The Almighty Ring

As soon as Jiang Fei relaxed, he immediately noticed something was wrong. The usual dominating aura that she emanated was gone, or rather, it was messy.

As long as he could remember, her eyes were supposed to be silver. Yet this time, her eyes were flickering constantly between blue and silver! She was writhing in pain! That explained the powerful aura around her convulsing randomly without control!

A Level 5 Metahuman would be able to control their presence to the point where they could stand next to another Metahuman without revealing their power. Phoenix was not doing great at that since her powers were getting out of control. It was so powerful that even a normal human could feel the power she was emitting! By the looks of it, even a monkey could understand that something was terribly wrong with her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jiang Fei asked.

“I— URGH! I don’t know! Hel- Help me!” cried Phoenix. It was the first time Jiang Fei had seen Phoenix in such a state. She was in a state of confusion and pain. Nothing like he had ever seen.

“Hey! Wait!”

Just when Jiang Fei got close to her, Phoenix collapsed and fell to the icy cold ground.

“Wake up! Phoenix!” Jiang Fei cried as he shook her body violently to wake her up. However, no matter how hard he tried, she would not wake up.

“0541, analyze!”

“Yes, Captain! I have detected a powerful surge of energy from inside her body. It seems unnatural as if the energy inside her was trying to get out! The most likely cause is the loss of control of her own power, resulting in a surge of power that cannot be stopped,” said 0541.

“Loss of control? How is that possible? Is there a way to control her powers externally?” said Jiang Fei. Phoenix was his one and only trump card left that could actually make a difference. Without her, Jiang Fei would be vulnerable!

“Power surge… Uncontrollable power… Could it be berserk? I have read something like this happening in novels! Perhaps if I could do the same as the protagonist did to the victim. If I could only adjust her Yin and Yang energy inside her, perhaps balance could be achieved,” said Jiang Fei to himself.

“Oh my god. Am I going to do… that with her to save her life?! No! We are only acquaintance! Nothing more! I cannot sacrifice my first time with someone whom I’d only seen once or twice! What if she returned to normal and decide to kill me for tainting her body…” said Jiang Fei as he started to dwell in his fantasy delusion.

“Captain, please stop having nonsensical thoughts!” cried 0541 when Jiang Fei was thinking of obscene acts in his mind.

“Ah.”

“Captain. Novels are pure fiction and some coincidence are purely coincidence! Nothing more! How could you even think of copulation at this moment? Pervert. Is there a parasite in your brain?” said 0541 rather angrily. Since it was only an artificial intelligence, it did not have a filter for insults.

“Oops…” said Jiang Fei as he blushed.

“Dimwit! Look at her! She’s at the brink of death and you are still thinking about sticking it in! How desperate are you? If I did not stop you, you might have gotten your male junk burnt from the excessive energy!”

“I’m fine now! Alright. Knock it off! Sheesh! Anyway, how do you suppose we save her?” Jiang Fei diverted the topic.

“There’s nothing that we can do to save her. Whatever is happening cannot be stopped!” said 0541 with no hesitation. Although there was an underlying meaning behind 0541’s words but Jiang Fei was too preoccupied to notice it.

“What do you mean? That I do nothing and let things run its course?”

“That is correct!”

“Can’t you do something? I mean, you could put up a shield to block a powerful attack and even save me from a psychic attack! Can’t you just siphon the power from her?” said Jiang Fei.

“No!” said 0541. Its voice was indeed cheerful and delighted as if it was anticipating Phoenix’s death.

“Sigh…”

“It’s fine. I know that I am beyond help. There’s no need to force that little fella to help me,” said Phoenix as she suddenly woke up. Surprisingly, her eyes were now blue, as blue as the ocean.

“Is it Jenny that I’m talking to now? Or is it still Phoenix?” said Jiang Fei as he helped her up. Phoenix could hear the mental conversation between him and 0541 yet Phoenix’s eyes were silver.

“Whatever you call me matters not anymore. I am going soon…” said Phoenix softly.

“What happened to you?! Did someone do this to you! Tell me who it is!” said Jiang Fei.

“No… It’s me. My body…”

“What… I don’t understand!” said Jiang Fei. However, before he said anything, Phoenix reached out her frail fingers and placed them softly on Jiang Fei’s lips.

“Ah… Just shut up and listen to me. I don’t have much time left.”

“I will.”

“Seems that my time in this world is but short. Even so, I am aware of the conflict of the world, including the Chinese Martial Artist Alliance and the Mutant Brotherhood. War is inevitable, and the Mutants have the upper hand. Even so, I know who you are and your little friend inside your head. I know the miracles that you can achieve. So, here I am, on my dying bed, I plead thee for one thing.”

“Say it. Name whatever you want, and I shall do my best to give it to you!” cried Jiang Fei. Even though he knew that what he could do was insignificant compared to what Phoenix could, he would still do it if it could save her life. Moreover, she had saved him when his parents were kidnapped. If she had not appeared to present herself to the kidnappers of the Soaring Cloud Sect, he might not be breathing in the icy tundra then!

“Heh… You are funny as you are witty. I won’t ask for things that are impossible. I’d only wanted you to give my brother a chance to live his life,” said Phoenix with eyes that could persuade even the coldest of men.

“Yes! I promise you that!” said Jiang Fei. Shroder was only a low Level 4 Mutant with a low rank in the Mutant Brotherhood. His presence in the war between the Mutants and the Martial Artists would be insignificant.

“I would not ask something without giving you anything in return,” Phoenix smiled.

“I remembered that you had collected the dead bodies of Level 4 Metahumans. Although I do not know what you did with them, I can only assume that you had made good use of the bodies. Hence, I am offering you my body. After my death, I am yours to take. Literally. Do what you want with me,” said Phoenix.

“No! THIS IS TOO–” cried Jiang Fei, but he was cut off by Phoenix.

“Heh. What good can my body do if I’m gone? As I said, I am yours. You may discard me here in this icy world of your, or even bury me, like the others.”

Jiang Fei was at the verge of crying. He would never think that he would react that way. Using other human bodies or beastly creature to make Bio-Potion to strengthen himself was nothing! However, this is the body of his friend!

With the little strength she had, she raised her hand and caressed Jiang Fei’s face and said, “Shame… I’d never properly look at you before. If I did, I might even fall for you. If only I knew… I would have come for you…”

“I… I cannot… Phoenix…”

Before Jiang Fei could even finish her words, her hands dropped to the ground as her eyes closed. At the same time, 0541 voice came blaring in his mind.

“Captain! RUN!”

Before Jiang Fei could react, 0541 unleashed a powerful energy barrier that forcefully pulled him away from Phoenix.

Crack!

Even though she had died, her body was crackling with power. Her body was shaking violently, like something inside was desperately trying to get out. In the next second, golden lightning cracked from her body and destroyed all that is around her.

That was the breaking point of the energy inside her. With Phoenix’s downfall, there was nothing holding the absurd amount of power back. At that one single moment, everything was unleashed.