Chapter 5: The Land of Sub-Humans

Under everyone's intense stares, Kaslo knew he could no longer put it off, but at this moment, he couldn't think of any good excuse to conceal his intentions. Out of desperation, Kaslo suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He hung his head and sighed, saying, “Sigh... it seems there’s no way to hide it anymore. I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to reveal my strength because I was worried you wouldn’t let me come along. In my family, my brothers have always seen me as an enemy because my abilities are stronger than theirs. So I was also afraid that once you knew my true strength, you’d reject me. That’s why I…”

Hearing Kaslo’s uneasy tone, Mels and the others exchanged glances. Then Sol walked over to Kaslo and said softly, “Actually, how strong you are doesn’t matter at all. Me and the boss have always considered you a friend. Since we’re friends, we won’t mind your past. If you have strong abilities, we’ll only be happy for you. Why would we reject you?”

“That’s right. Everyone has things they don’t want others to know. We were just curious about how you suddenly gained such strength. Don’t take it to heart!” Mels smiled slightly as he looked at Kaslo.

After hearing Mels’ words, Kaslo felt a pang in his heart. His intuition told him that Mels didn’t believe his story at all, but Mels didn’t want to expose him in front of everyone, so he expressed his opinion in such a tactful way.

“Heh, I didn’t expect you brats to have such a good leader. Well, since you don’t want to pursue it, I won’t be a busybody anymore. Kid, I’ve basically got a handle on your strength now. I’ll teach each of you a different martial art. How much of its essence you can grasp will depend on your own potential,” the Forgotten One suddenly spoke up.

Hearing that the Forgotten One was going to formally teach them martial arts, Mels and the others were thrilled. Even though they were still trapped in a cage, the allure of martial arts was irresistible to them. When they heard they could learn stronger skills, they naturally became even more focused.

However, the Forgotten One didn’t loudly announce the martial arts he intended to teach. Instead, he used a mysterious method so only Mels could hear him. Moreover, before teaching everyone, the Forgotten One repeatedly warned that the martial arts he taught varied from person to person, and he demanded that Mels and the others absolutely must not secretly learn from each other, or it could lead to unpredictable and severe consequences.

The Forgotten One’s serious tone naturally left a deep impression on Mels and the others. Among these young people, aside from Sol, the rest were all martial arts prodigies. The martial arts they had learned before were all renowned techniques across the continent, so they certainly knew the dangers of recklessly learning unfamiliar martial arts.

Mels and the others hadn’t originally thought about swapping what they learned, and now, with the Forgotten One’s repeated warnings, they completely abandoned any such notion. Only after everyone clearly stated they wouldn’t teach their techniques to others did the Forgotten One begin his instruction.

The martial art the Forgotten One taught Mels was a mental technique that could temporarily increase one’s Qi energy several times over in a short period. According to the Forgotten One, this martial art was called the “Flowing Ease Heart Sutra,” a completely new martial art created after the Federal People fled to this planet. Although this technique couldn’t enhance a person’s inherent combat power, it could serve as a catalyst, allowing a warrior to temporarily boost the intensity of their Qi energy after use, unleashing their greatest potential.

The martial art Akafir received was called the “Taihao Gang.” This was a Qi cultivation method that required long-term practice to yield results. Although its training period was relatively long, it had the advantage of being simple to practice. Once one reached the second stage, there was no need for deliberate training. Whether eating, sleeping, or walking, as long as one was alive, the Qi formed by Taihao Gang would circulate within the body on its own, continuously accumulating stronger power. This martial art was practically tailor-made for Akafir, and it was believed that his combat ability would greatly improve before long.

Sha Luo was female, so the martial art she received was also a unique skill that only women could learn. The “Heart Sutra” was a simple Qi mental technique commonly practiced by women among the Federal People, but the Forgotten One taught her the final chapter that Federal women couldn’t obtain. Since the Celestial Sword Sect’s original Qi mental technique was already an outstanding martial art, Sha Luo didn’t need to relearn the first half of the Heart Sutra; she only needed to start from the final chapter. According to the Forgotten One, after Sha Luo practiced this technique for a month, she should surpass the current Mels. In less than three years, even among the Federal People, she would have few rivals. This made Sha Luo overjoyed, and she thanked the Forgotten One excitedly.

