Chapter 147 Imaginary Enemy 1
In Luoshan, the demon hunters who deal with strange creatures are called "Wuchang" (meaning "impermanent").
Dealing with strange things doesn't necessarily require fighting. Zhu Shi once told me that sometimes strange events are caused by monsters or humans who possess strange powers, and these situations do require violence to resolve. However, some strange events don't have a concrete enemy; they appear in people's lives as phenomena. The "basement on the fifteenth floor" that I encountered in the past is quite similar to this.
Loss of soul syndrome is also a strange phenomenon. Although it's too early to say whether there's a mastermind behind it, at this stage, the focus of research is on the phenomenon itself.
The "White Impermanence" (无常) are responsible for this kind of work; they are also adept at dealing with strange phenomena arising from problems such as chaotic feng shui. The person who contacted us regarding the soul loss issue in Luoshan is likely also a White Impermanence.
Compared to the "Black Impermanence" like Zhu Shi, who excels in violent combat, the White Impermanence is indeed less impressive, and I find it difficult to muster much enthusiasm for overly complex knowledge and techniques. On the other hand, they are also an indispensable part of the Witcher world, and perhaps they can bring me unexpected surprises. Therefore, while I am wary, I also harbor some expectations.
However, they have not contacted me or Asahi for a long time—why is that?
It's been a week since Lu Youxun confirmed Ma Zao's location.
Of course, it's not impossible for us to take the initiative to contact them, but considering the past instances where the Luoshan Extraordinary Sect used unorthodox methods to track down Mazao, I find it difficult to muster the desire to contact Luoshan proactively. Since they are the ones who need our help, they should be the ones to take the initiative to contact us—I also have that thought to some extent. But this time, they are as silent as death.
Not only did Lu Youxun's transcendentalist faction fail to contact us, but even Zhu Shi's pantheist faction—I think that's what it's called—remained completely silent. All factions were stagnant, which aroused my suspicions.
I also consulted Zhu Shi about this matter, and Zhu Shi was also puzzled. He went back to ask Mr. Zhu, wanting to investigate through the family's connections to find out what was going on. Mr. Zhu also wanted to save his daughter Zhu Jiu from her amnesia. Although he didn't bring up the topic of amnesia when he saw Ma Zao last time, he must still care about it quite a bit.
Shortly after, just as I finished lunch at home, Mr. Zhu called me.
I heard he seems to be out and about a lot lately.
“There’s something wrong with this,” Mr. Zhu said in a deep voice.
"What's the problem?" I asked. "I know there was a dispute in Luoshan about Ma Zao, a conflict over the distribution of credit and benefits. None of the factions wanted the other to get ahead, so they sabotaged each other during the search for Ma Zao, preventing anyone from focusing on anything else... Is it going to be the same this time?"
"On the surface, it looks about the same; those at the top are engaged in a secret standoff, while those in the middle and below are instructed not to act on their own," he said.
I asked, seemingly concerned, "—On the surface?"
"Curing the Soul Loss Syndrome is indeed a huge achievement. Although it might not seem like a major event in the eyes of the Great Impermanence, under his influence, anyone who can find a cure for the Soul Loss Syndrome through that little girl will surely gain both fame and fortune, becoming unparalleled for a time," said Old Master Zhu solemnly. "But no matter what, this time it's gone too far, Zhuang Cheng. The factions in Luoshan not only sabotage each other, but they also conspire and cooperate. You must know that the Soul Loss Syndrome is a public nuisance. If left unchecked, it will eventually lead to a major disaster. In fact, from the perspective of general society, this is already a major disaster, it just hasn't been exposed yet."
"Given the current twisted situation at the top, where the external disaster is escalating while the internal situation is deadlocked... Forgive my bluntness, but Luoshan is certainly not a flawless organization, but it is definitely not a makeshift team to this extent."
"Regarding what exactly happened at the top levels of Luoshan, I can't find out in just a day or two; it will take some more time. For many years, the Zhu family has adhered to a policy of staying away from the supernatural world, which has also distanced us from many social circles. Although we are now returning, we haven't yet restored the distance we once had."
