Forge a path to success

You are all courageous children, and I will reward you even more!

He pulled a handful of candies with pretty sugar coatings from his cloth bag. He rubbed open the wrappers one by one, letting the coating fall out. The candies bounced in his palm, their true form revealed in the moonlight. They were rotten, blackened flesh, oozing pus, with worm eggs hidden in the decaying fibers and tiny maggots wriggling inside.

The old man clenched the rotting flesh tightly, and when he opened his hand, it transformed into two round, beautiful candies. He presented the candies to Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu, his eyes filled with a kind smile.

"Want a candy?"

Ji Huaisu took a deep breath and reached for the candy. But her wrist was stopped by a tentacle. Chu Hengkong grabbed two candies with one hand, threw them into his mouth without looking at them, and swallowed them in front of the old man.

"Thank you very much!"

Chapter 164 A Myriad of Tales Amidst the Mist and Moonlight (The End)

"The story is over, the gifts have all been given out. It's time for the children to go home."

The old man crumpled the bag of gifts, shrinking it so he could carry it on his shoulder. He grabbed his belly and pulled upwards, tearing a bloody, door-shaped hole in his enormous torso. The fallen ones lined up and entered the old man's belly one by one. After all the "children" were inside, he closed his flesh and clapped his hands.

“We will meet again,” said the benevolent old man with a smile.

A flash of moonlight, and the old man's massive form vanished. The people in the mist sighed in unison, each filled with the relief of surviving a catastrophe. They knew that if the old man had truly been enraged, the entire Desolate Wilderness might have ceased to exist. They looked at the man who had angered the old man, their gaze a mixture of resentment and awe.

He's a man of stone; when pushed to the limit, he'll smash himself to pieces without considering any consequences.

Ji Huaisu and Fan De were finally able to move, and they screamed at the same time: "A Kong! Throw it out!" "Throw it out now!!"

"It's fused into my body, there's no way to vomit it out." Chu Hengkong pinched his brow, feeling like there were worms crawling in his blood.

He knew it wasn't an illusion; black blood, larvae, and rotting flesh were rapidly eroding his physical body and ghostly form. The vile side of his personality was being amplified, and he could intuitively feel himself being distorted, turning into the kind of person a "good kid" should be.

"While I still have time..."

He brandished his gun, his mind strangely calm. He deliberately stopped breathing. The countdown began. 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second…

Chu Hengkong pointed the spear tip at his heart, and Ji Huaisu frantically grabbed his wrist: "Don't take your own life—"

"I need to save myself."

"Hey?"

The spear tip pierced his chest, and Chu Hengkong personally stabbed his own heart. The moment his heart muscle was pierced, black blood gushed from the wound, staining the entire wall. This fatal wound activated the amplification of the Qi of a Thousand Autumns, and the erosion by the black blood was momentarily slowed.

Having used the "One Qi for a Thousand Autumns" technique in several life-or-death battles, he had mastered the timing of each power boost. By inflicting severe injury before the first major boost and utilizing the burst of power accumulated over a very short period, he could instantly enhance his willpower. In this way, his willpower could temporarily suppress the black blood's erosion.

This fatal injury can only buy us one second. We'll use that one second to activate the Immortal Machine!

A red light flashed in the assassin's eyes, and the consciousness that had been binding his spine was released. The true machine took control of his body, and lines of data burst through his vision, the massive number of warning boxes making Chu Hengkong feel dizzy.

Warning! First Abyss Depth Erosion Detected. Current Mech Integrity: 53%...45%...39%...

Sinking imminent! Sinking imminent! Expected to sink into the First Abyss in 3.87 seconds, becoming a "Crescent Moon Alien." Temporary information splicing restarted. Emergency mechanization modification!

If the concept of "desperation" even existed for Ultimate Mechs, then Chu Hengkong's spine was truly in a state of desperation at this moment. Ultimate Mechs, as machines, have never been afraid of the Black Moon lineage's flesh-and-blood erosion, which is one of the reasons the Empire has been able to maintain an advantage against them on the battlefield for so long. And now, if the mech is corrupted into an "Outsider," there's a possibility that the Empire's technology, assimilated with it, could be deciphered in reverse.

Under no circumstances should the imperial property be allowed to be lost, not even a single immortal machine!

