Chapter 16: Three Minutes

The girl’s face was exquisite, without a single flaw, and even the faint pink scar on her porcelain-like cheek did nothing to mar her pure beauty. Her large, sparkling eyes were filled with confusion, gazing around blankly as if she could not see the greed and malice in people’s eyes.

She wore a pair of flat shoes, and her legs, which peeked out from under her skirt, were as white and luminous as jade.

Her white dress was somewhat dirty, with several tears at the hem. This was to be expected after a long journey, travel fatigue, and being on a cramped, filthy smuggling ship. Everyone who disembarked from that ship was similarly dirty and tattered.

However, the worn white dress seemed different when worn by her. The fluttering skirt hem in the wind appeared to awaken the deepest, most primal instincts in people’s hearts.

The girl carried a small handbag, with no visible weapons or armor. At this moment, she resembled a fragile, pale flower in a stormy wilderness, vulnerable and pale.

The townspeople exchanged glances, their eyes filled with fierce killing intent and warnings. Most of them averted their gaze, continuing to stare greedily at the girl. The fiercest few, however, stepped forward, silently separating the others from her.

The girl seemed oblivious to the danger around her, her dazed eyes leading her into a secluded alley.

The burly men following her exchanged knowing glances and immediately followed her into the dark alley. The last man turned back, glaring menacingly at the crowd, making a throat-cutting gesture. His message was clear: anyone who dared to follow would be killed.

The town’s unemployed thugs stopped at the alley entrance, realizing they were no match for those fierce men. But according to the town’s rules, once the girl had been dealt with, it would be their turn.

Dozens of people gathered at the alley entrance, craning their necks to peer inside. However, the winding and dark alley quickly obscured the view. They were both unwilling and too afraid to enter, so they strained their ears, trying to catch any suspicious sounds and imagining the scenes in their minds.

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from the depths of the dark alley. Even though the townspeople were accustomed to cruelty, they shivered involuntarily at the sound. The scream was utterly heartbreaking, conveying the despair and boundless fear of the victim.

Screams and cries of agony followed, as if a ferocious, unseen beast was feasting on all living things in the alley.

The people at the alley entrance could only hear the continuous screams, which were frantic, as if the victims were using all their remaining strength to scream rather than resist or flee.

The air in the town froze, and everyone stood motionless, fearing that the slightest noise might draw the terrifying demon closer.

The screams in the dark alley continued for half an hour, and the people outside stood for the same duration.

Finally, the victim’s energy was spent, and the screams gradually diminished. Yet, the dozens of people at the alley entrance remained standing, barely daring to breathe.

At the other end of the town, the girl in the white dress slowly emerged, walking towards the desolate wilderness.

Her dress was now stained with blood, the red and white creating a stark contrast. Blood dripped from her fingertips, but her eyes remained confused, as if she didn’t know what she had done.

At the other end of the town, an old woman sat, watching the girl, the town, and everything with a blank expression.

As the girl walked away, the old woman suddenly rubbed her eyes. She seemed to see the girl’s figure blur. Upon closer inspection, the distant figure of the girl in her white dress, with her dazzlingly white skin, appeared again, the bloodstains miraculously gone.

Inside the town, it took a long time for the people at the alley entrance to muster the courage to enter. The first few men to turn the corner suddenly fell to their knees, vomiting violently.

In the depths of the dark alley, it was a different world, filled with flesh, blood, and bone fragments, with no discernible human remains or intact limbs.

Even though the townspeople were no strangers to violence, they had never experienced such a shock. This scene was more brutal than a blood feast.

The survivors were relieved that they were not strong enough to have a share in the carnage; otherwise, they would have contributed to the bloody spectacle.

Meanwhile, in the north, a small village had been established in a mountainous area by the sea. The Hall of Heroes rested nearby, and several Gao Hu people were unloading cargo from the airship, transporting it to the village. There, others were assembling mechanical parts from the boxes into vehicles and machines.

A natural barrier, the mountains, lay about ten kilometers away, with a stream flowing down from the snow-capped peaks, merging into a small river that flowed past the village. On the distant hills, some Gao Hu people were prospecting for minerals among the rocks.

