Forge a path to success

He bowed to the crowd and turned to leave. Lico clutched the two precious pieces of evidence, but couldn't utter a single word.

Chu Hengkong stepped outside and saw that the long queue had dispersed. The few citizens who remained in front of the Great Library seemed quite relaxed. He casually stopped one of them and shouted, "Hey! The Great Library was almost destroyed, what's there to be happy about!"

“It would be better if it were completely destroyed,” the citizen replied cheerfully. “If all those old, trivial matters disappeared, no one would take the opportunity to cause trouble, and everyone could focus their energy on the present…”

Van der said coldly, "Then what about the person involved?"

The citizen didn't hesitate at all, still cheerfully saying, "Look at what you're saying, I wasn't even involved!"

They said nothing more and stood silently in front of the Great Archives. It was nearly dusk, and the pale golden sunlight spilled onto the street, casting a sacred glow on Parriman's white robes.

He walked into the crowd in the distance, and people cheered at his arrival.

·

That night, the usually carefree Vande couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned in his sleeping bag until Chu Hengkong picked him up and asked what was bothering him.

"I remembered a lot of vague things, but I couldn't sort them out."

Chu Hengkong thought this was nonsense, so he tossed it back and went back to sleep.

“Dude, I’m serious,” Van der said blankly. “Should we not have come here?”

"Are you planning to become an ostrich in the middle of the night?"

"We acquired an invisibility spell, but gained an enemy like Frudan." Vande shook his head. "A god wants to kill me, and even a delusional-level archdeacon wants what's mine. I'm definitely not some lousy undergraduate... I'm really not here on a trip!"

"You don't need to say nonsense at one o'clock in the morning."

Van der said urgently, “You don’t understand what I mean! I used to think it was all your bad luck, that you and Ji Huaisu were jinxes, and I suffered because of you. But now it seems I’m the unluckiest one! Who knows how many people came after me before!”

Chu Hengkong tried to fall asleep: "Whether you know it or not, life is the same."

“That’s different,” Vande muttered. “Now that I know all this, how can I still be a carefree bum? I can’t live like Gulibo anymore!”

It stared blankly at the ceiling: "I really regret going to the Great Archives. This morning I thought Parrimanism was a bunch of idiots, but now I really... I think not knowing might not be a bad thing."

"Now I know so much weird stuff, but what can I do about it?"

Half-asleep, Chu Heng vaguely recalled the guardian spirit from the novel and the goofy deliveryman. They could no longer live carefree lives like before. The guardian spirit said it was because they realized the world wasn't solid ground, but a fragile, solitary boat.

He rolled over and said, "That's up to you."

"How to say."

"If you want to live entirely on the backs of others, then close your eyes and be a carefree fool," Chu Hengkong said. "If you want to take control of your own life, then you have to open your eyes and figure out how to live and how to live on your own."

Chapter 329 Inside and Outside the City

“You’ve got another book. Just tell Oleksandr that,” Chu Hengkong said.

Kanin looked miserable, as if he were slicing a stewed shoe sole instead of a steak.

"I don't think it will be satisfied with such a vague answer."

“Fill in the rest with your intelligence; there’s no shortage of demons anywhere in the city-state.” Chu Hengkong put down his knife and fork. “Besides, he doesn’t need my reply.”

Everyone knows that fate is everywhere, and misfortune, as the dark side of the tide, is even more so. In Chu Hengkong's view, it was completely unnecessary for Olek to find a messenger; he could keep track of the every move of everyone in the Thorn Robe whenever he wanted.

“That’s not necessarily true.” Kanin slowly poured the wine. “In my personal experience, one of the differences between gods and mortals is that they never do anything superfluous unless it is something that interests them.”

Chu Hengkong tapped the wooden table: "Olek has some concerns?"

Admittedly, this is Thorn's territory, and the old jellyfish's cautious and discreet behavior is in line with its nature. However, considering the previous chaotic entry into the Grand Archives as if it were empty, and the fact that Olek has already sent out his demigods, this seems to be an unreasonable explanation.

Unless it has other concerns...

“Detective, I must say you always have a penchant for overly bold associations.” Kanin raised his glass. “But as the tide has shown, I haven’t said anything, revealed any information, or made any inappropriate hints… I’ve been honest and dutiful.”

