Chapter 232 Truth or Dare
"You also feel that he doesn't seem like a human being?" I asked.
"Doesn't look human?"
Ma was initially puzzled, then thought for a moment, and said, "Now that you mention it, it does seem unlike a human... but I didn't feel it that specifically, I just felt like he was..."
She paused slightly, glanced at Fufeng beside her, and continued, "...It's like a strange event that was attracted by some reason."
I think she originally intended to say that she was "attracted here by her own jinx," but because she wasn't sure whether Fufeng was friend or foe, she didn't know whether she should reveal this information. She used to not care about these things, but now, probably because she's considering me as her partner, she doesn't intend to expose their situation on her own.
If what she said is true, then it's very likely that Dongche didn't come to our side under the divination master's scheme, or perhaps the divination master's divination power can even take into account Asaha's jinxed constitution? In any case, Dongche must be carrying some kind of troublesome matter, and continuing to contact him will probably only muddy the waters further.
The strange events that occur due to my jinxed constitution aren't something I can simply avoid. Under normal circumstances, I'd welcome troublesome strange events coming my way, but right now I'd rather they take turns, at least until I've resolved the situation that's threatening Asahina.
When all sorts of bad things happen at once, it might be part of the adventure. Thinking about it that way, it's not so hard to accept.
“It’s perfectly normal for a Witcher to be inhuman in some ways or to have a strange aura.”
Fu Feng, however, was used to this. He walked ahead and after a while said, "Mr. Zhuang Cheng..."
"Just call me Zhuang Cheng," I said.
“Okay, Zhuang Cheng.” He nodded. “Do you know about the Divine Seal?”
Part of my attention was focused on the fragment of the divine seal hidden somewhere in the Fufeng base; the fragment of the divine seal in my consciousness was still faintly vibrating at this moment. Hearing him bring up the matter of the divine seal, I couldn't help but take it seriously.
"You mean the cause of the Fantian Incident?" I asked.
“That’s right, the Fantian incident… The power that originally separated the world of common sense from the world of the supernatural has now disappeared, and the cause was the shattering of the Divine Seal… Although most people in Luoshan do not believe this claim, and even less do they believe in the existence of the Divine Seal, the Divine Seal does exist.” He said, “And in this base, a fragment of the Divine Seal is contained.”
He actually said it out loud!
I was shaken, but outwardly I controlled my expression and said, "...Assuming this is true, why are you telling me this?"
“According to legend, the Divine Seal is a divine artifact that can change the world, and only those who can change the world can see it. In other words, without the right destiny, one cannot even see it. Even if one manages to see it, one cannot take it without the right destiny,” he said. “At the beginning of this year, we discovered this fragment of the Divine Seal here, but we were unable to move it. After discussion, we decided to establish our branch base here.”
“We originally planned to establish a base in the surrounding area. This is just an earlier step in the plan and a change in the specific location. The purpose, of course, is to guard this fragment of the divine seal and wait for someone who can move it to appear.”
So, he thinks I might be the "person who can move him"?
"When you say 'we,' do you mean Fazheng, and his confidants including you?" I asked. "Even Fazheng can't move this fragment of the divine seal?"
“The power of the Great Impermanence can certainly move it, but that’s not the outcome we truly desire,” Fu Feng said. “The fragments of the Divine Seal are destined to gravitate towards those with a predestined connection, and we hope to collect them. To do this, we need to unite those who are destined to be connected with the Divine Seal.”
"We cannot allow the Divine Seal to fall into the hands of those with wicked intentions. I think this is a very reasonable idea. Therefore, it is necessary for us, the Governing World, to collect it first. The Great Impermanence of the Transcendentalist faction has also long been aware of the authenticity of the Divine Seal and the existence of its fragments. We must not fall behind in this competition to collect the fragments of the Divine Seal."
“Zhuang Cheng, you are qualified to become the Great Impermanence; in other words, you should also be someone who can change the world, and may have a destiny related to the Divine Seal. I hope you can try to contact the fragments of the Divine Seal to verify this judgment.”
I couldn't agree to that request—I made that decision in an instant.
The last time I came into contact with other fragments of divine seals was in an independent reality space. I touched a fragment of divine seal that was once hidden in the heart of Dr. Silver Mask, and then automatically established a connection with it and automatically stored it in my consciousness.
According to my subsequent tests, I formed a bond with this second divine seal fragment. Just like the first divine seal fragment, wherever I go, that divine seal fragment will follow.
