Forge a path to success.

Chapter 253 Unknown Tomorrow

Huilong City, control room in the atrium.

The sun's symbol shimmered in the water curtain, and the nautical charts marking the shipping routes were folded up and placed in a corner. Ji Qiufeng finished his report and sent a bamboo scroll into the tide.

"...The above is what Heng Kong and the others told us, and I think it is basically true." Ji Qiufeng said, "They were all infected by heretics to varying degrees, and Heng Kong's situation was particularly serious, but I think it was a necessary price to pay for survival."

Laughter came from the other side of the water curtain, and Ji Qiufeng laughed as well: "Compared to Lord Fate, of course... I know, I will take good care of them."

"...Yes, the situation has changed drastically. I plan to travel to the city-state of Jingsha soon, and I hope you will inform me in advance."

The ancient beings exchanged a few words, then the communication ended, and the water curtain faded. Youyou crept over, trembling with fear: "What did the old things say?"

"The true men can tolerate even the ancient methods and remnants of the heart, so why would they be afraid of these heretical elements?" Ji Qiufeng blew on a tea stalk. "Besides, these few are soldiers trained by the remnant heart masters, so it would be difficult for them to have any objections."

"That arrogant attitude of the Heartbreaker only works now." Youyou gloated, then wailed, "How did they reach level 3 so quickly?! How can they grow so fast?! If this continues, I won't be able to beat your daughter in a few years!"

Ji Qiufeng coaxed, "Is it possible that the two of them could also exchange blows with you now...?"

Youyou gasped, "No! Absolutely not! What will become of my dignity if it comes to this?! Ji Qiufeng, you must speed up the trade process, and I need to level up quickly too!"

"There's no rush for the upgrade; the current progress is just right," Fenya said. "The fact that the children are better than us shows that the education is working, which is a good thing."

Qi Su walked in carrying a large flowerpot, her little face beaming with excitement, as if she were about to achieve enlightenment. Fen Ya patted her head with a small leaf, then turned to look at the City Lord and You You, her eyes filled with longing.

"Qiufeng, Youyou, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Youyou's eyes immediately reddened, and tears streamed down her face, just like Qisu's. Ji Qiufeng squatted down in front of the flowerpot, grasped the outstretched leaf, and his fingertips trembled slightly.

"We never dreamed we would hear your voice again."

"Lord Sakuraryu."

·
“You know what, after all this, I sincerely think our world is a fucking messed-up place,” Van Der said. “The fucking thing about this place is that you can’t fucking predict which fucking big shot you’re going to meet.”

Chu Hengkong stared at it for a long time: "Your words are indeed very convincing."

"Look at this mess! I thought the old jellyfish and the Demon King were the worst we could ever hope for, but look what happened!" Vande slapped his tentacle. "Wow, the Lord of the Broken Heart! This is a fucking surprise!"

It slurped up a big mouthful of milk tea, then choked and coughed from the excessive sugar content. Gulibo, holding a small cup of milk, looked completely bewildered: "Isn't meeting your destined master a good thing? What an amazing adventure, Bo!"

Shakes, standing to the side, sneered. Jie An said kindly, "Bo Bo, use your little brain. Do you think we've met the master of destiny this time? Given the nature of fate, is it possible that we'll meet a big shot of the same level next time?"

"It's possible!" Gulibo said excitedly, "We might even meet the Lord of the Mysterious Fate, Lord Zhulong, and... and..."

“There are also the Spiral Tower Master, the Imperial Emperor, and other heretical figures,” Shax said. “Let’s calculate which one we’re more likely to encounter.”

Guli Bo's nose turned pale, and he lay sprawled on the ground, yelling, "Help me, Bo!!!"

Chu Hengkong casually picked it up and tossed it back onto the cushion: "To be honest, I never thought he was the Fate Master. I thought the Fate Master was the kind of... big shot who travels all over the world, but he's leading troops in the wilderness."

“A clone, of course. It’s obvious. There are tons of people with lingering spirits who can use the clone technique. Even Xiaoye can do it now.” Vande rolled his eyes. “I bet he exploited a loophole in the Mist Man’s mechanism and forced his ‘former self’ inside. Unfortunately, the Mist Man can’t affect reality, so we have to fight this war.”

