Nightmare's Call - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Exploration: Part 2 2
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The following days, Lin Sheng did not enter the dream world again. In fact, he did not even dream.
He rested very well every night. 1
Besides studying at home, he went out to find places to practice his swordsmanship every day.
He was now practicing with the sword in order to assimilate the corrupted swordsman’s memories with his.
The swordsman was the leader of Blackfeather City’s patrol team. He was a typical aristocratic academician, and he had to practice a complete set of basic swordsmanship skills each day. That was how Lin Sheng acquired a comprehensive swordsmanship system.
Also, it appeared that the swordsman had mastered more than one move, but in the incomplete memory that Lin Sheng received, there was only one move.
Of course, he was still satisfied.
It was, after all, the first time he had mastered a true sword skill. Before that, he was actually just using basic moves to fight against his enemy.
Apart from the sword skills, what interested him most was the part about the Valent Sanctum in the guy’s memory.
In the memory fragment, the Valent Sanctum indeed held a special secret that rapidly increased one’s physical strength. It was a secret skill that only official warriors of the temple could learn.
Most importantly, according to the memory fragment, was that the Valent Sanctum kept a real special method of practice, one that pushed the human limits faster. 1
The tough rotten swordsman was only a Level 2 warrior.
The memory fragment showed that Level 3 warriors automatically got a certain amount of preferential treatment in Blackfeather City.
If the Level 3 warriors were willing to be attached to a family, they could even be treated equivalent to many elite citizens.
Lin Sheng wondered when he would break through the limit and enter Level 3? 1
Soon, on the 31st of March, he would finally be able to return to the dream again. 5
…
The drizzle came down from the sky like silk threads, drenching Lin Sheng, who was still in his pajamas.
As soon as he opened his eyes, his face and hands felt cold as well as wet.
“It’s raining in this goddam place?” Lin Sheng glanced around quickly.
He was standing in the spot where he had killed the rotten swordsman. The triangular Black Eagle flag was to the left. 2
“Strip the swordsman first!” 1
Without another word, Lin Sheng rushed to the rotten swordsman and started to remove his clothes.
“Oh, a woman?” Lin Sheng was slightly shocked when he put his hand on the body.
“No, just a bigger chest…” He immediately recognized the difference. 6
The top was like a large black tablecloth, with a hole cut in the middle—a really simple style.
The bottom consisted of a long black tube skirt with split sides and gray trousers underneath.
Meanwhile, a string of decorated silver beads and a moneybag were tied on the belt.
Lin Sheng reached out and ripped the moneybag away.
It was an old gray moneybag about the size of a hand.
He untied the moneybag and shook it.
*Clink!*
A little black thing fell to the ground.
Lin Sheng quickly picked it up. It was a key; a serrated key with a round handle and a small vertical pupil symbol carved into it.
“This symbol…” Lin Sheng picked it up and examined it carefully. “Very similar to the vertical pupil I saw in Ravel’s memory.” 1
He identified it, then quickly raised the black sword in his hand and examined the symbol on it.
Two symbols, one big and one small, were placed side by side. They looked very similar.
“The same style, it should be a symbol.”
Lin Sheng found it suspicious.
“There is no doubt that this symbol represents something, perhaps an organization, a force, a belief?
“Plus, this symbol can be openly carved on the door and the sword without fear of being discovered. It’s obviously not something that’s unacceptable to all.”
He looked at the huge Blackfeather City not far away.
“Maybe the answer’s there…”
Lin Sheng kept the little black object, then stripped off the rotten swordsman’s clothes and put them on himself.
It was a little too big. He was obviously too thin.
“I need to build up my muscles.” Lin Sheng sighed and looked at the black sword in his hand, then at the black sword in the rotten swordsman’s hand. 2
The blade in the corpse’s hand was thicker and wider. The rounded guard perfectly protected the palm, and the grip was of proper thickness, tied with thin non-slip yarn. 3
The pommel was not rounded, but in the shape of a spike, and there was still blood at the end of the spike. 1
“It looks like that sword is much more powerful.”
Lin Sheng decisively abandoned the black sword in his hand, bent down, and picked up the black sword in the corpse’s hand. 1
“Since they’re all from the rotten swordsmen, these black swords should be called corrupted swords.”
He took the black sword and lifted it. It was much heavier than the previous sword.
“About five kilograms… Cool.” 1
The sword he used before was only 2kg or 2.5kg, but this one nearly doubled in weight, and he needed some time to get used to it.
Then there was the dagger that had stabbed him before. 2
The dagger was unexpectedly heavy, around two kilograms. He hesitated for a moment but did not take it. A sword was enough. 7
He buried the dagger under the flagpole. Maybe he could take it back when he returned. 2
Holding the sword, Lin Sheng began to walk around the city again.
In the darkness, the weeds swayed in the wind and rustled.
He walked for a long time under the moonlight without running into any monster.
However, he was walking a little too fast. He was panting now and feeling tired.
“I’m too weak…”
Lin Sheng rested his body against the wall. It was very tiring to carry a five-kilogram sword the whole time. 7
“I have to find a way to improve my stamina and strength quickly. While exercising every day helps, it’s too slow…” He sighed. 3
After a rest, the rain gradually stopped.
His clothes were wet and he was cold, yet he felt warm inside.
He possessed a rough map of Blackfeather City.
He had planned the routes to the Valent Sanctum and Lhasabelle. Now, all he had to do was enter the city.
“Presently, I’m stronger, plus I’ve been around for so long. Nonetheless, I can’t find any living thing. I guess I’ll have to enter the city.”
Lin Sheng licked his lips, holding the sword but struggling to steady his body.
“But I just changed my sword. I shouldn’t rush. I’ll enter the city once I get used to it.” 5
A pause later, he stood up, took his sword, and went on searching for his prey.
However, things were different this time. He was turning back, not exploring any other place.
He walked along the wall without identifying a specific direction. Turning back was much faster than exploring.
Soon, Lin Sheng returned to the city gate.
The doorway was deep as well as dark, and cold wind was blowing continuously from the inside.
Lin Sheng looked up at the top of the gate.
After the rain, the fog had dissipated, and there were visible jagged piles of arrows above the city gate.
Behind the piles of arrows was a dim outline of a tall black tower with a spire. 4
The moonlight cast a silver glow over the entire wall.
Lin Sheng clenched the corrupted sword and strode toward the gate.