Back at the living quarters of the academy, each student lived in a private dorm room provided by the school. Every squad of five were generously assigned rooms that were placed next to each other on the same floor; displaying how important the academies are to the Empire from such an extravagant arrangement.
However, not every student stay in the school with the others. Those with lodgings within the city were allowed to live outside if they preferred.
For the five boys who came from a terribly impoverished village, they were overjoyed when they first received their rooms. But they almost cried when they pushed open their doors and saw four empty walls and a straw mat on the floor. Just like the rest of the empire, anything they wish to acquire needs to be earned with their own abilities.
Even so, right now, they couldn’t wait to go back and rest.
After the five of them finally dragged their feet back to their rooms, Kairos bade them goodnight.
It had been a series of unreasonable battles. The ten days siege had worn him down and out. And without much rest after, they rushed over to battle the Orc King, then straight after, a mad dash towards the West hill, two days away.
For some reason, the thought of seeing his straw mat is enough to bring him to tears. But, as his door creaked open, a disastrous sight awaited him.
The pathetic few things that he had were flung onto the ground, and there were signs of destruction and patches of burnt areas all over.
It looked as though a group of people had rummaged through his stuff to seek for something.
Nothing in his room was left untouched, and the mat had been cut up by something sharp to check for hidden objects within. At the corner of the room was a decrepit but unassuming tome. Bound in browning, old leather, its pages were empty, just like the books used to keep records. Not only empty but smooth and completely unmarked within.
Of course, it only appears like this to others; Kairos could still see the strange letters carved on its tattered pages.
Whoever was searching through the place must have thrown it to the side, but it was the most valuable item that he had. The tome of Origin.
He quickly went forward to flip through it. Somehow, not a single page appears to be missing, and the book itself has remained intact in all ways.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He secretly felt fortunate. For such a thing to happen to him was something he had never expected. Having things stolen requires one to have things in the first place, and he obviously never had such a problem before.
“I should’ve kept it safe somewhere.”
Of all the things he owns, this is the only possible item those that others might be interested in, then the reason for this mess is easy to deduce. People are curious how he had gained power.
…..
On the other side in Saint City, the capital of their empire, and where the Saint Cadets Academy is situated at, a group of people dressed in black stood in attention in front of a man who looked overly self-important.
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“Are you all idiots? Why did you not retrieve that tome?
Do you think anyone would keep such an old and tattered book if it is empty? It MUST have some secrets!”
“Sir! We thought that he must have found an old discarded book and is keeping it as a notebook? He is very poor after all!”
“SHUT THE HELL UP! Are you talking back to me right now?
I ordered you to take everything of interest, so whether the tome is useful or not, it is for ME to decide. When did mere things like you get the right to judge what you should or should not do?
Take him out and break all the fingers on his left arm! Then, all of you go back out there and retrieve me that book.”
“Yes, sir!”
The group were frightened pale by how vicious their superior was. This is their first time working under him. Their original superior was a kindly older fellow replaced by this arrogant young chap.
Unfortunately, their life and death lie completely in his hands now.
The group dragged the poor fellow out and started breaking each of his fingers one by one, causing a roar of pain from him each time.
“I’m sorry my brother. Just hold on.”
Gritting his teeth, the man breathed, “Just finish it. I was stupid to talk to him the way we did to old man Biyo.”
Their previous superior, Biyo, was a kind old man who had long seen past the ups and downs of life by his age. When these group of men have been assigned under him, he had noticed their plight as disposable fighters from the clan and took to them caringly.
Getting used to his kindness had led to today’s lesson and one that grimly reminded them of their position as mere pawns to be discarded as the clan wishes.
They were all slaves, purchased by the clan, and each marked with a soul chain, causing them to be unable to betray their masters even if they wish to.
After a Jade Slip had been set with conditions and been infused with a fragment of someone’s soul, it becomes known as a Soul Slip. If the condition is intact, a Soul Slip can be broken harmlessly, and the soul fragment will quickly return to its owner.
But once the promise is broken, it becomes activated, trapping the piece of soul within. At that time, if the Soul Slip is broken into pieces, each small bit will contain a tiny part of soul fragment, and cause excruciating pain to the owner; no different than the torment of having one’s soul shattered.
The pieces will resonate with the owner, crying out for restoration, and pulling out soul energy until the victim eventually dies.
It is a gruesome way to go, and one that few are willing to risk. Because of this, Jade Slips became a very popular method to control slaves, and most families and clans would adopt such a method.
For most families that only want an extra helping hands around the house, they usually set a very reasonable range of conditions on the Soul Slip, so that only the slaves that were stupid enough to betray their master’s house will be killed. After all, buying another human being is quite costly, and they will be more cost efficient than hired help after a few years.
However, there is another type of slaves: those purchased to become mere tools for their clans. They were forced to bind their souls with impossible conditions, causing the Soul Slips to activate immediately so that the clan may kill them anytime that they like.
Although they could survive as long as they follow their orders, their free wills had been robbed, earning the item a nickname called the ‘soul chain’.
The group of them, even the one with broken fingers, hastily went back to the student dorms, unaware that Kairos has already returned.
As the group of B rankers came close to the student dorm, they hid carefully. The dorms are of course within the premises of the academy, and to enter it will require quite an amount of effort to overcome the protection systems.
Kairos who is oblivious to all these has been clearing up his room. He hadn’t found a place to hide his tome, and it is also an item that he needs to keep within reach for his cultivation.
At such short notice, he could only go to the dorm matron and let her know that his room was searched.
As he finished clearing up the place, someone rapped on his door several times, causing him to turn in surprise. It was late in the night, and at this hour there should not be any visitors.
He walked over to his door silently while suppressing his aura. Using his soul perception, he detected a girl outside with a student badge and promptly opened the door.
“Kairos right? You are summoned by the academy council. Report to the courtroom by 2200H.”
The girl said, handing Kairos a letter with instructions to the courtroom. This time he was lucky that the person at the door is actually from the academy. Because of his background, this is the first time he had to handle robbers.
Looking that the time to 2200H is close at hand, he simply changed into a more presentable garb and left. When he reached the courtroom, he found out that some instructors have been put on trial and he was called to be a witness.
Apparently, the instructors have been going at it about school regulations on protecting students during the mock battlefield exam. Currently, the winning side is the one with stronger support from the nobles, those siding with the Devilheart family.
After giving his statement, Kairos returned to his dorm exhausted, the time is already at 0100H the next morning.
He walked back to his room, but when he touched the door, it creaked open, and he suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu. His room has once again been shredded, burnt and rummaged through.
This time, even the tome of The Origin that he futilely tried to hide went missing.
“Ah…. Thieves?” he murmured a moment too late.
Kairos quickly ran back out and visited the dorm matron once again. Hearing what happened this time, the matron’s face went bright red with anger.
Not just six hours ago did she order an increase in security and now the same thing happened again. This is just like a slap in the face for her.
She turned around, walked back into her office and put on an officer’s uniform. This is not the clothes for a staff of the academy, but one solely made for military personnel.
S rank badge!
Kairos stood quietly to the side as the matron rushed outside, promising to stop the intruders once and for all.
“Looks like this auntie is about to rampage,” he thought silently.