Forge a path to success

“Yes, I can make medicine,” Jie An sighed, “but I can’t make good medicine.”

He gently placed the lotus-shaped pestle on the table and pushed it forward. Chu Hengkong noticed a glimmer of hope in the other's eyes. He took out the Silver-Eyed Book and placed the pestle on its pages. Silver characters rapidly appeared, and this appraisal text astonished him.

"this……!"

【Pure Treasury, Vajra for Eradicating Suffering】

[Rating: Level 5]

【Origin: Zhengxuan Temple, Longquan Township】

[Effect: The "Holy Reputation Cup" of the Pure Land Master's interpretation text. It can record prescriptions, pound medicine with a pestle, and greatly enhance the effects of all medicines during preparation.]

The first time a medicine is made, all the medicinal materials need to be gathered. The elixir that has been successfully made before can be generated from qi and blood.

Recorded prescriptions: 3187

This was the highest-level relic Chu Hengkong had ever seen—a level five relic! He now understood the grading standards for relics; the level corresponded to the corresponding particle level and power. A level five relic signified that it had once belonged to a particle level five ascendant, a powerhouse beyond their current comprehension.

Chu Hengkong eagerly grasped the book, about to say something, when his gaze fell upon the final, completed characters.

[Warning: Due to forced inheritance across 5 points, the currently available prescription is 1.]

[Missing you: Xiao An, have you found the last ingredient?]

Live well.

He realized something was wrong. If he could truly make good use of the relics, Jie An wouldn't just be a cook. But the hope in Jie An's eyes vanished after reading the writing; he lowered his head like a disappointed child.

“My father was a friend of Master Ji.” His voice was hoarse. “Years ago, he risked leaving the city to gather herbs, hoping to heal Master Ji’s injuries. But the world outside the city was too dangerous, and he himself was about to die when he returned. My father could only entrust the medicine pestle to me. I have his blood in my veins, and only I can inherit his mantle…”

"But I'm a complete waste! I don't have a single talent, and even if I inherited the medicine pestle, I'm just a mere 'foundation'. My father could make countless spiritual medicines back then, but I can't even make one properly... I can't even make one properly!"

Jie An covered his face and cried loudly. Chu Hengkong could understand this feeling; he believed it was all his fault. His father and elders were all upright men, while he, who had inherited the divine weapon, could only be a cook. This sense of powerlessness would break anyone.

“Jie’an, you haven’t done anything wrong,” Ji Huaisu said softly. “Uncle Wen’s prescriptions were never complete. For the past ten years, my father has relied on you to survive…”

"I should have been able to complete the prescription!" Jie An roared. "I am his son!"

The man abruptly stood up, his fists clenched tightly. His shattered self-esteem, years of self-torture, and endless self-blame were like nails driven into his heart. He knew it wasn't his fault; he knew it was all his fault. At that moment, Chu Hengkong understood where that hope came from. Jie An had pinned his hopes on the clues to the prescription in the mortar's identification document, but all he saw was a promise that could never be fulfilled.

That message crushed the incompetent son, and his ten years of forced smiles collapsed overnight.

Ji Huaisu wanted to offer some words of comfort, but her own heart was aching just as much. She noticed that Chu Hengkong still wore that detached expression, and couldn't help but feel angry at his indifference. But she knew in her heart that this was misplaced anger; this outsider had done so much for Huilong City, and he had no obligation to reciprocate emotionally.

"Let's go back." Ji Huaisu squeezed her eyes shut. "We have patrols tomorrow."

Chu Heng remained seated, still carefully reading the final appraisal report. He truly showed no emotion, for he was still pondering. What other options were there? What other means could he use to obtain more information?

"Jie An, make another pill," Chu Hengkong said slowly.

"...What are you doing?" Ji Huaisu asked blankly. Chu Hengkong didn't speak, looking into Jie An's eyes: "Since you can't sleep anyway, let's make another one."

The other two were stunned, not understanding what this man was thinking. "Okay." But Jie An nodded numbly. Perhaps it was because there was nothing else to do, or perhaps he still clung to a self-deceiving hope that the outsider's knowledge contained a solution. He went out for half an hour, and when he returned, his face was ashen, and he was holding a dark, shiny pill in his hand.

"Give me."

Chu Hengkong took the pills and placed them on the book. He swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn't have a chance to grieve.

Then, writing appeared on the silver-eyed book.

The silver lettering appeared leisurely, no slower than usual. It included the name, the effect, and, most importantly, the word "longing"!

[Basic Relic of Elixir Type - Healing]

[Rating: Level 4]

【Origin: Mysterious Realm of Senluo - Huilong City】

[Effect: Removes external contaminants of particle size 4 and below]

It has an inhibitory effect on the pollution of the outer passages below the Second Abyss.

