The human-monster blood contract was one of the three blood curses controlling the monsters, made possible by a combination of top monsters’ energy and humans’ spirit fire; a method which was simple but also precarious. Now that Que Hun has died, the mutant monsters hiding outside Taohua Village were no longer controlled by the contract. Their ambition to conquer the land of Canghun began with capturing Taohua Village, killing the humans, and the traitors such as White Phoenix, who used to be one of the four leaders of the monsters.

    But now ——

    “These mutant monsters are a pain!”

    Bird kicked at one monster and caught an axe in mid-air, then slashed another monster headed his way. The monster’s head fell, spurting putrid blood, which splattered on Bird’s face and body.

    “Tiger! Dragon!”

    Mindless of the blood on him, Bird yelled for his friends as he ran in the decimated and blood-strewn city. He killed monsters along the way, dodged danger left and right, but there was no sign of his friends anywhere, not at the fruit vendor nor at the beef noodle shop.

    “Where did they go? Are they okay?”

    He ran out of one valley, turned a corner, and ran straight into several monsters. Broken walls and tiles were all around him, leaving him no place to escape. He clutched the axe tight, ready to fight.

    These monsters had just slaughtered a few humans and were walking with the heads as trophies. Glancing at Bird, they kept walking.

    “Hey, it’s just killing humans, why are you so freaked out? Are you that messed up? Look at all the blood on you.”

    These mutants came from mutant frogs and toads, who could only see moving objects but not still ones, even though they have evolved.

    As the mutant frogs grumbled, they spat slime allover Bird’s face, but he was too afraid to move for fear of losing his head.

    The mutant frogs saw Bird as one of them, and forced him to listen to their chatter, and even some important information.

    “There’s signs of the traitor in the southeast. The snake monster is weak now after signing the blood contract. It’s a good time for us to get her and help our wolf general!”

    The mutant frogs were heading to the southeast when a human shouted.

    “Bird, why are you here?”

    “You’re human?!”

    The mutant frogs, feeling deceived, swarmed at Bird. He dodged and crawled out between their giant bodies, leaving the mutant frogs’ fists hitting the bricks.

    The mutant frogs’ skin was so tough that even as the bricks became powder, they were not hurt a wink. Bird got away from their attack but couldn’t defeat them, gradually, he was on the losing end.

    “Hah, I thought it was some powerful human, he’s just a kid!”

    “Bird, be careful! Watch out!” Tiger and Dragon wanted to help Bird, but seeing the mutant frogs’ brutal ways, they couldn’t venture ahead.

    “Go hide somewhere!” Bird yelled at them.

    “You’re going to die soon, and you think they’ll live? If you want to save them, let’s see you try!” The mutant frogs aimed for Tiger and Dragon.

    “I’ll get you monsters!”

    Bird ran and slashed with his axe, aiming for the mutant frogs’ thighs. As he passed them, a mutant frog yelped, losing one leg.

    The mutant frogs were ranked the lowest among the monsters, valued for their brute strength, they were tasked with killing the weak humans. The mutant frog who lost a leg was enraged he lost a limb.

    “Kid, I’m going to get you!”

    Killing a chicken to warn the monkeys? Bird knew what to do. He focused and closed his eyes, when he opened his eyes again, they were unfathomable. He yelled as he ran toward the mutant frogs, swinging the axe.

    Another round of fighting later, blood and gore were seeping from the broken bricks and tiles. It was late at night, the cold moon lit up Bird, and the mutant frogs’ bodies under his feet.

    Bird spat and walked toward his friends with his bloody axe. “Tiger, Dragon, you guys all right?”

    “Bird, you killed them?”

    “So? Don’t be afraid.”

    Tiger and Dragon sat on the ground, they were silent as they watched blood drip from the axe.

    Bird said, “as long as you guys can stay alive. This place is too dangerous though, you need to hide.” He turned to leave.

    “Wait, where you going? We need to find any villagers who’s left.”

