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Chapter 65 The Guide to Radiance [The Jewel Witch]

Chapter 65 The Guide to Radiance [The Jewel Witch] (4.7k)

Looking at the blazing blue flames atop the tower that illuminated the sign for "Listen to the Sea, Exclude You," Bai Zhou suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

A feeling of oppression enveloped him; he had a feeling he couldn't quite explain...

He felt that the blue flame was watching him, and even watching the entire Tinghai.

It was as if he would be attacked from a distance by this ball of blue fire if he did something taboo.

—Although Shiraishu had no idea what the local "taboos" were.

A black cat appeared at the top of the building, its lithe body scaling the wall downwards in the tranquil environment.

The paving stones on the sidewalk were wet, and stepping on them felt like stepping on a rotten banana, or like walking on a slightly harder swamp.

No buildings cast shadows, because they themselves are "shadows"—vague, indistinct, and not entirely real.

This feeling is very different from the deeper parts of the Ruins.

Because the true form of modern civilization still exists on the Earth's surface, everything here is a reflection of the present world.

It was suppressed on top of layer upon layer of pre-civilization ruins.

Countless years later, when a new civilization emerges and the current Earth civilization is buried by time, its final remains will appear in the reflection of the new civilization.

At that time, the civilizations that appeared in the Ruins were "complete" and "positive," rather than the bizarre and opposite.

But by then, civilization would surely have been reduced to ruins.

So despite having been deep within the Ruins for so long, Bai Zhou still found everything here novel.

Is this... the place where countless extraordinary individuals have spent their lives exploring and where powerful figures have converged?
"pat, pat..."

The cat's paws gracefully took two steps.

There was a bright green trash can by the roadside with the words "Recyclable Waste" written in white on it.

The white boat only glanced at it once, and it wobbled on the spot.

"Look again! Keep looking!"

"I'll eat you up!"

"Ow—"

The giant trash can angrily opened its lid towards Bai Zhou, revealing huge, sharp teeth, as if to devour him.

A tongue made of red plastic bags peeks out and dances from inside.

—Where did this treasure chest monster come from?
Bai Zhou quickly ran to the side.

The nimble black cat appeared across the street in a flash.

"Ow!"

With an angry roar, the mimic that had transformed from the trash can paced angrily under the streetlight, but did not give chase.

"Thump thump! Clang clang!"

It seemed to be spinning in place, its rectangular body swaying from side to side, making a sound as the trash can lid opened and closed.

"..."

Bai Zhou gazed at the trash can from afar with curiosity in his eyes.

To be honest—

When Bai Zhou first came out of Wancheng, he saw the large trash cans in the base and assumed that the green thing was the treasure chest of those aliens.

If mimics really existed in real life, they would probably look like this.

—Although there was no treasure inside, only a tongue made of red plastic bags.

In a sense, the appearance of this trash can fulfilled Bai Zhou's past fantasies.

Unfortunately, defeating it doesn't yield any treasures.

Through constant subtle probing of the crows, Bai Zhou has gained considerable knowledge of the Reflection Ruins Realm, even though he has never been there before.

In the Reflection Ruins, monsters that occasionally emerge from the depths are treasures, both a calamity and an opportunity, and may even attract fierce competition.

But that's quite rare; it's certainly not something Bai Zhou could just randomly encounter on the roadside as soon as he entered.

As for destiny and such... just talk about it with crows, don't actually fool yourself into believing it.

Trash cans are merely a reflection of modern civilization. After being tainted by various concepts from pre-civilizations, they have been "polluted" and mutated.

They are like the manifestations of the rules of the Sea of Reflection, varying in intensity and operating within a certain fixed range.

No one knows their origin; one day, such a creature might appear in some corner of the Reflection Listening to the Sea.

Even if you kill them, they'll reappear in the same place the next day, lively and energetic...

—Because they are part of this bizarre city.

To date, the extraordinary individuals have found no benefit in killing them.

But ironically, such "abnormalities" are everywhere in this city.

It's as if the reflections in the sea gave birth to them only to make things difficult for the extraordinary.

...That's actually quite possible.

That's why Ya kept emphasizing to Bai Zhou that the Reflection Ruins Realm was fraught with danger.

For novice learners, this place is fraught with traps and a near-death experience.

Experienced extraordinary individuals with combat prowess and extensive experience are much better.

As long as you're careful, have decent luck, and aren't overly curious...

At least they won't die a violent death in the street.

Low-level "anomalies" like the Mimic are everywhere, only good for bullying ordinary people and newbies who are just starting out in the extraordinary realm.

Even if someone as extraordinary as Section Chief Liu came over, he could easily burn three people without them even taking a breath.

As for Baizhou?

Compared to what he usually experienced alone deep within the Void Realm...

It's either a bunch of sinister traps everywhere, or crazy skeletons flying in the sky with unpredictable strength...

They're not even on the same level!
"Drip-drip-"

A broadcast could be heard not far away.