"There's something I can tell you now: the matter of that little girl may have already attracted the attention of the Great Impermanence."
"The Great Impermanence?" I asked, puzzled. "Isn't it said that loss of souls isn't a serious concern for the Great Impermanence?"
Mr. Zhu said on the other end of the phone, "So, if there really is a Great Impermanence watching over that little girl, it might be for reasons unrelated to her amnesia."
His words left me in a state of doubt.
If you remove the special title of "Case of Awakening from Soul Loss" from Asaho, in Razan's eyes, Asaho would just be an unknown female demon hunter. Although she possesses strange and unusual powers, that's all. Unknown background and strange and unusual traits are labels that should be commonplace in the supernatural world, so how could she be given so much attention because of them?
The Great Impermanence... What exactly are the higher-ups in Luoshan focusing on regarding Ma Zao?
"Sir, in your opinion, if someone in Luoshan is plotting against Ma Zao, what should I do?"
Knowing that the person on the other end of the phone was Mr. Zhu, I humbly asked for his advice, recalling the impression he gave me of an old-fashioned private tutor when we first met. As a result, my tone of voice became involuntarily a mix of classical and vernacular Chinese.
Mr. Zhu replied without hesitation, "Kill."
"Huh?" I was taken aback.
"Anyone who dares to reach out will have their hand chopped off; anyone who dares to speak rudely will have their tongue pulled out; and anyone who bares their claws and fangs at you will be killed." He responded in a matter-of-fact tone.
"No, um..." I said, "Are you really going to kill me?"
It's not that I'm afraid to kill, but the hypothetical enemy is someone who might be detrimental to Ma Zao, which only fuels my murderous intent. However, in that situation, Zhu Shi would likely try his best to stop me. And what about Zhu Shi's grandfather, Old Master Zhu? I certainly didn't expect him to encourage me to kill.
Or was he trying to dissuade me in a different way? Was he deliberately suggesting that I might do something in a more extreme way, so that I would realize it was impossible and give up?
Suddenly, I remembered something.
In Mr. Zhu's generation, all his brothers and sisters fought each other over the forging of the Yama Sword, and he was the only victor.
"Zhuang Cheng, are you good at intrigue and scheming, or at political maneuvering? You're not only bad at those things, but you're also the kind of young man who gets annoyed by topics like political maneuvering and strategy, right?" Old Mr. Zhu said. "What you're best at is power, destruction, and you're still a greenhorn who's just starting out. You're completely unaware of the power dynamics in Luoshan, but that's your biggest advantage."
"Don't try to outmaneuver those high-ranking figures who claim to be the masterminds behind the scenes. Instead, focus your efforts on what you do best. Whoever tries to harm you, kill them! In their eyes, you have a natural justification for doing so, even a legitimate reason to retaliate. Those who want to assassinate you will certainly come up with various reasons, but these reasons won't fool them, and most likely won't fool the other onlookers either. Just stand tall and charge forward, make them fear you!"
"As long as no Demon Hunter at the Great Completion level or above falls, you are invincible. Even if a Great Completion level Impermanence does fall, don't be afraid. If it's an opponent you can defeat, then fight them to the death! Just don't actually kill them. Most Great Completion level Impermanence are the Great Impermanence's confidants, and killing them would be going against the Great Impermanence. If you feel you can't win, then know when to stop. Your goal isn't really to kill people, but to intimidate those monsters and demons."
"The first appearance is very important. As long as you are ruthless enough, you will find that there are no monsters or demons in Luoshan. Everyone is a kind-hearted person who makes money peacefully."
"Also, remember not to provoke trouble. Once you do, you'll be in the wrong. But once they start, you can go ahead and kill. After all, you're young and hot-blooded, and it's perfectly understandable that you might accidentally kill a dozen or twenty more people. As long as you demonstrate overwhelming power, the blame will fall entirely on the person who provoked you..."
"besides……"
Mr. Zhu imparted his insights to me earnestly and meticulously, frequently using words like "fight," "kill," and "die," which completely overturned my impression of him.
Is it really okay to do what this person says? Is the Zhu family's poor interpersonal relationships in Luoshan really just because they used to stay away from the strange world? They even said they'd kill a dozen or twenty more people; I never even considered killing that many at first.
