Forge a path to success

It laughed happily.

The woody torso melted away, leaving less than half of its tattered form. This fragment was filled with oil-like blood, assimilated, and transformed back into a refined, scholarly man. Then, the human form dissolved into the blood, the black blood transforming into a slug-like body, with only two bright, gleaming eyes hanging from its antennae. It blinked, laughed merrily, and emitted a trumpet-like cry. The old man clapped his hands at its cry.

No longer a trace of gloom, no longer a trace of fear, it leaped forth, like a newborn child, and walked among the fallen. From that moment on, it joined the ever-warm cradle.

This bizarre and malevolent process of reincarnation evoked unspeakable loathing in the onlookers, yet it also carried a subtle and tangible sense of goodwill. The old man's arm wound was still bleeding; he wiped it with a handkerchief and looked at the dog-bodied man, Wolfka: "Wolfka, what gift do you want this time?"

Wofka answered fluently, clearly having already prepared his reply: "Kind and generous old man, I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time. I would like to ask you to grant me a night of dreamless sleep. I dare not ask for too much, just a good night's sleep will be enough for me."

“Child, is this all you need?” The old man gazed intently at it. “You are the oldest person in this valley, and I cannot treat you with the same care I would give a newcomer. Next time you want a gift, you will need to tell another story that everyone will agree on. But this time, you have already told your story of the past.”

What story could be more moving than one's own past?

Chu Hengkong thought of the withered, tragic stories told by the other monsters. They were probably just remnants made up after the past had been told, meaningless and without purpose.

Wolfka clearly understood better than him; it remained silent for a long time before bowing its head to the old man.

"Old man, I'm not afraid of your ridicule. In my heart, I still harbor a laughable hope. I hope that someone will one day surpass you all. I hope that the future will bring unrealistic expectations."

I prayed for your mercy while harboring such thoughts... How ridiculous I am, aren't I?

“People your age might laugh at you for not being strong enough. But in my eyes, you are all children.” The old man smiled. “Older people don’t make fun of children.”

He gently stroked Volfka's head, and the vicious dog that had been gnawing at him vanished instantly. Volfka lay on the ground, weeping silently, knowing he would finally get a good night's sleep. He returned to the monster tormented by nightmares, the Fallen casting mocking glances, but no one uttered a sound.

With that, the gifts from the older members were all given. The benevolent elder clasped his hands together again, and three cups appeared before the three newlyweds. He bowed his head and said with concern, "You must be tired from your journey. Would you like something to drink?"

Ji Huaisu grabbed the teacup, and Chongming behind him suddenly spoke up: "Don't forget the rules here!"

—There are three rules in the Hundred Tales.

1. Do not interrupt when others are sharing their stories.

2. You may not refuse a gift.

3. Show respect to everyone.

Chu Hengkong stopped his partner with one hand and stood up, holding his teacup. After the battle with the club, he clearly understood the nature of the Fallen Ones. They were indeed ruthless towards their own kind, but regarded life outside their kind as livestock. Under normal circumstances, those Fallen Ones would have already begun to mock Volka, but their silence now showed that every rule had its meaning.

These three rules are probably not only the rules of the Hundred Tales, but also the rules of the Old Man of Good Fortune... Even the "descendants" who are favored by the moonlight would never dare to disobey the old man's rules.

"We're not thirsty yet, thank you," Chu Hengkong said.

"Hahaha, there's no need to be so reserved." The old man laughed, his face full of wrinkles. "Relax! Ask me anything you want to know, and if you're unsure, it's okay to think about it some more... On this land, the one thing we have in abundance is time."

“I do have a question,” Chu Hengkong asked. “There are many people here who are eager for your help, so why do you only give gifts to a few of them?”

I imagine that, given your personality, you would be laughing as you give gifts to everyone. Because you truly love everyone.

The benevolent old man patted his round belly and laughed heartily.

“Child, you are very good at observing others! You’re absolutely right, I always do that. But this is Vansalar’s ​​territory. He agreed to let me lend a helping hand, so I should make corresponding concessions. That’s mutual respect.”

"I think even in his prime, Vansalar might not have been your match."