[Longing: The only son of the Great Master Jingzang was of mediocre talent. He searched for ten years without success, unaware that the gold he so desperately sought was right there in the marsh.]

All three of them held their breath. The confusion in their eyes transformed into a belated understanding, which was then overwhelmed by a surge of hope. "What does this mean?" Ji Huaisu's voice trembled. "What is gold?"

"Yes, what is gold?" Chu Hengkong asked. "What would Jie An be so eager for?"

He couldn't help but laugh. There was definitely hope, because Jie Wen, the fifth-ranked physician, wouldn't be a fool who would make unreasonable demands on his son. He entrusted the unfinished prescription to Jie An because the last ingredient was in the city!

“I don’t know,” Jie An stammered. “There are too many possibilities. It could be the root of some kind of plant. Or metal. Animal scales. Or…”

His tears hadn't dried yet, but a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. Everyone was laughing, as if they'd gone mad, their eyes gleaming. "We have to go find it! Gather intelligence!" "I'll go find the files related to gold." "I'll go get Youyou!"

Then they ran out of the lounge. There was no time to rest, no time to grieve. Hope appeared before them. From now on, it was a race against death.

"Let's get started, everyone." Chu Hengkong put away the large book. "Our next objective is to find medicine in the swamp!"

Chapter 26 Green Marsh Beneath the City

"A whole month! A whole month!" Youyou sighed, looking up at the sky. "Why didn't I think of having him try that book... What an idiot! I'm so ashamed!"

The white snake rolled around frantically on the table, its long, limp body a perfect illustration of utter despair. Ji Qiufeng, however, remained nonchalant: "It's not your fault. I never expected that book to get such a high appraisal grade. You were very lucky!"

Jie An wiped the sweat from his forehead: "This concerns your life, Mr. Ji, please don't act like it's none of your business."

"Maintaining a calm mind is the most important thing," Ji Qiufeng said leisurely. He looked at the yellow crystal on the table, cleared his throat, and said, "Ahem! Can you hear me? If I keep pushing myself, I can definitely live for another two months. You two, don't be impulsive, and be careful. That's all."

A muffled female voice came from the yellow crystal: "Dad..."

"I felt completely unmotivated after listening to it," Chu Hengkong commented.

Youyou rushed to the crystal, hissing, "Don't listen to his nonsense! Even if we have to destroy the swamp, we have to find the gold, understand?!"

"Understood!" "Yes, sir!"

Chu Hengkong put the yellow crystal used for communication back into his pocket and looked into the distance with his excited partner.

A damp wind billowed the white sails, and the dragon statue at the bow sliced ​​through the water as the "Dragon Boat" cruised along the city's waterways, stopping and starting, heading towards its final destination on the lower level. This boat was the most common mode of transport for the middle and lower classes. Its appearance resembled a medieval three-masted sailing ship, but like other equipment in the city, it was powered by flowing pearls. Each boat had three decks and could accommodate up to 3000 people at a time, making it a truly enormous vessel.

As one might expect, overloading is the common fate of such vehicles. No matter how reasonable the initial design layout is, the actual cabins are always packed with people. So the two of them slipped onto the roof of the cabin, where standing is strictly prohibited, and blatantly violated the rule to enjoy the wind blowing through the white sails.

"Yay!" Ji Huaisu waved his fist, looking just like a child on a spring outing. Chu Hengkong couldn't help but laugh: "Mind your image, Captain Huaisu."

"Can't I be happy? You were grinning like an idiot too." Ji Huaisu grinned. "Speaking of which, you clearly cared a lot before, so why did you have such a blank expression, acting like you were heartless and ruthless?"

"You mean last night?" Chu Hengkong hesitated for a moment, because he was about to bring up things from the past again. "It was a habit from when I was in the underworld."

"...Does the underworld have rules about suppressing facial expressions?"

“No, but we will control our emotions,” Chu Hengkong said. “My boss said that sadness is a synonym for giving up, and only after exhausting all means can one be qualified to be sad. So we will try every method we can think of, no matter how absurd the method is, until the dust settles after the person dies, and then we will silently mourn at the grave.”

Ji Huaisu stared at him, as if he were an omnipotent super machine. She slapped Chu Hengkong's shoulder hard: "I admire your boss's iron will and strongman style... but if you keep going like this, I think you'll turn into a machine! You're a living, breathing person! Cry when you need to cry, laugh when you need to laugh. Please, next time, say something normal like 'I have another idea,' okay?"

Chu Heng said to himself, "Girl, you're overthinking it. I'm emotional and my thinking is normal, but if I were to sigh and lament every time something happens, wouldn't the team atmosphere completely collapse?" But he was too lazy to argue back, and just gripped the railing tightly: "We're about to fall, be careful not to fall."

