Forge a path to success

After a quick wash, the blonde girl fell asleep, sleeping soundly even in this environment, showing she had a resilient heart. Chu Hengkong pondered for a moment, then called the team members on duty to the door.

"What's wrong, Detective!" The young man on duty was very nervous.

"Just letting everyone know, we'll be sleeping in our gear tonight." Chu Hengkong stuffed a few Flowing Beads into his hand. "Overtime pay, everyone. Thanks for your hard work."

The young man on duty became even more nervous, quickly putting away the Flowing Pearl and rushing downstairs. Chu Hengkong returned to his bed, sat cross-legged, and listened to the occasional grinding of his teeth from his partner.

·

Ji Huaisu didn't sleep well. In her dream, she kept feeling someone was following her. When she turned her head, she saw an old and ugly octopus. Its muddy tentacles wriggled and coiled around her, each tentacle entwining a person, leaving her nowhere to attack.

Suddenly, she was shaken awake. The old octopus's face transformed into Chu Hengkong's. She blinked blankly, "...Isn't it three o'clock?"

"Control your emotions," Chu Hengkong said seriously. "We're retreating."

She turned her head in confusion and saw the bright red firelight shining through the window.

(I got a new book recommendation for tomorrow! So there will be two updates tomorrow!)

Chapter 33 To Whom to Raise the Knife

The torchlight pierced the gloomy night, and resin flowed down the torches, dripping onto the filthy road. The faithful, carrying torches, gathered in the square, and a priest wearing an eye-shaped badge addressed the crowd, proclaiming a proclamation.

"Brothers and sisters! I just rushed back from the High Wizard's chapel and learned two pieces of earth-shattering news. First, Lord Adari, out of compassion for the suffering of all beings, has specially bestowed upon us a blessed tea. After drinking this tea, you will receive a blessing and be able to withstand the light poison for longer!"

The priest's men distributed bowls of tea, and the believers thanked them profusely. Most understood that the poison was incurable; Lord Adari was indeed different from the charlatans, never spouting empty promises of "curing the light poison." They drank the tea. Glug, glug. The tea warmed them, and a wave of heat washed over their bodies. Much better. Much better.

Seeing that everyone had drunk the tea, the priest nodded slightly, then put on a gloomy expression, his eyes filled with deep hatred and malice.

"And the second piece of news is not good. I desperately want it to remain buried in my heart forever, to sink to the ground with my flesh and blood after I die. But it is too evil, causing me great torment. I must tell you all the truth immediately, otherwise I will not be able to sleep all night. That secret also concerns the light poison that has been spreading recently!"

The priest scanned the faces of the crowd; every face in the firelight was filled with confusion and focus. He gritted his teeth in anger: "Don't you all find it strange? This curse suddenly appeared from the swamp! There was never any warning before! Actually, it's not like that. We saw the light poison a long time ago; the last time it came, it turned the swamp into a river of blood!"

The priest pulled a photograph from his robes, squeezing it so hard it seemed he would tear the paper. The photograph showed a blonde girl with her back to the corpses strewn across the ground, her right hand gripping a shadowy greatsword, her left hand holding a shield of light stained crimson with blood. Hundreds of eyes were fixed on that shield, on that familiar light—the same light as the glowing corpses.

"Why did the Calamity Knights arrive as soon as the Light Poison appeared? Because Light Poison is her power!" the leader exclaimed, spittle flying. "Last time, she used Light Poison to block the gods' punishment and steal the gods of the swamp. This time, she will use Light Poison to corrode the bodies of her followers and take our lives!"

The believers trembled upon hearing this. The same light, the same calamity, and the divine messenger spoke the same words—there must be a connection. Understanding this, they felt resentment, yet also a helpless fear. No one dared to oppose the Knight of Calamity, not even one person. They nervously sipped their tea, feeling their bodies warmer and regaining some strength.

"I heard the divine message from the High Priest. To eradicate the poison, we must strike at its source. Once the Calamity Knight is killed, the light poison will vanish! Everyone will be saved!" The priest gazed at the people, their spirits lifted by the medicine. "Do not be afraid, think of your families!"

The word "family" acted like a spell, igniting the followers' courage to rebel. Their faces turned crimson from the damp tea. They gripped their torches tightly and filed out with their leader, roaring in unison with the leading man: "Slay the Calamity Knights!" "Exterminate the Light Poison!" "Drive them out!" "Cursed ones, leave!"