“If you try to suppress someone’s ideas just because they are weaker than you, then you don’t respect them.” The benevolent old man popped a pastry into his mouth. “Such opportunistic respect is merely admiration for the strong!”

Chu Hengkong nodded: "I have no problem."

"If you have any other questions, feel free to ask later. Now, it's time to give gifts to the newcomers according to their ranking. Let's start from fifth place..."

He lowered his large head, looked at the trembling Eye Demon, and laughed until his beard shook.

“Your name is now ‘Fant’, right?” said the kind old man. “It’s been a long time!”

Chapter 163 A Hundred Tales of Fog and Moonlight (4)

...Did the benevolent old man know Fan De?

Do the ancient beings guarding the abyss know their pet?

More than astonishment or confusion, bewilderment far outweighed surprise. It was like the emperor of the Empire of Truth suddenly appearing and greeting you; the thought of "What have I done to deserve this?" was probably more of a "What are you talking about?" than "What have I done to deserve this?" Not only Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu, but everyone in the research institute stared blankly at the demon.

Vande's expression was exactly the same as everyone else's; it foolishly waved its tentacles and said, "Huh...? Huh? I...I...I'm actually honored to meet you?"

"You've forgotten?" Shan Shi Weng said with amusement. "The last time we met was at the library."

"Oh, you actually visited my alma mater?" Van der trembled. "I'm sorry, I was studying at the time and probably didn't see it..."

The benevolent old man slapped his thigh, overjoyed: "No, no. That's absolutely impossible. Because of my past..."

It's for your graduation thesis defense!

Van Der was horrified: "Huh?!?!"

"You can forget your own graduation thesis?!" Chu Hengkong couldn't take it anymore.

"No, no, this... you understood this yourself during your defense, right?" Van der explained hastily. "Whether our undergraduate theses pass or not depends entirely on whether the supervisor is willing to go easy on us! During my defense, I was so focused on reading the librarian's expression that I didn't pay attention to the other experts' opinions at all..."

Ji Huaisu joined the fray, unleashing his full power: "What nonsense are you spouting! You've gone mad from reading so much that you can forget yourself with such an old man! And what kind of books does your library even teach? How did you manage to get an old man to participate in your thesis defense?!"

“The old man would be happy to go to any invitation he receives,” Chongming said.

“The problem isn’t here, so you’re not allowed to jump into the discussion! And old man, please don’t just nod and agree!” Van der scratched his head vigorously. “No, no, the key is that I really don’t remember anything about it. I shouldn’t have forgotten something so important…”

"Vande," the old man stroked his beard, "do you still remember the title of your thesis?"

"From Primal Spirit Worship to Meaningful Endowment: On the Pursuit of Freedom in Universal Individual Life Based on a New Contractual Technique," Vande recited fluently. "That's definitely the title, but the content was so damn important that I forgot it as soon as I graduated."

Chu Hengkong let out a silent wail. He understood Fan De's idiotic personality and knew what kind of extraordinary things this scoundrel was capable of, but... but what use was a diploma if he could even forget the content of his own graduation thesis? Besides, this was an important project for which the old man was a review expert! Was losing the most valuable part of the project and just getting a diploma a death wish in the world of animation?

"I forgot. Oh, I see." The old man chuckled. "You haven't been feeling well these past few days, have you?"

Vande was taken aback: "How did you know?"

"Because you're constantly erasing your own memories." The old man drew circles near his temples. "The environment beyond the fog makes you remember too many things, but these are things you shouldn't know right now. You can only keep repeatedly erasing memories, erasing them only to remember them again, remembering only to erase them again..."

"...Ah." Vande suddenly realized, "Holy crap! I've made myself stupid!!!"

“You’re such an idiot, Vande…” Ji Huaisu couldn’t bear to look at him.

The old man flipped his hand, and the travel guide that Chu Hengkong had put away appeared in his palm. He conjured a quill pen, wrote a few lines on a blank page, and handed it back to the bewildered Van der.

“Memory is a precious treasure, and forgetting it is not a good thing. I will give you a part of the paper... after all, this is information that you should not forget.”

Vande quickly thanked him and immediately immersed himself in the manual, reading with complete absorption. Chu Heng glanced at it a few times, only noticing words like "contract" in the dizzying array. He wanted to warn Vande to be careful, but didn't have time to speak.

