Looting a Burning House X Revering Him as a God X The Dividing Line
Inside the sealed cargo container, the aftershocks of the battle had completely dissipated.
The Nue transformed into reddish-brown specks of light, all merging into the shadows beneath its feet. The enormous bird silhouette belonging to the Shikigami lay quietly in the depths of the shadows, and the Exorcism Ritual came to a close.
Jiang Ye was breathing heavily, the dull pain in his shoulder still lingering from the impact of the Nue, and the dried blood at the corner of his mouth had been wiped clean.
He slowly stood up, the thin cloak still covering his entire body, soothing his injured muscles and bones while gathering the scattered spiritual energy back into his body.
Just then, his brows furrowed slightly.
The perception, stemming from the outward extension of the shadow network, captured a completely different atmosphere outside the container hold.
It wasn't the familiar Nen fluctuations from Gray Beak's subordinates, but rather several unfamiliar, refined, and well-trained auras rapidly approaching this sealed-off area.
The newcomers deliberately kept a low profile and acted discreetly, clearly intending to take advantage of the chaos caused by the earlier sounds of fighting inside the cabin.
"Has an uninvited guest arrived?"
Jiang Ye muttered to himself, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
Gray Beak, responsible for maintaining order within a one-kilometer radius, has likely already encountered this group of visitors.
Without hesitation, he raised both hands again, backs of his hands facing outwards, two thumbs hooked together, the rest of his fingers spread out, replicating the hand shadow of a bird flapping its wings.
The next second, the silent shadows beneath their feet surged and churned once more.
The inky shadow expanded and rose upwards, accompanied by a deep, trembling sound of wings, and a giant, strange bird, slightly larger than an adult human, slowly emerged from the shadows, raising its head to reveal itself.
The grayish-white skeletal mask still completely concealed the face, revealing only the sharp, outward-facing, pale teeth.
Its yellow, vertical pupils swirled with a sinister light, and its thick, reddish-brown mane hung silently down its neck. But at this moment, the Nue no longer possessed the ferocity and savagery it had displayed in its desperate battle.
The once menacing vertical pupils had lost their killing intent. It obediently turned its massive head to the side, folded its wings slightly, and gently placed its strong claws on the steel plate ground. No more purple lightning flashed. It was docile and quietly awaited Jiang Ye's command.
The taming is complete; it is now at the mercy of the Jiang Ye!
"Go out and see who's outside."
Jiang Ye gave the order calmly.
The yu let out a low cry, its voice no longer sharp and piercing, but instead carrying a deep and resonant quality. Its broad wings suddenly spread out to the sides and fluttered gently.
Boom!
The airflow created a whirlwind inside the cabin, sending up swirling dust and debris.
It pushed off the steel plates with both feet, and its huge body shot out through a ventilation and maintenance opening at the top of the container, breaking through the cover in an instant and rising into the gray air of the waste area of District 13.
Outside the container, a gap had been torn in the cordon.
Gray Beak's body was covered with wounds of varying depths, his clothes were torn in many places, and several bleeding wounds spread along his arms and ribs. Old wounds from previous battles elsewhere also reopened and oozed blood.
But his back remained ramrod straight, he didn't back down an inch, and stood blocking the front of the container door.
Several of his Rust Remains Alliance brothers behind him had already fallen wounded, but they still gritted their teeth and held on, stubbornly guarding the hatch, the last line of defense, without the slightest thought of retreating or escaping.
Standing opposite them was a group of men dressed in uniform black outfits, exuding a chilling aura and displaying excellent training; they were clearly the elite men under Grey Elder's command.
The leader was named Il, with a cold and hard face. His aura flowed slowly around him, and his gaze fell on Gray Beak, who was covered in wounds but fought to the death. There was a hint of confusion between his brows.
Il took two steps forward, his gaze sweeping over Gray Beak's bloodstained body, his tone carrying a hint of mockery, yet also a touch of genuine doubt.
"Gray Beak, look at yourself now."
"In the end, that Rust Remains Alliance was nothing more than a lucky twelve-year-old refugee."
"Is it worth risking your life for him, fighting so desperately for him?"
Upon hearing this, Gray Beak's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. His chest heaved slightly from his injuries, but his eyes remained unwavering.
"You understand nothing."
"I have never pledged allegiance to power that comes with luck."
"It's the leader's personality."
"Back in the Rust Bone Gang, he treated me like a living, breathing person, as one of his own, not as a tool that could be discarded and used at will."
He looked up and stared directly at Il, his voice not loud, but firm and resolute.
"If you had the chance to spend time with him, working alongside him day and night for a period of time, you would understand that you would respect him as a god!"
Upon hearing this, Il's pupils contracted slightly, his face filled with astonishment.
He had seen too many subordinates of the forces in Meteor City; some risked their lives for food, while others submitted to force out of fear.
But he rarely saw anyone who would have such a sincere and devoted loyalty to a boy, so much so that they would be willing to risk their life for him.
Il was silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled.
"Hearing what you say, I do have a slight interest in meeting this Rust Remains Alliance for myself."
But then his tone shifted, becoming cold and realistic once more.
"But the situation is clear. Elder Grey Elder has now been crowned in the Council of Elders, and jurisdiction over District 13 is now in his hands."
"No matter how Rust Remains Alliance struggles and maneuvers, he can never defeat Grey Elder. He is not just fighting against one person, but against the will of the entire Meteor City Council of Elders."
"Gray Beak, get out of the way."
"Continuing to resist will only lead to our deaths."
In the end, he will face reality.
"Dream!"
Gray Beak chuckled, his inner energy suddenly surging and spreading out, a pale white membrane firmly covering his entire body, strengthening his flesh and bones.
He clenched his fists, lowered his body slightly, and assumed a fighting stance ready to fight to the death.
The remaining Rusty Rust Remains Alliance members beside him tensed up, weapons raised, a great battle was about to break out, and the conflict between the two sides was about to erupt completely.
Just as tensions were rising, a deafening roar of flapping wings suddenly came from above.
A violent gale descended from the sky.
Boom!!
In an instant, a huge shadow enveloped the entire battlefield. A giant, strange bird swooped down from the gray sky, its massive body lying diagonally between the two groups of people, like an invisible dividing line that forcefully separated them.
The enormous wings of the Ye fluttered incessantly, creating a raging, howling wind that swept in all directions, causing everyone present to flutter their robes wildly, and sending pebbles and dust flying everywhere.
The greyish-white skeletal mask looked particularly eerie in the daylight, its yellow vertical pupils indifferently surveying the group of men in black below.
Caught off guard, Il and his group of black-clad elites were all forced to stagger backward by the gale, their faces filled with astonishment, completely baffled as to where this giant flying monster that appeared out of nowhere had come from.
Shock, confusion, and a sense of unease quickly crept into everyone's hearts.
Just as the entire venue was in an uproar, a cool and indifferent voice, carried by the wind, drifted slowly down from behind Nue, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"Taking advantage of someone's misfortune?"
"The fire is out now, you..."
What are you planning to rob?