Man on the ark, forced to become king

“That guy has a very keen sense of smell, and we don’t get along very well. If I go to her door directly, she might just move out. So you’ll have to stand in front of her and keep watch.”

"Shall I take over?"

Lin Lu was startled and immediately became alert. This guy made it sound so simple, could he be asking her to go and take the fall?

Given her temperament, it's not impossible!

"Don't worry, it's not what you think, and it's not about asking you to go fight."

Knowing that he didn't give others a very reliable impression, Nian helplessly shrugged and explained, "Even if you want to hit my sister, she won't fight you. She's a quiet type, always staying in her own little corner. What you need to do is simple: take my token, find where she lives, and I'll take care of the rest. I guarantee there won't be any problems."

"Alright, let's do it your way. We'll go to Mount Haiqi first, and then head to Kazdel."

Since she had said that, Lin Lu decided to believe her this time and take the opportunity to appreciate the beautiful scenery of Yan Kingdom.

Speaking of which, he remembered that he had asked the Emperor to tow the two Thunder God Industries T-08 Raiders he had borrowed from Wei Yanwu back to Lungmen for repairs. He forgot to ask when he was at Penguin Logistics. It had been half a month, so it should be repaired by now.

Chapter 112 The Person in the Painting

Yan Kingdom, Gouwu City.

As the old saying goes, "The mountains of Yue are evergreen and the waters are ever white."

With a thousand rivers converging, nine mountains and eight lakes, the ancient city of Gouwu sits on the clear waters. It is a famous land of fish and rice in the Yan Kingdom. It is said to have existed since the beginning of the country, with a long and rich history.

At the same time, Gouwu is one of the few regions in the world that has never been visited by natural disasters. Therefore, its cultural landscape is different from many mobile cities that have emerged in recent years. Many historical sites are still well preserved, and its cultural customs are unique. The name "ancient city" is well-deserved.

Beyond Gouwu lies a majestic mountain called 'Huiqi'.

A thousand cliffs vie in beauty, ten thousand ravines contend in flow, and vegetation covers them, like rising clouds and rosy hues.

The Grey Mountain range stretches for dozens of miles and is quite famous throughout the Yan Kingdom.

Since arriving in this world, this was the first time Lin Lu had encountered such a place. Both Gouwu City and Huiqi Mountain carried a unique atmosphere completely different from Longmen—the beauty of nature and history.

Human technology can support cities and allow vast city-states to move across the land, but it ultimately lacks human touch and can hardly be called history.

Cities forged from steel are protected from natural disasters, but they also have a touch more restlessness.

The world is bustling with activity, all for the sake of profit. Longmen is such a place. It is like a train that never stops. People come and go. Countless people want to gain wealth and glory from it, while countless others leave everything behind.

For most people in Longmen, profit is the top priority. Money dilutes human relationships, chills people's hearts, and often leads to quarrels and conflicts. Therefore, Longmen will never be quiet or peaceful.

But Gouwu was different.

If Longmen is a young man in his prime, full of strife and vigor, then Gouwu is an old man who has experienced the vicissitudes of life and the changing times. Just standing in it, you can feel the ancient history rushing towards you, a unique tranquility after experiencing the world.

Lin Lu really liked this place. The scenery was beautiful, and there were many things that had been passed down from time to time that were dazzling. It was much better than Kazdel, a place full of sand and dead people.

Perhaps we can bring Melina and Lani over for a visit later?

Mostima has traveled all over the continent and has seen countless landscapes, but Melina and her companions are still quite unfamiliar with this world. They should be exploring the truly magnificent scenery instead of staying in this chaotic place where all they can see is sand and dust.

However, that will have to wait until later. After all, this trip is not for tourism; there are other things to do, and he can't stay here for too long.

The mountains are high and the waters are wide, the scenery is breathtaking, but it's a pity that it's hard to stay.

Once I've finished what I need to do, I'll definitely take the time to explore the beautiful landscapes of this world.

Standing at the foot of Grey Mountain, looking up at the summit, Lin Lu secretly made a plan for the future.

"This mountain range covers such a vast area, where exactly is Xi's secluded dwelling?"

The majestic green mountains and the vast ocean make finding a person in such a large area seem like searching for a needle in a haystack. Anyone would shake their head in disbelief, and Lin Lu was no exception. If she were to search step by step, she didn't know how long it would take to find anything.

He had asked about this before he came, but the answer he received was that it depends on fate.

Saying it is the same as not saying it at all. So-called fate is just a matter of luck.

Do we really have to go in and search little by little, touching things as we go?

It's absurd just to think about it.

But there's nothing we can do. Without a specific location, what can we do but search by hand?

After much deliberation, Lin Lu decided to start her search from the sparsest part of the forest, and this search actually yielded some results.

Halfway up the mountain, after traversing a narrow, overgrown path left behind by an unknown time, a thatched cottage suddenly comes into view.

The thatched hut looked quite old, standing alone on the mountain. The wooden door was ajar and slightly dilapidated, and the area outside was also desolate, as if no one had lived there for a long time.

Lin Lu pushed open the door and went inside. The room was completely empty, with no furniture or furnishings. The only thing hanging on the long-neglected wall was... a painting.

It resembles mountains and rivers, yet it also resembles...

Wait, where is he?