The mechanized transformation was in full swing, and a "digestive organ" focused on breaking down black blood was rapidly generated, centered on the heart and lungs brimming with energy. Six blood vessels burst forth from Chu Hengkong's back, forming circulatory channels connected to the bone marrow. The three on the left were dominated by black blood due to their proximity to the heart, while the right side was filled with his own red blood. The two different life forces constantly clashed, using the internal circulation as their battlefield.

Chu Hengkong's body continued to deform, with grotesque tissues forming and dissolving, sometimes appearing as silver metallic structures, sometimes as filthy black blood and rotting flesh. He knelt on the ground, clutching the gun piercing his chest tightly, using the pain to maintain his consciousness.

Van der jumped up excitedly: "Holy crap! Great! It's working!!"

"No way," Chongming poured cold water on the idea. "The true mechanical components consume too much energy; he can't sustain it. If he runs out of energy in another half minute, it'll still be the same dead end."

Just as Chongming had predicted, Chu Hengkong's complexion visibly deteriorated. Without sufficient energy, his red blood was gradually losing ground in the struggle. Ji Huaisu's palms were sweating with anxiety: "I have energy! I can provide him with energy!"

"No need." Chongming tapped the cyborg's shoulder with the hilt of his sword. "Do you know how to use the Qi Armor?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Van der nodded vigorously. "He can learn anything that low-quality points can learn!"

"That's not bad..." Chongming walked around the cyborg and tapped its left side three times with the hilt of his sword.

"Legs, lungs, shoulder blades, once each."

Chu Hengkong gritted his teeth, drew his spear, and thrust again. Three spear flashes appeared, followed by three bursts of blood, each gushing out black blood. Chongming's control over the progress of the black blood's erosion was incredibly precise, almost as if he could see through the workings of the human body. He snapped his fingers: "Stop. Don't move."

The mechanization was temporarily halted, and Chu Hengkong gambled everything, remaining completely still. The suppressed black blood surged again, but at this moment, his heart suddenly began to pound wildly. The spear that had pierced his heart earlier had triggered Qingxia's blood; the banshee's blood throbbed his heart, bringing him uncontrollable, violent power.

"Burning spirit, two seconds."

Chu Hengkong activated a secret technique, using the power of his heartbeat to ignite his inner energy. Crimson energy mingled with his blood, causing his own power to surge instantly. Black blood was forced into the left side of his body by the sudden burst of energy, and Chongming pointed at the stiff tentacles.

"Qi Armor, top speed."

Taking advantage of the fleeting opportunity, Chu Hengkong forcibly mobilized the black blood, fusing it with his own flesh and blood to form a rotten left arm wrapped in tentacles, its texture like mud. The arm emitted a terrifying stench, and tiny black hands kept emerging from it, while several mouths randomly appeared.

It was completely out of control from the moment it was created, and began to drill into Chu Hengkong's chest on its own. However, at this moment, Ji Huaisu released ice crystals to purify the evil poison, and the light representing dust and fire floated out, forming the signature sealing array of the Discipline Knights.

Chongming tapped the rotting flesh on his arm: "Holy Trinity."

Ji Huaisu used the Holy Trinity Array, which isolates special powers, and with precise control, set up a small array only on his left arm. The subsequent precise strikes sealed the black blood outside his body. Chu Hengkong supported himself on the floor with one hand, barely managing to open his mouth and breathe through the stench of blood.

At this point, the Dark Moon's corruption was temporarily contained, and he regained control of his body!

"Really?" a monster stammered. "Are you kidding me?"

Not to mention the bystanders who witnessed the whole thing, even the person involved couldn't believe it. The Dark Moon corruption that had been actively swallowed was resolved in just a few words. Vande rushed up to check Chu Hengkong's pupils, confirming that he still had his own consciousness. The Eye Demon's eyes welled up with tears.

"Doctor! You have a miraculous cure, doctor!"

"I also think I'm pretty amazing." Chongming clicked his tongue in amazement, "With an estimated success rate of less than 1%, I actually survived..."

"You dare to give orders with only 1%?!" Ji Huaisu was shocked.

Chongming pushed up his sunglasses: "What are you talking about? That's a full 1%. If you're a man, you have to get used to risking your life on a one-in-a-thousand chance!"

"Don't gamble someone else's life on a 1% chance!!"

Chu Hengkong dragged his arm and staggered to his feet. His newly immobilized "left arm" was still very unstable, and he constantly felt the urge to strangle himself with his left hand. He barely managed to repair his damaged heart and dragged his arm to Chongming's side.

"Thank you... Commander Chongming."

Chongming took off his sunglasses and stared at him coldly.

