Forge a path to success

Chu Hengkong sighed helplessly, "Your fingers are so split they look like a crab's. Can you please have some self-respect?"

His female partner obediently covered her face, and he took off his clothes, soaked in the pool, and closed his eyes. He was really tired; he had been up all day from morning till night, and only now did he finally have a moment to relax.

Ji Huaisu remained silent for a while until he saw him open his eyes.

"It's hard to believe this is only our second day out."

"Doesn't Huilong City seem so peaceful now?"

“Yes, yes, it’s such a happy hometown.” Ji Huaisu sighed. “Is that sniper from your hometown? I heard him call you ‘Snake of Sacrifice’.”

“That was my previous title.” Chu Hengkong looked at his coat. “The emblem of my old employer was a double serpent staff, and the deputy of each generation of the family was called ‘Serpent of Sacrifice.’ The documents say that this was the glorious position of offering a life sacrifice to the head of the family, but in reality, it was a top-notch henchman to eliminate threats to the family.”

"So you were the second-in-command of the underworld back then!" Ji Huaisu exclaimed in surprise. "And what's the background of No.0? Do you guys have a family points ranking system?"

"That's just idle gossip. A bunch of rich people with nowhere to spend their money are making up some list of the strongest on Earth, and seriously ranking people as number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5." Chu Hengkong couldn't help but laugh as he spoke. "In the end, not long after the list was released, I debuted, and my boss, in order to boost his reputation, said that I was better than everyone on the list, that I was No. 0."

"Wouldn't the others have a lot of objections?"

"I don't think so, because I've killed everyone else on the list."

Ji Huaisu exclaimed in surprise: "So you're a legendary figure back in your hometown!"

As she spoke, she suddenly realized that Chu Hengkong had never put on airs before. In that ordinary Dust Island, he was the strongest person. She always thought that Chu Hengkong only became truly powerful after killing the Immortal Machine, but in fact, it was quite the opposite. Before embarking on the path of ascension, he was already a legendary figure. It was just that Dust Island was too isolated, and people outside could not hear his legend.

Thinking about it this way, she didn't seem to be really stronger than the other party. Her previous advantage was simply that she had come into contact with the path of advancement earlier.

"You've been more anxious and uncertain these past two days than you have in the previous six months."

"I'm cultivating the path of the Supreme Being, so it's not normal for me to be a little emotional," Ji Huaisu said, pursing his lips. "But my mood is a bit better today."

Chu Hengkong raised his eyebrows. He saw a piece of thin black ice appear in his partner's hand. The ice turned transparent at a speed visible to the naked eye, and then turned white.

"You've learned a lot," he said, genuinely happy for his partner. "What have you figured out?"

“The source of the power of turbid tears is actually ‘protection’.” Ji Huaisu stared at the ice block. “Being sentimental, anxious about gains and losses, always thinking about losing more than gaining, it is precisely because they are constantly trapped in sadness and fear that they are so persistent in wanting to protect the things around them…”

Sethlen wasn't exactly a powerful guy before, was he? But he resisted the stone demon only once, and that was because the stone demon threatened what he cared about most. Faced with such intense fear, even the weakest person can become a hero.

She blew a breath that melted the ice, and the water flowed into the light, turning into dust that then coalesced into tiny stones.

“The true meaning of ‘unfixed dust’ is principle, isn’t it?” She tossed a stone. “If you only seek freedom, you’ll end up like the disaster of Jin Ye, won’t you? So you need something to fix yourself down… Use principles to bind the dust, so that it can become hard stone.”

"I think you can be promoted right now," Chu Hengkong said with a smile.

"No formation! No formation! If I had any knowledge, I would have been a beautiful, turbid tear or a piece of dust long ago!" Ji Huaisu shouted, baring his teeth and brandishing his claws.

"Wouldn't it be better to be a pure fire? I still think fire is best suited for you."

He found it hard to imagine his partner becoming a heavily armored guardian with a great shield, or a skillful engineer. Those were all promising futures, both capable of giving meaning to life, but neither was quite suitable for Ji Huaisu. She should always be the one charging ahead, singing praises of justice and courage, fighting like a raging fire.

"Damn, do you think I don't want to? I have no ideas, no ideas at all." Ji Huaisu pouted. "What's Pure Fire?"