Chu Hengkong stroked his chin, sensing something was amiss. After all, if this loophole were so easy to exploit, the other righteous leaders should have used their respective abilities, and the Spiral Tower Master should have personally entered the Heavenly Prison to rescue Fansalal long ago. Yet, they had only encountered Chongming, a supreme being, which was clearly strange.

But this isn't something they should be worrying about at their level. Chu Hengkong gave up thinking and said instead, "But he seems to have a strong sense of responsibility. I think that Chongming guy... wouldn't do something like ignoring the affairs of Shura Island."

Van der's eyes widened like light bulbs.

"Oh, you're talking to him about responsibility? I'm begging you, please tell him to stop being so responsible! Do you even know what that bastard Chongming has done?!"

"I'm all ears."

Vande slapped his milk tea bottle: "He single-handedly stormed the Spiral Tower, severely wounded the Sorcerer Supreme, and reduced the Four Gods of Collapse to only two, including Vansalal; he infiltrated the Imperial Capital alone and fought the Emperor to a draw, almost leading to a second battle in the Heavenly Prison; further on, he broke into the Second Abyss, slashing Eternal Time under the guise of the Funeral God, leaving the entire Funeral procession in disarray; the Holy Son of the Cradle of Oblivion was slaughtered to the point of not daring to show his face, and he killed all the Illusion Demons in the Sea of Illusions except for Olek!"

"After the Heart-Broken Master attained enlightenment, it became almost impossible to see the true forms of high-level heretics in the Submerged Realm. Anyone who dared to show their face would be instantly killed with a swift blade!" Fan De said. "In the past few hundred years, even the old man who was used to doing things personally has started using avatars. Our own righteous gods don't dare to go out much. They're all preparing for war in their hometowns, afraid that this murderous bastard might accidentally cause a major second war and break out on the spot."

"Holy crap," Chu Hengkong said.

"Commander Chongming is so brave, so has Blood Plains been smashed to pieces by now?" Gulibo asked expectantly.

"You're overthinking it. Chongming was just as awesome in the wilderness. His problem isn't limited by his strength; he used the loophole of the Mist Man to sneak into the Heavenly Prison. Within the rules, he can't affect reality." Vande waved his tentacle. "So, when he gets to the Blood Plains, he'll probably just be directing his former graduates to beat up the heretics, continuing to be his ace commander. Whether he wins or loses, he won't disappear. Anyway, there's only one clone in the Heavenly Prison. If there's a channel to transfer power in, he can continue to exist... um..."

Vande coiled his tentacles, seemingly lost in thought.

"The Lord of the Broken Heart disappears for a short period after each great battle, and everyone used to think he was recuperating. But now... do you think he's recharging his clone in the Heavenly Prison...?"

The group exchanged bewildered glances, and Shaks concluded, "Leaving aside the fact that he simply doesn't have the time to govern, his personality makes him absolutely unsuitable to be a good leader."

Jie An rubbed his hands together and said sincerely, "I think it's not necessarily a bad thing for the Destiny Master of the Broken Heart to leave the island... One island suffers, but countless families are happy."

"That's too selfless. Go tell Xiaoye that." Vande sneered.

"Oh dear, I dare not offend her. Detective, you should go instead," Jie An shouted. "Detective, be careful on the way, don't take off like a flock of angels!"

"Enjoying the benefits of the 4-point particle early isn't so bad."

Chu Hengkong slowly rose to his feet, his overcoat billowing uncomfortably behind him. He had no choice but to tear off half of it, revealing a withered black wing emerging from his right back, like a skeletal hand pointing towards the sky. As he walked, the bone claws sliced through the air, creating a wailing sound like ghosts wailing.

The Nightmare King was, after all, the most wicked god; even victory came at the cost of encountering him. In their final battle, the single wing, a symbol of despair, pierced deeply into his back, becoming an inseparable foreign object ever since.

After examining him, Youyou concluded that there was nothing seriously wrong for the time being. After all, if his messy body had any problems, it would have exploded long ago. The fact that he could move meant that he was still functioning. Youyou believed that this was a curse placed by an evil god, while Chu Hengkong felt that it was a "gift" from the other party.

Vansalar's character dictates that if you defeat him, you will inevitably be rewarded, whether you want to accept it or not.

"He'll still be a scoundrel even after he dies," he said.

He stretched his back muscles, and the Deathwing contracted into a thin "shadow," like a tattoo branded onto his back. He put his coat back on and walked from headquarters to his dormitory. The team members saluted him, whispering behind his back about the new, much-discussed legend.

