The three Arbiter-Generals, though they had yet to even face the Borisin directly, had already revealed a terrifying oppressive force.
-------------------------------------
"Heh."
"You think you're qualified to negotiate with me?"
Hoolay revealed a cruel smile.
Before Jiaoqiu could even react, his hand was already gripping Jiaoqiu's shoulder.
"Ugh-ah!"
A cry of pain squeezed out from Jiaoqiu's throat, but he swallowed it back down.
Accompanied by the chilling, creaking, crunching sound, Hoolay forcefully crushed Jiaoqiu's shoulder.
Through his actions, he once again reminded Jiaoqiu of one thing: Your life is in my hands. It rises and falls with my whims.
"But you're still somewhat smart, not crying out, otherwise…" Withdrawing his hand, Hoolay let out a cold laugh.
Then, Hoolay realized three things at once.
That over the seven hundred years of his imprisonment, he had endured so many punishments.
The reason was most likely connected to the matter Jiaoqiu mentioned.
Some within the Xianzhou Alliance were, in all likelihood, Foxians who wanted to uncover the secret on his body.
At this thought, Hoolay looked down at Jiaoqiu from above.
The view shifted to Hoolay's face. That man's eyes brimmed with confidence and cruelty.
"The Crimson Moon."
"You've always thought it was just a legend."
"But that is the source of the my power, the vessel that devours."
"It grants us greater strength, condenses the essence of our prey we devour, and makes us grow stronger and stronger."
Earlier, through Borisin's words, many spectators had already heard about the legend of Duran and the Crimson Moon.
But it was mixed with much of Borisin's own embellishment.
Now, hearing it from Hoolay's mouth gave it a different weight.
Especially the part about devouring the essence of prey, many spectators suddenly realized the Crimson Moon truly existed.
...
: Damn! Genetic Ascension?!
: Not gonna lie, the power of Abundance really does fit well with genetic ascension, it's basically bloodline evolution.
: Wait, wait, wait, guys, what exactly is genetic ascension?
: Simply put, it's the fusion of advantageous genes from other species, continuously iterating and evolving oneself.
: And it seems like there are no side effects, as long as it's an advantageous gene, I can use it. The more I eat, the stronger I get.
: Hiss… But wouldn't fusing different genes, even between different species, cause mutations?
: Pfft, this is a world with Aeons. If Abundance says it works, then it works.
: That's just broken, completely defying the natural order!
...
The Crimson Moon's ability shocked the spectators.
Looking at it this way, Hoolay's immortality might very well be the result of long-term genetic iterations.
All of it relying on the power of Abundance.
No wonder no research could uncover anything.
After all, if the Crimson Moon and its essence were truly researched, it would mean unraveling the might of an Aeon…
But then, the spectators developed deeper doubts.
Such a secret, spoken so casually,
Wasn't he afraid of accidents? That the Xianzhou Alliance might find out?
Was it arrogance? Or madness?!
At that moment, Hoolay asked: "Like those others, you also seek the essence of power. But do you seek it for others, or for yourself?"
Jiaoqiu gritted his teeth, saying nothing.
With a knowing smirk, Hoolay sneered: "Looks like you've chosen the most foolish path."
What seemed like an ordinary exchange, combined with their earlier interaction, suddenly struck the audience's minds like thunder.
They realized something: This small courtyard was a confined region.
Hoolay, Mok Tok, and Jiaoqiu were all parts of this domain.
Their desires and motives differed, creating fractured divisions.
And the reason Hoolay dared reveal the truth, was his absolute confidence in controlling the situation!
Because in his eyes, even if he told Jiaoqiu, it wouldn't matter, for Hoolay believed Jiaoqiu was doomed regardless.
But Hoolay needed information, especially about the Vanquishing General.
The so-called "exchange" was nothing more than a condemned meal gifted by a cunning wolf to its prey.
And this, was only the tip of the iceberg of the scene just now.