The benevolent old man has turned his attention to them.

The energy for conversation vanished instantly. The moment their eyes met, an indescribable sense of oppression made time seem to stand still. Blood froze. Heart stopped. Thoughts snapped. Physical activity almost ceased. It wasn't an attack or intimidation, but simply the instinctive reaction of a tiny self before an overwhelmingly large being. Like mountains and oceans growing eyes and staring at a crowd, the vast difference in their status made even speaking seem like a delusion.

Thus, they naturally understood that the old man meant them no harm, and even if he only had such thoughts, the two of them had already joined the pool of blood of the fallen.

Then, a second fact came to mind.

They could not possibly accept the old man's gift.

Even a single word from such a powerful being can permanently alter the listener's life. The moment the gift is received is the moment the path of being "human" ends.

"Next, it's Ji Huaisu's turn."

The old man produced a large, opaque cloth bag and reached into it, asking, "You've also provided an interesting story. What kind of gift would you like to receive?"

Chu Hengkong was unable to speak. The old man smiled slightly, shutting out all other sounds from the wisher. He slowly rummaged through the bag, the sound of chunks of meat clattering inside.

"If you can't think of a wish for the time being, I can offer some ideas. For example... sending you to see your real father and mother."

"—!"

Just as Ji Huaisu was about to speak, she clenched her fists. Shan Shi Weng's casual remark had directly pierced through the deepest longing in her heart. She had always wanted to trace her past and cared about the safety of her biological parents. And before this all-powerful heretic, if she simply bowed her head and pleaded, uttering just one word… her wish would surely be granted!

She gripped her arm with one hand, tilted her head back, and looked at the smiling old man.

"Grandpa, do you like greedy children?"

"What do you think?" the old man asked with a half-smile.

“I believe that gifts are a response to the feelings of others. I have only told you a few stories; I cannot accept such a generous gift,” the knight said loudly. “I wish to make a selfish wish. Many newlyweds have come to the wilderness this time, and I would like to ask you not to give gifts to any of them except me!”

The old man stroked his beard, his laughter like thunder. The fallen laughed along with him, and the laughter turned into a bloody, mangled mouth that floated in the air, opening and closing repeatedly.

"Grandpa, she cheated!" Lal, the slug-like fallen one who had just been converted, sneered. "She wanted to refuse your gift!"

Ji Huaisu's fingernails dug into her flesh, but she stubbornly held her head high, refusing to argue. The old man's laughter ceased, and he gazed intently at the defiant girl.

“Children, you don’t understand this decision because you only know how to love yourselves!” the old man said. “She was willing to take the risk to fight for the interests of others. Even if she exploited a small loophole, how can we say that she broke the rules?”

Little girl, I'm happy to grant your wish. However…

He pointed at Chu Hengkong and winked: "This child won first place this time, and I will still give him the gift."

The great man's gaze shifted, and the pressure on Ji Huaisu eased. She knew she was out of danger, but her quick thinking hadn't helped those most in need. Now, speechless, she could only anxiously gaze at her partner, hoping he could come up with a solution.

Chu Hengkong was reflecting on the choices made by everyone involved in the event.

The dog-bodied human, Wolfka, was the most senior and one of the most knowledgeable about the Hundred Tales. He sought help from the old man, asking only for a peaceful night's sleep, daring not to ask for more. Besides his unwavering commitment to fighting against heretics, there were probably other reasons as well.

Ji Huaisu said that gifts are a response to emotions, which inspired his thinking. Gifts from unorthodox sources are never easy to obtain; the more one receives from the old man, the greater the hidden cost will likely be. Ji Huaisu exchanged her gift for the safety of another, ultimately gaining nothing in return. This choice may have even saved her own life.

Van der and the old man clearly had a past relationship, so the old man voluntarily handed over "his own" research results. Returning one's own findings to oneself isn't exactly a gain. Therefore, Van der and Giovanni were relatively safe. However, when it came to making his wish, the same trick couldn't be used a second time. Because the old man explicitly stated that Giovanni was "exploiting a loophole," and knowingly repeating this would be disrespectful.

