Chapter Thirty-Two: Rescue (First Update)

The sky was gradually brightening, the horizon paling—it was the break of dawn.

Just as Mouse and his companions were about to act, and Black Snake’s excitement was reaching its peak, a figure suddenly raced toward them. The sound accompanying him was like the rumble of a heavy truck, and as he drew nearer, those present could even feel the ground trembling. His footsteps pounded in a steady rhythm, each one shaking the earth.

For a moment, everyone forgot what had just happened, staring in disbelief at this scene. Was this a man or a beast? How could running alone create such an overwhelming effect? They even forgot to reach for their weapons or to be on guard. As for Mouse and his group, they were too weak to move, their strength, spirit, and blood draining rapidly; in this world, it would be hard for them to survive much longer.

The thunderous rumbling grew.

This figure was none other than Liang Jing. He had been in "combat mode" the entire time, a canvas bag slung over his shoulder and the "Baroque Sorrow" weapon on his back. Neither burden seemed to hinder his pace at all. With his body and gear together, he weighed well over 800 pounds, and this time he was pushing himself to his absolute limit, burning through his stamina without hesitation. It was the first time he had ever run at full speed, his movements mechanical and relentless, both legs pounding the ground at a steady, unyielding pace. He hadn’t expected to create such a dramatic effect, but his urgency left him oblivious to it all.

He drew in a sharp breath.

With a thud, the canvas bag hit the ground.

As if guided by fate, Liang Jing ignored Mouse, Black Snake, and the others completely, not even sparing them a glance. He went straight to Jia Yujin’s side, his footsteps screeching to a halt as if he’d slammed on the brakes. The gust of wind he brought with him swept up mud and grass, swirling higher than a man and scattering in all directions.

Liang Jing seemed stiff, kneeling on one knee as he carefully gathered Jia Yujin into his arms, his heart pounding with emotion. Though it had been over a decade since they’d last seen each other, and though Jia Yujin was half-conscious and wracked with pain, he became acutely aware of the familiar presence he hadn’t felt in years. His brother was here.

Though not related by blood, they had grown up together—one from a single-parent family, the other an orphan. They depended on each other, sharing everything, braving trouble and hardship side by side. They had cried, laughed, suffered, and toiled together. Their bond was deeper than that of real brothers; even after years apart, it had not faded but matured and mellowed with time. Brotherhood—such a rare and precious thing. In a lifetime, could anyone ask for more than to have such a companion?

“Brother, I’m here. Leave the rest to me.” Liang Jing spoke softly, seeing Jia Yujin’s face flush with excitement. The other seemed to trust him absolutely; his fingers twitched as if to say “Alright,” then he relaxed completely. The turmoil and pain caused by Black Snake’s actions seemed to vanish in an instant. Such was the trust between brothers—a trust worth one’s life.

“Who are you?” A cold, oppressive voice broke the moment. Black Snake was the first to recover, and seeing the close connection between the newcomer and Jia Yujin, his excitement plummeted from its peak to rock bottom. His expression grew even darker. Yet, recalling Liang Jing’s frightening arrival—especially the thud of the canvas bag, which by his estimation must weigh several hundred pounds, and the massive weapon on his back, which didn’t seem to impede him at all—Black Snake grew wary. He dared not act recklessly, even with his usual cruel and perverse nature. Instead, he watched carefully, hoping perhaps things weren’t as bad as they seemed—maybe the relationship wasn’t so close, maybe...

Liang Jing paid no attention to anyone else. Tie Zhu, Liu Kui, and the others, seeing that Liang Jing seemed to know “Boss Jin” and had made no aggressive moves, were in no condition to intervene and kept silent. As for the man with the triangular eyes, it was clear he was nothing good. Liang Jing ignored him completely, busying himself with checking Jia Yujin’s wounds.

Having witnessed Yang Yuyuan’s awakening before, Liang Jing quickly realized Jia Yujin was undergoing his own awakening. But his injuries were far more severe, especially the knife still embedded in his abdomen. Though the bleeding had been temporarily stopped, it was still a huge hindrance to the awakening process. Excessive blood loss and shock meant that death was a constant threat. How could this not affect the awakening? This was far worse than Yang Yuyuan’s situation. In fact, it was much like the awakening of the Golden Baroque...

A race against death.

Liang Jing hesitated, then took a small red vial from his belt—a Life Potion he’d acquired after killing Liu Nengtian at the Qianbaihui supermarket in Clearwater Bay, and had never had another chance to obtain. He’d always kept it, waiting for the right moment.

Now, Liang Jing was going to use it on Jia Yujin—not because he was reluctant to use it on himself, but because he didn’t know what effect it would have in the real world, or whether it would interfere with the awakening process. If possible, he would rather not take any risk, not even the slightest. But with Jia Yujin’s life hanging by a thread, he couldn’t afford to hesitate. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

With a soft pop, Liang Jing uncorked the vial. A faint, pleasant aroma wafted out, making it almost irresistibly tempting to swallow. There was nothing like this in the game, he mused—it seemed one could drink it often without growing tired of it, though such thoughts were pure fantasy now. Carefully, he poured the potion into Jia Yujin’s mouth. As his complexion rapidly improved, Liang Jing breathed a silent sigh of relief. He then glanced at the knife still clutched in Jia Yujin’s hands, his gaze hardening. He slowly drew the blade out and poured some potion onto the wound. Before the astonished eyes of all, the injury began to heal at an incredible rate—much faster than when Liang Jing himself had healed under the effects of the Life Essence.

As he watched Jia Yujin’s wounds quickly knit and his condition rapidly improve, Liang Jing saw there was still half a vial left. No need to use the rest—the Life Potion was far too precious to waste. He corked it and put it away. For now, Jia Yujin was still just an ordinary person, albeit a strong one, and didn’t require much of the potion.

“Damn it! Are you stupid or something?” one of Black Snake’s men shouted.

“Hey, Boss Black Snake asked you a question! You’d better answer, or you’ll be sorry!”

“How dare you show off in front of Boss Black Snake? Tired of living, are you?”

Black Snake’s men were quick to curse and mock when they saw that Liang Jing hadn’t even reacted to their boss’s question. Although Liang Jing’s entrance had been impressive, to them, even more terrifying monsters had fallen to Black Snake. What was one man with a bit of strength? Did he think he could withstand Black Snake’s poison bombs? Did he think a scary mask could frighten anyone? Maybe a child, or someone startled in the night—but it was broad daylight, and there were plenty of people around.

He was courting death. The pack of bullies jeered, each trying to outdo the others in front of Black Snake, caring even less about Liang Jing as their bravado grew, cursing him all the more vigorously.