Because Jiaoqiu wasn't a fool.
From the very beginning, the spectators had worried about his safety, largely because of his identity as an "attendant."
Although he occasionally tried to sow discord between Mok Tok and Hoolay, beyond that he couldn't do much else.
His life and death hung on Hoolay's whim. This worried the audience, but also revealed Hoolay's caution.
Because Hoolay needed information from Jiaoqiu, he had to judge Jiaoqiu's identity and status, to determine whether the information he would hear could be trusted and used for action.
And Jiaoqiu's behavior, without doubt, perfectly supported his identity as just a "Healer."
From the start, he had been deliberately weaving a cover!
Spouting long passages about medicine and food, healing and saving lives, all preparation for this moment.
At the brink of life and death, when Hoolay questioned him about power, Jiaoqiu unhesitatingly framed his connection to the Crimson Moon as stemming from saving another.
This further reinforced his identity as a healer.
What's more, Jiaoqiu's cleverness lay in that every word he spoke was true.
Be it healing or saving lives, they were his genuine intentions.
It was all truth, truth from the bottom of his heart.
But, he simply withheld the full truth, such as the fact that he was actually Feixiao's aide.
By selectively speaking truth, he crafted a concealed narrative.
This caused Hoolay to misjudge.
Once convinced that Jiaoqiu was merely a healer, he would frame his interrogation accordingly.
Jiaoqiu, in turn, could naturally say what he wanted to say, and still speak the truth.
The War Chief knew very little. But Jiaoqiu knew much.
This gap in information, through Jiaoqiu's subtle maneuvering, was shifted to his advantage.
After all, Hoolay would never expect deeper secrets from a mere healer's mouth.
Even from Hoolay's perspective, his approach wasn't wrong, in fact, it could be called precise strategy.
Never revealing his true goal or purpose. Silently gathering intelligence through observing Jiaoqiu's and Mok Tok's interactions, and making judgments.
Hiding himself, deciphering others, such cunning methods, Hoolay wielded to perfection.
Just the existence of an information gap.
This caused Jiaoqiu to actually be the more proactive one, and he seized the opportunity, successfully leading Hoolay into a misjudgment.
After seeing through this silent confrontation, the audience was utterly shocked.
Whether it was Hoolay's performance as the Borisin's pillar of support, or Jiaoqiu's subtle guidance of Hoolay, both were flawless!
...
: Jiaoqiu's methods, oh my god...
: Squinty eyes really are all monsters!
: Next, Jiaoqiu's words will definitely be very important. All of this effort was actually to set the stage for what he's about to say!
: That's right! Either to further deepen Hoolay's misjudgment, or to dig a pit for him to fall into!
: The more you think about it, the scarier it is. Everyone still remembers, in the last episode, when Jiaoqiu and Yan Qing first encountered the Borisin at Cloudford Port, after realizing it, he actually ran away?
: Yes, yes, yes! Too strange! The most logical thing to do then would've been to immediately tell Yan Qing and the others, not to run away first!
: Adding that to Jiaoqiu's act of infiltrating the Shackling Prison... hiss... do you think it's possible that Jiaoqiu deliberately delivered himself to Hoolay's mouth?
: No way, if that's the case, then what exactly is he plotting?
...
One doubt passed.
An even greater doubt came.
One link after another, making it impossible for the audience to stop.
On screen, Hoolay quietly waited for Jiaoqiu's answer.
He had already granted this prey's last wish. Now, it was time for the other party to repay him.
If next, this medic spoke words beyond the scope of his profession, then it must be a lie.
Hoolay waited leisurely, ready to squeeze the last bit of value from Jiaoqiu.
Jiaoqiu clutched his mangled shoulder.
He took a breath, his voice hoarse. He spoke slowly, but with confidence.
It was the War against the Denizens of Abundance, thirty years ago, Jiaoqiu was treating injured Foxians in the military camp.