    The village was annihilated by the mutant frogs and it was unlikely that anyone has survived the attack.

    Bird replied, “no, I have something important to do.”

    “But——”

    “The rest is up to me. If you want to live, find your family and get out of Taohua Village!” Bird ran to the southeast, still holding his axe. He ran so fast he resembled a storm.

    White Phoenix was standing on top of a hill, at an impasse with monsters who have surrounded her.

    “White Snake Empress, I’ll still call you by your title, but you have betrayed our kind, so give up now and come see our wolf general.”

    “Is the wolf general the White Wolf?”

    “Indeed, I work for him now.”

    One mutant frog came running up.

    “Some kid just killed ten of us, he’s headed this way!”

    “It’s just one human, you’re pathetic!”

    When the mutant frog leader was about to go with his underling, a slight shape appeared, and he held frog heads in his hands.

    “These mutant frogs are bad news.” It was Bird.

    “So useless…… how did you not kill all the humans yet?” The frog leader frowned at the sight of Bird holding frog heads. “Kill him before our general arrives!”

    The mutant frogs’ mission was to ambush and slaughter the people of Taohua Village. Energized by the prospect of winning awards, they all launched attacks at Bird.

    Tossing one frog head at the frog leader’s feet, Bird swiped at his face. “Aunt White, you can’t forgive those who disrespect you!”

    “Human, you know who White Phoenix is?” The frog leader asked.

    “It’s none of your business.”

    Bird snorted, his expression so similar to White Phoenix. He walked toward her, “Aunt White, let’s go home.”

    White Phoenix said, “you know there’s a massacre here, why did you follow me?”

    “It’s getting late, let’s go home.”

    “Go home? Where is home at a time like this?”

    “Home is where your family is. With my teacher gone, Aunt White is Bird’s only family.”

    White Phoenix’s tone softened at Bird’s words. “You’re crazy, just like your teacher Yun Gui.”

    Bird tried to clean his face of blood. “Students are a reflection of their teachers. Also, my teacher is not Yun Gui, he is Que Hun, he’s a genius!”

    “You are awfully proud after knowing your teacher is a genius. How did he get a disciple like you?”

    White Phoenix tried to help Bird clean-up but he turned his head away.

    “It’s too dirty for you. Let me do it.”

    “Alright, wipe yourself as you walk.”

    Bird followed White Phoenix as they fought their way through the mutant frogs. But the mutant frogs didn’t give up questioning her.

    “White Phoenix, you need to explain what you did eight years ago!”

    “I did what I did eight years ago and do not need to explain anything. If you want to catch me and send me back to the monsters, you can try, or you can get out of here!”

    “If you insist on protecting lowly humans, forgive us for our rudeness.” The frog leader signaled his underlings to attack White Phoenix, while he had another group of mutant frogs ambush Bird, trying to use him as a hostage.

    As the orders were sent, the mutant frogs all headed toward White Phoenix, who used her own monster energy to make half of the mutant frogs fall to the ground. She was hurt, but still stronger than the average frog. Then she waved her sleeve, killing off another hundred or so of the mutant frogs.

    “Sad mutant frogs, you’ll still be the lowest monsters, even after several hundred years! You’ll never be the top monster!”

    “Traitor White Phoenix, we may be low-ranking monsters, but we’re not traitors! Ever since Canghun was formed, humans have killed or enslaved us, or sold us for entertainment. Now that we’re stronger, we can change the way things are, but you’re on the humans’ side? How dare you?!”

    The wounded mutant frogs struggled to get up, bitter from their past suffering, they unleashed their anger at White Phoenix.

    “Aunt White, you’re still injured ——” Bird yelled.

    “If you want to stay alive, stay behind me and don’t move.”

    White Phoenix could tell the mutant frogs were planning another attack, she powered up her monster energy even more to force away the mutant frogs. Her energy looked pure white, but was in fact the most toxic on the land of Canghun. Waving her sleeve, she led Bird past the many mutant frogs.

    “Traitor White Phoenix, you’re not getting away!”