Chapter 445 Asahi's Reply

After hearing my explanation, Zhu Shi looked enlightened.

Soon, Zhu Shi and I found Ma Zao at my residence in Luoshan headquarters, and handed her the head of the "Preacher" and explained its origin to her.

Asaha activated her ability and meticulously examined the contents of the head. With her current skills, it would be quick to thoroughly investigate this target who had only reached the Cheng level in life thanks to the Heart Seed. Before long, she finished her investigation and then showed a frustrated expression.

“The historical information contained in this skull on a mystical level is being shielded by an incredibly powerful force,” she said. “My initial estimate is that it’s a force at the level of the Great Impermanence. It’s impossible for me to break through this force to trace its past.”

It must have been the work of the Lord of Peach Blossom Village.

While he blocked me in the "Shangri-La" isolation zone by using his avatar, he also remotely eliminated and dealt with the "preachers" connected to "Shangri-La".

Since he would do something like this, it means he was well aware that we would use historical investigation skills to trace clues through the remains of the "Preacher." Luoshan is a gathering place for many talents, and Mazao isn't necessarily the only one with historical investigation skills. However, this targeted precaution still gave me pause—perhaps he knew we had Mazao, which is why he took this action.

We haven't specifically concealed Asaho's power in the past, but as a result, most people only know that Asaho has a strange, regressive power, while those who know she has historical investigation skills are almost exclusively our own people. Although Lu Youxun in the past also learned about this during his investigation of the Humanitarian Division's secret base, according to him now, he didn't find an opportunity to report this information to the Mingzhuo forces at the time.

So, assuming that the Lord of Taoyuan was specifically guarding against Mazao, how did he learn the details of Mazao's power?

For example, is there someone we don't know who understands Asaha's power, and this person stands on Taoyuan Village Master's side, providing him with relevant information?

I immediately thought of the unknown blessed cultivator who handed over the prototype of future technology to Ying Lingyun.

Since this unknown blessed cultivator is cooperating with Ying Lingyun, it is also possible that he will cooperate with Ying Lingyun's partners.

Although the above are all speculations lacking evidence, based on experience, I believe there is a possibility that cannot be ignored.

The Unknown Blessed Cultivator is a character related to the apocalypse; the Lord of Peach Blossom Village is a character related to the duality of mountains and water. Asahi's constitution, which attracts calamities, will, given the opportunity, simultaneously gather seemingly unrelated clues and events, one after another, leaving one overwhelmed and caught off guard. I believe that is such a power, like a vortex of destiny.

So even though I can't get any decent clues from the "Preacher's" head right now, I don't feel the slightest bit disappointed. I haven't even had the thought for a moment that things would just end like this. Even if I can't follow the clues to get closer to the incident, the incident will come closer to me on its own.

Whether or not I can obtain clues only affects whether I can prepare countermeasures and strategies in advance before the event occurs, and whether I can take the initiative based on them.

I calmed Ma Zao, who was struggling to cope, while Zhu Shi tried to change the subject, seemingly intending to shift to "that kind of thing" we had discussed last night. It's really absurd, really. Not only am I going to do "that kind of thing" with "other women," but I also have to go with them to the person I've agreed to be in a relationship with and proactively report it to them.

Putting aside whether this request is reasonable, I've already moved past the ambiguous atmosphere of last night and am starting to reflect on whether I've been too unrestrained. Asahi has already made concessions to me in many ways; is it too much for me to push my luck?

The arrow is already on the bowstring and must be released; backing down at the last minute is even more inappropriate. Zhu Shi seems a bit hesitant, so I've chosen to take the first step.

In any case, things definitely need to be made clear. After making things clear, I shouldn't say anything like "see if Asaho is willing," but rather "take the initiative to cut ties" first—that was my original thought, but I didn't expect Asaho to show a strange expression after hearing my words.

Ma Zao glanced at Zhu Shi with a look of surprise. Zhu Shi was both embarrassed and flustered, like a "mistress" caught cheating by her girlfriend. Actually, I don't know how a "mistress" would react in that situation. Zhu Shi probably had a lot of prepared remarks in mind, but now she was rambling incoherently.

"Um, it's not what you think, Ma Zao..." Zhu Shi seemed to be trying to explain something, "I just think you're still too young, and Senior Brother Zhuang's desires have nowhere to go, you can't control yourself yet, so I wanted to sacrifice myself to feed the tiger... No, what do you mean by sacrificing yourself to feed the tiger? I meant to check it out for you first... Wait, how did it turn into me cheating on my best friend again? Ah, no! What was I trying to say again..."