"Positive emotions such as justice and courage..."

Ji Huaisu blinked: "Then what will you use to restrain justice and courage? How can you guarantee that you are not on what you believe to be the right path?"

Chu Hengkong was stunned for a moment, realizing his partner's concerns. Justice and courage are the best and loudest banners, and too many evil deeds are committed in their name. But this is actually the path most prone to going astray; he himself had seen many madmen who committed evil deeds in the name of justice.

"...Your path to supreme power is truly riddled with pitfalls." He couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Who says otherwise!" Ji Huaisu sighed. "Let's talk about something positive. How do you plan to fight in the duel two days from now?"

She didn't ask her partner if he wanted to go, because Chu Hengkong's personality meant he would definitely accept the challenge. The assassin didn't answer for the moment, pondering quietly.

He kept recalling that bloody holy spear, the shot that instantly killed the stone demon. No matter how he reviewed it, he couldn't figure out the details of that shot; no matter how he analyzed it, the result was unpredictable.

"I haven't thought it through." He smiled wryly. "To be honest, I don't think I can handle it."

"Then let's build our tactics based on the premise that we can't handle it," Ji Huaisu said.

He stared at his partner, who looked completely bewildered: "Did I say something wrong? He has a 3-point mass and you have a 2-point mass. What makes you think you can definitely withstand the opponent's ultimate attack? You should think about how to recover first in order to win."

“You know what, I think you’re right.” Chu Hengkong rubbed his temples. “My thinking about dealing with old rivals is still limited to the Earth era. That’s going to cause trouble… Would you mind helping me with this strategy?”

"Asking about hitting someone is definitely no problem with Sister Huaisu!" Ji Huaisu gave a thumbs up. "But let's talk about it tomorrow, okay? I'm super tired today."

Chu Hengkong pondered: "Okay, remember we still need to discuss the anomalies Vande discovered and the underground issues tomorrow..."

“ZZZ”.

Pretending to be asleep won't help.

"Help me..."

Chu Heng chatted casually for a while, then came up to rest. Soon after, the last light in the small inn went out, and the most exhausted people fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, in the larger and more luxurious hotels in the northern part of the city, many rooms still had their lights on. The guests staying there had boasted countless times about their foresight and given thanks for their good fortune, for the hotel had remained untouched amidst the chaos. Neither the earthquake nor the storm had destroyed its existence; it stood tall in a corner of the city, unchanged from before the upheaval.

Unlike ordinary people who were grateful for the divine intervention, Shakes knew very well why the place was so secure. The hotel was a carefully constructed stronghold by a spellcaster, and although Wu He had bad luck, his skills were very solid. Not to mention the aftershocks of the stone demon's attack, even if he came here in person, he would have a hard time shaking it.

The man who had been building the fortifications was still sitting by the window, sipping the red wine he had brought while gazing at the night view. Shax put the gun back on the bed and, without any preamble, said, "Here's your deposit back. I can't do this job."

He inserted his index finger into his temple, preparing to extract the memory of that half of the design drawing, but Wu He raised his palm to signal him to be patient. He noticed a subtle change in the other's expression, as composed as when they first met at the bar.

"Before we part ways, why don't we talk about the next deal?" Wu He smiled.

"trade?"

"I can't persuade you to abandon the commission in order to focus on your duel with the martial arts cultivator. However, I don't think you have any reason to refuse negotiations based on that." Wu He put down his wine cup. "I'll give you some help, and in return, you'll take some time before the duel to do something for me. How about that?"

Shaks raised an eyebrow, sensing that surprise again. It was hard to tell if it was his demeanor or his confidence, but the feeling he'd sensed from this man before setting off for Golden Leaf City had now resurfaced within him.

“That’s interesting,” he said. “What can you give me?”

“The principles and strategies of certain Dragon Township boxing techniques, some fast-acting talismans, and if you ask for a high enough price, I can temporarily lend you my territory.” Wu He raised one finger at a time. “In return, I want detailed information on the stone seeds, the guards until the day of the duel, and the traps you set. What do you think? I don’t think it’s a bad deal for you.”

It's not just not a loss, it's practically giving him free support. The fact that they're going to such lengths to keep him here temporarily leads to only one conclusion.

