Forge a path to success

Forge a path to success

Author: Prince2326

Summary:

Summary:

The world is a vast ocean of nothingness. The world is a tiny speck of dust in the ocean.

Above the heavens, the abyss looms, beneath the dark moon, heretics gaze. Ancient beings forge ahead, illuminating the path of ascension with the candlelight of civilization. Martial arts, remnants of the mind, and the commandments; natural disasters, immortal insects, and truth... The world is filled with dangers, but also with equal parts destiny and opportunity.

Chu Hengkong stepped into the Endless Dust Island. He had no intention of becoming a god, but only wanted to dominate himself in the troubled times.

——He wants to use his tentacles to strangle fate by the throat!

(Reader group 980497014, book lovers are welcome to join the group for casual chat)

Chapter 1 Tentacle Killer

Chu Hengkong opened his eyes and found himself in a strange summoning ritual.

Dim candlelight flickered in the secret chamber. Blood and ink seeped into the floor along the carved lines, forming a triple-ringed magic circle. White-robed figures stood around the circle, their thin, pale forms resembling humanoid worms. The worms' leader wore a purple pendant and held a large silver book; his voice was exceptionally loud, his chanting like thunder:

"Hear my call. Compiler of the Primal Spirit Scrolls! Master of the Abyss's Wisdom! Great Demonic Eye, Touch of Inquiry..."

The titles that followed grew increasingly longer, like a challenge to recite the names of dishes in some otherworldly realm. Chu Hengkong silently memorized them while idly observing his surroundings. There was nothing else to do at the moment, because he seemed not to have "appeared" yet—he could only perceive but could not move, and even his perspective was fixed at the center of the triple circle, as if he had been compressed into a sheet of paper with no thickness.

There were 13 people in total, dressed in white robes that offered no protection, and most of them carried daggers, clubs, spears, and other melee weapons. Their formation was very unprofessional, resembling a private army from a local religious sect. The surrounding space was small, with only one door ten meters in front of them as an entrance, leaving them nowhere to escape.

Not a threat.

As Chu Hengkong drew his conclusion, the Summoner's challenge of reciting a menu in one breath finally came to an end. His face had turned a deep purplish-red, but he still managed to hold his breath, forcing out the last breath from his lungs with sheer willpower: "...Sovereign, mysterious, omniscient God! Grant us wisdom with your sacred runes, and redeem this despairing world!"

The long chanting ended, and the summoning ritual was complete. The great silver book flew into the air, its blank pages rapidly turning. Though it was merely turning the pages, it unleashed a deafening roar of wind. A true storm swept through the chamber, not only blowing away the heavy iron candlesticks but also lifting all thirteen believers into the air. They saw the magic circle in the storm turn into a twilight-like yellow, and an indescribable being emerged from the twilight, emitting the first ray of light of a great being descending upon the turbulent realm!

"They've...they've descended!" the great wizard Alex roared excitedly. "The gods have descended!!"

Despite being tossed about by the storm, the fanatics strained their eyes, welcoming the divine majesty with devout hearts. They meticulously pieced together the indescribable, magnificent form: the left arm shimmering with a mysterious silver light, the unsettlingly flesh-colored skin, the maddeningly monotonous green coat, the hair as deep as night, and the face as serene as a mirror…

The appearance of the deity truly surpassed human imagination, and a fanatical believer couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment:

"...How come it doesn't look like a human being?"

Then the twilight within the magic circle receded, and the gale abruptly stopped. The fanatics, who had been flying wildly around the room, crashed to the ground with a series of screams of pain. Alex, who had flown the highest, also crashed the hardest. Upon landing, he immediately caught the silver book and was about to roar at the intruder when he suddenly stopped: "Wait! Look!"

The fanatics' eyes all focused on a certain spot, their expressions becoming astonished and uncertain as the great wizard's. Chu Hengkong ignored the fanatics' reactions and let out a long sigh of relief. His body and five senses, which had once disappeared, had returned, and he could move freely again. The difference between him and before was like a paper doll returning to a three-dimensional person with flesh and blood; the contrast was like being reborn.

