Who left their last words here?

Chapter 112 One of a Kind; This is My Home! (6k)

"Pain Pain!"

The white boat, bathed in the radiant moonlight and surrounded by the giant wolf totem, appeared sacred, its hair sparkling and flying upwards.

However, the "sacred" Bai Zhou was baring his teeth and making a ferocious face, and his incessant chatter was a complete eyesore:

"Crow, help! Do you have any healing rituals? Will this leave me with any side effects or scars?"

The crow responded and went forward:
"Don't move... let me see!"

Ya carefully observed Bai Zhou's bare back and thighs, and his eyes narrowed involuntarily.

An indescribable burnt smell first entered the nasal cavity, and large areas of skin may have already shown irreversible charring and carbonization.

The muscles had lost all texture, as if they had been forcibly pulverized and then instantly fused together by high temperature, with an ominous pale golden luster faintly surging within them.

The pale golden luster continued to corrode deeper into the flesh, and large patches of injury spread across half of his back and both thighs, making the situation worse than Crow had imagined.

Despite such severe injuries, he could still jokingly cry out in pain... Crow looked at the grimacing Bai Zhou, his expression gradually becoming complicated.

It turns out that the incessant talking was just a way to relieve the pain.

I don't know when it started, but Bai Zhou has become so strong.

He is a qualified chosen one.

...But the crow soon changed its mind.

In the short time it took for the crow to ponder, the phantom of the moon wolf behind the white boat gradually solidified, and the irreversible carbonization of the muscles on the white boat's body slowly faded, turning from charred black to a visibly reddish color.

The pale golden light was pushed out, dissipated into the air, and disappeared.

"Om..."

A minute or two passed.

When the phantom of the moon wolf dissipated, the fatal wounds on Bai Zhou's body had disappeared.

What remains is pinkish new muscle that needs to heal slowly.

The life force that had been quite weak on Bai Zhou just moments before has now begun to recover vigorously.

Without any special ceremony or elaborate procedures, an incredible medical miracle occurred right before the crow's eyes!
Even so, Bai Zhou still grimaced and cried out in pain.

"It hurts, hurts, hurts!"

"It still hurts so much, is there any magic to blow away the pain?"

crow:"……?"

It seems that the moon wolf totem tattooed all over Bai Zhou's back represents a new opportunity for him.

Raven could roughly determine that the main component of this power was the potion power of the [Tears of the Moon Goddess], but it also contained some strange and ancient ingredients.

This ingredient makes the power of [Tears of the Moon Goddess] more proactive, greatly enhancing White Boat's self-healing and combat endurance capabilities.

This kind of endurance is something that other extraordinary individuals who are stingy and greedy for every bit of spirituality cannot imagine and can only dream of.

"you……"

The crow was about to say something, but then suddenly frowned:

"wrong!"

Her eyelids twitched slightly as she uncertainly examined the rapidly rising life force emanating from Bai Zhou.

The boy's burgeoning spirituality, barely concealed by his recovery, gradually made Crow's expression turn strange.
"Did you... get promoted again?"

"almost?"

"Tsk, I knew I couldn't hide it from you."

Bai Zhou nodded and awakened the spirituality within him in front of Ya.

"Buzz!"

With a soft sound around the body, 108 spiritual essences are evenly distributed throughout the body, forming a self-circulating cycle within the body, vigorous and undiminished.

The power of the mind enveloped the spirituality, and a faint, sharp, invisible blade aura surrounded Bai Zhou's body, keeping the drizzling rain three inches away from him, forming a strange and unique ring-shaped vacuum.

The three secret marks on the astrological chart vibrated slightly, and Bai Zhou released and unfolded his astrological aura without concealment, showing it to Ya.

"This is……?"

Even the most knowledgeable crow was stunned at this moment.

"A pure heart and the ability to project your inner energy! You've become a Level 3 [Adventurer]?!"

Not just Level 3, it's almost Level 4...

Bai Zhou muttered to himself.

If Ya were a normal Level 3 Chosen One, he probably wouldn't be able to understand what Bai Zhou, who has mastered the first three forms of the "Basic Nine Slashes," is.

Moreover, the most outrageous thing is that Bai Zhou even caught a glimpse of the "fighting spirit"!

"Buzz!"

Suddenly, Crow's expression turned serious. She waved her hand, drawing the surrounding rainwater to become raw materials, arranging a series of rituals around the white boat.

"Crow?" Bai Zhou's expression turned to surprise.

