Forge a path to success

"Don't wander off, and don't worry," Chu Hengkong said. "The police officer keeps his word. He promised to kill him for you, and he will."

Tina nodded vigorously and said crisply, "I believe Detective Chu!"

Chu Hengkong said goodbye to the two men and went downstairs alone. Downstairs, Lu Xing saw him and quickly stubbed out his cigarette, stamping the butt several times. As he got into the car, he whispered, "Brother Chu, there are people watching outside."

Chu Hengkong stared blankly out the window, pondering whether to proceed with the patrol as planned to avoid alerting the enemy, or to seize the opportunity to arrest a few prisoners. Just then, the car's communicator glowed red, and a familiar voice came through the private channel.

"Hello, Chu Hengkong, can you hear me?"

"Yes. What is it?"

"Return to headquarters immediately." Ji Huaisu's voice sounded tense. "There's an emergency meeting!"

·

"Eradicate the Maivia Club within 24 hours," Ji Qiufeng said.

This was the first thing Chu Hengkong heard upon entering, and it was also the core issue of this emergency meeting. Ji Huaisu was particularly excited, and Jie An's face was pale, but they were both equally surprised. Chu Hengkong spoke for them, saying, "So urgent?"

"Can we stop for a second?" Ji Huaisu finally came to her senses. "I absolutely support Dad's actions, but isn't 24 hours too rushed? I was just thinking about what to have for lunch five minutes ago, how did it turn out like this?"

Ji Qiufeng placed a small bottle on the table, and Ji Huaisu immediately fell silent, his expression as solemn as if facing a formidable enemy.

It was a small object resembling a perfume bottle, with dozens of shiny facets, each engraved with a different phase of the moon. By rotating the bottle, one could see the changing phases of the moon from full to new moon. The liquid inside was a viscous black liquid that, despite the absence of external interference, undulated and writhed as if alive.

Staring at the bottle, Chu Hengkong had a strange feeling, as if he were looking at something living, breathing. The crystal bottle was bone and flesh, and the black liquid was its blood. Instinctively, he wanted to look away, but he found himself staring intently at the black blood in the bottle. Ripples spread across the blood, carrying a familiar scent: the fragrance of white roses, the smoke of cigars, the smell of gunpowder, and the stench of blood seeping into the night…

"Heng Kong!" Ji Qiufeng shouted in a low voice, and put the cap on the bottle.

Chu Hengkong seemed to wake from a dream. He closed his eyes briefly before speaking, "What is this?"

"The blood of the illegitimate son of Shuoyue," Youyou said somberly, its blue eyes narrowing like two slender knives. "It's a heretical path, different from the Firefly Corpse. This heretical path is born with the ability to perform rituals!"

The word "ritual" triggered Chu Hengkong's memories, and he raised his tentacle: "A summoning ritual?"

“Yes, but it’s not nearly as friendly as you experienced,” Youyou said. “The Shuoyue Bastards… aliens related to the moon… are a heretical sect that values ​​‘family relationships.’ These heretics regard each other as blood relatives, and when their ‘family’ grows to a certain size, they gain the ability to summon ‘elders.’”

"It's like a person summoning a demon," Chu Hengkong guessed.

“But it will be faster and worse than that,” Ji Qiufeng said. “Among all the heretics, only the line of the illegitimate sons can summon a superior being far stronger than themselves through ‘blood.’ If the ‘elder’ truly responds to the call… the situation will become very bad.”

"Father, what do you think it will be?" Ji Huaisu asked in a low voice.

"It's hard to say. There's no distinction between 'points of matter' in the Abyss Outer Path. The 'elders' that can be summoned must have a combat power of at least 5..."

Chu Hengkong pursed his lips; he too felt nervous. This was truly a terrifyingly insane place. Just minutes ago, he was thinking about how to take down the gangsters; minutes later, the issue had escalated to the survival of the city. He was thankful that his heart was strong enough to withstand such a contrast, but others lacked that composure.

Jie An stared wide-eyed, as if only now realizing what had happened. He collapsed onto the table, letting out a painful wail: "Please, have mercy on me! I finally made it back from the swamp, and now it's an evil god again!!"

“It could also be aliens,” Chu Hengkong said. “I’ve read about alien evil gods that look like octopuses in novels before.”

