Chapter 301 Two Choices
Strange events were no longer a secret. Long before the massive nuclear explosion orchestrated by Silver Moon, countless people online claimed to have personally experienced bizarre occurrences, though these claims were largely ignored by the public. To my shame, I was also skeptical at the time, even highly doubtful. After all, every time I followed similar leads, I ended up finding nothing.
In the wake of the nuclear explosion, and especially after the government publicly acknowledged the existence of amnesia and strange events, information related to these events flooded the internet. Numerous netizens with firsthand accounts eagerly shared their experiences, making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. The government also ceased all information control, allowing such information to circulate freely online.
That being said, the majority of people are probably still skeptical. Strange events mostly happen in the dark, and things like amnesia that run rampant are ultimately rare. As far as I know, this supernatural phenomenon that has enveloped both mountains and towns is the first of its kind since the government acknowledged the existence of strange events.
As a result, the number of people who believe in the existence of supernatural things should increase dramatically.
Based on conversations around me, the fog covers an area of at least two thousand square kilometers. Those inside can't get out, and no one from the outside has been seen entering. Officials must be in a state of utter chaos. It seems their decision to publicly acknowledge the existence of these strange events beforehand was wise. If they had waited until after the current incident to reluctantly admit it, the public's reaction would likely have been quite different, and distrust of the government would certainly have increased.
Fortunately, this incident did not occur in a first-tier city, but in a struggling tourist town like Moonshadow Mountain City. The temporary disruption to information exchange and transportation with the outside world wasn't a major problem, especially with the presence of the Divination Master, who prevented Silver Moon from using the Heavenly Manifestation Technique to massacre the town's inhabitants.
If there's anything else to worry about, it's that some unscrupulous individuals might take advantage of the chaos and commit petty theft. In that case, we can only rely on the local security forces for now.
The inability to exchange information or travel with the outside world is inconvenient for both Ma Zao and me. I had originally planned to contact the Zhu family after descending the mountain, showing them Xiao Wan's photo to inquire about relevant matters. Perhaps Xiao Wan really is a relative of Zhu Shi and Old Master Zhu, or a long-lost blood relative, etc. In any case, I could find out by asking.
If they see the photos, they'll probably ask where they came from. Let them ask, I won't answer. But I can tell Zhu Shi more, since he already knows many of my and Ma Zao's secrets. It's just that I can't contact him right now.
It's not impossible to temporarily leave the area of Silver Moon Law and Heavenly Land. Ma has long been able to move freely even in the mist on the mountain, let alone the mist near Moon Hidden Mountain City.
Furthermore, perhaps because the Divination Master suppressed some of the effects of the Silver Moon's Celestial Manifestation, this extremely thin mist didn't seem to cause any temporal confusion; at least, that's how I perceived it. So, it should be fine for us to go out first and then come back. However, rather than doing something that could be done anytime, Ma Zao and I, after discussing it, decided to focus on the matter at hand first.
I first retrieved the counterfeit Moon in the Water from Ma Zao, intending to use it to invade Silver Moon's mental world later.
"Zhuang Cheng, are you confident?" Ma Zao asked.
Although I didn't really want to admit it to her, I had to honestly admit that I wasn't confident.
Leaving aside the fact that the possibility of invading Silver Moon's spiritual world is less than one in ten thousand, we can't even see Silver Moon hiding in the deepest part of the mountain mist right now. Even the Divination Master has vaguely indicated that I cannot succeed.
He did say that he could only choose one between "saving Chang'an's soul" and "obtaining the elixir from the naval Xuanwu," but on the other hand, what he implied was that Yin Yue and I were destined to destroy each other in the end. And I found it difficult to discern from his tone the underlying meaning that there was a chance to eliminate only Yin Yue's part of Chang'an's soul.
However, it was precisely because of this that I felt an urge to take on the challenge.
Even the prophecies of the fortune teller evoke a desire in me to challenge them. Am I forced to choose between the two? Whichever I choose, in the end, it fulfills his prophecy. I must admit I have a rebellious streak in this regard; when others say I can't do something, or can only do something, I want to do things beyond their predictions. For example, right now, what if I wanted "both"?