The waterway in their field of vision was cascading down, the powerful roar of the water making even the wind seem faint. Ahead of the channel was a massive void, from which water cascaded down, transforming into a thousand-foot waterfall plunging from the central courtyard. The dragon boat accelerated towards the waterfall, its momentum so fierce it resembled a grand suicide. The cabin was filled with the excited screams of children, while Ji Huaisu, who had been obediently gripping the railing, suddenly changed his expression.

“Um…” the blonde girl stammered, “I just remembered something.”

"What's wrong?" Chu Hengkong immediately sensed something was amiss.

"It seems the outside of the dragon boat isn't waterproof..."

Chu Hengkong's vision went black: "What a terrible idea you came up with!"

In an instant, heaven and earth seemed to turn upside down. The dragon boat crossed the boundary and plunged down the waterfall. The overwhelming waves swallowed up the view, and the roar was everywhere, like the waterfall roaring. Chu Hengkong hurriedly pulled down his hood, preparing to be soaked to the bone, but the expected impact did not come. Instead, he saw only a faint golden light.

Ji Huaisu raised a spherical shield, secretly observing his reaction. Chu Hengkong suddenly pulled up his hood: "I can tell you really like this joke."

"After all, you're such a steady person, you rarely panic!" Ji Huaisu chuckled. "How does it feel to ride the waves?"

"To be honest, it's quite impressive," Chu Hengkong said. "Even taking a bus ride here is a spectacular experience; this is the only place like this."

The boat gradually stabilized, and the dragon boat landed on the waterfall, defying common sense as it steadily glided downstream. As the mist dissipated, a rich turquoise color unfolded before them. That turquoise came from the leaves, the vegetation, the lake water, and the swamps. A verdant forest unfolded like a scroll painting, with large and small, deep green swamps nestled within, like the eyes of the earth.

In the heart of the forest stands the colossal tree that runs through Huilong City, its gnarled roots floating on the lake and supporting the brown earth in the swamp. Low houses are built against the tree roots, extending in all directions to form settlements in the forest. There are dozens of such settlements, large and small, where nearly half of Huilong City's population lives.

This is the lowest level of Dragon City, belonging to the Green Marsh District, a region of plants and swamps.

·

"Fresh giant squid. 5 pearls each!" "A genuine swamp treasure map." "A miracle cure." "Mushrooms. Delicious mushrooms."...

Just outside the terminal station was the local market, a cacophony of vendors' cries filling the air. Large blue geese honked wildly among the stalls, occasionally scuffling with the vendors' guard dogs. Their mud splattered indiscriminately onto the trousers of vendors and customers alike, eliciting shouts and commotion. Humid, dirty, and filled with the chirping of insects, the air was brimming with a gritty vitality—a stark contrast to the bustling courtyard.

“Your attire is inappropriate,” Chu Hengkong said.

As soon as Ji Huaisu disembarked, she wrapped herself tightly in a yellow raincoat, hiding her blond hair and beautiful face in the shadows under the hood. Chu Hengkong wanted to take off his coat as well; he couldn't even imagine how hot it would be wearing a raincoat in this place.

“There’s a reason for this… In short, it’s inconvenient for me to show my face in the Bize District.” Ji Huaisu lowered his voice. “This time, the diplomatic negotiations will depend on you. Are you familiar with the situation at the lower levels?”

"This is my first time here."

"Alright, Captain, let me give you a lesson in the basics. First lesson: all the kids at the docks are thieves."

"Very timely." Chu Hengkong pinched a small hand that reached into his pocket.

The dirty hand belonged to a boy with horns on his head, who grinned obsequiously after being caught. Another little girl with horns slipped out of the crowd and, taking advantage of the diverted attention, reached into Chu Hengkong's left pocket. She saw that the pocket was bulging, presumably full of jewels.

The little girl's touch fell on empty air; she only saw the sleeve of the coat twitch, and her hand ended up on the toothless boy's arm. The two thieves glared at each other, then turned to look, only to find the man in the coat had already disappeared into the crowd.

"Their horns look a lot like those of a rhinoceros beetle."

"This means they have Senmin ancestry, just like Mrs. Ansa. If you see features like long horns, unusual skin color, or scales, you can basically deduce that they are immigrants from the Divine Tree City-State." Ji Huaisu raised his chin slightly. "Look over there, your colleagues."

Following her gaze, Chu Hengkong spotted a peculiarly shaped stall among the fruit stands. A man dressed as a samurai in light purple armor knelt on a white cloth, with two large flags planted behind him. The left flag read "Killing Without Bloodshed," and the right flag read "The Secret Technique of the Heart-Shattering." Several thugs carrying blunt knives and clubs surrounded the samurai. Seeing Chu Hengkong looking over, they shouted, "What are you looking at, customer!" "Want to kill someone, customer?" "If you want to kill, come and take the Flowing Pearl, customer!"

Chu Hengkong returned a gentle smile, turned his head and said, "I need to correct your misconception. We assassins are not such a... comical group."

