GDK 735: Fall out
Andrina could be considered half the boss of Celestial Pearl Pharmacy. Everyone who worked there recognized her. Anito forcibly shoved the densely packed crowd to make a clear path straight to the center building for Andrina and her party.
Anito sized up the group of people following behind Andrina with puzzled gazes. As a midgod, Anito could tell that these people were incredibly weak with just one glance. He had no idea why would Andrina, whose strength was immense beyond fathom, would be taking these weaklings to Celestial Pearl.
“Hey! Andrina, you are back!” Akley who was looking at the doorway lazily shouted upon sighting Andrina from a distance.
Andrina gestured at the people behind her and headed towards Akley. As soon as she arrived beside him, she asked, “Where is Bryan?”
“Bryan is in the banquet hall with the members of large family clans. He should be dividing the medicines among them at this moment. Do you have anything urgent for him?” replied Akley.
“Got it,” Andrina pointed at the group of people behind her as she instructed Akley, “Get them a place to live in. They are all Bryan’s friends. Make sure they are treated well.”
After instructing Akley in an arrogant manner, Andrina turned around and told Fanny and the ladies, “My sisters, be at ease and rest well. We are in the City of Shadows, you will all be very safe here.”
The party was scared and on edge throughout the journey. They heaved a sigh of relief after hearing Andrina’s consoling words.
Stratholme had a face filled with revere as he gazed at the lively congregation. He whispered to Ayermike, “Look at them, every one of them gives off an immensely mighty aura. They should all at least be in lowgod realm. We must increase our strength at the fastest rate here. Otherwise, even with Bryan sheltering us, without strength, it’s unlikely that we could make much accomplishment in this world.”
Ayermike nodded in agreement. He replied, “That’s true. We are not like the ladies and do not have deep, romantic relationships with Bryan. If I became a burden to him, even if he doesn’t chase me away, I would be too embarrassed to stay.”
These characters who used to immensely powerful and influential back on the Profound Continent were thoroughly awed and motivated by the countless powerful experts they met along the way. Never before had they experienced such a scene where countless experts gathered. When they realized that everyone around them could kill them just by moving a finger, with effort no greater than pinching an ant, their hearts were filled with an intense sullen feeling.
“So it’s Bryan’s friends. Come, follow me, I will arrange your lodgings. Haha, our Celestial Pearl has a lot of empty rooms,” Akley said laughingly as he led Stratholme, Emily, and the others away.
The demigods and basegod did not waste a moment. As soon as Akley helped them settled in their rooms, they began accumulating the elements, cultivating to raise their strength.
Andrina did not go with them but headed to the banquet hall alone.
“I hope everyone is happy with your purchases?” Han Shuo asked smilingly after delivering the medicines allocated based on the respective strengths of the family clans they represented.
There would be a big pile of medicines stacked before the representatives of each family clan. They all had big smiles on their faces and would nod to express that they were satisfied.
Bags after bags of crystal coins were happily tossed before Han Shuo and they piled up to the size of a small hill. After the crowd expressed that they were satisfied with the goods, Han Shuo kept away the crystal coins smilingly. He had refined a lot more pelleted medicines than the previous rounds. After a quick guesstimation, Han Shuo learned that he had obtained nearly three hundred thousand black crystal coins. It was no small sum.
“Folks, since everyone is happy with your purchases, I would like to propose a toast – to the pharmacy we keep profitable!” Andre raised his glass smilingly. His gentle voice spread throughout the hall.
The crowd smilingly raised their cups at Andre and Han Shuo and drank to the toast.
Cough, cough… Suddenly, an ill-timed coughing sounded in the hall. it was as though someone choked on their wine.
The crowd who was downing their wine smilingly immediately gathered their attention on the source of the noise. They saw that a blushing Portlem was coughing repeatedly. It appeared that he had indeed been choking on his own glass of wine. He was patting his chest as he looked towards the entrance in a grimace.