"call!"

The crow remained silent, but flames bloomed from its palm, transforming into wandering fire snakes in the air. Two tongues of fire crisscrossed and intertwined, vaguely forming a symbol of a "fish".

Before long, the high temperature of the flames evaporated the moisture from the rain, and large plumes of smoke enveloped the white boat.

"Inspeccionar!"

“Purificación!”

Inspections, purifications... all sorts of rituals were performed on Bai Zhou by the crows.

Crow performed a complete and complex version of the SCE ritual for White Boat.

"You know, power can sometimes be a trap. I need to make sure you haven't touched anything taboo!"

The warning was issued, and Raven narrowed his eyes, sensing the various reactions brought about by the ritual.

Then, she blinked her long eyelashes and whispered uncertainly:

"But...you seem to be in exceptionally good condition?"

Aside from the weakness caused by his injuries, Bai Zhou's health was better than ever before.

The explosive growth of spirituality continuously nourished the white boat, making each spiritual essence exceptionally solid and without any future problems.

The astrological chart is remarkably serene, with the three mystical marks imprinted on it all belonging to the [Adventurer] path, standing upright like the sun.

Contrary to what Crow suspected, Shirazuki succumbed to temptation and made a forbidden deal with power.

On the contrary, it seemed that every bit of progress Bai Zhou made was earned through hard work and sweat.

Despite her lingering doubts, Raven had to admit that she could now rest assured.

Or rather, if such a thorough inspection still failed to uncover the problem when Bai Zhou was completely unprepared for the inspection...

So even if there really is a problem with the source of Bai Zhou's power, Crow won't be able to solve it in the future.

But the more this was the case, the less the crow could understand:
"Does Dream Realization Middle School have a follow-up to the [Adventurer] path?"

"What...did you encounter?"

Crow recalled the eerie golden light that had been attached to the back of the white boat earlier. Although it was small, its essence seemed to be quite extraordinary.

"You know."

Bai Zhou blinked, carefully choosing his words.

"We've encountered a bit of an opportunity; the Reflection Ruins Realm is never short of opportunities."

“You’re right, but…”

The crow seemed to want to speak but then stopped.

But is it really okay for you to say that?

Everyone has their lucky breaks in life, and extraordinary people are even more so.

Therefore, the Reflection Ruins Realm is the place of opportunity prepared by the world for extraordinary individuals. Fate tells every extraordinary individual, "If you want the treasures, go find them; I've placed all the treasures there."

Then a group of extraordinary individuals, oblivious to their own limitations, embarked on a journey from which there was no return.

In the midst of this, some newcomers are snatched away by starving werewolves, while others leap into a hidden place by faith, gaining a mysterious inheritance and becoming famous throughout the world... This is all normal.

Ya understood from a very young age that one should not be jealous of others. Every extraordinary person will have opportunities, but everyone also has a path that only they can walk.

Opportunities come at different times, but luck is always conserved. Today's unknown nobody will one day become famous.

but……

Ya stared at the tattoo on Bai Zhou's back with a strange expression, feeling quite puzzled.

Does this person have too many opportunities coming at once?
It's like everyone's attending a university called "History." Extraordinary people are never short of brilliant talents with huge opportunities. Yesterday, a senior named Zhang Liang found "The Art of War by Taigong" on a bridge, and tomorrow, a student named Liu Bang who failed a year will encounter a white snake sticking its head out and saying, "If you're so capable, why don't you chop it up here?"

But then, a certain monster, who wished to remain anonymous, was born.

On my first day of school, I found a broken stone in the library that said "Born by Heaven, May You Live Forever." When I returned to my dorm that night, I heard foxes whimpering in the bushes. When I went to feed the fish at the lake, koi carp spat out the "Yin Fu Jing" (a Buddhist scripture) and the "Zhi Zhen Yu Jian" (another Buddhist scripture)...

What? Everyone else is a chosen one, but you're a reincarnation of a god. Did you come here to unify the world and end human strife?

This is a peaceful federal era; this kind of thing doesn't apply here...

And yet, they still complain that the fox's voice keeps them awake, and that their injuries hurt so much they need healing magic.

—Yes, I'm talking about you, Shirazumi!
Forbidden ancient characters! The secret techniques passed down through the [Adventurer] path! And now, the Moon Wolf Totem!

Originally, Ya wanted to ask Bai Zhou about these things clearly.

It's unclear when it started, but the boy she led into the extraordinary world seems to have his own secret.

