Chapter 164: A Hundred Stories in the Mist and the Hazy Moon (End)

"The story is over, the gifts are distributed. It's time for the children to go home."

The old man rubbed the bag of gifts, shrinking it, and slung it over his shoulder. He grasped his belly and pulled upward, tearing a bloody, door-shaped hole through his enormous torso. The fallen, forming a single file, entered the old man's belly one by one. Once all the "children" were inside, he closed his skin and flesh and clapped his hands.

"We will meet again." Shanshi Weng said with a smile.

The moonlight flashed by, and the old man's massive form vanished. The people in the fog sighed in unison, each one grateful to have survived. They knew that if the old man truly became angry, the entire Despair Wilderness would likely cease to exist. They looked at the man who had angered the old man with a mixture of anger and awe.

This man is really a stone-like man. When he is forced into a corner, he will smash himself into pieces without considering any consequences.

Ji Huaisu and Fander were finally able to move. They screamed at the same time: "Akong! Spit it out!" "Vomit it quickly!!"

"It's melted into my body, there's no spitting it out." Chu Hengkong pinched his eyebrows, feeling like there were bugs crawling in his blood.

He knew it wasn't an illusion. Black blood, larvae, and rotting flesh were rapidly eroding his body and spirit. The worst aspects of his personality were being magnified, and he could directly feel himself being distorted, becoming the image of a "good boy."

"While I still have time..."

He pulled out his gun, his mind incredibly calm. He stopped breathing. The countdown began. Three seconds, two seconds, one second...

Chu Hengkong pointed the tip of the gun at his heart, and Ji Huaisu grabbed his wrist anxiously: "Don't commit suicide——"

"I want to save myself."

"Why?"

The spear tip pierced his chest; Chu Hengkong had pierced his own heart. The moment his heart muscle was pierced, black blood spurted out from the wound, coating the entire wall. This fatal wound activated the amplification of Yiqi Qianqiu, and the encroaching black blood unexpectedly slowed down at that moment.

After using Yiqi Qianqiu in countless battles, he had a firm grasp of the timing of each power increase. By triggering a severe injury before the first major power increase, he could utilize the rapidly overlapping bursts to instantly enhance his willpower. This way, his willpower could temporarily suppress the black blood erosion.

This fatal injury can only buy me one second, so I will use this second to activate the Immortal Machine!

A flash of red flashed in the killer's eyes, and the consciousness that had been restraining his spine released. The real machine took control of his body, and lines of data burst through his vision. The vast number of warning boxes made Chu Hengkong feel dizzy.

Warning! Deep erosion detected in the First Abyss. Current unit integrity: 53%... 45%... 39%...

About to sink! About to sink! Estimated to sink into the First Abyss in 3.87 seconds, becoming "The Crescent Moon." Restarting temporary information splicing. Emergency mechanization transformation!

If a true Ultimate Mechanism could be "anxious," then Chu Hengkong's spine was truly anxious at this moment. As machines, true Ultimate Mechanisms were immune to the flesh-and-blood erosion of the Black Moon Clan, one reason the Empire maintained its long-standing advantage over them on the battlefield. If their bodies were now corrupted into "Inhumans," the Empire's technology, assimilated to them, would have the potential to be reverse-decoded.

The loss of imperial property will never be allowed at any time, even if it is just an Immortal Machine!

The mechanized transformation kicked into full gear. Centered around his heart and lungs, brimming with energy, a "digestive organ" dedicated to breaking down black blood rapidly emerged. Six blood vessels burst from Chu Hengkong's back, forming a circulatory channel connected to his bone marrow. The three on the left carried the preponderance of black blood due to its proximity to the heart, while the right was filled with his own red blood. These two divergent life forces constantly clashed, using his internal circulation as a battlefield.

Chu Hengkong's body continued to deform, deformed tissue forming and dissolving, sometimes a silvery metallic structure, sometimes a foul, black mass of blood and rotting flesh. He fell to his knees, clutching the gun piercing his chest, relying on the pain to maintain consciousness.

Vander jumped up excitedly: "Oh my god! Great! There's a chance!!"

"No," Chongming said coldly, "The mechanical parts consume too much energy. He can't sustain it. If his Qi and blood run out in half a minute, it will be the same dead end."

Just as Chongming had said, Chu Hengkong's complexion visibly withered. Without sufficient energy, the red blood gradually gained the upper hand in the confrontation. Ji Huaisu's palms sweated with anxiety: "I have energy! I can provide him with energy!"

"No need." Chongming tapped the devil's transformed man's shoulder with the hilt of his knife. "Do you know how to use the Qi Armor?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Vander nodded vigorously, "He can learn anything that can be learned with low quality!"

"That's not bad..." Chongming walked around the devil-transformed man and tapped his left body three times with the handle of the knife.

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

Chu Hengkong gritted his teeth, drew his gun, and thrust again. Three flashes of bullet fire flashed, and three bloody flowers erupted, each gushing out black blood. Chongming's grasp of the black blood's progress was incredibly accurate, as if he could see through the workings of the human body. He snapped his fingers: "Stop. Don't move."

