Forge a path to success

"Remains from medical treatment?" Chu Hengkong guessed.

"Is there anything else on your mind besides the relics?" Ji Huaisu grinned. "Hurry up and finish eating before we leave!"

·

The location of "Good Stuff" is not far from the haunted Gushui Street, and is also on Fuquan Street, where Chu Hengkong was assassinated the day before yesterday. This street is located behind the residential area, and most of the shops on the street are closed down. The high-rise buildings are all old buildings with no residents, making it one of the most deserted streets in the central courtyard.

But today, the dilapidated alley was bustling with activity that hadn't been seen in over a decade. Families lined up in neat rows, and the chatter of the elderly and the laughter of children made the place unusually noisy. Vendors, sensing a business opportunity, hurriedly pushed their carts to grab space, filling the air with the smell of cheap oil. Chu Hengkong even spotted a newspaper reporter on the rooftop, carrying a small table-sized "camera" and snapping photos of the new building.

The building that triggered the change was located in front of the crowd: a square hall with a white jade roof supported by red stone pillars. A majestic dragon sculpture perched on the roof, and a gleaming sign at the entrance read 26 Fuquan Street. Chu Hengkong clearly remembered that it had previously been an abandoned building slated for demolition, but in just two days, the steel bars and dust had vanished without a trace, and the dragon temple had risen from the ground, small in size but full of spirit.

"It was built so quickly." Chu Hengkong was slightly surprised.

“There’s no need to build it, it was already here,” Youyou said smugly. It was perched on Ji Huaisu’s head, its eyes brimming with a sense of accomplishment.

To avoid overwhelming the crowd, the two people and the snake circled around and entered the temple through a side door reserved for official personnel. Chu Hengkong had expected to see religious figures such as priests, pastors, or Taoist priests, but the temple's interior was remarkably simple, containing only a few staff members maintaining order and evenly distributed yellow magic arrays.

Ji Huaisu gave him an encouraging look, then stood in the middle of a magic circle, his tone strange: "...Should I pray?"

"Can praying cure illnesses in your hometown?" Ji Huaisu asked with a curious expression.

"No."

"It's the same here. Don't move around, it'll be over soon."

The yellow magic circle flashed a few times, and a gentle female voice rang in Chu Hengkong's mind: "Identification complete. Senior Detective Chu Hengkong, welcome to the Grassroots Temple. You currently have 62 injuries, including hidden spinal damage, muscle strain, soft tissue contusion, minor bone fracture, and internal bleeding. Please do not move and wait for divine healing."

As the notification sound appeared, the yellow light from the magic circle seeped into his body, warm and comforting like the sun. Chu Hengkong felt a lightness within him, the fatigue quickly faded, and even his mental exhaustion was soothed and calmed. He moved his body with delight; such subtle injuries usually required a long period of recuperation to heal, but the magic circle had completely healed his body's damage in just a few seconds.

"Treatment complete. You are welcome to come again anytime."

Chu Hengkong stepped out of the magic array and exclaimed in amazement, "What's the principle behind this?"

"I didn't expect you to be interested in the principles!" Youyou raised his head. "This involves the great ancient dragon totem belief system and the unique trendy techniques of this city—"

"Please explain in one sentence," Chu Hengkong quickly interrupted.

Youyou glared at him, while Ji Huaisu said with a grin, "Simply put, it's the divine power of Lord Huilong."

"I've never seen the miraculous dragon appear before."

“Because the city’s security was too bad before.” Ji Huaisu pursed his lips. “When the city prospers, the gods are strong; when the city declines, the gods are weak. Whether in the Divine Tree City-State or the Ancient Dragon City, the gods and the city are always interdependent.”

Previously, people didn't trust the City Lord's Mansion or respect the rules, so the temple couldn't exert its power. But recently, thanks to someone's outstanding performance, everyone has regained confidence in the city, and Lord Huilong can once again unleash his divine power.

This description was quite different from what he had imagined. In the stories Chu Hengkong had read, the so-called "gods" were either great beings beyond human comprehension or advanced life forms driven by spiritual energy such as faith and emotion. But the Huilong seemed more like a local earth god or a guardian deity of an ancient Greek city-state, requiring no worship or offerings but seeking prosperity for its territory; its prosperity and decline were intertwined, a kind of alternative symbiosis.

"A very friendly god," Chu Hengkong commented.

