allendalepharm Page 19
Page 19
Cellina felt a deep weariness and a sense of confusion. She thought she could sever ties with the past, but those heavy shackles clearly wouldn't let her go easily.
“Tremont’s security system is fairly effective; the people of Syracuse don’t dare to be too blatant here. Otherwise…” Kane paused, his tone tinged with absurd irony:
"When have you ever seen someone greet an enemy with such a mild method as a cowherd's seduction?" This is an insult to Syracuse's "traditional greetings."
“I don’t dare gamble on their patience.” Cherlinina’s voice lowered, her eyes filled with determination.
“When they feel that these mild methods are ineffective, more direct greetings will follow.” To avoid implicating the Polk family, she has resigned and left, temporarily hiding in the shadows of Colombia.
"So, what is the purpose of your visit?"
“I need some money.” Cellina took a deep breath; even someone as proud as her felt an indescribable embarrassment at this moment.
"Enough for me to leave Colombia and go to... a country that doesn't really welcome the family." Once upon a time, money was just a number to her. Now, she had to ask Kane for help.
You want to leave Colombia? Very well, it seems I've come at the perfect time.
A voice suddenly resounded in their minds! It didn't travel through the air, but was directly imprinted on their minds. It was filled with primal ferocity, the roar of the wilderness, and a chilling wolf howl!
This sudden turn of events made Kane and Cellina spring to their feet as if electrocuted! Their sharp eyes swept over the noisy crowd around them—the figures swaying on the dance floor, the patrons drinking at the bar, the bartenders' flashy moves… everything seemed normal, and no one could make such a sound!
Follow the guidance to see me.
The voice, carrying an unquestionable tone of command, slowly fell silent.
at the same time--
Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!
Several enormous claw marks, emitting a faint red glow and seemingly composed of scorching energy, appeared out of thin air on the wooden table in front of Cellina! They stretched out like a burning path, piercing through the noisy air of the bar and pointing towards the deep darkness outside the door!
Cellina's pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints! This situation... wasn't entirely unfamiliar to her! Some Syracuse stories she had heard as a child came to mind.
In Terra's racial rhetoric, the "Ruperts" are referred to as "wolves," but they are not actually "wolves."
The real, terrifying wolves lurk in the deepest shadows of the wilderness. They hone their claws and teeth, sharp enough to tear steel, lying in wait, only to pounce with lightning speed and deliver a fatal blow when their prey is most relaxed and unprepared.
Cellina had always thought this was just a bedtime story adults used to scare children. Only now, with the roar in her mind and the burning claw marks before her eyes, did she realize—this was not fiction, but a warning from those who came before.
"Go and see?"
Kane's tone was remarkably calm, as if he didn't take this incredible phenomenon seriously at all, a stark contrast to Cellina's palpable sense of dread. In his view, many things were shrouded in mystery and terror, the purpose of which was merely to incite fear in people's hearts. Once that veil was lifted and their true nature revealed, they often turned out to be nothing more than that.
The "wolves" of Syracuse exemplify this. They are essentially aggregates of the souls of an ancient wolf pack—unlike other beast lords, the souls of the wolf pack are not fully fused into a unified consciousness, but rather exist in a dispersed and independent state. Only when the strongest alpha wolf is chosen within the pack does the will representing the entire pack—the "wolf lord"—truly manifest.
Because of its loose structure, while a single "wolf" cannot completely obliterate its undying spirit, it is not difficult to deal with it.
“…Yes. Perhaps…this is the fate I must face.” Cellina took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent emotions, her eyes regaining their resolve. In that instant, she had matured—the situation in Syracuse might not have been solely the result of her family's actions; the wolves were also at play behind the scenes.
She had never thought of these things before, but today she saw some of the truth.
The two finished their drinks in one gulp, no longer lingering in the bar's hustle and bustle, and followed the scorching claw marks on the ground that emitted an ominous red glow, stepping into the desolate Central Park in the outer ring of Tremont.
The park, which should have been a lively gathering place for young people at night, was deserted. The cool moonlight and the mesmerizing glow of the city neon lights intertwined and fell, eerily illuminating the center of the park—a ferocious wolf with a body far larger than that of an ordinary beast!
