7 Escape (3)

With this explosion, a strong wind pushed Liam backward, but the guards, who had served as a human shield for him, prevented him from being affected too much. Liam's eyes were bleeding, but he was relatively unscathed, unlike the other guards who had already fainted.

Liam silently expressed gratitude as he began absorbing the souls of the entire guard group. He now felt like a child in an ownerless candy store; everything around him was so delicious, and Liam was thrilled.

Once Liam was rejuvenated, he saw Michael and Eve panting and looking at each other. Both of them were on their knees. Eve took the initiative to speak, "I understand your pain, but..."

Her words were cut off by Liam's attack as he severed their legs and arms. He had moved so swiftly that Liam had used more than half of the energy he had absorbed from the souls.

Then, before Michael could react, Liam taunted, "Father, that symbol on your hand is beautiful. I wonder which family member you killed?"

While Liam was running away towards the forest with Eve, Micheal looked at the symbol in his hand and his eyes opened wide. Due to the impact of their collision, all the people who did not have internal energy died, including his wife.

"No no no no no..." Michael ripped his face apart with his nails there were countless nail marks on his face and blood was flowing from all of them and he heard Liam's scream from afar "AHAHAHAHAH how does it feel to be the murderer of both your wife and your son?"

When Micheal came to, Liam had already disappeared into the forest with Eve, but there were traces of blood dripping from Eve from behind. Michael started running like an animal, following the blood traces, and his face looked like he was completely crazy.

When he arrived in the forest, before attacking Eve, Liam tied some of the rope he took from the guards to prevent Eve from bleeding to death, and tied her severed arms to the tree with the remaining part of the rope.

Liam smiled at Eve as he said, "If it weren't for the fact that you needed to die here and now, I'd take great pleasure in examining how you manage your internal energy. Does it gather concretely in your abdomen, or is it more abstract? I'm quite curious..."

Eve's face turned extremely pale, and hearing Liam's words made her shudder. Her body trembled. If she hadn't been so exhausted from her fight with Michael, she might have been able to react to Liam's attack.

"Oh, the regret..." Eve muttered, but Liam found some long leaves to hide the strings and casually threw them into the trees. "I doubt Michael will be too careful with his surroundings in his current state."

Liam then silenced Eve by covering her mouth and positioned himself in front of the tree, waiting for Michael. Footsteps could be heard in the forest at night, and Michael's crazed, grinning face emerged.

He had completely lost his sanity. Without letting Michael speak, Liam extended one hand as if his voice promised salvation. "Father! Don't you want to avenge my mother and brother?"

Michael frowned, still mentally unstable.

"What?"

Liam smiled as he looked down and pointed to own heart and threw the sword in his hand "Dad, come on, kill me! Avenge your loved ones by stabbing me in the heart with this sword...Come on dad, KİLL ME."

Michael staggered back a step and looked at Liam with shocked eyes.Who would ask him to take his own life.Michael couldn't pick up the sword on the ground, his face frozen with horror.Liam then started to smile.

"Right, I forgot how much of a coward you are...You can't even kill the person who caused the destruction of your own family...Didn't I cause their deaths?"

Liam again tapped twice with his index finger where his heart was. "Go on, kill me."

Michael hesitantly took the sword, his mind full of doubts, then Liam spread his hands out in front of him. "Dad, the moment you kill me, you can make an excuse like this. Tell them that I hid my power and lied about being sick, then you can say that I had a grudge against what was done to me and killed the whole family. How about that?

Say that you accidentally killed the duchess while fighting me, after all, normal people can't withstand the effects of explosions...Also, as for Eve, I intervened to keep her alive, following the blood traces, you can stab her with my corpse after killing me, and the killer mark will be placed on me, don't you think it makes sense? Say that I killed Eve in a moment of vulnerability, after all, who wouldn't lower their defences in front of a deathly sick and eight-year-old child?"

Michael nodded as if he understood and picked up the sword on the ground and Liam again showed own where his heart was "KILL ME DAD! KILL ME DAD! GET REVENGE SAVE YOUR HONOUR! Kill me and you'll be avenging all your loved ones dad!"

Seeing Michael still hesitating Liam acted as if he was disappointed "Oh right I forgot you're the murderer of your own wife and son.Dad tell me how it felt to dismember my brother's body did his internal organs feel soft were his internal organs soft what were my brother's last words what were his last words?Unfortunately Mum couldn't tell you his last words hahaha."

"I'm not a murderer, you're the murderer, you slaughtered my family while I was trying to save them, the only reason there's no sign of my son's murder is because he wasn't fourteen yet, I lost my best friend, my wife and my child because of you, because of you!"

Liam then walked over to the tree and stood in front of it and said "Kill me..."

Michael then became covered in red energy and rushed towards Liam to attack him with his sword, the tip of the sword was about to hit Liam when Liam finished his words.

"Dad!"

Liam had his hands outstretched, looking as if he were longing for salvation. When the sword seemed to hit its mark, Michael smiled. However, Liam disappeared from where he was standing, and a red-colored energy illuminated the forest.