Residents who didn't dare to attend the rally were so frightened that they closed their doors and windows tightly and cried while holding their family members who had turned into glowing corpses. But many more people were infected by the frenzy of the gathering and went out to join the fight against the disaster.

The procession grew larger and larger during the march, the sparks merging into a rampaging fire dragon. In the fervor of the crowd, the fire dragon crashed through the stronghold of the resurrection troops. Thinking of their families, this was divine will, this was for everyone. The medicine surged in their veins, and people convinced themselves for various reasons, rushing into the building with a death wish, determined to perish together with the source of the disaster.

"Where is the Calamity Knight?!" "Come out here!" "Kill her!"

The lights were on, but there was no sign of life. They didn't even find a scrap of paper.

The building was empty.

·

"It should be fine now." Chu Hengkong put down his binoculars. The team members who had been evacuated collapsed to the ground, still shaken.

They hadn't actually gone far; they were in an abandoned building on the outskirts of the settlement. Scattered like headless flies, their primary goal was finding people, so they barely noticed the buildings around them. It was much easier to retreat after they'd exhausted themselves and gone back home after a night of searching.

One of the team members was so scared that he smoked heavily until he choked. He coughed a few times and looked at Chu Hengkong with bloodshot eyes: "Detective, you're too damn smart."

“It has nothing to do with intelligence. You become more prepared with more experience. I remember once feeling an earthquake in the middle of the night while on a mission in the desert. When I opened my eyes, I saw locals attacking with bombs.” Chu Hengkong smiled. “Judging from your appearance, you’re from the swamp. What made you decide to join the Central Court’s forces?”

The young man had dark skin and dark green hair, like leaves. He stubbed out his cigarette, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it several times: "I joined the army wanting to do something for my hometown... but after three years, I realized it was all useless. No matter what you do, they won't be grateful! They only know how to give money and risk their lives for scammers! These people deserve to die a horrible death!!"

After venting his anger, the young man shut his mouth, and the team members also remained silent; making too much noise would make them easy to be discovered, and they were still hiding. Chu Hengkong patted him on the shoulder and climbed the rusty iron ladder to the top floor.

Ji Huaisu stood on the rooftop overlooking the settlement, watching the frenzied people come and go, his purple eyes reflecting the bright firelight.

“I’ve had enough,” she said.

Chu Hengkong nodded in agreement: "It's pretty damn."

“Every time I come to the swamp, I think about why I do this job? Why am I risking my life for these people?” Ji Huaisu clenched his fists tightly. “Yes, I am the captain of the resurrection unit. I do my job well and I don’t care what these idiots think. But every single time, they rush to jump into hell. When I kill cultists and demons, they curse me behind my back. When I come to help them find the antidote, they put a curse on my head… What’s the point of saving these people? I wish I could kill them all!”

Chu Hengkong listened silently, and even from behind, he could feel her resentment and anger. At this moment, Ji Huaisu was like a ferocious beast, as if she would leap out of the high-rise building at any moment and tear the ignorant masses at the bottom into flying blood and flesh.

This is an overly emotional person. He can serve as a police captain in the central courtyard for several years, but he can also turn the swamp into a river of blood in a fit of rage.

Her roar startled the searchers nearby, and two streaks of fire hesitantly approached the abandoned building. Chu Heng fired two water bullets into the air to create noise, drawing away the people in the firelight with their naivety, like mice.

"Shall we make our move?" Chu Hengkong asked. "I have no objection. People must be responsible for their choices. Those who want to kill me deserve to be killed by me."

A faint shadow lingered around Ji Huaisu's hand, and a murderous intent, like that of a sword, flickered in the girl's eyes. For a moment, even Chu Hengkong thought that the giant sword was about to be drawn, and the beast of the shadow was about to charge into the crowd. But in the end, the shadow dissipated, and she slowly sat down on the concrete ground, hugging her knees and hiding her head, like a wronged little animal.

"How could that be?" Ji Huaisu said wearily.

No matter how fierce she is in battle, she is ultimately a knight wielding her sword for justice, not a heartless killer. She can slaughter demons and villains, but she cannot raise her blade against the deceived masses. That boundary is like a clear line etched in her heart; crossing it means no longer being herself.