It stood there silently, its sharp claws and teeth, its fur like solidified shadows, its scarlet eyes gleaming coldly in the night. This was no ordinary beast, but the strongest in the wolf pack. A ferocious wolf worthy of the title of "Wolf King"!
“Cellina Texas…the last of the Texas bloodline. A lone wolf trying to break free from the pack…heh heh heh…hahaha!” The wolf’s deep voice, like coarse sand, pinpointed Cellina’s identity and past. At the end, it let out a piercing, mocking laugh that shook the surrounding leaves.
"You...you are the Wolf Lord from the legends of Syracuse?" Cellina suppressed the throbbing in her blood, her voice trembling with barely perceptible tension. Facing a legendary being was a shock far beyond her wildest imagination.
“Syracusa?” The wolf raised its massive head slightly, its tone carrying a condescending contempt.
"It's too small, just a hunting ground for captive prey. I am the embodiment of the wilderness!" Its words contained an arrogance, as if the entire Syracuse were groveling in the shadow of the wolf pack, at their mercy.
Chapter 53 Brainless Zaro and the Rap Penguin
Its crimson beastly eyes turned to Kane, its nostrils flaring as if sniffing: "As for that brat over there... he doesn't smell of Syracuse at all. Is he your servant?"
Kane hardened his fist. Although he had long known that the wolf pack was the most foolish and arrogant of all the beast lords, he never expected it to be this bad.
The wolf was met with a blazing pillar of fire that tore through the night sky! As Kane raised his hand, the raging Originium flames roared and swept over the wolf like Draco's breath.
"Insolence—!!!" A deafening wolf howl suddenly erupted! This sound seemed to directly affect the soul, stirring up the most primal and deep-seated fears deep within the genes of the Lupo race! Under the influence of this howl, an ordinary Lupo would probably instantly feel their liver and gallbladder rupture, and collapse and lose control of their bladder.
However, this roar, which was enough to shatter one's soul, was merely a nuisance to Kane, who didn't even flinch.
The flames engulfed the wolf, but did not burn it completely; they merely scorched its shadowy fur. Its spirit could strike—but could not kill it.
Although I know that the other party's composition is probably unrelated to Originium, I still have to give it a try.
Kane's eyes gleamed, and he quickly gained control of the surrounding Originium. With just a thought, these dormant energies would transform into the most terrifying weapons.
Beast Lords—these beings are formed from the souls of the beasts that perished in the Originium disaster. Although they are not Originium creations, Originium is precisely the culprit that caused the death of their race! That group of chat (seven) is a symbol representing death and end engraved in the deepest part of their souls!
"Damn brat! You... what kind of monster are you?!" The wolf, which was so confident and arrogant just a second ago, suddenly bristled! Its fur stood on end like steel needles! A low growl, born of instinct, was forced out from the depths of its throat, and its massive body even arched itself unconsciously.
Kane ignored the wolf's howls; his only thought was to teach this arrogant and foolish beast a lesson it would never forget. With a wave of his hand, the dormant Originium circuits in the surrounding environment instantly responded! A howling wind rose from the ground, sweeping across like an invisible giant hand, causing the already fragile trees in the park to snap with a piercing sound! Countless sharp, blade-like wind blades mingled with the gale, slicing mercilessly into the wolf's body!
Tsk-!
This time, the attack worked! The tough fur was torn apart, and deep, bone-revealing wounds opened, with scalding blood gushing out like a stream! The rich smell of blood filled Kane and Cherlinina's nostrils—a smell that, to Rupert, carried a strange, sweet allure that seemed to originate from the deepest recesses of their genes.
The laws of the wolf pack are so cruel: pure survival of the fittest! The alpha wolf's prestige is built on absolute power, and once it shows signs of fatigue, challengers lurking in the shadows will bare their fangs!
"Next time you're reborn, remember to watch your mouth!" Silvery-white calcified crystals instantly covered Kane's fist. Powerful Originium Arts sealed off the wolf's movement space, preventing it from dodging and jumping around. Kane's figure instantly launched a surprise attack, his iron fist, gathering all his strength, aimed straight for the heart of the wolf.
