Chapter 273 Moonlit Mountain City Rendezvous

Equating the apocalypse with the afterlife can answer many questions and seems to explain why Mingzhuo was shocked after invading the apocalyptic dream and seeing his surroundings.

However, this explanation also has some flaws. The most obvious one is why both Asahi and Kouwan regard the afterlife as the real world after the apocalypse. And why would the afterlife contain "products with future elements" such as "the Great Demon of Calamity, rumored to be a fallen demon of Xuanming"?

Even though Mazao, Xiaowan, and the other survivors struggling in the apocalypse have lost their memories of the past, they couldn't unanimously agree that it was the apocalypse if there weren't enough clues in their environment indicating that it was. Furthermore, no culture or religion, regardless of region, contains any record of describing the afterlife as "the real world after the destruction of human civilization."

Furthermore, logically speaking, since Meizuki firmly believed that Asahaya was related to Naraku, he shouldn't have been so shocked after witnessing the afterlife scene after invading Asahaya's dream. At that moment, he was so shaken that it was as if he had seen "a scene he had never imagined before."

It seems that there are two sets of clues at the same time. One set of clues points to Asahi's past being in the apocalyptic future, while the other set of clues points to Asahi's past being in the afterlife, Naraku. These two sets of clues are conflicting with each other.

Combining the divination master's past prophecy that "hell will flow out into the world of the living in the future," I even suspect that the truth is that Asaho did indeed come from the future, and that the future real world was transformed into the afterlife due to the outflow of hell. In this way, the two sets of clues mentioned above seem to be able to coexist, and the past Asaho becomes "both in the apocalyptic era and in the afterlife."

"How was it? Did the information I provided help you?" Lu Chan suddenly asked.

“This has been a huge help, thank you,” I said.

“There’s no need to thank me. I betrayed you before. Even if I tell you this information now, it won’t make up for my mistakes. I don’t expect this little bit of goodwill to change your opinion of me; I just want to make myself feel better,” he said. “So, I’m already very happy that you’re willing to communicate with me and accept my insignificant apology. I should be the one thanking you.”

To me, the Lu Youxun of the past is dead, and this Lu Chan is just a familiar stranger, so I won't hold Lu Youxun responsible for this. But since he said so, I won't be polite: "Then, if you collect any more intelligence later, remember to hand it all over to me."

He replied without hesitation, "I understand."

"By the way, were all those pieces of information you mentioned before non-public? I don't recall any of those being mentioned in the information I collected about the Great Impermanence before," I asked.

“Some of it is public knowledge, such as Mingzhuo’s immortality, but you might easily miss it when you’re gathering information. I’ve also wondered if this could happen, which is why I’m telling you this specifically,” he said. “Mingzhuo is conservative and cautious by nature, and he doesn’t want too many people to know his information. And as the Great Impermanence, his ideological inclinations will subtly influence people’s hearts.”

"Many documents that are not classified are actually more difficult to investigate than truly classified documents, because investigators may unconsciously forget to investigate those parts of the information."

"The Wheel King is a prime example; he is the most deeply hidden of all the Great Impermanences. Logically speaking, Great Impermanences need to actively cultivate relationships and anchor themselves in the strange world, while also being like moving natural disasters. It's impossible for them to hide themselves to that extent, yet now many demon hunters doubt whether he even exists. If he isn't planning to 'retire,' then he must be an extremely dark person."

The Wheel King... Although I'm now certain he's not my enemy, the name still inexplicably draws my attention.

Lu Chan seemed somewhat tired, perhaps because they had exchanged too much information before their minds were fully at peace. I also felt it was about time to end the call, so I said so beforehand. And at the end, Lu Chan reminded me again in a tone of admonition.

"Although I think you probably won't listen, I sincerely advise you not to confront Mingzhuo head-on. In particular, don't be complacent and think that since Mingzhuo is still injured, you have a chance to defeat him." He said seriously, "Even if Dawuchang is badly injured, he is still Dawuchang. He is not on the same level as those who have achieved the Great Completion rank and those who have the qualifications of Dawuchang."

"Moreover, as a Great Impermanence with an inescapable immortal body, Mingzhuo has another difference from other Great Impermanences: even when his soul is injured, he can still exert 100% of his combat ability."

"Don't think you can take advantage of someone's misfortune—he's not in as much danger as you imagine."

After the exchange ended, I silently processed the information I had just heard.

I initially had a bit of wishful thinking, believing that even if the enemy was Da Wuchang, since he was wounded, I might still have a chance to pick up a piece of the pie after fully unleashing my power.

But if the opponent not only has an immortal body, but also doesn't have his combat power affected by injuries, then frankly, what difference is there between him and someone who has never been injured?

"Zhuang Cheng, is something on your mind?"

Mazao was still hugging me from behind. She seemed to notice that I was lost in thought, so she asked me with concern. Perhaps because of my current shrunken appearance, her tone seemed to have become quite gentle, as if she really treated me like an older sister.

I told her about the connection between amnesiac patients and the afterlife, as well as my own thoughts on the afterlife and the apocalypse. She also fell into serious thought. However, we still don't have enough clues, and no matter how much we discuss, we can't reach a conclusion.

As evening approached, the train finally arrived at the station.

Mazao and I left the train station and entered Tsukikage Mountain City. What came into view was a quaint, textbook-perfect town.

Just as I found out online, this ancient town wasn't particularly popular, and there weren't many pedestrians on the streets. Perhaps it's because it's not peak tourist season. Personally, I didn't want my destination to be a crowded, bustling place.