She somehow found herself in the strange quagmire of criticizing herself halfway through her explanation.

Mazao then looked at me with a puzzled expression, and said in a daze, "So you haven't done it yet?"

“…Huh?” Zhu Shi was taken aback.

"I thought you guys must have done it many times in the past month..." Mazao said, "Didn't you say you wanted to have a baby? You can't have a baby if you don't do it, right?"

"Wait, wait, wait..."

Zhu Shi pressed his forehead, first calling for a stop, then pausing for a while before continuing, "Mama, although Senior Brother Zhuang and I are engaged, we're not married yet. Didn't we say last time that Senior Brother Zhuang and I would only get married after you and Senior Brother Zhuang officially become a couple... So even if we're going to do *that* kind of thing, it doesn't mean we have to have a baby now, right?"

Ma thought about it for a moment, then asked, "Does having children have to wait until after marriage? Does that mean you can't have children if you're not married? That would be so inconvenient..."

"Wait... do we have to start the explanation from here?" Zhu Shi looked confused.

It seems we underestimated Ma Zao's lack of common sense.

Asaho said in a serious tone, "By the way, you just said that although you plan to do that kind of thing, you will take contraceptive measures... Can you please not use contraception?"

Zhu Shi turned around, her eyes pleading for help: "Senior Brother Zhuang..."

“Ma Zao, I understand your desire for Xiao Wan to be born soon, but Zhu Shi is still a freshman in college. We can’t let her go to see her classmates while she’s heavily pregnant, can we?” I explained.

“That makes sense… But, doesn’t Zhu Shi attend a regular school? In that case, she should be able to use illusion magic to get away with it, right?” Ma Zao thought for a moment and then said, “Although Zhu Shi herself doesn’t know illusion magic, Luo Shan should have a lot of props like the illusion of a reflection in water. They could use those illusion props to create the illusion that ‘although Zhu Shi’s belly has grown bigger, her classmates think she’s perfectly normal…’”

Zhu Shi covered her face with her hands: "No! What kind of weird play is that...!"

"Can't I? Did I say something really offensive? I'm sorry..." Asaha obediently admitted her mistake.

In short, Ma Zao seemed to have no opinion on what happened between me and Zhu Shi.

-

After that, I went to find Lu Chan.

He was supervising the construction of the temple dedicated to me; it seemed to be undergoing renovations. My purpose in seeking him out was related to the discovery of a traitor within the Mingzhuo faction.

I had a feeling that my next move would likely be closely related to this matter. Lu Chan used to be part of the Mingzhuo faction, and he might still have some connections there, which could help me find some important clues.

After hearing my words, Lu Chan first wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, then sighed and said, "...You suddenly asked me if I still had contact with the people of the Mingzhuo faction. I thought you finally couldn't hold back and wanted to find a reason to settle things with me..."

“You can rest assured about that. Although many people seem to think you are an untrustworthy person, I have never doubted your stance. If you were to betray me, it would certainly not be because you have switched sides to the forces of Mingzhuo, but because I have become like Mingzhuo,” I said.

Lu Chan was slightly moved, and then said, "...Thank you for your trust."

"So... what's your answer regarding what just happened?" I asked.

"You will hear good news later," Lu Chan said.

“I’ll look forward to it,” I said. “By the way, what exactly is going on here?”

Lu Chan followed my gaze to the temple building under renovation and replied, "This was originally a blank temple temporarily rented as a place of worship. Now it's being renovated into a dedicated temple that matches your style. If this style is suitable, then temples in the same style will be built in other areas in the future."

"Considering that Luoshan will also gradually enter the world in the future, the belief in the Great Impermanence will inevitably gradually enter society. In the future, you should see temples dedicated to you in various cities. For example, in the current plan, many temples and statues of you will definitely be erected in your hometown of Xianshui City."

“Actually, I think we should also build a temple to worship you inside the university, with a statue of you inside, and a statue of Zhu Shi, the wife of the gods, next to it. It should be built in the first half of this year. What do you think?”

Even I was surprised by this devilish idea: "Is it because Zhu Shi is usually too sarcastic to you that you want to take this opportunity to get revenge on her?"

If he succeeds in this, then Xiao Qiao won't need to set up memorial tablets for me and Zhu Shi at home anymore. She can just go to the temple on campus to burn incense every day on her way to and from school—and she can even bring her best friend Zhu Shi along, all in front of the entire school.

Lu Chan smiled, looking refreshed, then took out a piece of paper and said, "We recently designed a totem symbol for the 'Zhuangcheng Faith,' please take a look, Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)