Faced with Kane's relentless attack, the wolf was utterly enraged! Over the long years, there had been those who dared to resist, but without exception, they all ended up as withered bones in the wilderness! It would never allow any of its offspring to challenge the supreme authority of its beast lord!
Ouch——!
With a deafening roar, the wolf's massive body twisted eerily! It stood upright like a human, its already bulging muscles expanding instantly, its gleaming claws growing larger, seemingly capable of easily tearing apart the hardest alloys! Neither side showed any intention of dodging—Kane had absolute confidence in his strength, defeating this lone beast would be as easy as taking candy from a baby; while Zaro, relying on his immortal nature, would not tolerate any desecration of his majesty!
"Kane!" Cherlina's cold voice rang out, and she chose her side without hesitation! The spell unit hidden at her waist was instantly drawn and activated, and countless swords made of Originium energy, radiating a scorching orange light, condensed around her! The next moment, they shot towards Zaro's vitals like a torrential rain!
She trusted Kane more than this so-called "wolf lord" who exuded the decaying aura of Syracuse!
"Texas!!!" The wolf's roar was filled with unbelievable rage and a sense of betrayal! He had left Syracuse, which he had cultivated for so long, for this "descendant," and come to this unfamiliar land, thinking that the other party would be as docile and submissive as a lamb! Who would have thought that he would end up being surrounded and killed by the two of them, like a sheep in a sheep farm!
Rage completely overwhelmed reason! He ignored the incoming lightsaber, channeling all his power into his forelimbs, and his ferocious claws, accompanied by a shrill whistling sound as they tore through the air, collided violently with Kane's fist!
Click——! ! !
A sickening cracking sound of bones breaking rang out! But the expected bloody carnage didn't materialize—what snapped was none other than a claw powerful enough to tear steel apart! Blood gushed from the severed claw, and the excruciating pain, far from deterring the wolf, only fueled its primal ferocity! Its jaws opened wide, a stench-filled gust of wind, as it lunged for Kane's head! If that bite landed, it would tear Kane to shreds!
However, faced with this terrifying wolf's kiss that could terrify an ordinary person, Kane's eyes were filled with only mockery! He quietly extended the hand he had been holding back.
In his palm lay a large, antique-looking hand cannon! It was the very same hand cannon that Cellina had given him earlier—the prototype of the weapon used by the Iberian Inquisitors!
Boom——! ! ! !
A terrifying roar, far exceeding that of ordinary firearms and like thunder, resounded through the night! Kane's perfect spellcasting allowed this weapon to unleash its full power! The small muzzle instantly exploded with power comparable to that of a cannon!
The intensely bright beam of light pierced Zaro's gaping maw with unparalleled precision! The violent energy penetrated its hard skull without any resistance! The next instant—*splat!*
The fragments, mixed with the smell of burning, exploded in the night sky like fireworks! The huge wolf body suddenly stiffened, and then, as if all its strength had been drained, it collapsed to the ground, completely losing its life force, leaving only its headless remains twitching slightly.
"Is it... dead?" Cellina deactivated her spell unit, quickly walked to Kane's side, and looked at the gruesome wolf carcass on the ground, her voice filled with a hint of uncertain shock. Looking around, the park was a mess, as if it had just experienced a natural disaster, and in the distance, the wall of a building had a huge hole blasted out by the aftershock of the cannon shot.
"I don't know." Kane shook his wrist, which was numb from the recoil, and scanned the corpse with sharp eyes.
"Legend has it that this thing is unkillable..."
Before they could finish speaking, a highly rhythmic rap suddenly erupted from behind them! The lyrics were sharp and sarcastic, filled with undisguised schadenfreude:
"Yo~ Look which old buddy's lying on the floor here? Oh ho! Isn't that our mighty little brother Zaro? Is the Colombian evening breeze cool? I heard you came all this way to cause trouble, only to get beaten up like a dog in the street? Hahahaha—"
A penguin... dressed in a hip-hop shirt, sporting a thick gold chain around its neck, and wearing oversized sunglasses, swaggered over with an arrogant gait. Look at its haughty demeanor and punchable attitude! Normally, Zaro would have pounced on it and fought it to the death, but unfortunately, it was too exhausted to even muster any "fu."