The martial art Kaslo received was called the “Mountain-Shattering Fist.” Although this was an external martial art, it possessed indestructible power. Among the Federal People, only those recognized as strong could learn this technique from the Council of Elders. Matching its power, the training for this martial art was exceptionally difficult. Whether its true power could be unleashed depended entirely on Kaslo’s own comprehension.

Sol was the biggest headache for the Forgotten One. Since he was a pure mage and the Federal People’s understanding of magic was extremely limited, the Forgotten One could only teach him a life-saving technique called “Divine Movement Art” that didn’t conflict with magical energy and could be mastered in a short time. Originally, Sol wasn’t interested in this escape-oriented martial art, but after practicing for a week, he discovered that even Akafir found it extremely difficult to catch him. This thrilled Sol, and he devoted himself even more to practicing his newly learned skill.

Days immersed in the world of martial arts always passed quickly. Under the Forgotten One’s guidance and instruction, a month soon went by, and everyone’s progress was remarkable. On this day, when sunlight once again streamed in through the small window, the spirited Mels and the others finally decided to start breaking the sturdy iron bars. Mels and Sha Luo were to do the breaking.

Actually, the Forgotten One knew that given Mels’ current strength from practicing the Flowing Ease Heart Sutra, he alone was strong enough to break the iron bars. However, worried that Mels might not be able to control such immense power on his first attempt, he asked Sha Luo to join forces with Mels. With their current strength, Mels and Sha Luo easily pulled apart several iron bars, allowing everyone to break free from the cage they had been trapped in for over a month.

After leaving their cell, the first thing everyone did was rush to the nearby cell holding the Forgotten One. Although the Forgotten One had already described his current appearance to them, when they finally saw him, they were still greatly stunned. They also understood why the Forgotten One couldn’t leave.

In a cell even smaller than the one Mels and the others had been held in, a being who was not human-shaped at all leaned against the wall. Perhaps the Sub-Humans who captured him feared he might escape, so they not only broke the Forgotten One’s legs but didn’t spare his right hand either. The Forgotten One, now fully mechanized, had artificial skin on his face that had rotted away. On his exposed mechanical skull, two bulb-like eyes emitted a faint red light. The broken ends of his right hand and legs gave off a dull, eerie silver glow from the metal, and countless holes all over his body made him look like a demon from hell.

“Sigh… I told you not to come. Now you’re scared, right?” The Forgotten One’s metal lips curved slightly upward, likely giving a bitter smile to Mels and the others.

Hearing the Forgotten One’s somewhat sorrowful words, Mels suddenly rushed forward a step and said, “Senior, no matter what you look like, I will never forget the kindness you’ve shown us in this lifetime! I’ll get you out right now.”

“No need.” The Forgotten One raised his only remaining left hand and mechanically waved at Mels, saying, “My energy is almost gone. Even if I get out, I won’t live much longer. Rather than going into an unknown world, I’d prefer to live out my days in this small space. Mels, come in. I have something to give you and a few words to say.” Hearing the Forgotten One’s words, Sha Luo and the others also forgot their fear. They immediately worked with Mels to pry open the iron bars, allowing Mels to approach the Forgotten One.

“Heh, young man, to be honest, I didn’t originally intend to help you. Even when I started teaching you martial arts, I thought you couldn’t possibly break the iron bars. However, I never expected your will to survive and your natural talent to be so strong. This was something I completely didn’t foresee.

But even after leaving here, your future is still full of threats. Sub-Humans have an innate hatred for humans, and that’s something that can’t be changed. If you simply walk into the Sub-Human world, you’ll definitely be surrounded and attacked.

