Chapter 18: Walled In
Lu Bu Post Death
[ Legendary Warlord
Lvl:1
?Might: 60/170
?Alacrity: 60/170
?Durability: 55/170
?Cunning:30/170
?Acumen: 15/170
?Quintessence: 10/170
?Soul Expansion Gauge: 51/500]
?
The pair of Kimchi-eating siblings cut strange figures once they had armored and equipped themselves. Both were armed with blocky pieces of metal that my HUD identified as
[Custom Build Firearm- Select for Part Analysis]
[Context note: Powerful and fast-firing handbows]
As strange as getting used to the information that was displayed in front of my eyes was, I had to admit the various ‘modules’, as fake Diaochan called them, were extremely helpful. The pair offered me a small chest harness that was apparently a
[Custom Build Deployable Flak Vest]
I put it on and was greeted with an offer to activate it on my HUD. I did so, and the harness transformed, deploying a series of thin metal plates that covered most of my chest and some of my stomach. It wasn’t much, especially not compared to the full metal suits the pair of siblings donned. Also, it began as mere chest armor. Though even in that state, it was far more significant than the harness Ji-Ho had handed me. Almost immediately after, they deployed their own metal plates from the original chest piece until they were covered neck to feet in faded but still brightly colored armor. It even featured blue lights running along their forearms and shins that I assumed were there for purely aesthetic reasons. Honestly, despite the worn paint jobs I had to respect the baroque nature of their armor. It made me miss the peacock feathers I had worn at my brow, and the lion head I'd used as a belt buckle.
After I had accepted the spear Ha-Rin had made for me, a small counter had appeared near the corner of my hud indicating ‘weapon synchronicity’ which I'd had Diaochan explain to me while the siblings got equipped.
“It's a quick way to explain how well the weapon suits you. It takes into account familiarity, your body type's ability to wield the weapon,and how efficiently the weapon can convert your soul's energy.”
I activated the spear and gave it a few test swings before breaking into a version of the standard spear Taolu I had been taught in Dung Yuan's army. The spears we used back then had been longer and heavier than this one, so I altered the sequence movements a little to accommodate the energy-bladed weapon.
By the time I had repeated the set three times, I felt I had the weapon's measure enough to be comfortable, and the synchronicity number had changed from [70%] to [77%], which Diaochan assured me was far faster than the average. I didn’t have a great grasp on this weapon synchronicity nonsense, but it seemed clear to me that raising the number much higher would likely require a great deal of practice with a specific weapon, or even having one specifically custom-made to exact specifications.
When the siblings were ready to ‘take me hunting’ as they described it, they called upon a beast of metal similar to the one I had kicked to death in the hospital. I hadn't realized it was such a being, seeing the four-legged monstrosity previously inert in the corner of the workshop. I had assumed it was yet another pile of scrap like the dozens of others and paid it no mind.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
?
I had thought the home of Ji-Ho and Ha-Rin was on the cramped side, but I quickly came to realize their property was rather the spacious side when compared to the twisting labyrinth of thin and dark streets that surrounded the location.
While both were lit by artificial means, and more than a little populous. The similarities between here and the first street I had witnessed in Abeyance City ended precisely there.
Where my first glimpse of the city had been one of whirling colours, giant ethereal figures, and flying vehicles. This place was all grim concrete and twisting alleys barely even wide enough for two people to walk side by side. I hesitated to even call the ‘streets’ around the workshop “outside” as that implied two things that simply were not the case.
One, I could see the sky, which I absolutely could not. Above the dark walls and buildings were simply more dark walls and buildings. Above that was simply a ceiling of more concrete and steel.
Two, Outside suggested a demarcation existed between the interiors of the buildings around us and the streets they sat on. In perhaps two out of three cases, there was no such barrier, or if there was, it did little actual separating.
Through gaps and holes in the walls of the labyrinth, I could easily see into or, if I so chose, enter the homes and businesses of the local denizens. Many, it seemed, didn’t even bother with a door, simply allowing the largest piece of missing wall to act as their entryway.
The people traversing these cramped streets wore just as outlandish clothes as the ones I had first seen, all bright colored lights or shifting fabric. Though I noticed the cuts fit less, the lights didn’t shine as bright, their hems were more frayed, and there was quite a bit of rusted metal. Not just the ‘cybernetics’ that most people seemed to sport, most of those were definitely rusted, but I meant armor. Almost everyone I saw wore at least a little makeshift armor.
Despite the desperation clear on the often-injured faces of the people on the streets I was led through, I could practically taste the sense of community that abounded in this dark maze. It was obvious in the way the siblings exchanged greetings with people we passed, in the cheerful chattering between street vendors hawking withered foods or obviously broken machines. In the shouted conversations between groups of youths on separate and very eclectic rooftops.
Suddenly, I understood what I was looking at, what I was walking through.
‘Slums. This is the city’s slums.’ It was glaringly obvious even to me, an utter stranger to this city of the afterlife.
“Diaochan, explain this Paradox Incursion shit to me. What exactly am I? Not in proximity mode.”
The A.I. didn't even bother to bring her ghostly form forth in my vision, but I could hear her sultry voice in my head just as when she had first spoken to me as a formless spirit.
“According to publicly available information on the city network, no one is entirely certain what causes a Paradox Incursion, but there are several trends scientists [Scholars] have identified.”
“Explain these trends,” I commanded quietly as my eyes snapped upwards. One of the teens that I had seen on an earlier roof was above us now. I wasn’t sure why the boy was watching my group, but he clumsily turned away when he noticed me watching him back.
Likely it wasn’t anything I needed to worry about, though I still made a note to myself to keep my eyes open for him going forward. If someone was spying on my hosts, or worse, me. I wanted to at least be aware of it.
“While there have been numerous documented cases of Paradox Incursions who were ‘regular people, ’ an overwhelming majority of you are people of note within their era. There are some who believe a Soul is worn down by the process of death, and Paradox Incursions simply have a powerful enough Soul to resist the majority of this effect.”
That made sense to me. I am Lu Bu, of course, I have a stronger Soul than other people. I have a stronger everything than other people.
“Other evidence indicates that if you died in a manner contradictory to your ‘destiny’ or paradoxically to who you were as a person. You may become a Paradox Incursion. This was the original belief of how Incursions are made; however, the more that is discovered about the phenomenon, the less it seems anyone is entirely certain.”
Not exactly helpful that no one knew for sure what it meant to be what I apparently was. Would it really matter, though? I had kept my memories and some of my strength, which would be more than enough to build myself back up till I Lu Bu once again looked down upon all heroes under the heavens.
“And the babies that were around me when I woke up here?”
“Those are the children of the people living in Abeyance City, unlike in the worlds before death, they are born soulless and inert. They are kept from harm in hospital nurseries until the daily Soul Fall takes place and they are entered by the Souls of the dead. Unlike you, these Souls do not remember their past existence and are simply returned to their parents to begin their lives.”
I was about to ask the A.I. to clarify if my Soul had also entered the body of a newborn when my HUD was suddenly populated in various flashing warnings that insisted I should not be going where the siblings were leading.
I picture this city tier like Kowloon (hence the chapter name lol) but thats all just references and shit. If you don't get what I'm saying don't worry the story wont be hurt by it.
Patreon
Amazon