It leisurely flicked its tongue, its face seemingly tilting back to the sky. Chu Hengkong slowly added, "But if the huilong's combat power is also linked to the urban situation, then it's probably unreliable for now."

"What do you know? I... Lord Huilong is also very powerful!" Youyou immediately glared at him, and Ji Huaisu, used to this, reached out to comfort him.

Chu Hengkong smiled and said he hoped so, then walked briskly out of the temple. Passing a street stall, they bought some cheap fried skewers and happily ate them away from the crowd. The sky under the water curtain remained overcast, but a rare look of hope appeared on people's faces. Almost all the citizens in the queue had their families with them; the elderly needed recuperation, and children with weak immune systems needed prompt medical treatment. No matter how advanced society becomes, reliable medical care will always be the most needed thing for every family.

If you can get treatment, you can live; if you can live, there is hope.

“When I was young, there were many temples in Huilong City,” Ji Huaisu said. “But as the war went on, the temples gradually disappeared. Curing diseases required expensive medicines, and people without money could only try unclean herbs from the lower classes.”

She turned to look at Chu Hengkong, her clean smile like sunshine.

"This is the first temple to be rebuilt in the city in ten years. It's all thanks to you!"

Her lips still glistened with oil, and when she smiled, her pointed little tiger teeth were visible. She clearly had a pretty face, but could only be described as cute. Chu Hengkong's heart stirred slightly. He thought to himself that he had really seen something good. This kind of smile shouldn't appear in the workplace. Her eyes clearly showed no ulterior motives, and her youthful exuberance was like a burst of sunshine, capable of turning even the most gloomy heart into a dazzling golden hue.

"Just finishing my work." Chu Hengkong rubbed his nose. "I'm going on patrol now. Call me if you need anything."

"Hey~~ Why are you so shy today?" Ji Huaisu excitedly leaned over. "Can't handle praise and getting shy? Detective Chu, are you that thin-skinned?"

"Miss Ji, instead of joking around, you should get to work..."

Ji Huaisu's eyes lit up: "Youyou, did you hear that? He called me Miss Ji! This guy is really shy!"

Youyou turned her head away, thinking that no matter which Dust Island the humans were, they were all late bloomers, and even the most mature-looking people would make foolish mistakes.

But this is not bad either. A city only has hope when there's more young talent.

The young people walked into the crowd and began their work for the day. Detective Chu finally had a chance to show off his skills. He took down three small gangs and caught a wanted criminal that day, returning to headquarters to rest with a satisfied heart. He had truly gained fame, so much so that even wanted criminals would avoid him.

Only when the night is deep and quiet can the stalkers move in the dark.

The courtyard, west side. An old house, a candle, and six people with different appearances around a wooden table.

They were villains, and notorious killers at that, as evidenced by the weapons they carried and the murderous intent that occasionally flickered in their eyes. Everyone was wary of being murdered, fearing for their own heads to be taken as a reward, and thus they would never normally gather together. But today, the villains broke their rules because of the recent changes in the city, because they sensed their impending doom.

The room was eerily quiet. After an anxious wait, a man with large hands spoke first. His name had long been forgotten; people of all ages in the city called him "Hundred Hands."

“Those who should come have come, and those who shouldn’t have come have also arrived. Pharmacists never take on cases involving human lives, so why are you getting involved?” Bai Zhang asked.

On the left, the gloomy young man's voice was hoarse: "Once the temple is established, no one will come to me for treatment anymore, and no one will want to buy my poison."

Where's the gunman?

"To avenge my brother who's in jail." The middle-aged man sneered.

Bai Zhang nodded: "And what grudge do you two brothers have to avenge?"

Two tall, thin men squatted beside the table, their faces almost identical. They spoke at the same time: "The shrimp head with 120,000 was caught today. Shouldn't it be our turn with 130,000 tomorrow?"

"It'll be soon. My 170,000 will probably be due next week too." Bai Zhang sneered, looking at the head of the table. "I don't want to live like a rat hiding in the shadows. I'd like to ask the sage of the swamp for guidance."

So far, only the man in the main seat has remained silent. But his words are crucial, for it is this formidable man who has gathered the villains together. The man is draped in a white robe, his face hidden in shadow, and his voice is indistinct and slow, like bubbles rising from a swamp.

“The evil dragon is taking advantage of the situation to show off its power, so let’s teach it a lesson.”