The bank building is entirely made of glass, but a dilapidated little house is incongruously embedded in the corner of the first floor.

A crooked sign hangs on the faded wooden door, with the words "Yongxing Credit Cooperative" written in a blurry pattern.

The sudden late-night broadcast came intermittently from deep within the tightly closed wooden doors of the credit union.

"Stab it... sting it..."

"Exit... prohibited."

"Clear night, do not water... Repeat, clear night, do not water..."

"Welcome to deposit! With a negative annual interest rate of 200%, what are you waiting for?"

"..."

The mechanical, monotone male voice sounded like it was being broadcast from deep within a credit union, with the static characteristic of an old radio.

Everything that belongs to modernity: glass curtain walls, steel cable trays, LED billboards...

They were all inexplicably pieced together or combined with things that didn't belong to this era.

For example, there are brand-new phone booths, old hair salons with flashing neon lights, and abandoned schools.

Here, the concept of time is completely blurred, with the past and present intertwined.

The past overlaps with an even more distant past, and the end is intertwined with an even more desolate end.

Everything that has happened on this land of Tinghai, all the development history of this civilization since modern times—

They all converge here in a distorted and seemingly plausible manner!

At this time-

The wind howled, brushing past the slogans posted on the nearby walls, making them look menacing:

"Neighborhood justice reports, couples honestly expose each other! Privacy is a breeding ground for evil, let's build a utopia by the sea together!"

"New housing development in the mass grave area west of the city! A century-old prestigious residence! Unlimited appreciation potential, down payment only seven figures!"

"..."

Every word is chilling upon closer examination, sending shivers down one's spine.

"Om..."

Bai Zhou transformed back into human form, carefully examining them, his clear eyes blinking twice.

He felt from the bottom of his heart...

So familiar!

—This tastes amazing! It's practically identical to what you'd find in Wancheng!
In the real world, the cold steel jungle and flashing neon lights made him feel alienated and unfamiliar.

All of this—old-fashioned, illogical, and chilling…

On the contrary, it was what Bai Zhou was most familiar with and had been used to since childhood!

For a moment, Bai Zhou felt a sense of warmth, as if he were returning home.

No wonder Ya said that Evening City was built on the edge of Listening to the Sea; the two are too similar.

Bai Zhou even had good reason to suspect...

Could there be a tradition of breaking taboos here? If things are too "normal," excessive breaking of taboos can attract "abnormal" attacks.

In serious cases, it might even attract the attention of the blue flames atop that tower.

However, walking in such an environment, Bai Zhou did not feel eerie or terrifying at all; on the contrary, he felt quite at ease.

After all, in a sense...

The people of Wancheng could be considered local aristocrats of the city, influenced by local "culture" and "etiquette" from a young age.

—Although, all of these local nobles were later captured by the outsiders with nooses around their necks…

Wearing a mask and pulling up the hood of his trench coat, Bai Zhou walked alone into the mist at the end of the street.

Bai Zhou took out a coin that was in common use in the world, and then took out a black "ash" and placed them neatly on the ground, one on top of the other.

Then, he bit his finger and traced an irregular triangle on the ground.

"With the wealth of all worlds, ask which way the road leads."

“Guide me—”

Bai Zhou's voice was steady, devoid of any emotion:
"The direction of the ghost market!"

The next moment.

The fog in front of me began to gather, and the unnaturally thickened fog pointed in a certain direction.

That's it.

Bai Zhou immediately put away the coin and the "ashes" and walked in the direction indicated by the gray fog.

This is the common ritual for going to the ghost market.

The incantations and ritual symbols are only available to those who can access the Ghost Market, circulating among the extraordinary individuals of Listening Sea City. Without guidance, wandering aimlessly in the Reflected Listening Sea, which is a hundred times wider than the normal Listening Sea, is a recipe for disaster…

If you don't wander into the mouth of the "abnormal," it's like your ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke.

A thick fog blankets the area, and a lone traveler walks.

The white boat, with its hood up, proceeded cautiously.

...walking and walking.

Bai Zhou suddenly realized that some things on both sides of the street looked familiar.

The slightly old residential building exudes peace and tranquility.

Even in the dead of night, shrouded in a gray fog, the dim lights in these residential buildings were still on.

—Isn't this the building where Charmander lives?

I even slept inside for half a day.

Things in the real world may have a similar but ambiguous corresponding projection in the Reflection Ruins.

...I never expected it to be such a coincidence.

Bai Zhou glanced around and looked at the floor where Fang Xiaoxia was.

The lights were on, and a figure in a nightgown, with disheveled hair, stood by the window.

Like Fang Xiaoxia.

The silly monkey with its wide-open mouth on the nightgown looked very familiar.

But how could Fang Xiaoxia be here?
Not just Fang Xiaoxia, but in front of every window there seemed to be blurry figures.

The abnormality wasn't Fang Xiaoxia, but the building itself!
Bai Zhou instinctively became wary and immediately looked away.