But in the end, Crow shook his head, suppressing his curiosity and desire to explore.

At least, she has been checking and monitoring every secret technique and every opportunity Bai Zhou has learned, and so far there have been no problems.

It's just that it's a little "more" and a little "more frequent".

Those who didn't know better might think that fate was a mother worried that Bai Zhou wouldn't have enough to eat, or that Bai Zhou had fallen into some parallel world of the Reflection Ruins, a world full of treasures.

Of course, none of this is possible!

Ya just felt that every time Bai Zhou went to the Reflection Ruins, he would encounter something "overflowing" from the depths of the Ruins, and then defeat the opponent to obtain the opportunity.

The crow was not unfamiliar with such a person.

...A very small number of people, after entering the Reflection Ruins, will be accidentally teleported directly into the ruins that are strictly sealed off by various forces.

The contents of this document are strictly prohibited from being leaked, but the various opportunities they gain from it will enable them to go far on the path to extraordinary success.

Such people are often born with special physical qualities that are different from ordinary people. As ordinary people, they usually have many misfortunes, but as extraordinary people, they will certainly not be ordinary.

They are destined to be drawn into the center of a vortex of fate, involuntarily drawn closer to various extraordinary objects and crises.

Therefore, they are hailed as "naturally extraordinary individuals".

"The ability to see ghosts" and "the fate of a child born with a spirit" both fall into this category.

If Bai Zhou can fully absorb the [Tears of the Moon Goddess] and awaken the corresponding "Blessing of the Moon Goddess", it can also be considered as such, and the level is even quite high.

"Could it be that……"

The crow carefully examined the white boat.

Perhaps Bai Zhou possesses some kind of constitution that she hadn't discovered before?

"Actually, this is the case..."

Bai Zhou carefully considered his words and gave a general explanation of what he could say.

But before he could finish speaking, Ya raised his hand, signaling Bai Zhou to stop for the moment:
"Although I am quite curious... you must be careful that if it is a secret that cannot be known to outsiders, then you don't need to know it to me either."

The crow's expression turned serious.

"Unless it's something like that half of an ancient character, directly threatening your life and requiring my help to safeguard it, otherwise..."

"Clap!"

The crow turned its head to look around, then raised its long boots and stomped twice on the rooftop beneath its feet:
“This is a rooftop that’s drafty on all sides. It’s not the location where we used to set up ceremonies, so it can’t be completely hidden.”

"Whatever I have said, someone may know."

"If your whereabouts are leaked, certain special black boxes can even reconstruct your past images here."

"—Do you remember what I taught you?"

"Keep secrets that only you know forever, and take them to your grave. Even if that person is your teacher, your wife, or even me."

As long as the trees are not growing crooked, they should be allowed to grow freely.

Excessive interference and protection are not good for extraordinary individuals.

Moreover, crows cannot directly interfere with reality too much, and even if Bai Zhou encounters trouble in the future, they cannot help much.

So at this moment, Ya forcibly suppressed his curiosity and gave Bai Zhou another lesson.

She was indeed surprised by Bai Zhou's rapid growth, but she was even more delighted.

When students have grown to a certain point, teachers should realize that they should let go and simply stand quietly by their side, watching as students freely develop and see where they can fly.

As a teacher, all she needs to do is stand by and offer timely reminders and guidance.

"Crash..."

A light rain fell on the rooftop, the misty rainy night pattering softly.

Suddenly.

Looking at Bai Zhou's thoughtful face, Ya vaguely recalled a past event...

"..."

People are different.

"The world of geniuses is beyond the comprehension of mediocre people, let alone their ability to point fingers... I should have realized this long ago."

It was a rainy afternoon. The teacher sat in the warm room, a few wisps of steam rising from the pure white porcelain cup with its gold rim.

Do you remember the black wave three years ago?

"Although the Disaster Prevention Agency was in charge, we also deployed seven tactical teams according to procedure, including three of my students."

The man's voice paused solemnly at this point.

Inside, all you could hear was the "pitter-patter" of raindrops hitting the glass.

"However, they were completely wiped out within three hours, and all of them became breeding grounds for the Black Disaster."

"In the end, it was actually a kid who was identified as an 'unstable factor' who, with two packs of explosives and a military dagger, took down the entire source of pollution in a completely unconventional way!"

"Afterwards, I spent twenty hours in the command room looking at the list of the dead. Guess what I was thinking at that time?"

"..."