In truth, Ji Huaisu didn't need to care about any noise or hide. She had already reached level 2, and no one in the entire Deep Roots settlement could harm her. However, behind her were her teammates who hadn't retreated, and in front of her were the deceived believers. A direct confrontation would inevitably result in bloodshed. She didn't want that, so she swallowed her anger.

That's why I'm angry, that's why I struggle, that's why I feel powerless.

Chu Hengkong sat down beside her and scratched his head: "There's no need to be too demanding of yourself."

“You don’t understand.” Ji Huaisu closed her eyes. “You’ve only been here for a little over a month. Whether the people here bleed or not is none of your business. But I grew up here. Huilong City is my world and my hometown. I watched it decline from prosperity to ruin, watched the elders who once cared for me turn into skeletons in their graves one after another…”

Now only a few of us are left who can fight. I also think this job is a total rip-off, but if I don't go, who will? Am I supposed to let my dad be the security captain while coughing up blood?

"You can go and protect things that are more worthwhile."

“Zhongting and Bize are both Huilong City,” Ji Huaisu said in a low voice. “They are both my homes.”

Chu Hengkong was utterly speechless. He found this person truly awkward, yet he also felt admiration for her. She was actually just as pitiful as Jie An, voluntarily shouldering too much responsibility, doing things she "had to" rather than "wanted." The only difference was that she was Ni Ying, able to bear more responsibility, and therefore suffered more harm, making her unbearable to watch.

At this moment, Ji Huaisu stood up again, slapped his cheeks a few times, and shouted as if to encourage himself, "Alright! Let's think of another way!"

"You're fooling yourself," Chu Hengkong shook his head. "It's as if you can really adjust."

“There’s nothing I can do but deceive myself. We have to deal with the corpses and kill the cultists, and my father is waiting for the gold to save his life. He doesn’t have time to sigh and complain to me.” Ji Huaisu put his raincoat back on. “I’ll go check the situation around here. If the crowd has dispersed, we should leave as soon as possible. Let’s go back to the central courtyard first.”

Chu Hengkong didn't get up. He was recalling the past, trying to find useful experiences from his memories. He found some useful fragments, but it wasn't comprehensive enough... Simply "saving" someone was useless; unexplained aid would only breed ungrateful people...

He saw Ji Huaisu put his yellow raincoat back on, and an idea flashed into his mind.

“Hey, your face screams ‘I have a terrible idea,’” Ji Huaisu said.

“I’m thinking about something,” Chu Hengkong said thoughtfully. “If you can’t make people worship you like a god… then why not make them fear you like a god?”

·

Ten minutes later, at the Deep Roots Settlement Plaza.

The believers who had been searching gathered again, all saying they had returned empty-handed. The priest, anxious at failing to complete his mission, did not blame the believers. He waved his torch to encourage them: "Don't be discouraged! Our devout faith has worked; the Calamity Knight has fled at the mere mention of it, and the poisonous light will gradually dissipate. In short, everything will be alright—!"

The chief's words turned into a piercing scream as a dark shadow descended from the sky like a giant eagle, slamming his head into the mud. The visitor rose, stepping on the chief's back, and stood before the crowd, his coat casting a shadow that obscured the firelight.

"It's...it's a messenger of God!" the believers exclaimed.

That was undoubtedly Chu Hengkong, the apostle of the omniscient god. His silver tentacles formed a circle in the air, and a shockwave erupted in a ring, extinguishing all the torches. The crowd was immediately thrown into unease. Without the light of the torches, they also lost their courage. In the darkness, only Chu Hengkong's eyes shone brightly, yet they carried a deep killing intent.

"Listen carefully, and don't misremember. I am about to convey the divine will to everyone." Chu Hengkong narrowed his eyes. "The omniscient god is unwilling to descend because the evil of the swamp has been rooted in the hearts of everyone. The great sins of ignorance and ruthlessness have made even the Dragon God unwilling to cast his gaze upon the swamp! Now, the wrath of the gods has descended as calamity!"

Golden light pierced the darkness, transforming into a great shield held by the knight, her other hand gripping a massive sword capable of unleashing carnage. The figure stood before the crowd, behind Chu Hengkong. Instantly, cries of terror erupted from the crowd: "The Calamity Knight! It's the Calamity Knight!!"

They had shown great courage during their previous patrol, but upon seeing the true form, they became utterly cowardly, their fear nearly driving them to flee. Just before the escape began, a chilling declaration pierced their hearts.

