Chapter 59: Obtaining two new weapons
A long time had passed since they ventured deep into the forest.
The entire time, everyone remained silent.
"What’s our destination, Leader?" Kogan asked internally.
This time, they were heading in the opposite direction from where Ray Kang’s squad used to go, venturing into unfamiliar territory that Kogan hadn’t seen before. He didn’t know many details about this new path, which is why he never missed a chance to ask questions whenever the opportunity arose.
However, he was always cautious. If he asked something out of the blue in a public setting, Ling Shao might grow slightly suspicious—
Why would a rookie suddenly ask such a pointed question without context?
But if the question came up naturally during a mission, especially if it sounded connected to the task at hand, then it would be much harder for anyone to notice that there was any hidden intent behind it. It would pass as simple curiosity, nothing more.
"We have no destination... because we are the destination," Ling Shao replied.
Kogan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He knew that Second Rank squads also harvested essence—
and did so far more efficiently than First Rank squads—
but he had no idea what their strategy was.
"Will you get any essence from killing the goat you’re riding?" Leader Ling Shao asked him.
"I haven’t tried yet," Kogan looked at his goat.
Ling Shao sighed and told him, "No, you won’t get any essence."
Kogan looked at him, confused about what Ling Shao was trying to convey.
"Everything here is based on the law of dualities — day and night, man and woman, each completes the other, each gives meaning to the other."
Ling Shao paused for a moment, then looked at Kogan.
"There are animals that yield essence, and others that don’t. Apply the same to animals that flee from essence bearers."
Kogan furrowed his brows. "That means..."
"Exactly... There are creatures that chase essence bearers. In your previous team, you used to bring people without essence as bait. But now..."
Ling Shao gracefully dismounted his goat and spread his arms, saying loudly for everyone to hear,
"I am the bait."
***
The team moved deeper into the forest after leaving their goats in a visible spot to return to them once the mission was over.
Traveling on foot at this stage gave them greater freedom.
Ling Shao glanced at Kogan and noticed his weapon.
"What’s that nonsense you’re carrying on your back? Give it to your partner."
Kogan pulled the crossbow from his back. "It’s my weapon. What else am I supposed to use?"
This crossbow was what he had bought in the morning, but now it seemed he was going to give it up.
"Hold it," Ling Shao ordered Mei Lan to carry the crossbow.
"Yes," Mei Lan quickly extended her hands to catch it.
’He bought this cheap bow from the shop, which means he doesn’t know how to manifest essence yet,’ Ling Shao thought.
There were many first-rank individuals who could manifest essence, yet they still went to shops to buy or order weapons.
This was because they lacked the talent needed to manifest something professional, or at least usable.
But in the case of Kogan, or beginners of the first rank in general, they are enthusiastic about manifesting their own weapons.
And because Kogan hasn’t done that, it means he hasn’t discovered it yet.
There is a saying among them:
"I’d rather fight with a spoon I made myself than fight with a sword made by someone else."
But this saying is only temporary for first-rank beginners who are excited, and after some time, they discover the bitter reality and become supporters of the saying:
"I’d rather fight with anything, as long as I’m not the one who made it."
***
Ling Shao looked at Kogan and asked, "What kind of weapon do you want?"
’Everyone here has close-range weapons, and only a few have an extra bow. Do they know something I don’t? But from what he said, it doesn’t seem like we’re hunting goats tonight.’
After a moment of thought, Kogan made his decision.
"A small double-edged axe, I want two of them."
"Were you a lumberjack in your past life?"
Ling Shao asked, without really wanting to know the answer.
He opened his palms, and a pure white light shone forth. The Rank One essence began to condense, and within seconds, two axes spun elegantly in his hands.
"The leader is great as always" Lang Luo smiled proudly.
"Amazing."
"When can we reach this level?"
The team members’ eyes lit up. It wasn’t a new sight for them, but it amazed them every time they saw it.
This level was incomparable to the weapons sold in the city’s shops.
It was magical, showcasing just how skilled Rank Two individuals were at controlling essence.
The leader Ling Shao extended the two axes toward Kogan.
"Catch."
Kogan reached out for the axes. Their grip felt natural in his hands—comfortable and firm—crafted with dark black handles that contrasted with the gleaming metal heads. Each head was double-edged, polished to a mirror shine, and sharp enough to rival the finest swords, clearly designed to slice through flesh with terrifying ease.
He fastened them securely to his belt, the weight familiar and reassuring. With one axe resting on each hip, he now looked like a cowboy preparing for a duel, his weapons hanging at the ready, giving off an aura of silent danger.
"Stylish."
That was what Mei Lan and the rest of the women on the team thought.
"What’s the price?" Kogan asked.
"Tell me how you obtained the Rank Two essence," Ling Shao smiled.
Kogan looked at him helplessly.
Ling Shao had desperately wanted to know how Kogan got Rank Two essence, but there was nothing he could do.
Was knowing the answer worth enduring the curse and losing years of hard work?
For Ling Shao, it was almost worth it. If it weren’t for his wife and two children, he might have tortured Kogan and fought against the curse.
But family comes first.
"No need to pay, just work hard," Ling Shao changed the subject.