The mechanized transformation was temporarily suspended. Chu Hengkong, risking his life, remained motionless. The suppressed black blood attacked again, but now his heart suddenly began to beat wildly. The previous shot that had pierced his heart had stirred Qingxia's blood, and the banshee's blood pumped his heart, bringing him uncontrollable and violent power.

"Burning with energy, two seconds."

Chu Hengkong activated his secret technique, harnessing the power of his heartbeat to ignite his will. The crimson will mingled with his blood, instantly surging his own strength. The sudden burst of black blood forced its way into the left side of his body, and Chongming pointed it at the stiff tentacle.

"Gangqi Armor, fastest speed."

Seizing the fleeting opportunity, Chu Hengkong forcibly mobilized the black blood, merging it with his own flesh and blood, forming a rotten left arm wrapped in tentacles, the texture of rotten mud. The arm exuded a horrible stench, and tiny black hands continuously emerged from it, and several lips also appeared randomly.

It completely lost control upon its creation and began to drill towards Chu Hengkong's chest. However, at this moment, Ji Huaisu released ice crystals that could exorcise the evil poison, and light representing dust and fire drifted out, forming the signature sealing formation of the Knight of Discipline.

Chongming tapped the rotten arm: "Holy Trinity."

Ji Huaisu activated the Holy Trinity Formation, designed to block special powers, and with precise control, he set up a small formation 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, reluctantly opened his mouth, and began to breathe in the scent of blood.

At this point, the erosion of Dark Moon was temporarily isolated, and he regained control of his body!

"Is this true?" a monster said in a daze, "Are you kidding me?"

Not only the bystanders who witnessed the entire process, but even the person involved was in disbelief. The Dark Moon contamination that had been actively swallowed was resolved in just a few words. Fander rushed forward to check Chu Hengkong's eyes, confirming that he was still conscious. Tears welled up in the Eye Demon's eyes.

"Doctor! You're a miracle worker!"

"I think I'm pretty amazing too," Zhongming exclaimed in amazement. "With a success rate estimated at less than 1%, he actually survived..."

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

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

"Don't gamble other people's lives on 1%!!"

Chu Hengkong stumbled to his feet, dragging his arm. His newly fixed "left arm" was still unstable, and he constantly wanted to strangle himself with it. He barely managed to repair his damaged heart and dragged his arm over to Chongming.

"Thank you... Commander Chongming."

Chongming took off his sunglasses and looked at him coldly.

"I'm starting to regret this now," Chongming said suddenly. "I spoke too soon. People like you will die soon. You have such a bad personality that you get so angry even at receiving a gift!"

"It's better not to accept this kind of gift that cannot be refused." Chu Hengkong said.

"Yes, you have guts! You even dared to talk back to Shanshi Weng. You, Chu Hengkong, are truly a hero." Chongming said coldly, "But what about the people around you? Have you considered your partner?"

"Of course he considered it."

Ji Huaisu put his arm around his partner's shoulder and stood before Chongming without a sign of weakness. "He knows my temper is even worse than his. If he doesn't speak up soon, I'll go and chop that heretic down!"

The three of them stood there in silence, their eyes filled with a similar stubbornness, the kind of stubbornness that would rather die than retreat. Chongming put on his sunglasses again and turned away.

"What a fucking bad luck!" the man in sunglasses cursed. "Every one of these newcomers is a dead end! Prepare for the 36th battle. I think this 35th counterattack will be lost even without a fight!"

Chongming walked off cursing, and the researchers, each stifling laughter and putting on a fierce, glaring face, followed him. Chongming walked out of the sand cave and turned around to see the two newcomers still standing there. He scratched his head in anger, "Are you just standing there waiting to die?! Come out and heal your wounds!"

The two of them couldn't help but laugh, and Fander jumped back into his pocket: "Master Chongming is a very nice person."

"Get out!"

·

People in the fog cannot interfere with outsiders, and the so-called healing is nothing more than finding a place to rest and letting the newcomers figure it out on their own.

Wolfka, now in human form, led the way through the fog to the "living quarters" of the valley, where they temporarily settled. Their dwellings consisted of a dozen simple sand huts, each often containing several beds placed side by side. It was clear that the monsters slept together, as being alone would exacerbate their panic.

There was no way to talk about healing. After all, the Black Moon's power had already merged into Chu Hengkong's body upon entry. The first aid he had just given had only forced it to his left arm, but hadn't been able to separate it. Chu Hengkong's left arm was now unrecognizable. A mass of decaying flesh and blood enveloped the tentacles, forming a deformed "arm" significantly longer than his right hand. The Qi armor barely held its shape, but it couldn't maintain it for long.

"My tentacles are soaked in shit." Finder groaned.

"It's better than death." Ji Huaisu said cheerfully, "Think of a solution, top student. Will amputation be of any use now?"

"If you want him dead, just tell me. We've managed to keep him alive with great difficulty. If you cut him now, he'll definitely die instantly." Fander turned around anxiously. "Now that things have come to this, we can only do whatever it takes! Let's give this arm a shell!"