"Can that thing be caught with a sperm ball?" Ji Huaisu asked.

Chu Hengkong tried to explain: "No, that's not a work of art..."

"Damn it, damn it, can you guys just shut up?!" Jie An wailed. "That's an evil god on the moon! Shouldn't we be holding hands, hugging, and writing our wills or something? Why are you all so calm?"

"That's the point of this meeting. Our goal is to prevent that thing from descending and to handle this matter within the scope of a 'fight'." Ji Qiufeng waved his fan, reverting to his usual carefree demeanor. "Don't be too tense. The ritual requires a long period of preparation and will cause a great commotion when it's activated. So, as long as we take care of Maivia first, everything will be fine. Heng Kong, you used to be an assassin. As a professional, what advice do you have?"

"Assassination," Chu Hengkong said without hesitation.

"Tell me your plan."

Chu Hengkong picked up a black pen and started gesturing on the whiteboard.

"The next time Maivia throws a party, I'll sneak in disguise as a waiter, find my target, chop it up with one stab, and then go home..."

Ji Qiufeng's composed demeanor faltered slightly, and Ji Huaisu slammed his fist on the table, exclaiming, "What the hell? Is this what you call assassination? Where's the assassination in all of a sudden?!"

"I will dress up as a waiter," Chu Hengkong said earnestly.

Jie An couldn't take it anymore: "No, buddy, can you check your left arm first?"

Chu Hengkong glanced at his tentacles and realized that this previously infallible plan was not so easy to execute. He also felt helpless: "There's no better way. Maivia won't leave the base camp, and we can't infiltrate without the banquet. We can't expect him to go out and die on his own."

“I knew assassination wouldn’t work,” Youyou sighed. “Could we start with his ‘children’? If we eradicate the tainted blood, even with the head of the family, we can’t perform the ritual.”

“Mavia’s children live with him,” Ji Qiufeng pointed out. “Essentially, it’s a problem that he didn’t have a chance to make a move.”

"Damn it, we let them develop to this point without us even noticing..." Youyou gritted his teeth. "Let's prepare for a frontal assault."

"Don't engage in a firefight yet." Chu Hengkong frowned deeply. "Less than half of our team members have changed their equipment yet; we're not ready."

“But the enemy won’t wait for us to attack, kid.” Youyou flicked his tongue. “They might already be preparing the ceremony. We have to act fast.”

A silence fell over the meeting room. The situation had come so suddenly that everyone was scrambling to think things through. Chu Heng was deeply opposed to a direct confrontation; it would result in too many casualties, as sheer numbers weren't effective against Ascended Beings, and they didn't have enough manpower… But assassination also lacked a point of entry. Maivia's banquet had ended two days prior; the enemy leader wouldn't leave his lair to die…

Think about it, what would the enemy do now? They'd probably want to hold the ceremony as soon as possible, so they'd take extra steps... like gathering materials... or...

New "children"?

Tina's request flashed through Chu Heng's mind, and he recalled his long-held suspicions. He tapped the table.

“It’s not necessarily impossible,” he said. “I have an idea.”

·

Two hours later, Yako lay in bed, her mind in turmoil. She hadn't expected her plea for help to actually work; Tina had brought the yellow crystal. Could this be a talisman from the detective? Could it protect her daughter? She knew nothing, and that's why she grew increasingly anxious.

"Can you hear me?" A man's voice came from the crystal.

Sprouts sat up reflexively and said as quietly as possible, "Yes! I am Sprouts! I can hear you!"

"Chu Hengkong, Senior Detective of the Resurrection Unit," Chu Hengkong said. "I understand your situation. I have something I'd like to ask for your opinion on."

"Please speak..."

Yako listened with agonizing disbelief to the man's plan revealed in the crystal. The plan was simple, even brutal, yet it carried risks she couldn't ignore. She kept opening and closing her mouth, struggling to find a response.

"...The choice is yours," Chu Hengkong said. "Whether you participate in the operation or not, I will guarantee the safety of your whole family."

Yako closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her daughter's and husband's faces, Bai Mei's face, the scenes she witnessed every night in the club, all the chaos flashed before her eyes.

