Chapter 38 Gold Sunk in the Swamp
The man in the top hat looked at the center of the settlement from afar. He heard the earth-shattering sound, the sound of faith being shattered.
"You were a coward in life, but you died with such grandeur," said the man in the bowler hat. "Your dream of becoming a god has finally come true."
He blew out the flames from his fingertips and lowered his hat. There was no color around him other than ash. Houses, plants, insects, birds... everything that had existed had been reduced to ash by the raging fire, leaving only ashes.
"We both have things to do. Why don't we call it a day?" the man in the bowler hat smiled. "Let's fight to our heart's content on the next battlefield."
Ji Huaisu said nothing, watching him walk away amidst the flames. She wanted to keep this mysterious man, but she knew now was not the right time. After fighting for so long, there was no clear winner. The enemy was no pushover, and the fate of Chu Hengkong and Jie An was uncertain...
Companions are important.
She turned wordlessly and sprinted toward the battlefield within the settlement. The square was completely surrounded, but Granny Sangjia gestured for a path. When Ji Huaisu reached the ruins of the bronze statue, Chu Hengkong had just helped Jie An to his feet. Their bodies were riddled with holes, and they were dying, seemingly in a race to see who would die first.
"They're still breathing." Chu Hengkong said, "They're still okay."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Ji Huaisu stamped her feet anxiously. The team members hurriedly got the two of them into the SUV that had been used to pick up Grandma Sangjia. She once again got behind the wheel, intending to head back to the dock where the Shenglong boat was moored.
"Go find the gold." Jie An's voice was weak. "The longer the night, the more dreams you have."
Ji Huaisu was silent for a moment, then he slammed the accelerator, sending the SUV hurtling toward the dense forest outside the settlement. Chu Hengkong tore his shirt into strips to bandage his and Jie An's wounds. A normal person would have been unconscious by then, but thanks to the fact that they were all Transformers, even Jie An, the weakest of them, was still able to function.
"The medicine is very effective, you can really do it." The killer said calmly.
"Just shut up, damn it." Jie An's lips turned blue. "You stopped talking after taking the medicine. I thought I poisoned you to death."
"Shit." Despite the extremely bad atmosphere, Ji Huaisu couldn't help but laugh. Chu Hengkong covered his face with one hand and laughed silently. The laughter pulled at the wound, causing him to grit his teeth in pain.
Xie An had brought many herbs with him, originally intended as a "control group" for testing their properties, but they had unexpectedly become the ingredients for a new panacea. Adari hadn't anticipated this either; he had carefully planned the entire battle, but he hadn't anticipated the well-known medicine.
"Hold on, we're almost there." Ji Huaisu said.
As they ascended the broken path, the colors of the flowers gradually became more vibrant. First, a fiery red, then a clear blue like the sky. Then, brilliant golden flowers, accompanied by a variety of exotic plants, emerged, and the hilltop was a sea of flowers. A more beautiful spot could not be found in the entire swamp. In the center of the sea of flowers stood a bronze church, and behind it lay the richest herb fields in all of Bize District.
But the herb fields were dotted with a touch of gold. The golden color licked the stems and leaves of the herbs, swaying and dancing in the wind, freely dancing in the fields.
That's the venom that breeds glowing corpses, polluting the light of life.
They suddenly realized they had missed a crucial point. Adari was also a skilled pharmacist, capable of imagining everything Jie An could. And this was the Great Wizard's backup plan, the vicious mockery that would emanate from Hell only after his death.
Ji Huaisu rushed recklessly into the light poison, grabbing every herb within sight. Chu Hengkong followed closely behind her, using his tentacles to pluck up plants that were slightly out of the reach of the venom. The herbs they salvaged could fill the back seat of the car, but in the end, most of them were submerged in the light poison, transformed into glowing decay.
There was a surge of people at the foot of the mountain. Those who noticed something was wrong tried to climb up, but were scolded and stopped by the team members. Chu Hengkong handed the intact medicines to Jie An one by one. At this time, he also became anxious: "Is this it?"
"That's very common," said Jie An.
Ji Huaisu pulled out another strange-looking thing: "This one looks like a doll!" "It's just rotten."