"Spread the divine message throughout the swamps. In three days, the Dragon God's judgment will arrive. On that day, all the wicked will die in sickness, and only the blessed virtuous will be freed from the light!"

Chapter 34 Shoot Me!

The old wooden walls were illuminated by candlelight, candles burning even in the daytime in the dim swamp. People gathered in bars, prayer rooms, and secret churches, their voices from different races discussing the same topic.

"Have you heard?" "I saw it with my own eyes." "The Calamity Knight himself said he would punish..." "The Divine Child was there too." "That was the end of the world. The end of the swamp...!"

Within a day, news of the Calamity Knight bringing divine punishment spread throughout the swamp. No special propaganda was needed; the superstitious people acted as messengers. First light poison, then divine punishment—what devastating news! The atmosphere of impending doom grew heavy, and even the great wizard Adari's face appeared more somber than usual.

"Great Wizard, I must ask for your instructions." His trusted advisor, the wizard Rand, was utterly bewildered. "All the settlements are in a state of panic. What should we do?"

Adali knew that his confidants placed their hopes on his "divine power," but controlling the mind of the group was not something that could be easily accomplished by a mere foundation; long-term psychological suggestion, atmosphere creation, and environmental coordination were all indispensable.

This time, the decisiveness of their attack caught Adari off guard. The two men launched a surprise attack on five major settlements in the swamp overnight, proclaiming the prophecy of "divine punishment" to the masses. With such a strong preconceived impression, changing the crowd's emotions became an impossible challenge. It wasn't something the Foundation could do with just a single relic.

Ada said in a deep voice, “Go to the various settlements to convey the divine message, so that the believers can prepare their weapons and overcome the divine punishment under our guidance.”

"This is..." Rand's voice trembled, "We...we need to open..."

Adali slammed his cane down: "It's all about preparing for war! The city lord's mansion claims they're bringing divine punishment, is that it? Then let them drink the blood of their own city."

Seeing the unease in his confidants' eyes, he laughed in anger: "Don't be foolish like the ignorant masses. It's all just young people bluffing! We've been operating in the swamp for ten years. How could they possibly resolve this in three days?"

·

"What do you mean by 'a verdict will be delivered in three days'?!" Youyou roared in fury. "Tell me what you mean by 'a verdict will be delivered in three days'?!"

In the main conference room of the central courtyard, Youyou coiled on the table, hissing and flicking its tongue, its snake eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out. In the corner, Jie An printed out a large stack of prescriptions, muttering to himself while comparing them to his old notes. Ji Qiufeng, seated at the head of the table, kept his eyes down, pretending not to hear. Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu stood side by side in the doorway, looking like two unlucky kids caught skipping class. Upon hearing the questioning, they both looked up, heads held high and chests puffed out.

"Let's build momentum first, then we'll talk about how to do it later," Chu Hengkong said confidently.

Ji Huaisu retorted, "If the enemy is playing tricks, we can play tricks too! At least now no one dares to lay a hand on our people!"

Youyou shook her head incessantly, her eyes threatening to roll back in anger. Seeing the situation turning sour, Ji Qiufeng quickly interjected, "In war, momentum is very important..."

With a roar that sounded like a dragon's cry, Youyou's snake-like mouth roared: "Ji Qiufeng, shut up! It's none of your business to interfere in educating children!!"

Ji Qiufeng lowered his head, kept quiet, and drank his tea, while the two being scolded tried their best to suppress their laughter. Youyou raised its tail and smacked their hands repeatedly: "What are you laughing at! What about the plan? What about the action plan? Did you even report such a big decision beforehand? The words coming out of your mouths are the pronouncements of the City Lord's Mansion. Now the whole city knows that there will be divine punishment in three days. What will you do if something goes wrong?!"

Chu Hengkong waited for the ill-tempered snake to finish speaking before calmly saying, "The plan is done, and the solution is in place, but there are a few key points that need to be confirmed. Last night's situation was urgent and required immediate action, please forgive me."

"Anyway, our city lord's mansion has long lost its credibility in the swamp, so there's no loss if we mess things up," Ji Huaisu continued to argue.

Youyou had no way to deal with these two scoundrels. She leaned into Ji Qiufeng's teacup and gulped down a large mouthful of tea before catching her breath and asking, "What's the plan?"

Chu Hengkong was prepared: "The identification document for the pill mentioned 'purifying external contamination of particles 4 and below.' Judging from the tone of your voice during yesterday's meeting, I think phototoxicity is also within this range. Even if the pill is not completed, it is still a genuine Level 4 relic. One pill should be able to save many phototoxicity patients."