He placed two iron boxes on the wooden table. The boxes were filled with deep blue beads that gleamed alluringly in the candlelight.

“I’ll give you one million Flowing Pearls,” the man in white said. “Five hundred thousand for Chu Hengkong’s ‘hand,’ and five hundred thousand for his life.”

Chapter 22 Murder in the City Center

"I'll send you on your way with this 'skillfully crafted' quick-firing gun... Impossible?!"

"He actually blocked a water gun bullet with his bare hand?!" "Amazing!" "No wonder he's the detective!"

Chu Heng clenched his fist, and in an instant, the wanted criminal fell to the ground. "Quick Gunner" Tatar relied on his heirloom pistol to wreak havoc, but even Mimori Nozomi's special weapon could not pose a threat to the detective's body.

·

"Everyone, split up and run! He's only one person; no matter how strong he is, he can't possibly catch us all!"

The thieves, having transformed their legs into springs, desperately leaped into the air. Impossible, impossible; fighting that tentacle-wielding man was like fighting a Calamity Knight—a suicide mission. But even he, with only one arm, had the advantage in jumping ability—

"how come?!"

The thieves in mid-air gasped in alarm. Look! The detective skillfully used lampposts and billboards to scale the rooftops with lightning speed, then leaped into the air. He reached a height greater than the thieves, his silver tentacles transforming into long whips that swept across the room. "Bouncing Man" Karat used his jumping ability to randomly rob people, but his demon-possessed, modified body was no match for the detective's leg strength.

·

"Your death is imminent, Chu Hengkong." The man with the shrimp-like head drew his long sword. "My 'Six Lines One-Sword Style' is a demonic blade that kills without shedding blood. You won't even have a chance to realize you've been struck—cough!"

"Shrimp Head's" longsword was shattered by a single punch, along with the red shrimp shell! What incredible strength! "Shrimp Head" Bu Shi 67 was a bloodthirsty killer, yet his sword couldn't cut through the detective's steel fist.

……

At the military headquarters, Jie An tore down three wanted posters in succession, his face expressionless: "I need to consider devaluing the bounty."

Chu Hengkong smiled and held out his hand: "20 after tax, please."

Jie An grumbled as he entered the warehouse, and soon came out with two small boxes, his face full of pain: "Slow down, Chief Inspector, if you keep going like this you'll empty the budget."

"It can't be that bad, can it? A government office like ours be short of money?"

"We lack money, manpower, and equipment—we lack everything. Otherwise, why would we have hired you?" Jie An said with a worried expression. "I'm not kidding, the bounty really will be reduced from now on. If you find any rare medicinal herbs, we can buy them at a high price."

Chu Hengkong tapped the beads one by one, and asked upon hearing this, "You still need medicine now that you have a temple?"

“…It’s not allowed for my personal preferences.” Jie An pulled down his hat. “What’s the Chief Detective having for dinner?”

After being promoted to senior detective, Chu Hengkong's treatment was completely upgraded, including a five-man squad under his command, a relic of a "walkie-talkie" (which looked like a handheld game console from the late 20th century) that could communicate instantly within the city, and a special daily meal prepared by the canteen chef. He hooked the box with his tentacles: "Let's go out to eat tonight."

"Just eat, don't be afraid of stuffing yourself to death." Jie An said sarcastically. Chu Hengkong just smiled and thought that this person had probably been in charge of accounts for too long, and his demeanor was like that of a stingy housekeeper. He walked out of the warehouse and came to the main hall of the headquarters, waving to the team members who had finished their shift: "Everyone, you've worked hard."

"It's not hard work for us to pick up the scraps," the team members said modestly. "Just running errands." After all, all the credit went to Detective Chu, and the few guys were just doing odd jobs, like giving directions, gathering intelligence, and running errands. It was really nothing. One of the more lively guys touched the box with the tattered beads: "It's so heavy, is Old Jie really giving us 20?"

"What reason is there to withhold money earned through one's own abilities?" Chu Hengkong retorted.

"It's so great to be skillful..." the team member rubbed his hands together enviously, "One day's work is worth a year's work for me."

"Envious?" Chu Hengkong flicked him. "If you're envious, practice your skills more. If you become more skillful, you'll earn more money."

The team member chuckled awkwardly, "Don't even mention it. I've been practicing for three years, and I still haven't mastered a single routine..."