For his own safety, Ji Qiufeng did not announce the Grand Detective's achievement of breaking through the Heavenly Prison, only saying that he had returned from an adventure. But nothing stays secret forever, and news of the Wilderness's breakthrough quickly spread throughout the world. Although people did not know what the Heavenly Prison and the Wilderness were, they knew that this was a great feat that benefited the world, so they discussed and celebrated.

Chu Hengkong smiled and responded, slowly walking back to the dormitory building. Looking at the familiar city, he suddenly felt as if he were wandering in a dream, as if from another world.

Here, there is sunshine, blue skies, the hustle and bustle of the city, and the warmth of everyday life. This familiar city is so beautiful it's almost unreal; it's not the reality etched in his heart. The reality is corpses and blood, curses and the black moon, irreversible tragedy and inescapable death…

It is the never-ending "second" in the realm of motion.

He instinctively gripped the hilt of his knife, his muscles tensing involuntarily. In a daze, he saw the sky shrouded in darkness, the resurrected souls rising again from the mist, the wind sounding like the smirk of a demon king. You should wake up; a new test is about to begin—

He was suddenly enveloped in a soft, warm embrace; the gentle heat was like a flame, driving away the darkness and chill from his body. Chu Hengkong released the hilt of his sword and awkwardly called out, "Hey!"

"You look so cold, so I'll warm you up a bit~" Qingxia said with a smile, "You won't be cold if we hug each other!"

While he was troubled by the illusion, Qingxia quietly slipped behind him and hugged him. After transforming to point 4, she was no longer a centaur, but she was still a young woman. Standing at 2.1 meters tall, she easily enveloped Chu Hengkong.

Chu Hengkong gave up struggling and sighed, "Do you have to be this tall?"

“This height is the most convenient for fighting,” Qingxia said, nuzzling his hair with her chin. “Besides, I like the feeling of looking down at you.”

"You're full of selfish thoughts." Chu Hengkong smiled wryly. "Thanks, let me go. Did I assign you a room?"

"Little Snake said this building has many rooms, I can pick any one." Qingxia pointed to a familiar window, "I chose that room~"

"No, that's my room." "Yes, yes, I did it on purpose." Qingxia nodded.

"No, I said no, you're moving to the next room."

"What?!" Qingxia exclaimed in surprise, "Does this mean I have to rob Ji Huaisu's house...?!"

"It's your skill to be able to snatch it."

"Yes, sir." Qingxia bowed in a mock manner. "Qingxia, brave warrior, go and conquer the monster castle. I'm off!"

Qingxia spread her wings and slipped through the knight's window. Chu Hengkong waited patiently for a few seconds, and was delighted to hear his partner's scream, along with a series of clanging and clattering noises.

The warriors of the settlement were settled in the swamp. These reclusive old folks adapted well to the magical land, praising the delicious tea and mushrooms, and feeling right at home sitting under the trees. Qingxia went back and forth between the central swamp several times to handle the check-in procedures, busying herself until she finally fulfilled her grandfather's request.

She is exceptionally relaxed now; perhaps this is the first day she has been free of responsibility since she became sensible.

"Mr. Chu, you look so happy," Qingye said. "Men really do like curvy women!"

Miss Canxin poked her head out from above the door, looking like an oversized yellow bat. Chu Hengkong casually tossed a spirit missile over, and the giant bat swooped down, proudly puffing out its chest: "But Miss Qingye, I'm a mature, voluptuous woman now! What do you think?"

At this moment, Qingye was a well-developed female college student; the side effects of the Time Reversal Technique had made her nearly two years older. The tight-fitting clothes that were custom-made for Qingye as a high school student were now quite strained and looked like they were in great danger of collapsing under the excessive pressure.

Chu Hengkong took a look carefully and nodded repeatedly: "Impressive, she's just as good as your sister Huaisu."

"Wow, why are you so hesitant with everyone else but act all serious and mature with me...?" Qingye cried, "It's not fair! It's not fair! I want to blush and my heart race too! I want a hug too~"

"okay."

Chu Hengkong reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently stroking the girl's long hair. Qingye shook her head contentedly, then suddenly froze, her face turning red from her chin to the roots of her ears.

"Huh...huh? Huh huh huh huh huh huh?!" Qingye stammered.

"Didn't you ask for it yourself?" Chu Hengkong laughed. "Afterwards, ask Youyou to help adjust your body. It's not a good thing for your appearance and spirit to not match. Since you're still a high school student, don't act like an adult."

