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Sweeping Through Demons with the System Chapter 001: Life Nears Its End
🕑 Added 2023-09-23 21:48:52 +0000 UTC
In the 126th year of the Great Xia Dynasty's New Calendar, situated within Jinzhou Prefecture, lay Pingshan County.
In a house constructed of green bricks and tiles, located in a village just outside the county, Lu Shaolin stared out the window at an osmanthus tree that adorned the courtyard. His eyes brimmed with despair, laced with a faint glimmer of unwillingness.
Originally, he was an undercover detective from another world. His identity had been compromised, making escape impossible. Ultimately, he met his end, dying alongside the criminals he had been investigating.
Upon awakening, he realized he had been transported to this Great Xia Dynasty, a world bearing resemblances to the ancient dynasties of his prior life.
However, fate was cruel. The body he had inhabited belonged to a gravely ill young man. After the young man passed away, he assumed control of this body, also inheriting some of its former occupant's memories.
The youth, who also bore the name Lu Shaolin, was 16 years old. Having lost his mother at an early age, he had recently gone hunting in the mountains with his father, Lu Zhong. Tragically, they were ambushed by zombies. Lu Zhong sacrificed himself, serving as a diversion to fend off the undead, thereby enabling Lu Shaolin to escape with his life.
Unfortunately, Lu Shaolin had also sustained a scratch from a zombie during the ambush. The malevolent Corpse Qi infiltrated his body, leaving him to cling to life for three days before succumbing the previous night. It was then that the outsider—our Lu Shaolin—took possession of the body.
Despite his transmigration, he found his new body to be intensely cold and frail, rendering him incapable of even leaving the bed.
The local villagers, spooked by the fear of evil spirits, dared not set foot inside his residence.
"What the hell kind of world have I landed in? Demons, monsters, and now am I really going to starve to death right after resurrecting?" Lu Shaolin mumbled to himself.
Fueled by a surge of fierce determination, he tried to sit up. However, with a resounding "thud," his effort failed and he collapsed back onto the bed.
Damn it!
This felt like starting life anew in the hardest possible mode—hell mode!
Just as Lu Shaolin was on the brink of succumbing to his grim fate, he heard voices emanating from beyond the front door.
"Elder, is this the place?" A voice, both deep and robust, questioned.
"Yes, sir, this is it," responded Old Li, the village chief, with due respect.
"Then go knock on the door!"
"Si...sir, I truly don't dare enter the yard. The fear of malevolent spirits has me gripped," Old Li stammered.
"Hmm? Very well, Zhang Long, you handle it!"
"Yes, Boss!"
Immediately following that exchange, the distinct sound of knocking reverberated through the door.
Lu Shaolin's eyes lit up instantly. Someone had arrived! If someone was here, there existed at least a glimmer of hope for rescue.
"Pl...please come in!" He mustered all the strength he could to shout, his voice hoarse and low. He wasn't certain if his call would reach the ears of those outside.
"Sir?" Zhang Long's voice conveyed a touch of perplexity.
"There's someone inside, but they're extremely weak. Enter directly!"
"Understood!"
Scarcely had the words left the speaker's mouth when Lu Shaolin heard a "bang." The front door was abruptly shoved open, and three men clad in dark warrior garments, swords fastened to their waists, stepped inside.
The leading man strode in with a dragon-like gait and tiger-like eyes, his square face graced by a goatee. He exuded an extraordinary presence.
His visage was marred only by a scar, which traced its way from the left corner of his eyebrow to his right cheek, lending him a menacing air.
Casting his eyes about the courtyard, the scarred man quickly locked onto Lu Shaolin, peering through the bedroom window.
Feeling a chill under the intense scrutiny of the burly man, Lu Shaolin shivered.
"The person is in the bedroom!" Commanded the man with the scar, his deep voice heralding their entrance into the house.
Old Li, the village chief, peered tentatively from the steps outside the front door.
As the trio entered the bedroom, Lu Shaolin kept his excitement in check, fixing his gaze on the scarred man. "Sir, if you save me, I promise to repay you handsomely in the future," he said, his voice a scratchy whisper.
"Hmm?" The scarred man furrowed his brow, approached the bedside, and lifted the quilt. An unpleasant, foul odor wafted from it.
Upon seeing the dark scratch marks across Lu Shaolin's chest, he shook his head. "The Corpse Qi has invaded your organs; you don't have much time left," he declared.