“They are exiles from Shura Island. They speak in a strange way, but most of them are quite strong,” Ji Huaisu said. “Watch your step, don’t step on a squid.”

Chu Hengkong looked down and met the gaze of a pair of small eyes lurking in the mud. A pink creature resembling a squid was hiding in the ground, extending a dirty tentacle to coil around Chu Hengkong, seemingly very interested in him. But the blue-feathered goose playing by the roadside also noticed the little thing. It pounced over and ate the squid and the mud in one gulp.

The goose struggled desperately with its tentacles sticking out from its beak. The goose glanced at Chu Hengkong triumphantly—but upon noticing Ji Huaisu beside it, the creature jumped up like a startled bird and darted into the drain beside the street like a gushing stream.

Chu Hengkong suddenly remembered the most common main dish in the cafeteria: "This thing..."

"It's the squid and goose you eat every day," Ji Huaisu explained. "The water-avoiding goose likes to eat squid and various small tools, but it will turn into water and escape when it sees a woman. The fresh squid prefers shiny little things and will be attracted to strong men."

Chu Hengkong's expression was subtle. He then saw a water-avoiding goose "swim" out of the fishmonger's fish tank: "...The squid came out of the ground? The goose came out of the water?"

"What else?" Ji Huaisu found it amusing. "Do you mean we have to raise these things?"

"In my hometown, yes."

"My God, your place is really weird."

Ji Huaisu nimbly squeezed through the crowd, leading him through the alleyways between the wooden houses. The market was too large and chaotic; it was easy to get lost at the entrance for someone new to Bize. Along the way, Chu Hengkong saw yellow-clad figures praying around cherry blossom wood carvings—refugees from the Netherworld God Kingdom; a tall, aloof group addressing each other with numbers—descendants of the ancient giants' territory; a herbalist with mushrooms growing on his body; a fisherman with a beast's head; and a demon-possessed vendor selling takoyaki…

There were so many people, so diverse, that he was momentarily dizzy. They clearly came from different worlds, yet spoke the same language. The swamp was like a verdant crucible, where races and cultures mingled in the damp air. He realized that the former Dragon City must have been connected to many Dust Islands; otherwise, it could never have attracted so many immigrants. But now the city was closed off, and the immigrants had become homeless remnants…

Chu Hengkong felt oppressed by the thought and couldn't help but loosen his collar. Ji Huaisu mistakenly thought he was too hot and whispered, "Hang in there, we'll be there soon."

"I'll take off my coat."

Chu Hengkong figured that tentacles were nothing in this place, so he casually took off his coat. Ji Huaisu quickly grabbed his arm: "No!"

But she was too late. Chu Hengkong had already taken off half of his coat, exposing the tentacles to the damp air. Astonished gazes turned from all directions, and gasps of surprise filled the air. Conversations ceased, and most of the market turned to look at the tentacle.

That fanatical and eerie gaze felt strangely familiar to Chu Hengkong. The next moment, a fishmonger raised his hands high, his voice almost pious with ecstasy: "Oh, the Great Touch! The Hand of God!!"

Chapter 27 Faith in Spirits

That heartfelt shout was like a pebble thrown into a lake, shattering the silence of the dockside market. People forgot what they were doing and rushed towards Chu Hengkong. They were of different races and beliefs, but the fervor and reverence in their eyes were the same.

"A god..." "The darling of the trend." "The reshaper of order!" "Great tentacles, great tentacles!"

The surging crowd blocked their way, and even Chu Hengkong, with his vast experience, was taken aback by the sight. He had to raise his voice, lest his words be drowned out by a chorus of praise: "What brings you all here?"

The moment he spoke, the swamp dwellers fell silent, solemn as if listening to a divine decree. Then they bowed, raised their arms, and handed various items to Chu Hengkong.

"Gua wa. Gua." "Here are bananas." "Here comes the squid." "Fried bananas, please enjoy."

Chu Hengkong was both amused and exasperated. He finally understood what these people meant. So they had rushed over to offer sacrifices... the swamp people treated him like a god!

"Are you an idiot? Have you forgotten what's going on in the Bize District?" Ji Huaisu was furious. "The swamp people are almost all followers of various cults, and they worship demons as gods! Your tentacles are like divine bodies to them!"

"Why would they believe me when there are so many demons?" Chu Hengkong asked in a low voice while declining the fried bananas. The enthusiastic crowd pushed forward, and the encirclement gradually shrank.

"Please, Chief Inspector, have some self-awareness. You're a big shot in the city now. Various sects in the swamp claim that you and your tentacles are the incarnations of their octopus god, squid god, or some other weird god in order to recruit people... So in their eyes, you're a god descended to earth!"

"Damn it!" Chu Hengkong rarely cursed, "Is there anything the locals can do?"