“…You’re the chief detective, I believe you.” The woman said softly but firmly, “I have no other choice.”

"Remember this. When you hear the wind, turn around and run home."

Chu Hengkong closed the crystal and put it in his pocket, letting out a deep breath. The light outside the car window seemed to peel away like silk threads, and the streetlights along the street were lighting up one by one.

Night is approaching.

Lu Xing placed his hands on the steering wheel, gazing at the brightly lit up affluent neighborhood in the distance. For some reason, he recalled the man beside him that evening who had walked alone into the abandoned building to exorcise a demon.

"Brother Chu, do you need a spear?" he asked.

"Find me a knife," Chu Hengkong said.

Use a stick to beat a dog, and a knife to kill someone.

(This book will be available for purchase tomorrow! So there will be three updates tomorrow: one at 8:00 AM and two more at 8:30 AM.)

Chapter 45 Remarks on the launch

Holy crap, it's already August?

This was truly my first thought upon hearing that the book was going to be published. I started writing "Forging Destiny" in June, and more than a month has passed since then. When I saw the notification, I realized it was time to publish it. I was still in the office working on reports when I saw the notification. Thinking back to this time two years ago, I was a carefree graduate student writing "Cangdu" during my spare time. It felt like a lifetime ago.

However, I don't think people really care about the author's experience as a corporate slave, so let's talk about the book instead...

I've had the idea of ​​writing an infinite flow novel for a long time because I really like its structure in every way: like a wandering knight, traversing the vast world, doing good or evil is just a matter of a single thought, meeting new friends and experiencing new stories each time, exploring a mysterious and unknown new place, and then returning home with a generous reward, taking a short break before starting a new adventure.

Isn't that fantastic? It perfectly embodies every adventurous child's fantasy of the future! With enough ideas, this story could go on and on until both the reader and the protagonist are completely satisfied. However, when it comes to actually putting pen to paper, the story isn't always as wonderful as imagined…

In terms of forging destiny, I originally planned to have Akong, as a classic, decisive male protagonist, take on missions one by one and conquer Dust Island after another under the system's guidance, following a relatively traditional infinite flow path. However, during the outline stage, I discovered an unavoidable problem:

The system's task redemption and character distribution panel is such a hassle.

Well, because I'm lazy, I deleted the system...

The second problem is that constantly fighting through each Dust Island requires switching between different instances, which puts a lot of pressure on the author and leaves little opportunity to depict daily life and cute girls... After all, it's still a light novel, and I prefer more character interactions...

So I decided to write more stories set in a large, multi-dimensional city!

And so, little by little, the framework for shaping my destiny took shape. And then, as I write this now and look back, I realize (not so much with shock) that...

—It has nothing to do with infinite flow anymore!

Ah, that's how it is, that's why I didn't dare add the "infinite flow" tag. To be honest, most infinite flow stories are already at least at the second chapter, and Ah Kong is still steadily pushing forward the Dragon City story, which is really no laughing matter. Isn't it too slow? Shouldn't it speed things up? Quickly add some eye-catching elements like beautiful girls falling from the sky, or add some plot points that I personally like but the censors probably won't, or dig out something useful from the earlier text as foreshadowing, then unleash a shocking revelation—let the plot explode and leap into a vast new world!

But no. I'm very tempted, but it won't work. The story I'm writing isn't exactly mainstream, so I might as well maintain my pace and move forward step by step. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, and creating a hanging garden with wild abandon is the privilege of a select few geniuses. Ordinary writers attempting to imitate this will most likely produce unusable garbage. Having written stories for several years, I've basically realized my limitations. I need to lay a solid foundation first before talking about the future.

Therefore, in the remaining pages of Volume One, I will try my best to tell the story of Huilong City well, and strive to satisfy everyone who has read this far. As for the overall direction of the story, I would like to leave that for the summary at the end of the volume (after all, there is no reason to spoil it in the author's notes), so I will not elaborate on it here.

Time has become very precious since I started working, but I will try my best to update regularly.

