Chapter 124 - Mr. Jinn
"Father, I can't move anymore," Waul said while taking deep breaths. After escaping the Tentacle Snakes, Roclus made him help Refu to carry Kadyn. However, just in half an hour, he started to beg for a rest. He was completely exhausted and his entire body ached and his hands had turned blood red due to carrying Kadyn.
"No, we can't rest. It's already 12 o'clock in the night, we need to reach the Bamboo Cove before 1 A. M." Roclus refused flatly his son's demand and continued to walk with a stern expression. "Just endure a bit more. The Bamboo Forest is just ahead of us — it won't take long to reach our destination from here."
Waul gritted his teeth and continued to walk side by side with Refu. However, not even fifteen minutes passed he lost grip over Kadyn and the body fell on the ground with a thud sound.
"Mother fucker, just you wait, I will make you pay for everything with interest," Kadyn winced and twitched inside the blanket and cursed inside his head again and again, but controlled the urge to shout out loud.
"I-I can't move anymore," Waul fell on his butt and looked at his father pitifully. "I want to rest, father."
"Useless!" Roclus grunted. Then he turned towards Elder Tandu. "We are already slow; we can't afford to rest anymore. Help Refu to carry the boy."
Elder Tandu grunted at his request but didn't refuse. So the group once more started to move. "Fath-father…"
"If you speak one more word, I will break your legs and leave you for the dinner of forest's animals," Roclus glared at his son and said with a cold face. He was very much disappointed in his son. He can't even compare with Refu who had yet to awaken his fifth star. "Move!" his anger flared the more he thought about him.
Waul flinched at his father's shout and lowered his head; he clenched his fist in fury and followed behind them silently with aching legs.
As the group went deeper and deeper the coldness increased, making their speed slow. Kadyn also felt the change, but he didn't know what was going on outside. He just felt that the temperature decreased suddenly in this area.
"We have entered into the Bamboo Forest," OId Dem's voice. Kadyn thought. Then the old man continued. "The deeper we go, the colder it becomes. Furthermore, it's not because of the weather but the environment is always the same at this place. Though I don't the reason behind it."
"Hmm, maybe it is the reason why Mr. Jinn is staying here," Roclus said after some contemplating.
"Maybe this is some kind of treasure," Waul said with an enthusiastic tone, even though his face was red from fatigue. "Maybe we would be able to steal it."
"Slap!"
A painful slap echoed in the foggy and cold night. Waul was sent ten meters away by the impact of the slap and blood dripped out of the corner of his mouth. He looked at his father with teary eyes and asked. "Why did you hit me, father?!" he appeared quite pitiful at this moment.
"Why?" Roclus gritted his teeth in fury. He looked around with a tensed face and went on. "You are asking me why I slapped you, you beast! How dare you covet something that belongs to Mr. Jinn. Even if you are my son I would kill you if you ever again thought about such a thing. Am I clear?!"
"Ye-yes," Waul stammered and stood with his trembling legs. He no longer dared to speak any further. His face was pale while his face burned from the slap, he rubbed his cheek, stared at his father with a vicious gaze that went unnoticed.
"Hmph," Roclus snorted and continued to walk. The bamboos were standing long and tall and dense on all sides, covering them from above like a huge canvas. He looked at Refu who was on the verge of collapsing and said. "Endure a bit more. We are about to reach our destination."
The boy nodded in reply and bit his tongue and continued to carry Kadyn with everyone else. After completing this mission he would go to those bastard beasts and slaughter them one by one. How dare they kill my brother?! Furthermore, Hari's body was still there; though Refu wanted to bury him before leaving, there was no time to carry a dead amidst that kind of rush when their own life was on a stack.
Around ten minutes later the group stopped. Everyone looked ahead of them with amazement. "Is this the Bamboo Cove?" asked Refu as he looked in front of him with wide eyes.
"None other," Old Dem said with an excited expression. Then he turned towards Elder Tandu and Refu. "Put the boy down. Mr. Jinn would come himself to take him. We just need to wait until then."
As Kadyn's body touched the ground he couldn't help but shiver. It was too cold and moisturised. 'Where is that damn Mr. Jinn?' When everyone was a little distracted, Kadyn opened his face, enough to see around him. However, he failed to find this Mr. Jinn.
On the contrary, there was a huge lake in front of him, spreading in a radius of a few miles(just speculation). The fog was covering the view while the night was dark, so Kadyn couldn't see too far. Furthermore, he didn't want to alert these people so he remained in a single position, not daring to move. Not daring to make a sound.
Just like that half an hour passed, it was around 12: 43 A. M at this moment. Suddenly a splashing sound came from the distance. Everyone looked and realised that the sound had come from the lake. However, due to the fog, they failed to see anything or anyone who made that sound. Kadyn also peered into the distance with an eager expression. He could feel a powerful aura rushing in their direction.
"Is it some kind of magical beast?" asked Elder Tandu.
"I don't know," Roclus shook his head.
"Don't worry," Old Dem said, staring into the dense fog with a deep gaze and an excited look appeared on his face. It wasn't his first time coming here. So he knew a lot more than the others. "No magical beast could live here without the permission of Mr. Jinn.... errr."
He was only halfway through when the words stuck in his throat. He looked in front of him and his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets — a huge head appeared from the fog, two red eyes glittered over its head. The beast had a long head that was somewhat flat from above and it was flicking its tongue. Snake! It was a huge, colossal snake! Only a part of its body came out of the lake while the other was hidden inside.
"Not bad, not bad at all," a voice came from the snake. "I never thought that you would give me such a pleasant surprise."
Everyone was stunned when they heard the voice. However, when they focused their gazes at the top of the head of the beast, they realised that someone was sitting at the top. He looked human, but he was not. His body was completely blue and two horns jutted above his head. His eyes were red like two gems and when he laughed, yellow teeth came into view and he wasn't wearing anything above his waist, while he stood at the snake with bare feet.
As soon as everyone saw him they hurriedly kowtowed in submission, rubbing their heads on the ground as if a devotee had seen his god. However he didn't pay any attention to those people, his gaze was fixed on Kadyn — who had closed his eyes and was acting unconscious with all his effort — and said with a mocking voice. "Aren't you going to bow down to this lord, boy? You can't pretend to sleep in front of me."
Kadyn's heart skipped a beat. He cursed. He didn't know that this creature was powerful enough to tell if he was sleeping or not. Roclus and Old Dem and others were also shocked hearing his words. They wanted to turn and check Kadyn but no one dared to move from their positions, still pressing their heads on the ground.
Kadyn sighed and stood up before gazing at the blue creature into his red eyes. As he looked at the Jinn, the other party also examined him with extreme curiosity. "Half step Rank 1 mage. Not bad. This gift is pretty decent. I will reward you heftly this time."
At first Roclus and others were left stunned when they heard Jinn's words — Half Rank 1 mage— but then an ecstatic look appeared on their faces and again kowtowed gratefully.
Kadyn looked at the Jinn and said with a smile. "You seem pretty confident. Don't you find it peculiar that these people were able to take me here?"
"Hehe, no matter what is the reason behind your action. Now you are here, it doesn't matter. You are mine now!" Jinn laughed confidently.