Not to mention that there are many highly skilled warriors among the Sub-Humans, even their numbers alone are enough to wipe you out! So, I’m giving you this. As long as you wear these disguise skins, I believe you won’t have problems for a while.” As the Forgotten One spoke, he carefully took out several human skin masks wrapped in oilpaper from the hollow cavity of his mechanical abdomen. After handing them to Mels, he added, “Oh, and here’s some Sub-Human currency. It’s not much, but at least it’ll keep you from being broke. Also, this is a credit card I used among the Federal People. Among them, they stopped using currency to buy things centuries ago and use this card instead. So, if you ever get a chance to go to the Federal People’s territory in the future, it will definitely come in handy.”

Holding the items given by the Forgotten One, Mels’ eyes grew slightly moist. Even though they had only spent a short month together, everything the Forgotten One had done for them was unforgettable to Mels and the others.

“Senior, come with us,” Mels said emotionally, looking at the Forgotten One.

Gently raising his hand to stroke Mels’ short hair, the Forgotten One said with a hint of laughter in his voice, “Mels, you’re a good human. Remember, don’t let hatred blind your eyes. Even if the Federal People have done wrong, it’s still my homeland. Don’t harm the innocent citizens living among the Federal People.” Looking into the Forgotten One’s mechanical eyes, Mels could only nod in agreement.

The Forgotten One suddenly made a request, and Mels agreed without even thinking. When Mels’ hand was tightly grasped by the Forgotten One, a red light shot from the Forgotten One’s arm into Mels. At the same time, a warm sensation immediately enveloped Mels, so comfortable it felt as if he had ascended to heaven.

As the thickness of the Qi energy within his body continuously increased, Mels immediately realized what the Forgotten One was doing. But at this moment, he couldn’t move at all; even if he wanted to refuse, he was unable to budge. He could only say in shock to the Forgotten One, “Senior, what are you doing? This will make your life drain away quickly!”

“Focus your mind and accept my energy. I can’t live much longer anyway. Even if this energy stays with me, it’s a waste. Accept it now so it can still be of use. Remember, if you encounter Sub-Humans wearing red cloaks with lion marks on their arms, stay far away from them. These Sub-Humans belong to the strongest combat unit. Each member’s combat power is at least sixty thousand or more. Right now, you… are… no… match… for… them…” At this point, the Forgotten One weakly released Mels’ arm, and the red light in his eyes gradually faded. Mels knew the Forgotten One had used up his last bit of energy and quietly passed away…

With the Forgotten One’s help, Mels and the others finally left the prison that had held them for over a month. For some unknown reason, the prison on Lonely Peak indeed had no guards, and aside from them, there were no other living prisoners.

When leaving the prison, Mels took the Forgotten One’s body with him and buried him on a scenic hill outside the prison. As Mels himself had said, even in death, one shouldn’t die in an enemy’s cage. Perhaps this was the last thing Mels could do for the Forgotten One.

Sha Luo’s attention was now fixed on Green Hair. For some reason, ever since the Forgotten One spoke to them, Green Hair had hardly uttered a word. This was completely unlike its normally noisy personality, as if it was deliberately avoiding the Forgotten One. However, when everyone buried the Forgotten One, Green Hair appeared unusually sorrowful, quietly standing on Mels’ shoulder and gazing at the Forgotten One’s grave. Observing the situation, Sha Luo vaguely concluded that Green Hair must have some connection with the Forgotten One, but she felt now wasn’t the time to inquire, so she didn’t ask for the reason.

After burying the Forgotten One, everyone began to survey the surrounding terrain. Mels learned this place was called Lonely Peak from a stone tablet at the prison entrance. Actually, calling it a peak was an overstatement; it was more like a mound in a basin. The Lonely Prison wasn’t large, covering at most a thousand square meters. Judging from the terrain, the Lonely Prison had been abandoned for a long time. Perhaps it had become a secret location for disposing of death row prisoners. However, Mels and the others found it strange why the Sub-Humans didn’t kill them but instead exiled them here. This question could likely only be answered after integrating into Sub-Human society.

