Who left their last words here?

Chapter 6 Extraordinary Beings and Enlightenment Potions
"What are you doing?" The sudden voice from behind made Bai Zhou's muscles tense.

The aroma of the small cakes attracted Section Chief Liu, whose senses were very sensitive. He looked at Bai Zhou, who was squatting down and placing the small cakes on the ground, with a puzzled expression.

"...I'm sorry, I was just too hungry."

Bai Zhou stood up with a face full of guilt, looking back helplessly.
"According to the customs of our Wancheng, we should show courtesy to the elders who are on the ground before eating, and let them start eating first."

Wan Cheng? A victim of the Blood Worship Cult's experiments...?

Section Chief Liu was taken aback for a moment, then fell silent.

Finally, he simply said in a low voice:

"Sorry we're late."

"You got away with it so easily?" Bai Zhou blinked.

Then, under the curious gazes of everyone, Bai Zhou brazenly put away the golden ticket that only he could see, and breathed a sigh of relief.

...During the subsequent visit, Bai Zhou made a point of noting the blood-red last words written on those black boxes.

Although he hasn't figured out how to finish it yet, as long as he keeps it in mind, he'll find an opportunity in the future.

"This pathetic life is insulting my body. If I had known life would be this hard, I would have started saving up my piggy bank when I was three years old!"

"My hydrogen-powered U-Wagon just did a handstand split around a corner on Mount Akina, and these mere six police cars think they can stop me... Wait a minute! Where did these Transformers come from?"

"Will I also appear in the Reflection Ruins after I die, becoming a walking corpse monster?"
"..."

Hakushu also visited an old acquaintance, the "Blood Thirst Relic," whose last words above his head still conveyed the same unsatisfied desire.

Soon, the tour ended, and Bai Zhou walked out the gate.

The familiar aroma of coffee wafted past my nose.

Bai Zhou looked around, but saw nothing but the backs of his colleagues and Section Chief Liu.

A small note had appeared in his hand without his knowledge.

He secretly opened the book in a secluded corner and saw a line of elegant handwriting, powerful and resolute.

"When you go to the cafeteria, please bring me back a cucumber, a few tangerines, and a bag of coffee beans."

Thank you. "

Well, Miss Ghost is still as elusive as ever.

Bai Zhou is good at picking vegetables, but knows nothing about coffee beans. In the end, on the recommendation of the shop assistant, he took a bag of Mandheling coffee beans.

Actually, the staff seemed to recommend a coffee called "Civet Coffee," but Bai Zhou shook his head vigorously just from hearing the name.

Dare to feed crows cat poop? Bai Zhou was afraid the crows would chop off his head and use it as a football.

Then, he ordered two takeaway beef noodles, one without chili oil and the other with extra chili oil.

Carrying his things out of the cafeteria, Bai Zhou weaved between the gray and white buildings on his way back to the dormitory.

The clock tower with only 12 numbers stood there like a cyclops, while a tin box spirit with black smoke billowing from its rear passed by in the distance.

Yesterday, in the square where the black-robed men were executed, the 18th set of broadcast gymnastics, "The Federation Is Calling," was playing on a loop. A group of researchers in white coats were raising their hands and wiggling their hips in unison.

Occasionally, heavily armed soldiers would patrol by, ignoring Bai Zhou who was wearing an identification tag. When Bai Zhou looked at them, some of them would even smile back at him.

—This is a world of difference from how Bai Zhou was treated when he was not yet part of the organization and was disliked by the guards.

Although Bai Zhou still felt unfamiliar and alienated from everything here, he had begun to slowly adapt.

He still doesn't know where his future will lead, but at least...

Bai Zhou looked down at Mandheling's small white bag, trying to console himself with something that was better than nothing.

At least now I dare to buy coffee beans that I never even dared to dream of before.

They also lived the life of a superior being in black robes.

—Although it was done through an organization's reimbursement.