As they talked, Mr. Zhu seemed to get thirsty, and he could vaguely hear the sound of someone drinking water on the other end of the phone. Then he sighed with relief and said, "That's about it. Is there anything else you don't understand?"
"Hmm..." I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is Zhu Shi really your granddaughter?"
He was speechless for a moment, then sighed dejectedly, "Ah, Ajiu... my daughter has always forbade me from interfering in my granddaughter's moral education..."
Normal parents wouldn't allow their children to receive that kind of moral education.
Moreover, I find it hard to imagine that Junior Sister Zhu would adopt a "those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish" attitude.
No, if I had to put it into words, the way her eyes changed color during the battle did give off a certain vibe. She exuded a cold, ruthless aura, as if she cared nothing for human life. The usually kind-hearted, almost naive Zhu Shi transformed into a cold-blooded fighting machine in that moment. That contrast was like a gentle, weak protagonist in some anime suddenly transforming into a dignified and reliable figure, creating a unique charm.
Mr. Zhu seemed to be venting his regret about not being able to properly educate his granddaughter's character. Because his words really suited my taste, I was worried that if I continued to listen, I would really become a murderer, so I wanted to find an excuse to end the call.
But before that, a dark cloud had settled over me.
“Sir, I have a question,” I asked.
“Go ahead,” he said.
“What if the source of malice is not even the Impermanence of the Great Accomplishment Rank, but the Great Impermanence?” I asked.
Even over the phone, you could hear that Mr. Zhu's breathing had briefly stopped.
Although it was mentioned earlier that the Great Impermanence might also be paying attention to this matter, it seems that Old Master Zhu hadn't considered the possibility that the Great Impermanence might be on the opposite side. Whether he simply hadn't thought of it or didn't want to think about it, remains unknown. I also understand that my question was somewhat beyond my scope. Using the Great Impermanence as a hypothetical enemy without any basis might have sounded like a not-so-funny joke to him.
In the Witcher universe, being an enemy of the Great Impermanence is likely synonymous with being an enemy of the gods.
The difference between “Great Impermanence” and “Impermanence” may seem to be just one word, but there is more than one dimension between them.
In terms of hierarchy, ordinary impermanence exists within the four stages of formation, existence, decay, and emptiness, while great impermanence transcends these stages and leaps to an even higher level. In terms of power, ordinary impermanence, no matter how strong, is merely regarded as a powerful person, while great impermanence is regarded as the embodiment of natural disasters. In terms of organization, ordinary impermanence members form cliques and factions within Luoshan, while great impermanence stands above the organization. It should not be said that great impermanence belongs to Luoshan, but rather that Luoshan belongs to great impermanence.
Even in his relationship with the supernatural, Wuchang is troubled by the fate of being mutually attracted to the supernatural, while the supernatural scatter and flee in the face of Da Wuchang. Even on the topic of waging war against the official forces, Luoshan, without Da Wuchang, can easily conquer the country with the help of Dacheng-level Wuchang and Cheng-level Wuchang. The existence of Da Wuchang is simply the part of Luoshan's overwhelming combat power.
To borrow a phrase from cultivation novels, the Great Impermanence beings are practically like powerful beings who should ascend to another world. It's just that our world doesn't have the concept of "ascension," so these immortals are forced to remain in the real world.
To be an enemy of the Great Impermanence—to put it bluntly, this idea carries even greater weight than "to be an enemy of Mount Luo."
Perhaps it's because I lack a lot of understanding of the concept of impermanence (大无常), and because I possess some characteristics similar to it, and have even been described as "potentially becoming the impermanence of the future," that I lack a sense of fear. However, in Mr. Zhu's eyes, this issue is mostly not something to be taken lightly.
After a moment, Mr. Zhu gave his answer.
"If that happens, my advice is to try your best to defuse the other party's malice, or simply be ruthless and give up the girl next to you."
Without hesitation, I said, "It's impossible for me to give up Ma Zao."
“If you can’t give up, then you should take that little girl and run away immediately,” he said.
(End of this chapter)
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