“I’m starting to regret it,” Chongming suddenly said. “I spoke too soon. Someone like you is going to die soon. Because your personality is so terrible that you’ll fly into a rage even when you receive a gift!”

"It's better not to accept such an irresistible gift," Chu Hengkong said.

“Not bad, you have guts! You dare to talk back to the benevolent old man, Chu Hengkong, you are a true hero.” Chongming said coldly, “But what about the people around you? Have you thought about your partner!”

"Of course he considered it."

Ji Huaisu put his arm around his partner's shoulder and stood firmly in front of Chongming, saying defiantly, "He knows my temper is even worse than his. If he doesn't speak up soon, I'll go and chop down that heretic!"

The three stood silently, their eyes filled with a similar stubbornness, a nail-like obstinacy that would rather be shattered than back down. Chongming put his sunglasses back on, turned, and walked away.

"Damn it, what bad luck!" the man in sunglasses cursed. "These new recruits are all doomed! They'd better prepare for the 36th battle. I think this 35th counterattack is doomed before it even starts!"

Chongming grumbled and walked away, the researchers all suppressing their laughter, trying their best to put on tough, angry faces as they followed. Chongming turned around as he exited the sand cave and saw the two newcomers still standing there, scratching his head in exasperation: "Are you all just standing there like idiots waiting to die?! Come out and heal your wounds!"

The two couldn't help but laugh, and Vande jumped back into his pocket: "Commander Chongming is actually a very nice person."

"Go away, go away!"

·

In the fog, people cannot interfere with outsiders; the so-called healing is nothing more than finding a place to rest and letting the newlyweds figure it out themselves.

Having regained his human form, Wolfka led them through the fog to their "habitat" in the valley for a temporary rest. Their dwellings consisted of a dozen or so simple sand huts, each often containing several beds arranged side by side. It was clear that the monsters preferred to sleep together, as being alone would only exacerbate their panic.

There was no point in talking about healing, since the Black Moon's power had already entered Chu Hengkong's body upon entering. The emergency treatment earlier had only forced it to his left arm, but hadn't managed to detach it. Currently, Chu Hengkong's left arm was unrecognizable, with large clumps of rotting flesh enveloping the tentacles, forming a deformed "arm" much longer than his right. The Qi Armor was barely able to hold it in place, but it couldn't maintain its shape for long.

“My tentacles are soaking in a cesspool,” Vande groaned.

"It's better than death," Ji Huaisu said lightly. "Think of a way, you top student. Would amputation be of any use now?"

“If you want him dead, just say so. We’ve barely managed to keep his life in balance; stabbing him now will guarantee a sudden death.” Van der paced anxiously. “It’s come to this, so we have no choice but to go all in! We’ll put a shell on this arm!”

"A restraint device?" Chu Hengkong said.

"It's not a restraint device, it's a prosthetic body."

Van Der, with a small stick wrapped around his arm, sketched a diagram on the ground: "The principle is the same as the spinal transplant last time, using external force as a medium to fuse the foreign object with your own body. The only difference is that this time you'll be using your own body tissue to power the foreign object... We'll create a prosthetic arm that consumes a huge amount of energy, and then use the decaying flesh and blood as a living battery!"

"Make me one with fingers," Chu Hengkong said. "To be honest, I miss my fists..."

"Oh, don't be picky. With these materials, we'll be grateful if we can even make it!" Van der rummaged in his coat sleeves. "Let me see what we have left..."

It pulled out a tattered notebook, a jade pendant, and an ice jar filled with purple slime. The notebook was the notes of the stone demon Jin Ye, the jade pendant was the unopened storage relic of Wu He, and the slime was the spoils of defeating Olek.

These are the only assets the trio has left after all their efforts. Vande flipped through Jin Ye's notes—the "Manuscript of the Magic of Mixed Elements"—and fell into deep thought.

"The parts inside are actually usable..."

“Vander, wake up! Only those who have ascended to the Path of Light can use this thing,” Ji Huaisu said. “The three of us together would barely be able to put together half an intelligent brain.”

“We can always rely on the help of others!” Vande held up the manual. “Hey you guys! Are there any Ascended from the Path of Light?”

The researchers who had come to watch the spectacle stepped forward, puffing out their skinny arms: "Eyeball, you've hit the nail on the head! More than half of the members in our institute are cornerstones!"

Vande exclaimed, "Damn, no wonder I'm so bad..."

"Is this how you ask for help?!" the Mohican researcher roared.