In a daze, time and space shifted, and Lin Lu was surprised to find himself standing in the middle of the street. Pedestrians were bustling about, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares filled the air, creating a scene of bustling human life. Faintly, he could also hear loud cheers in the distance, as if someone was telling a story, attracting many people to stop and listen.

One moment a thatched hut on the mountain, the next a small town in the human world. The scene change should have been abrupt, but it didn't feel out of place at all. It was as if it was meant to be this way, as if he had always wanted to find this town and settle down here.

Truth and falsehood, reality and illusion, are hard to distinguish.

Walking down the street, you see people on both sides, laughing, joking, and cursing—it all feels so real.

But a fake is still a fake; it has form but no spirit, and ultimately lacks vitality. In particular, the mysterious will permeating the surroundings subtly conveys hints and influences, wanting him to integrate into this town. For Lin Lu, that seemingly imperceptible influence is clearer and more vivid than ink on a blank sheet of paper.

The objects are real, the people are real, the scenery is real, but it's still fake.

In a hazy, dreamlike state, Lin Lu seemed to see layered shadows, ever-changing, through this scene of the human world, and the image of the town imprinted on the rice paper, spreading out in an endless expanse.

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"Huh? Someone is coming?"

In the pure white space, it was impossible to distinguish east from west, north from south, up from down, left from right. The slender figure buried in the desk paused slightly, sighed in surprise, and the bluish-white dragon tail swayed behind her, leaving traces. The white cheongsam with black trim wrapped around her exquisite body, and her long dark blue hair fell down, covering most of her back.

The landscape painting on the desk was only half finished when the painter stopped, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of mist, his crimson eyes reflecting the bustling town.

It is a painting, yet not a painting.

Time flies, and the world changes. She can't remember how many years it has been since anyone set foot here. This mountain is rarely visited and has been abandoned for a long time. It is hard to find any human presence here. Today, however, a rare guest has arrived.

"Let's send it away. Don't let it get lost here and cause trouble."

Having been away from the city for a long time, Xi's face remained expressionless as she made her decision lightly.

Although this has never happened in recent years, when she first settled here a long time ago, people often accidentally wandered into the painting, and this solution was established back then.

There is a difference between humans and gods. She also had an agreement with the Yan Kingdom not to harm anyone. According to her own nature, she had no intention of harming anyone. Therefore, those who accidentally entered the painting were all returned intact, only missing a piece of their memory.

This has been the way things have been for thousands of years, and now we just need to follow the usual practice, and there won't be any trouble.

Thinking this, Xi Su waved her hand lightly, and specks of ink seeped into the void, drifting from the pure white space into another world.

However, this time the usually effective method went awry. The power to manipulate the painting fell into the person's body like a mud ox sinking into the sea, failing to create even the slightest disturbance.

The painting remains a painting, and the person remains a person; nothing has changed.

The person is in the painting, yet unaffected by her power.

"Interesting, where did this person come from?"

Softly humming a tune, Xi's interest was piqued. Watching the young man stop on the street, looking around curiously, she couldn't help but wonder where he came from.

Since it lacks the aura of thunder magic, it should not be from the same lineage as that person from back then.

It didn't have that annoying smell that Si Suitai had, nor did it come from the Yan Kingdom's court.

Was it intentional or unintentional?

At present, she seems to be a traveler who has really wandered into the painting. There is nothing unusual about her. If she is related to the imperial court, she should not be unaware of her methods while in the painting. Why would she act like this?

After a moment's thought, Xi closed her eyes slightly, and a wisp of thought fell into the painting.

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"This gentleman looks unfamiliar. Is he a traveler passing through this area?"

Lin Lu stopped on the street and listened to a story. Just as she was finding it quite interesting, she heard a voice beside her. Turning her head, she saw that the storyteller had appeared beside her at some point, smiling and asking questions with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

"Yes, we're just passing through town, so we thought we'd take a break."

He nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the storyteller, as if looking at him, or perhaps peering through layers of illusion at a distant shadow.

"How was my story?"

"Excellent, truly excellent. It's been a long time since I've seen such a scene."

"In that case, how about we listen to another part?"

"No need for that. I have important business to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I wonder if I could meet the owner of this place? I am more interested in the person who painted this than in this ethereal scene."

Lin Lu had heard a lot about Xi's abilities from Nian. The scene of this small town seemed to be something else entirely, and she figured it must be the work of the world in the painting.

It must be said that it is indeed quite magical, enough to fool people into thinking it is real. If an ordinary person were to accidentally enter this place, he might be influenced by the painting, become immersed in it, and become a part of the painting. But this thing is useless to him.

The will forged through centuries of battles and bloodshed cannot be shaken by mere illusions. Even the most realistic painting is ultimately fake and cannot affect him.

However, it is truly wonderful. Each painting is a world, and the human world is reflected on the paper and falls into the heart. It can be called the divine skill in the storybook. It inexplicably carries a lot of fairy-like quality, which is far superior to Nian.

Although he had never seen Nian actually use his methods.

"The host here has not received guests for many years. Since you do not wish to stay, then go back to where you came from."

Hearing this, the storyteller's face turned colder. He waved his hand lightly, and with a flick of his folding fan, the whole world seemed to be put on pause. The bustling crowd froze for a moment, becoming somewhat unreal, like a scene printed on a canvas, no longer real.