Once I come into contact with the Divine Seal fragments at Fufeng Base, I can hardly guarantee that I won't automatically bind and collect them. Doing this under cover of darkness wouldn't matter, but if I do it in front of Fufeng, I'll likely only have two choices left: either be bound to Fazheng's faction, or become Fazheng's enemy as the one who stole the Divine Seal fragments.
Getting caught up in Luoshan's political vortex for a mere fragment of a divine seal is simply not worth it, and needlessly provoking the Great Impermanence Fazheng is no different. More importantly, Fufeng's current request to me seems to be a trap.
I'm not so naive as to believe everything they say. Is Fazheng and the others' purpose in searching for someone destined to be connected with the Divine Seal really limited to this? Although I don't mind having the title of "someone destined to be connected with the Divine Seal," if it's about dragging me into some complicated power struggles, then I'd rather not play along.
However, a direct refusal would seem suspicious. The phenomenon of automatically binding and absorbing the divine seal fragments is undoubtedly closely related to my identity as a chosen one of the Void Realm. If Fazheng really is Number Six, he might become suspicious if he hears that I refused to touch the divine seal fragments without any reason.
Whether I agree or refuse, I will inevitably expose myself as the chosen one to some extent. Actually, it doesn't matter if I'm exposed; I wasn't particularly fixated on hiding the chosen one's identity anyway. However, at this point, I've actually found a certain fun in this game of guessing each other's identities.
“Even if this judgment is verified, what do you intend to do afterward? I have no intention of joining the social order, nor do I want to get involved in your struggle against the supernatural,” I said bluntly.
"Isn't it too late to say this now, Zhuang Cheng? You not only killed a Grandmaster of Transcendentalism, but you also challenged the Great Impermanence of Transcendentalism. You have now become an enemy of Transcendentalism in effect," Fu Feng said. "I know very well what you're thinking. You're not interested in the political strife in Luoshan. You think it's all vulgar and want to immerse yourself in your own world..."
"However, as long as you live in the human world, you are destined to be unable to escape these things. This is especially true given your immense power."
Even if you become a Great Impermanence, as long as there are other Great Impermanences in this world, you still have to deal with others. You have to determine who your partners are and who your enemies are. Where there are people, there is politics, and no one can stay out of it.
I decided to steer the conversation back to reality: "Then let's at least wait until Fazheng arrives before discussing this further. Aren't the Divine Seal Fragments extremely important? Let him make the decision on this matter then."
"Alright then." Fu Feng nodded helplessly.
He quickly picked out rooms for Mazao and me. I specifically requested a double room. In this unfamiliar place, it's best to have places to rest as close as possible. Mazao didn't object either.
We entered a room with two beds, like a luxury hotel suite, and Fufeng left first. I wasn't entirely unmoved by what he had said earlier. Where there are people, there is politics; no one can remain uninvolved—an undeniable truth. However, to join in the conflict in order to avoid it is putting the cart before the horse. I'm not so easily swayed by just a few words.
Right now, I have something a hundred times more important to do than those mundane political struggles.
I closed the door to the room, then turned around and looked at Asao. We finally had a chance to be alone. Now, I was going to reveal my true feelings to her.
Anxiety welled up inside me. Although I had done a lot of mental preparation, I still couldn't help but feel afraid when the moment came.
All my past battles combined have never made me this nervous; this feeling is probably the first time I've felt this way since the fifteenth-floor basement.
Ma Zao sat down on the bed. Seeing that I was standing still, she asked in a puzzled voice, "Zhuang Cheng?"
"Ma Zao, there's something I want to tell you." I had made up my mind completely.
Seeing my solemn attitude, she also became very serious and sat up straight.
"You asked me before why I would go to such lengths for you, right?" I asked.
"Hmm, you said it's because... because you like me," she said softly.
“That’s a very important reason, but there was an even earlier reason before that,” I said.
“An earlier reason…” She stared at me blankly.
“I lied to you. I’m not a good person. The reason I brought you home wasn’t because I couldn’t bear to see a weak girl like you, covered in blood, lying in the night, but because I discovered a possibility in you—the possibility of taking me out of the boring world of common sense and onto unpredictable, incredible adventures,” I said.
After hearing these words, she paused for a long time before slowly realizing what they meant: "What you really value is..."
“Yes, I want to use your jinxed nature to attract endless dangers for me,” I said.
(End of this chapter)
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