"Restraint?" Chu Hengkong said.

"It's not a restraint, it's a prosthesis."

Wander wrapped a small wooden stick around his neck and sketched on the ground. "The principle is the same as the last spinal transplant. External force is used as a medium to integrate the foreign object with the body. However, this time, your own body tissue is used to power the external object... We will build a prosthetic hand that consumes a lot of energy, and then use the decaying flesh as a living battery!"

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

"Oh, don't be picky. With the materials we have, we should be thankful if we can make it!" Vander rummaged in the sleeves of his coat. "Let me see what's left..."

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

These were the only assets the trio had left after all their efforts. Vander flipped through Jin Ye's notes - the "Manuscript of Mixed Element Magic" on inputting energy to transform physical objects - and fell into deep thought.

"The parts here are actually useful..."

"Fander, wake up! This thing can only be used by those who have ascended from the Floating Light Path." Ji Huaisu said, "It would be hard for the three of us to put together even half an intelligent brain."

"It's always possible to borrow help from others!" Finder held up the manual. "Hey, you guys! Are there any Ascendants from the Floating Light Road?"

The researchers who were watching the fun came forward one after another, puffing out their thin arms. "Eyeball, you've got a good point. Most of the members of our institute are Cornerstone Staffs!"

Fander exclaimed: "No wonder he's so bad..."

"Is this the attitude of you asking for help?" The Mohawk researcher was furious.

"Whether I can help or not is still a matter of debate. Let's first see if the Man in the Mist can use the relic."

Mohawk stepped forward aggressively, pressing down on the page, letting out a low, constipated growl. He suddenly raised his hand and grabbed a metal ring from the book! It lasted for three seconds and still remained!

"Oh my god, it actually worked!!!" Mohawk was shocked

"Damn, it really worked!" Vander was also shocked.

"Why are you so surprised?!" "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up, brothers, come on!" "Oh, I'll take the next one." "After 50 years of being around, I finally have a chance to be useful. I'm in tears!" "You've got it wrong. You've been around for 210 years..."

The researchers were incredibly excited, each one lining up to manufacture parts with all their might, while the rest, who were no longer needed, cheered from the back. Ji Huaisu maintained the sealing formation with a wry smile, "It's hard to lose morale following these guys..."

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

"Don't be stupid. Your current state is similar to when you just finished fighting the Immortal Machine." Fander said, "Hurry up and use the Immortal Power to stay alive, otherwise you will fall apart if you move."

The situation was just as Fander had described; he had once again successfully reduced himself to nothing but skin and blood. Chu Hengkong helplessly lay on the sand bed, using the Immortal Technique to slowly heal his wounds. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Wolfka in the corner. The man looked at them, grinning with a hint of envy.

"Sorry for involving you..." Chu Hengkong also smiled bitterly.

"No, there's nothing to worry about. Rather, we're all very excited." Vofka smiled at them. His smile was like a dog's, drool dribbling from his lips. "Living tortured by the heretics, begging for their mercy, day after day, night after night, every day... We'd love to roar at them. But we've lost that courage."

The man, no longer biting like a vicious dog, still spoke timidly, which reminded Ji Huaisu of the strange story he had told her. She couldn't help but become curious: "Vofka, how did you escape back then?"

"I was just lucky." The man wiped his mouth. "Just then, the allied forces passed through the Kingdom of Lens. They rescued my compatriots, my wife, and my daughter. And then, how should I put it? Out of gratitude, or perhaps just a rush of passion, I came to my senses and begged them to let me join them.

Then I became an Ascender. But I didn't become much stronger. I killed a few equally weak enemies on the battlefield. Then I followed everyone to the next Dust Island. I joined everyone in the subjugation battle against the Nightmare King. And then I died with everyone else.

"At first, I thought I'd become a remarkable person once I stepped onto the battlefield. But that's not the case. I'll just fight and die an ordinary death," Wufka said. "Isn't that a bit disappointing?"

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

"Yeah, that's good to know." Wolfka sucked hard, his saliva almost dripping to the ground. "The Hundred Tales is over, and we're going to participate in a new activity... This activity is not for you newcomers, it's also the rule. Breaking this rule will be very bad for us, so you must stay quietly in the house. Okay."

It looked at each one, getting their assurances. Then, Wolfka left the sand room, and the rest of the monsters followed suit. Soon, only the outsiders remained in the sand room. The researchers, who had been noisy earlier, also quieted down, quietly going about their business.

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

"Don't ask," one researcher said. "We really need to follow the rules this time."

However, someone answered the newcomer's question. Chongming leaned against the door frame, looking coldly at these daring intruders.

"The Hundred Tales is over," Chongming said coldly, "Now Wolfka and the others have to pay their taxes."

The monsters gathered in the area north of the residential area, where there was a passage leading to the outside of the valley. They all stood in a row, not daring to make the slightest sound, as obedient as pets that had been tamed to the utmost.

Waiting for the arrival of the "messenger".

(End of this chapter)