“It’s not just a lot,” Ji Qiufeng added with a smile. “The power of a 4-point mass is worlds apart from that of 1-3. This one pill alone can save thousands of patients with light poison. Even if they are completely turned into fireflies, they can be brought back to life.”

Youyou tapped its tail impatiently: "I have a way to lure out the source of the light poison. The original plan was to kill the culprit and then treat the patients to completely eliminate the poison, but with you two messing things up like this, who would dare to take our medicine... What are you laughing at?"

The two dispatchers laughed in unison, their sly smiles making Youyou, as the elder, instinctively wary.

Ji Huaisu placed a small object on the table; it was a common weapon in Huilong City. She rubbed her hands together and approached Youyou, her smile sweet: "Lord Youyou~ Could you please take a moment to modify our equipment?"

Youyou stared at the thing, his expression somewhat blank.

"...You two are truly geniuses." Youyou turned to look at Jie'an, "Xiao'an, what do you think of this? Will it work?"

Jie An, who was engrossed in his book, suddenly stood up, his eyes shining: "I know where it is! The dense forest north of Deep Roots settlement is probably in that area. Let's set off quickly!"

After all that fuss, it turned out this guy wasn't listening to the discussion at all. From the moment he got the prescription, he was immersed in his own world, deciphering it with a tacit understanding that only he and his father could comprehend.

Upon hearing this description, Chu Hengkong immediately thought of the small mountain covered in flowers. He didn't rush to answer but instead asked, "You found gold? What is it?"

"Medicinal herbs, of course!" Jie An exclaimed, beaming. "Why do you think the panacea has lost its use?"

"Um... the story got distorted as it was told?" Ji Huaisu guessed.

“My father has only been writing this prescription for a little over twenty years. In that short time, he wouldn’t have forgotten it. The prescription itself is fine, so where did it go wrong?”

Ji Huaisu finally understood: "It's medicine... No wonder, the medicinal properties have changed."

Most of the medicinal herbs in the swamp came from immigrants from various dust islands. However, after transplanting, the environment changed drastically compared to their original habitat. Although they could still thrive due to the fertile soil, their medicinal properties were also affected by the swamp environment. This initially minor impact deepened with each generation and has now manifested itself in recent years, turning what was originally a beneficial remedy into a beverage.

“Some medicines deteriorate in the swamp, while others improve in a new environment.” Jie An said intently. “I understood as soon as I heard my father’s comment. The gold he mentioned was a medicine that was about to take shape… a new variety that would appear in the swamp!”

Jie An wanted to collect prescriptions in order to determine the distribution of altered drugs through comparison, thereby identifying the areas where changes occurred most frequently. That would be the most likely burial sites. Chu Hengkong understood this and turned his attention to another matter: "Then can you write a new panacea prescription?"

“Of course I can!” Jie An said. “I probably can. It’s really just about figuring out how the medicine changes, like switching brands of seasoning when you’re cooking… It should work. I have a good idea of ​​what I’m doing, but…”

He nervously gripped his hat, his voice gradually lowering: "Sorry, it probably won't work. After all, it's my father's prescription, don't count on me. Can we talk about serious matters? I mean, finding the gold first and then dealing with these idiots wouldn't be a problem, would it?"

“That’s the key,” Chu Hengkong said. “You’re describing Adali’s herb fields, located on a hilltop and heavily guarded. I suspect he’s cultivating fireflies around there.”

"Fuck him, beat him to death!" Jie An cursed.

"This requires your assistance..."

Chu Hengkong began explaining the plan. Jie An listened attentively and then sketched on his notebook for a while.

“It’s challenging,” he repeated. “To achieve the desired effect, simply diluting the pills with water isn’t enough. We need to increase the viscosity of the diluent… We might need to add some gourd seed extract and algae paste. I need time to experiment…”

"We have two and a half days left from now," Chu Hengkong patted his shoulder. "It's all up to you!"

Three days was a reasonable timeframe; the corpses were spreading, and Ji Qiufeng urgently needed treatment, so there wasn't much time to waste. The entire resurrection unit sprang into action, from the workshops on the Sky Island to the pharmacies in the Central Courtyard. The team members racked their brains over the impromptu requirements, working under the supervision of their supervisor to urgently produce the necessary equipment.