Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

The entire world seemed to be placed in a gigantic furnace, and even the air was groaning in pain.

The social structure here remains at the level of primitive and bloody slavery.

The Golden Elephant Clan, with their strong bodies, dazzling golden skin, rough but relatively intact linen clothing, and long whips that shimmer with dangerous, eerie blue energy, are the absolute ruling class.

They were arrogant, their eyes filled with contempt for "inferior races" and a sense of dominance, watching everything beneath their feet as if they were inspecting their own flock of sheep.

Those enslaved by them are the whale shark tribe, whose skin is a dull blue-gray, whose clothes are so tattered they barely cover their bodies, and whose eyes are mostly empty and lifeless.

Qin Chuan hovered in mid-air, indifferently looking down at the scene below, where people were busy and struggling like ants, like a god observing the suffering of the mortal world.

On the construction site of that massive pyramid, built against the mountain, whose menacing outline is already beginning to take shape.

Countless emaciated whale shark slaves, who looked as if a gust of wind could blow them over, were subjected to relentless whippings and harsh rebukes from the golden elephant overseers.

Like soulless zombies, they numbly and mechanically dragged and carried boulders far larger than themselves, performing seemingly endless and life-consuming labor.

Submission and labor seem to be an innate destiny, etched into their very bones, robbing them of the last glimmer of light in their eyes, leaving only bottomless despair and numbness.

However, amidst this lifeless, apathetic gray crowd, Qin Chuan's gaze, like the most precise probe, instantly locked onto a completely different individual.

He was a young man from the whale shark tribe.

His clothes were also tattered, and his blue-gray skin was covered with grotesque whip marks, some of which were still bleeding, showing that he too was enduring inhuman treatment and pain.

However, his eyes were completely different from those of his bewildered compatriots, like the only flickering flame in the ashes.

There was no numbness or resignation in it, but rather a deep-seated indomitable spirit, an unyielding rage, and a primal and pure wild light that yearned to break free from all shackles and tear apart the sky, like a volcano about to erupt from beneath a thousand-year-old ice wall.

Even with heavy stones on his back, his back was straighter than that of the other slaves, and every step he took on the scorching sand left a deep, defiant footprint.

As the overseer's whip lashed down with a whooshing sound, he clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, and a suppressed, low whimper, like that of a wounded beast, escaped his throat, but he never uttered a pitiful howl.

His gaze, like a poisoned blade, was fierce and stubborn as he stared intently at the abusive Golden Elephant Clan overseer, his eyes seeming to say, "I'll remember you, and one day..."

During his brief rest, while the other slaves lay limp as mush, he would secretly use his fingers to carve incomprehensible, aggressive symbols into the sand, or observe the patterns of the overseers' patrols with eyes as sharp as a hawk.

When the overseer wasn't around, he would even try to move his wrists, which were worn raw by the shackles, with very small movements, practicing some kind of power-generating technique. Beneath those taut muscle lines lay an explosive force that refused to be restrained.

Countless times in the dead of night, he would gaze up at the starry sky divided by the prison bars, his blue-gray fists clenched until his knuckles turned white, and a voice deep within his heart would roar wildly: "I was born free, why should I be enslaved for generations?! I refuse to accept this fate!"

This person is Qin Chuan's target for this trip, the future Whale Shark King!

Qin Chuan quietly gazed at the future powerhouse below who, instead of sinking into the mire of suffering and oppression, had been tempered into an indomitable spirit and revealed unparalleled brilliance. A hint of approval finally flashed in his eyes.

Like a pearl hidden in the sand, a crystal covered in dust, it has begun to shine with its unique and indomitable brilliance even in dire circumstances.

Now, all that remains is for someone to unearth it from this quagmire of despair, wipe away the dust, and let its brilliance shine upon the world.

Chapter 27 Imprisoned, Yearning for Freedom

The night sky, as dark as ink, slowly painted the heavens of the third parallel universe.

The golden sands, scorched by the blazing sun during the day, finally lost most of their suffocating heat, leaving only a faint, warm evening breeze carrying sand and gravel.

The whale shark slaves, who had been driven like livestock all day, were given a brief but precious respite.