Another hint. Kanin also had concerns, and the previous topic touched upon its "limitations." What were its limitations? It had taken over the business of the amusement park's underground facilities, and Olek probably wouldn't be the one to guide the entertainment...

Of course, what can be sustained in the Fifth Meridian Order for a long time must be a lingering poison that even the Divine Guard cannot deal with despite their best efforts.

"I remember you as a good businessman. Businessmen value their reputation, don't they?" Chu Hengkong said casually. "You haven't given me any of the information you promised. It's hard for me to sign a contract with you."

Kanin smiled and said, "We have a wide range of sourcing channels. Whatever you want, I will do my best to provide it."

“I was almost bitten to death by wild dogs yesterday. I need chaotic information.”

“I’m afraid I have no choice but to decline this time.” Kanin’s smile deepened. “You know the rules of our line of work; you have to be loyal to your friends.”

“That’s right.” Chu Hengkong stood up. “Then our deal is off. Let’s have a drink together next time we’re free.”

"As you see fit." Kanin removed his hat.

Chu Hengkong left the bar and walked briskly back to the bookstore. On the way, he saw musicians rehearsing an ensemble, and every household was decorating their doorways with flowers, as if preparing for a festival.

When I returned to the bookstore, Gulibo was tossing seeds onto the mushroom house. These hybrids, which somehow achieved hydroponics, sprouted into small flower buds the moment they were placed on the roof. Ji Huaisu and a group of shop assistants were busy helping with the sowing.

"What did that bastard workshop owner say?" she asked as she threw the torrent.

He said he was loyal to his friends.

“This is the funniest joke I’ve heard in the last two years,” she replied, tossing another seed high into the air, which landed squarely on the forehead of a crucian carp that had opened the door for some fresh air. Manager Fish rolled his eyes and disappeared behind the window.

"Oh my god." Ji Huaisu quietly slipped the seed basket into Gulibo's paw. "I have something urgent to attend to. Good luck..."

"Bo?"

Less than half a minute later, Bangbangji flew down the stairs in a fit of rage, pouncing on Gulibo like a man-eating flying fish. A cheerful (?) commotion erupted outside the door.

"Gulibo!!!" "Innocent bo! It really wasn't me!"

Chu Hengkong considerately closed the bookstore door and returned to his small room on the top floor. Fan De, with a bandage wrapped around his neck, flipped through ancient books with the intensity of a student cramming for a final exam.

"I'm determined to catch that old man by the tail," it declared confidently.

"Having an insomniac night actually made me feel more energetic."

"Damn it, they've come knocking on our door, are we just waiting to die instead of finding a way out?!" Vande yelled. "I've finally figured it out, that bullshit 'ignorance is bliss'! After I kill Fridan, I'll do whatever I want!"

“Although the goal is too ambitious, at least you haven’t made any mistakes in your thinking.” Chu Hengkong agreed. “I think we should start with what’s in front of us first. How are you doing with figuring out your new ability?”

Van der glared, that feeling of being invisible washing over him again. Just then, Ji Huaisu entered with a sheepish grin: "Could I borrow your two rooms to hide in... Hey, where are you two?"

Vande blinked, and the two invisible figures returned to reality. Ji Huaisu stared wide-eyed at them: "This is too sleazy!"

"It's your heart that's despicable, you middle-aged man!" Vande protested loudly.

"Is that all you think about Vande's new abilities?"

"My old skill is hypnosis, and my new ability is invisibility. I find it hard to think of it in a healthy way." Ji Huaisu shrank back. "Should I awaken time-stopping after collecting another book? Holy crap, this is terrifying! I'm practically an enemy of women!"

"Your brain is the biggest threat to the women around you!"

Chu Hengkong picked up the menacing Fan De: "Can this thing be used by Huaisu?"

“Of course not, only you and I can use it.” Vande rolled his eyes. “If I’m not here, you can trigger it with the book, but it will only last a short time.”

"Let's test the reduction in regular damage."

Vande activated his invisibility spell again, and Ji Huaisu conjured a stick and struck the invisible people with it.

"I have absolutely no feel for it. It's not just that I miss, it feels like I didn't hit anything at all."

