Forge a path to success.

Chapter 85 Wasteland of the Dead
The historical fog has begun to dissipate.

Resource recycling begins. Simulation calculations begin.

The resource recovery of test site YM1876 is scheduled to be completed after 1 hour, 47 minutes and 23 seconds.

It is scheduled to cross the fog of history and break through the time-space rift after 3 hours, 37 minutes and 18 seconds.

预定在3小时37分30秒后，开始对Z-3000-3号特异点进行实验。

预定在3小时39分00秒后，完成Z-3000-3号实验。

The plan is to annihilate all life forms within Test Site YM1876 in 3 hours, 39 minutes, and 05 seconds.

The prediction document has been submitted. To complete this special experiment, we are requesting centralized computing resources for upgrades.

【agree】

Computational resource recycling.

The construction of a secret formation.

3000/11/05，10:23:33，S-987572号魂容器开始升变。

·
Thump. Thump. The sound of heavy objects falling echoed continuously, raising dust in the mountains of Yingluo.

The sounds came from the unconscious beasts, from the corpses no longer under control. Lions plummeted off cliffs, snakes fell from treetops, and apes collapsed almost simultaneously, as if lost in an eternal dream. The experiment was about to end; they were no longer needed. Control was reclaimed, and the beast-like corpses were returned to their original forms.

Computational resources converged on the distant true machine. The pure white cauldron closed its eyes. A dazzling halo of light erupted from the cauldron, instantly forming a massive magic array spanning thousands of miles. Three concentric rings intersected seamlessly, yet no sealing runes were visible around them. Only the ancient cauldron stood revered in the center, gleaming amidst the dust, light, and shadow.

It was the most primitive formation, unprotected by any deity and unafraid of external invasion, achieving its transformation through sheer power and arrogance – the "Primordial Formation." Strange roars echoed through Yingluo Mountain, as uncontrolled beasts surged forth, countless corpses transforming into a tidal wave, seemingly drawn out of the mountain range, like a vast, black torrent soaring through the air. The corpses flew into the light, disappearing into the ancient cauldron at the center of the formation, like a faint ray of light returning to the sun.

Everything was so natural and so fluid, revealing the truth to outsiders in the most ruthless and direct way. This was the true appearance of the Realm of Submersion, where life perished in calamity, and their corpses were nourished by light.

The monk Bernfa nodded slightly, seemingly in respect. He glanced at Chu Hengkong and said, "You are very lucky, Mr. Chu. Generally speaking, the transformation of a True Mechanism into an Ultimate Body ends in an instant. It set up the formation in advance to better observe the mist, so you can witness such a spectacle before you leave."

"Mist?"

"Yes, the mist that protects this town. The peace of this tiny town should have lasted forever, but because of your intrusion, time, which had been stagnant, began to turn again. From that day on, the fate of Yingshi Town was sealed."

There was no intention of blame, nor any mockery or sarcasm. The monk was merely stating the facts. He glanced at the scripture and said, "You have 3 hours and 36 minutes to say goodbye. Keep the end of this place firmly in your heart. If you are lucky enough to meet old friends again, tell them what you have seen and heard. This is an incredible adventure. To witness a life that survives a true machine is a legend on any Dust Isle."

Bernhard turned around with his hands behind his back and strolled down the steps on the mountainside. Chu Hengkong was still standing on the mountaintop, gazing at the ancient cauldron in the light, his gaze unwavering even as his vision was about to be scorched.

How many of them are genuine weapons?

“This place is but a small corner of the divine kingdom; one true machine is enough to accomplish all missions,” the monk said. “No more is needed. Never more is needed.”

"What number is that point mass?" he asked, as if still trying to grasp at a last straw. "Point mass 3? Or something even higher..."

The monk did not answer; only a pitying laugh faded into the distance with his footsteps. Vande extended a tentacle from his pocket, speaking in a voice almost inaudibly.

“I remember now, that’s the cornerstone of the Empire of Truth…” Vande could hardly bear to speak, “Point 1, Soul Container.”

“Oh,” the assassin said, “so this can also be considered a point mass 1.”

The light stung his eyes, so the assassin simply closed them. He descended the steps and returned to the town in just ten minutes. The townspeople all gazed up at the light across the mountain, their expressions as expressionless as monks, for they already knew the outcome and felt no sorrow. They simply watched him again and again, silently telling the outsider: Go quickly. Go quickly.