"Damn! That was really ruthless!" The penguin stood next to Zaro's corpse and poked the charred, severed neck with the tip of its wing in disgust.
"That was a solid bang! This idiot won't wake up for a while!" Its tone was full of the smugness of someone who loves to watch a good show.
The penguin then stood up next to Kane and Cellina with remarkable familiarity, and the three of them formed a circle, commenting on Zaro's mangled body on the ground as if they were visiting some kind of performance art exhibition.
“Kane, who is he?” Cherlinina was a little confused by the sudden appearance of “Liboli”.
"Looks like it's the same kind as this puddle on the ground." Kane recognized the guy, of course—there's only one penguin in all of Terra that can rap and is extremely annoying and arrogant.
"Let me introduce myself." The penguin adjusted its sunglasses with an extremely flamboyant air and raised its head.
"You can call me the Great Emperor, or you can call me the Emperor! Because I am the founder of rap art, and the rightful supreme emperor of this art!" As its beak opened and closed, it uttered fluent human language, which even had an authentic street accent.
“Of course.” It pointed to the ground with its wing.
"It's an old acquaintance of this idiot. Friendly reminder: if you can't kill it, it will definitely stick to you like a leech. That's just how this idiot is—he can't accept defeat, and he's obsessed with saving face!"
"From what you're saying," Kane raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"You have a way to deal with this persistent troublemaker?" He was slightly surprised. Was the Texas family really that famous? Although Cherlinina herself might still be in the dark, Kane was certain that both the man on the ground and the man in front of him were after her.
Chapter 54 Zaro's Deal
"Of course!" The Emperor gestured exaggeratedly with his wings, a comical gesture that slightly eased the somber atmosphere.
"I already said we've known each other for a long time. He should at least give me some face and listen to my advice, right?"
As they spoke, the splattered pieces of flesh and congealed blood, as if drawn by an invisible force, began to writhe and gather together in a bizarre manner! They crawled towards the center where Zaro had fallen, like living creatures, rapidly merging and reshaping themselves! In the blink of an eye, the enormous and ferocious wolf's body was completely and perfectly reformed!
"Damn brat! I'll devour you alive!!!" Zaro, who had just "resurrected," seemed to have learned nothing from his mistakes. His scarlet beastly eyes were fixed on Kane, and his roar was filled with deep-seated resentment and killing intent, showing no respect whatsoever.
"Looks like one lesson wasn't enough." Kane sneered, raising his hand cannon again.
"Then let's continue. Let's see if you break down first, or if my bullets and stamina run out first." Although Kane didn't have a way to directly obliterate the soul, the soul wasn't truly immortal. Endless pain, repeated deaths, and accumulated despair were enough to push even the most resilient soul into the abyss of madness and collapse.
He knew exactly where Zaro's limits lay—in the future, this arrogant wolf would battle a crazed Rupert in the wilderness for two whole months. Ultimately, it was Zaro himself who succumbed to his pride and bowed his head. From then on, the shadow of Syracuse lost a lone wolf and gained a submissive, loyal hound.
Two months? Kane felt the power surging within him—he could afford to wait two years, let alone two!
Without a word, Kane pulled the trigger again! Before Zaro's body could fully coalesce and exert its power, the scorching torrent accurately blasted the newly formed wolf head into a cloud of blood mist! Red, white, and charred fragments rained down like raindrops.
The three people standing there had all seen a lot, and they didn't even flinch at the bloody scene.
"Wow! Kid, I'm starting to admire you a little!" The Emperor looked at Zaro, who had just finished making a threat and then "died" again, and was so happy that he flapped his wings against Kane's trouser leg.
"How about it? Join me? I'll make sure you live the high life!"
"What? You think your puny frame can take a bullet?"
"Uh... that won't be necessary." Faced with Kane's casually turned gun, the Emperor instantly changed his mind, smiling and saying thank you, I won't eat.
Sigh, such a fun kid, yet he has such a stubborn personality. The Emperor felt a little sorry for him.
Moments later, Zaro was reborn once again from the pool of blood. This time, his aura was not weakened in the slightest—this was the strangeness of the Beast Lord; his previous death had not taken any of his energy.
