From the end of the world

Chapter 456 Huang Quan's Warning

Across the river of time, Doomsday Da Wuchang standing in the past actually recognized Ma Zao on the other side of the river.

Not only me, Ma Zao's expression also changed, surprised and confused.

The other party could recognize Ma Zao, which was nothing in itself. Ma Zao was probably well-known in the doomsday era, and the reason why we "fished" for the previous month was based on the premise that the other party knew Ma Zao.

However, the other party clearly did not see Ma Zao's appearance directly. He was able to infer that the person standing on the other side was Ma Zao based solely on the experience of being spied on through the curtain of history. This meant that his understanding of Ma Zao was not limited to hearsay, but that he had really come into contact with Ma Zao before and had a personal understanding of his power of return.

Considering that he is very likely from the Gospel Institute and that Ma Zao was also a member of the Gospel Institute in the past, could it be that this Doomsday Da Wuchang was Ma Zao's superior in the Gospel Institute in the past?
"I have heard some information about you recently. I heard that Mingzhuo had set his sights on you, and you were taken away by a Great Impermanence Qualified Person named Zhuang Cheng."

The doomsday figure named "Huangquan" was staring at us. Although we knew that he could not truly lock onto our position, but when staring at us with those lifeless eyes, we always felt as if we had been exposed.

"How did you get here across time and space? Even for us to do this, it must cost an extremely huge price. You are alone and weak, and I heard that you are accompanied by a little girl about ten years old. You should not be able to do such a thing..." Huang Quan looked thoughtful, "Moreover, you should not be able to dodge my attack just now... Is there the Great Impermanence interfering with you?

"During your time period, has the Great Impermanence Qualified Person named Zhuang Cheng officially become the Great Impermanence? But in ten years at most, this world will be destroyed... He actually became the Great Impermanence within ten years? Unbelievable."

Sorry, it took less than ten years. At about the same historical point in time when you were speaking, I had just become the Great Impermanence... I said this in my heart.

After hearing Huang Quan's words, Ying Lingyun, who was standing next to him, frowned and looked in our direction, muttering: "Zhuang Cheng..."

“Yellow Spring…”

Ma Zao did not respond to the other party's words, but frowned and recited the name, as if he was searching his mind for the corresponding information.

"Does this name impress you?" I asked.

"...I have an impression of him." Ma Zao nodded, "He should be someone I knew during my time at the Gospel Academy, but I can hardly remember any specific information about him...I only know that this person is very strong, very mysterious, and very ancient, and that I both respect and hate him...other than that, that's all.

"Besides, I have no impression of what this person looks like."

I looked at Huang Quan's appearance again and asked, "Is there any problem with this?"

"Although my madness makes me forget the people I met in the past, as long as I meet them again, even if I can't remember what happened to them in the past, I will at least feel that their faces and names are familiar, and I can know that 'this is someone I knew in the past.'" Ma Zao said, "It's difficult for ordinary doomsday survivors to do this, but we blessed monks can do it.

“Especially since my soul is much stronger than that of an ordinary blessed monk, even though I am still not immune to the madness, it won’t wash away even the most minimal impressions and feelings.

"So... this is weird. Since I remember his name, I should also remember his appearance..."

"Is it possible that he changed his appearance on purpose?" I asked. "Since he is lurking in the modern world, it is understandable that he can interact with people in a different way."

Mazao nodded reluctantly, "...maybe."

Seeing that we had not responded yet, Huang Quan was unmoved and just said, "No response... or do you not know how to respond? Come to think of it, you actually have the guts to snoop into my history. It seems that you have forgotten the lessons of the past. Now you probably don't even remember who I am.

"Then, I have nothing to say to you now... Having said that, considering the favor we have had in the past, I will still leave you with a piece of advice.

"Ma Zao, don't try to hinder us. What the Gospel Institute is going to do in this time and space is crucial both for ourselves and for this world.

"If you still want to save the world like before, then don't stand against us.

"Or...if you still claim to want to save the world but are actually doing things that accelerate the end of the world...then let it be.

"Then I will personally shatter your soul and destroy you beyond repair."

After saying that, Huang Quan waved his hand, and the "holographic projection" that formed him and Ying Lingyun instantly shattered, turning into countless flickering points of light, and then disappeared into the air. I did not immediately relax my vigilance, but first used my perception to carefully scan the surrounding area.

