*Smash!*
In the depths of a dusty, murky cave, a sudden noise echoed. Inside a stabilized tunnel, countless people marched in a single direction.
Bones stuck out of their skin, clearly visible through the tattered lining of their muddied clothes. One after another, they stepped forward in unison. All to avoid a single thing: no harm must come to the box they carried.
Whether old or young, disabled or sick. It was a rule that all must follow under any circumstances.
However, at this very moment, an error had occurred. A middle-aged man stood completely baffled with his band-aid-wrapped arms frozen midair. In front of him, a wooden box lay completely shattered.
"Ahh, fuck! Th-They are going to kill me now..." He whimpered, bringing his hands closer as terror took hold of his face.
His feet subconsciously retreated. But even the luck seemed to have bailed him out, for his retreat came to an abrupt halt.
His neck twisted, and his eyes darted to the corners. A hand blocked his escape.
A young man stood right behind him. Unlike others, his body condition was far greater, almost perfect.
His right hand—extended forward—protected the box held in his left. The walls were cramped, too narrow for anyone to pass through.
*Step. Step.*
Short, rhythmic sounds tore through the strange silence in the tunnel. Hearing the sounds, the man shrieked in silence. He turned around frantically, injuring himself as his body rubbed against the rough walls.
"P-PLEASE YE TIAN! L-LET ME PASS THROUGH! HE-HE WILL KILL ME OTHERWISE!" his voice, his actions — all had been shrouded under the hazy judgement of fear.
The young man, or perhaps 'I', on the other hand, simply looked at him with a stern gaze.
'No matter where you go, people's true qualities never change, huh?'
I clenched my jaw tightly, letting the veins slightly surface over the corners of my face. I felt disgust, not because the man wanted to live. But because he wanted to live 'Alone.'
Although I had been helping with his survival, the instant his life felt threatened, the man readily decided to exchange others' lives for his.
The man kept begging me; however, I did not move. Eventually, the sounds of steps drew near. And the person in charge came into their sight.
A man draped in black robes slowly advanced towards them. His face was hidden under a plain white mask. Neither was he too bulky nor too skinny. A normal-looking man, approximately 6 feet tall, and yet, not a single sound escaped from his steps.
I noticed it all, my eyes, even though they were glued towards the man in front of me; I noticed the masked man's slightest bit of movement.
My brows slightly dipped. 'Looks like he's been trained in techniques, although just a shabby one.'
The masked man's steps halted. In front, there lay a mess. A mess of the esteemed product they so cared about. Realizing that there was no other way left, the middle-aged man grudgingly passed his glare from me. He immediately fell to the ground, groveling at the masked man's feet.
"M-Master, it was all his fault!" He pointed his fingers towards me. "S-See his hand, he pushed me! I-I swear, it was him!"
The masked man looked towards my elevated hand. He let out a long hum and reached his back inside the robes. Then, he threw a dagger at the man's feet.
"You have one chance. Rectify your mistake." He commanded in a low voice.
"Hehe..." The middle-aged man chuckled and willfully accepted the dagger. At the same time, people standing behind me in the line stepped back.
'I'm not sure whether to laugh at this situation or not. A year and a half ago, I travelled through 7 provinces as a commoner, trying to look at the world from an ant's perspective. Yet, each time, all I've seen is meaningless bloodshed.'
I dropped the wooden box from my left hand intentionally and looked at the people around me briefly.
The middle-aged man was slowly closing his distance, holding onto the dagger clumsily.
'A world of demons ruling under the pretense of following the heavens' will. Without a doubt, this world is no different than any other. If a demon is what fits in this world, then I shall quench this world's curiosity. From this moment onwards, I, Davey Lionheart—no, Mo Taixuan, the righteous man—swear to become a true demon under the name Ye Tian!'