Volume One: Transformation Chapter Sixteen: Sword Immortal?

When the last glow of sunset vanished from the horizon, a few campfires were lit around the encampment. Those who had regained their lives were still exhilarated, laughing and chatting, occasionally casting furtive glances at Liu Cong, who sat atop the carcass of the wolf. With a leader among them, their voices grew bold, as if courage had returned.

Liu Cong sat upright, eyes closed, on the still-soft belly of the giant wolf. He quietly sensed the flow of energy within his body. After this battle, he could clearly feel the two types of energy inside him fusing together, spinning faster than before. This meant his strength would soon rise rapidly. If he hadn’t unexpectedly unlocked the power of the divine sword today, the fight would not have ended so smoothly.

The origins of this sword, not of Earth, were shrouded in mystery, but its power was not to be underestimated. He needed to investigate it thoroughly, Liu Cong mused to himself.

As he was meditating, Liu Cong sensed someone approaching and opened his eyes to find the captain of the armed police walking toward him.

“Commander, we’ve prepared some grilled meat for you,” the young officer said, handing over a large piece of barbecue wrapped in paper.

Liu Cong accepted it, peeled back the paper, and was immediately greeted by a delicious aroma. “Smells wonderful. What kind of meat is this?”

The young officer smiled, pleased with Liu Cong’s satisfaction. “Commander, it’s mutant rabbit meat. Unlike other omnivorous animals, these rabbits only eat a kind of purple mutant grass. They’re harmless to humans and quite large, with tender, flavorful meat—perfect for grilling.”

Liu Cong took a bite and found it exceptionally tasty. The rabbit meat was not only tender but absorbed the seasoning wonderfully. It was indeed an ideal choice for barbecue.

Watching Liu Cong enjoy the food, the officer grinned. “If you need more, just let me know, Commander. I’ll grill another portion for you.”

“Don’t rush off. Come, sit—let’s talk,” Liu Cong said, savoring his meal but eager to learn more about their situation.

The young officer climbed up beside him and sat down.

“What’s your name?” Liu Cong asked.

“Commander, I’m Yang Feng, captain of our armed police squad.” Now close, Yang Feng spoke a bit shyly.

“No need to be nervous. I just want to understand what’s going on here. I noticed you don’t seem too fond of the people in the camp,” Liu Cong said with a gentle smile, sensing Yang Feng’s reserved demeanor.

Yang Feng sighed and recounted the recent events, not out of complaint, but simply so Liu Cong wouldn’t misunderstand him or his squad.

After hearing the story, Liu Cong was taken aback. “How could this happen? Weren’t you always protecting them?”

“Commander, you may not know—these people are local residents from the nearby town. After the disaster struck, we and the supporting troops cleared out the surrounding monsters and established this temporary camp with them. Once we made contact with headquarters and learned that the government had set up safe zones, we planned to use our remaining vehicles to transport them there, one group at a time.”

“But then some resident suggested we escort them back to town to retrieve their possessions. I won’t even mention how dangerous the town is after the black rain, but the most infuriating part is that most of them agreed to it—as if our lives as soldiers are worth nothing, less precious than their property,” Yang Feng said, his voice bitter.

“So you refused, and that’s why they’re upset?” Liu Cong was speechless. Even now, these people cared only for their belongings, not realizing they might not survive to enjoy them.

“Of course we refused!” Yang Feng slapped his thigh, then remembered whom he was speaking to. “Commander, I didn’t mean to shout at you, but I’m just angry. We already lost many men getting these people out. Back then, with the troops, we had over a hundred armed personnel, but now soldiers are needed everywhere across the country. We’re in a hurry to get these civilians to safety so we can go hunt monsters. There’s no way we’re risking our lives to escort them back to town. Isn’t that right?”

Liu Cong heard the resolve in Yang Feng’s words, but he could sense the fear—the monsters had shaken the soldiers deeply. He understood. After all, everyone was human; facing unknown creatures was terrifying enough, and risking their lives for irrelevant property was a gamble no one wanted to take.