This time, he couldn't escape making a wish. In this situation, the researchers' cases are worth considering; they were only slightly contaminated by heretical influences, so they should make wishes that were only moderate in scope…

Chu Hengkong had an idea: he would wish to get his "left arm" back. Getting back what rightfully belonged to someone was no easy feat. He prepared to speak—

"—Do you want the dead to come back to life?"

Then, the old man's words pierced his chest like a poisoned arrow, striking the softest spot in his heart.

"Let me be more specific," said the benevolent old man, "Do you want to bring 'the boss' back to life?"

Chu Hengkong immediately covered his mouth, his fingertips digging into his flesh from the force. He forced himself to swallow, using the sensation of suffocation to suppress the words that were about to come out. If he didn't do this, he would have to speak his mind; if he didn't do this, he would soon lose control of himself.

The old man looked down at the silent man, his words filled with pity: "There's no need to be so harsh on yourself. All living people long for the return of the dead."

He pulled a piece of flesh from his bag and kneaded it in his hands like mud. The flesh gradually took shape, resembling a human form. The benevolent old man carved facial features with his fingernails and said, “You should know that I will not give false gifts. Not a clay doll, nor a puppet controlled by strings. If you make a wish, I will use my power to bring it back to life… in both heart and appearance, just as it was in life!”

Through his fingers, he saw the features of the face taking shape, so familiar and dear, just like when they first met. His thoughts were read, and long-ago memories resurfaced. Before the god above the black moon, he was as transparent as a man without any secrets.

The old man could easily control not only a person's life and death, but also their thoughts, emotions—everything about them could be manipulated like a lump of flesh. But the most terrifying thing wasn't that. It was that, in the face of that incomprehensible power, even the life and death of the deceased could be easily toyed with.

A person, a once vibrant life, can be molded in a few strokes, like a toy. An object that was once rotting flesh and poisonous blood can be transformed into a "resurrected" life; flesh endowed with power can be transformed into a perfectly identical human form—

Creating life is such an easy thing.

Even the deceased themselves, who are created to die, have no say in their own destiny.

"Grandpa, you're amazing!" "What kind of person will you resurrect?" "Make one for me too!" The Fallen rejoiced at the god's power. Their mud-like bodies throbbed like worms. "I want a living toy too!"

The assassin silently released his grip, memories melting into a warm stream that flowed into the wound inflicted by the arrow in his heart. It spread and trembled with each heartbeat…

It turned into boiling anger.

"Please stop," Chu Hengkong said.

The old man stopped: "Don't you want to think about it again?"

"I've decided on my wish. I wish for the answer to one question."

The man raised his head, making sure everyone could see the anger in his eyes, and his roar echoed like thunder in the cave: "In this desolate wilderness, is there still a way to defeat you heretics!"

The onlookers' thoughts were brought to a standstill by overwhelming shock. Any feelings of mockery or sympathy vanished with immense fear.

How dare he.

How dare he ask such a question?

How dare he roar at the guardian of the Cradle of Oblivion!

Then, fear became a tangible phenomenon. The slumbering, black mud-like beings exploded in terror, and the nightmare howled in response to their emotions. The howls materialized into thousands of lips, dancing wildly in the moonlight. In this chaotic, demonic realm, the assassin stood tall like a stone, while the old man opposite him let out a deafening laugh.

"Hahaha! Hahaha! You're so young and impetuous... You have more courage than everyone here combined!"

"Your question has an answer. Indeed, in this wilderness, there lies your hope of victory!"

He lowered his enormous head to speak face to face with the tiny humans, his terrifying smile seeming as if he could swallow all living beings whole.

"Pass through the underwater valley and traverse the misty forest, and you will arrive at the Allied village. From the north of the village, cross the former battlefield and head into the mountains littered with corpses. In the deepest part of those mountains, the weapon that once slew the evil god lies dormant. That is your hope for victory."

"However, that hope is a deadly weapon. If you grip the weapon tightly, you will surely face a painful death!"

"I will try it myself," Chu Hengkong said.

The onlookers stood frozen in fear, awaiting the impending wrath... or divine mercy... but the old man simply smiled, a truly delightful smile. He leaned against the wall, scratching his round belly, as if lost in thought.

"I've kept this answer in my heart for a long time... but I never expected that only now would someone dare to ask it."