Trust

The world beyond the Rabbit Hole was like an idyllic haven of peace. Within the interstitial space of another dream, lush green grass blanketed a boundless plain. A cool breeze swept in from the distance, sending ripples across the emerald sea. The survivors of the disaster collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly around them, crying, laughing, or simply dazed. In the span of a single night, there had been far too many shocks, far too many upheavals. Whether sorrow or joy, it was all too immense—so overwhelming that everyone sank into an exhausted numbness, unable to voice laughter or shed tears. Yet, used to a life of wandering and displacement as they were, order was soon restored. People seized the time to rebuild the camp while simultaneously patching together the wounded. Yu Shu was run off his feet, rapidly suturing the torn-apart victims and injecting spiritus to catalyze their recovery as quickly as possible. Amid wails and groans, complete and incomplete bodies were soon cobbled back together. In the rush, there was no time to tell parts apart, resulting in awkward predicaments where someone's arm or leg was sewn onto another person's body; they could only wait for Yu Shu to finish his rounds before swapping them back. The place the old geezer had produced was indeed a fine spot. The scouts sent out to explore the surroundings returned, reporting they had found several natural springs. The water was sweet, with vibrant, multicolored fish darting to and fro—who knew which sweet dream had left behind such fond memories. Amid the bustle, all the supplies loaded onto the carts earlier were unpacked. Most were equipment and tools painstakingly crafted by hand, along with food that could bolster morale. Yet raw materials like cloth, timber, and steel were scarce—a drop in the bucket, nowhere near enough. For the time being, everyone could only lie on the ground to rest. Once he grasped the situation, Bao Dachai, who usually slacked off at every opportunity, sighed. Since he had already done some work, he might as well see it through to the end—escort the Buddha all the way to the West; one more effort wouldn't hurt. "Everyone back up a bit and clear an open space." He took off the rather peculiar hat from his head, held it in his hands, stretched it, and straightened it until it looked just like a bucket. Placing the hat rim-up on the ground, he pulled out a small horn and began tooting into the bucket-hat: *pa-pa*. Amid the out-of-tune, bizarre horn notes, the bucket-shaped hat began to vibrate violently. Immediately following, as if vomiting, a torrent of chaotic clutter spewed out! Tarpaulins, stones, iron sheets, splintered wood, broken furniture, tattered skirts... Most of it was in pieces, with barely anything intact. Looking closely, there was even half of a treatment chair from Yu Shu's clinic in the old camp. Practically all of it had come from the previous camp. Mm, mixed in were bits of minced meat and severed corpses from who knows where, twisted armor plates, and broken weapons... but no one cared about those anymore. Witnessing the miracle unfolding before their eyes, everyone couldn't help but cheer once more. Even Ji Jue, standing nearby, clapped along. Nirvana, through and through. Setting aside whether the ancient Mohist heritage was lofty and profound, the core genetic instinct of packing up and bolting at any given second had certainly been passed down in full. A spur-of-the-moment departure truly came at the drop of a hat. And looking at that array of bizarre gear and skills, Ji Jue suspected the old geezer hadn't suffered any acclimation issues in this dream whatsoever. He was totally like a fish in water! Heart Pivot, Aether, and Mirror—the three Sovereign Virtues comprising this Huangliang dream—damn it, your Tale Alchemy covers every single one of them! If Ji Jue hadn't had a shred of faith in the Mohist ethos and Nirvana's brand of antisocial behavior, he would have suspected the man was a mole planted by the other side... "Tale Alchemy never fails to impress. Truly an eye-opener." "A petty trick, hardly worth mentioning." The old geezer still wore that kindly, gentle smile, resembling an old man cooling off in any ordinary alleyway. The bucket-like hat in his hand had already reverted to its original shape. The opening of the hat seemed exhausted, puffing out a wisp of blue smoke as if catching its breath. After patting it down, he put it back on his head. Ji Jue sighed silently. Indeed, no matter how one looked at it, it was just too bizarre... "What's wrong?" Bao Dachai grinned. "Is it that ugly?" "No, it's nothing." Ji Jue shook his head slowly. "When it comes to taste, I have no right to judge anyone else. It's just, it feels..." He paused, amused by his own thought. "That hat looks just like a boa constrictor digesting an