Chapter 4 Lost Humanity

While many of their classmates cheered them on, there were a few who felt differently. Some harbored envy, while others were driven by personal grudges or unrequited feelings.

One such individual was Mark, a fellow classmate who had long harbored feelings for Lily. He had admired her from afar, always hoping that one day he might catch her attention.

Seeing Daniel and Lily grow closer filled him with resentment. Mark's jealousy festered, turning into a determination to disrupt their happiness.

"Hey, fuck face! Stay away from Lily. You don't deserve her," Mark sneered, blocking Daniel's path one day as he walked across campus.

Daniel stopped abruptly, his brow furrowing in confusion. He glanced around, noting the curious gazes of passersby. Taking a deep breath, he faced Mark squarely. "Who are you to say that? You're nobody to me or to Lily. Grow up."

Mark's face darkened with anger. "You'll regret messing with me," he growled, stepping closer menacingly before turning on his heel and storming off.

Daniel shook his head, trying to brush off the encounter. He had never paid much attention to Mark before; the guy was known for causing trouble around campus, but Daniel had always kept his distance.

Little did he know that Mark wasn't one to let things go easily.

Later that evening, Mark gathered his shady fraternity brothers, a group known for their intimidating presence and questionable behavior.

They waited near the parking lot, knowing it was where Daniel usually headed after his evening classes. As Daniel approached, seemingly lost in thought, they pounced.

"Hey, there he is," Mark whispered, nodding to his friends. They spread out, strategically blocking Daniel's path.

Six burly students, most of them seniors, closed in around him, their faces set in determined sneers. Mark, standing confidently in the center, smirked at Daniel's startled expression.

"Looks like you need a lesson in respect," Mark taunted, his voice laced with malice.

Daniel felt a surge of adrenaline mixed with joy. He was outnumbered, surrounded by a hostile group intent on making him pay for a confrontation he hadn't sought.

Still, he knew that this would the first time that he truly would have fun on this world.

The onlookers who had gathered knew trouble was brewing; whispers spread among them as they watched, unsure whether to intervene or to stay safely out of the way.

"I don't want any trouble," Daniel said evenly, trying to keep his voice steady despite the true excitement he felt in his heart.

He scanned his surroundings quickly, calculating how he was going to play this game.

"Too late for that," one of the fraternity brothers jeered, stepping closer.

Daniel swallowed hard, his mind racing. He knew he had to act decisively, and that moment of clarity came unexpectedly. He laughed.

"A rapist, a murderer, a coward, an arsonist, a drug lord, and a thief. The six of you don't deserve to live. There's no purpose for you anymore," Daniel declared, his voice cutting through the tense silence.

He locked eyes with each of the six students surrounding him, seeing a future marred by their own misdeeds.

With resolve hardening in his heart, Daniel no longer held back.

"PUCHI!" he shouted, and in an instant, one student's head flew off his shoulders. It was just the beginning of the carnage.

"NOOOOOOO!"

"HELPPPPPP!"

"Don't come near!"

"MOMMY!"

The screams echoed through the desolate landscape, filling the air with a chilling terror. The cacophony of panic and despair was abruptly cut off, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

Before long, mangled, broken, and ugly bodies were scattered across the scene, their lifeless forms a stark contrast to the earlier chaos.

Daniel stood amidst the carnage, surveying his handiwork with a cold, detached expression. "Well, that was easier than I expected," he muttered to himself.

He checked his feelings about what he had done, searching for any trace of nausea or guilt. But there was none. Instead, he felt a strange sense of calm and clarity.

Perhaps this was because of how the op sect master's memories had changed him in ways he could not fully comprehend.

The man was a force of nature, having slaughtered countless people until corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowed like rivers.

His ruthless methods and unrelenting power had left a profound impact on Daniel, reshaping his psyche and dulling his sense of morality.

As Daniel walked through the aftermath of the massacre, he reflected on the grim truths of a xianxia world. Strength ruled supreme, and the weak were merely fodder for the ambitions of the powerful.

Mercy was a luxury few could afford, and compassion often led to one's downfall. In such a world, survival demanded a hardened heart and a willingness to embrace the darkness within.

He remembered the sect master's memories like it was his very own, the brutal lessons that had been hammered into him through countless battles and relentless training.

The op sect master had always emphasized that emotions were a weakness, a vulnerability that enemies could exploit.

To truly master the martial arts and achieve greatness, one had to sever all ties to their former self, shedding humanity like a snake sheds its skin.

It was ironic that that op sect master had founded a righteous sect in the end, given that he himself was akin to a demon in the flesh when triggered to act.

Daniel paused, glancing back at the scene one last time. The faces of the fallen were twisted in expressions of fear and agony, a testament to the horrors they had faced in their final moments.

Yet, he felt nothing for them. They were just obstacles in his path, stepping stones on his journey to a happy life of his own making.

With a final, indifferent look, he turned away and continued on his way.

The most curious thing that happened was that when Daniel left the scene, the bloody carnage in the parking lot had vanished as if it had never existed.

Mark and his companions were still standing there, seemingly unharmed but with vacant expressions, as if they were in a daze.

To an outside observer, they might have appeared to be in shock from some unseen trauma.

However, the reality was far more sinister. The original souls of Mark and his companions had been replaced, leaving behind only puppet souls.

These puppet souls were designed to mimic the perfect attributes and traits of their original counterparts, performing good deeds and behaving as model citizens.

Yet, in truth, all six of them were now mere puppets under Daniel's command, their autonomy stripped away and their wills subjugated to his.

They would continue to live their lives, indistinguishable from their former selves to anyone who knew them.

They would smile, laugh, and interact as they always had, but their every action would be a hollow imitation, driven by Daniel's unseen influence.

The people who had once been Mark and his companions were gone, replaced by empty shells programmed for benevolence.

Daniel, however, was indifferent to their fate. This was a mere footnote in his journey, a small diversion in the grand scheme of his plans.

The power he wielded over them was of little interest to him, a tool to be used and discarded as needed.

As he walked away from the scene, his thoughts were already moving on to what he was going to have for dinner tonight.

He would completely forget about Mark and the crew before the week was done. Sometimes, things could be as grim as that. But that was life, of course, and life was never fair to begin with.