Trying to break through a prophet's prediction with one's own wisdom or courage is also part of the prophetic story. Although such stories usually end with "the attempt to break the prophecy ultimately fulfills the prophecy," since I am qualified as a Great Impermanence and have the opportunity to become one in the near future, there is no reason why I cannot break through the prophecy of the Divination Master, the Great Impermanence, no matter what I do.
“I think… it’s better to be on the safe side,” Asaho said cautiously.
"Just to be on the safe side—what do you mean?" I asked in return.
“Since we can only obtain one of the two—the soul of Zhu Chang’an and the elixir of Xuanwu—it’s best to choose which one we want to achieve beforehand and then devote all our efforts to that direction,” she said.
I understood what she meant.
"Do you want me to give up on Xuanwu?"
“Yes.” She nodded. “My soul trauma isn’t a particularly urgent problem. Even if left untreated, I just won’t be able to fully recover; it won’t cause any bigger problems. However, Zhu Chang’an’s condition cannot be delayed. It would be best to deal with it properly as soon as possible.”
“I understand what you mean, but it doesn’t mean that sacrificing one side will guarantee the absolute realization of the other. Both are things that cannot be obtained without giving it your all, and even with your best efforts, you don’t know if you can get them at all. Shouldn’t we try our best to pursue both directions to the end?” I still wanted to challenge the fortune teller’s prophecy.
She pointed out, "It's true that we might not succeed even if we try our best, but what if we succeed on one side after trying our best?"
Upon hearing this, I quickly realized what was happening.
“I see. I’ll be meeting Xuanwu in an hour. If he’s willing to hand over the elixir to me beforehand, even knowing I’m a fire-elemental superhuman, it means that, according to the prophecy, I won’t be able to save Chang’an’s soul,” I said.
This is very simple logic. Giving up one side cannot guarantee the achievement of the other, but achieving one side will cause the failure of the other.
I was full of ambition to challenge the fortune teller's prophecy, but I failed to see even such a simple truth beforehand. Ma, on the other hand, realized the problem much earlier. While I wouldn't say I was blinded by desire, I was certainly influenced by some of my own inherent nature.
Of course, if I obtain the elixir of the Water Master Xuanwu first, it could be convenient for me to challenge the prophecy of the Diviner in the matter of "saving the soul of Chang'an". But do I really want to use the life and death of my friends as a thrilling gamble to satisfy my desire for challenge?
I can distance myself from friends for my own desires, and I can sever all ties and contact with them, but I cannot put my friends' safety above my own wishful thinking and risk. No matter how much I want to challenge the fortune teller's prophecy, I cannot disregard my friends' lives.
Thinking about this, I felt a sense of weariness welling up inside me.
If only everything were destroyed. Society, relationships, and everything else. I wished for the end of the world, for everything to be destroyed in the catastrophe. What would remain would be a world full of danger, wonder, and freedom. How wonderful that world would be—this thought flashed through my mind.
I am well aware that this is a taboo subject that I should not delve too deeply into.
"Zhuang Cheng, you should go and save your friend."
Mazao's voice brought me back to my attention; she stared intently into my eyes with a very serious gaze.
"Don't go see Xuanwu. Give up on asking him for the elixir," she said. "I'll be fine. There will definitely be other opportunities to heal your soul. I don't want to see you looking regretful every time you think about not being able to save your friend..."
Perhaps she also experienced such nights.
Before she learned that Xiaowan hadn't died from the flames of the Great Demon of Calamity or other apocalyptic disasters, she must have often thought about how she couldn't save Xiaowan, and tossed and turned in bed at night filled with regret. It was precisely because she knew how painful that was that she didn't want me to suffer the same torment.
However, the problem I faced was different from Asao's. We are ultimately different personalities. Because I understand myself very well, I know exactly what I would become after giving up on saving my friend.
I probably won't regret it then, nor will I dwell on the past. Because I'm just too easygoing. On the bright side, it's a personality trait that makes it easy to enter a positive mindset and heal oneself; on the other hand, it means I easily forgive my mistakes and shortcomings, even rationalizing them as part of my personality, and then accepting them with a clear conscience.
If I were to actually stand by and watch a friend die, I would quickly transform into a more wicked person who "doesn't care if a friend dies"—a change that I find hard to accept now.
"I've figured it out," I said.
Mazao's expression softened.
I then said, "Let's go see Xuanwu first."
(End of this chapter)
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