We are investigating the Yellow Springs in history here. Not only will the Yellow Springs in history be able to sense it, but it may also be possible for the Yellow Springs existing in this time period to be sensed.

With the presence of the Great Impermanence, I can block the other party's perception in this regard. Although I didn't realize Huang Quan was the Great Impermanence at the beginning, so my reaction speed in this regard was a step slower, but the power of the Great Impermanence can ignore the relationship between time and space to a certain extent. As long as I think of hiding in this incident, the whole process can be hidden.

However, considering that Huang Quan knew in the past that we would investigate the ruins of the Humanitarian Division's headquarters, it is estimated that we could not hide it from him. The reason why he did not stop our investigation or take advantage of our investigation to jump out and attack is probably because he did not know how much preparation we had done here.

From Huang Quan's perspective, it is entirely possible that Ma Zao and I could have teamed up with other Luoshan Great Impermanence to set up an ambush here. If he acted rashly, he might have to face the siege of multiple Great Impermanences, which would be more trouble than gain.

Ma Zao silently dispersed the phantom of the moon in the water, as if he was thinking about Huang Quan's last words.

The power behind Huangquan is indeed the Gospel Institute, and...

"Did the me in the past... the me in the Gospel Academy also want to save the world?" Ma Zao said in confusion, "But... why did he say that I said I wanted to save the world, but in fact I was accelerating the end of the world?
"…What did I do in the past?"

Judging from Huang Quan's attitude, Ma Zao's departure from the Gospel Institute in the past may not have been a pleasant experience. To put it in an extreme way, although Huang Quan did not directly say those two words, Ma Zao may have betrayed the Gospel Institute.

"There's no need to pay too much attention to his words. It's common to label the forces you belong to as righteous, and it's the same to throw mud at dissidents." I said, "What is the purpose of the Gospel Institute, and who you were in the past, these are the things we will investigate next."

“But, if the Gospel Institute really wants to save the world, and I in the past was really a bad guy who tried to exacerbate the doomsday…” Ma Zao seemed very conflicted.

Many thoughts came to my mind that I couldn't express to Ma Zao in person, and finally, I decided to go and comfort her first.

"Don't be afraid, I'm a bad guy too." I said, "We can be a perfect couple."

Ma Zao smiled after being stunned for a moment. Although he still looked upset, he was obviously much more relaxed.

There is no more place to investigate here. Before leaving, I scanned Ma Zao's body with my eyes to see if she had any hidden injuries from Huang Quan's attack just now.

Just in case, I asked one more question: "How is it, are you feeling unwell?"

After feeling it carefully, she replied: "No."

Although I knew that Ma Zao would be fine, my heart still tensed up reflexively. At the same time, I was consciously controlling my emotions so that Ma Zao wouldn't see that I was distracted from paying attention to her when facing the enemy. In my heart, I regarded Ma Zao as someone to be protected, but I knew that she hoped that she could stand on her own in front of me.

I also often have such a contradictory romantic fantasy - while wanting to protect Ma Zao from wind and rain and bear all external harm, I also want to develop a fighting partnership with her where we can support each other on the battlefield.

"That's good."

I just said this briefly, and then turned around and left with Ma Zao. Ma Zao followed me closely, looking a little happy.
-
After the investigation was completed, we had a general direction for our next steps.

Although we don't know where Huang Quan, the Great Impermanence of Doomsday, is, and how much specific arrangements the Gospel Institute has made for the modern world, but since they have been supporting Taoyuan Township behind the scenes and even regard the "Paradise" plan as something beneficial to them, then we should investigate Taoyuan Township next.

As a major force spanning the modern and doomsday eras, the Gospel Institute must have some knowledge of the truth about the doomsday. Even if they still don't know the full picture, they will definitely want to explore the truth about the doomsday, just like Ma Zao. Whether their real purpose is to promote the doomsday or to save the world, this is a hurdle that cannot be avoided.

They must have more clues in this regard than we do, which can serve as a shortcut for Ma Zao and I to investigate the truth of the doomsday.

Also, in order to investigate the information related to Shan Liangyi, I must also get close to the Lord of Taoyuan Township - close to this mysterious Da Wuchang who is not sure whether he is Shan Liangyi himself or the descendant of Qinglong.

Those seemingly unrelated clues in the past have now come together, like an invisible vortex, drawing me deeper and deeper into it.

(End of this chapter)