139 Four Kingdoms, Five Sects (1/2)

Valaran-Crawford Kingdom Border.

There was a small town called Aqualeaf Town located in the small region between the two kingdoms and wasn't affiliated with any of the two.

It was once a popular stop for merchants in between their travels, however it came to a grinding stop when it was taken over by the Hundred Snake Gang and became a bandit's nest in recent years.

The strength of Hundred Snake Gang was neither strong nor weak compared to the might of a kingdom, but they had their own advantages and was powerful enough to become the overlord of the region when they have no competitors.

The strongest of the gang, the gang leader, Ives, was only a 5th step Awakener Realm and ex-farmer, however the strength of the Hundred Snake Gang did not lie in the people but the snakes they reared and tamed with a special technique.

They weren't really snakes, but earthworms that have evolved to the size of snakes. With thousands of teeth inside their body, the bite of an earthworm was no laughing matter. Fortunately, they only eat dirt, or rather the nutrition found in the soil.

The people of Aqualeaf Town used to live content and happy lives, but now they could only live in fear under the tyrannical rule of the Hundred Snake Gang and their earthworms. Escape and resistance meant death.

There were some brave souls that once tried to fight back, but they had long become supplements in the bellies of the earthworm. Just because earthworms don't eat humans, it didn't mean they couldn't eat humans. In fact, humans had much more nutritional value than the soil and were a much more favored diet.

At this moment, a deathly paled traveler arrived at Aqualeaf Town. He wore a noble attire that depicted his status, but it had been stained with blood and a hole could be seen around the chest, except, no wounds could be seen.

”One bowl of noodles and wine.” Zagan ordered impolitely, after arriving at an inn.

The innkeeper looked at the guest briefly, before heading into the kitchen quietly.

While waiting, Zagan knitted his brows at the silence of the town. It was too quiet. Last time he was here, it was very boisterous and lively, but now, it is basically a ghost town.

”Where do you come from, Traveler? Judging by your attire, you must be a noble.” Ives arrived with a group of men and inquired nonchalantly. Each member had an earthworm draped around their neck.

Seeing this weak and frail looking noble, Ives wasn't going to let this prey go. Although it looked like the noble had already been robbed, they could still hold him hostage and ask for ransom from the affiliated kingdom.

”Where I'm from, it has nothing to do with you. Mind your own... god... damn business...!” Zagan spoke icily.

Hearing the unwelcoming tone, Ives said solemnly, ”This is the Hundred Snake Gang's territory. Everything here is my business. You will do as I ask, unless you don't want to live.”

”Hundred Snake Gang? What shit is that?” Zagan looked at the earthworm draped around Ives and disdainfully said, ”Just a mere earthworm and you dare call yourself the Hundred Snake Gang?”

Ives boiled with anger at the naked contempt from someone who looks like he would fall over at the slightest gust of wind.

He looked at the paled-face noble with mockery and said, ”You don't have strength, but you are so arrogant! Since you dont want to listen then... go die!”

The earthworm hanging around his neck immediately sprang into action, lunging itself at the other person with mouth wide open and all his sharp teeth on display.

Zagan sneered and his hands blurred into a slicing motion. Before anyone of the gang members could see what happened, the earthworm fell past him, diced into dozens of pieces.

Ives was stunned, before pointing his finger with shaking anger and said with disbelief, ”Y-You! How dare you kill my pet!”

”Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings? I guess you should be called the Ninety-Nine Worm Gang now.” Zagan said indifferently, as he folded his arms and crossed his legs on the seat.

Flushed with anger, Ives ordered, ”Kill him!”

The gang members immediately charged at Zagan with their earthworms. A cold light flashed in Zagan's eyes. The blood stains on his clothes coagulated in a blood needle and shot through each of their heads.

They were just a bunch of ignorant ants, who didn't know who they were up against. Even in death, Ives didn't know how he died.

Their bodies soon became dried corpses after their blood essence was extracted and absorbed into Zagan's body.

His body was filled with energy, while the paleness and weakness on his face was replaced with a lively color.