The Dragon Township Fist Technique, with its three thousand forms, was never a secret or closely guarded technique of any sect. The Misty Fate Master spread this skill widely across countless Dust Islands so that more people could embark on the path of advancement. The Single Resurrection Troops regularly organize training sessions for their members, but the problem has never been a lack of places to learn…

It's not that I can't learn it!

According to Ji Qiufeng, to meet the requirements for advancement without relying on supernatural physical abilities, one must at least have mastered a set of martial arts techniques to a high level. Such a person would be a true martial arts master on Earth, easily a top-tier figure even in the Republic of China era. Martial arts requires talent; many people spend their entire lives without ever becoming a mediocre "expert," let alone the poor, struggling members of the Resurrection Army who lack even sufficient training time.

Therefore, Chu Hengkong did not laugh at them, but asked, "Aren't there other ways?"

"That's even less likely!" The team member shook his head. "One doesn't have exceptional talent, so he doesn't even qualify to join. The other needs extraordinary wisdom; otherwise, it'll all be for nothing..."

"Not necessarily. Even without wisdom, you can still rely on your vast wealth!" another person joked.

"If I had that kind of money, why would I be working a job now?"

"It's always good to dream~"

Seeing that the shopkeepers were becoming increasingly dejected, Chu Hengkong decided to end the conversation quickly. He lifted the beaded box and tapped it, producing a clear, resonant sound.

"I got my bonus today, so I'm treating everyone to dinner," Chu Hengkong said. "Locals, please recommend some good places!"

These words dispelled the gloom, and everyone became eager to try it out. For the brothers who ate in the canteen every day, eating out was a delightful thing. Someone recommended barbecue, someone slyly suggested beef on Rich Street, and a young man strongly recommended the bullfrog restaurant near his home... In the end, everyone unanimously decided to go for hot pot. Chu Hengkong listened quietly, a smile on his face.

He used to do this all the time when he was in the gangsters. Being single and unattached, he figured money was useless, so whenever he made a fortune, he'd treat his men to restaurants and drinks. Back then, he earned far more than he does now, enough to go to the most upscale restaurants, order the most expensive food, and open bottles of fine wine like they were free. That night, the well-dressed gentlemen and ladies would watch a bunch of thugs drunkenly shouting by the window. Occasionally, the boss would join them, telling everyone to keep their voices down and mind their manners… He never really saved much money, but he always lived a very carefree life…

"Brother Chu, maybe we should call it quits."

The voices of dissuasion snapped him out of his reverie, and everyone turned to look at Lü Xing. He was now a member of the new team, and knowing it would be a disappointment, he still forced a smile and said, "You've been drawing too much attention lately, I'm worried..."

"Worried about poison in the food?" Chu Hengkong chuckled.

The team members' expressions turned grim; they remembered the assassination attempt on the detective a few days ago. Chu Hengkong, however, seemed unconcerned: "You haven't killed many people, have you?"

"I can't compare to you in this respect." Lü Xing broke out in a cold sweat.

“The more you kill, the more you’ll realize that poisoning is the most troublesome method,” Chu Hengkong said. “First, you have to pinpoint your destination precisely from all the restaurants and bars in the city. If the target changes their mind halfway through, all your preparations will be wasted. Second, many restaurants have chaotic food preparation processes. If poisoned food is served to other tables, it will not only cause accidental injuries but also disrupt your plan. Furthermore, important figures often have their food tested before eating, so even if you successfully poison someone, it’s difficult to get it into their mouth. Accidents such as the poison being diluted or its effectiveness being reduced are also common. If killing someone is this troublesome, why would an assassin bother with poisoning?”

Chu Hengkong was in high spirits. Once the topic turned to professional matters, the man became quite talkative, enthusiastically explaining every detail. The team members nodded in agreement, but Lü Xing, feeling embarrassed, couldn't help but argue: "What if the assassin had all the intelligence, bribed the restaurant beforehand, and was willing to do anything to kill that person…?"

"Then why bother with poison?" Chu Hengkong retorted. "Just shoot them dead when they arrive."

After a long pause, Lü Xing finally said, "...You're right."

Chu Hengkong laughed: "Assassins only choose poison when dealing with certain highly protected individuals in high positions. In most other cases, knives and guns are always the better option."

"Brother Chu, how would you do it if it were you?" one of the bolder team members asked.

