Chapter 230: Man in the Mist

The smoke from the cooking stoves dissipated, the lights went out, and after a satisfying meal and a few drinks, everyone went to rest. The quiet settlement was silent, with only the occasional sound of horse hooves piercing through the leaves.

Qingxia jumped over the stairs of varying heights and climbed onto the path leading to the coast. When she was about to step onto the white sand, she stopped and saw a familiar figure beside a large tree.

"Ah, I've been discovered."

"I saw you secretly hiding food, so I knew you were coming here." Chu Hengkong walked out from under the shade of the tree. "Is it finished?"

"Not yet... I wanted to bury some of Grandpa's favorite things, but I thought it was too wasteful."

They walked together to the beach, where a lonely wind blew the white sand and waves crashed against the inscriptionless tombstone. Perhaps because Bernfa had been working for the past few days, there were a few more graves on the beach than when he had last come.

Qingxia walked over the row of stone tablets and buried a stone slab where the seawater reached her ankles, using it as a tombstone. She was stunned for a moment, then placed the small piece of food she had saved in front of the tablet.

"Grandpa's appetite is still good, even though he's old. But he's small and can't eat big mouthfuls, so he always cuts his food into small pieces and drinks from a tiny cup," Qingxia said. "He's been here for as long as I can remember... Even though he's a high priest, he eats the same food as everyone else. I thought he'd like tonight's food, so I secretly saved some for him."

"That's good." Chu Hengkong said, "It's not a waste."

Qingxia nodded, gazing at the tide. It was a long time before she spoke, speaking slowly. Turning the chaotic thoughts in her head into words seemed too difficult, exhausting all her energy.

"It still feels a little unreal to me... Grandpa died, we were besieged, we fought our way out, fought, killed Wen Yao..." Qing Xia murmured to herself, "We went through so much in just a few days, it was so fast that it felt like a dream. I didn't even have time to think too much, and now it's here..."

She closed her eyes and spoke with difficulty, "I never thought I would erect a tombstone for Grandpa. I always thought I would take him out, to a place beyond the wilderness... to his hometown, or to those beautiful places described in books...

I never thought he would die."

Tears trickled down her face. Chu Hengkong held Qingxia's hand. He knew she needed companionship, not advice. He waited until Qingxia calmed down before speaking.

“Move on,” he said. “You know how to mourn the dead.”

"Yeah." Qingxia wiped her tears and poured a small glass of wine in front of the stone tablet.

"Don't worry, Grandpa," she whispered. "We've avenged you. We will continue to fight and will definitely lead everyone in the settlement out of the wilderness."

"Well done, Qingxia! Grandpa feels relieved when I hear you say that." Silar said.

“…” “…”

Chu Hengkong slowly lowered his gaze and saw two rabbit ears standing next to the tombstone. A furry old man stood beside the grave, his big eyes reflecting the light like car lights.

He grabbed a small piece of pizza from his grave and nibbled on it happily like a hamster. "Oh, this pizza is delicious! Where did you find it?"

"Grandpa, that's cold. You have to heat it up before you can eat it."

"You kid, you don't even know how to say warm words."

Qingxia released a trace of blood and helped urgently heat up the offerings. Silar picked up the soft cheese with his paws and nibbled it with a look of enjoyment: "Hot is three times better than cold~"

"Yes, that's right." Qingxia nodded, "Yeah, yeah..."

She grabbed the old man and shook him hard in the air: "Grandpa?!!!!"

"Woooooooooooo! (I'm choking to death!)" Silar's paws shook helplessly.

"Why?! Grandpa is resurrected?!" Qingxia shouted and laughed, "Grandpa, you are not dead?!"

"Wuwuwuwuwuwu! (If you don't let go, grandpa will die a second time!)"

Chu Hengkong was quick to snatch the old man away. Silar sat down on his own tombstone and beat his chest hard: "I almost... choked to death on the cake..."

"It's better than being poisoned to death." Chu Hengkong smiled wryly, "So what's going on?"

"Well, how should I put it..." Silar scratched the back of his head, his expression embarrassed. "He was definitely dead. But... I don't know how it happened, but he suddenly became able to move again..."

Qingxia started snapping her fingers: "Old man, if you don't explain clearly in three seconds, I will bury you."

"Why is this kid suddenly back to his rebellious phase?!"

Without a word, Qingxia grabbed the old man and shook him violently, causing shrill screams to echo from the shore. Chu Hengkong tapped the hilt of his knife, seriously considering whether to join the torture.

