Since hatching, Xiao Ji had a harder time in life. For one, he was now a baby chick and could no longer communicate with Anya which created the majority of problems in his life now and second, it seemed as if he would never grow wings. Where tiny winglets should have been instead were bulky rocket launchers made of hard metallic material.
There was another issue, too, though it was really an issue. Every now and then, in his mind, a table would appear with a bunch of words that he was lucky to have learned though there were a few which he had never heard of before. This was the skill tree, so to speak, that he could use to increase his powers.
He had invested half of the free starting points in heat efficiency and the rest was distributed equally among the remaining categories but he got the slight feeling that maybe he should have been more wise when spending the points.
It had been about three days since and he watched in sorrow as his parents carried his human body out into the far away fields and buried it.
Anya cried too and he prayed that she knew he was actually the chicken and at least his small yellow body distracted her somewhat from the sadness.
He tried hard everyday to eat enough while also trying to keep her occupied and happy and, though neither of them had seen an actual rocket launcher before, they soon found out its devastating effects when Xiao Ji accidentally unleashed a swarm of rockets at the chestnut tree one day in a fit of rage after attempting to write letters with his beak. The smoke would persist well into the night.
…
The gentle footsteps that made the dried grass crunch around him made Xiao Ji wake with a start. It seemed to be the middle of the night and he looked up, just in time to see the net swinging onto him. He cried loudly but, being a tiny chick, the tiny cries just made his captors giggle.
They lifted the net and harshly dropped him into a thick transparent cube. He seemed to be in a wagon of some sort and after recovering from the initial shock, realized that his parents were chained behind him with bags on their heads.
He was certain that it was them because of their clothes. Behind them was the girl and her family too. Her soft body was harshly bound to the wagon in chains. They were being captured, too! Anger and confusion began growing in his heart but there was little he could do now.
What struck him the most peculiar were the cages that he was placed on top of; more specifically, the contents of the cages.
Since they were grated, Xiao Ji could make out a few forms in the darkness. Vegetables. Familiar vegetables that possessed arms and legs! Xiao Ji hoped he wasn't dreaming but then scolded himself. How could he be so selfish? His parents were chained behind him!
The wagon began moving, slowly at first. It seemed that some large beast was hauling it but Xiao Ji couldn't make out what it was.The speed suddenly increased and the beast began rushing through the night.
It would be several hours before they reached their destination and Xiao Ji fell asleep once more, despite trying to stay awake. There was nothing much to see here, after all, besides endless fields.
…
"Alright, stand up, no sudden movements! You will follow the person in front of you. Further instructions will be given!"
Xiao Ji nearly hit his head on the harsh material that contained him but the heat hit him first. The sun was shining down on him now as it rose to its zenith and the others in the wagon were being led off into a mysterious building that stood like a single, massive castle turret.
There was nothing else for miles and the building stood apart from the rest of the landscape, jutting into the sky. Here however, where there should have been dried grass was lush plains with occasional trees and fruit-bearing shrubs.
Xiao Ji was suddenly hoisted up and his container was carelessly tossed into the hands of a large bulky man who then pushed him into a rectangular compartment that the container fit right into. For a second, Xiao Ji was falling; then, he landed hard in the darkness.
For fifteen minutes, he waited in fear until another trap door opened above and he was scooped out. This time, it was a young girl who was staring curiously at him. She looked no more than a year or two older than him and she was already part of this operation.
She carried the container that held him carefully over to another man who brought Xiao Ji into an ominous stone room. In the room, Xiao Ji saw his parents who had their blindfolds taken off and the girl and her parents. Instinctively, he readied the rockets, angry at the site of the injustice but held back, realizing that this contained would most likely cause the shrapnel to rebound onto his fragile body.
The man carrying Xiao Ji set him down onto a table in the front of the room and stood back with his hands on the holster of the large gun that was tucked into his armor. The smiling man in the middle grinned and began speaking, just as a new interface appeared.
-Rage Meter[X][][][][]
"Thank you all for your… cooperation. I'll be direct. You are under detainment, Mr. and Mrs. Dan because your son has been identified as an undocumented system user.
According to the investigator, the only other contact your son has is with Ms. Anya Sen which is why you are all here too, Mr. and Mrs. Sen. As you know, undocumented system usage is prohibited and intentional system cultivation is severely punishable by Covenant law.
We aren't accusing anyone of anything but it would be greatly appreciated if you could cooperate with us in this case. If you didn't already know, Mr. and Mrs. Dan, what I have here in this system-bound box is your son."
An audible gasp could be heard from Xiao Ji's parents and his friend and her parents eyes widened in amazement.
"Alright, let's get this going, shall we? We want you all to answer honestly. Have any of you in this room have had previous interactions with a system user? I want you all to think carefully about your whole life. Please do not be pressured."
For a moment, the room was silent; then, Anya's father raised his hand.
"We moved here from the Coastal Sands around 15 years ago or so. During my time in the city, there was a man who was a veteran Guardian for the Covenant. He-"
"Alright, that's enough- Kyles, tell System Command that we've got five accomplices in unlawful system cultivation and 1-system user."
The detained families gasped collectively but the talking was over. For the Guardian's personal profit, they would be put on trial for one of the greatest offenses under Covenant Law. The man who had brought Xiao Ji into the room took out his gun and aimed it at Anya.
"Move along, don't you dare report this less you want your daughter and your son both dead. They'll be put in good hands. You will serve a maximum of 50 years. We'll recommend you for a modest prison though, that way, you will be alive to see your children when your sentence is over"
It was when those final sentences were uttered that Xiao Ji decided the rest of his life would be dedicated to fighting the Covenant or whatever organization these evil-doers were a part of.