Finally, as is customary, I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who has read this far. Thank you to every reader who has chosen to read this book. Thank you to the otter spirit who discussed the setting with me and helped me secure commissions, and to the curator who often listened to my complaints. Thank you to the first and second Silver Alliance Leaders, Earthbound Spirit (I was truly shocked), Alliance Leader antsaber, the Sincere Ghost Team, Kamikyo, Prairie Wolf 2221, Retsu Kaioh Challenges the Strong in Gensokyo, Nekobako and the Witch of Dreams, and Damaskeen. Also, thank you to all the readers for your donations, monthly tickets, and recommendations!

Your support will become my hamburgers and milk tea... oh no, I mean, my motivation for writing! (Loudly)

Finally, I'll shamelessly ask for your recommendation votes and monthly tickets.

In addition, a new book club has been created for this book: Huilongcheng Miaomiao Squid Plantation, group number 980497014. Everyone is welcome to join the group to discuss squid cultivation experiences!

Chapter 46 Rumors

Bai Mei stubbed out his cigarette, feeling agitated.

His father's task came too suddenly. Two days ago he said he'd have it completed within a month, and the next day he changed his mind and said he needed it within two days. "Catching" a daughter isn't kidnapping; intelligence, a clean background, and a good birth are basic requirements, plus there are specific requirements for her birth date. Girls born on a full moon night—where are they so easy to find? Luckily, there are plenty of gossipy women with children, otherwise he might be the one getting slapped this time. This body is good enough for him; he doesn't want to change it.

"Brother White Eyebrows, we've tied up so many these past few days, when are we going to kill a few?" the henchman said with a grin.

"Kill your mother! Is this another kidnapping?" White Eyebrows cursed. "This is the last one. We'll have our fun after this."

The four henchmen grinned maliciously, all eyeing their "harvest" from the past few days. The girls were all locked up in the club's underground, and only one could be chosen by the parents to be their "daughter." The girls who weren't chosen would naturally be theirs to deal with; a dozen or so men could probably take turns playing with them all night, and the thought filled them with anticipation.

Bai Mei revealed a black jade token, engraved with a crescent moon. When the token was illuminated, it emitted wisps of black smoke, transforming into a phantom door. Bai Mei led his followers through the misty door, and in the blink of an eye, they were transported from the club's underground to a cramped, filthy alleyway. The entire street was crammed with gray old buildings; overhead, one could see a dense network of cables and clothes hanging haphazardly, creating an oppressive and nauseating atmosphere.

Bai Mei spat out some phlegm and, together with the four of them, walked halfway around the side road. The side entrance of Bangxing Building was on the left side of the alley, and Ya Zi and her daughter Mei Zi were standing inside. The woman's face was pale, and her hands were tightly gripping her daughter's shoulders. The little girl was in a little pain from her mother's grip, but she didn't seem too uneasy.

Bai Mei, finding no trace of her ghostly husband or father around, felt much happier. That's what you call being pragmatic! Did they think they'd live longer if they had to trouble the old men to beat her up before taking her away? He beckoned with his finger, and Ya Zi bit her lip until it bled. "Please don't hurt me..."

She tried to say something, but Bai Mei reached out and grabbed the little girl. Ya Zi pleaded, grabbing his hand, her eyes filled with tears: "Brother Bai Mei, I beg you..."

Bai Mei stared at her expressionlessly: "What's going on?"

The henchmen spat disdainfully a few times and went to the crossroads to keep watch. Bai Mei grabbed the woman by the neck. Ya Zi trembled like a dead dog, afraid to utter a sound. Her daughter seemed frightened, crying out from behind, "Mommy! Put down my mommy!" Her cries were like a death knell, agonizingly urgent…

A terrifying rage flashed across Bai Mei's face as he lifted the woman high into the air!

He suddenly heard the sound of wind, so light and so fast, like a paper cutter slicing through newly printed paper. The wind blew from the end of the path to the alley entrance. He instinctively turned his head and saw the man in the green coat on the main road slowly sheathing his knife, four heads spinning as they fell to the ground.

The headless corpse gushed blood like a pillar!

The four corpses convulsed as they fell, blood gushing onto the walls and floor. A mournful wind howled, mingling with the cries of young children. The little girl closed her eyes at the sound of the wind and was embraced by her weeping mother. After landing, Yako ran away with her daughter in her arms. Shirai couldn't stop her, for his arm fell to the ground along with the heads.