The basin where Lonely Prison was located was barren, with no grass growing. The soil was different from ordinary yellow earth; its dark red color resembled congealed blood and emitted a faint foul odor. In such an environment, it was impossible to obtain the food Mels and the others hoped for, and certainly no Sub-Humans would provide them with necessary information.

Mels chose a lion mask. Akafir, Kaslo, and Sol used tiger masks, while Sha Luo used a rabbit mask. When everyone finished putting them on and looked at each other’s strange appearances, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter. They also realized that the original Summoned Beasts must have been based on animal forms, which was why Sub-Humans became hybrids of humans and animals.

Although they hadn’t eaten real food for over a month, with the help of the Water of Life, everyone remained spirited and didn’t feel hungry. However, after leaving the basin where Lonely Prison was located, they were greatly troubled about which direction to go, as they knew nothing about this unfamiliar land. Finally, with Kaslo’s help, relying on the direction of the sun, they decided to head west, taking their first step in a foreign land.

“Boss, how long do we have to walk before we reach a Sub-Human city?” Under the scorching sun, Sol, covered in sweat, caught up to Mels, who was walking ahead alone, and complained discontentedly.

“How should I know? It’s all because of this damn metal ring sealing Little One. Otherwise, we could have Little One carry us while flying, and we wouldn’t have to suffer like this,” Mels said angrily, glaring at the metal ring on his wrist.

Since leaving Lonely Prison, they had tried every method but couldn’t remove the metal rings on their wrists. These pitch-black, seemingly unremarkable metal rings were hundreds of times stronger than the iron bars in the prison. No matter what method Mels and the others used, they couldn’t break them.

“Haha! Serves you right! Look at me, I’m much better off. Not only don’t I have to wear handcuffs, but I can also fly freely!” Hearing Mels’ complaint, Green Hair immediately flapped its wings and flew a circle in the air as if showing off.

“Go to hell! Damn Green Hair, if you have the guts, don’t perch on the boss’s shoulder. Walk on two legs like us!” Sol shouted angrily. But Green Hair acted as if it didn’t hear, continuing to hum a little tune happily while staying on Mels’ shoulder.

“Stop arguing. Brother Mels, look quickly, what’s that?” Just as everyone was arguing, Sha Luo suddenly pointed at a cloud of dust on the distant horizon and spoke to Mels and the others. Following her finger, everyone immediately stopped and looked carefully. Soon, they realized it was a strange vehicle speeding toward them from behind.

“Sub-Humans! They’re Sub-Humans!” Mels, with the strongest abilities, was naturally the first to confirm that the beings driving the vehicle were Sub-Humans. Immediately, Mels said, “Everyone, listen up. We absolutely must not expose our identities, or we’ll be in big trouble!” No one had any objections; they all nodded in agreement one after another. After Mels confirmed everyone understood his meaning, he immediately waved both hands and shouted loudly toward the vehicle, “Hey, we’re over here! Over here!”

The strange vehicle moved extremely fast. In no time, it arrived before Mels and the others. With a “screech,” the metal vehicle, hovering half a meter above the ground, came to a steady stop in front of them.

“Kids, what are you doing in this uninhabited plain?” A Sub-Human with a black bear head rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and curiously scanned Mels and the others as he asked.

“Uncle, we ran into bandits. The elders in our family told us to escape, and we got lost here. We were hoping you could take us to a nearby city. We have some money here. Would you be willing?” Mels quickly made up a story, his eyes shifting.

Looking at the gold nugget in Mels’ hand, the black bear Sub-Human chuckled lightly and said to Mels and the others, “Poor little ones, you must have run into the most famous Wolf Tribe Bandits around here. To escape alive from them, your luck really isn’t bad. Alright, get in. Uncle won’t take your money.” With that, the black bear Sub-Human opened the car door.

