To Lose Once More

 

Chapter 3 – To Lose Once More

 

One week after the implementing of SoulScript V1.0, SoulScript V1.5 was almost into completion. For quite a few times, Jun Tian had copied the newer version into Sector 155 and ran the command strings.

 

It worked, though not totally successful. In one case, Jun Tian had carelessly programmed for his hand to rotate three-hundred and sixty degrees about his wrist – and in the process, he could have sworn his wrist had almost come off, if not for his swift abortion of the program.

 

In spite of all that, Jun Tian took pride in the considerable progress he was making. However, he was growing impatient day by day … for something within him was urging him … demanding that he seek out revenge right away.

 

He wanted … he desired … he needed to know the reason why he was cast into such a horrible fate.

 

“Karma, Jun Tian, it is by karma that you are to lead this life with such a destiny and fate.” The old monk replied, when Jun Tian had asked it of him.

 

“Karma?”

 

“Yes. Karma.” The old monk nodded. “Yet even I dare not preach much of this Karma that I speak of. To be frank, how many of us truly comprehend Karma? It is not like what others think it to be – a simple judicial law system whereby one is cast into punishment that takes the form of ‘an eye for an eye’. No, Jun Tian, no, it is not so.”

 

“Then why karma?”

 

“Our fates are all interlinked, Jun Tian. The way I see it, it is difficult to put it into words. But one day, Jun Tian, you will see it the way I do now. But as for now, Jun Tian, bathe in the joy and blessing of being able to be reincarnated into the human realm, out of the six realms of Samsara …”

 

“Why, wise one?”

 

“Because of the six realms – deva, asura, human, animal, preta and naraka, it is only in the human realm that living beings are able to be directly enlightened and escape the paths of Samsara.”

 

 

The old monk had long left the monastery in the morning to beg for alms. Jun Tian was sitting on the rug in the lotus position that he was taught to in order to meditate. The rug was wet, from the night’s rain, but already, Jun Tian had grown used to it.

 

It was on this very day, that Jun Tian would make the other significant discovery, apart from ‘Invision’, that would contribute most to his quick ascension to the heights of society’s most revered assassin networks.

 

This discovery, was Chi.

 

As Jun Tian was sitting in the lotus position to meditate, he had chanced upon the small, slight trickle about his body. It was of such small magnitudes that he had to execute multiple times of invision to investigate this perculiar phenomena, before finally confirming its existence.

 

Having read too much of martial arts novels in his younger days, Jun Tian could not help but ask himself if this was the chakra, or chi that was characteristic of Chinese wushu.

 

He did not have sufficient evidence to validate this claim, but nevertheless, Jun Tian named it chi. As with even further prodding, he had realized that with slow, deep, regulated breathing, he could increase the magnitudes of the chi. And with careful manipulation, he could even direct the flow of chi to various parts of his body.

 

Even much more amazing, was the fact that wherever this stream of chi flowed to, the cells of his body that came into contact with the chi would seemingly be revitalize and be filled to the brim with countless amounts of energy.

 

This much Jun Tian could ascertain with invision.

 

 

It was long past evening that Jun Tian had finally retreated out of his invision-cum-meditative state and he had finally realized that ever since morning, the old monk had not returned.

 

If he had not paid much attention to the routines of the old monk, he would not have been worried. However, Jun Tian knew that the old monk was one who would never break apart from his daily routine.

 

He would never be late.

 

Yet, the old monk had failed to turn up in the afternoon with lunch. Jun Tian was very much looking forward to it, despite the rice being mouldy and cold, for he was growing increasingly hungry after his sudden discovery.

 

But as dusk approached, the monk still had not returned.

 

Soon, anticipation turned into anxiety as Jun Tian could not help but worry. Where was the monk? He was not one to be late.

 

Perhaps, Jun Tian comforted himself, perhaps the monk was helping out some needy he had chanced upon the way. It was not the first time, and definitely not the last, that Jun Tian and the monk had gone hungry for a day.