When the red coloured energy disappeared, a figure with arms and legs cut off was lying on the ground, completely burnt to ashes, and in its mouth was a still smouldering rag.

Liam's voice came from behind, "Dad, why did you kill your concubine? My brother was your first victim, then Mum, then Eve?"

Michael's body trembled as he fell to the ground, muttering over and over again as a strange tattoo reappeared on his left arm. "No, no, no, no, no, no."

Liam then grabbed Michael by the shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Father, do you want to find salvation right away? If you do..."Then Liam picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground and put it in his father's hands and pointed it at Micheal's heart "Take your own life!"

Michael shouted, throwing the sword away.

"NO!"

Liam laughed and said.

"Murderer, murderer of your own wife's friend and son, why don't you take your own life? How will you live with this burden? What if mum asks you why you killed her and her son or  even Eve asks you? Did you How will you answer they questions dad?

Even if you're arrested, how will you sleep peacefully, you filthy murderer? Tell me, isn't it better to take your own life than to live like this? Tell me, you've brought an end to your beloved dukedom. There's no heir, no duchess, only a murderous duke! Wouldn't things have been better if it had never been you who brought disaster to everything?

Then Micheal went crazy and started tearing his face with his own nails again and said: "AHHHHHHHHHHH EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF YOU, EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU DIRTY DEVIL."

Then Liam's soothing angelic voice was heard and he took the sword that Michael had thrown and said:

"Dad, you see that sword, wouldn't it be better to point it at your own heart and kill yourself? You can meet your wife and son right now, I'm sure they will listen to you if you explain...Both Eve and my brother will confirm your words and Mum will forgive you now...You know Mum is a clever woman."

Liam then spoke in a slower, calmer voice.

"See how quickly you will get rid of all your burdens, you can get rid of those disgusting thoughts in your mind instead of living in this world and having a guilty conscience, it won't even take a few seconds...If you listen to me, I CAN SWEAR! to you about this!

What do you say dad, it's see so easy, is it?"

Liam looked at Michael's frozen figure and sighed "Oops, I forgot how clumsy you are..."

"No, I'm not clumsy."

"If you had been more careful right away, your son wouldn't have died, if you had fought Eve further away, Mum and the normal people in the Duchy wouldn't have died, if you..."

Liam then pointed to the long leaves "See, I didn't even have to think about hiding them, I just threw them haphazardly into the branches of the tree and you didn't even notice them and you killed Eve!"

Michael looked at the burnt ropes haphazardly hidden under the leaves with a horrified expression. "No...Oh no..."

Liam smiled as he saw Micheal's face crumbling and continued "Dad, it's all because of your incompetence and cowardice..."

"NO I'M NOT A COWARD I'M NOT!

While Micheal was screaming, Liam's aunt spoke in an angry tone: "YOU ARE A COWARD, YOU CAUSED EVERYONE'S DEATH! HOW CAN YOU STILL REJECT? I PROMISE YOU A PLACE WHERE NO ONE WILL CALL YOU A COWARD. BUT YOU STILL BE A COWARD AND INSIST ON NOT TRYING! YOU ARE REALLY THE MOST COWARDIAN, INFECTIOUS AND STUPID PERSON I'VE EVER SEEN." IN...I AM GOING TO YOU HAPPY PRISON, EVERYONE WILL KNOW YOU AS A DIRTY DISGUSTING MURDERER, YOU KILLED EVERYONE! WHEN IN PRISON OR WHEN YOU ARE ON TRIAL, EVERYONE WILL LOOK AT YOU WITH DISGUSTED AND DISGUSTED EYES...

ALL THEY SEE IS NOT THE OLD HONORABLE AND JUST DUKE, BUT A MAN WHO IS THE MURDERER OF HIS CHILD AND HIS WIFE!"

Michael screamed and looked at Liam

"I SAID YOU SHUT UP!"

Liam then spoke seductively in a very low whisper, "Dad, you can get away without experiencing or hearing any of this! What do you say?" Liam handed the Sword into the Duke's hands and said: "Trust me, Dad, it will be very easy. You will actually meet my mother and brother right away, I promise you." .No one will judge you there or call you a killer incompetent!

Michael held the trembling sword with his hands. Liam said, "Michael, are you still hesitating?" Liam spoke as if he were Marry's voice, and at this point, Michael, whose mental balance was completely shattered, perceived it as Marry's voice. "Father, do you want to find salvation right away? If you do..."

"Micheal, trust me, I've convinced your wife, and we've resolved our issues. Come on, go with them!"

Liam stood in front of Michael, extending his hands towards him, just out of reach, with a compassionate expression and a smile. "Father, go with them. This world is full of pain and evil!"

Michael, with a mesmerized expression, saw Eve, Paul, Marry, and even friends lost to diseases. Finally, he saw his own mother, who said, "My son, I've made your favorite french fries. Come and eat with us!" and smiled.

