Chapter 139: The Enigmatic Maiden

In the twilight of dusk, beneath the looming shadows of decaying alleyways, a young man with a mane of dyed rainbow-colored hair grinned with a fierce, malicious sneer, his words slicing through the thickening gloom. “You don’t ask who I am! All you need to know is that anyone stupid enough to venture into the mess called Heiliu has already died… You fools’ heads fetch a tidy sum in the south!”

As the name Nan Gung stirred the air, Qian Ye met their threat with a silence deeper than cold waters and asked, his tone like dry ice upon burning firewood—”So…someone’s sold my news, then?”

“Many hands on the deal these days—this is hardly the only trade.” While the youth spoke, a hulk stepped forward and spat, “Ain’t no time for talkin’—kill ‘im and let’s catch supper!”

The claque dispersed like black birds taking flight, revealing a glinting constellation of weaponry. Their attire screamed thuggery but these were rare beasts—criminal garb concealing armaments not common save in an army’s finest units, with force arrays on metal shields more suited for war’s front lines.

Qian Ye stepped forward as if crossing invisible boundaries and in an instant, closed the distance to place his wrath firmly against the gut of their ringleader. A motion seemingly ordinary—it bore the fury of ancient volcanos erupting. The force sent the man spiraling through the air like shrapnel loosed from iron chambers, smashing relentlessly through layered houses like they were parchment, only to land, twisted hideously like crumpled wax, long lifeless after his catastrophic flight.

Then, merely raising his hand caused a hulking bruiser’s shotgun to fly to him—planted from unwilling fists. Before the brute even fathomed his weapon lost, it turned its roar upon him as Qian Ye unleashed a spray of scathing metallic hail that tossed the giant backwards into oblivion.

With thundering gunpowder chorus, rounds erupted from the shotgun, dropping each adversary who dared step before him—no attempt to retreat spared, for those selling souls would find no mercy in his eyes.

The last round spent; Qian Ye discarded the shell-smeared shotgun carelessly behind. Footsteps stirred behind again though… and as metal chambers cocked to fire, QianYe turned unflustered, calculating that last desperate survivor’s demise at precisely the moment his weapon discharges… in a dance only death would conclude.

But, swift as a predatory panther bursting forth from ambush, a diminutive but fierce figure hurled a dark object with pinpoint malice squarely into the last foe’s occiput. The head smashed, misshapen like crushed clay. Convulsion… lifeless.

The hammer had come from the lithe lass, the very one who at the journey’s beginning sought travel beside Qian Ye towards the Heiliu malarkey. Pulling down her hood revealed a chestnut crop framing a bright-eyed, fresh-faced beauty marred only slightly by oil stain. In delicate hands, held by wiry fingers, rested an enormous weapon—a hammer—thrumming as its head rhythmically telescopes, leaking tendrils of steam—clearly engineered by modern means powered through mystical arrays embedded. That kind of brute force from such a childlike figure left minds struggling disbelief.

Lifting luminous eyes to face Qian, she asserted, “I helped—you should allow me now to ride alongside. I should confess though, I bear no coin though.”

Before the deep-blue scrutiny emanating from Qian Ye’s twin orbs, the girl felt sudden cold creep like winter fog into limbs—the chill of exposure beneath Truth Gaze.

Through its lens, he perceived an awakening in six vital force foci across her being—with curious irregularities in powerflow throughout the left side of her figure—an alignment alien and unlike both mortal flow and infernal essence.

But Qian’s attention then narrowed deeper: the girl’s form bore multiple metallic grafts—synthetic bone woven around living sinew, particularly within the left forearm—half organism and half machine! Thus explaining her wielding this absurd tool.

Observing this hybrid strength, Qian gave nod once solemnly, “This journey’s not free from fire, child—if your aim was safety, forget it.”

But with defiant poise she replied, “Fear not—your safety rests now upon my steel!”

And with shrug Qian stepped forward and onward beyond the mouth of this dark alley, winding their way at last unto an obscure small mansion.

This time however silence reigned—void of living presence. A final gaze confirmed his destination’s legitimacy—then in a thunder kick shattered entranceway from its hinges into ruin. From behind, two thugs leaned lazily on courtyard’s flank—one startled moment to shift guns… barely glimpsed Qian’s flickering form grasping either brute effortlessly aloft—to slam them backward violently till unconsciousness clung tighter than life’s breath!