 

The old monk, on his way back to the monastery, had come across a homeless who begged for rice from the benevolent elder. And the monk gave him all that was in the porcelain bowl.

 

“Buddha sat beneath the Bodhi tree for 49 days, without drink or food and was enlightened. What is one day of hunger, compared to his diligence in pursuing Dharma? Come, Jun Tian, let us recite the mantra …”

 

The old monk had laughed, when both of their stomachs had growled uncontrollably in the silence of the night.

 

 

Jun Tian stumbled into the night, his gait stiff as a puppet. But it did not deter him from wandering out into the darkness to search for the old monk – he was worried, too worried.

 

Something within him was pounding … screaming at him – for him to find the old monk. Something was wrong. He was sure of it.

 

It was his intuition, Jun Tian realized, but he trusted it. After all, it was intuition that alerted Jun Tian of danger on the day his family was slaughtered. He had not chosen to believe the warning that heavens had given him that day … and he had received due punishment for it.

 

This time round … Jun Tian swore … he would never ignore his intuition again.

 

 

It was in the very same alley that Jun Tian finally stumbled upon the old monk. About the frail, aged man, were a group of thugs, about five or six years older than Jun Tian. They were taunting the monk … hitting … happily slamming the soles of their boots onto his thin frame …

 

In a mad rush, Jun Tian charged into the ring and threw his body across the old monk. Shielding the monk from further abuses, Jun Tian retrieved a small piece of clean cloth from his pockets, the only clean rag in the monastery that the old monk would wash daily for Jun Tian to keep hygienic, and dabbed at the edges of the monk’s lips.

 

“Blood …” Jun Tian murmured as he stared at the cloth which had turned crimson in his shaking hands … “Blood …. wise one … you – you are bleeding …”

 

“Nothing severe …” The old monk smiled, and tried to sit up, only to have to cough up even more blood into Jun Tian’s hands.

 

Seeing this, the group of thugs had finally ceased their taunting and were beginning to realize the full severity of their actions.

 

“It – it is severe, wise one … speak no more … I will bring you to the hospital … It – it is near … I will bring – bring you there …”

 

 

 With the light frame of the old man in his arms, Jun Tian had charged into the entrance of the hospital, only to have the receptionist frown at the shreds of cloth that both Jun Tian and the old monk wore as clothing.

 

“Do you have money?” she asked, a cold smirk creeping by the ends of her lips.

 

“Nurse … nurse! This monk needs immediate attention … please … please alert the doctors!”

 

“I asked a question – do you have money?”

 

 

They were hushed out of the hospital into the streets.

 

And as Jun Tian squatted by the hospital’s entrance, the monk breathed his last in Jun Tian’s arms. The blows inflicted onto the old man were too much for the weak frame that his majestic consciousness was contained in …

 

“Jun Tian … give up … I am to leave …”

 

“No – no … oh no … no ….” Jun Tian held the dying monk in his arms as he sobbed uncontrollably.

 

“No, Jun Tian. I am to die. We all have to … one day … and today’s the day for me. I ask of you, Jun Tian - Samsara, what is it? It is the root of our sorrows, our pain, our suffering … the binding of our consciousness to Samsara, is what leads us to the endless cycles of reincarnation … Only by relieving ourselves of the burden of Samsara, can we truly experience pure bliss … only by doing so … can we attain Nirvana …”

 

“I don’t want you to die … wise one … I love you … I love you like I loved my father … Don’t – don’t leave me, I will be alone …. I don’t want to – I cannot be alone anymore …”

 

“You will never be alone, Jun Tian. As long as you carry Buddha’s teachings within your heart, you will never be.”

 

 

The passing away of the old monk … it had snapped something within Jun Tian. One in the future may look back and wonder … why … why did he snap … what did he lose?

 

Was it that Jun Tian truly could not withhold the death of the monk … or was it just that the SoulScript V1.0 was volatile … was unstable …

 

Nevertheless, the truth was that Jun Tian had broken down that night. And it was in such a dilemma that perhaps, the true nature of Jun Tian surfaced.