Micheal held the sword tightly and stabbed own in the heart, as he stabbed own in the heart, blood spurted out of his mouth and he fell to the ground with a smiling expression on his face "Dad, didn't I tell you it was easy?"

"Yes it was easy" Micheal said with a strange smile as blood filled his mouth and teeth and blood was pouring out of his eyes and Liam spoke again "Dad can I tell you what I think about this life ring?"

Micheal was really curious about Liam's opinion, as if he had waited his last moments to hear this moment.

"I see all beings as creatures made of the same flesh and bone. Humans, along with other species, are rings that exist in this world. Therefore, the death of humans is just another ring breaking for me, the end of another being. That's why I don't mourn for everything deserves to live, including humans."

As Michael nodded peacefully, his expression remained blank. Liam, with pursed lips, departed from there. As he made his way back to the Duchy, he saw that everyone had died – the royal guards, the duchy's guards, the servants, and others; everyone was dead. Death didn't discriminate between noble and common people; all had been swept away by the wind of death.

When Liam stepped into the broken walls of the house, he felt a cold breeze, and he smiled. To him, death had always been present everywhere, and he had never forgotten that.

Liam looked at the lifeless bodies on the ground. They had spent their lives chasing senseless desires that would ultimately vanish. Some had pursued money, others fame, and some power, but what was the meaning of it all? He had spent his entire life striving for these things, yet he knew that eventually, they would all the die. Was it really rational to spend his whole life in this senselessness?

Liam didn't desire wealth, power, or fame. All he wanted was to live, to experience the fullness of life, to witness the sunrise and sunset every day, to see death – he simply wanted to bear witness to existence.

Liam walked directly towards his father's office, and upon entering, it appeared to be quite a normal room. He thoroughly scanned the surroundings but found nothing unusual. However, when he stepped on an odd animal fur rug near the desk, Liam felt a hardness underneath. Swiftly lifting the rug, Liam discovered a hidden trapdoor beneath.

He quickly opened the trapdoor, revealing a flight of stairs leading down. As Liam descended the stairs, he noticed an unlit torch ready for use, as if someone had placed it there to save time searching for one. Holding the torch, Liam continued into a cavern and eventually reached an area filled with various ancient books.

Liam examined the books one by one. There were techniques like the "Heart Serenity Technique," the "Enlightened Mind Technique," body-hardening methods, and more. Liam couldn't take all of them with him.

While pondering his next move, an idea crossed Liam's mind, and he accessed the system. While keeping all other statistics the same, he increased his XP level to 5/100  As Liam squinted his eyes, he had expected to level up more quickly since it was his first level, but his progress seemed rather slow.

As Liam scanned his eyes over the system screen, he noticed that there was no inventory or anything of the sort, even though it existed in the game he used to play. Despite searching extensively, he couldn't find any trace of an inventory. Liam sighed and gave up on this matter. He browsed through all the techniques and cultivation methods and found a few useful ones. After meticulously inspecting the room once more and finding nothing, he decided to leave the hidden passage and search for the place where Micheal kept his money.

Later, Liam began to search behind the painting, just as he had suspected. There was indeed a hidden compartment behind it. After opening the compartment, he found only a photograph of Paul and Marry, along with a letter.

Liam opened the letter addressed to Paul and began to read its contents.

"Dear son Paul,

As I write these words, I'm not entirely sure how I feel. By now, I must have already passed away, and I don't want you to mourn for me. I wish for you to be happy, to build a healthy family, and to reach a good place in life. I will be watching you from heaven, sending my blessings to guide you. Please convey my deep love to your mother.

With love, your father..."

Liam, with a mocking tone, tossed the letter to the ground. He thought his father was probably cursing him together with his son in heaven.

Before leaving the room, Liam picked up the letter he had thrown on the floor. He then tucked it into his pants to burn later, returned the animal hide to its original place, and tidied up the mess as it was before. After making sure that he had left no trace behind, he checked it two or three times to be certain and then exited the room.

When he arrived at the area where the guards were stationed, it was completely empty and silent. Liam walked towards the wardrobes and found several large bags. He chose one and headed back outside. He filled it with the cultivation and martial art manuals he had taken.

Liam left the room and walked to where his stepmother room was. He then stole a few pouches of money and placed them all into his bag. Later, he descended to the kitchen and filled most of the bag with food supplies that would last him for a while.

Liam also brought along a couple of history books with him. As he left the mansion, he gazed at the sunrise.

"The sun's rays carry hope to the world,

Dispelling the night, promising a bright future.

But I, I feel the sorrow of this rising sun,

Watching the flow of time, witnessing the loss of each moment.

One second, one moment can't be brought back,

I took another step towards death once more.

While it signifies a blessing or the beginning of a turning point for some,

With each passing second, I found melancholy in the rising and setting of the sun.

I took another step closer to death..."

For Liam, the sun held great significance, representing his ambition, the passage of time bringing him closer to death with every passing second, and the daily desire to fully savor the scenery and experience life. It represented his instincts and everything he held dear. Liam feared the day when, like the sun, he might set in the sky and never rise again. and it was this fear that urged him to hasten.