"I dug out one that looked like a potato." "That's a potato."
…
They showed Jie An every surviving herb, but found nothing. Jie An's face was as pale as paper, his blood soaking through the leather of the seat cushions. A hot, humid wind blew down the hillside, petals swirling in the air. Ji Huaisu covered his face and took a deep breath. Chu Heng leaned weakly against the car.
Jie An struggled to stand up and get out of the car. He staggered towards the poisonous swamp, his voice hoarse and inaudible.
"You guys take a rest first. I'll look for it again."
Jie An gritted his teeth, his eyes almost red. Chu Hengkong didn't want to watch any longer, so he swung out his tentacles and pulled Jie An back.
"Think of something else. There's nothing there."
"There is gold." Jie An said in a daze, "The gold is in the light poison."
Chu Hengkong raised his voice: "I said there is nothing there."
"It has to be there!!" Jie An roared like a madman, his voice weak from his severe injuries, as if squeezed from his bones. "How can it not be there?! We've been looking for it for so long, it can't be eaten by the fireflies!!!"
He couldn't accept it, no one could accept such a reality. This was a treasure he'd searched for for twenty years. It wasn't just a prescription and a life, but a man's life of torment and perseverance, the dream he inherited from his father. A dream shouldn't have ended like this, even if it was ultimately destroyed by his own powerlessness.
"Don't dwell on this." Chu Hengkong pinched his brows. "There are plenty of medicinal herbs in the swamp, and they may not be on the mountain..."
"Impossible!" Xie An was almost hysterical. "I've already bought all the herbs and tried them, but there's nothing! This is the largest herb farm in the city. If it doesn't even exist here, where else can I look? Where else can there be a medicine that I haven't seen?!"
"Is it definitely medicine?" Ji Huaisu also became anxious. "There are many possibilities. Could it be another plant? Have you tried that tree? What about the flowers there?"
Even Chu Hengkong felt that this was a far-fetched argument, but he knew it wasn't a matter of reason or injustice. If he gave up here, it would really be over, and there would be no future. Jie An's eyes were red and about to bleed: "I told you I've tried everything! There's nothing here I haven't seen—"
He stopped short, staring at nothingness: only the hot, damp wind, with yellow petals dancing in it.
It was clear that the poison was corroding the sea of flowers, but the petals were still free in the wind.
"...I've never seen that kind of flower before." Jie An muttered to himself, "I've never seen it before."
He stumbled into a run, not even caring about his wounds, chasing the wind into the sea of flowers. Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu ran behind him, running into the most brilliant golden part of the sea of flowers. The bright yellow flowers were as big as a palm, and the stamens were as bright as the sun.
Jie An picked the largest plant, and Chu Hengkong took out the Silver-Eyed Book without saying a word. Three pairs of eyes looked at the blank pages.
They saw silver writing appear on the paper.
【Everlasting Flower】
【Rating: Level 2】
[Origin: Senluo Secret Realm - Huilong City]
[Effect: It blooms once every twenty years. Before blooming, it absorbs thoughts from the environment. The nature of the flower after blooming depends on the growth process.
The current effects are "enhancement" and "harmony".
[Thoughts: O God whom all living beings believe in, please bestow your merciful blessings.
Make the barren swamps fertile again,
May the Bodhisattva in white return safely.]
Xie An clutched the golden yellow flower tightly, so firmly yet so gently, as if all his strength was being used to keep himself from dying. Tears streaked down his face, and he suddenly fell to his knees, wailing uncontrollably. It seemed as if he was going to shed all the tears of his life.
The gold that his father missed out on twenty years ago finally came into the hands of his son twenty years later.
Countless petals spun in the light, like a psychedelic dream. For a moment, Chu Hengkong seemed to see a shadow in white. Its back was turned to him, so it couldn't be seen clearly. It seemed to be smiling among the flowers, looking at the man crying.
"Just smile." Chu Hengkong said, "It's a good thing."
Ji Huaisu sniffed and wiped his eyes vigorously. The team members who arrived sprayed water, and the venom was gradually controlled. The spots of light in the air looked like butterflies flying.
Jie An laughed out loud while crying.
·
Three days later, the settlement was deeply rooted.