Discarding guards as sacks tossed aside in disinterest, footsteps echoed through chamber’s threshold—the clamor soon catching within occupants’ attention. From corridors surged a mob—muscled brash and bold—but met only the wrathful efficiency of one whose arms flung men like ragdolls—crunch after impact left each fallen, slumped unconscious. Left in his passage lay wreckage of bodies.

He rose to the second floor’s upper sanctum, vanquishing those in his way and shattered open the entrance. Before him stretched a chamber opulent beyond reason—gold leaf screaming silently against grim background of decay.

No waiting Qian stretched hand and snatched the shotgun nestled against hidden flank within—before it could raise in threat he twisted rearward and blew the opponent clean back through windows out. Then moving past chaos to corner the frail deskbound master of ceremonies, still warm bore leveled precisely against sweating temple.

“I require an airship bound for Hei Liu.”

The man croaked, “Blackflow?? No—Impossible!! Even should death await refusal… the Nan Gung’s decree seals this—should I assist—they shall slaughter blood ties down to last pup!”

Without breaking concentration, his hand flashed suddenly sideways firing—taking out in split decision an approaching assassin leaping from secret entrance. A blossom of death exploded from his weapon. Re-chambered now, the barrel returned again toward frightened mastermind.

“A life per life. Harm those within, refuse to cooperate—I execute all now.”

Gasps escaped trembling teeth, “I’d die regardless—no pilot flies past Nan Gung net!”

“Grant aircraft,” Qian said.

Suddenly the enigmatic girl stepped forward from behind.

“I know how!”

She swung hammer once more, descending upon the foot of the bureaucrat! As metal thunder struck mortal frame bones shattered—a red ruin where flesh and limb used to exist once. A scream born choked silent under greasy scrap dragged from pockets and thrust between grit teeth—thrashing ceased by unnatural girlstrength as she held him down, seated, like vice bound fast.

Another blow awaited on second limb when mercy broke under unbearable stress as his muffled pleas pleaded desperately surrender.

Removing rags she inhaled fresh air for both, prompting words of location; warehouse at distant poppy fields bore the sky-boat. Keys handed forth.

“Thank You,” Qian said before turning on heel.

Gazing puzzled at receding back she caught up—worry etched— “What if lies follow truth?”

Without turning eye nor slowing pace— “We shall return—bearing only death for liars.”

A dubious frown furrowed across brow as she trotted onward.

Outrider of dawn approached violet bloom fields housing a hanger disproportionate to desolation surrounding. Defeating sentries trivial; opening the vault they approached the floating relic tethered securely within.

Awakening it summoned tremors from metal giants stirring long-dormant chambers; great steam chains unhooked and withdrew, opening heavens above to embrace the machine of old; aboard leapt adventurer with strange youngling, making haste forward, past the pilot’s sanctum ahead.

Hinged upon instrument cluster within, an elaborate gearcase formed the key—intruding rods extending into mechanical heart.

Girl fixated closely. “How is that the keystone device you carry?”

“Aye” was his reply. Firmly implanted, rods engaged circuits. Then, arcane sigils lit sequence upon dashboard panel—the key turning in accordance, activating levers of power and setting engine’s roar rising in deep timbre.

Tremors intensified as vessel awoke from dormant reprieve.

It soared! Rising over estate heights momentarily—it angled sharply eastward as sky-ride commenced.

Inside cabin—girl’s inquisitive nature surfaced. “Is this truly airship bridge? I always thought it grander?”

“This is a one-hundred-years old machine—designed in deeper past.”

The girl grumbled, “Supposed imperial design? Still relying on rods, nothing but outdated linkage? No mystical augmentation even!”

Finally steering settled with heading locked Qian Ye twisted his regard toward his curious co-pilot’s gaze heavy, dangerous: Now tell… why follow? What waits in Blackstream for you?

A cold wind passed between breathes. The threat was palpable. He would cast such a suspicious soul into void’s abyss—plummet until impact sealed secrets forever in shattered corpse.

But she met his threat not cowering, nor weeping. A beast recoiling into darkness—not from fear—from readiness to strike back! It evoked fascination in Qian Ye.

Such reactions not for innocent youth—not found within any child…only hardened beasts—ones seasoned across killing fields and crimson soaked earth—that even against impossible enemy, tear bloody mouthful from god himself would be their legacy.

With one final stare that dark, crystalline eyes flared again deep ocean’s azure.

And she shivered.

But steeled eyes upward met him— “I’m not chasing romance of battle or stories spun—I seek war!”

End of QianYe Story.