PRESENT TIME
Sina looks on the ground as she slowly floated down and then when her feet reach the ground she heaved a sigh of relief.
‘That is a weird experience’ she muttered under her breath but everyone can hear it. Azief smirked in amusement.
Sofia was chuckling while Loki was smiling.
‘How was it?’ Azief asked as he also floated down and landed on the ground with ease, as graceful as the clouds.
Sina who is finally relaxed now that she has stepped on solid ground smiles awkwardly and answer
‘I don’t know how you do it. I have a fear of high places.’ She said as she offers an excuse.
Thinking about it, Sina could only be at awe at Azief free demeanor when he was flying in the sky.
It was like he was in his elements. Flying through the air, knees on the clouds, and his black robe swishing about, as free as a bird.
‘The suit seems powerful. Durable too. It withstands a Mach 4 speed in the air without breaking down.’ Loki remarked as he come closer to Sina and examines the suit.
Azief smiles.
He must admit that Earth Two has a lot of technological advancement.
He even manages to smuggle two hundred plasma guns, one hundred anti-gravity mine, one Echelion canon and one anti matter bomb powerful enough to level down a city.
Then Azief also wanted to boast about the suit began to speak up
‘It is equipped with photon laser, anti-gravity mine, plasma beam, unibeam, and anti-matter particle. There is also pheon beam strong enough to wipe out a mountain. I called it the Anti-Hyperion Suit’ Azief explains to Loki.
Loki smiles as he seems impressed.
‘You sure bring back something good for us. Would be better if you brought one for me and for Sofia too’ Loki said
But Azief shakes his head.
‘It wouldn’t be that useful in the later stages. You and Sofia could improve yourself with EXP. But Sina, you know how she is. She depends on pills concocting. She will be vulnerable with her body strength. Her stage is also insufficient to match up with the powerhouse present right now and her class is hard to level up. The suit could fight an Energy Disperse Stage High Realm to a standstill. But if that person is an Energy Disperse stage with a body cultivation of Eternal Spring, you better run. Other than that, you don’t have to worry about anything.’
Sofia who did not say anything come closer to Azief and asks him about what he sees in the sky.
‘A lot of aerial beast. And the world has truly changed. The soils become harder. With my strength I should be able to destroy a mountain with one wave of my hand. But when I unleashed my power on a hill it only smashed at a considerable amount instead of immediately atomized.’ Azief answer
‘You mean, whatever happen when the light covered the earth strengthened the elements of the world?’ Loki ask as he nodded his head with a smile formed in his lips
‘Yes, maybe even changing the very environment of Earth’ Azief nodded as he ponders again.
Sofia began to become bored hearing Azief and Loki once again talking about things that she doesn’t know or understand.
‘Hey, Azief look at me’ she said as she grabbed the sleeve of Azief black robe. Azief was interrupted and look at her.
‘Oh, why?’ He asked as he stares at Sofia in puzzlement.
‘Notice anything different?’ She said as she flashed a smile.
Behind them Sina was showing a cheering movement with her hand. Azief might not notice but to others, it is very obvious.
With Sofia face flushing red, and her ladylike manner only an idiot wouldn’t know
Sofia heart beating like a drum. No, like thunder.
Badump! Badump! After almost a year, Azief turns not only taller, but also become incredibly handsome and charismatic.
His hair is long and straight, his face is flawless, and his hand is even prettier than a girl, smooth and gentle.
A stark contrast with his cold attitude which only made him even more attractive. Not to mention Sofia has been harboring this feeling since a year ago.
Maybe it is because he saved her life. Or maybe because she got the feeling that he is the only one that understands her in this new world.
Or maybe it is because of the promise they seal together under the peach blossom tree. No matter the reason, she knows her heart beats for him now.
Her heart is going badump, badump, and she feels anxious, feels nervous, feel giddy. What do I do? She asked herself as Azief stares at her.
What do I do with this pounding heart? He could hear it! She tries as hard as she can to calm her breathing.
She wanted to express her feelings but she knows she’s bad at it. Bad at confessing her feelings, bad at being in love.
That was always the case. Always a little late. But not her current self. She will put her feelings forth and go with it.
‘I didn’t notice anything different’ Azief said as he scratches the back of his head. Loki who was standing not far from them face palm himself.
How dense could you be? He wanted to yell.
Clearly, Sofia was making an effort. Look at her hair! Isn’t that a different hairstyle from yesterday! Isn’t that a twin tails! Isn’t that cute! Is he blind! Loki wanted to yell.
Look at her clothes! Isn’t that white clothes give a feeling of purity and innocence! Loki wanted to smack the back of Azief head.
What great detective? What great investigator? People said he could analyze whoever someone is by only looking at them?
If he really is all this couldn’t he sees that the girl in front of him is clearly having a crush on you!
‘Nothing different?’ Sofia was choked on her words.
