Chapter 2: Sealing the Pact

“Son! Drive! Go!”
“Be obedient! Remember what you promised me!”
“Son, trust your old man! If you survive, we’ll have the chance to meet again!”

The man’s roar echoed through the night sky like thunder, his entire body enveloped in a thick, blood-red mist.

The Maybach crashed into a rain curtain, indistinct and blurred. The engine roared wildly as the car burst through the wall of water, plunging into the dense darkness of night.

Chu Zihang’s mind was a blank. Mechanically, he drove recklessly through the rain. The car stereo, turned on at some unknown time, played that Irish folk song again.

Suddenly, he understood the song. He recalled the man’s words back then: “You’ll understand someday.”

Now, he finally understood. But where was the man? The man might already be dead.

Tears streamed down his face. Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes; the tires screeched sharply as raindrops pattered on the car. The Maybach came to a stop on the deserted overpass.

The sunroof opened, and icy rain hammered his face. He couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears. He felt no cold, only that song ringing in his ears.

“Start! Start!” he shouted fiercely at the dashboard, but the engine responded with silence. He slammed the steering wheel desperately, howling in despair: “I told you to start!”

The engine emitted a low, feeble sound. The car had reached its limit; it could no longer move.

Chu Zihang frantically tried to slam the car door, but it didn’t budge. Trapped inside this metal box, he finally broke down and wept uncontrollably.

He realized at last: he was about to lose that man, utterly and irretrievably. It was the end, a farewell, an irreversible moment, and the unspoken “I’m sorry.”

Sparse sounds echoed again. One by one, golden lights flickered in the darkness—those monsters had caught up. They surrounded the car, their nails scratching the door with a grating noise. One by one, grotesque faces pressed against the windows. He was probably going to die.

Chu Zihang slumped helplessly in the driver’s seat, trapped in this small, confined world. He could do nothing. A sense of powerlessness enveloped him.

He had ultimately failed his father’s hopes. There was no escape. He was trapped in a dead end.

But then, a faint voice sounded inside the car.

“Hey, kid, why do you look so constipated? Like your old man’s already dead.”

Chu Zihang froze. He suddenly raised his head but saw nothing. The voice seemed to come from nowhere, or perhaps from very far away.

Only then did Chu Zihang sense something was wrong. The wind and rain suddenly quieted. Time seemed to slow, or rather, an invisible force had paused it. Countless, crystal-like raindrops hung suspended in the air.

The raindrops reflected the twisted Death Servants surrounding them—all frozen, as if time itself had been forcibly halted.

“Who are you? Who’s talking to me?” Chu Zihang gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse like a cornered beast.

The voice didn’t answer his question but calmly stated a fact: “You’re about to die.”

“I can save you.” The voice chuckled lightly, nonchalantly. “I can take you out, but it comes at a price.”

Chu Zihang: “What?”

“Work with me. Sign a contract. From now on, you obey me, and whatever I ask, you must do.”

This was the first time Tang Xi had broken free from Odin’s gaze since arriving in this world, the first time she gained some autonomy.

She could even briefly communicate with Chu Zihang, but it was temporary. She could still feel Odin’s connection—that meant they were still “bound.”

If Tang Xi wanted to break free from Odin completely, she would need to find a new master for this gun. Chu Zihang was, without doubt, the most suitable candidate, especially since Tang Xi had no other choice.

Odin was currently busy dealing with Chu Tianjiao. Once finished, he would surely come for Tang Xi, and that wouldn’t take long. They had to escape the overpass before then, or death would be the only option.

Time was tight.

Tang Xi scrutinized the boy before her. He was soaked through, still in his school uniform, his face pale and bluish—like an abandoned stray puppy.

“What’s there to hesitate? Do you have any other choice?”

Seeing Chu Zihang remain silent, the voice laughed: “Obey me, and I’ll save you. Sounds fair, right?”

“Besides, haven’t you forgotten what your father said? If you die, he’s truly doomed. Are you willing to die here?”

Chu Zihang was silent a long while. Finally, he nodded hoarsely: “Okay, I agree.”

Almost immediately after he spoke, a line of text appeared before Tang Xi’s eyes.

[Panel Activated]
Weapon Name: Gungnir (Clone)
Master: Chu Zihang
Status: Inactive (0/100)
Durability: 25/100

Permanent Accuracy (Passive): Gungnir’s attacks will always hit the target; they cannot be dodged.
Devour (Passive): Gungnir can devour any life with lineage to replenish itself. The purer the lineage, the more experience gained, which proportionally enhances the master’s lineage.
Lordship (Passive): Gungnir can subdue all life forms with lineage to replenish itself. The purer the lineage, the more experience gained, which proportionally enhances the master’s lineage.
Choice (Active): Gungnir can independently choose its master, but if the master dies, a backlash occurs. The master’s power and lineage influence level upgrades. When Gungnir’s power surpasses the master’s, it can expend energy to exert reverse control, which must first be unlocked.

Note: Gungnir is currently in poor condition, heavily worn. Please use cautiously!

…

Tang Xi’s eyes lit up as she looked at the panel.

Wonderful! A noble traveler’s exclusive system.

But there was no time to study it carefully. The moment she bonded with Chu Zihang, the frozen time resumed. Rain began to fall once more, and the Death Servants’ whispers returned.

“Humans… delicious flesh…”
“That child’s lineage…”
“Eat him, eat him…”

Shadows closed in, pale, handless prints slapping against the windshield with loud bangs. The shadows pounded on the car windows with enough force to shatter bulletproof glass.

Chu Zihang covered his ears, terrified, glancing back.

Face after face pressed against the glass, all identical, expressionless, yet each bearing countless stories.

“Don’t be afraid. They’re just Death Servants. You’re close to the exit. Just break through. They have no citizenship here.”

That strange voice now spoke directly in Chu Zihang’s mind. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and on the passenger seat appeared a curved spear.

“Hope you’ve learned some shooting skills—at least enough to swing it like a firewood stick.”