……

Carrying large and small boxes, Bai Zhou struggled for a long time before finally taking out his keys to open the dormitory door.

Unexpectedly, there was no sign of crows in the room.

Bai Zhou placed the ramen on the table, scratched his head, picked up a cucumber and a small orange, and went to the bathroom.

"The action was carried out faster than I expected."

While I was washing vegetables, a cold female voice suddenly came from behind me.

Bai Zhou turned his head and saw the crow perched on the other person's shoulder blink its big red eyes at him.

"...You never use the front door, is that right?"

They always appear in unexpected ways.

This is almost becoming Shirafuji's stereotype of crows.

After taking the bright green cucumber from Bai Zhou, and glancing at the small oranges Bai Zhou was holding, Ya remained noncommittal about his question.

"It seems you have done a great job sealing the Crown of Thorns. The entire Division 36 should thank you for your contribution."

"It's a pity that no one knows about your achievements—but it doesn't matter, I've seen them all."

As he spoke, Crow shook the cucumber in his hand.

The cucumber reminded Bai Zhou, who picked up an orange and slapped his forehead:
"Oh, right, I was worried that cucumbers and oranges alone wouldn't be enough, so I also bought an extra bowl of beef noodles. Do you want some?"

“…” Crow glanced at the two boxes of ramen on the table and shook his head.

"I don't eat beef."

"That's a pity."

Bai Zhou tore open the ramen packaging box, broke open the disposable chopsticks and stirred it a few times, the aroma of red oil beef soup wafting in the air.

He sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and cautiously glanced at the girl.

"Then... I should eat them all?"

Not wasting food is a traditional virtue of Wancheng.

"...If you can eat it."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Bai Zhou began slurping noodles.

"But is this really enough for you?" Bai Zhou asked vaguely. "Should I go to the cafeteria and buy some more?"

No wonder he's not very tall.

“Food isn’t essential for my survival,” the crow shook its head. “And who told you that we brought them back to eat them?”

"Huh?" Bai Zhou looked puzzled and slurped up a mouthful of noodles.

To be honest, this ramen is much tastier than the Four Delicacies Yi Noodles.

“Using simple mediums to leverage the power of ritual.” Raven picked up a cucumber in one hand and two small oranges in the other. “This is the basic quality of an extraordinary person.”

An extraordinary one?
Bai Zhou's heart pounded as he recalled Section Chief Liu, who had just displayed extraordinary power.

"So, you need these to set up a ceremony?"

Suddenly realizing what was happening, Bai Zhou's gaze unconsciously drifted to the Mandheling coffee beans on the table.

So, is the coffee scent that always lingers around the crow also to maintain some kind of mysterious ritual?

“Oh, this isn’t it.” Crow picked out the coffee beans separately.

She tore open the seal, took out two dark coffee beans, put them in her mouth, and chewed them a couple of times without expression.

Nodding, Crow put the bag into his pocket. "It has other, greater uses."

Bai Zhou: "..."

There's something I need to tell you.

With a firm pull, he broke open a small orange, and then, in a calm tone, dropped a bombshell:
"Intelligence indicates that, in retaliation for the destruction of their stronghold in Wancheng, the Blood Worship Cult will soon target a branch of the Special Administration Bureau."

"Personally, I suspect that Branch 36, as the branch responsible for receiving the residents of Wancheng, is highly likely to be selected!"

"Huh?" Bai Zhou, who was slurping noodles, froze on the spot.

Didn't he just resolve the crown issue?

besides?

"This intelligence is currently known to only a very small number of people in the Special Administration."

Crow lowered his eyes, "But having learned from the experience of Branch 9, the Special Administration has long since imposed martial law and increased protection for all bases."

"So, even if this place is unfortunately chosen by the Blood Worship Cult, it should be able to barely survive."

"—But in any case, the Special Administration is on the verge of chaos, and someone is bound to die."

With a clang, the long sword was drawn.