The crow remained silent.

The man continued:

“I’m thinking that I might have to rethink my training methods. Maybe I should give my subordinates more freedom—including you, my students.”

"Humans cannot cultivate a second self, much less transcend cognition and cultivate an existence stronger than themselves."

"When such a dark catastrophe strikes, no number of flickering candles will be enough to ignite the light. We need to blow up all the suns in one go! Even just one would be enough!"

As the words fell with a resounding thud, the teacher looked at the crow standing silently to the side:
"True geniuses who stand at the pinnacle of their time are like poisoned blades; if you hold them too tightly, they will hurt themselves, and if you hold them too loosely, they will hurt others."

"But I'd rather get cut than not see its sharpness!"

"Beyond the Arctic, beneath the Antarctic, above the dome, lie the Reflected Ruins and the ever-present threat of various disasters..."

"We don't need model soldiers who can recite the rules by heart; we need soldiers who can tear through the long night single-handedly—"

"A certain person!"

At this moment, the teacher's eyes reddened slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

"It's not about a well-trained army, nor does it require many geniuses. We just need one person, one unique individual!"

"Let him be unconventional, let him develop freely, let him grow wildly, and then... watch him fly across the abyss and grow wings!"

"Snap!"
The ceramic cup was gently placed on the tray, and the teacher looked at the crow intently.

On that rainy afternoon, he spoke words to the crow that it has remembered ever since.

他 说:

"This era needs heroes..."

"—I hope that person will be you!"

……pity.

I disappointed the teacher.

In the end, Crow was still a good-for-nothing and rebellious disciple.

It has even turned into what it is now...

What people fear most is having some talent, seeing a glimpse of the ceiling, only to find, with full confidence, that they can never reach it.

Ultimately realizing how powerless they are and accepting their own incompetence is precisely the cruelest thing for "geniuses".

That's why Ya said to Shiraishu with mixed feelings back then:
"Geniuses are nothing compared to those who ride the wave of the times!"

But, teacher...

I looked up and saw the boy in front of me gazing up at the falling rain, his mouth slightly open and his tongue wagging as if he were catching rainwater to quench his thirst…

Crow silently lowered his eyes again.

Some special people do things that are never understood or predictable.

Perhaps, someone—

That unconventional, unique person the teacher had been searching for but could not find—

"Maybe I've found it..."

……

"Honestly, you're really thirsty!"

Bai Zhou looked up at the night sky filled with dark clouds and opened his mouth wide to catch the rainwater and drink it.

He used to do this all the time in the evening to save on water costs.

But the rain in the city at night is red, with a slightly sweet taste.

"so……"

Seemingly having understood the crow's words, he suddenly turned to look at it:

"Shouldn't we find a temporary base?"

"Making arrangements in secrecy is one thing, but healing injuries in the rain is also not an option, is it?"

"……indeed."

After looking at Bai Zhou, who was dressed in rags and was injured, Ya agreed with Bai Zhou's idea.

There are still many things to do tomorrow, and the faster Bai Zhou's injury heals, the better.

With this in mind, Bai Zhou used the window to break into a nearby abandoned house.

The homeowners appear to be an elderly couple, who are suspected to have passed away.

Their black-and-white portraits were displayed on the living room table, and the floor and sofa were covered in dust, indicating that the place had been uninhabited for a long time.

The crow performed a simple ritual test for this.

The final test results were the same as Bai Zhou had guessed.

This residence is, in a true sense, "ownerless".

"Excuse me, excuse me!"

"—Then it's no longer ownerless."

With a hesitant expression on Crow's face, the outlaw seemed completely oblivious to the impropriety of using the private residence, acting more like a familiar landlord.

After all, adventure stories often feature adventurers taking shelter in dilapidated temples.

"Housing is generally very liquid, isn't it?"

“In Wancheng, if the previous owner of a house dies, a passerby without housing can move in and become the new owner.”

"This can be considered a type of housing allocation in Wancheng."

"—Of course, first come, first served!"

Bai Zhou said:

"That's how I got the house there. I was young then, and I spent several days on an empty stomach watching the previous owner who was about to die."

"I even helped bury his ashes."

"...I really miss the simple and honest folk customs where everyone helped each other."

While sighing, Bai Zhou asked Ya:
"Is it the same in Tinghai City?"

Crow was speechless: "..."

That truly reflects the simple and honest nature of the people.

How can I explain to Bai Zhou that no matter how many people live in this house, it has absolutely nothing to do with you?