Bai Mei covered his neck with his only remaining hand, blood gushing out from between his fingers. At first it was bright red, then it turned into a foul-smelling black like oil. Finally, the grip of his single hand could no longer be suppressed, and blood flew up like a ring blade, staining the dirty wall black.

In the pool of blood outside the alley, Chu Hengkong silently wiped the blood from his blade. In that instant, he fell from the top floor of the building, unleashing three deadly strikes. One severed Bai Mei's arm, another his throat, and the final headed all four men at once. His speed was so fast that no one could see his figure or the blade marks; only the sound of blood splattering in the wind remained after it was all over!

Behind Chu Hengkong, Bai Mei's head twisted 180 degrees along the slash mark, held together by only a thin layer of skin. On that inverted face, dozens of black veins bulged menacingly, and a beastly roar burst from its mouth.

"Tentacle bastard, I'll kill you!!!"

Blood burst forth from Bai Mei's body, the black blood tearing his form apart and transforming him into a grotesque, canine-like creature. One of his forepaws was a sharp slicing knife, while the other was a gigantic, pale white bone club. A long, thin, blood-red tail, like a snake, sprouted from his back, its tip tipped with bone spikes resembling a scorpion's sting. It was as if the bodies of several wild beasts had been violently severed and stitched together in the ugliest way imaginable.

This was Bai Mei's true form, a monstrous creature lurking beneath human skin. Enraged, he raised his claw-like blade, a massive blade as long as a normal person, and slashed at Chu Hengkong!

—Most of the subordinates of the illegitimate son of the new moon are "The Fallen," monsters in human skin. Their physical strength is considerable, and their survivability is exceptionally high; their true forms resemble alien beasts. Once the battle begins, remember to carefully observe their appearance to avoid being caught in danger due to changes in their physical form.

Ji Qiufeng's instructions flashed through his mind, and Chu Hengkong drew his sword again, slashing upwards without turning his head. His sword was not a special relic, but just an ordinary single-edged sword, yet it firmly blocked Bai Mei's claw blade.

Undeterred, Bai Mei intensified his claw strikes, sparks illuminating the night. Their attacks clashed three times; Bai Mei, despite his weapon advantage, failed to gain the upper hand and couldn't even force Chu Hengkong to turn around. The man's back conveyed a silent contempt, a scathing disdain that encompassed both strength and very existence.

Enraged to the point of madness, Bai Mei changed its attack from a slash to a horizontal swing of its claws, while simultaneously unleashing a powerful bone hammer with its right arm, aiming to smash its enemy into mincemeat. This time, Chu Hengkong lowered his blade and slashed upwards at the tip of the claw, deflecting the giant claw. He then turned and gripped his sword in a reverse grip, unleashing his fist at the approaching bone hammer. The moment the bone hammer collided head-on with his fist, the immense impact shattered the glass throughout the entire street!

It was a visually stunning scene. The man throwing the punch was only tall, but the mutated White Eyebrows was five meters long, and his right arm, a bone hammer, was much thicker than an ordinary tree trunk, enough to smash a vehicle into scrap metal. Yet, the monster's hammer not only failed to budge the man's fist, but was also forced back inch by inch. Unimaginable force erupted from Chu Hengkong's body, and his punch cracked the pale, bony shell.

At that moment, a crimson trail curved across the sky, and the scorpion-like tail beside Bai Mei swept out, aiming for Chu Hengkong's side. A wicked smug gleamed in his eyes. The claw blade had temporarily paralyzed him, but he still had the tail stinger to use. This was not a duel between humans; monsters had their own methods to win.

But Bai Mei's smugness was overshadowed by astonishment. The silver whip arrived first, binding its tail tightly like a noose. It was Chu Hengkong's tentacle!

He was completely wrong. Possessing similarly alien limbs, that supposedly clever sneak attack was nothing more than child's play to Chu Hengkong. Chu Hengkong lowered his stance, shifting his weight, and forcefully pulled back his left arm, whipping Bai Mei's scorpion tail backward. This move immediately disrupted Bai Mei's balance; the monstrous canine body involuntarily straightened its legs, unable to retaliate. Chu Hengkong's right hand flashed, and with a swift, sideways movement, he severed the scorpion-like tail at its root!

"ah----!!!"