"But I was actually hit." Chu Hengkong appeared. "Your weapon was also affected by the recoil, but you didn't notice."

Ji Huaisu stared at the slightly crooked club: "This invisibility ability also has the properties of hypnosis... It would be surprisingly effective in a one-on-one duel."

"It's difficult to remain invisible in that kind of situation, so it's better to prepare in advance for infiltration," Chu Hengkong judged.

"So, is Vande's graduation thesis a stealth technique used by assassins? It doesn't feel right at all."

Vande shook his head: "It's only a part. The book that records the 'Invisibility Technique' was hidden in the Thorn Robe because of some circumstance... There should be two more books like this."

Ji Huaisu tilted her head: "What do you mean? Are you saying that your graduation thesis was divided into three parts by the curator?"

“That’s how I remember it. Although the whereabouts of the third book are still unclear, I have a clue about the next one,” Vande said. “That book is in the old man’s hands! When we met in the wilderness last time, the old man gave me some information, but he didn’t give me the book, which is why I didn’t think of the new ability.”

"Is the Black Moon next?" Ji Huaisu sighed. "It's getting more and more outrageous. What exactly were you researching back then...?"

“You’ll understand when you get the next book,” Van der said. “Right now, the most important thing is to master the new abilities. We need to prepare as soon as possible before the next attack from Fridan!”

"Oh, surprisingly you didn't say anything discouraging!" Ji Huaisu clenched her fist. "That's how it should be. We should do our best within our capabilities. I'm planning to write a letter to my father to ask for some information. A-Kong, is there anything you want to ask?"

"Help me ask around for suggestions on how to deal with the chaos," Chu Hengkong said. "It's always better to cram at the last minute than to sit and wait for death."

Having experienced the Great Archives incident, he knew that Thornhill was not a paradise without danger. Oleksandr's attitude was ambiguous, Fridan was undoubtedly plotting his next move, Parriman's true nature beneath his iron mask was difficult to discern, and then there was that utterly absurd bill, yet it enjoyed widespread public support…

This place appears peaceful on the surface, but the deeper one delves, the more hidden dangers emerge. He had originally planned to come to Jing Sha for a vacation to find someone, but unknowingly, he found himself getting more and more entangled.

Perhaps it's time to consider leaving Jingsha.

Chu Hengkong lay back on the bed, thinking that he should inquire about the situation outside Jing Sha in the afternoon.

·

On the front lines of a desperate battle, in a certain trench.

The cannons roared, and the earth trembled like ocean waves. The captain of the Remnant Hearts threw out a new string of venom bombs, ducked back under the city wall, and the exploding venom melted several demon-possessed individuals into bones.

"What's the result of the divination?!" he yelled. "Get the hell out of here, you bastard!"

The only relatively quiet member of the mercenary group, who was intently staring at the ashes, replied, "Shut your mouth and don't bother me!"

"Huh?! You dare delay our battle opportunity and I'll behead you!"

The man with a broken heart felt anxious. The day of the shift change was drawing ever closer, but he hadn't earned many respectable military achievements. Returning home like this would surely bring him ridicule. He wanted to urge them on, but instead, he turned and plunged his dagger into the head of his comrade beside him, black blood gushing from the wound.

"The divination indicates the presence of a dark moon causing pollution!" the diviner exclaimed.

"Tell me something I don't know!" The Heartbreaker was furious. He kicked the corrupted man's head away, but the other corpses rose, and a thin, robed humanoid appeared in front of the trench. It was a Crescent Moon alien, a Fallen One with a strength between 3 and 4 points. The appearance of such a thing meant they were surrounded.

But the Remnant Heart suppressed his tension; his elemental perception foreshadowed an unpredictable change. Sure enough, a fiery meteor struck the Strange Man, and the air became as dry as a volcano. Another Wrathful Demon arrived, making it a three-way battle.

“Let’s give it our all…” He took out the scroll he had kept hidden away.

"The divination!" The diviner's scream was like a duck's cry, "A silver divination!"

