My Salvation Game Became true?!

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Free Hunter
 

Huff~ Huff~ Huff~!

When Xing Jing Lei returned to the hotel suite, his whole body collapsed on the carpet, his chest heaving violently, gasping for air.

“Do you know what Cannon Punch is?”

“What is Cannon Punch!”

“It’s Cannon Punch!!!”

That sentence still echoed in his ears at this moment.

He could not forget, that blurry-faced mighty one, who with a single punch, tore a huge hole through the white clouds in the sky.

This is Cannon Punch!

But,

Cannon Punch was not only aimed at the sky, it was also aimed at him.

In that ancient martial arts field, he faced a terrifying pressure, relentlessly and uncontrollably launching his own fists.

He also endured the Cannon Punches from the blurry-faced man.

Even though they were much weakened, they still fell on him like cannonballs, constantly exploding, creating clouds of dust and cracking the ground.

Xing Jing Lei thought he was going to die, not being able to withstand even a single weakened Cannon Punch, let alone punch after punch, ten punches, a hundred punches, a thousand, ten thousand punches.

Only heaven knew how much he endured.

From the initial fear to the astonishment of still being alive, to the involuntary mechanical resistance, then to the furious determination, and finally, he could not but let his body move on its own.

A long time passed.

Maybe half a month, a month.

Or possibly half a year, a year.

When Xing Jing Lei returned to the hotel suite, besides still breathing, his eyes were lifeless, as if he had been ruthlessly tormented… and perhaps it was not just an illusion.

It took him a good one or two hours before the light gradually returned to his eyes.

He barely managed to struggle to a sitting position, looked down at himself, and realized that, although he was tired, there was no part of his body missing, and furthermore…

Xing Jing Lei clenched his fist slightly and swung it forward.

Whoosh——

A strong gust of wind swept through, humming loudly.

The Cannon Punch he had learned in the martial arts field seemed, it appeared… he could use it!

Of course, it was far from the lofty standards of that blurry-faced martial artist, but he was certain this was Cannon Punch, and maybe one day, he could reach a level like that martial artist, where his punch would disperse the clouds!

Xing Jing Lei’s pupils blazed with fervor.

After the fervor lasted for a while, he gradually remembered what happened before… that’s right, before entering the martial arts field, that mysterious voice had resonated in his mind again.

‘You are a chosen one.’

Had that voice followed him?!

But, it seemed to have bestowed power upon him?

Even though this gift… still sent shivers down his spine at the thought.

Xing Jing Lei propped himself up, changed his posture, feeling he needed some quiet.

…

Xing Jing Lei had discovered ‘abnormalities’ in his body starting three years ago.

At first, he could only vaguely sense some strange, extraordinary things.

But he didn’t see anything, just felt that something was wrong.

He thought he was having mental issues until once, when it felt as if his breath was being strangled, he desperately fought back and seemed to have torn something away.

Since then, he could vaguely see some ‘filthy things’.

His entire world view was flipped on its head.

Xing Jing Lei kept inquiring and probing from the sidelines, yet he did not find any others like him, those who could vaguely make out the dim black silhouettes of ‘filthy things,’ which were also extremely rare.

He had deliberately searched for them, venturing into dark places, but sometimes not even finding one in a month.

Until, starting a few months ago, these things began to appear more frequently.

Monsters that others shunned were strangely attractive to the eyes of Xing Jing Lei.

He found that killing these ‘filthy things’ could sometimes bring changes to himself, making him stronger, his senses sharper.

Once, his body underwent a significant transformation, and after surviving a deadly ordeal, he was reborn, utterly transformed.

Later, he learned that the change in his body was known as Awakening.

He also embarked on the path of a Hunter of Mysterious Evil.

After Awakening, Xing Jing Lei became much stronger, and ordinary Mysterious Evils couldn’t withstand even a single punch from him, but Xing Jing Lei did not become arrogant, he became even more cautious.

The more he learned, the more he realized the horrors that lurked beneath reality.

He had recklessly darted about everywhere before, which was far too rash of him.

Surviving was purely a matter of good fortune.

As a Mysterious Evil Hunter, his principle was that only by living could he spend money.

Yesterday, upon hearing that voice, Xing Jing Lei didn’t hesitate, and he immediately abandoned his hunt to return to the small town where he was resting.

After a restless night, he felt even more uneasy the next day, and at the crack of dawn, he took a ride and fled.

He was afraid that some powerful Mysterious Evil had set its sights on him.

Although, he had never encountered, nor heard of, a Mysterious Evil that could speak.

“I’ve escaped all the way to Yunling State City; by all rights, I should be safe,” he thought.

“Mysterious Evils are inherently chaotic; they wouldn’t bestow strength upon me.”

There were exceptions, some Heretical Cults used power as bait, but that power was poisonous.

This time was different, some unknown existence had, across vast distances and time, bestowed upon him an incredibly powerful force.

Cannon Punch!

Such a simple pair of words, an unremarkable move, yet Xing Jing Lei felt as if he had entered a new world.

This was a brand-new way of channeling life energy!

What wisdom this was!

To bestow strength from afar, what a mighty force it was!

Would someone possessing such mighty power covet his two hundred pounds of flesh?

Xing Jing Lei’s gaze grew increasingly fervent.

Perhaps this was the fortuitous encounter he had been waiting for!

He wiped up the red wine that had spilled on the floor, struggling to maintain a calm face, and put on an expression of earnestness, before continuing to ask in his heart.

Once, twice, thrice.

Just like the previous night, there was no response, but he had made up his mind to keep earnestly inquiring.

What is a Fire Holder?

What does he need to do?

Is there a price to be paid?

These were the questions he truly wanted answers to.

Even if it were a stroke of luck, he did not believe in power gained without cost.

After a while,

the voice spoke again, unexpectedly gentle this time.

“Just as what you are doing now, hunting Mysterious Evils,” it said.

“But with power comes responsibility, you must bear greater responsibilities, stand on the frontline against the darkness as a Warrior of the Torch, and plant the seeds of hope.”

Xing Jing Lei understood.

He had once been offered a position by the Yunling State Investigation Bureau, but the special-class investigator who tried to recruit him was too weak, not withstanding even three of his punches.

A weakling trying to recruit him, ha!

Moreover, the benefits provided by the Investigation Bureau fell far short of those he earned as a Mysterious Evil Hunter; not only could he take on missions, but he could also extract materials from the Mysterious Evils, amassing a sizeable fortune in just a few months.

Both freedom and wealth.

This was the life Xing Jing Lei wanted.

He wanted to be the strongest, wealthiest Mysterious Evil Hunter, to be a free Hunter!

“Yes, I will be a Fire Holder, kindling the light in the eternal night, tonight and every night to come!”

Xing Jing Lei stood up straight.

His face was flushed with sincerity, and he almost believed himself.

…

“Believe?”

“Xing Jing Lei is a wild Awakener, an experienced Mysterious Evil Hunter; a few words won’t convince him to commit wholeheartedly—it’s impossible.”

“Whether he believes or not is not so important, having action is enough.”

“There will be time yet. As a man chosen by fate, he will understand one day.”

“And not in vain did I ceaselessly infuse him with training cards after teaching him Cannon Punch.”

This was his Torch Mentor’s care for the newcomer.

No need for thanks.

In the hotel of Yunling City, just as Xing Jing Lei let out a sigh of relief, he suddenly shivered.