elephant." "..." Bao Dachai fell silent, his expression twitching slightly. Looking somewhat bewildered, his expression turned inscrutable. Even the serpentine rim of the hat curled up slightly, as if looking at Ji Jue as well. "What's the matter?" Ji Jue was puzzled, wondering if he had said something out of turn. "Ah, sorry, just..." "No, nothing at all." Bao Dachai grinned, revealing a set of stained yellow teeth, and told him, "The hat is very happy." "Huh?" Ji Jue was flabbergasted. Bao Dachai raised a hand and pointed at the bobbing rim, beaming with delight. "Look, it's saying thank you." Ji Jue was at a loss for words. Completely incomprehensible, mystical mumbo-jumbo... was this Tale Alchemy? It truly defied common sense and logic. Utterly bizarre. "As the saying goes, old things develop spirits. Perhaps, Mr. Ji, you're the kind of person they are particularly fond of." Bao Dachai tapped the brim of his hat, then rattled several quirky doll charms tucked inside his coat. "They're all chattering away. It's rare to see them take such an interest in anyone else." Ji Jue shrugged with regret. "A pity I can't hear a thing." "No matter. Affinity and resonance don't rely on words." Bao Dachai waved a hand and strolled off with his hands clasped behind his back. "Get some rest first, Mr. Ji. If anything comes up later, just come find me. Old folks get sleepy easily, mind runs out of steam..." He yawned, fished a doll resembling a turkey from his pocket, tossed it onto the ground, and it instantly swelled beneath the sunlight. Soon, a bizarrely shaped treehouse rose from the earth, supported by peculiar stilts that resembled chicken legs. If he had previously made some effort to maintain his persona of being old, frail, and helpless, after being seen through by Ji Jue, he didn't even bother pretending anymore. He went straight to slacking off. While everyone in the camp threw themselves enthusiastically into rebuilding, Ji Jue sat quietly to the side watching them, suddenly feeling like he had nowhere to go. Bored out of his mind, he wandered around idly. After making two rounds, he noticed that a familiar figure was missing from the crowd. Wen Wen. Only far off on a hillside did he spot the solitary back of the young girl. Ji Jue stared blankly for a long while before realizing—the version update had come too fast, and he still hadn't fully adjusted... Truth be told, Sister Wen's current appearance, so petite and tiny, was, mmm, quite cute. She barely reached his shoulder. Though, of course, he was still in his prosthetic state himself. He never would have imagined that one day he'd get to see her look like this. "Sister Wen? Sister Wen!" Ji Jue dangled what he was carrying in his hand, walked up, and called out to her. Seeing no reaction after several tries, he tapped her on the shoulder. "Snap out of it, kiddo sis." "..." After a long pause, accompanied by a crisp clink, Wen Wen seemed to finally come to her senses as if waking from a dream. She spun around, glaring. "What did you just call me?" "Sister Wen." Ji Jue blinked his innocent, wide eyes with a look of complete bewilderment, inwardly fighting back laughter. He couldn't take it anymore. That youthful, tender face putting on her usual demeanor made her look just like a toddler imitating an adult throwing a tantrum—fierce, but utterly adorable... *Wham!* Only after getting punched did Ji Jue realize he seemed to have accidentally spoken his thoughts out loud. Whether on purpose or by accident was truly hard to say. Seeing Wen Wen ball her iron fist again to reassert her authority, he immediately held up both hands in surrender. "Don't hit me yet, Sis, hold on—look what this is!" Saying so, he shook the glass bottle in his hand. Rich foam rippled within the freshly molded glass bottle, bearing a faint chill and a crisp, refreshing aroma. "Beer?" Wen Wen was astonished, forgetting all about bashing Ji Jue's thick skull. "Where did you get that?" "I found half a bag of soiled wheat just now. Washed it clean and catalyzed it. Anyway, alchemy... yielded some results. I've never studied brewing though, just followed the fermentation steps, so don't expect it to taste amazing." Ji Jue raised the beer mug in his other hand and offered it: "At least there's plenty of ice." Wen Wen didn't hold back either. Tilting her head back, she drained it in one gulp. Wiping the foam from the corner of her mouth, she let out a soft, lingering sigh and exhaled a faint breath. "It's really... been ages..." God only knew how many years she had been cooped up in this place; a single cup of beer actually moved her to the verge of tears. "What are you doing up here?" Ji Jue asked curiously. "Just..." Wen Wen paused, hesitating before letting out a wry laugh. "Just consider it me wanting to escape reality and have some quiet for a bit... In the past, whenever