Forge a path to success

“Dude, I admit I don’t have as much social experience as you, but I’m not stupid either.” Vande looked worried. “What normal graduate thesis defense would alarm the old man? He is the guardian of the First Abyss. Although he often appears in public, his supreme status cannot be faked.”

"That shows your library has a lot of influence. Your outstanding students can even hire big shots after graduation." Chu Hengkong's expression remained unchanged.

“My alma mater is awesome, that’s true, but…” Vande turned the page to the appraisal report on the wristband, “Look at this keepsake! Olek’s tone is really off, it’s like it has a lot to do with us!”

“Perhaps he’s your classmate,” Chu Hengkong chuckled.

"Still laughing? You fucking still laughing!" Van der slammed the book pages. "I don't know anything! I have absolutely no recollection of it! If we had such a famous alumnus, I would definitely remember him. I wouldn't forget someone as awesome as this old man examining my thesis... How much of my memory has been erased? The old man even said I didn't have this name last time, so who am I?!"

"De Fan?" Chu Hengkong guessed.

"You bastard, you wait, I'm going to hypnotize you right now."

Chu Hengkong pressed down on the menacing Eye Demon with one hand and laughed, "Fande, what are you worried about?"

"It would be strange if I wasn't worried when I'm like this!" Van der exclaimed angrily. "I—"

"You suspect that your past is inconsistent with your understanding. You may not have simply traveled after graduation, but rather you have embarked on some important mission, stepping out of the hidden place to complete a task closely related to the library," Chu Hengkong said. "However, at this moment, you have too much knowledge and memory missing, and your strength is ridiculously weak. You are worried that you cannot complete that possible mission, and you are even more worried that your existence may attract the attention of powerful beings, dragging me and Ji Huaisu into trouble, right?"

Vande stared blankly at him for almost half a minute, then stammered, "Who...who are you?"

Chu Hengkong patted its head: "Fande, your hypnosis can even affect real machines, and when you go into power, you can even break the chain of misfortune. Do you really think I haven't thought of these things?"

"You actually thought of that?!" Vande exclaimed in shock.

“Even if I didn’t think of such details, the city lord and Youyou would have guessed. But so what? Ji Huaisu’s karma is probably much heavier than yours, not to mention me, I’m a professional at courting death. If it weren’t for your help, the two of us would have been dead long ago.” Chu Hengkong moved his prosthetic arm. “You’ve carried us so many times along the way, and now you’re going to run away when you encounter problems? No way, Fan De, are we even brothers?”

“If we were brothers, we shouldn’t have dragged you down with us…” Vande said sheepishly.

"Wrong, it's brothers sharing the blame." Chu Hengkong whistled.

“Dude, you always think too simply…” Van der sighed deeply. “Have you ever considered what if I’m the one with the problem? I was looking at my own paper today, and the more I looked, the more panicked I got.”

"What did you write?"

“A new type of contract established through the exchange of physical/psychic elements,” Vande said. “It’s like installing your brain into someone else’s body and filling your skull with their heart… This thing is definitely an evil practice no matter where you put it, and I actually think that doing it can achieve freedom.”

His eyes were fixed blankly on his manual: "Was I... a heretic before?"

"Very likely," Chu Hengkong said fairly.

"Holy crap, how come you're still so calm?! What if I regain my memories and turn into some kind of terrifying troll?"

"I'll just beat you until you lose your memory," the assassin said casually. "If we can't reach an agreement, I can keep beating you until you come to your senses. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

Van der gasped: "You're a genius!"

"anymore question?"

"That's it, I've figured it out, I'm done."

Vande shrank back into his sleeping bag and pulled the lid up. After a while, he whispered, "Thanks, buddy."

"Of course."

He brought the Eye Demon back to the room and quietly waited by Ji Huaisu's bedside. The monsters' desperate murmurs were mingled with the steady breathing of their companions.

·

Meanwhile, in the northern part of the Desperate Wilderness.

Starting from the warriors' settlement, traversing blood-soaked ancient battlefields and mountains piled high with corpses, one arrives at the highest point of the Despair Wilderness. On the solitary, towering Black Mountain stand rows of abstractly designed black buildings. This is the former heartland of Halvira, the nightmare capital of the Nightmare King.

Footsteps glided down the corridor, fluttering like a dance, and a flash of lightning by the window illuminated a tall, thin human figure with animal ears. He or she had an androgynous face and wore a dirty painter's robe. This strange figure, resembling a poor painter, pushed open the rotten wooden door and flew into the hall in a twilight.