 

SoulScript V1.5 … Execute synchronization and implementation ….

 

Jun Tian initiated the Core as he calmly stroke the old monk’s temples and closed the monk’s serene eyes. He then placed the monk onto the ground of the streets and dried his tears onto his sleeves.

 

87% completed … 97% completed … Completed … Synchronization Complete … Implementation in Process … Implementation Successful …

 

 

That very night, Jun Tian discarded whatever remnants that he had retained of, of his teenage life … even the slightest remnants were discarded. The final bit of desire that he had had within him, to return to the normal life that he had led before … Jun Tian shredded it.

 

And that very night … Jun Tian massacred over three dozen staff of the hospital – with his bare hands. With his newly discovered Chi and the superhuman accuracy of his nearly-perfected SoulScript V1.5, Jun Tian had converted himself into an unstoppable killing machine.

 

Using only the ample strength ( not too much nor too little ) required to dislodge the neck of the receptionist, Jun Tian did not bat an eyelid nor did he flinch as he watched the woman slid off the counter to the floor.

 

And then without further hesitation, Jun Tian moved with such inhumane speed that he had caught up with the two security guards who were charging towards him and bit into one of their faces. By gorging out the eyes, Jun Tian had managed to cast him defenseless. And then with a swift fluid movement, the man’s revolver was in Jun Tian’s hands.

 

Two shots stole the two lives of the guards.

 

Jun Tian laughed, his laughter heart-wrenching and blood-chilling. No one … no one could challenge Jun Tian’s understanding of the human body. Not even the most experienced and knowledgeable surgeon who had dissected the body numerous times.

 

After all, Jun Tian was capable of invision.

 

Jun Tian squinted his eyes as he marched coolly down the corridors of the hospital. Sector 153 swiftly processed the surroundings, removing non-staff personnel out of Jun Tian’s target listings and then singled out his next prey.

 

Another heartless pull of the trigger ceased the heartbeat of a middle-aged doctor.

 

In the back of his eye, amongst the escaping crowd, Jun Tian had long noticed the drawing nearer of half a dozen of armed guards.

 

“Die.” Jun Tian spat as he launched himself into the air, skillfully avoiding four bullets that were fired. However, SoulScript V1.5 was never meant to be put to use in combat …

 

A bullet found its way into Jun Tian’s left elbow and promptly exited, leaving behind a clean cut through wound.

 

System Command Prompt .. Access Sector 153 … Initiate Forced Replication of Cells in Left Elbow …

 

 

What that had happened in the next minute, was kept amongst the dead. None of the six guards lived to tell the tale.

 

Before the eyes of the guards, the gaping hole of the bullet wound in Jun Tian’s elbow easily dissolved and disappeared.

 

“There.” Jun Tian snickered. He wasn’t very sure, initially, if such a command would be possible to execute, and hence he had left it as a triumph card in case of emergencies.

 

However, it was just demonstrated to have worked, though the consequences of forced hastened healing was not yet known.

 

Even before the guards could bring themselves back to their senses, they were dead.

 

 

The police had arrived. And so had the reporters.

 

It did not mattered, at all, to Jun Tian. Amidst the desperate cries and pleas for help in the crowds and wards of patients, Jun Tian’s laughter was definitely audible.

 

To have the police present would merely supply Jun Tian with stronger firepower …

 

Jun Tian was now greater accustomed to the usage of chi. He effortlessly zipped through the air, after directing the chi to his calf muscles and as he skidded across a row of counters, he took four more lives.

 

Yet never had he expected his killing spree to have been put to an end by a brief encounter with the taser. He was subsequently knocked out by the strong pulse, with the voltage interrupting his alternate nervous pathways of his Core.

Author's Note

I'm a Buddhist myself. But do note that the teachings in this chapter may not truly represent Buddhism. They are merely my personal interpretations of Buddha's teachings and may or may not be accurate. It's the very reason why there are so many branches of Buddhism.

Reviews

[Daniel Gardner]

Not sure I like this has much has the later chapters but good.