There was really no conspiracy, nor was it any special folk custom. The reason for not eating or drinking was that they couldn't eat anymore, and the reason for not gathering in groups was to avoid revealing their true identities. Sending them to the church was to hope that the powerful monks could protect them. This desolate place had absolutely nothing to offer guests, so they had to ask the guest to search outside town to barely prepare any food to entertain them.

The long-dead souls clung to their last shred of dignity, grateful for the outside assassins, for their wicked corpses would finally be punished. That's why Xiang Fuzi was so happy. His body was finally dead; he could close his eyes with dignity as a human being, not a beast.

Chu Hengkong returned to the church and sat down in the open space. Vande, slumped dejectedly in his pocket, hesitated for a moment before trying to break the awkward atmosphere: "You can't blame Qisu... This land has been corrupted by heretics; teleportation is practically impossible. It's almost a miracle that we were even able to leave..."

"Ah."

“That… the monk is very powerful.” Van Der paused. “He has no reason to lie to us. Time is running out. Really, it’s running out.”

"Hmm." Chu Hengkong drew his rock sword and placed it on his lap. He ran his fingers over the blade inch by inch, and with a little effort, began to sharpen it.

His movements were swift yet meticulous; his well-trained body was as hard as rock, capable of sharpening the blade of a longsword. Seeing this, Van Der panicked, his tentacles trembling: "Dude! Calm down! Put your head back down!"

"I'm very calm. The reason I can't return to the city is because the heretics are here," Chu Hengkong said unhurriedly. "So, if I kill the heretics, can I go home?"

Van Der became even more agitated: "That's not the point at all! You! You're new here and don't understand. That's not something you can afford to mess with—"

“Vander, you said before that you left your hometown to travel,” he suddenly brought up an unrelated topic, “Why did you want to travel?”

Van Der was utterly bewildered, wondering what had triggered this neurotic fellow this time. Afraid of saying something that might upset the madman, he cautiously said, "It's just... I want to go out and see the world. The world is vast, the oceans are expansive, and life is so short. To be able to go to so many places but only stay cooped up on a small, dusty island feels like a waste of my life... I don't have a clear goal like you, and I don't aspire to become stronger or invincible. I'm happy just writing down interesting things in my notebook."

“That’s great. You have a broad perspective, you can see much further than I can.” Chu Hengkong smiled. “I’m different. I don’t like traveling. I once tried traveling during a holiday, taking a nine-hour ferry ride alone from Italy to a small town in Greece. It’s a great place for a vacation. You can sit in a small tavern for an entire afternoon. There are so many things to see and photograph. You can easily gather enough stories to talk about for a year just by staying there for a few days. Sitting on the mountaintop, you can see white rooftops and the azure Dead Sea, with tourists walking on the stone paths picking out gilded jewelry.”

“But I didn’t do anything. I brought a travel guidebook—smartphones weren’t as good back then—but after flipping through it for a while, I put it back in my suitcase. There were so many places to go and so many things to do that I was overwhelmed. I spent half the day sunbathing on the mountaintop, and finally went back to my hotel room to practice boxing.” Chu Hengkong sheathed his long sword. “The next day, I took a boat back to the family, ending my vacation early. I took out three targets that day, and that night I took my brothers to the old bar for drinks. It was all mundane stuff, but much more enjoyable than being on the beach.”

Vande listened quietly. It didn't know what place the assassin was talking about, but it could sense the helplessness and self-deprecation in his voice. Such a person sounded truly pathetic, having plenty of time yet not knowing what to do with it, even going on vacation felt like torture.

“Do you understand, Vande? It was just a small coastal town, but to me it felt incredibly vast, like looking down at a city from a sea of ​​clouds. The world was clearly vast, yet I felt empty beneath my feet. Walking on the cobblestone streets, I felt like a wandering ghost, my feet never touching the ground, because no one there needed me. In that place, my strength and my personality were meaningless. I was no different from the other tourists, just a passerby, a phantom.” He said calmly, “But when I was in the family, every day someone would urgently come to me saying, ‘Brother Chu, we’re in trouble, there’s a tough nut that needs my personal intervention.’ Even if I did nothing but lie in the lobby and daydream, everyone was happy, because their presence gave them a sense of security. Isn’t that what meaning and value are all about? We toil in this world, and all we want and desire is just this much.”

Fan De hesitated several times, seemingly wanting to speak, and sat there blankly on the ground. Chu Hengkong looked at him and laughed.