"Lord Vansalal! Your loyal, dear, passionate, and sincere Vaklo Lokva has come for a meeting!"

The ruler of the Desperate Wilderness sat on the Shadow Throne, in the form of his favorite dark-skinned man, and ate snacks he had brought from the outside world.

"Shuanglu was very motivated today! No wonder he's one of my favorite subordinates!" Vansalal said. "But you were 3 minutes late, and I've told you countless times to use code names at work!"

Wacro shook his head vigorously: "No way, I really like my name, and Mr. Nightwalker has always used his real name."

"Nightwalker's real name sounds like a code name, so it's fine, but your name is terrible and doesn't fit in."

"I strongly protest this is serious workplace bullying!" Wacro's ears twitched violently. "If you absolutely must use a nickname, please give me a different one! Like 'my dog' or something!"

When will this meaningless conversation end? Or rather, what is the point of gathering here at all? The other envoys sighed inwardly to varying degrees. With Lord Vansalal's power, he could contact all the envoys with a mere thought, allowing them to communicate with each other remotely. But he always had a fondness for inexplicable rituals and the atmosphere of a demon king's castle, so such regular meetings were held every now and then, and no one could object.

In any case, everything in the Despair Wilderness is determined by Lord Vansalal's mood.

Vaklo ultimately accepted the codename Double Slaughter, standing at the end of the line with his tail between his legs. Beside him stood the "Leg Spider," with numerous limbs and a body made of black blood, and the "Ember," burning fiercely like a gas giant, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime. Opposite them stood the silent Nightwalker. Except for one member who was unable to attend the meeting due to mobility issues, Lord Vansalal's old guard was all present.

"I've called everyone here tonight to announce some good news," Vansalar said excitedly. "The Soul-Destroying Demon is dead!"

“Oh, oh—” “Mr. Luo Hun actually…” “How could this be…” The messengers each expressed their different thoughts.

Burning Ember sneered, "It's the weakest one among us!"

“No, no, that’s not true at all,” Vacklo said. “Mr. Fallen Soul’s historical mystery is too much. If your essence isn’t high enough, no matter how strong your combat power is, you can’t penetrate the mystery. He’s invincible in the Wilderness of Despair.”

"In the last battle, if it weren't for Luo Hun, I would have been crushed to death by Xiao Qingxia," the limb spider said, trembling. "Now that Luo Hun is dead, who will stop Xiao Qingxia this time? Me? No, Lord Vansalal, I absolutely cannot do that!"

Enraged, Vansalar slammed his hand on the throne handle: "Show some backbone! Remember the courage of the valiant Han Xing in battle!"

"The reason Hanxing got smashed into ice shards by Xiao Qingxia is because he was too brave!" The limb spider covered its ears, wishing it could bury its head in the ground. "In the last battle, three of our key generals, Hanxing, Fuchen, and Weiguang, died. And now, Luohun died again during the next battle... We're doomed! We're really doomed this time! I can't wait to die here anymore, I have to escape Nightmare City! Aaaaaaah!"

The spider's speech ended with a series of screams. Burning Ember hurled a large fireball, causing the clumsy creature to writhe on the ground, screaming as it tried to extinguish the flames. Burning Ember, stroking the tip of his burning beard, said, "What I mean is, Fallen Soul relies too much on his abilities. This guy has been a tax collector for too long; he's even forgotten his former bravery!"

"Ah... speaking of which, it seems Mr. Fallen Soul initially came here to subdue Lord Vansalal." Vaklo pinched his ear. "How did it join us later?"

“It’s because you killed it, you idiot,” said Burning Ash.

“Huh? Me?” Vacklo pondered. “No, no, you’re mistaken. It was Lockva who did it.”

"Isn't it all the same!" Burning Ember raised his voice, "You limb spider, shut up too! Lord Vansalal has brought a new senior monk this time, someone will take the blame for you!"

"It's actually the Elder Monk?" The limbed spider looked up in astonishment, its head covered in clusters of grape-like eyes. "Then why hasn't he arrived yet?"

Vansalar slowly munched on the apple, and only after he had eaten the core did he say, "He's on annual leave."

“You’re being way too biased towards the new employees,” Vacklo said. “So, who’s that next to you?”

Burning Ember was slightly startled. He was the first messenger to arrive at the hall, yet he hadn't noticed any newcomers. He focused his gaze into the shadows and saw a delicate, boneless hand reach out, removing the fruit pit from the Nightmare King's hand and offering him a tender green grape.