But this comrade begged Jiaoqiu to save a child. That child had fought like a madman just to bring them back.
That child was Feixiao.
Only back then, she was still very young.
And Jiaoqiu had already, through the patient's words, learned of the brutality of that war.
He also knew what kind of person that child had become.
So, word by word, he promised the wounded soldier that he would definitely bring that child back alive.
"So, this is the reason you wanted to know my secret?" Hoolay crossed his arms, organizing certain hidden thoughts.
"During the great battle thirty years ago on the Xianzhou Fanghu, she saved all of you, but at the brink of death unexpectedly realized that within her flowed Borisin blood."
"Mok Tok told me she was a war slave who escaped from the Eclipse Pack."
"What a curious twist of fate, she and I both from tribes of the same origin." Hoolay muttered as he finished speaking.
Mok Tok laughed on the side: "I see, no wonder that foxian possessed such cruel strength, it was all thanks to her Borisin bloodline. A mongrel... a detestable mongrel general."
As his words fell, Hoolay suddenly burst into hearty laughter: "Hahahahahaha!"
The laughter was so free.
So unlike the earlier cruelty, almost like, a smile tinged with relief?
Mok Tok was puzzled why the war leader suddenly laughed.
"She used the gift of her own bloodline to destroy the Borisin."
Hoolay said between laughs: "Moon-Rage, the Borisin's blessing, the Foxian's curse, for the Borisin, being destroyed in battle by moon rage, bodies warped into beasts, was supreme joy. But for you foxians, with your limited healing ability, it is nothing but a dead end."
After finishing, Hoolay didn't restrain his smile. He was delighted.
Not only because of that Vanquishing General, but also because he confirmed his own judgment had been correct.
This medic named Jiaoqiu, his motives, his goals, his words, his essence, were consistent.
This information was all genuine. Hoolay laughed.
But Jiaoqiu lowered his head, and for the first time, his voice was gritted with hatred: "Hoolay, do you know what is most pitiful about being a medic?"
"All this time, I exhausted my life's learning, trying to wrest those doomed lives back from monsters like you."
"But they still returned again and again to the battlefield. And so, I heard the news of their deaths. They died under your claws..."
"I was like an idiot, trying in vain to rescue fish called 'life' from the waters called 'death,' only to watch them struggle and leap back in again."
"And I've followed by your side, using my eyes to witness countless deaths firsthand."
"And your death, too, has meaning. It will bring peace to the Xianzhou, and to the Feixiao I healed."
Jiaoqiu clenched his fists tightly, and with a bitter laugh, spoke dangerous words.
But Hoolay instead gained supreme joy.
Yes, this was the feeling. Despair deep to the bone.
Want to watch him die? Yes, that's exactly how it should be. If a foxian like Jiaoqiu didn't truly hate him, that would be the real problem.
"Your pitiful thoughts are exactly as I expected." Hoolay said calmly.
Jiaoqiu's eyes locked on him: "You knew all along?"
This surprise, that Hoolay had already seen through him, made Hoolay feel even more in control: "Indeed. Because foxians know the value that 'death' can bring even better than the Borisin."
"And I will give you the respect you deserve."
"With your flesh and blood, I will nourish my bones, crush your visions, and carve out our path!" Hoolay stepped forward.
His bloodthirsty gaze fixed firmly on Jiaoqiu.
The information had been fully extracted. Jiaoqiu no longer had any value alive.
Yet this medic who feared no death, who stopped at nothing, still made Hoolay feel a trace of regret.
If, instead of Mok Tok, Jiaoqiu had stood by his side, perhaps he would've suited his taste better.
Compared to Mok Tok, Jiaoqiu was more like a true Borisin he could admire.
Then let his flesh feel this regret!
On screen, the camera shifted to the wall.
Hoolay's shadow approached Jiaoqiu step by step, and then, suddenly pressed down!
The audience was dumbfounded. Jiaoqiu is really going to die?!