"..." Zarro remained silent, but the resentment and unwillingness surging in his scarlet wolf eyes were more threatening than any roar. Clearly, the two "deaths" had not subdued him.
Boom!
Without hesitation, Kane fired his third shot! Having learned from his previous two experiences, Zaro dodged sharply to the side at the last second! The scorching beam of light grazed his body, missing a vital spot but severing his bushy wolf tail at the root!
"*Syracist swearing* kid! I didn't say anything this time!!!" Zaro was both shocked and angry, and a sharp pain shot through his tailbone.
“Your silence is very polite,” Kane said, adjusting his gun slightly to lock on again.
“But I don’t like the look in your eyes.” He said calmly, yet with an undeniable threat in his voice.
Who could have imagined that the one being so "bullied" was one of Terra's oldest and most mysterious "Beast Lords"? But circumstances dictate their actions; the wolf under the eaves has no choice but to bow its head. The "wolf game" in Syracuse is at a crucial juncture, and the news of Zarro's quiet departure can't be kept secret for long. If he doesn't return soon, years of carefully laid plans and arrangements may be in vain. His purpose in this journey was to make contact with the last of the Texas bloodline, adding a crucial bargaining chip to the future power struggle.
"Zaruo, Zaro, your foul mouth used to stink so badly it could kill flies. You've finally met your match today, haven't you? Haha! It was worth coming all this way in the middle of the night to watch this show. I'll be laughing at this for years!" The Emperor pulled out a box of fries and was eating them with relish, dipping them in ketchup, just like a typical theatergoer.
Zaro's heart sank. He knew this damned penguin all too well—it was notoriously big-mouthed! If this humiliating scene continued today, and the penguin witnessed it all, it would definitely turn it into a horrible melody and spread to every corner of Terra! For the "Wolf Lord," who valued dignity (face) more than life itself, this was worse than dying ten times over!
For the greater good… Zaro suppressed his overwhelming humiliation and rage. His massive wolf body trembled slightly as he painstakingly, bit by bit, lowered his proud head towards Kane. Each word seemed to be forced out from between his teeth, carrying a strong, bloody stench:
"I apologize for my...rudeness."
"Tsk." Kane clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. Although he felt he could "educate" them a few more times, if things escalated any further, the Tremont city guards would probably have to come and clear the area.
"Now, let's get down to business." Kane lowered his gun, his eyes blazing.
"What exactly do you want to do by searching for the last Texas?" He cut straight to the chase, bringing the core issue to the forefront.
Cellina, whose name was called, turned sharply to look at Kane, her eyes filled with disbelief. She had been observing for a long time, witnessing the Beast Lord's extraordinary abilities and Kane's dominance, and had initially thought she was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. Was it really all aimed at her?
“Texas, want to make a deal? Don’t you long to get rid of Syracuse’s shadow completely? I can give you that chance—from tonight onwards, all of Syracuse’s henchmen will never appear before you again.” Zaro finally regained his composure, mustered his spirits, and delivered his prepared speech.
“The price?” Cellina’s voice was unusually calm. As the daughter of a mafia family, she knew better than anyone that there was no such thing as a free pizza, and everything came at a price. In Syracuse, that price was often prohibitively expensive.
"When I need you in the future, you must return to Syracuse and solve a... small problem for me."
Zarro's beastly eyes gleamed with cunning, typical of Syracuse's "favors"—vague, incalculable, difficult to transfer, and forever pointing to "trouble." This so-called "trouble" ranged from minor rent collection and debt collection to major murder and arson! And you couldn't refuse; to refuse meant going against the entire rules of Syracuse. Countless people were driven to desperation by these "favors." Zarro, the shadow of Syracuse, his "favors," were absolutely impossible to repay.
“Cellina,” Kane’s voice rang out.
Cellina shook her head slightly. She understood Kane's meaning—if she refused, Kane had the ability to save her. But the problem was, she couldn't refuse. She fled Syracuse seeking nothing more than an ordinary life and ordinary friends. If her family continued their entanglement, her life would be turned upside down, and her friends would be implicated. She could deflect open attacks, but she couldn't guard against endless, underhanded attacks. This kind of dark, relentless, and ruthless tactic was practically a direct descendant of gangsters and ruthless thugs.