They dragged their exhausted and wounded bodies back to the filthy settlement made up of dilapidated shacks and makeshift tents.

The air was thick with the stench of sweat, dust, and despair.

Each person received only a few pieces of coarse grain cakes as hard as pebbles, barely enough to fill their stomachs, and a bowl of murky drinking water.

This was not because the Golden Elephant Clan, who ruled them, suddenly became kind-hearted.

On the contrary, the rulers of the Golden Elephant tribe were well aware of the principle of exhausting resources.

They knew that if even the limited recovery time at night were taken away, these strong "tools" would collapse from exhaustion and become completely unusable within a few days, given the inhuman intensity of their daytime labor.

Where will they find such a large number of perfect slaves who are naturally hardworking?

While most of the whale sharks collapsed in their huts as if their bones had been removed, greedily breathing in the air of "freedom" that they were still bound by invisible shackles, or wolfing down their unpalatable food.

A remarkably robust figure walked against the flow of people, quietly leaving this area filled with numbness and death.

He came to the edge of the settlement, behind a secluded sand dune backed by a huge rock.

It was the whale shark king.

Instead of taking the time to rest like his compatriots, he shed the obedience and numbness he had deliberately feigned during the day.

By the faint starlight and the flickering glow of the campfire in the distant settlement, he began his daily, unwavering, self-created physical training routine.

He lowered his waist and stood at attention, throwing punches and kicks with swift and explosive power, accompanied by a whooshing sound that cut through the sandstorm.

Sweat mixed with the sand clinging to his body, constantly sliding down his blue, muscular frame, leaving dark marks on the sand beneath his feet.

His chest heaved violently, like a bellows, but his eyes were sharper than the cold stars in the night sky, burning with a fierce, indomitable flame.

Generation after generation, they were born into slavery, their fates trampled and controlled by others!

This deep-seated humiliation burned his soul like poisonous flames day and night.

As long as he has a breath left, he will become stronger, even stronger!

Powerful enough to break the heavy shackles that have imprisoned the whale shark race for countless years!

Suddenly, he stopped all movement alertly, his muscles tensing instantly, like a cheetah spotting danger, turning sharply and assuming the most solid defensive stance.

A figure had silently appeared not far in front of him, seemingly having merged with the dark sea of ​​sand from the very beginning.

The Whale Shark King felt a sudden tightness in his chest. His first thought was that his "restless" behavior had been noticed by the Golden Elephant Clan's overseer.

If this is true, he will face cruel punishment, which may even implicate his entire clan.

But the next moment, by the light of the sparse starlight, he could make out the appearance of the person who had come.

That was not any of the haughty Golden Elephant overseers he knew.

The newcomer was clad in a set of ancient-style, sharply defined black armor, exuding an aura as deep and unfathomable as the night.

He simply stood there, without making any move or radiating any imposing aura, yet he naturally exuded an absolute, supreme majesty that surpassed all living beings, instilling in the Whale Shark King a sense of awe and trembling stemming from his very life instincts.

The person who came was naturally Qin Chuan.

Just like when he recruited Ye Lingyun, Qin Chuan went straight to the point without any pleasantries or probing.

His voice was calm and not loud, yet it seemed to carry a certain rhythmic order, clearly reaching the whale shark king's ears with undeniable power:

"I am the Lord of the Underworld in the fifth parallel universe. I have observed that you possess extraordinary will and profound potential, and I wish to recruit you into my ranks as one of the four guardians of my Underworld."

"……what?"

The Whale Shark King was struck dumb, completely stunned, his mind blank, and he even wondered if he was hallucinating due to overwork.

The ruler of the underworld? The legendary king who rules the dark universe? He personally descends upon this barren land to recruit him? A lowly slave, whose life is worthless, to become a protector of the underworld?

This huge contrast in identity and the sudden encounter were completely beyond his comprehension, as if he had heard the most absurd and unbelievable joke in the world.

Seeing the undisguised shock and confusion on his face, Qin Chuan slowly explained his reasoning, each word like a heavy hammer blow against the Whale Shark King's defenses:

“In my eyes, you are not a slave. A slave is a slave not only because of external oppression, but also because their hearts have already submitted, they are willing to be enslaved, and they have lost the courage and belief to resist. But you are different.”