At this moment, the knife suddenly vibrated, like an offended and angry animal. Chu Hengkong turned around in surprise and heard the man's impatient shout.

"Have you two been fooled by the war? Have you even forgotten the common sense of the border of the Heavenly Prison?"

Chongming stood lazily in front of Chu Hengkong and yawned loudly as if he had just woken up.

"People who die here will become people in the fog."

·

"Hah!" Silar swung out a claw, hitting Chu Hengkong's arm. The claw tip left a shallow blood mark, but it disappeared in a moment.

The old man stared at the claws. "It really has no effect... It's like a ghost..."

"A ghost can't eat a quarter of a pizza, Grandpa."

Silar felt a new worry: "Will you not be able to hear everything I say from now on?"

"What did you say, Grandpa?" Qingxia shouted, "I can't hear you clearly! Do you want to go bungee jumping?"

"Where did you hear me say these two words?!"

"No problem, Grandpa. I'll take you bungee jumping now~"

Qingxia smiled and pulled out a bone-white chain. Silar's forehead was covered in sweat. "Qingxia, calm down and listen to me. Grandpa just woke up today too. He didn't come out just now because... the atmosphere became inappropriate for speaking... I'm sure you can understand this, so put that thing down first, oh oh oh oh oh!!"

"Grandpa is flying so high~"

The small animal's screams faded away with the bone chain, followed closely by the joyful sound of horse hooves. Chu Hengkong watched the old man's back as he flew toward the settlement, feeling a moment of genuine joy and sympathy for him.

Chongming gloated: "Serves him right."

"I thought only some people became fog people."

"Either they're missing someone and don't want to leave, or they've fought bravely and are remembered by the Heavenly Prison," Chongming said. "The group you met in Yougu belonged to the former category, mostly the souls of those who died during the war. That boy, Silar, is the latter. He's been a warrior his whole life, so he's determined to stay and see the end."

Chu Hengkong nodded. Silar's behavior reminded him of another group of people.

"Now all the new recruits of the 28th class are here, right?"

Chongming glanced at him, slightly surprised.

"The latter group of people in the fog are the researchers, right?" Chu Hengkong continued, "From the 1st to the 34th... none of them are truly 'dead'. They are still alive and well under your command. Those researchers call you Boss because you used to be their superior."

Chongming smiled and said, "Not all of them are here. In each class, some people go to the higher levels of the Heavenly Prison. Whether they live or die is up to them."

"The mechanism of this person in the fog is quite considerate." Chu Hengkong said, "It's not like the style of a place like Tianyu."

Chongming glanced sideways at the blank tombstones on the coast.

"Newcomers are the most unfortunate creatures in the world... They arrive here for unknown reasons, fight against outsiders for unknown reasons, and ultimately die for unknown reasons. The war should have ended a generation ago, but it's being carried out by the young people today. It's only natural that we should make some compensation," Chongming said. "I can only try my best to remember them. There's nothing else I can do."

"No way, you saved us once a few days ago."

"You've been preparing for hundreds of years to finally master this sword technique. Now you're almost out after beating someone. Do you think you can do it again?" Chongming sneered. "It's only because you pulled out your sword that I finally have the strength to speak. Among the 35 warriors in the past few hundred years, you, Chu Hengkong, are the most outstanding one."

Chu Hengkong patted Chongming's shoulder, wanting to say that he hadn't had it easy. His perception was now far superior to what it once was; he could roughly grasp the opponent's condition with a touch of his palm. Chongming's bones were hollow, his muscles fragile, and his heart was like a bomb on the verge of exploding. Compared to the state Xiongdao had recalled...

So a little bit.

Chu Hengkong was stunned. In that instant, it was as if an invisible membrane had shattered, allowing him to see through the fog and perceive the other party's situation for the first time. He felt like he was hitting a piece of paper, and a casual touch would shatter it into dust on the ground. The wild warrior's body was riddled with holes. He was not much stronger than Xiong Dao had imagined!

"Are you still seriously injured?"

Chongming looked puzzled: "Huh? Which eye of yours saw that I was injured?"

Chu Hengkong pointed at the knife at his waist and said, "Stop talking nonsense about what I've been through, okay?"

"How can you say such inexplicable things after what you've been through?"

The two stared at each other, seemingly completely unaware of what the other was saying. Then Chongming understood.

"Ah...you misunderstood. That's not an injury."

He tapped his temple and said word by word, "I'm usually like this."

(End of this chapter)