"—You're being watched."

Wu He pinched a stray hair from his forehead: "Honestly, I hope you're not so perceptive."

"The key to hunting is high mobility, striking first and then fleeing immediately after the kill. Your tactics of building fortifications are too incongruous, it's like you've already anticipated being attacked." Shaks tapped his head. "Not only that, you even hired me specifically, I'm a sniper! Your intentions are too obvious. You use the stone seed competition to attract attention, lure the enemy into your territory, and then retreat behind the scenes under the guise of 'eliminating competitors' so I can take action. That's your plan from beginning to end."

“I have nothing to say.” Wu He spread his hands. “To be honest, this is my personal problem. A man like you wouldn’t be willing to take on a guard duty, and in a short period of time, you are the only legend I can find…”

“You’re just too stingy to pay for two jobs!” Shakes sneered.

His bluntness silenced Wu He, leaving him helpless. The employer's ulterior motives had been exposed, so there was nothing more to say. Shaks continued, muttering to himself, "Who's targeting you? What grudge did a martial arts practitioner from Dragon Township like you have?"

"Don't call me a martial arts practitioner from Dragon Village," Wu He sighed.

“I vaguely remember… I heard that a mercenary survived the front lines and looted a staggering fortune in a remote place.” Shaks laughed. “Ah, I see. The price of wealth, is it? Being targeted by the owner of the treasure.”

Wu He remained silent, and Shakes also stopped speaking. The awkward silence lasted for several minutes until Wu He took out a bottle of milk and placed it on the table.

"I won't go into details. Money isn't easy to earn, and I have my own difficulties." He raised his hands with an embarrassed smile. "I was at a disadvantage before, so I'm taking the initiative to compromise in this deal. Even if a deal falls through, we can still be on good terms; if we can't reach an agreement, at least we can part ways amicably."

To his surprise, Shaks didn't leave immediately. The sniper took the bottle of milk and sat down at the table. The atmosphere between the two eased.

“The information on the stone is part of the previous commission, I’ll give it to you for free. I only want the information on the Dragon Township Fist Technique in exchange for a day of protection for you and the renovation of this position.” Shaks drank half a bottle of milk. “What talismans do you have?”

"Let me think... Do you want a one-time substitute death talisman? It requires some special materials to use."

"It's no use. At that close range, it's just a matter of one or two strikes."

“You don’t need the quick-healing talisman even more…” Wu He tapped his chin. “By the way! What about the enemy-sensing talisman? For a sniper, knowing the opponent’s movements is more important than anything else.”

Shakes shook his head: "He's a professional assassin; if he wants to hide, no one can find him."

“My talisman can do it,” Wu He said confidently. “Even if he holds his breath and becomes invisible, as long as there is still life in his body, I can find his trace.”

He didn't seem to be bluffing, which surprised Shaks slightly: "Are your martial arts practitioners' talismanic arts that powerful?"

“Talismans are an art that utilizes life force. They cannot summon wind and rain or move objects with their minds. They are only good at things related to life,” Wu He said. “I hunt for stones to make talismans. If you can hunt some stones, I don’t mind sharing a few with you.”

"No need. Just tell me what kind of bullets you want tomorrow. One bullet for one talisman."

"Then it's a good deal." Wu He clasped his hands together. "On a side note, you should have brought dinner, right?"

"...?"

The sniper and the spellcaster stared at each other in silence, their eyes reflecting the same bewilderment.

Wu He's smile was a little stiff: "...You didn't buy any food?"

“Me?” Shaks pointed to the ground. “This is the hotel.”

"Yes, that's true, but I must remind you that there was a major earthquake in the whole city today. Not to mention the chefs, even the waiters have gone home."

Shakes pinched the bridge of his nose: "They must have stockpiled ingredients."

"Can you cook?" Wu He pointed out the key question. "No, I can't."

"..."

"........."

"The hotel must have a stock of instant food."

"Damn it, what do you think the other guests are eating?"

Shakes rummaged through his luggage for a while: "I brought instant noodles and compressed biscuits, which one do you want?"

"I don't want to face such a hopeless choice, damn it!"

Three minutes later, in the top-floor suite of the city's most luxurious hotel, two grown men ate cheap instant noodles while looking at the night view.