"When I first arrived in Yingshi Town, I felt the same as when I was on vacation. I could practice, I could hunt, I needed to familiarize myself with your uses, and I needed to find my way home. So many choices were laid out in front of me that I felt overwhelmed, like the list of attractions in a tourist brochure. I felt like I should do them, but it also felt like I was just completing a task. That feeling of emptiness was more tormenting than any kind of hunger."

“And now I can finally settle down. I don’t have to worry about that travel guide anymore; I see what I should be doing.” Chu Hengkong stood up. “My purpose has returned.”

At this moment, he actually seemed somewhat happy, no longer the silent, taciturn bystander. Vande was about to reach its limit, twisting its tentacles back and forth: "So this is why you've gone mad? Just for some vague, meaningless purpose? I don't see anyone here who needs you to die..."

“There are hundreds of innocent souls here. They lived ordinary lives, doing nothing wrong, yet they've fallen to this state. Where is their justice?” Chu Hengkong sheathed his sword. “In three hours, all the souls will be dead. After three hours, no one will know that there was once a Ying Shi Town in the Divine Kingdom, and that all those people were killed by the Empire. Bernfa is determined to stand by and watch, so I must go up there. Who else but me can help them get justice?”

“I could walk away, but I’ll remember this for the rest of my life. I’ll remember until I die that I turned around and ran away, barely surviving on the bones of the dead. That kind of life was so pathetic, like a coward.”

The man laughed, his facial muscles twitching, drawing out sharp, knife-like lines: "I've practiced martial arts to this day because I don't want to live a pathetic life!"

Fan De was completely dumbfounded. He finally understood Chu Hengkong's thoughts. After spending more than ten days together, his understanding of this person was not as profound as it had been in these five minutes.

This assassin... is an idiot who's extremely hard on himself!
He wouldn't allow himself to waste time, wouldn't allow himself to live a mediocre life, even if he ended up in the deepest mountains and forests, he would still cling to a meaningless pursuit. He wouldn't allow himself the slightest regret or remorse, which is why he learned martial arts, which is why he craved power. This demanding and stubborn nature turned him into a steel blade. The blade was unwilling to remain silent in its sheath, so it would always actively seek out the battlefield. The blade didn't know what turning back meant, so it didn't know what it meant to take a step back and see the bigger picture. It only felt that taking a step back would lead to lifelong regret! Even if there was an earthquake or a tsunami ahead, it would still carry its blade and charge forward, engaging in a life-or-death duel with whatever the heavens and earth were collapsing.

He needed meaning even in his daydreaming, which was why he loved fishing so much. If he escaped from here, he wouldn't be able to live his life, so he had to stand up, even if it meant dying with the dead, rather than spending the rest of his life in regret. He shone like a giant chasing the sun.

Chu Hengkong sheathed his longsword, strode out of the church, and casually tossed aside the Silver-Eyed Book. Vande instinctively raised his tentacle, caught his own manual, and then picked up a bunch of beautiful flowing beads.

"I have to go do what I need to do now. You go and finish your journey too." The assassin waved his hand. "Sorry for taking your tentacles. I'll return them to you when we meet again."

Chu Hengkong was hit hard, and his shoulder ached a little. He turned around and caught the large book that was about to fall to the ground, while Fan De behind him had red eyes.

"You fucking...you're a real bastard!" Vande was furious. "I tried so hard to make you forget about it. Couldn't we just laugh it off and move on? At worst, we could just erect a monument for them after we're gone and grieve in silence. But now you've made it all so clear, what am I supposed to do? I'm leaving you to die alone. Don't I feel any guilt?! Can I just live without a care in the world?"

The demon stared at him fiercely, his voice clear and resonant: "You, Chu Hengkong, are a hero, but I, Fan De, am no coward either!"

Chu Hengkong stared at it as if it were their first meeting, then suddenly laughed, a hearty laugh. Fan De glared at him angrily, then laughed after a moment, a helpless laugh. They walked out together, laughing like two fools on the beach. Qi Su stared at them blankly, the bewilderment in his eyes turning into annoyance.

“What’s so funny…!” the girl gritted her teeth.

"Hey, Qi Su," Chu Hengkong said casually, "Are you content with living such a miserable life?"

Vande laughed too: "You think it's pathetic that such a nice town has fallen to this state?"

Qi Su was completely devastated. She clutched her head and let out a desperate wail: "How could this be?!"

“Alright. Let’s get moving.” The assassin patted her shoulder. “I’ll help you… kill it!”

(End of this chapter)