The squad leader of the Remnant Hearts gasped, slamming the scroll to the ground. A large amount of harmful smoke billowed out, and he used the opportunity to lead the diviner away, putting all his strength into the fight. Just three seconds later, a powerful beast possessed by a demon leaped into the battlefield, crushing their trenches and the corpses within them in the shockwave. The Remnant Moon Hero used mind control on the beast, while the Demonic Wrath continued its howling and rampage, and then—

A silver glint flashed through the sandstorm.

In an instant, the cold, colossal object appeared in the center of the battlefield.

Standing an astonishing eight meters tall, its shadow was enough to envelop the three external dimensional chakras simultaneously, making the beast appear like a docile kitten in comparison. Its lower body resembled the heavy armor of an ancient general, with trapezoidal tracks replacing its legs beneath the impenetrable armor. Its demonically grotesque upper body was covered in a dense red glow, formed by armor plates that opened and closed like scales, each concealing a miniature cannon waiting to cool. At the top of its armory-like body, a single-eyed head indifferently surveyed the battlefield.

A fiery meteor struck it, but it needed not dodge; the flames could not penetrate its armor. It raised its cage-like limbs, the bars of which were four sharp scimitars. Claws pierced the demon's body, the force field binding, compressing, and erasing the pitiful elemental life, turning it into pure energy.

It reclaims flames, unleashing cannon fire to erode the demons' corrupted life forms. The Crescent Moon Inhuman is casting a spell, drawing its weapon from its left wrist. A massive silver battle axe cleaves the Inhuman apart, disintegrating its filthy flesh and sealing it into the weapon.

The Imperial standard weapon, the "Blade of Understanding." Only soldiers recognized for their participation in combat are qualified to use it, and its user is a symbol of death feared by all sides on the front lines.

External Path Point 3, Ultimate Body True Machine - Death Control Soldier.

The dead soldier sheathed his weapons and sent out a communication: "Battlefield cleared, requesting to begin teleportation."

Maps, plans, and necessary information were transmitted from the think tank to the nearest engineering unit, and an Immortal arrived after 2 standard seconds. Approved materials were dropped by a point-4 air combat unit, and the Immortal completed the delivery in 98 standard seconds. As planned, the Dead Soldier entered the password.

"3001/07/17, Death Soldier P-876548 requests to receive the teleportation."

【license】

The teleportation device began operating and ended after 3.56 seconds. A lord of mass level 6 appeared before them. The Death Soldier extended his right limb and spoke to this noble near-god who held the power to decide their fate, and indeed the fate of all the armies here:

"Transmission successful. Security check in progress. Please open database and disarm."

Chapter 330 Imperial-Style Internal Strife

This figure, of mass 6, appears entirely devoid of military bearing, resembling instead a slender and elegant nobleman. His body, cast from silver alloy in a spindle shape, is largely hollowed out, forming an abstract, half-body-like figure. Beneath this almost decorative metal shell, a stream of eerie blue information flickers like fire, supporting this exquisite form and manifesting as burning facial features, hair, and a cloak.

Outer Path Point 6, Ultimate Body True Machine · Super Machine Lord.

It suppressed the information flow into its body and said to this insignificant soldier, "Disarm, data access granted, security check to begin."

The Death Guardian establishes a connection with the lord, and at the same time, a signal is relayed from the commander in the military camp, instructing him to begin inspection using the Death Guardian as a physical firewall.

This is standard procedure for Imperial security checks: lower-level units make direct physical contact while higher-level units remotely control the inspection. If any unstable factors are found, the lower-level units are immediately abandoned and a crackdown is launched to minimize the possibility of contamination.

The signal was withdrawn, and the Imperial Guard saluted: "Inspection complete, no external contamination confirmed. C-006, Super Mech Lord, the Eastern Theater of the Empire welcomes you."

"In informal settings, we will not use your serial number; you may refer to my proposition 'Burning River'," the lord said. "I hereby rename Death Soldier P-876548 to C-006-07, appointing him as my adjutant. He will assist me in handling official duties during his secondment to the Eastern Theater Command. Immortal Mech S-654531 will be promoted to Death Soldier and will replace the original P-876548 in combat."

This is a tradition of the Empire's high-ranking units. Although their computing power is sufficient for one person to handle all the work of the entire army, it is used for more meaningful tasks, so military affairs are handled by adjutants.