A long knife flashed across the surface, its surface shimmering with tiny sparks of light, and the cucumber on the table instantly transformed into dozens of neat slices, each with scorched edges.

"Just in case, you need to have the ability to protect yourself before the Blood Worship Cult arrives."

"in other words,"

The knife tip picked up a slice of cucumber, and the crow turned to look at the white boat.

You should become an extraordinary person as soon as possible.

"You mean..." Bai Zhou slowly put down his chopsticks, his gaze intense, "to become someone like Section Chief Liu?"

Even...like a crow?
"Section Chief Liu?"

The crow fell silent, then shook its head.

No one is unapproachable.

"Even I am but a fish swept away by the tide of the times."

"The truly powerful beings are always those who lead the times."

Bai Zhou was stunned. "Stronger than you...what does that mean?"

"For example, in 1776, Washington, the 'mythical successor' from the Rosicrucians, went to the other side of the ocean and shot down the Aztec sun."

"For example, in 1429, Joan of Arc, the 'Saint of Salvation' from the Court of Judgment, stepped onto the battlefield of Lance and swept away the stars of Avalon."

“History has always been the history of the extraordinary, who manipulate nations and drive thought,” Raven said. “Only by becoming extraordinary can one be qualified to control one’s own destiny.”

Take control of your own destiny. Bai Zhou's spirits lifted: "So, what should I do?"

"On Earth, 99% of people are unaware of the existence of the 'mysterious,' making it even less likely for them to become extraordinary. Since the Middle Ages, extraordinary individuals have been accustomed to operating behind the scenes in secrecy."

The long sword, shimmering with firelight, gradually vanished from the crow's hand.

She flipped her hand upwards, and a ball of burning golden flame slowly coalesced in the air, dancing quietly in her palm.

Compared to the roaring blue flames spewed by Section Chief Liu, this golden flame was much quieter, but it felt far more dangerous to Bai Zhou.

"You've caught a good time. The first step for an extraordinary person is to awaken their own destiny, but the long training and learning required is enough to kill 90% of those without talent."

"until--"

Under Bai Zhou's incredulous gaze, the charred cucumbers and the broken oranges seemed to be drawn up slowly, spreading out in the air along a special arrangement, and rotating around the flame in the crow's palm.

The golden flame split into smaller flames, igniting them one by one.

The next instant, it was as if the starry sky had been lit up.

Each flame, transformed into a constellation, outlines a star map.

"Until 1753, the 'Three Sages of France' created a miracle called the 'Enlightenment Potion,' which greatly reduced the cost of awakening one's destiny, and the number of hidden extraordinary individuals began to expand rapidly."

The raven said, "From this day forward, the extraordinary will become the ruler of the world."

The magnificent star chart spinning in her palm resembled a radiant, proud bear, its vibrant starlight reflecting off the girl's face.

At the tail of the bear, the seven most prominent stars are arranged like a dipper.

"The Big Dipper, the constellation of Ursa Major, breaks through the mysterious fog and guides the way forward... The medium is not important; it is the key to the potion of enlightenment."

Crow lowered his eyes and waved his hand, and the star map immediately shone brightly.

Each star is shrinking, and in its place flows a liquid-like starlight, resembling countless olives with thousands of golden threads hanging down in succession.

"Of course, the container used to hold it is also unimportant."

As Ya spoke, he took away the beef ramen that Bai Zhou was eating halfway through.

"Didn't you say you weren't going to eat?" Bai Zhou's chopsticks were forced to hang in mid-air.

The next instant, the golden threads fell into the ramen container, gathering into a clear golden liquid, like the essence of stars, connecting to the spiritual world.

These golden liquids blend perfectly into the beef broth, making every strand of ramen coated in the broth sparkle. The golden light overflows with countless colors, illuminating Bai Zhou's face.

"Your [Enlightenment Potion]."

With a "thud," Crow slammed the gleaming lunchbox onto the table.