The woman stood bowing beside the throne, serving Vansalal food since the meeting began, yet she hadn't noticed the embers even though they were so close.

"I am Wen Yao from the 'Blood Plains of No Life,' and I hope the seniors below will give me your guidance," she said with a light laugh.

“Is this alright, Lord Vansalal?” Vaklo tilted his head. “The Blood Plains has a restriction of 5. For her, a genuine point 4, to come to the wilderness with a restriction of 3, isn’t that a huge foul?”

“Under normal circumstances, that would be true!” Vansalar said cheerfully. “But these newcomers are quite something to look forward to. How could their courage be justified without sufficient malice?”

Oh no! Lord Vansalar was getting excited; this newcomer was probably going to die a horrible death.

Wacrok thought to himself, seemingly lost in thought. The limb spider, though timid, was earnest and carefully checked with its companion: "It can't be that exaggerated, can it..."

“This guy is really skilled. I’ve been burning things up for three days and still haven’t caught the sniper.” Burning Ember shook his head. “The other one, Lockvar, was caught…”

“You’ve got it wrong. It was I, Vacklo, who caught him.”

"Are you ever going to stop?!" Burning Ember roared.

“My new recruits are quite determined; they’ve held on for two and a half days now, almost breaking the record for point mass 2,” Vacklo said with a broad smile. “Wouldn’t Mr. Nightwalker come and offer some guidance? He’s from your hometown.”

Ye Xing didn't say a word, only shook his head.

"What a pity, what a pity. Well, we've said what we needed to say. How about we end it here for tonight?" Vacklo bowed deeply. "I think everyone is eager to make some preparations."

Vansalar laughed heartily: "That's how it should be! Go ahead and do it, everyone! I sincerely hope that you will all die a satisfying death!"

The messengers bowed in unison: "So that the Nightmare King may find proper rest—"

"To cultivate those who dare to spit on Lord Vansalal!" Vaklo shouted.

"Waklo, get out of here."

“Why?”

Chapter 171 No Way to Enter the Underground

Before long, the meeting in Nightmare City concluded. The envoys left the hall and went to their respective areas of responsibility. The newly arrived Wen Yao stood in the shadows, pondering the origins of each envoy.

Wacro and Ember are Scourge creatures; they, like the deceased Rotlight, Frosthorn, and others, were likely among the core members who voluntarily followed Vansalal. The Limb Spider is clearly a Fallen One; such cowardly creatures are ill-suited to the Nightmare City. As for Nightwalker… as a Heartbreaker, he's the last person who should be here; it's truly strange.

Although these people all obeyed Vansalal's commands, their personalities and stances were vastly different, and their thoughts should not be aligned. She thought this was a point she could exploit, but hiding such thoughts beside the reflection of the evil god was pointless.

Therefore, Wen Yao asked directly, "Lord Vansalal, why are they willing to obey your orders?"

“That’s the same reason you asked me questions,” Vansalar said, picking his teeth with his long fingernails. “Because you’re afraid of me!”

"If I don't have fear of you, I'm afraid I'll be mistaken for your enemy," Wen Yao chuckled.

"Oh, is that so? You respect me that much? That's really delightful, but our workplace is known for its openness and transparency, and I encourage everyone to speak their true thoughts!"

The dark-skinned man turned his head ninety degrees, looking into the woman's eyes from below: "You must have been very happy when you received this mission. There isn't a single being larger than a point mass 3 in the entire Despair Wilderness; it's a veritable playground for you. Devour them all, leaving not even bones behind, and finally eat that old evil god who's just a shadow, taking its authority and its memories to leave the mist and head to the new world of freedom outside—isn't that fantastic!"

Vansalar laughed loudly, and Wen Yao bowed amidst the laughter: "Please forgive my arrogance."

"This isn't arrogance, but normal ambition. I admire your vibrant courage, and I look forward to your schemes and challenges," Vansalal laughed. "Why did you give up in the end? At least try to do some preparation!"

“Because I’m so afraid of you,” Wen Yao said frankly. “The moment I saw you, I knew that trying to hurt you was wishful thinking. I only ask that while I can dedicate myself to you, I can also find time to do my job.”

"Really?" Vansalar laughed. "You, dutifully performing your duties? What kind of new joke is this?"

"We still have to put on a show, right?" Wen Yao said with a grin. "You probably already know that the higher-ups are very worried about your Wilderness. Your beloved Trials have produced too many powerful enemies. Every single one of the 4th-level celestial beings who 'graduated' from the Wilderness has caused us a great deal of trouble... Especially recently, when the Wanderer caused a huge disturbance in the Blood Plains, it made Mother Mother furious. She instructed me to secretly eliminate the newcomers to remove any future worries for us."