“It’s a festival…” “Today is a festival, please have fun.” “It’s time to celebrate!” “Oh, God’s free lunch!”
The streets were decorated with lights and filled with laughter. Artists paraded through the streets carrying dragon heads made of cloth and wood, while vendors distributed discounted snacks and free tea. The light poison that had harmed the human world had been eradicated by divine messengers, and the life-threatening woodworm Adari had been exposed for his true colors. These two joyous events, combined, were truly worthy of celebration.
A yellow line marked the center of the settlement, and the Resurrection Corps used wooden carts to bring in four carts of flowing beads, all donated by the great wizard Adari. They lifted the wooden "manhole cover" from the ground and poured the four carts of flowing beads into the cave.
Under the people's expectant gaze, the earth trembled, golden lines emerged, and a white jade temple rose from the ground. Atop the temple, a majestic statue of a swirling dragon appeared. After twenty years, the second healing temple reappeared in the swamp. The elderly and middle-aged were moved to tears by the sight, while the young had no memory of it and were busy singing and dancing in the celebration, praising the swirling dragon's magical powers and compassion.
"This thing is actually the infrastructure of our Huilong City, you know." Jie An held a toothpick in his mouth. "The equipment was built a long time ago, but it was not operating in an orderly manner, so it shut down and sank underground. When the order is improved, throw the beads in and turn the button, and boom!"
"Isn't this a gashapon machine?" Chu Hengkong smiled.
"You're absolutely right, that's right!" Xie An beamed with joy. "Let me tell you, there are so many good things in the city. You'll have plenty to enjoy in the future~"
Ji Huaisu suddenly poked his head in: "The orders in front are already up to 20, the kitchen staff should speed up!"
"Right away!" "Okay, okay."
Jie An hurriedly mixed the drinks, while Chu Heng quickly filled and sealed the cups. Tentacles tossed out cup after cup of dark brown drink, which was then delivered to the customers by Ji Huaisu at the front desk. A long line formed in front of the stall, and the most popular place during the celebration was this three-person shop... milk tea shop.
Operation Jet successfully completed the gold-hunting plan, and Youyou gave them a three-day holiday. Normally, they should have taken this opportunity to eat and rest, but Captain Huaisu suddenly wanted to open a small stall to make some money, and Chu Hengkong casually suggested selling milk tea.
So, this fashionable little drink from Earth went on sale in the swamp, becoming a favorite among girls and children at the incredibly affordable price of just one bottle.
Since there were no cows in Huilong City, Jie An had to use some plant powder to barely create a milk-like flavor. However, the people of the swampland didn't care much for milk tea without milk. After all, they often ate meat without meat, so it was all that mattered! The long line stretched until the raw materials were exhausted. Jie An complained bitterly before reluctantly leaving. Ji Huaisu ordered for a long time and announced loudly:
"Net profit tonight is negative 500 Liuzhu!"
"It looks like a student setting up a stall." Chu Hengkong praised, "It's very youthful!"
"Youth is bullshit! I'm already 32! My arms are sore!" Jie An protested loudly.
They laughed heartily and ran to the night market to do some shopping. They bought chicken skewers, some kind of sausage, and the recently popular stinky tofu, which they ate casually on the side of the road. Xie An had shrewdly saved some of the ingredients so they could each get a large cup of milk tea.
It was already late, but the excitement of the celebration hadn't faded. Only in the latter half of the parade did a squad of elite troops, dispatched from the courtyard, bravely stand in the middle of the procession, holding a wooden sculpture of the Dragon God and a banner reading, "Maintain hygiene and courtesy, and establish a positive image for the swamp." Leading the charge was Chu Hengkong's henchman, Lu Xing. He spotted his three street-slick superiors, removed his helmet, and frantically lip-synced, "Inspector! You've done a great service! It's your turn!"
"I can't handle the excitement. You take over," Chu Hengkong told him through lip reading. The cook and the captain laughed together. After the parade dispersed, Ji Huaisu sighed deeply.
"I can't help but be impressed," she said. "I spent three months trying to solve the problem in the swamp, and you solved it in three days."