‘Really? Try to look again’ she asks as she twirled and Sina almost laughed. This time Azief look at Sofia again and then he exclaimed as he smiles
‘Ah! You!’ he said as he waved his finger at her. His face was smiling like he found something mischievous on her
He comes closer to her suddenly as their face was in front of each other and Sofia heart was jolted.
Then Azief use his finger to slowly wipe Sofia lips. Azief face was in front of her and with that smile on his face; he looks like a charming man full of mischief.
Sofia blush red on her cheeks, her heart keep beatings with a very loud pounding, and she tremble a bit while Sina eyes were shining with anticipation.
Loki on the other hand thought to himself Is he going to kiss her?
But what Azief said after made Loki wanted to smash his face on the ground while Sina was about to punch Azief on the face.
‘You think I won’t realize that you eat my stored griffin meat. There is still the sign of oil on your lips. You’re testing me right? Don’t underestimate my eye. And don’t take it ever again. I already labeled it. Didn’t you already take your share yesterday?’ he said proudly as he rubbed Sofia hair and smiles.
Sofia was dumbfounded. Clearly that is not what she thought Azief will say
Sofia stomped her feet and look at Azief with an expression of frustration
‘Sheesh! Idiot!’ And she stomped away.
‘Wait!’ Azief said as he looks at Sofia stomping away from him.
And then he looks at Loki and Sina and asks
‘What did I do wrong?’
Loki just sighs. Sina shakes her head.
‘Think about it, Azief. Really…..think about it.’
Loki said and then he chuckles. He looks at the incensed Sofia walking away, and look at the face of Azief which was full of musing, and Loki knows that this group will never get boring.
Sina however was already by Sofia side listening to Sofia complaints. Girls. Loki just smirk like he always does.
After the incident, Azief and Loki went to the barracks.
Sina after she has finished consoling Sofia went to the open plains and was trying the new suit functions as she tries to familiarize herself maneuvering the suit.
Sofia was practicing archery though many of the soldiers realized that today the Divine Archer mood is very bad.
It almost seems like she wanted to hunt all the games in the plains. And they also heard some of her mumblings.
‘Nothing different! Idiot! Waste of my time trying to be subtle! Arggh!’ That is some of the thing they heard when some of them follow the Divine Archer on her hunt.
Loki on the other hand began handing out the weapons Azief smuggles from Earth Two to the soldiers who is in lower stages.
Meanwhile in the manor Wang Jian is talking with Azief. Wang Jian treated Azief like he treated his former employer, the King of Yue.
Wang Jian was looking respectfully at Azief and handed him a paper.
‘This is the list?’
‘Yes. I hope my lord would decide the position from this list of people. I already vetted them very carefully. They are loyal and capable. They will make great addition to our village power’
Wang Jian then heap praises on the names on the list.
But Azief was indifferent either way. Wang Jian since he acknowledges Azief as his new lord has always rack his brain on what his lord was thinking.
But no matter how he thinks, his lord remains unfathomable. Wang Jian could not know what his new lord is thinking.
‘Loyal to me or loyal to you?’ Azief mindlessly ask but the atmosphere in the room instantly cooled down.
The energy inside the room quickly becomes chaotic.
Wang Jian just shakes his head vigorously. Then he cupped his hand and then he declares
‘They are loyal to me’ he said fearlessly. He decided to speak honestly and hides nothing. Maybe the new lord respects the virtues of honesty.
And this suits him better than to be scheming. He will leave that to the corrupt minister. He is a general.
Valiant heart and brave disposition. That is his attitude and his natural state.
‘Oh?’ Azief was surprised to see Wang Jian answer this way.
But before he could say anything else Wang Jian then said.
‘But I am loyal to you. And as the lord, anytime you wanted to replace them from their position, I will not say anything. But since the only people in our villages are my people, this is the best I could offer. I hope my lord will not think me as an usurper’ Azief looking at how honest this general of his couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Loki sure knows how to pick people. Fine. I will look at it and decided before the afternoon. Now, heed my orders. Today, you and your White Tiger army must explore areas around our villages to find survivors. Come back before night. The beast roams at night, powerful beast. And I have a feeling that the mountain at the end of the plains hides a very powerful monster. When I fly by around that area I could feel the aura.’
Wang Jian nodded
‘I will follow your order, my lord’ Wang Jian exclaimed and cupped his hand and exited the manor.
Azief then could hear Wang Jian announcing to his soldiers that they will move outside the village and began to deploy his soldiers in the battlements for patrols.
Wang Jian brought with him 150 soldiers to find survivors.
Azief nodded in satisfaction. He then turned to the task at hand which is the list
He then scanned the list and smiles. Wang Jian is a meticulous man. He even includes the full bio of each candidate.
Azief first brewed his personal coffee and then he sit down as he review the people in the list.
It almost remind him when he was president of a multi-billion dollar company when he was in Earth Two.
Then after about an hour he finally decided.
‘Open Village Status’ he said it in his mind and a status window appeared in front of his eyes.