The crowd found his performance strange. Following the direction of his sight, they suddenly discovered that there was a little girl with ice-cold appearance standing at the doorway.
“Andrina!” Han Shuo cried out excitedly. He shouted, “It’s great that you are alright! I have been worrying about you. I heard from Carmelita that you ran into trouble on your way back. What happened?”
Andrina did not immediately reply to Han Shuo’s question but stared at Portlem coldly. She slowly stepped towards Portlem without moving her eyes. She appeared murderous. Anyone could tell what she was about to do.
Those in the room were no fools. From the expressions on Andrina and Portlem, the crowd could immediately tell that there were grudges between the two. Han Shuo, who also realized this fact, immediately put on a dark face. He swept his chilling and sinister gazes on Portlem.
“I don’t know his name, but on my way back to the City of Shadows, it is this guy who lusted over my elder sisters. He thought that we are too weak to defend ourselves and therefore tried to abduct us with his divine guards and an uncle of his. We almost fell to his vicious hands!” Andrina answered in a chilling voice after stopping beside Han Shuo.
Han Shuo had a baleful look. His pair of eyes looking at Portlem was as piercing as swords. He asked in a deep voice, “Young master Portlem, is that so?”
“Bryan, there are some misunderstandings – I didn’t know that they are members of your Celestial Pearl Pharmacy! Only a few of them have reached demigod and basegod strengths. There are people of young and old and a few women. How would I know that they are people of your Celestial Pearl?” Portlem put on a grimace and hastily explained.
“I have clearly mentioned we are from Celestial Pearl soon after we met. Don’t tell me that you, as a highgod, had failed to hear it?” Andrina coldly shouted.
As soon as she finished those words, Andrina suddenly attacked. A dazzling screen made of light shot out from her body and towards Portlem.
Portlem was about to try giving more excuses when he saw that Andrina had suddenly attacked. His face jolted. The dinner suit suddenly shattered from his chest, revealing the divine armor underneath printed with three bones. Obviously, Portlem was aware just how extraordinary Andrina’s strength was and he had therefore immediately deployed all his defenses with all his strength. He filled the divine armor with his divine energy of death. The divine armor glistened with bright while radiance and formed several layers of defensive energy fields.
Simultaneously, Portlem waved his two hands and using his divine energy, congealed a white bone shield in the space before him.
Pow!
The screen made of splendid radiances stuck on the bone shield. Andrina’s strength was more than a level above that of Portlem’s. Creak! The white bone shield completely broke into pieces. Andrina seized this opportunity to place her tender small hand on Portlem’s chest.
Pow! Portlem was thrown staggering backward. His face started to turn pale.
Ka! While Portlem was stumbling backward, Han Shuo got behind him and stabbed at Portlem’s back with the wine glass in his hand. His sneak attack caused Portlem to stumble forward.
Andrina’s sudden attack and Han Shuo’s sneak attack all happened in a flash. There were several highgods also in the hall but none of them had expected Andrina and Han Shuo to be so impulsive and reckless. Not only that they struck with no misgivings, but they also do not shy from doing sneak attacks.
“Cease!” Andrina and Han Shuo had both made their first strikes when Andre’s cry sounded. Portlem took the opportunity to retreat towards Charlotte. A strand of blood was flowing from a corner of his mouth. His face was unsightly pale. The calmness he displayed a few moments ago had completely vanished. His eyes were filled with sinister lights.
Whoosh! Andrina charged to the space between Portlem and Charlotte and continued attacking him.
Han Shuo wore a callous face. His figure blurred and he turned into a trail of fuzzy shadow. He attacked Portlem from the side as though he had not heard Andre at all.
“Bryan, calm down. At least get the whole thing clear first!” Andre shouted in a deep voice and rushed towards the fight.
Andrina and Han Shuo continued with attacking Portlem non-stop. However, Charlotte, who was standing near them, suddenly stepped forward to help Portlem in resisting Andrina’s attack. The two focused on dealing with Andrina’s attacks but completely ignored Han Shuo’s attacks.