The advertising slogan on the box, "Crafted with a century of dedication, handmade large bowl of ramen," is eye-catching.

A glowing...golden beef noodle soup?

Faced with Bai Zhou's greatly shocked gaze, Ya nodded calmly: "You're welcome."

Bai Zhou, holding a ramen bowl that gleamed with gold, was so blinded by its light that he couldn't open his eyes. "Becoming an extraordinary being can be achieved just by eating a bowl of noodles?"

“This is a ‘ritual’.”

Raven nodded. "At midnight, take the Enlightenment Potion in front of the mirror, and your 'spirit' will be able to steal knowledge from the reflection in the mirror, thus anchoring your own destiny."

"...Steal?" Bai Zhou asked, puzzled.

"What do you think the extraordinary are?" Raven asked. "Transcendent beings, high above, gods among men?"

"—None of them."

She shook her head. "The Hermetic philosopher, the extraordinary Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche who spearheaded the destruction of the Faustian Black Cult, said—"

"All extraordinary beings are pathetic scoundrels who steal the secrets of the world."

"They shamelessly dig up the remnants of history and despicably steal power from the other side of the Earth. A powerful extraordinary being is first and foremost an outstanding archaeologist and a skilled tomb raider, because everything they have comes from here."

As he spoke, the crow pointed to the electric light overhead:
"Even the technological development of human civilization as a whole today, such as steam, atomic energy, and quantum theory, all come from the excavation and sorting of the remnants of previous civilizations by extraordinary individuals."

"Compared to some lost ancient civilizations, our current five-thousand-year history of civilization is nothing more than a toddler taking its first steps."

“Lost civilization.” Bai Zhou suddenly remembered the golden ticket he possessed and couldn’t help but ask, “Have you heard of the Zhuluo Era? Is it considered a lost civilization?”

Jurassic period?

Crow paused for a moment, then smiled. "That's too much to ask. The era when dinosaurs were everywhere was indeed ancient and lost, and it's definitely not in the history books."

After all, back then it was all reptiles, and there wasn't a single intelligent life to be found.

I don't know where Bai Zhou heard about the Jurassic period, but I should find him a copy of "100,000 Whys" when I have the chance.

"Dinosaur?"

"Yes, a huge reptile, like a large lizard."

"Oh……"

So Bai Zhou began to imagine Irina riding a dinosaur.

...That ragged empress, riding a spinning wheel, was once so majestic?
The aroma of coffee flashed past Bai Zhou, his clothes fluttering as he strode towards the bathroom.

"The end of everything is gathered on the far side of the blue planet, where you can see relics from various eras and wandering ghosts."

"Whether it's the echoes of Atlantis or the ruins of the Golden Kingdom, countless remnants of lost civilizations are piled up here."

"—That is a hell that can never be seen by ordinary people, but it is also a paradise for the extraordinary."

"In the past, people called it Eden, Nibelungen, the Land of the Dead, and Shangri-La..."

With a "snap," Ya placed the anti-fog mirror, which he had taken from the bathroom, in front of Bai Zhou.

"—And now, people call it the Reflection Ruins."

“The Reflection of the Ruins…” Bai Zhou looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes widening slightly.

At first, he noticed Crow's special ability because he felt that Crow had a way to find Night City in the Reflection Ruins again.

Now he finally heard news of the Reflection Ruins, only to discover that it was far more mysterious than he had imagined.

"Unfortunately, even if you drink the potion, you will not be qualified to explore the Reflection Ruins until you have completely stabilized your destiny and become a qualified Extraordinary."

Seeing through Bai Zhou's thoughts, Ya mercilessly poured cold water on Bai Zhou's ideas.

“Wancheng is on the edge of the Reflection Ruins, but the Reflection Ruins is not Wancheng.”

"The walls that the Blood Worship Cult painstakingly built back then were like a fence for raising livestock, but they also protected you. The real Reflection Ruins are full of dangers, and ordinary people can hardly survive, let alone explore them."