“Sure! I don’t mind, go ahead and do it!” Vansalal said cheerfully, “but only after the trial is over!”

"Thank you for your forgiveness."

Wen Yao bowed and left the hall, listening to the sickening slam of the rotten wooden door closing. Humming a tune, she walked down the corridor, calculating how much she could gain from this affair and what she could acquire. These worldly and sweet little thoughts, even just swirling in her mind, brought her a small sense of pleasure.

The sound of high heels clicking on the marble floor paused, and a thin, sharp blade silently pressed against Wen Yao's neck. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and breathed a floral scent onto the blade: "What are your orders, Mr. Lu Gui... or Ms. Lu Gui?"

Lokwa stood behind the hawk, a head taller than the woman, its shadow casting a tower-like shadow behind it. It sheathed the knife that had transformed from its hand and bowed, saying, "That's fine! There's a small favor I'd like to ask you for."

"Please say."

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Lord Vansalar so happy. This new recruit is very capable,” Vaklo said. “I share your sentiment that threats should be eliminated as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the two most important ones only came to my territory after arriving at the settlement. That’s too late, and I don’t want to give them any more opportunities to grow stronger. Please ask them to take a detour.”

"It's no trouble at all," Wen Yao nodded. "But it just involves taking a detour?"

"If we go too far, Lord Vansalar will be angry, and we loyal subordinates are helpless."

Vaklo scratched his head, forcing a sheepish smile, his eyes devoid of emotion. He was a completely different person from the manic figure he had been during the meeting.

Wen Yao observed for a while with great interest: "I thought you calamity species would be fervent supporters of the Nightmare King's decision."

“Actually, only Lord Vansalar is enthusiastic about the Hero Game,” Vaklo said. “I just hope that Lord Vansalar can continue to live. Whether he is ugly, weak, or broken, whether he is stuck in this stagnant quagmire for a thousand or ten thousand years, being able to exist here is the best thing in the world.”

“I will not allow anyone who threatens Lord Vansalar to exist. I will kill them with my own hands.”

Tap, tap, the heels of her shoes struck the marble like piano keys, leaving only her slender figure in the corridor. Soon, the City of Nightmares fell silent. The silhouette of the evil god sat on his lonely throne, gazing towards the lightless dawn.

·

In this cursed land, there is little difference between day and night. Therefore, when Ji Huaisu woke up, he was in a daze for a long time before he realized that he had woken up normally rather than suffering from insomnia in the middle of the night.

Chu Hengkong sat cross-legged on the earthen bed beside her, closing her eyes to rest. She wrapped herself in a water-soaked blanket, wriggling a couple of times, looking like a large, light blue insect: "Hey~~ why aren't we sleeping together?"

“First, I have to keep watch. Second, I don’t have a habit of taking advantage of people every day,” the assassin replied matter-of-factly. “Finally, I’m used to sleeping alone, so it won’t do you any good if you pull back the covers and bang on the bed. You should get up now, Miss Ji.”

Ji Huaisu was slapping the bed when he heard this and made a face: "You said it! You can forget about sleeping with me again!"

"Can't you even care about your reputation?!"

"Waaah... Ah Kong has grown up and now he dislikes his older sister..." Ji Huaisu rolled around on the bed while pretending to cry.

Chu Hengkong silently rubbed his forehead: "You really... I..."

"Just kidding, it's great that you've recovered your energy," Ji Huaisu said with a smile. "You slept well yesterday, didn't you? You had a silly grin on your face when you were sleeping."

"Each each other."

Ji Huaisu slept well too. It seemed that after defeating the Fear Bringer, the Nightmare King had shown leniency, and none of those who participated in the battle had nightmares today.

Instead, Vandal looked utterly hopeless, his eyes vacant, and his spirits were twice as bad as they had been the day before after emerging from his sleeping bag. It seemed that Vandal hadn't included him in the fighting crew.

“I’m on your side now, buddy,” the Eye Demon said. “Hurry up and kill Vansalar, or I’ll go crazy.”

"Such a strong fighting spirit so early in the morning, it seems even idiots have their advantages."

Chongming appeared at the door of the sand house and waved to the trio: "Let's go! Let's hurry up and set off while we still have the energy. We need to get to the settlement before nightfall!"

"But I haven't eaten yet..." "You need to replenish your energy." "I'm really hungry."