In the eyes of Charlotte and Portlem, Andrina was the character that was truly terrifying. As to Han Shuo, well, he could basically be completely ignored. Han Shuo’s sneak attack just then may have succeeded but it did not leave any severe injuries on Portlem. Even the strand of blood flowing from his mouth was caused by Andrina.
Both Charlotte and Portlem concentrated with defending against Andrina’s attacks. His back was fully exposed, completely ignoring any potential threat from Han Shuo.
Andre, who was rushing to the fight, obviously has his sight set on Andrina. He too wasn’t minding Han Shuo.
The corners of his lips curled to make an evil grin. His big palm shot forward at lightning speed and pressed on Portlem’s back. Cauldron Spirit’s energy flooded Han Shuo’s body in an instant and a gush of terrifying energy violently erupted at Portlem’s back.
It was the same spot Han Shuo had struck the last time, but this attack has the addition of Cauldron Spirit’s energy.
Pow! Portlem was sent flying into the air as he spurted a mouthful of fresh blood.
Rugersey, over on the other side, hastily reached out to catch Portlem when he saw Portlem was flying to him. He was startled to sense an enormous force when he caught Portlem. He had to fall multiple steps backward before managing to stop.
“Br- Bryan?!” Rugersey looked at Han Shuo as though he had seen a ghost. His face was filled with disbelief.
When he caught Portlem, he had directly experienced just how terrifying the burst of power was. It was clear to him that the energy did not originate from Portlem. When he realized that it was actually Han Shuo who had released this unfamiliar energy that severely injured Portlem, the fear that filled his heart was simply indescribable.
To every person in the City of Shadows, Han Shuo was an extraordinarily talented pharmacist. No one had ever thought of him as an expert because all along, Han Shuo had only displayed the strength of a lowgod of death. This was also the reason that Rugersey dared attack Han Shuo back then at the Kisa Residence.
A lowgod was just all too ordinary in the City of Shadows. No one would notice a mere lowgod!
Therefore, when Han Shuo, who, to everyone’s impression, a lowgod good at refining medicine, suddenly displayed strength comparable to that of a highgod, every person in the hall was utterly stunned and shocked.
The hall was filled with powerful experts. Although they could not directly perceive the terrifying energy behind Han Shuo’s strike as Rugersey could, it was clear to them that it wasn’t Andrina who sent Portlem flying and caused him to spurt a stream of blood, but Han Shuo!
This was because, with Andre’s and Charlotte’s intervention, Andrina had not been able to land any attack on Portlem!
The hall suddenly sank into absolute silence. Everyone in the room felt as though they had been introduced to Han Shuo again. They stared foolishly at Han Shuo who was wearing a cold, callous face. He wasn’t affected by the crowd’s reaction at all and was still charging at Portlem.
The Han Shuo at this moment lacked the usual approachable and cordial smile. All that was on his face was an ice-cold, apathetic attitude towards life – a demeanor forged through bloodsheds and massacres.
This guy sure had killed many! the crowd inwardly remarked.
It was also at this moment that they suddenly realized that the mild and friendly attitude Han Shuo always wore was just a disguise. His grim, bloodthirsty performance at this moment was his true colors!
Rugersey wore a grimace. He secretly felt glad that back then in the Kisa Residence, Erebus and Andre had arrived in his aid just in time. Otherwise, against this little monster with unfathomable strength called Andrina and a character even more treacherous and well-hidden strength, he might have ended up dead for his provocation.
It wasn’t just Rugersey, but every one in the hall consider Han Shuo as a character more formidable than Andrina!
A person who could conceal his true strength so well that no one noticed it, who would then suddenly launch such a deadly blow, and wouldn’t cease his attacks for any person – this patience, tenacity, perseverance, and sinisterness, would send shivers down the spine of anyone who thought of it!