Overjoyed, Mels and the others thanked him repeatedly and boarded the black bear Sub-Human’s vehicle. Once inside the strange vehicle, they realized that although it didn’t look large from the outside, the interior was quite spacious. Even with the five of them, it wasn’t crowded. However, the vehicle had many strange devices that dazzled them, though they had no idea what they were.

After the black bear started the vehicle and continued forward, he turned back and smiled at Mels, saying, “You’re from the Lion-Tiger Clan, right? I never thought the Wolf Tribe Bandits would be so bold, daring to attack even the Lion-Tiger Clan. Looks like I’ll have to be more careful in the future. After all, we Bear Clan can’t compare to you Lion-Tiger Clan.”

Hearing the black bear Sub-Human’s words, Mels immediately realized he had some understanding of the so-called Lion-Tiger Clan. Worried that continuing the conversation might expose them, Mels quickly changed the subject, saying, “Uncle, where are we headed?”

“Heh, you silly boys must be out for the first time. About two hundred kilometers ahead, there’s a city called Yakesai. We’ll spend the night there today. As for whether you want to come with me to the central city tomorrow, that’s up to you. Oh, you probably haven’t been to Yakesai before, right? Let me give you an introduction.

Yakesai is a city our Bear Clan built three hundred years ago. It’s the largest city in the eastern region, with a population of around two million. Six standing armies garrison it, so even large bandit groups like the Wolf Tribe Bandits don’t dare enter its protective range. Although Yakesai doesn’t have famous tourist attractions, the crystal ore it produces is renowned across the continent. Both in quality and quantity, it’s rare on the continent. Our Bear Clan’s development today largely depends on it,” the black bear Sub-Human said proudly.

The conversation between Mels and the black bear Sub-Human didn’t catch Sol’s attention. At this moment, Sol’s entire focus was on the strange vehicle. This car didn’t have wheels but floated in the air as it moved. No matter how uneven the terrain, it always maintained a height of about half a meter above the ground, moving forward at high speed. Aside from white mist spraying from the bottom of the vehicle, there was no visible means of propulsion. This made Sol exclaim in amazement, “Uncle, what kind of car is this? Why does it float in the air as it moves?”

As soon as Sol spoke, Mels knew it was bad, thinking the black bear Sub-Human would become suspicious. However, unexpectedly, the black bear Sub-Human burst into laughter and said, “You Lion-Tiger Clan are good at everything, but you refuse to learn these scientific technologies. That’s why you lost to the Eagle Clan! Sigh… I never thought you still haven’t learned your lesson, not even letting your descendants learn.

This is called a Float Car, one of the vehicles that rely on buoyancy to fly. Compared to ordinary geomagnetic cars, it requires less crystal ore and moves faster. Mine is an old model, so it still needs manual driving. The new ones produced recently can use computers for automatic driving! Oh, and I see you have quite a bit of money. If you need one in the future, you should buy one yourself. This kind of car costs at most fifty grams of gold. I’m sure you can afford it.”

After hearing the black bear Sub-Human’s words, Mels finally relaxed, letting out a long sigh of relief before shooting an angry glance at Sol. Sol also knew his recklessness had nearly caused trouble, so he stuck out his tongue slightly and lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

At this moment, Kaslo suddenly had an idea. He leaned over Sol and said to the black bear uncle, “Uncle, you’re really a good person. Actually, we don’t live among the Lion-Tiger Clan. We’re all orphans, raised by an old grandpa since childhood, and he brought us out. Since we were little, we’ve never seen these things and don’t know what’s happening on the continent now. Would you be willing to tell us?”

“So that’s how it is. No wonder. I was wondering why Lion-Tiger Clan kids would be mixed with a Rabbit Clan child. Sigh… you’re all poor children. Anyway, it’ll be a few hours before we reach Yakesai. Let me tell you about the affairs of the Yake continent.” The black bear Sub-Human looked at Mels and the others with pity, then closed his eyes, briefly organizing his thoughts before preparing to explain everything.