Being able to move around is always a good thing, but the current problem is...

He slowly shifted his gaze, meeting the staring, dumbfounded fanatics in the same spot. Their eyes converged on the area below Chu Hengkong's left sleeve cuff, where a slender, silvery-white section covered in slime was visible—

tentacle.

Chu Hengkong quickly rolled up his left sleeve and saw that the silver had traveled from his limbs all the way to his shoulder. The part below his shoulder, which had previously been called his "left arm," was now a thin strip of material. This unexpected and wondrous change shocked him for a full second.

What the hell?! How did my arm get like this?!

It was a tentacle, clearly a tentacle from any angle. No fingers, no bones, let alone joints, yet it could move. All I could perceive was a flexible, boneless "muscle" moving, not a normal contraction but a wriggling motion—the kind of wriggling an insect makes when it stretches its body and lunges forward a long distance… and the tip of this thing had a sticky secretion! With a bigger movement, the mucus swished around like snot!

This was precisely the reason for the fanatics' astonishment and uncertainty. Everyone suspected that this was some unfortunate soul who had intruded into the summoning ritual, yet he also possessed that incomparably beautiful and magnificent tentacle. Perhaps the omniscient god's aesthetic sense was different from that of foolish humans, and he deliberately shaped his own body in this way?

Hesitant and uncertain, no one dared to make a move. At this moment, Chu Hengkong raised his tentacle, and the fanatical believers held their breath, thinking that if it was truly the deity himself descending, then this would be his first divine decree.

"How ugly!" Chu Hengkong exclaimed.

This candid remark caused everyone's expressions to change drastically; their faces contorted with rage and their eyes filled with ferocity, as if they had been publicly insulted. The next moment, the great wizard Alex roared: "How dare you insult the divine! Kill this fool who has disrupted the ritual! Use his flesh and blood to sacrifice to the tentacles of the gods!!"

The fanatics drew their weapons in unison, their ferocity turning into murderous intent. Intrusions were common occurrences during summoning; they had prepared a contingency plan. If the god failed to fully descend, they would immediately kill the intruder and use a portion of the descended divine body for a second summoning.

At that moment, the three closest to Chu Hengkong launched a simultaneous attack. The one directly in front raised his crossbow to fire, the burly follower on his right thrust forward with a spear, and the one behind drew his dagger, aiming straight for Chu Hengkong's back. They deliberately avoided the tentacles, each strike aimed at vital organs, showing no hesitation whatsoever in killing him.

At the same time, a flash of silver light caught everyone's eye.

The silver light, like an unusual bolt of lightning, descended from the sky, spreading into a dazzling ring among the crowd. The three who struck first were instantly sent flying upon touching the ring, and the breaths of the fanatics stopped.

They saw the silver ring's true form. It was a tentacle raised high and then slashing down, as fast as lightning and as powerful as a tidal wave. Three adults were sent flying with a single touch, and the tentacle's spinning had not stopped; its range was even extending!

The silver tentacles were highly elastic, their length increasing dramatically with the force applied. This distance was enough to strike everyone in the secret chamber, and the fanatics hurriedly used their weapons to protect their heads and other vital organs. However, Chu Hengkong lowered his body, bent one leg in a crouch, and his second spinning attack aimed directly at the lower bodies of the crowd, the silver trajectory sweeping across the entire area.

This was probably the longest sweeping leg kick in history, with an astonishing radius of five meters. The fanatics were instantly sent flying; they never imagined that humans possessed such strength, enough to sweep away thirteen adult men with a single hand. This time, however, they didn't land easily, because the swirling of the tentacles continued.

Chu Hengkong straightened up, causing his swirling tentacles to rise even higher. He was like a madman throwing a hammer in a sealed room; the excessive acceleration turned his tentacles into incredibly sharp blunt weapons. The resounding impacts of flesh striking flesh filled the air, creating a silver whirlwind within the chamber!