"Okay, okay."

"Get some rest and don't worry too much about Chongming." Chu Hengkong patted her head. "I'll teach you the Huangtian Style when I have time."

"Thank you, thank you..." Qingye's voice was barely audible.

Chu Hengkong released the girl and happily walked up the stairs. Qing Ye slid down the stairs to the doorway like a mollusk, her eyes turning into mosquito coils from the chaos.

What, what happened? It was just a casual teasing, but he actually hugged me?! And he seemed completely at ease with it?!

Could it be that Mr. Chu is actually a super carnivore who doesn't match his appearance... and she just awakened a beast?! No, no, the worst thing is that I was actually a tiny bit tempted just now, what am I going to do?!
Qingye clutched her head, letting out a silent scream. Qingxia, who had just been driven out of the window, was shocked to see this: "What kind of external attack is this! Don't be afraid, Xiaoye, I'm coming to save you!"

"No way! Don't come near me like that, you're soaking wet!!"

Chu Hengkong entered his long-unused dormitory room, spent some time ventilating it, and tended to his potted plants. The plants from the swamp were still growing vigorously. He placed the potted plants on the windowsill, turned around and walked out of the room, just in time to run into Ji Huaisu, who had finished cleaning.

“My room was quite clean,” Ji Huaisu said in despair, “until a wild horse flew in through the window while I was cleaning, and crashed headfirst into the bucket of water onto my bed.”

“That sounds really exciting,” Chu Hengkong said.

"You're not allowed to laugh! I'm telling you, you're not allowed to laugh! I'm going to get angry! I'm really angry!"

They went up to the rooftop and sat side by side on the edge. The girls were still playing and laughing downstairs, their voices carried far by the breeze. Sunlight streamed down from the azure sky, casting a golden glow over the streets of Huilong City.

They all felt that the day was exceptionally good, so they simply lay down and quietly gazed at the sky.

"This is wonderful," Chu Hengkong said. "It's a perfect afternoon for daydreaming."

"You used to daydream too?" Ji Huaisu yawned.

“I wouldn’t have done that before. But I’m starting to think about it now.” Chu Hengkong squinted. “I think I could lie here all afternoon and do nothing… I can do that tomorrow too… If I get really bored, I can go for a walk on the street.”

"Come on, don't you box?"

"I won't be boxing." Chu Hengkong smiled. "I might not be boxing for the next week."

Ji Huaisu was so startled that she sat up abruptly, almost falling off the roof: "What kind of pollution is this? It's so serious?!"

Chu Hengkong stretched lazily and slowly raised his arm. Ji Huaisu pulled him up impatiently.

“In the past, I was used to doing meaningful things. Meaningless time would make me feel very…empty. It felt like I was wasting my time and life,” Chu Hengkong said. “But after all this time and doing so many meaningful things, I have a different perspective.”

He recalled the Nightmare King's emotions—his dreams, his frustrations, his anger, and his unwavering persistence that had persisted for millennia.

“Meaning, like ability, has its limits.” Chu Hengkong said thoughtfully, “Ultimately, a person can only hold meaning that is commensurate with their own mental capacity. Stuffing too much meaning into one’s heart will accelerate the wear and tear on the vessel of the self.”

"Even a child knows that too much of a good thing is bad. Congratulations, Chief Inspector, your common sense has finally reached the level of a junior high school student!" Ji Huaisu said lazily.

“You see things very clearly, but too much of a good thing is bad.” Chu Hengkong laughed. “I think only an omnipotent god can devote all his energy to the ‘meaning’ of fighting or saving people. Humans cannot become prisoners of meaning. Not everything has to be meaningful. What matters is whether we are satisfied and happy.”

"So, you're going to slack off openly and legitimately?"

"Isn't it good to take a break every now and then?"

"What exactly do you mean by 'slacking off'?"

"Daydreaming, hiking, swimming, fishing, playing video games, or..."

Chu Hengkong reached out and took her arm.

How about we go on a date this weekend?

Ji Huaisu rolled her eyes and leaned against her partner's shoulder, half-heartedly.

"If they have a good attitude, it's not out of the question..."

The story of despair has come to an end.

Leaving behind the foggy past, the young people return to the present.

The future remains fraught with peril, and the road ahead is shrouded in mystery.

However, those who live in the present will not repeat the same mistakes.