The hole

Warning: gore, implied cannibalism

Guards immediately captured Clark and escorted him to prison. Another guard immediately captured and took away Sabrina who tried to intervene.

"Put him with another prisoner. We'll know what he is when we starve him for a couple of days."

" we'll put him in the hole. We can kill two birds with one stone and get rid of that filth down there."

"Ask the honorable expert to keep an eye on him then. I don't want a shapeshifter who tasted human flesh to run around the city."

The caretaker who heard the guards hurriedly tied a pendant to Clark's arm.

"You'll survive if you have the luck." She let his arm go as the guards dragged him away.

The guard tied Clark and lowered him into a well. As soon as Clark touched the floor, the rest of the rope fell behind him. An awful rotten stench assaulted Clark's nose. Out of the darkness, dozens of eyes looked at the newcomer.

"Meat." An impatient human jumped forward. Following the signal, everyone started to sprint towards Clark. The one who was closest got his head clean blown off by a rock. The ones closest to him jumped on the corpse.

As they saw Clark was tied up everyone started a battle royal to obtain the new meat. The delicate balance of power in the hole was disturbed by the allure of new prey and everything descended to chaos.

Clark used the time he was not a target to struggle himself lose from his binds. He made himself as small of a target as possible, trying to escape from his predators. His escape was short-lived as a roar was heard from the depth of the darkness. The chaotic crowd parted ways to a three-meter-tall giant human. His arms were covered in scales. His snake-like tongue wetted his lips as he lifted Clark by his wrist.

*snap*

Clark felt his wrist break. He was still weak from Kryptonite. He scream escaped from his throat.

......…..

A lone old man was sitting while drinking alcohol. His territory was without a speck of dust and only a few lackeys were sitting subserviently in the territory. The old man looked at the commotion as he heard Clark's scream. He glanced uninterestedly at the savages killing each other. His eyes paused briefly at the boy's wrist and saw the pendant hanging from his wrist. The old man disappeared from his spot.

......

Clark closed his eyes accepting his inevitable demise which never came. He felt a hot liquid trickle down his face. He felt someone lift him by the collar. Someone held his dangling arm without a care for his broken wrist.

He opened his eyes and felt the world speeding past him. Suddenly his back collided with a wall. He felt his lunch coming back to his throat.

"How do you have this pendant? You beast what did you do to her?"

The old man spoke. Clark still couldn't understand the language. But he saw the old man holding the pendant.

"Help me, please" He pointed at the pendant.

A look of realization passed through the old man's face. Even without understanding the language, as a powerful cultivator, he could understand the intent of the young man.

However, he couldn't waste any more time, as his granddaughter might be in danger. He compressed Qi to transfer his intent to the boy's brain.

"Pendant... where….?" Clark heard whisper inside of his head. He understood that somehow the old man was talking to him telepathically.

"The caretaker tied it on my arm."

The old man frowned. Was someone delivering a message to him using this boy who couldn't speak their language. Many people didn't know of any other humans living in this world and anyone who didn't speak the common language would be thought of as a shapeshifter. But the old man who went to the outer territory knew of many human and human-like tribes speaking different languages.

"Where... maid....?"

"She lived in a big palace. She took care of my injuries. She tied it when I was captured by the guards."

Clark pointed at the now bleeding wounds on his body.

The old man relaxed his grasp on Clark. A tear came to his eyes. It appears his only relative might be safe. Working as a maid in a rich family. He felt relieved that this world hasn't stripped her of her inherent goodness.

"Kid your body is perfect for martial arts. Become my disciple." A hint of determination flashed through the old man's eyes.