“Bryan, for my sake, don’t kill him!” Andre loudly shouted. He had managed to stop Andrina but wasn’t able to simultaneously stop Han Shuo and therefore tried using persuasion on him.
Han Shuo kept silent. He continued charging at Portlem who was still leaking blood from his mouth. Obviously, he wasn’t going to do Andre this favor.
If worst comes to worst, I will leave the City of Shadows and reestablish myself all over again. And if I can’t stay in the Calamity Church any longer, I’ll just head to the Space Dominion or the Destiny Dominion! Han Shuo came to such resolution when he struck.
“Everyone stop him! If Portlem dies in the City of Shadows, we will have no way of explaining ourselves!” Andre hastily shouted when he saw that Han Shuo remain determined. He truly did not expect that Han Shuo who was urbane and courteous in ordinary days would have absolutely no misgivings when he strikes, and wouldn’t stop for anyone!
This guy is truly even more dangerous that Andrina. I have been in contact with him for so long and have failed to notice this for all these while. Truly terrifying! No wonder Avery had failed both times. This youngster is even more ferocious than Avery! Andre thought to himself.
Everyone in the hall was roused by Andre’s cry. Portlem’s family clan was powerful and influential in the Death Dominion. If he was to lose his life in the City of Shadows, the House of Sainte would have a really hard time dealing with the repercussions. Therefore, the stupefied crowd in the hall, upon coming to themselves, hastily obstructed Han Shuo.
“Bryan, calm down for a moment!”
“Bryan! Let’s talk, alright? There’s no need to resort to violence!”
The crowd shouted and advised Han Shuo. Rugersey tossed Portlem to another person in the hall, who, in turn, tossed him to yet another person when they saw that Han Shuo charging at them murderously…
Fresh blood gushed out from Portlem’s mouth as he was tossed around the room. His head was giddy from being thrown around. When he saw that Han Shuo nonetheless relentlessly pursued him in a callous face, the fear in his heart grew more and more.
Fucking hell, is this fella nuts? He obviously knows my identity and yet, he keeps on attacking so relentlessly. This wretched thing is really treacherous. I wouldn’t have been caught surprised if he used all his strength in the first attack. Why is Celestial Pearl filled with so many maniacs! Portlem thought to himself while being tossed around.
Han Shuo internally sighed and suddenly stopped attacking. He shouted, “Andrina, stop!”
“Why?” Andrina responded while her glowering eyes remain fixed at Andre and Charlotte.
“We do not have enough strength to kill him!” replied Han Shuo.
Andrina coldly groaned and retreated to Han Shuo’s side. She shot her pair of ice-cold gazes towards Portlem, who had just been tossed back to Rugersey, and shouted, “I will remember you!”
“Lord Andre, how would you like to proceed next?” Han Shuo took a deep breath before he turned to Andre and asked.
“You-, you are such a-, sigh. I don’t know what to say about you!” remarked Andre. He wore an expression of indecision. Then, he instructed, “Rugersey, send Portlem to the Sainte Residence immediately!”
“Hold on, my medicines will stay. I’m not doing business with him!” Han Shuo casually tossed a bag of crystal coins at Rugersey who was holding Portlem.
Rugersey looked at Andre indecisively, asking for his opinion, “This.. erm…”
“And you too!” Yet another bag of crystal coins was tossed. It landed right before Charlotte’s feet.
Charlotte wore a defeated expression as she cursed Portlem in her mind. She originally intended to persuade Han Shuo otherwise but when she recalled that Portlem’s deeds were indeed very shameless, she did not utter a word but sighed. She took out her medicines and placed them on the table silently. She took the bag of crystal coins, went to Portlem, and had him take out his medicines. After that, she left with Portlem and Rugersey.
Consider yourself lucky. If it wasn’t for the fact that I could persist for too long, you wouldn’t have left this place alive! Han Shuo coldly remarked in his mind as he watched Portlem left.
“Bryan, I believe we need to have a word!” Andre said in a grimace.