By this time, they had walked for more than ten minutes. Across the street was the market where they often took a shortcut, and further on was the hot pot restaurant recommended by the team members. The pre-closing special offer hadn't started yet, and there were few customers in the market. The vegetable and meat vendors were eating noodles while tending their stalls, too lazy to even respond to their calls.

Chu Hengkong lightly clenched his right fist, his gaze sweeping from the vendors on either side to the dark windows of the houses behind, his smile deepening. He led his team across the street before calmly continuing, "The methods will naturally be knives and guns; we'll need at least four or five skilled men. The most important thing is to choose a good place to strike. That place should ideally be in an area the target frequently passes through, to avoid empty-handed attacks. There should be many people around us for hiding, and few people around the target for aiming..."

He tossed the suitcase full of dripping beads to Lü Xing and strode forward: "Just like here."

Lu Xing's face paled, and he turned and lunged forward, stopping everyone in their tracks. At the same moment, a piercing whistling sound cut through the air, and the half-closed window on the fourth floor to the right was flung open, from which emerged a long, trumpet-like mouth. The strange mouth spat out a black iron pellet, which exploded in mid-air, instantly transforming into a rain of steel that fell upon the ground!

— "Shotgunner" Mimori Shito, with a bounty of 120,000, is a demon-possessed individual skilled in sniping.

Chu Hengkong's gaze shifted, turning to his feet. The ground beneath his feet, soft and muddy, instantly transformed into a deep green swamp. The swamp originated from the piercing sound of a flute; the flutist, hidden behind a vendor, had thorn tattoos on his face.

—"Swamp Spellcaster" Gore, with a bounty of 120,000, created a poisonous swamp using a flute-shaped relic.

Bullets rained down from above, and mud swamped below; Chu Hengkong had nowhere to hide. The third ambush arrived at that moment. Tall, thin men carrying loads on shoulder poles along the market streets threw off the cloths covering their goods, grabbed long spears disguised as carrying poles, and thrust them forward. As they thrust, the spears extended to over three meters, a distance sufficient for them to launch a deadly attack from a safe distance. The two men wielding the spears looked exactly alike, their eyes equally cold and sinister.

—The Ouyang brothers, known as the "Double Guns," have a bounty of 130,000. Their double guns are a pair of relics, and a simultaneous hit will cause great damage.

The four wanted criminals' abilities intertwined, creating a deadly trap. The only way to avoid being swallowed by the swamp was to endure the damage and break through. But then, a series of booming sounds came from ahead, and a man with large hands came charging towards them, his palms gleaming with an ominous black light. He was "Hundred Palms," with a bounty of 170,000; he was there to fill the final gap in the game!

Terrain, environment, enemy intelligence, the movements of the citizens, the trajectory and speed of bullets… information flashed through his mind like lightning, and Chu Hengkong's left arm tentacles shot out. His first strike didn't hit the enemies on either side, but instead lashed out at the mud beneath his feet. The freely extending length became the key to seizing the initiative; the tentacles' touch rippled across the surface of the mud. Exquisite control allowed the force to penetrate deep into the mud and explode. A surge of power rose from within the mud, and Chu Hengkong used the momentum to break free, leaping into the air.

Above his head were bullets swarming from the gunman, a dense barrage of forty or so. These were bullets generated by a demon-possessed individual, not ordinary water bullets from a jet gun; their impact was powerful enough to penetrate walls, let alone a human body. Therefore, Chu Hengkong didn't intend to take them head-on. He flicked two fingers, throwing a water bullet at the nearest bullet. The water bullet shattered upon impact, its trajectory deflected by the iron bullet it hit, and by sheer coincidence, it struck another iron bullet.

The same scene repeated itself: the misaligned projectiles collided with each other. This "coincidence" happened five times, ten times, twenty times, forty times... like the first dominoes falling, followed by the next. All the projectiles scattered in all directions upon impact, and the aerial net collapsed instantly!

The shotgunner's mind went blank. He was Mimori Nozomi's brother, and he had specifically investigated Chu Hengkong's abilities beforehand. This man was indeed highly skilled, but he was afraid of guns; otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to hide behind the Calamity Knight's shield when arresting his brother. Yet now, he had shattered a barrage of bullets with just one water bullet—a terrifying feat beyond skill. How could a human possibly do such a thing!