After a moment, she snapped back to reality. Looking at Qiu Tu with resolute eyes, she said, "Don't worry! I'll definitely make sure you achieve a successful Cataclysm Awakening!"
With that, she seemed to slip right into work mode, waving her hand. "Bring me paper and a pen. I'll write down the auxiliary ingredients.
"None of them are rare or precious, but they'll still take some time to gather."
Qiu Tu glanced at the countdown in the upper left corner of his vision—[46:35:17]—and asked, "Is a day and a half enough?"
Shen Lingshuang pondered briefly. "Should be fine."
Qiu Tu felt relieved.
Just like that, Qiu Tu fetched paper and a pen, and Shen Lingshuang quickly jotted down the auxiliary ingredients and equipment needed for the Cataclysm potion. Qiu Tu solemnly folded the slip of paper and slipped it into his pocket, planning to contact Lao Ying and A Kun to take care of it.
Seeing him tuck the paper away, Shen Lingshuang hesitated for a moment before speaking up again. "Qiu Tu."
Qiu Tu looked up at her.
Shen Lingshuang said, "Actually... there are a few more things about the Cataclysm potion that I want to tell you.
"I think you should know them in advance."
In Qiu Tu's impression, Shen Lingshuang had always been reckless and lawless. Now that she was suddenly acting so serious, he immediately knew that whatever she was about to say was likely of great importance.
Sure enough, Shen Lingshuang began slowly:
"It has been a full thirteen years since the first Cataclysm potion and the first Cataclysm-user came into existence.
"The various sanctuaries have never stopped their research on Cataclysm potions and Cataclysm-users.
"Yet the more they study it, the more the sanctuaries discover that Cataclysm Awakening comes with major problems."
Here, she paused and asked, "Do you remember the six Cataclysm Paths I told you about?"
Qiu Tu nodded. "I remember. Destruction, Life, Mystery, Immortality, Order, and Chaos."
Shen Lingshuang nodded in turn and said, "Right. But do you know why those paths are named with those words?"
Qiu Tu shook his head.
Shen Lingshuang said, "Because those are the roads the six paths must walk—and that is also their greatest problem."
Perhaps worried she hadn't made herself clear, Shen Lingshuang gave an example. "If you are a Cataclysm-user of the Destruction Path, everything you do must align as closely as possible with 'Destruction.'
"The more things you 'destroy,' the faster your strength will progress.
"Of course, what you destroy is up to you to decide.
"For instance, some choose to destroy 'life,' some choose to destroy 'food,' and some choose to destroy 'peace'...
"The corresponding branch paths are 'Slaughter,' 'Gluttony,' and 'War'...
"If that were all, it might not matter as much. But the Cataclysm Paths have another terrifying rule.
"And that is—only by walking your path will your strength improve. If you abandon or halt your path, your power will immediately begin to decline rapidly."
At this point, deep concern seeped into Shen Lingshuang's eyes.
"Under this kind of pressure, many Cataclysm-users become increasingly extreme. Some even gradually lose their minds, turning into complete lunatics...
"Many now speculate that either the Cataclysm potion itself is flawed, or humanity must achieve Cataclysm Awakening on its own rather than stealing the cataclysmic power of other creatures.
"That's why... most children of the sanctuary's high-ranking figures haven't undergone Cataclysm Awakening. They remain ordinary people."
Hearing Shen Lingshuang's explanation, Qiu Tu remained silent for a couple of seconds before asking, "Then what about the high-ranking figures themselves?"
A thick, unshakeable sorrow surfaced in Shen Lingshuang's eyes. "They had no choice.
"In the face of the Cataclysm, when the very survival of our species is at stake, someone has to carry the heavy burden forward."
Qiu Tu fell silent.
Shen Lingshuang looked at him and said, "So I hope you'll think it over carefully."
Hearing her words, Qiu Tu took a few deep breaths and rubbed his face vigorously. Only then did he smile and say, "There's no need to consider it. I will definitely walk this path."
Shen Lingshuang looked at him, bewildered. "Why?
"If you didn't know the dangers of this road, I could understand your choice.
"But you clearly know how perilous it is now, so why insist on going down it?"
She continued, "You must know about the debate within the sanctuaries regarding the road to human Cataclysm Awakening, right?
"Ever since the Cataclysm potion was developed, the faction advocating 'stealing the mysterious power of other creatures' has held the upper hand between the two sides.
"However, over the years, more and more people have lost control after using the Cataclysm potion.
"Now, the faction inside the sanctuaries pushing to 'rely on generations of human reproduction to naturally birth a new humanity that commands this power' is growing louder and louder.
"You don't need to—"
Qiu Tu waved a hand with a smile, cutting her off. "Even if a new humanity really is born in the future, that won't be me, nor will it be you. Isn't that right?
"We're living in a chaotic, dog-eat-dog world. If you're not sitting at the table, you're on the menu.
"I can already see my chance to take a seat at the table, and I have no desire to give it up out of cowardice, only to end up as a pig or sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
"I would rather live a brilliant, dazzling life. Even if it turns out to be brief..."
Here, Qiu Tu paused, then added softly, "Besides, while I don't know what kind of danger humanity is facing that requires the sanctuary's leadership to become Cataclysm-users and bear that burden...
"If they can sacrifice themselves for the future of our species, then so can I. I'd like to... walk alongside them."
With that, Qiu Tu rose and left the courtyard, leaving Shen Lingshuang with only the dashing, resolute view of his back...
Shen Lingshuang stared blankly after him, unable to recover her senses for a long time.
[45:02:01 (Cataclysm Potion Can Be Concocted)]
Leaving the courtyard, Qiu Tu gave a few instructions to the duty agent and the maid stationed at the entrance, telling them to accommodate Shen Lingshuang's reasonable requests as much as possible while guarding her.
Over the two days he had spent interacting with the girl, Qiu Tu had confirmed the assessment of her as "kind-hearted" provided by Crisis Sense.
She was like a wild cactus growing unchecked in the apocalypse—prickly on the outside, but retaining an innocent heart within.
So, within the scope of his authority, Qiu Tu still hoped to make her life a bit better.
Well... that had nothing to do with her council speaker father.
During their conversation today, Shen Lingshuang had let slip far too much information that only children of high-ranking sanctuary figures could possibly know.
Even if she wasn't the daughter of Shen Yuzhou, Vice Speaker of the Third Sanctuary's Supreme Council, her background was definitely anything but ordinary...
Pondering this, Qiu Tu left the small courtyard where Shen Lingshuang was being detained and headed toward his own residence.
Halfway there, however, he received a transmission from Fang Ming.
The message was brief and concerned only one matter: the reinforcements Qiu Tu had requested in his report that afternoon had arrived...
Chapter 28