Liu Cong sympathetically patted Yang Feng’s shoulder, saying nothing.

It was hard being a soldier. To protect these civilians, many had died or been wounded, yet these selfish people cared only for themselves. Not only did they show no gratitude, they even scorned their protectors. Who could be happy in such circumstances?

Truly, they risked their lives to protect a group of overlords.

“Don’t dwell on it. Not everyone is like that—there are many worth protecting,” Liu Cong said, seeing Yang Feng still troubled.

“I know, Commander. I just feel sorry for the brothers who died,” Yang Feng replied, wiping away tears. “They died protecting these people, and afterward, not one of them helped dig a grave. I really feel it wasn’t worth it.”

Liu Cong’s heart ached, and he sighed. “I blame myself. If only I’d arrived sooner.”

The evening breeze wafted gently; the two fell silent, lost in their own thoughts.

“Beep, beep.”

Liu Cong’s watch suddenly rang. He took out a Bluetooth earpiece and answered the call.

“Uncle Zhang, what’s up?”

“Well done, boy! This time, you really outdid yourself!” Zhang Chu’s voice was full of praise.

“You completed this mission perfectly. We expected heavy casualties, but you managed it so well. You’re about to become famous—very famous!”

“Uncle Zhang, what do you mean by ‘very famous’?” Liu Cong asked, intrigued.

“Your video fighting the wolves single-handedly has spread everywhere. All the safe zones now know about you. Tell me, isn’t that fame?” Zhang Chu laughed, teasing, “Guess what people are calling you now.”

Liu Cong gave a wry smile and asked, “So what are they saying?”

“They’re calling you the Sword Immortal of China! How about that for a title?”

“I hardly deserve such a name. It took everything I had to kill two wolves. Real sword immortals slay demons and cleave mountains with a single stroke. I’m nowhere near that,” Liu Cong replied.

“Hey, don’t say that. Those are just legends, but you’re a living example. I never believed in such things, but after meeting you, I have to reconsider. Though, we shouldn’t take it all literally—after all, our ancestors liked to embellish records,” Zhang Chu said, then lowered his voice, “Brother, tell me honestly—where did your sword come from? A lot of people are asking me.”

“Uncle Zhang, what if I told you my sword fell from the sky? Would you believe me?” Liu Cong replied, half-joking.

“I actually would!” Zhang Chu answered in a serious tone, no longer jesting.

Liu Cong was surprised. “You really believe my sword fell from the sky?”

“To be honest, if we hadn’t confirmed you’re a real person, we’d suspect you yourself descended from the heavens,” Zhang Chu said, half in jest, half in earnest.

“What do you mean?”

“You think the state isn’t paying attention to supernatural phenomena like yours? From the moment your profile landed on our desk, your background was thoroughly investigated. A year ago, when you were a freshman, a meteor fell in Hangzhou. That meteor must be your sword, right?” Zhang Chu’s tone was grave; he needed confirmation, for he had to report to certain people.

Liu Cong was silent for a moment before answering, “Uncle Zhang, you guessed right. I was on that mountain and saw the meteor crash. I passed out soon after and don’t know what happened next. I only regained consciousness recently and found the sword within me.”

Liu Cong understood that as he gained more attention, the origin of his abilities would become a topic of widespread curiosity. Hiding it was no longer an option. To avoid becoming a test subject, he’d planned to confess at some point. Now, since some had already guessed, it was better to come clean.

Even with his suspicions, Zhang Chu was still astonished by Liu Cong’s admission. A sword from beyond the earth embedded in a human, followed by anomalies in the planet’s oceans that same year—even without evidence linking the two, everyone sensed a connection.

“Can the sword be replicated?” Zhang Chu asked bluntly, then explained, “I mean, is it possible to let more people have your abilities? We need more like you now.”

“I’m afraid not,” Liu Cong replied directly. “Uncle Zhang, not only did it take a year for the sword to grant me these abilities, but now it’s fully integrated into my body, transformed into an inseparable energy core. Even when I summon the sword, it’s just a manifestation of energy, not the actual blade itself.”