As he spoke, the crow pointed to the reflective mirror.
"It allows ordinary people to communicate with the reflected Void Realm behind the mirror through rituals, and safely steal power from the Void Realm in the gap between the real world and the Void Realm..."

"That is precisely where the greatest 'miracle' of the Enlightenment Potion lies."

……

Afterwards, the Crow Gang made many preparations for Bai Zhou, and before they knew it, it was dawn.

23 points.

The lights were turned off, the burning candles flickered on the dim floor, and the remaining orange segments and cucumber slices were arranged in a Big Dipper pattern, with drops of rose essential oil from the bathroom dripping onto them.

The candlelight illuminated the raven's face. "[The Apocalyptic Ritual], used in conjunction with the Enlightenment Potion, is a simplified version of the [Eleusine Ritual] of a secret sect in ancient Greece three thousand years ago."

"This is... the world outside Wancheng?" Bai Zhou asked, somewhat lost in thought.

Is this Earth?
“This is just the beginning,” Ke Ya shook his head.

"You lack so much in rituals and secret techniques. Once you awaken your destiny, I will give you special training. You must be prepared for arduous cultivation afterward!"

"Special training!" Bai Zhou's heart skipped a beat.

"However, in return, as long as you endure the special training and meet my requirements, you will undergo a complete transformation!"

“At least, surpassing most of the Special Administration’s elites who rely on the mechanical boxes shouldn’t be difficult.” Raven’s expression was calm, and his tone was very indifferent. “In the event of a possible Blood Cult attack later, you will also have the resources to protect yourself.”

"--If something really happens at that time, the higher authorities will definitely pay attention to this place, and that will be your chance to make a contribution."

Bai Zhou's heart pounded as he listened.

He sensed the raven's confidence and became even more curious about its identity.

clang--

The chimes echoed, and outside the window, the clock tower in the center of the base broke the silence of the night.

The ceremony begins at 24:00.

“Now,” said the raven. “Use the spell on the mirror!”

Bai Zhou responded by picking up his chopsticks, scooping up the glistening ramen noodles, and putting them into his mouth.

Then, Bai Zhou recited the newly learned mysterious incantation onto the mirror—

“Abrete Sesamo!”

According to the crow, the original meaning of this tongue-twisting incantation is:

"Open Sesame."

As the incantation was chanted, the golden ramen melted in his mouth, turning into a warm current that rushed in. With a "boom," Bai Zhou's brain seemed to explode, and he felt as if he were floating in a sea of ​​stars, feeling blissful.

The surrounding air seemed to stagnate and become viscous. Whispering, furtive voices echoed in my ears. The voices were deep, distant, mysterious, and strange, accompanied by a rhythmic, odd song that reverberated repeatedly.

Bai Zhou felt a splitting headache. He tried to stay rational, but he couldn't resist the urge to continue listening to the whispers.

The lights were dim, the shadows were thick, and a pervasive mist swept through the mirror, creating a chaotic, hazy, and boundless atmosphere that engulfed the world reflected in the mirror.

Everything in the mirror was blurred; the only clear figure in the fog was Bai Zhou's own reflection.

Large wisps of gray mist surged and overflowed from the edge of the mirror, spilling down to the feet of the white boat.

Bai Zhou was drawn to his reflection in the mirror.

The next second, the "white boat" in the mirror smiled at him.

“…?!” Bai Zhou’s hair stood on end.

Suddenly, the image in the mirror changed drastically.

The gray fog disappeared, and the blank-faced "White Boat" stood in place. The clutter in the dormitory room reappeared in the mirror, and the figure of a crow was still behind it.

The chaotic, overlapping murmurs subsided, and the surroundings became very quiet, with drifting mist flowing around us like water.

...Mist?
Bai Zhou suddenly awoke, looked down and realized that he was on the edge of an endless gray fog.

I... ended up inside the mirror?
(End of this chapter)