Chapter 24: The Fire and the Vines

Words : 1018 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 24: The Fire and the Vines A desperate wish for peace echoed back into Shiao Yi’s mind. Without hesitation, Shiao Yi reached to his waist holster, pulled out his needle gun, and shot the man right between the eyes. Immediately afterward, a chill ran down his spine. From beyond the wall of fire, something dark began to emerge, as if oozing into existence. One creature. Then another appeared behind it. They had noticed him. Now, they were coming toward him as their target. As the dark shapes stepped out of the ring of firelight, Shiao Yi could finally see what they were. It was the Doshaguma. With the starry sky and bright moon behind them, their forms became clearer in the open space. Looking at them now, Shiao Yi was struck again by how massive they were. At first, he thought they were the size of hippos, but they were even bigger. About the size of a small elephant. If those things started rampaging, it would be a complete disaster. And now they were running straight at him. Shiao Yi used his telekinesis to grab the one in front, lifted it high, and then hurled it down at full speed, slamming it hard into the one behind. A sickening smash sound rang out as blue blood splattered in every direction. Both the magical beast were completely crushed. There was no way they would regenerate from that kind of damage. Shiao Yi reached out again with his telepathy. The painful thoughts he had sensed earlier were now gone. Maybe he had arrived too late. Perhaps those feelings of pain had come from the people who had already been trapped and consumed by the blue-purple vines. What on earth was happening? Shiao Yi, who came from another world and didn’t understand how things worked here, had no idea what was going on. When he circled around to check the camp area, he found a terrible scene of destruction. The damage was fresh and brutal. It looked like the military unit stationed there had been completely wiped out. Had it been attacked by the same swarm of magical beasts he fought in the forest earlier? And those people trapped in the vines—why did that happen to them? From behind him, the ring of fire was still burning, and something dark and ominous continued to rise from it. He began searching for any survivors who might know what had happened. Even if they were unconscious, he might still be able to find someone alive. He sharpened his senses, focusing on the faintest signs of life. Following a very slight sensation, he carefully searched through the wreckage. The trail led him to a supply storage area some distance away. There, buried under broken wood and crushed crates, he sensed someone alive. It seemed like the supply materials had collapsed, and someone had been caught beneath them. Oddly enough, being trapped there might have saved the person’s life. Shiao Yi used his telekinesis to lift the heavy debris one piece at a time. Underneath, he found an older man, probably in his fifties, unconscious. There was a deep gash on the man’s head from some kind of blow. His left leg was broken, and his chest showed signs of being crushed, though it didn’t seem like any internal organs had ruptured. Shiao Yi grabbed the man’s arm, focused his mind, and jumped—teleporting them both back to the Dashtadem Fortress. ... When Dominic returned to the room and confirmed that Shiao Yi wasn’t there, he began to pace around restlessly. Even when he sat on the sofa or the edge of the bed, he couldn’t calm down. Had he been too hasty? Was it wrong to move things forward while ignoring Shiao Yi’s feelings? Maybe Shiao Yi hated him now. The thought that he might never be able to take it back made him feel like he couldn’t breathe. But the moment he had looked into those dark eyes, the moment his hand had touched that sweet skin, he had lost all control. The heat of his desire had burned away his reason. Shiao Yi had no magic. Not even the smallest trace of magical power could be sensed from him. But what about that strange ability of his? He had called it telekinesis. It was some kind of supernatural power from his world, Shiao Yi had said. The power to move things freely without touching them—that alone was impressive. But then Shiao Yi had vanished right in front of Dominic’s eyes, as if he had melted into the air. That must’ve been one of his powers too. When the fortress was attacked by a massive horde of beasts, Shiao Yi had suddenly appeared at Dominic’s side. He must’ve used the same power then as well. It looked like teleportation magic at first. But there had been no spell, no chanting. He had done it so quickly and easily. That meant it wasn’t magic at all. Shiao Yi’s powers were amazing. If he would just stay, he would be the most reliable ally Dominic could ask for. Watching how he handled the magical beasts, it was clear Shiao Yi was used to fighting. Thinking back on Shiao Yi’s actions and words, Dominic realized that Shiao Yi had likely spent much of his life on battlefields. At the same time, Dominic could also guess that those experiences had been harsh and painful for him. Whenever Shiao Yi spoke about his past, his eyes would carry a deep sorrow. Even though he rarely showed emotions and often appeared cold and calm, there were moments when a quiet sadness would show in his eyes. And when it did, it tore at Dominic’s heart. He didn’t want to see Shiao Yi make that face anymore. He wanted to make Shiao Yi smile. A real smile. One that looked truly happy. Shiao Yi, Please come back to me. I would protect you, cherish you. I would make sure you found happiness. No matter what. He picked up the jacket Shiao Yi had taken off and left on the sofa.

Chapter 24: The Fire and the Vines

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