Meanwhile, the tentacle man and his group were eating hot pot in a small inn, while the giant egg was devouring demons. This stark temperature difference reflects that the quality of food has no relation to average strength; people can only ever eat what's readily available.

The eventful second day and second round ended rather dismally amidst constant complaints and the artificial flavoring of cheap instant noodles...

Chapter 132 Before the Battle

"Damn it, it makes me so angry just thinking about it. Last month we were living the high life, and now we've fallen to this state..."

"That first mate is a useless piece of trash, he can't even withstand one bullet! I never realized he was such a spineless coward, I should have chosen me as the first mate!"

"Come on, you're so tough, why don't you give him a go..."

"Newcomers, don't slack off!" the foreman yelled. "You're the slowest group out of all the teams. If you don't finish by noon, you won't get any food!"

The pirates quickly forced a smile, then turned and continued painting the wall, grumbling under their breath. The red paste, carelessly splashed on, dripped down the cracks, making it look like some kind of third-rate cult's ritual symbol.

These men had been sent to a detention center the day before, but escaped during the earthquake chaos before they could be sentenced. After their series of misfortunes, they would never dare to rob and steal again. Coincidentally, there was an urgent need for manpower for post-earthquake reconstruction, so the pirates found a construction site to eat at, essentially undergoing labor reform before going to prison.

From a corner away from the pirates, the girl with the broken heart emerged from the shadows. She carefully made a mark with her shuriken and secretly activated the communication: "This is Lighttime Nightfall. There are no anomalies in the western district for the time being."

A voice, both amused and exasperated, came from the communication device: "Xiao Ye, what are you doing...?"

“I’m monitoring key targets,” Qingye replied seriously. “For some reason I can’t explain in detail, I believe this group of pirates is extremely dangerous.”

"Oh, well, let's leave it at that."

Judging from their nonchalant tone, Sister Huaisu and the others probably haven't realized the truth yet. Thinking of this, Qingye felt a pang of sadness, but considering the enemy's possible reconnaissance methods, she couldn't express her speculation in words. This contradiction left Qingye feeling deeply conflicted.

"Please be patient a little longer, I will definitely save you!"

"Okay, then remember to come back for lunch."

Ji Huaisu ended the call, covered her face, and slumped onto the table: "What's wrong with this child! It's like he's fighting something we can't see. I have a feeling that Xiao Ye's brain isn't working very well!"

"It suits her age perfectly," Chu Hengkong commented. "Were you any smarter than her when you were 18?"

Miss Ji proudly puffed out her chest, which was even fuller than a high school girl's: "At my age, I've already been killing people on the street!"

"I really don't know where you get the confidence to talk about Qingye." Chu Hengkong activated the communication again, "Qingye, have you found Gulibo's manual?"

"No, I haven't found anything. I've searched around the elementary school these past two days, but I haven't found anything."

"No need to add verbal tics when giving a report."

"I understand," Qingye said earnestly. "I wish you success in your fateful battle with the mayor."

"Honestly, even I don't understand what you're thinking."

Chu Hengkong tossed the communication crystal to Gulibo, allowing the verbal tic enthusiasts to continue their in-depth exchange. Fan De, who was listening in, offered a guess: "Maybe 'Black Curtain' picked it up."

"If that's the case, it doesn't matter. Someone who can control the whole city in secret doesn't need a real-time map." Chu Hengkong shook his head. "Everyone, be more vigilant from now on and try not to go out alone. Wait for me to come back after I've finished fighting."

The strange occurrences during the rescue of the Ice Man were enough to prove the existence of a mastermind, and Vande's memory erasure technique further demonstrated his danger. Currently, the most capable fighter in the team is still him, the assassin with a level 2 particle. The thought of being ambushed and having his base raided while out and about is enough to send chills down his spine; he has to make some preparations first.

“Do we really have to fight?” Sethlen said. “The situation isn’t good… We can settle personal grudges later. Let’s all evacuate first, then we can fight…”

“A reasonable person would never become an assassin.” Chu Hengkong smiled. “He helped fight Jin Ye before because he still had some principles, but he’s not someone who cares about the big picture. He said the duel in two days was a must, and if I didn’t go, he would attack me, which would be even more troublesome.”