When the whirlwind subsided, only one man survived. The great wizard Alex stood pressed against the wall of the chamber, a large silver book in one hand and an amethyst pendant in the other. The sturdy book served as a shield, protecting him from the tentacles' lashes, while the amethyst pendant enhanced his senses, allowing him to see his enemies' movements clearly.

Alex seized the moment the attack ceased and leaped from the enemy's right. He released the pendant and instead gripped a jet-black cane, crafted from Blackfire Stone from a distant volcano, renowned for its extraordinary hardness; even steel doors would groan at its blows. At this angle, the tentacles couldn't immediately provide support; he needed to seize the opportune moment to finish off his enemy.

His hand froze in mid-air as another powerful force intercepted and struck. It was Chu Hengkong's instep! His right leg shot up like a dragon taking flight, and the fierce kick sent the cane flying in an instant. The immense force caused the cane to crack and shatter into countless fragments.

Chu Hengkong followed up with a powerful kick, his heel striking Alex's shoulder. The great wizard was knocked to the ground by the blow. He looked up and saw the young man bathed in black dust, his eyes sharp as a dagger.

"Who exactly are you?" Alex's voice trembled.

The young man delivered the final blow with his tentacles and shrugged at the unconscious great wizard.

"My name is Chu Hengkong, and I'm an assassin."

Chapter 2 Dragon City

Chu Hengkong has seen a lot in his short career. He has fought wild beasts in the old forests of the northeastern border, and also killed enemies in the labyrinthine sewers of Paris. He has risked his life to fight drug dealers' private soldiers in the alleys of South America, and also visited ancient dojos in Japan to duel with Aikido masters.

Having faced countless life-or-death situations, I've gradually become less concerned with supernatural beliefs. While I wouldn't say I was born and raised under the red flag and bathed in spring breezes, I'm still a staunch materialist. Yet, my firmly established worldview, solidified over many years, suffered a tremendous blow in less than five minutes—

The ceremony I just witnessed... it looked like it was performed by supernatural forces, didn't it?

He was fishing peacefully at sea when, in the blink of an eye, he was "summoned" to this secret room. The process of his movement was utterly inexplicable. And the new left arm that appeared out of nowhere was even more absurd. Normally, when someone goes to the hospital to have a tooth pulled, they at least get anesthesia. Who would believe that an arm could turn into a tentacle in the blink of an eye?

"This is really weird." Chu Hengkong clicked his tongue, then vigorously shook Alex's robe.

While his mind was racing, his hands weren't idle either. In less than three minutes, he had thoroughly searched the entire secret chamber, leaving behind several watches, tobacco of unknown origin, a few transparent beads, and a purple pendant. The final loot was Alex's personal belongings. Chu Hengkong was quite certain that the great wizard's skills were insufficient to allow him to evade the sweeping tentacles, but after grasping the pendant, he seemed to have preordained it and took evasive action.

It was at that very moment that the necklace emitted a faint glow.

Chu Hengkong casually wrapped the pendant around his right wrist, hoping it would come in handy. He'd exhausted all the usable items in the secret room, and he wasn't too surprised to find everything unfamiliar. The tobacco smelled like moldy bananas, the transparent beads contained swirling water, and the "numbers" on the watch looked like pretty scribbles.

There were no newspapers or books around, so the available information was extremely limited. The only clue that hadn't been investigated yet was the large book used by the high priest during his rituals.

Unlike the clutter in the room, the book looked exquisite and refined. The large, hardcover book was about half the thickness of a dictionary, with a smooth, pale white fabric covering the hard cover. In the center of the cover, a single eye was embroidered with silver thread. The composition of the eye was simple yet lifelike, giving one the illusion of being looked back at at first glance.

Chu Hengkong quickly flipped through the silver-eyed book, discovering that all the pages were blank, the crumpled paper emitting a musty smell, as if it had been soaking in seawater for three to five years. The only writing was hidden on the title page, an entire paragraph blurred by moisture, with only a few severely distorted words barely discernible:

Knowledge...wisdom...eyes...touch...

Mysterious...the realm of slumber..."

The bottom word is highlighted in bold, and the bright red lettering is very enticing: "Summon"!

