Chapter 61: True Appearance

After pacing around for a long time, Han Li finally stopped.

"Should I make this trade now, or wait until I truly can't cure the poison later?" he finally thought, feeling helpless.

Then, he glanced at the giant man outside. Remembering the strange words at the end of the will, a flicker of curiosity sparked within him. He decided to try out the method for controlling the giant.

Han Li bent down and retrieved a small brass bell from the pile of items. The bell was not large; it could easily fit in one hand. Yet, it was exquisitely crafted, with perfectly balanced proportions, clearly the work of a master artisan. The only difference from an ordinary bell was the faint, almost imperceptible traces of bloodstains on its surface, making it stand out.

Han Li carefully examined the magical artifact known as the "Soul Guiding Bell." He couldn't discern its power. According to the letter, it could control a terrifying monster like the giant man—it seemed unbelievable!

Holding the small bell in his left hand and a dagger in his right, Han Li cautiously stepped out of the stone door and slowly approached the giant man with vigilance.

He stopped more than two *zhang* away from the giant, unwilling to get any closer for fear of the unexpected.

At that moment, the giant stood with his back to Han Li.

"Clang!" A clear chime rang from the small bell. Han Li had lightly tapped the brass bell with his dagger to produce the sound.

Han Li frowned. The sound seemed no different from an ordinary bell. Could this really control the giant?

A hint of doubt crept into his mind, and he crouched slightly, ready to retreat to the stone house if anything went wrong.

Upon hearing the bell, the giant's shoulders twitched slightly, indicating a reaction. Han Li's heart quickened with joy, and he immediately began striking the brass bell repeatedly.

"Clang! Clang!..." The chimes rang out one after another. The giant's body began to tremble in response, until his steps became stumbling, and he could no longer stand steady. Finally, he toppled face-first onto the ground, unconscious.

The massive body of the giant hitting the dry ground kicked up a considerable amount of dust, causing an unprepared Han Li to sneeze repeatedly and look rather disheveled.

However, Han Li paid no attention to these minor inconveniences. He quickly rushed to the giant, reaching out and pulling off the hood covering his head, revealing a swollen face that sent shivers down Han Li's spine the moment he saw it.

Han Li suppressed his discomfort and dared not examine the face closely. He quickly used his dagger to lightly cut his own wrist, allowing blood to flow freely onto the giant's face until the entire large face was covered. Only then did Han Li press down on the wound, swiftly find a clean strip of cloth from his person, and tie it around the cut to stop the bleeding. He then calmly stood by, observing the giant's reaction.

Something strange occurred: all that blood slowly seeped into the giant's skin, leaving not a single drop. Han Li watched, wide-eyed and stunned, so engrossed that he didn't even notice the blood seeping out of the cloth on his own wrist due to the excessive pressure of his fingers.

After all the blood had been absorbed, the giant opened his eyes and slowly stood up. His expression was vacant, his eyes lifeless, showing no hint of emotion.

But as the giant's head turned and his gaze met Han Li's, Han Li felt a sudden jolt in his mind, a strange emotion, both unfamiliar and familiar, surfacing in his heart. It was as if something foreign had suddenly appeared deep within him, circling him like a beloved pet dog, constantly calling out with affection.

Han Li was startled but quickly composed himself, for he saw that the giant's previously rigid expression had transformed into one of complete submission. This gave Han Li a marvelous feeling of being able to control the giant's very life and death.

Suppressing the elation in his heart, Han Li calmly gave the giant a test command.

"Go demolish that stone door for me."

Without a word, the giant strode to the stone door in a few huge steps. He raised his two clasped fists high, swinging them like a massive hammer, and in just a few blows, he shattered the door to pieces. Then, like a gust of wind, he returned to Han Li's side, awaiting his next command.

Han Li, who typically avoided extremes of joy or sorrow, couldn't help but beam with delight. With such a powerful enforcer at his beck and call, what common dangers would be worth mentioning in the future?

As Han Li excitedly envisioned his wonderful future, he couldn't stop gazing at the giant from head to toe with eager eyes.

The more he looked at the giant, the more satisfied he felt. The face he had initially found somewhat overly ugly now seemed remarkably pleasing, even increasingly familiar.

"Familiar?" Han Li was startled and somewhat surprised by this feeling.

How could he feel familiarity with such an ugly face he had never seen before?

Pondering this question, Han Li began to examine the giant's nose and eyes closely, attempting to find an explanation.

Gradually, he realized that if the giant's somewhat swollen features were restored to their original size, simply scaled down and reassembled, the face wouldn't be unattractive at all. In fact, it would be a very simple and honest-looking face—a face Han Li found incredibly familiar.

Han Li's face paled. After a long moment of silence, he slowly extended both hands and gently stroked the giant's face.

"Brother Zhang, is that really you?" His voice was very low and calm.

The reassembled face of this person bore an uncanny resemblance to his friend "Zhang Tie," who had been missing for several years. Coupled with Doctor Mo's cryptic final words, Han Li was ten hundred percent certain that the giant was deeply connected to Zhang Tie. Was it true, as the letter suggested, that the giant before him was merely Zhang Tie's transformed body, his soul long gone? But why had his body become so tall and terrifying?