Furthermore, I noticed that the air here seemed a bit off. Even though this should be a cold northern town, and it's only November, the air was slightly warm, not at all like it was nearing winter. I even saw people on the street who were originally wearing thick coats, but had to take them off and carry them in their hands.

Before I arrived, I specifically checked the recent temperatures in this area, and it was at least 20 degrees Celsius lower than expected. The same thing happened when I went to the Fufeng base, which should have been even colder, but I didn't feel that way at all upon arrival.

I roughly realized that the problem probably lay with me; perhaps it was my arrival that caused the abnormal weather in the area.

Since it concerns my own power, it's necessary to take it seriously. However, I need to deal with the immediate matters first. I need to take Mazao to the hotel first; I booked it through a mobile app before coming here.

This time, there's no need to sneak her into the hotel like last time when I took Asahi there. With the power to manipulate minds using the fake moon reflected in water, even if there are some inappropriate aspects, others can overlook them. Although I can't perform such skillful maneuvers now, as long as Asahi controls it, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Not only that, but intelligence gathering can also utilize the fake Moon Reflection in the Water. I plan to ask the locals about Mount Tsukikage, and also inquire about Hu Family Village, which Toussagi wants to visit.

I tried investigating Hu Family Village in the Moonlit Hidden Mountain area online, but couldn't find any useful information. The same goes for Moonlit Hidden Mountain itself; all I know is that it's a scenic mountain, but I can't see what's suspicious about it. The "Fireflies" I sent here beforehand are also searching the mountain, but haven't found any clues related to Silver Moon or Chang'an yet.

Also, because I focused all my attention on Mount Tsukikage, I didn't explore the town at its foot much. Unfamiliar with the roads, Asa and I had to rely on our phone's map app as we walked. We passed several shops along the way, some selling food, others selling trinkets and other items. As the sun set, traditional lanterns lit up the streets, giving the town a different look at night.

This scene was quite different from the neon-lit city at night. Asaha looked at the colorful street scene, her eyes widened slowly, revealing an expression of surprise and fascination.

Whether she lived in a post-apocalyptic world or the afterlife, it must have been an incredibly desolate, barren, and lonely place. I want to take her to see more warm and vibrant scenery, and I want to see her smile happily. Since we don't have any luggage to put away, we might as well take her out for a walk first.

I took the opportunity to lead her to a street that seemed to have more pedestrians, hoping to buy her some souvenirs. As we walked through the crowd, Maya took my hand as if afraid of being separated from me.

I took her hand in return.

This looks like a date, I couldn't help but think, and then I secretly glanced at Asahi's expression. She was looking at me too, and when our eyes met, she gave a slight smile. I wondered if she had the same thought as me; maybe she didn't understand what "a date between a man and a woman" meant.

People around us kept glancing in our direction. To others, it probably seemed a bit odd for a "twelve or thirteen-year-old boy" like me to be walking hand-in-hand with a thirteen-year-old girl like Asaho on the street. Even aside from that, we probably didn't look like locals, and the fact that we weren't accompanied by a guardian was likely also quite noticeable.

I tried to look at us from an outsider's perspective, and we didn't seem like a couple on a date. I'm a little shorter than Asao now, so we probably look more like childhood sweethearts.

Even if Asaha knew what dating between men and women meant, she probably wouldn't see me as a romantic partner right now. So, it's better to find a place where no one can see me and change back. But if I change back, I'll become "an adult with a perverted liking for little girls" in Asaha's eyes again, and she probably won't hold my hand so freely like she does now. To be honest, it's a difficult choice.

Ma Zao seemed oblivious to my inner turmoil. Unconsciously, she took a half-step ahead of me and said with a sigh, "Xiao Wan and I used to do this all the time."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, curious.

“We were walking hand in hand,” she said. “But there weren’t many people around, and the streets weren’t lit up. So I thought, it would be nice to walk here with her.”

"So, I'm now a substitute for the small bowl?" I asked, concerned.

“You are not a substitute for Xiaowan, nor will you be a substitute for anyone.”

As she spoke, she stopped walking, and I stopped too. She then walked around behind me and gently hugged me from behind, saying in a tender voice, "To me, you are unique, irreplaceable, someone who accepts everything about me, someone as important as anyone else."

"Ah, um..."

Why do I feel a bit heavy-hearted? I wasn't talking about my weight. Oh, I see. So this is what Zhu Shi used to complain about—my "emotional heaviness." I see.

But it doesn't feel bad. Hmm, in that case, I might as well try to mimic this form for a little longer.

Ma Zao returned to my side and took my hand. Perhaps she wasn't completely unaware of my earlier thoughts, because she asked, "Zhuang Cheng, are you planning to change back?"

"I'll stay with you like this all day," I said.

She showed a happy expression.

We wandered around outside for a while afterward, and bought some souvenirs, by which time it was completely dark.

Ma suggested that it was about time to wrap up shopping, since we hadn't come here for sightseeing. I agreed, and we headed towards our booked hotel, stopping at a local restaurant along the way for dinner.

The restaurant was nearly empty; besides Ma Zao and me, there was only one other customer. However, according to the reviews I found on my phone app, it was a good restaurant. After ordering, we waited for our food. Not far away, the person who looked like the owner was chatting with someone who appeared to be a regular customer.

"I heard that some tourists accidentally wandered into Hujia Village on Yueyin Mountain."

These words reached my ears from behind the counter.

(End of this chapter)