Chu Hengkong slammed the large book shut, stuffed it into his coat, and walked out of the secret room without looking back. His expression wasn't good; even the most thick-skinned person would have some doubts seeing this.

This is clearly a relic of some unknown evil god! A bunch of idiots were just looking at you with expressions of "you ruined the summoning ritual," but if this summoning ritual had actually succeeded, some giant tentacle monster tens of meters tall would probably have descended to earth on the spot to feast on you. The first thing the god would eat would be you fools!

What made Chu Hengkong even more upset was that he could read these unfamiliar characters effortlessly, his reading fluently as if it were his native language. He decided to ponder this matter more carefully when he had time, after all, there was a more important task than his newly acquired reading ability: figuring out where he was now, and whether this place was still Earth.

Outside the sealed room was a long, straight staircase leading upwards. The environment was dark and unlit, and he couldn't hear any other sounds. Chu Hengkong's cell phone had no signal, so satellite positioning was useless; he had to rely on the environment to determine his direction. He tried to shorten his tentacles and used his right hand to support himself against the wall as he moved forward step by step. The damp, sticky feeling on his hands and the ground and under his shoes made him realize that the floor and walls were covered in water droplets. The enclosed space was cold and damp, so thick that it felt like it could seep into his skin and rust his bones.

Chu Hengkong smiled, finding a sense of familiarity in this unfamiliar environment. This was what the southern region of his homeland, the Huinan region, looked like: a windowless, enclosed room with stairs leading straight up, indicating he was most likely in a basement. Then he thought of the books reeking of the sea, and the fanatical followers of the evil god…

The dilapidated village, the fishy smell of the sea breeze, the superstitious locals—this was likely a small village in a coastal area. He'd smashed up at least a dozen such run-down places during previous missions, so his confidence was even greater. A few breaths later, he reached the end of the long staircase. The door wasn't vertical; instead, it opened like a skylight in the ceiling. Chu Hengkong wasn't intimidated by this anomaly. He pushed the door open and peeked out of the basement.

A chilling wind howled in, strong enough to blow trees away. Chu Hengkong had just leaped out of the passage with a somersault, but before he could even see his surroundings, he was sprawled on the ground like a salted fish. A cold light, carrying a murderous aura, slashed towards him, tearing through the air above his head.

The cold light appeared and disappeared without a trace, moving with incredible speed, as ethereal and undetectable as if blown by the wind. Immediately following, similar sounds of wind arose one after another, and gusts of cold light swept in. Chu Hengkong instinctively sensed something was wrong. He squinted and focused his gaze. As his eyes adjusted to the light, the surrounding environment gradually became clear, its reality leaving his mind blank.

That wasn't light at all; it was a multitude of rusty weapons! Great axes, longswords, sturdy spears, sharp swords… countless blades howled through the wind, transforming into a torrent of death above the secret chamber's exit. And the wind wasn't real wind either; it was a tsunami-like surge, with thousands of tons of seawater carrying the weapons rushing through the air. The current was so close to Chu Hengkong that if he leaped, he would fall into the water.

Chu Hengkong swallowed hard. He cautiously extended his body and crawled forward amidst the tide of weapons. After crawling about fifty meters, he found a gap where he could barely stand. Chu Hengkong carefully got up and tried to look around.

He found no safety, only more weapons flying through the air like flocks of migrating birds in autumn. The tide of swords and spears was everywhere, the entire sky filled with this maddening spectacle. No, there was no sky; the colorless current formed a thick curtain of water—that was the "sky" here!

As he stood up, his vision broadened, and Chu Hengkong saw even more. He saw dilapidated buildings standing tall beneath the water curtain, layered upon each other like a mountain city. From the tops of the tallest buildings, white lines reached into the water curtain, like fishhooks "fishing" away weapons and armor. Countless old buildings hid in the shadows of the high-rises, and the light behind their windows flickered like firelight, illuminating the dark night.

Where the frenzied water curtain surged, a slender, snake-like white shadow danced. Chu Hengkong tried to grasp the purple pendant, and the relic that enhanced his senses activated at this moment, allowing him to see the true form of the white shadow.