"Whether we can help or not is still uncertain. Let's see if the person in the fog can use the relics first."

The mohawk-wielding man strode forward and pressed down on the book, letting out a low growl like someone constipated. He suddenly raised his hand and grabbed a metal ring from the book! It remained there for three seconds!

"My God, it actually worked!!!" Mohican exclaimed in astonishment.

"Holy crap, it actually worked!" Van der was equally astonished.

"Why are you so surprised yourself?!" "Stop talking nonsense, let's get to work, brothers, let's go!" "Oh, okay, next one, my turn." "After 50 years, finally there's a moment when I can be put to good use, I'm so moved I'm crying!" "You've got it wrong, you've been in this business for 210 years..."

The researchers were greatly encouraged, and they all lined up to manufacture parts with all their might, while those who weren't needed cheered them on from the rear. Ji Huaisu, while maintaining the sealing formation, smiled wryly: "It's hard not to have high morale when working with these people..."

"I'll help too." Chu Hengkong tried to get up, but failed.

"Don't be foolish. You're in the same state as when you just fought the Immortal Machine," Vande said. "Hurry up and use your Undying Technique to stay alive, or you'll fall apart if you move."

Just as Van der had predicted, he had once again successfully reduced himself to a mere sliver of health. Chu Hengkong lay helplessly on the sandbed, slowly using his Undying Technique to promote wound healing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wolfka in the corner; the man was looking at them, smiling with a hint of envy.

"I'm sorry to have dragged you into this..." Chu Hengkong smiled bitterly.

“No, there’s nothing to it. Rather, we’re all quite excited.” Wofka smiled at them. This man’s smile was like a dog’s, with drool dripping from his mouth. “Living tormented by heretics, begging for their mercy day after day, night after night, every single day is like this… How we long to roar at them! We’ve lost that courage.”

Even without the vicious dogs' bites, the man still spoke timidly, reminding Ji Huaisu of the eerie stories he had told her. She couldn't help but wonder, "Wovka, how did you escape back then?"

“I was just lucky.” The man wiped his mouth. “It just so happened that the Allied forces were passing through the Kingdom of Luns at that time. They rescued my compatriots and my wife and daughters. And then, how should I put it? Out of gratitude, or perhaps in a rush of passion, I came to my senses and begged them to let me join them.”

Then he became an Ascended. But he didn't become much stronger. He killed some equally weak enemies on the battlefield. He went with everyone to the next Dust Isle. He participated in the battle to defeat the Nightmare King with everyone. And then he died with everyone.

“At first, you might think that stepping onto the battlefield will make you an extraordinary person. But that’s not actually the case. You’ll participate in battles and die in an ordinary way,” Wolfka said. “Isn’t that a bit disappointing?”

“No,” Ji Huaisu said. “The battlefield is not a good place.”

"Yes, it's good to know that." Wolfka sucked hard, its saliva almost dripping to the ground. "The Hundred Tales are over, and we're going to participate in a new event... This event is not for you newcomers, it's the rule. Breaking this rule will be bad for us, so please stay quietly in the room. Okay?"

It looked at each person one by one, obtaining their assurances. Then Wolfka left the sand house, and the other monsters followed suit, soon leaving only the outsiders inside. The previously noisy researchers quieted down and went about their business in silence.

Chu Hengkong instinctively felt something was wrong: "What are they going to do?"

"Don't ask anymore," one researcher said. "This time, we really have to follow the rules."

However, someone answered the newcomer's question. Chongming leaned against the doorframe, coldly observing these audacious intruders.

“The Hundred Tales are over,” Chongming said coldly. “Now, Wofka and the others have to pay their taxes.”

The monsters gathered north of the residential area, where a path led out of the valley. They stood in neat rows, not daring to make a sound, as obedient as tamed pets.

Waiting for the arrival of the "messenger".

Chapter 165 Fear Tax

The messengers were still wandering in the sand.

Nightwalker and Fallen Soul had just left the sand vortex and entered the seabed. Wherever they went, the mist gradually dissipated, and the tall figure of the local gentry emerged from the mist.

"Old man," Nightwalker and Fallen Soul bowed.

“Please pass on a message for Vansalal,” the old man said gently. “Say that the gift it longed for has appeared.”

"Yes." "I'd be happy to."

The old man gave each of them a piece of candy and left happily. The two messengers bid farewell to the old man, crossed the misty passage, and arrived at another entrance to the underwater valley. The docile monsters were already lined up there, each of them trembling.