As the soldiers moved in, Whis's racing mind recalled the gateway method he had planned with his former partner, Stone Heart. His eyes moved to his left and spotted a narrow alleyway blocked by vending carts. That was his cue, but he'd have to expose his back to cover that distance.
In the moment of doubt, a memory fragment surfaced in his mind, and he instantly understood the cause and effect. Evidence had leaked out that the former tyrant emperor was castrated during his youth, making him the son of the new concubine: a royal bastard masquerading as the crown prince. To make matters worse, the tyrant emperor, during his arrogant days, had pillaged a mortal village and impregnated the chief's daughter.
This scandal incensed the realm, making them want someone to take the fall. With the concubine having escaped already. It made sense to offer him, the bastard, as a tribute to both the people and the true heir. But that meant they needed him alive!
To these men, who prized glory above all else, the honor of catching him unscathed was irresistible. After all, which would a lion enjoy more: a kicking lamb or a limping one?
Now sure he'd be in no danger, Whis gathered the loot and with one final push, he bolted down the narrow alley between the deserted vendor carts. Even though the bags were heavy, he couldn't throw them away; resources should never be wasted.
"Don't let him escape!" Barked the young commander, prompting his soldiers to quicken their pace.
Though they were martial practitioners adept in using inner energy and supposed to be faster than Whis, their haste, along with their bulky frames, jammed at the alley's entrance, leaving them stuck.
Frustrated, the commander slapped his forehead. This was an insult to his intelligence. This was all due to the imperial court assigning him the weakest of the units, claiming they might be rebels supporting the former crown prince. "Fall back and enter one by one!" he ordered. The soldiers obeyed, and by the time they had cleared the passage, Whis was already out of sight.
….
Glancing back over his shoulder, Whis saw no sign of pursuers. But he knew the danger was not over yet. With his heart pounding, he forced his weakened body to cover even more distance.
Naturally, his body shouldn't have made it this far, but by using his sheer will and determination, he was able to use the body's maximum potential. With each stride taking him further, he felt his mind and body harmonizing. Likely a lingering effect of the elixirs the previous owner had consumed.
That kid, surrounded by martial arts from across the continent, the true formula to power, showed no interest in gaining physical strength and instead indulged in calligraphy and poetry. He truly thought he was going to become an emperor. Summoning waves with a single syllable of the royal edict. How laughable, now he could not even escape the weakest of guards.
…
"Whoa!" Whis exclaimed, nearly tumbling as he reached the dock's entrance. Ahead lay several narrow paths leading to various sea vessels. Then, from a distance, the bells of a ship chimed. Quickening his pace, Whis waved his hands, following the narrow path leading to the area where small boats were docked.
"Hey, wait!" he called out, but the huge ship continued maneuvering around the small boats, making its way out of the harbor. Whis knew this might very well be his last chance to escape. Behind him were guards with wolves, and ahead of him, a departing ship and a vast expanse of seawater.
Panting, he could smell the salty air—diving in with this weak body would be no different than waiting for the guards to catch up. Not to mention how embarrassing it was to give up after reaching this point. No! He had to find a way out. Wasn't it about time the author gave him a cheat already? Whis groaned, letting go of his knees, standing straight, and scanning his surroundings.
At the end of the narrow path—the slipway—was a row of anchored boats, beckoning him like a red carpet to freedom. The very idea made his breathless heart race as he recalled one of the most thrilling sports of the modern world. At the edge of the slipway stood a fishing pole. No, it was too risky. He pushed the idea to the back of his head.
"Hawuuuu," however, the howls from the approaching wolves gave him the final push he needed. Taking a deep breath, he sprinted along the slipway, snatched the fishing pole from the first boat, and deftly skipped toward the next.
The wolves arrived where he had just stood, panting. They had reached the scene only to witness something shocking—a mortal leaping between boats. They couldn't comprehend Whis's plan. Because at the end of the row of boats lay a 300-meter expanse of water, separating the small boats from the departing vessel. If he was trying to escape, then—
"Heh, this mortal is overestimating his abilities. Even a high-grade Kangaroo Technique couldn't make that jump," said a guard, clutching a spear in his left arm.
The other slower soldiers joined the circle. "That's reckless—one misstep, and he's dead," added another, holding a torch aloft.
"Shouldn't we rush into the water? I heard the crown prince only studied literature. Wouldn't he drown with his lack of physical skills?" asked another guard, worried their glory might slip through their fingers.
"What crown prince? He's just a bastard who snuck into the palace. Besides, the water close to shore is shallow—he couldn't commit suicide even if he wanted to," replied a bulky man from the crowd.
...
Undeterred, Whis pressed on. He didn't even look back. The final boat was in sight. Holding the pole with both hands, he clenched his teeth and slammed it down on the last boat. The pole bent in a crescent arc, and Whis, clinging to the other end, was flung into the air.
"Wow!" gasped a soldier from below, not noticing the young commander, who was riding a massive wolf behind him.
"You… idiots, he's escaping!" the commander roared, his Qi surging as he brandished a whip at his men. "Get the boats now!" he bellowed.
But it was too late. Whis had already landed on the edge of the ship. Even though there was a formation restricting entry, Whis, who was practically a mortal, passed through unhindered. As if responding to an unseen command, the ship lifted several meters above the water before darting away at breakneck speed.
"Goodbye!" Whis's voice echoed cheerily as he waved at the guards.
…
A deep furrow marred the commander's brow; he felt like he had just been slapped in the face with a glove. First, he was ambushed by Stone Heart—though he managed to kill him, he'd also lost his arm. Now, a mere mortal had slipped through his fingers. The disgrace of today's events was too much. He couldn't help but wonder if all of this had been orchestrated by someone high up.
First, he was assigned a weak unit, then ordered to guard the palace gates on the night the bastard prince escaped. If he returned now, all the blame would be pinned on him. If he disappeared, it would be seen as a conspiracy to abet an escape. Could this all have been planned to ensure Whis's safe escape? But why? Why save a bastard born of infidelity? If the emperor had truly been impotent, could he have abandoned his only heir in the wild? A heavy foreboding settled in his chest. He felt like a pawn caught in a far larger game.
...
Watching the port fade into the distance, Whis sighed inwardly. Turning back to face the ship, he knew he had to plan his next move. Right now, he felt like a lamb among a pack of wolves. Staggering onto the deck, fatigue finally overtook him, and he collapsed onto a wooden box, using it as a seat. His mind flashed back to Giza.
Two hours had passed since his transmigration. The portal had worked. Yet, that final scene haunted him—the crumbling planets, the twin explosions, Aden's lonely voice calling out into the void. His hands trembled as he recalled the trillions of lives he had erased, all for the chance to see a better world. The weight of that blood, even with no one left to condemn him, pressed down on his soul.
He could barely breathe. Desperately, he unloaded the two bags tied around his waist, seeking solace in the comfort of wealth. But just as they hit the ground with a dull thud, two large, strong arms wrapped around his mouth and eyes, muffling his exclamation.
"You sure this is the kid?"
"Are you stupid? Don't you see the loot right there?"
"But boss, what if Stone Heart finds out we roughed up his boy?"
"What are you afraid of? We have money, don't we? We can just hire more goons."
"Truly smart, boss. That's why you're our leader."
Those were the last voices Whis heard before he lost consciousness.
"But just in case, we'll keep him alive as leverage."