It was a dragon! A white dragon as long as a ladder to the heavens! Its long body swam through the curtain of water, moving alongside weapons without being harmed in the slightest. Its pair of azure eyes shone like stars, its gaze visible even from a thousand miles away. The white dragon rode the eddies, like a guardian deity embracing the capital city beneath the currents.

Chu Hengkong was completely stunned. The worldview he had cultivated over the past 22 years was shattered by those few seconds of looking down at him. He moved his lips, making a dry sound.

"Holy crap... I really time-traveled?"

“That’s right. Welcome to Dragon City, the place where fates intersect, the capital of ancient dragon migrations.” A clear female voice sounded behind him. “Now, please turn around slowly so we can see you clearly.”

Chu Hengkong slowly turned around with an unbelievable calm. Ten meters away stood a beautiful blonde girl, holding a gleaming golden shield. Ten burly men wearing strange masks stood behind her, each fully armed and carrying a gun; each looked like a ruthless fanatic.

All eyes were fixed on Chu Hengkong's left arm, staring at the gleaming silver tentacle. The blonde girl flashed her ID, grinning, her small fangs reflecting a dangerous glint.

"I am Ji Huaisu, captain of the Resurrection Force. Unfortunately, you have been arrested for your involvement in a demon summoning ritual."

Chapter 3 Striving for Employment

"Is that his 'skillful hand'?"

“I heard he’s a demon possessed…” another person whispered.

Some people are worried: "It's too dangerous to let a demon-possessed person into headquarters."

"What's there to be afraid of? Captain Huaisu is personally overseeing things; what can possibly go against the heavens?"

Curious or worried gazes were fixed on Chu Hengkong's arm. The white tactical mask concealed people's expressions, but could not hide the deep hostility in their eyes. Chu Hengkong was oblivious to this. He carefully observed everything around him, as focused as a tourist visiting a metropolis for the first time.

The battle with the fanatics had taken place half an hour earlier. After encountering him amidst the tide of weapons, the blonde woman, Ji Huaisu, took him to the "Resurrection Force" operations headquarters.

This was a brightly lit hall. Large bulletin boards on the walls were covered with menacing wanted posters, each bearing a hefty sum of money. Masked officers, armed with various weapons, stood or sat, scrutinizing Chu Hengkong as if he were a criminal.

"Make way! There's an injured person!"

Suddenly, urgent shouts rang out, and people immediately made way. Two masked team members ran past carrying a stretcher. The injured man on the stretcher groaned in pain; his injuries were extremely severe, with mangled organs and bone fragments protruding from the wounds, as if his chest and abdomen had been torn apart by the fangs of a wild beast.

Chu Hengkong noticed that Ji Huaisu pursed her lips at that moment. She hurriedly walked into a corridor to the side of the hall and opened the iron door of the interrogation room. The room contained only a long table and a few chairs, and Chu Hengkong obediently sat down at the end of the long table.

Neither spoke; they had already briefly introduced themselves on the way. Chu Hengkong was an assassin, while Ji Huaisu belonged to the "Resurrection Unit," the local police. They silently observed each other, like swordsmen in a duel, searching for the perfect moment to strike.

Ji Huaisu found it strange. There were many extraordinary people in Huilong City, but this was the first time she had seen someone like this. The man wore a dark green hooded coat and looked like any ordinary student. His demeanor was peaceful to the point of being docile. He had countless opportunities to attack or escape along the way, yet he had cooperated relentlessly without the slightest resistance. It was hard to imagine that such a person had killed Alex and his followers with his bare hands, but the fanatics' gruesome injuries were enough to prove his brutality.

Chu Hengkong had a similar thought running through his mind. He thought that compared to his fully armed subordinates, this girl's attire was surprisingly casual. She had her long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a white sports vest with a brown waistcoat, and only light denim shorts on her lower body. This outfit was suitable for any female college student who loved sports, and it was good for showing off her tall and proud figure, but it was clearly not related to special forces at all.

