Chapter 18: Both Memories Have Problems?
Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Both Memories Have Problems?
He had to admit, while he hadn’t figured out the trick to the "Calm" trait, he had gained a new understanding of something else.
Focus!
Only by lying down quietly did he realize how poor a person’s focus truly was.
It was easy for one’s thoughts to drift—to simply wander.
But by corralling those thoughts and concentrating them on a single point, he could unearth more ideas than usual.
Just now, after lying down for only a short while, a new idea had surfaced in Zhu Ge’s mind.
Insects!
He suspected that the chirping he’d heard before had come from a demon.
Regardless of whether its intentions were good or evil, the Insect Demon had warned him with its chirping before he woke up that one time.
This meant that luring it into Jianshan Village could only be beneficial, not detrimental.
If it was an Insect Demon with good intentions toward Jianshan Village, then it would be a welcome ally.
If it was malicious, he couldn’t worry too much about it. It wasn’t like one more enemy would make a difference.
To a rabbit, it didn’t matter if it was a wolf, a tiger, or a leopard that came hunting.
If it was just one wolf, the rabbit would probably die instantly.
But if a tiger and a wolf fought each other, the rabbit would have a chance to catch its breath.
And if a tiger, a wolf, and a leopard were locked in a three-way standoff?
That would be even better!
The chaos of a three-way brawl would make it easier for the rabbit to escape.
Therefore, if the chirping started again tonight, he could try to make contact!
’Looks like I won’t be getting a good night’s sleep tonight, either...’
Zhu Ge couldn’t help it.
During the day, Jianshan Village was basically normal, likely because the sunlight was too intense.
Only at night, when the moonlight lacked the sun’s lethality, did those abnormal existences come out to play.
The chirping also only started around midnight.
’I might as well lie here a little longer, then.’
Having found another excuse to rest, Zhu Ge continued to lie there with a clear conscience, letting the soreness in his body ease.
「Time passed.」
As night approached, Zhu Ge finally fought off his laziness, pushed open the coffin lid, and limped back home along the path.
At home, there was only some corn rice. His parents had clearly prepared the meal with mechanical reactions. He ate it with some fermented soybeans, making small talk as they ate.
"The weather’s nice today."
"Yes. Zhu Ge, eat more vegetables."
"The seedlings have sprouted."
"We can harvest them in the fall."
"The mushroom festival is almost here."
"We can pick mushrooms to eat."
His parents’ conversation was incredibly mechanical, as if they were running a fixed program and performing a set task.
Zhu Ge mimicked their speech pattern and forced himself through the agonizing dinner.
A short while later, he lay down to sleep.
Lying in bed, his body aching all over, Zhu Ge couldn’t help but think about his parents’ problem.
’After their minds were stolen, they were supposed to be in a vegetative state.’
’Even if the other god was special, it should have only turned my parents into mindless, robotic puppets.’
’So why did they greet me at the door when I came home last night after seeing Yu the Scholar?’
’I feel like there’s something wrong with my parents, too...’
’Never mind. I won’t think about that for now.’
’Let’s check my lifespan.’
With a thought, a panel materialized before Zhu Ge’s eyes.
[Name: Zhu Ge]
[Lifespan: 23 Years]
[Traits: None equipped]
[Inventory: Kunpeng]
’My lifespan didn’t increase that quickly, just as I thought...’ Zhu Ge gave it a casual glance, not particularly disappointed.
’Who gains lifespan the very first time they practice the Martial Dao?’
As for the Martial Dao, Zhu Ge didn’t know what the First Realm was called or how much lifespan it would add.
’Technically, I haven’t even mastered the first color of the Great Sun Glaze Body. Does that mean I’ll only be considered to have entered the First Realm after I master it?’
’It’s also possible the Martial Dao realms aren’t divided that way...’
After practicing the Martial Dao, Zhu Ge’s body was incredibly weak. As he mulled things over, he unexpectedly drifted off into a deep sleep.
But in the dead of night, he suddenly awoke.
’It’s started chirping again, just as I expected!’
The insect chirping had begun!
There was no time to lose. He got up quietly again, trying his best not to trigger his parents’ mechanical instincts.
Once outside, he sprinted straight for the bridal chamber.
’Yu the Scholar must be there!’
Every night, the Wedding God seemed to pull the dozen or so people it controlled to the vicinity of the bridal chamber, presumably to guard against an attack from the other god.
However, Zhu Ge didn’t get too close. When he was near enough to see the bridal chamber from a distance, he shouted:
"Yu the Scholar! Come out at once!"
Zhu Ge yelled.
He had called for Yu the Scholar not just because of the chirping; he had many other things to ask him.
So he couldn’t afford to be cautious anymore.
Yu the Scholar’s lifespan was likely greater than Zhu Ge’s, and his consumption rate was surely not as high.
But in the end, Zhu Ge, who was not yet fully controlled, was their only hope of breaking the stalemate.
Zhu Ge needed to gather more information and find a weak point to truly turn the tables.
Therefore, Yu the Scholar’s lifespan would just have to be spent.
If they couldn’t escape before he and Yu the Scholar ran out of lifespan, then he would have to accept his fate.
Just a dozen or so seconds later, a figure as swift as the wind appeared before him with a SWISH.
"What is the urgent matter?" The glow of the character for "Confucian" on Yu the Scholar’s chest was soft yet firm.
Seeing him, Zhu Ge first asked the question he hadn’t from the previous night. "Last night, you said ’we’..."
"Correct." Yu the Scholar said gravely. "The people of our village... none of them are dead!"
"Neither the Wedding God nor the other god are fully developed. They’re both in a nascent state and can’t digest so many souls at once!"
"Let’s talk on the way!" Zhu Ge said, pulling Yu the Scholar down the mountain.
Yu the Scholar didn’t refuse and followed Zhu Ge, continuing as they walked:
"The Confucian Dao doesn’t allow for astral projection, but it has an ability called ’Discernment,’ which is similar to the Buddhist Family’s All-Seeing Eye. I can vaguely sense that Ma Laizi and the others are still alive!"
"I once heard my teacher say that some powerful gods raise intelligent life forms like livestock, feeding on the endless supply of soul-force they provide. They are especially fond of the Human Race."
"You should know that our souls are constantly leaking emotional energy, and gods are most fond of forces like emotions, incense offerings, and faith."
"The two gods here probably don’t want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Instead, they want to farm all of us in Jianshan Village!"
Farming!
Zhu Ge frowned.
In other words, the people of Jianshan Village were still alive!
They had all just become livestock, providing a constant stream of emotional energy for the gods, like hens that do nothing but lay eggs!
"Then how exactly did the Wedding God appear?" Zhu Ge asked, raising another point of doubt.
"I might have been the one to release it..." Yu the Scholar’s tone wasn’t entirely certain. "I have two different memories in my head right now."
"In one memory, Hua Xiaomei and you have a marriage contract, arranged by my teacher."
"In the other, Hua Xiaomei and her mother are already dead, and there is no marriage contract."
Yu the Scholar glanced back at the faintly visible village on the mountaintop before turning back and saying:
"But I only vaguely remember that the Wedding God’s appearance had something to do with me. I can’t recall it clearly..."
At this point, Yu the Scholar’s tone became solemn. "Zhu Ge, these two memories..."
Zhu Ge turned his head as well, meeting Yu the Scholar’s gaze. They spoke at the same time, in perfect unison:
"There’s something wrong with both of these memories!"