On a small hill near the village, Qing Yue stood beside Qian Ye, holding a newly drawn map, explaining the future plans.

“The flow of this river is not very abundant, supporting at most ten thousand people. Once our mines, smelters, and machinery and military factories are operational, water will be even more scarce. Therefore, we must extend towards the coast, where there is a larger river, allowing us to build another city. For now, the village must be here to facilitate the workshops.”

Pointing to the distant mountains, she added, “There are certainly black crystals and iron ore there, ensuring a steady supply of steel. Further exploration is needed for other rare minerals, but the dense void force at the mountaintop suggests the presence of many mineral veins. That will be the next step.”

“The order of construction for the workshops should be smelting, machinery, and finally, military assembly. My idea is to purchase key components, even entire ballistae, and manufacture the heavy, non-technical parts here. This will allow the Hall of Heroes to become combat-ready in the shortest time.”

Qing Yue held a well-planned diagram, detailing the size and location of each workshop, with an optimized layout. The effort and late nights she put into this plan were evident in her still slightly bruised eyes.

“Alright, let’s proceed as planned,” Qian Ye nodded.

Qing Yue exhaled, visibly relaxing. Qian Ye’s agreement covered not only the immediate plan but also her hidden, long-term vision. Extending the territory towards the coast would give the Gao Hu people a resource-rich, vast land. The fertile soil in the north could support hundreds of thousands of people.

With this land, the Gao Hu people would have a place to settle and thrive for generations.

Suddenly, Qian Ye felt a premonition, his brow furrowing.

“What’s wrong?” Qing Yue asked, concerned.

“Nothing, just a bad feeling.” Qian Ye looked towards the distant horizon. Something unpleasant seemed to be happening, or a danger was approaching.

“Should I call more of my people?” Qing Yue asked.

“No, this is enough for now. Get your people to unload the cargo faster. I need to leave.”

Qing Yue wanted to accompany Qian Ye, but seeing he did not invite her, she obediently stayed behind, directing her people to stop unpacking and move the cargo to the Hall of Heroes.

It took about an hour for the dozens of Gao Hu people to unload all the cargo. The purchase was indeed substantial.

By dusk, the Hall of Heroes was ready, and Qian Ye stood on the head of the earth dragon, piloting the massive warship into the air. The five power sails unfurled, and the ship flew towards the endless Eastern Sea.

Qian Ye intended to check on Yeto, to determine if his unease was related to her. The journey was long, and even with the power sails, the Hall of Heroes’ speed was only increased by ten percent compared to the earth dragon’s heart.

Despite his urgency, the route across the Eastern Sea was the fastest, so Qian Ye suppressed his anxiety and continued his cultivation within the Hall of Heroes, converting stored origin power into Dawn’s Awakening.

Over the past period, he had been refining origin power whenever he could, and with another half month, his Dawn origin power would reach a new level, forming a fourth vortex.

Days passed, and Qian Ye arrived at Yeto’s hiding place. He suspended the Hall of Heroes at the boundary between the void and the continent, then flew out, using his powerful body to pass through the void storm to the crash site of the vampire duke’s flagship.

Galianan was waiting outside the ship, saying, “Master can only give you three minutes.”

Qian Ye was taken aback, but he smiled bitterly and followed Galianan inside.

In the central hall of the ship, a dim red light flickered, and droplets of blood floated like flawless rubies, flowing slowly, shining like stars.

Yeto floated in the center of the tilted hall, arms crossed over her chest, eyes closed as if asleep. Her aura was ancient and timeless, giving a surreal, otherworldly feeling. She seemed to be there, yet not there.

Qian Ye stood at the hall’s entrance, silently watching her, two minutes passing.

“One minute left.”

Qian Ye sighed, “I’m fine, just came to see you.”

“You’ve seen me.”

Qian Ye shrugged, “Alright, I’ll go then.”

As he left, he turned back, “Next time?”

Yeto paused, then said, “Three minutes.”

Qian Ye smiled, turning and leaving without lingering.