But he hadn't forgotten the gleaming golden shield in her hand; that was probably another kind of supernatural power, like the eerie "summoning spell" of a great wizard. The fact that such an unprofessional person could be the leader meant she was stronger than all her subordinates.

Chu Hengkong silently prepared his speech. Negotiations are like a duel between masters; the first move often sets the tone. Now, with the other side possessing ample intelligence, they were at a disadvantage. Saying too much would only lead to mistakes; it was better to observe their tactics first. Thinking this, Chu Hengkong nodded slightly. The girl opposite him also received this signal and, without hesitation, made the first move.

"Do you eat roast goose rice noodles?" Ji Huaisu asked.

"……what?"

Chu Hengkong began to doubt his own judgment. What the hell was this strange turn of events? It was true that it was well past lunchtime, but shouldn't the police start with their usual routine of explaining what they were doing, where they came from, and where they were going? Besides, shouldn't we be explaining the concept of demons to this outsider after leaving the eerie ritual site?

Why did this girl skip the questioning and jump straight to the traditional "Are you hungry? I'll make you a bowl of noodles" part... How am I supposed to respond to that?

The iron gate opened, and someone indeed brought in a bowl of roast goose rice noodles. A whole roast goose leg lay generously on top of the noodles, its fat infused into the broth, releasing an enticing aroma. The delivery guy greeted him and left. Chu Hengkong's eyes twitched slightly: "No, thank you..."

"You really don't want to eat?" Ji Huaisu beamed. "That's great, it's mine! I haven't eaten all day and I was just thinking about having a midnight snack."

She picked up the bowl and started eating seriously. The girl ate with great relish, taking bites of goose meat and rice noodles, not even leaving a drop of soup; it was clear she was very hungry. Chu Hengkong felt a rather subtle regret amidst his astonishment. This regret was like missing out on the cafeteria's ribs because he was late leaving get off work at noon—it wasn't a big deal, but all afternoon his mind was filled with that plate of uneaten ribs.

"I..." Chu Hengkong silently rubbed his forehead, "Fine, you win. I admit this is the first time I've ever been interrogated like this..."

Ji Huaisu slurped on a goose leg bone: "What's the rush? You haven't caused any trouble on the way here. You're not stupid enough to cause trouble in our base, are you? You're ruthless enough to deal with the cultists, so why are you being so cooperative with me?"

“Living alone in another world is very challenging, and I don’t want to add another hellish start to my life as a ‘wanted criminal’.” Chu Hengkong took out his spoils and placed the transparent bead, tobacco, and watch on the table one by one, but did not touch the pendant and the silver-eyed book.

“Your men are very disciplined. They didn’t lay a hand on me, steal anything from me, or even handcuff me. I think the leader of such a group can’t be an unreasonable person,” Chu Hengkong said.

Ji Huaisu took out a pair of handcuffs and compared their size to the tentacle from a distance. The tip of the tentacle was only slightly thicker than a normal person's index finger; even if it was handcuffed tightly, it would slip out with a gentle pull.

"Unless you voluntarily tie a knot with your tentacles, what use is this thing against you?" Ji Huaisu said. "It's much easier if you still have rationality. Tell me about your next steps. You'll have an amputation first, then stay in the observation room for three months. After everything is confirmed to be normal, you can sign a confidentiality agreement and return to a normal life. Isn't that gentle?"

Chu Hengkong remained calm: "To chop off someone's arm just because of a suspicion is far too domineering."

"I'm asking you, which Dust Isle are you from? How come you don't even know your own situation?" the blonde girl gritted her teeth. "You're possessed by the Demon of Imagination! If you don't deal with it soon, your personality will be gone!"

“Maybe you’ve mistaken it for something else?” Chu Hengkong shook his tentacle. “I heard them say this is the ‘hand of the all-knowing god’…”

"It's a common misunderstanding among believers. An omnipotent creator, an all-knowing being, a great being... they love using words like that. But it has nothing to do with the devil's true intention; it's just that people see the illusion of what they crave in the devil," the third person said.