Before Lu Shaolin had a chance to reply, the burly man retrieved a porcelain bottle from his chest. "This Yang Fire Pill can purge the Corpse Qi from your system. However, your internal organs are already compromised. At most, this can extend your life by three months," he stated.
"Boss, this pill..." Zhang Long began, his face marked by apprehension.
"I know what I'm doing," the scarred man interrupted, his voice deep and authoritative.
He then refocused on Lu Shaolin: "Of course, I can't offer you this pill without conditions. We serve as guards in the Demon Suppression Division. You'll need to guide us to the location where you were ambushed by the demons. Are you willing?"
"Sir, I am willing!" Lu Shaolin responded instantly. This was his lone lifeline. Even if it only offered him an additional three months, it would provide him time to find other solutions.
The scarred man nodded in approval. He uncorked the porcelain bottle, shook out a fiery red pill, and placed it into Lu Shaolin's mouth.
Struggling to generate enough saliva, Lu Shaolin aimed to swallow the pill. However, the pill was exceedingly pungent, and his parched mouth struggled to manage it.
Recognizing the difficulty, the man with the scar picked up a half-filled bowl of water from the bedside and poured it into Lu Shaolin's mouth.
Swiftly, Lu Shaolin swallowed the pill along with the water.
Almost instantly, he felt a warmth radiate through his body. The prior sensation of cold began to fade, replaced by a comforting warmth, as he felt a measure of strength return to him.
"Zhao Hu, fetch some simple food from the village chief," the man with the scar instructed, turning to address his subordinate.
"Yes, Boss!" Another burly man acknowledged with a fist salute, quickly exiting towards the courtyard.
After a brief interval, Zhao Hu came back, bearing a large, coarse porcelain bowl in his hands.
As he made his way, the white porridge in the bowl had become warm—just the right temperature for eating.
With his arms providing support, Lu Shaolin managed to sit up on the bed. Gratefully taking the warm bowl, he began to devour the porridge with avid enthusiasm.
After emptying the hot bowl of porridge, Lu Shaolin sensed a modest revival in his strength. He lifted the quilt, clumsily made his way off the bed, wavered for a moment, but ultimately succeeded in standing upright.
"Thank you for saving my life, sir. I am committed to repaying this favor. May I inquire your name?" Lu Shaolin posed the question to the man with the scar, his fist pressed against his palm in a traditional gesture of respect.
"Our boss serves as a minor flag officer in the Demon Suppression Division. He's Zhou Yong," Zhao Hu casually chimed in.
"Watch your tongue!" Zhou Yong cast a disapproving glance at Zhao Hu.
"It's simply a transaction between us: I offer you the pill, and you guide us to the site of the demon attack. Consider us even," Zhou Yong stated, waving off Lu Shaolin's expression of gratitude.
"Sir, you may regard it as a mere transaction, but for me, it's a life-saving grace I won't forget," Lu Shaolin declared, pressing his fist against his palm again in a deep gesture of respect.
In his prior life, he had always been explicit about grudges and favors; it was simply part of who he was.
"Since you're back on your feet, let's proceed," Zhou Yong stated, avoiding further discussion on the matter.
"Of course, please give me a moment to change my attire," Lu Shaolin replied.
"Very well, we'll await you in the courtyard," Zhou Yong affirmed, leading the way out with Zhang Long and Zhao Hu trailing behind him.
After the trio had exited, Lu Shaolin quickly fetched a fresh set of clothes from his wardrobe and changed.
Facing a bronze mirror, he scrutinized his reflection. With prominent eyebrows and shining eyes, he had quite a striking visage. However, his exceedingly pale skin gave him a somewhat effeminate look.
"Not too bad on the looks," Lu Shaolin thought to himself, allowing a modest smile to cross his face.
After a brief grooming session, he made his way to the courtyard.
Upon his arrival in the courtyard, Zhou Yong gave Lu Shaolin a cursory glance and simply said, "Let's go."
Lu Shaolin nodded in agreement and took the lead. Despite his steps being somewhat shaky, he managed a decent walking pace.
Village Chief Old Li was nowhere to be seen outside the house.
The site where he and his father, Lu Zhong, had gone hunting was situated in a winding mountain range beyond the village, requiring a somewhat lengthy walk.
After trekking for over half an hour, the group of four finally arrived at their intended destination.
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