Chapter 57: Redemption and Revenge
The scorching afternoon sun blazed down, the sweltering heat inevitably stirring irritation, the very air distorted by the high temperature.
Within the endless sea of forest, birds chirped and chattered on the branches, a gentle forest breeze blew, and the foliage above blocked the harsh sun, casting large patches of light on the fallen leaves below.
This was the Eastern Forest, about thirty kilometers from Zul City. Due to its beautiful environment, nobles or wealthy merchants from Zul City would occasionally come here to hunt, but now, in the hot season, the Eastern Forest was sparsely populated.
Near a pool of water within the Eastern Forest, the trees grew denser. Amidst these dense trees, a wooden cabin could faintly be seen.
The cabin had grown together with the surrounding trees; without close observation, it was hard to notice its existence.
A colorful python was coiled atop the cabin, its cold eyes periodically scanning the surroundings. This was a strange beast, and a fairly powerful one at that.
The interior of the cabin was simple, less than thirty square meters. There was a wooden bed against the wall, and opposite it, a shelf built from logs, holding several rows of glass bottles.
A Nether with short, graying hair and dark brown skin lay on the wooden bed. He had only one arm left. Unlike other male Nethers, he didn't have exaggerated, bulging muscles but was instead gaunt and skeletal. His faceplate was covered in fine cracks, yet above it were sixteen eyes. This was the Sixteen-Eyed Nether, Fadiel.
Fadiel was very weak. Though he had once been powerful, he was now old and frail. After enduring over a decade of torment in the Dark Prison, his life force had been severely drained.
Sin stood before the wooden bed, holding a piece of bloody fresh meat, tearing off small pieces to feed Fadiel. After each small piece Fadiel ate, Sin would wait at least ten minutes before bringing another piece of shredded meat to Fadiel's mouth.
Regaining some strength, Fadiel's sixteen eyes turned to Sin.
"You... who... are... why... are you willing... to... save me."
Fadiel's weak voice came through. Sin's hand paused, and after a moment of silence, he sat on the wooden bed.
"You gave me hope when I was at my most desperate. The human part of me tells me I should also save you. Besides, my original purpose wasn't just to save you. Unfortunately, the other part of the plan failed."
Sin smiled. He actually had another goal: to take revenge on Harold. But after the plan started, he was beaten so badly he could barely find his bearings. Saving Fadiel was already a good outcome. As for revenge, it wasn't very likely. Redemption and revenge—that was all of Sin's purpose.
"Did... I... once... save you?"
"Of course, and more than once."
Sin tore off another small piece of fresh meat and brought it to Fadiel's mouth.
"More than once..." Fadiel was even more confused. After thinking for a moment with his already sluggish mind, he suddenly recalled something and spoke weakly, "You are... that... half-human, half-Nether... hybrid..."
"That's me, Mr. Fadiel. Finally, I see you again. Sorry for making you wait so long. Back then, I wasn't even as tall as your leg."
Sin placed his hand on Fadiel's shoulder. He had never known who his father was, and this Nether before him had been like a father figure in his young heart during his childhood. Though it only lasted a few months, he couldn't forget it, and he wouldn't.
"You are... little Boyierni..."
"Mr. Fadiel, I am Sin now. Since being strong is also a sin, then I will be strong enough to become Sin itself."
"..."
Fadiel's mouth opened and closed, but for a long time, he couldn't say anything.
"Mr. Fadiel, please rest. I have other things to do. Someone will take care of you here."
"Wait... wait."
Fadiel raised his arm, his sharp claws piercing into the eye socket at the center of his faceplate.
"Take it. I... no longer... need it."
Fadiel handed a blood-covered eyeball to Sin. After the eyeball left Fadiel's socket, its form quickly changed, becoming a pitch-black eyeball with three golden pupils on it.
Seeing this eyeball, Sin was stunned for a moment.
"Find the other one... then..."
Fadiel's voice grew weaker and weaker. After a long time, Sin finally took the eyeball.
"Rest well. I'm leaving."
Sin stepped out of the wooden cabin, holding a pitch-black eyeball in his hand. He had once possessed one of these, but he had used it to set up the Eye Chamber.
Walking out of the cabin, Sin pulled a metal spear that was embedded in a tree. He had spent a fortune to buy this spear, just to deal with one person.
...
In Zul City, Su Xiao was lounging on the sofa in his office. He had nothing to do for now. The location of the Space-Time Core would be indicated every twelve hours. It was now two in the afternoon, and there were still nine hours until the first indication.
Finding the Space-Time Core was very difficult, as could be seen from the Lv.44 mission difficulty. The mission had a total time limit of seventy-two hours, meaning Su Xiao could only learn the location of the Space-Time Core five times. The sixth notification would coincide with the mission's time limit.
Five chances, each lasting three seconds. The range of the Space-Time Core included Zul City and the surrounding area within thirty kilometers. Finding the Space-Time Core in such a vast area was incredibly difficult.
The Space-Time Core was formed from the core of the Eye Chamber, meaning it was likely in the hands of Mr. J.
Regarding Mr. J's modus operandi, Su Xiao felt a vague sense of familiarity, but he couldn't be sure it was that person. Last time, he had killed the other party and even received a notification from Reincarnation Paradise.
Su Xiao had three suspects. The first was the Violator Red Jester from the Hunter World. Not only was he a Violator, but he had also formed a Violator group called the Gentleman Alliance. However, the Gentleman Alliance had already been wiped out by Su Xiao.
The second suspect was Xi, the Xi he met in the War World. That woman had left a deep impression on Su Xiao, and when she died, an unknown spatial fluctuation appeared. Undoubtedly, being able to snatch someone away right under Reincarnation Paradise's nose meant it was an existence or organization no weaker than Reincarnation Paradise.
As for the third, it was the least likely: the chatterbox girl Death Omen. But she should be dead by now, so the possibility was minimal.
Mr. J appeared to be male, but there were too many things that could disguise gender, and cross-dressing men were not uncommon.
Compared to Xi and Death Omen, Su Xiao felt that Red Jester was more likely to be Mr. J. But the other party should be dead. From the moment Su Xiao entered Reincarnation Paradise until now, Reincarnation Paradise's notifications had been one hundred percent accurate.
Of course, there was also the possibility that Mr. J had never fought Su Xiao before, and that the previous video was just a diversion.
Compared to Mr. J, Su Xiao felt that Sin was actually a greater threat. From start to finish, Mr. J gave Su Xiao a somewhat cowardly feeling. He didn't believe that there was no conflict of interest between the two opposing factions. Even so, Mr. J still refused to show himself, instead going to a small town to set up the Eye Chamber.
Sin, on the other hand, was a reckless man with intelligence. Su Xiao had a feeling that Sin was likely to come back for revenge. Cold weapon spear techniques emphasized an unwavering spirit. If Sin didn't even have the courage to come back for revenge, he wouldn't have been able to cultivate his spear skills to that level.