Aimless Ascension

I think this punishment show was the only entertainment they got in here. Thankfully, I wasn't alone or at the centre of their entertainment. There were a few more folks who hadn't met their quota for today.

Among them was someone whom I knew, not personally. I hardly knew anyone personally here, to be honest. Well, the figure was more familiar than the rest of the people. It was Number 303, the guy that went insane coming into this world.

Well, he could be crazy on earth as well, though the chances of that were quite low. Remembering the spitting ache in my head on the cold floor of the summoning ritual, I could clearly guess something went wrong with Number 303's summoning.

So, to my lashing. . .

It was way more painful than I could have ever assumed.

They led us to sit on our knees on the stand as they stood behind use, unrolling the whips. I gritted my teeth, removing my dirty upper vest. I prepared for the lashing to come as the guards played with their whip on the back, making terrible noises in the air.

Among the crowds of tens of slaves, I closed my eyes as thunder cracked on my back, severing my pain receptors more than they were capable of transmitting.

"Mother--" I screamed through gritted teeth, as another whip slapped on my back hard, crossing the previous one. "--Fuck--"

Two down and I was already rolling on the ground, struggling like a fish on the net. However, it seemed the lasher wasn't satisfied with my behaviour. He didn't give me time to sit back up, and lashed out again, unconcerned about where he was hitting.

Two fiery lashed pitted on my chest as I clenched my jaw and everything to sit back up so that he would only lash me on the back.

Tears rolled down my eyes as the excruciatingly agonising ordeal continued. I screamed through gritted teeth as the tears of agony dripped down my cheek.

I couldn't care less about the people watching anymore. I just wanted the pain to end. I would've done anything to pass out at this moment, however, it didn't come that easily.

I agonised through all the pain as they finally finished the tenth lash.

The pain didn't wane, though. It was almost unfeeling for a split second as it ended, however, the venomous whips left behind a pain that I wouldn't need to be reminded off.

I laid on the stand for a few minutes, aware of the few other lashed people getting up, but I didn't stand back. Not quick enough.

I took my time, breathing in and out to calm down as finally the agony decreased to an endurable point.

Someone came to help me out at some point. I was drowsy at that point to figure that out. Until I heard Cameron's voice. I wasn't even aware someone was carrying me to my room.

He took me to my room, fed me some water, and left me. I was grateful for that, but had no remembrance of etiquette to tell him.

An exceeding amount of pain can make you forget things. I learned something new about the human brain. The lesson didn't come easy.

And it won't be any bit easier the next day, when I would have to get twenty lashes for my incompetence.

***

I woke up with sore muscles and aching body. The lash marks remained fresh on my body, though it hurt a lot less than I would have imagined. Unfortunately, I couldn't do anything about the brain, it kept sending me flashes of that pathetic agony whenever I remembered I had to mine in a few minutes.

On second thought, I didn't want to go, I just want to find some place to hide and remain there until I die. Unfortunately, the slave collar on my neck wouldn't let me do that. There seemed to be some location tracking feature on it. And who knew what else?

I was pretty sure there was an electrocuting feature as well just for emergencies.

I certainly wasn't looking forward to that.

Anyway, I carried my body to mining that day too, completely aware of my uselessness with just one arm.

My situation didn't change. The beating the other day showed me many perspectives. Many perspectives of how I would die through the lashing.

Unfortunately, nobody came to save me that day either. Number 197 wasn't that considering looking after some worthless slave, after all. I was horrified at the prospect of getting an additional ten lashes that day.

I wanted to hide; I wanted to run away again, but I knew full well there was no place to hide, no place to run away.

"Master," Xiaolin cut in, halting Gale's narration. "Didn't you say your guardian angel saved you? Then why didn't she come the other days? Why would she let you have such painful experiences if all it took was just a single stone?"

Gale chuckled softly. "I did say someone was coming to save me at my worst possible time. My guardian angel," he said, smiling at his disciple, "but I didn't say it was number 197. Don't get me wrong, she did help me a lot, more than I deserved at that time, but she had her agenda behind it too.

"In a sense, that made more sense. She lived in that inhabitable tortuous hell for over six years, and survived there. Why do you think she would keep the same mindset as a normal person after going through all that? Honestly, she kept more of her humanity than the rest of us.

The two women thought with a solemn expression on their faces. "Then what about your guardian angel?" Wang Li asked. "How was she different from the others?"

"You still think it was a woman?" Gale laughed ruefully. "Well, you're not wrong. And you're not wrong about her being my first love.

"She had been my semblance of hope in that hell. She was the bacon of hope who showed me the path, and without her, I wouldn't be here to tell you this tale."

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It'll take a couple more days to set up the whole privilege, bear with it.