Indeed, one book, "8000 Questions about Black Cat," is far from enough...

"Snapped!"

Bai Zhou turned on the dim old lamp.

The room was brightly lit, and the old-fashioned furniture and unusually simple arrangement confirmed Bai Zhou's earlier guess.

There were hardly any pieces of furniture left, as if the place had been emptied out long ago.

Frowning and sniffing the faint smell of dust and decay in the air, Bai Zhou found a broom in the toilet and prepared to clean up.

Seeing the white boat about to get busy, Ya pondered for a moment and then spoke up to remind him:
"I think... it would be better to turn off the lights."

"……indeed!"

Bai Zhou immediately felt a chill run down his spine:

"Otherwise, the neighbors might get suspicious!"

The house, which had been empty, suddenly became bright; it sounded like a ghost story.

Fortunately, it was already late at night, and no one would notice the brief moment the lights were on.

Turning off the lights and tying on an apron, Bai Zhou swept the floor in the dark.

He vaguely recalled the time when he first arrived at the Special Administration base and cleaned his dormitory.

At that time, he was still anxiously waiting for the crow to come to his door.

At that time, he had no idea where this mysterious girl would lead his life.

But now, the two of them are living together harmoniously in one room.

In the quiet, dimly lit environment, Ya sat gently on the sofa, watching Bai Zhou busy with housework with a serene and peaceful expression.

The inexplicably reassuring atmosphere gradually made Bai Zhou relax.

But at this moment——

Suddenly, the crow jumped up from the sofa, looking towards the door with a surprised and suspicious gaze:

"somebody is coming!"

"But... he's just an ordinary person?"

The raven's tone was somewhat puzzled.

Even though a ritual was performed to verify it, this house should be ownerless.

Who came from? A neighbor passing by?
Bai Zhou blinked, pondering;

"Could it be... a thief?"

"Click!"

The sound of a key turning came from the tightly locked door, ruthlessly shattering their guesses.

With a creak, someone pushed the door open.

In the darkness, the man casually turned on the light switch by the door, appearing quite adept at it.

The dim yellow light came on, illuminating the simple furnishings in the living room.

The newcomer was wearing a school uniform. Although he had a cute face and delicate features, his shoulders were slumped and his head was hanging down, giving off an inexplicable air of dejection like a puppy.

This appearance was not too unfamiliar to Bai Zhou.

The true identity that Fang Xiaoyan, a student at Yuanmeng Middle School, longs for—

Fang Xiaoxia, the little fire dragon that breathes out!
Why is it her?

Then, Fang Xiaoxia spotted Bai Zhou in the living room, wearing an apron and holding a broom, doing housework.

"?!"

"what!!!"

The girl was startled and shuddered when she saw the uninvited guest suddenly appear in the light.

With a scream like a frightened puppy, she retreated in terror at the open doorway, nearly tripping and falling.

Before she could even see the other person's face clearly, the girl was already trembling with fear and leaning against the wall.

In the middle of the night, someone broke into my home illegally. What could be the purpose of this uninvited guest's sudden intrusion?
Thief! Robber! Fugitive!
In the blink of an eye, the girl had guessed the other person's identity seventeen or eighteen times.

Look at this person!

This guy's back and thighs were all tattered and torn, and he was covered in wounds. He looked like a vicious thug, and he might have just been fighting his enemies in the street.

What wicked thing is he doing in his own home? That villain! That villain is…

He was sweeping the floor in her living room while wearing an apron?!
Fang Xiaoxia: "?"

The person was wearing an apron in front, but their back was completely bare. If you didn't see the injuries and disheveled state of their body, at first glance it would look like a lingerie apron...

The girl rubbed her eyes, thinking she was seeing things. She wondered what kind of performance art this was, since even thieves were hard to understand these days.
anyway……

Does that person's face look a little familiar?

“You you you you you—!”

I finally mustered up the courage, but I stammered as soon as I opened my mouth.

The girl dashed to the stairwell, grabbed the railing, and kept a considerable distance from Bai Zhou.
What are you doing in my house?!

however.

Faced with the girl's courageous question, Bai Zhou's answer was:
“—Bold!”

"What, your home?"

Without hesitation, the boy answered directly and confidently:

"This is clearly my home!"

"I should be asking you the same thing, in the middle of the night..."

Bai Zhou raised his broom and retorted sternly and righteously:

"What are you doing breaking into my house?"

(End of this chapter)