His gaze was sharp as a knife, as if it could pierce through the skin and reach the depths of the whale shark king's soul:

"You are imprisoned, yet your heart yearns for the boundless sky. You are constantly accumulating strength and sharpening your claws, like a lurking beast, waiting for the moment to break free of your shackles and roar across the world."

"This indomitable will, this unwavering determination to resist, is the core potential of the strong! What I value is your heart, which refuses to succumb to defeat and yearns for freedom!"

These words, like a resounding bell or a thunderclap in the dark night, cleaved through the thick fog that had long been weighing on the whale shark king's heart!

Every word spoke of the deepest cry and belief of his soul, clearly and powerfully expressing his unspeakable and even unthinkable desires!

His excitement surged like lava, and his whole body trembled slightly uncontrollably. His initial wariness and sense of unfamiliarity were replaced by a huge, indescribable sense of belonging.

The Hades before me is the one who truly understands me!

"Lord Hades!"

The whale shark king's voice was hoarse, filled with barely suppressed excitement and longing:

"If you can help my whale shark clan overthrow the enslavement of the golden elephant clan and restore our clan's freedom, I, the whale shark king, hereby swear that I will be loyal to you for the rest of my life, even if it means going through fire and water!"

He offered what he could think of as the greatest return to his community, which was also his most pressing wish at that moment.

However, Qin Chuan slowly shook his head, his tone remaining calm and profound:

"No, you're wrong. I won't directly help you overthrow the Golden Elephant Clan."

The whale shark king was stunned again, his eyes filled with confusion and urgency.

Qin Chuan's gaze swept past the Whale Shark King and towards the lifeless settlement in the distance, where most of the Whale Shark King's people were resting numbly, their eyes vacant.

"External forces can easily sweep away the oppression before our eyes, but they cannot truly liberate a enslaved soul. A group of people who are still slaves in their hearts will remain slaves even if they are rescued from their shackles."

His tone grew increasingly profound, carrying a philosophical depth that seemed to have gained a profound understanding of the world:

"True freedom is not a gift from others! It requires you to fight for it with your own hands, to awaken your dormant will with blood and battle! It requires you to unleash your deepest desire for freedom from the bottom of your hearts, and to rise up and fight for it, to take it back with your own hands!"

Qin Chuan refocused his gaze on the Whale Shark King, his eyes burning with expectation and a heavy responsibility:

"As the future king of the whale shark clan, you must inspire your people's fighting spirit, ignite the flames in their hearts, lead them to rebellion, and personally break the shackles of enslavement. This is your mission, and your inescapable responsibility! I will not overstep my bounds. What I can give you is the power to quickly acquire the strength to shoulder this responsibility and realize this ambition!"

These words were like a sudden awakening, like a beacon, instantly illuminating the confusion in the whale shark king's heart!

He had only thought about changing the status quo with the help of external forces, but he forgot that true rise and liberation must come from the awakening of one's own will and the strength of one's own power!

Freedom granted by others is ultimately fragile, like a sandcastle that cannot withstand storms.

The Whale Shark King no longer hesitated or wavered. He knelt heavily on one knee on the cold sand, lowered his head, and spoke with a resolute voice, filled with unprecedented determination:

"Whale Shark King, I wish to follow Hades and become a protector of the Underworld! I humbly request Hades to guide me!"

He finally understood that what he needed most at this moment was not Hades' direct intervention, but the method and guidance to become a true strongman!

Without the right path and systematic training, relying solely on haphazard exploration will ultimately make it difficult to achieve great things, let alone lead the entire tribe to freedom.

Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

He stretched out his finger, pointed it in the air, and a dark, deep point of light instantly disappeared into the Whale Shark King's brow.

In an instant, a flood of exquisite methods on efficient combat techniques, physical potential development, and the deep application and cultivation of alien energy rushed into his mind, beginning to merge and optimize with his own rough combat style.

Moreover, after a moment of contemplation, Qin Chuan made a special arrangement:

"Given that you started late and are surrounded by powerful enemies, and your foundation is not yet stable, I hereby grant you permission to borrow a small amount of power from the Xuanming Black Hole when necessary, in life-or-death situations."