Chapter 84: Bloodstained Clothes

Chapter 84: Blood Garment

Chen Ling reached for the card.

"Skill: Blood Garment""Affiliation: Path of the War God, Asura Path, First Tier;""Character: Jian Changsheng."

After absorbing the card and closing his eyes for a moment, Chen Ling murmured to himself, "Blood Garment... no wonder."

Unlike the Iron Garment skill of other paths, Blood Garment does not grant extraordinary defense or strength. Its sole characteristic is that the more injured the user is, the greater their combat power, especially in terms of strength and speed. Additionally, the vitality of a Blood Garment owner is significantly increased; it's difficult to kill them completely with any injury unless it's an absolutely fatal one like a headshot.

This also explained why Jian Changsheng seemed like an unkillable cockroach, growing stronger the more he fought. This skill also compensated for Chen Ling's current weakness: his mediocre physical condition, which made it difficult to fully utilize his "Dance of Slaughter" even with it.

"Next time before a fight, I'll stab myself three times!" Chen Ling thought to himself.

As Chen Ling finished drawing the skill, the intermission fully ended. He felt a dizzying sensation as his consciousness returned to his body.

"How is he? Is he still alive?"

"I don't know... We've been trying to save him for so long, but there's still no response." The Four-Mark Enforcer shook his head, speaking bitterly. "There's probably no hope."

Hearing this, the Five-Mark Enforcer's face darkened, looking as if it could drip water. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Keep trying to save him! Get out all the hidden emergency hormones! If he doesn't make it, we're all dead!"

The two enforcers exchanged a glance and immediately went to prepare the hormone injections. Just then, a faint, hoarse voice, like a mosquito, reached them.

"I..."

All three enforcers froze simultaneously, then their faces lit up with wild joy!

"He's alive! He's still alive!"

"Chen Ling, can you hear me? How do you feel?"

Under the hopeful gazes of the three enforcers, Chen Ling struggled to open his eyes. His unfocused pupils slowly sharpened, and he opened his mouth:

"Where... am I?"

"You're on the ship; we've brought you out of the Ancient Repository," the Five-Mark Enforcer asked anxiously. "Chen Ling, what exactly happened in the War God's Ancient Repository?"

Hearing the words "War God's Ancient Repository," Chen Ling's pupils visibly contracted. He seemed to recall something terrifying, and after a long time, he painstakingly uttered three words:

"Flame... Usurpers."

The hearts of the three enforcers sank!

"As expected," the Five-Mark Enforcer clenched his fists, his eyes glinting. "Only they could steal faces and infiltrate the enforcer ranks... But when did they make their move?"

"...It was the train."

"What?"

"The Flame Usurpers attacked a train carrying enforcers from District One... then they all disguised themselves as them... and infiltrated the Ancient Repository." Chen Ling couldn't help but clench his fists, speaking hoarsely. "After they entered the Ancient Repository, they went on a killing spree. Enforcers from District Three, Five, and Six... and a few from Aurora City, were mowed down and killed by them, all falling into the abyss below... At the time, I was being coerced by Yan Xicai and separated from them, which allowed me to escape death."

"They attacked a train?"

"That's not right, the railway bureau hasn't reported any attacks... I'll check once we get ashore."

"How many people came from District One in total?"

"It seemed like nine."

The Five-Mark Enforcer frowned slightly, the images of several Flame Usurper corpses he had seen flashing through his mind, seemingly calculating the number.

Chen Ling continued, "Then, that Pu Wen used some kind of paper to freeze them all... Lu Xuanming sliced one to death with his blade, and Yan Xicai used his ring to push two others off the cliff. Pu Wen shouted something, and we all scattered and ran."

"That adds up..." The Five-Mark Enforcer nodded slightly.

"I was very scared at the time, and I fled alone to an empty area, but I saw several Paths of the War God appearing elsewhere... Later, Yan Xicai said he was going to hunt down the Flame Usurpers, and then they started fighting."

"Yan Xicai said that?" The Five-Mark Enforcer asked, surprised.

"Yes, he said that group of Flame Usurpers stole his ring... He had a strong murderous aura then; he seemed very angry."

"And then?"

"Then they started fighting. I originally planned to hide until the end, but a Flame Usurper being chased happened to run towards me. I fought him desperately and killed him... After that, I saw a Path of the War God crash onto my face, and I lost consciousness."

Chen Ling finished his account, his eyes filled with sincerity and pain.

The three enforcers exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity in the other's eyes... At this point, the basic sequence of events was clear, but more specific details would likely need to be verified by people sent from Aurora City.

"So, you also embarked on the Path of the War God?"

"...It seems so," Chen Ling replied uncertainly.

"Which path?"

"Asura."

Hearing those two words, shock appeared in the eyes of all three enforcers. They looked at Chen Ling in astonishment, seemingly unprepared for such terrifying talent from him.

"Alright, you should rest well first," the Five-Mark Enforcer took a deep breath. "Once we're ashore, we'll conduct a more detailed investigation... This incident is extremely serious, so be prepared for questioning from Aurora City at any time."

Chen Ling hummed in response, then wearily closed his eyes. The three enforcers pushed open the door and exited.

As the ship gradually moved away from the domain of the War God's Ancient Repository, the fragment of the Path of the War God hidden in Chen Ling's possession suddenly trembled!

The three enforcers stood on the deck, looking back at the dark night sky above the War God's Ancient Repository.

"What do you think?"

"This incident was too severe... Once we're ashore, we must immediately notify Aurora City."

"By the way, haven't the Flame Usurpers always operated in the southern territories? Why did they suddenly come to the Aurora territory?"

"I don't know..."

Before their words finished, the massive black sword that pierced through the heavens and earth let out a low rumble like thunder. A chilling murderous intent instantly locked onto the ship, which was about to leave the domain!

"The War God's murderous intent?!" The three enforcers' faces changed drastically. "What's going on?! What has disturbed the beings deep within the Ancient Repository?"

Almost simultaneously, Chen Ling, inside the room, also opened his eyes. He felt a surge of heat ripple across the surface of the Bai Qi Token. After this warm current passed, the murderous intent emanating from the War God's Ancient Repository quickly faded... as if everything that just happened had been an illusion.

"Was I seeing things?" The Four-Mark Enforcer looked at the calm frozen sea, his eyes full of bewilderment.

"The War God's Ancient Repository did react," the Five-Mark Enforcer immediately stated.

"But, but why?"

"...Something's wrong!"

"What's wrong?"

"That Chen Ling, who came out of the Ancient Repository, is strange!"