—In fact, the building itself may not even be unusual.

Even the most normal things, when projected into the Reflection Ruins, should become distorted due to contamination...

Empty streets are actually the safest.

The more "hidden" a place is, the more "abnormal" things tend to lurk there!
"..."

Because he had to rush to the "ghost market," Bai Zhou had no intention of inquiring about it and left without stopping.

But at the same time—

The shadow by the window flickered.

The black outline lost its shape and slid down the glass. The silhouette of a monkey broke free from the nightgown and nimbly jumped onto the windowsill.

That silly monkey with the always bright smile "came back to life".

"..."

This is yet another "abnormality".

Bai Zhou felt a pang of doubt, thinking that there was no need to start a conflict at this time.

Although it was just a simple assessment at first glance, Bai Zhou judged that this silly monkey's strength was at most no more than Level 1 Extraordinary.

It's weak enough.

Or rather, Bai Zhou is now terrifyingly strong.

Even when severely injured, one can quickly come up with many solutions to deal with such minor emergencies.

—But this would either require Bai Zhou to draw his gun, or he would have to use the spiritual energy stored in the token.

The former would cause a commotion and easily attract other extraordinary individuals; the latter is simply not worth it.

Most importantly, dealing with "anomalies" is completely unprofitable!
...Just like dealing with the mimic, let's leave quickly!
With this thought in mind, Bai Zhou quickened his pace across the street while remaining vigilant.

But he had only just reached the corner—

I saw a monkey doll about half the height of a person, sitting blankly in the corner, its fur a bright red.

Its eyes were like dark holes, as if silently staring at the white boat that appeared on the way.

Then, the "big-mouthed monkey" grinned, revealing a dense array of sharp teeth that made a "clattering" sound.

It was as if he was saying to Bai Zhou—

"surprise!"

"..."

That's giving him too much credit.

Bai Zhou scratched his head.

unlucky.

Why are all these strange things in the Reflection Ruins Realm acting like mad dogs, all staring at him?

Is everyone else experiencing this? Or is he just unlucky...?

This might be a perk for first-time users.

However, although this was his first time in the Reflection Ruins, he was not a complete novice.

Treating him like an easy target would be a huge mistake.

The silly monkey in front of him was squawking and pounding its chest with both hands. Its expression was extremely bloodthirsty and ferocious, and it was drooling over Bai Zhou.

If we don't teach this monkey a lesson, it'll really start thinking it's a "human"?

Bai Zhou's expression remained calm beneath his hood. He took two steps back and reached into his robes.

A short, black stick, held in my hand.

Forget about "abnormal" or not... A few whacks and she'll be quiet, no more crying or fussing.

"Roar……"

The monkey crouched on the ground and sized up the white boat for a while.

Suddenly, it landed on all fours, pushed off with all its might, and pounced on the white boat.

A foul, stench-filled wind swept in, and the gaping maw revealed menacing, chilling fangs that reflected the light of the blood moon.

The next moment.

"That's all—"

A powerful, clear shout seemed to come from beyond the heavens.

"Om-"

A dazzling, blazing beam of light descended from the sky.

As if by divine retribution, the beam of light fell precisely on the monkey.

"boom--"

The violently expanding force exploded on the monkey, turning it into ashes.

“Boom…boom boom…”

A red gem shattered and rolled on the ground.

But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this is not a ruby, but a high-quality imitation gemstone...

Large red marbles?

"This is……?"

Bai Zhou blinked, silently put away the short stick he had been holding back, and turned to look.

"clatter……"

The moonlight, like a veil, spilled across the ground, crimson and mysterious.

In the hazy light field shrouded by the red moon, a figure slowly descended.

She possessed an extremely glamorous and elegant figure, dressed in a dark dress that blended Gothic and Lolita styles, and wore a delicate silver-white mask on her face.

A masked witch, her beautifully sculpted jawline held high, proudly holds various "gems" in her hands—

They descended before the white boat.

"You're welcome."

She said coldly.

A gorgeous masked witch approached, her fragrant scent filling the air.

But it smells a bit pungent, like cheap perfume.

...Her right hand, gloved in velvet, elegantly concealed the "jewel," and then very naturally pulled out a stack of leaflets-like papers from the layers of folds in her dress.

With practiced ease, the witch drew out the top two cards and placed them into Shiraishu's hand.

The smell of printer ink reached my nose; one flyer was bright green, another was deep blue, and in the middle was a black, indistinct thing.

Bai Zhou: "?"

what is this?
can't read.

While handing Bai Zhou two slips of paper, the witch was also muttering something mysteriously.

she says:

"Custom-made marbles cost three yuan each."

"The cost of making the ceremony was five yuan and twenty-seven cents."

"The total cost is eight yuan and twenty-seven cents."

"--Supports QR code payment, just scan it when you get home."

Bai Zhou: "...?"

What is QR code payment?
"you are?"