I was alone, everything I thought about gave me a headache. But now that the burden can finally come off, I'm so exhausted I don't want to do a single thing..." "Normal." Ji Jue took a couple sips from his own homebrewed beer. "After all, you're not cut out for this stuff at all. To have kept such a ragtag outfit going for so long—must have been truly hard on you." "Hey, can't you spit out anything decent for once?!" "Just telling the truth." Ji Jue asked curiously, "Sister Wen, you didn't actually think of yourself as some Tianyuan superhuman with brilliant leadership that everyone rallies behind, did you?" "Give me a break..." Wen Wen rolled her eyes, lay back, and rested against the grassy turf. "A stubborn blockhead like me only ever wants to throw punches when trouble hits. I can't read the situation, can't tell the fine from the foul, or the good from the bad... If I actually tried to act like that, I'd only end up harming others and myself." "Setting aside what's good or bad, I actually think it's pretty great," Ji Jue shrugged. "At least you're trustworthy, and dependable." "Tch, now you start saying nice things." Wen Wen narrowed her eyes, feigning distaste, but the corners of her lips couldn't help curving upward. In the prolonged silence, several times she seemed on the verge of speaking, while Ji Jue waited quietly. Finally, as if having made up her mind, she sighed, pushed herself up, and looked earnestly at Ji Jue. "I'm sorry, Ji Jue." Wen Wen apologized solemnly. "I'm truly sorry for dragging you into this muddy mess." Only, that childish face paired with such a grave, serious demeanor made it almost impossible not to laugh. Damn it. Turning into a little girl stripped away all her authority, leaving only cuteness. Ji Jue smiled, saying nothing. He didn't mind. Even if his hands hadn't been itchy and he hadn't touched that thing, even if none of this was his business, he wouldn't have cared about getting dragged in so long as it was for Wen Wen. If anything, being able to help actually made him glad. Seeing Ji Jue's nonchalant attitude, Wen Wen grew even more guilty. "Actually, I originally planned..." "—You planned to wake up, write a resignation letter, toss it onto the desk in Beishan District, beat up the guy fixing your motorcycle, get your money back, fill the tank, and ride straight across the sea?" Ji Jue cut her off, stating it bluntly. "..." Wen Wen froze, her expression twitching as her solemn facade steadily cracked. Her gaze darted away, unable to conceal her guilt. Just as Ji Jue had predicted, guessed, intuited, and witnessed in the dream... She had been seen through completely! Yet Ji Jue showed no tact at a time like this, pressing the advantage step by step. "What's wrong, Sister Wen? Cat got your tongue?" He leaned in curiously, studying Wen Wen's expression. "Is it because you don't like it?" Wen Wen glared instantly, cheeks puffed with fury, and threw a punch. Ha, anticipated! Ji Jue grinned, having already taken a blocking stance. Didn't expect that, did you? This punch was also in my calcul—*crack!* With a loud bang, the steel arm was smashed straight through by a single blow. Bent at a ninety-degree angle. He broke into a sweat. Wait, big sis, how are you this strong?! Something's wrong. In this dream, aren't we all supposed to be stripped of blessings and matrices... Yet looking at that expression of hers, Ji Jue suddenly felt that sometimes being in a dream had its perks. Ji Jue couldn't hold back a grin any longer. "You know, Sister Wen, when you're throwing a tantrum in helpless rage, it's actually pretty cute." "..." Wen Wen stared at him gloomily, silent—perhaps knowing deep down that she really couldn't do anything to this scoundrel. After a long pause, she asked curiously, "Ji Jue, do you plan on staying in here for the rest of your life and never leaving?" "..." Why was she always threatening to take things offline and beat someone up in real life! Couldn't take a joke at all, geez! Circumstances were stronger than the man. To keep from having someone bust into his workshop and beat him to a pulp while he was enjoying hotpot and singing songs, Ji Jue could only meekly beg for mercy. "I'm sorry, I was wrong!" "Hmph, brat..." Wen Wen snorted, raising her head triumphantly. Then, seemingly remembering what she looked like right now, she cleared her throat twice and tried to look stern. Then, she heard Ji Jue's voice. "Tong Hua was crying her eyes out, you know," Ji Jue suddenly said. "Xiao An was dazed, feeling like family had abandoned him and walked off. Lao Zhang couldn't stop sighing, looking just like an old man whose household fell apart..." Wen Wen's smile froze. Silence. "Even though none of that actually happened, I saw it all in the dream, Sister Wen." Ji Jue turned his head and looked at her. "If it hadn't been a dream, I