, Pei Blood Sword, an upper transcender—has he ever contributed to Lingfeng City? Where was he when fighting zombies? Where was he when battling monsters? As a transcender, he only sought power and profit; his death is no loss!"

"Who was the killer?" asked the middle-aged man seated on the obsidian throne—the City Lord of Lingfeng City, the Frozen God of War, Han Tian.

Watching the two men below argue, Han Tian's thick, ink-black brows arched slightly. He waved his hand and spoke.

"Ke Bei."

Li Suo's face remained stern and just, his voice cold as he spoke, "This person possesses the strength to kill an upper transcender. To ensure absolute security, I planned to join Commander Wang and Commander Xie in capturing him. But Commander Wang strongly opposed it, so I have come to ask the City Lord for a decision."

"Commander Wang, state your reasons," asked Han Tian, lifting a white jade teacup and taking a sip, his expression calm.

"Ke Bei is a member of the Star Condensation Squad. When attacking Wushan City, he slew thousands of zombies and monsters, even killing many gods and general-level beasts. Powerful, willing to bleed for the city, and only sixteen years old. I believe letting humanity lose such a rare genius for the sake of the Blood Sword Alliance is a folly," Wang Zuo said, inhaling deeply.

"Does being a genius allow one to openly break the law? Without rules, there is no order! If killing nearly a hundred warriors in East City goes unpunished, would it not chill the hearts of all warriors? If warriors can be slain within the city, who would risk their lives to defend it?" Li Suo replied righteously.

"Ke Bei?" The City Lord, Han Tian, stood up upon hearing the name, a hint of a smile crossing his face as he recalled what his beloved son, Han Lingyue, had said before leaving. Han Lingyue had specifically instructed him to keep an eye on Ke Bei—should he pass the assessment, his first student would be Ke Bei.

"So it's that young fellow… Not bad, Lingyue's choice is excellent. To kill an upper transcender at sixteen—though Pei Blood Sword was not the strongest among them, he was still an upper transcender. With proper training, perhaps in two or three years, Lingfeng City will see another God of War," Han Tian thought, smiling as he paced gently and glanced at the upright Li Suo. Frowning slightly, he considered Li Suo's notorious rigidity; without a reasonable explanation, the man would not let the matter rest. As his capable subordinate, Han Tian could not be too harsh—after all, Li Suo was only rigid, not wrong.

"I know Ke Bei; he is an apprentice of the Nine Rivers Genius Training Camp. Commander Li, you should know the privileges granted to trainees: killing anyone below three-star contribution value is not a crime," Han Tian said, coughing twice.

"A trainee of the Genius Training Camp? City Lord, could you be mistaken? I've investigated—he is from the southern city's slums, only recently rising to prominence. He should not be the apprentice you mentioned," Li Suo replied, his tone respectful but firm.

"He is now," Han Tian said, his expression shifting as he flicked his sleeve. A dark gold token, palm-sized and neither metal nor wood, floated toward Li Suo.

"Deliver it yourself. Ke Bei is this year's representative for Lingfeng City."

The Frozen God of War turned away, hands clasped behind his back, his voice calm and unquestionable.

"Understood," Li Suo replied, his hands trembling slightly as he accepted the token. He was upright but not foolish—the City Lord had given Lingfeng City's only quota to Ke Bei, making his intentions clear: to protect him.

If he continued to press the issue, it would not be a matter of justice, but of foolishness.

The night rain grew heavier. Deep in slumber, Ke Bei remained unaware that his fate had once again changed, all because of Han Lingyue…