"It's all thanks to everyone. Without the foundation you built over the past three months and Jie An's medicine, my ideas would be useless." Chu Hengkong took a sip of milk tea. "This is just like Tai Chi, using the opponent's force to counter the opponent's force. You can't make them disbelieve, so you have to make them believe in something good."
Adali's power fell swiftly. After all, many people had witnessed the Great Wizard's true identity three days earlier, and Granny Sanja had personally endorsed them. Within three days, no one mentioned Adali's name anymore. Aside from a few diehard followers, most people in the swamp now believed in the Dragon God.
With the "Dragon God's Blessing" that can really cure diseases, who would still believe in that money-grubbing wizard?
"Faith..." Ji Huaisu tossed the bamboo sticks he had finished eating into the trash bag and looked at the departing group. "Do you think we've really changed at all? I think they're still blindly following the crowd. Their only faith has gone from the tentacle monster to Lord Huilong."
"You're right. Faith in the swamp is as cheap as fashion. Perhaps in ten years people will worship different deities again," Chu Hengkong said. "But people will not forget the panacea, and therefore they will not forget the Bodhisattva Jingzang. Only those who save suffering will remain in people's memory for a long time."
They remembered the everlasting flower, and smiled in relief. Xie An's smile was a little awkward; he had been staring intently at a small notebook. The notebook contained a new prescription for the panacea he had compiled.
"It may not be popular. I am far from my father."
"It will definitely go well. You are the best pharmacist in the city!" the man said behind them.
Ji Qiufeng, with a small snake on his head and a coquettish paper fan in hand, stole a few strings of food from the younger generation and shamelessly joined the group of street urchins.
Chu Hengkong smiled when he saw this: "After all, you are the city lord, so you should put on some airs."
"You're almost well, why are you still so arrogant!" Ji Qiufeng beamed. Having his food taken away, Ji Huaisu cursed him for being old and undisciplined and ran off to restock his ammunition. Youyou climbed atop Jie An's head and ordered the cook to take him to see the flowers. So, the two men were left alone on the street, eating cheap snacks and gazing at the illuminated streetscape.
Ji Qiufeng took out a pill, which was round and shining with golden light, like a glowing bead.
【Saha Eternal Joy Pill】
【Rating: 5】
[Origin: Senluo Secret Realm - Huilong City]
Effect: Purifies 5-point-level and lower taints of the Outer Path, temporarily shielding against taints beneath the Second Abyss. Enhances all abilities of the user for a short period. When consumed by an Outer Path, it has an additional purifying effect.
Thoughts: This mortal world is not a Buddha's land, and the karmic body endures misery and suffering. A clear mind possesses eternal joy, and the Saha world is also a pure land.
Ji Qiufeng looked at the pill as if he were looking at an old friend he hadn't seen for a long time. After a long moment, he put the pill away and breathed a sigh of relief.
"You don't understand what you've done."
"I made a pill for Jie An, that's all." Chu Hengkong said.
In the distance, Xie An was sorting through several bouquets of flowers, his movements seeming calmer than before. This impulsive guy seemed to finally be in line with his age. Perhaps before this, he had always been a child in his heart, living in a shadow that he could never catch up with.
"Back then, I wanted to find a stable path for him, not seeking great achievements, but just peace and quiet. But Jie An wouldn't allow himself to live that way. He said that even if he couldn't go to the battlefield, he wanted to do his best for the city... At that time, I thought that he and my father were the same at heart. Both were too proud and could never let themselves look down on themselves."
"You're a very proud person, aren't you?" Chu Hengkong said, "Now the biggest problem has been solved. It seems we'll all have to take a back seat and watch the city lord show his might."
"Not yet." Ji Qiufeng smiled slightly, "This medicine is too good, and Xiao An can only make this one pill. I can't let you down, so I have to wait until the best time to use it."
When would be the right time? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to take the medicine first? Chu Hengkong didn't bother to think about it. He was confident that Ji Qiufeng wouldn't make the wrong choice. He wouldn't be unemployed for a while anyway. They started discussing mundane topics again, like how to get a salary increase and how to pay for it...
After a while, everyone came back, talking and laughing, and walked into the crowd's laughter.
(End of this chapter)
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