probably would have rallied a crew, leveled that bullshit Archipelago with cannons, slapped some charges on you, and hauled you back. Even if it made you furious, I still would have done it. "And when the time came for you to apologize to everyone one by one, it would've been pretty awkward, wouldn't it?" Wen Wen shook her head. "I just..." "You just didn't want to trouble anyone else. I know." Ji Jue cut her off once more, speaking frankly: "When trouble comes, you keep quiet and shoulder it all alone... Outsiders will think you're responsible and have backbone. But in the end, that's only for 'outsiders,' isn't it?" He paused, no longer hiding his irritation. "To the people who truly care and empathize with you, closing yourself off like this just shows a lack of trust. The Beishan Section might not have many people, but none of us wanted to be shut out by you, Sister Wen." When things happen, no matter how big, Xiao An would find a way, Lao Zhang would find a way, Tong Hua would find a way, and he himself would have plenty of ways. Even if they couldn't solve it or manage it themselves, at worst they could swallow their pride and beg the teacher, or even... bow their heads and beg that old geezer Tianlu. Ji Jue was irritated by this, yet powerless. Wen Wen said nothing. As if stunned, she simply stared at him. After a long time, she suddenly smiled. Delighted and grateful. Like crystal wiped clean of dust, dazzlingly breathtaking beneath the sunlight. "Thank you, Ji Jue," she said from the bottom of her heart. Ji Jue was puzzled and looked at her in confusion, but she didn't seem inclined to explain. She merely lifted her cup, tipped her head back, and drained the long-lost sweetness in one go. "Then I'll be leaving what comes next to you." She rose from the ground, gave Ji Jue's shoulder a final pat, and walked away humming a tune. Her steps were light, as if an immense weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Ji Jue was left alone on the spot, scratching his head in bewilderment: Had he awakened some once-in-a-millennium Talk-no-Jutsu talent? Was his conversational therapy that miraculous, curing Sister Wen with just a few sentences? That can't be right, can it? What was he dreaming about... Embers shouldn't indulge in such delusions—as if Heart Pivot would have even spared you a glance back in the day! He had no clue what had just happened! Baffled, yet there was nothing he could do. Looking down at the beer in his cup, he tipped his head back, drank it down, crunched on the ice cubes, and strode down toward the camp gradually taking shape below. Whatever had happened, time to get to work first. Just get it done! Night fell that same day. Or perhaps it was night. When the sky shifted and twilight fell, all members gathered once again in the square at the center of the camp, densely packed into a dark sea of people. In the dead silence, not a soul spoke. Amid the silent turbulence, everyone craned their necks and jostled for higher ground, trying to catch a clearer view of the whole scene—to get a good look at... that battered behemoth sealed beneath layers of metal bandages. Like a crushed wheel. Less than a third of its original size. The so-called... "Angel"! Once aloof and miraculous messengers of the divine, it now lay dying, shackled upon the execution platform, where even struggling or making a sound had become an extravagant hope. So wretched, so ridiculous. It was impossible to look away. Yet in the end, everyone's gaze couldn't help drifting further forward, toward the figure lounging lazily atop the angel's battered carcass. And toward that pitch-black revolver in his hand. A toy they would have scoffed at in the past now seemed endowed with magical power, making their eyes sting with a burning, searing heat. Bloodshot veins surfaced in their eyes. "Everyone, just as I promised before, the turning point has arrived." Ji Jue looked up, fixing his gaze upon those faces. Without a smile and without gravity, he spoke with matter-of-fact certainty: "Even aloof, invincible angels will ultimately meet their death at the hands of mortals. "Next, every one of you will witness it with your own eyes. "However, before that, there is one more matter that must be settled..." He paused, and before a commotion could stir in the crowd, he raised what he held in his other hand—a silver bullet refracting the glittering glow of the campfire and the setting sun. "There is only one bullet, and only one angel." With a crisp *click*, the bullet slipped into the cylinder, which swung shut and locked into place. Immediately after, Ji Jue held the revolver by the barrel, offering the grip out toward the crowd before him. Gazing at their bewildered and shocked expressions, he suddenly grinned. Like a demon offering a contract and a quill, brimming with anticipation. "Who will it be?"