My bizarre resurgence: My price is the ability to trade everything.

I barely slept that night.

My mind is filled with what I heard today.

The father is the sixth balancer...

The deeper personality is a projection of the father's consciousness...

Guixu's "Return to One" plan...

And Su Mingyue...

It turns out she was also a descendant of the Balancers.

It turns out she had been protecting me all along.

"Thank you."

I don't know when, but I said those words in my sleep.

Then, I dreamed of my father.

He stood in a golden light, his face obscured.

But I knew it was him.

"Live on," he said. "Live on for me."

Then, I woke up.

Seven o'clock in the morning.

I arrived at the training room on time.

Zhao Tiezhu was already waiting there.

"Good morning," he yawned. "How's the preparation going today?"

"It's alright," I said, "just a little nervous."

"It's normal to be nervous," Zhao Tiezhu patted my shoulder, "but don't be too nervous. I'm here."

"Um."

We started warming up.

Running, stretching, doing basic exercises...

"Oh, right," Zhao Tiezhu suddenly said, "Did Su Mingyue talk to you last night?"

"Yes." I nodded. "She told me a lot of things."

"What's wrong?"

"About the Void," I lowered my voice, "and... the fact that she's a descendant of the Balancers."

Zhao Tiezhu paused for a moment.

"She told you?"

"Um."

"Then you should know..." Zhao Tiezhu looked around to make sure no one was there, "...how dangerous our situation is right now."

"I know." I nodded. "Gui Xu has its eye on me."

"It's not just you," Zhao Tiezhu said, "it's everyone in Squad 777."

"What do you mean?"

"The Void won't let anyone who 'might' threaten their plans get away with it," Zhao Tiezhu said. "You're the Balancer, I'm your teammate, and Su Mingyue is the intelligence analyst."

"In Guixu's eyes, the three of us are all 'targets.'"

"What should we do then?"

"What should we do?" Zhao Tiezhu smiled. "Of course, we should—be stronger than them."

How do I become stronger?

"Training," Zhao Tiezhu said, "and...studying."

"study?"

"Yes," Zhao Tiezhu said. "Su Mingyue will teach you some things. I will also teach you some things."

"She teaches you the theory, I'll teach you the practice."

"Only by combining theory with practice can you truly become stronger."

I nodded.

"When will it start?"

"Starting today," Zhao Tiezhu said, "but not now."

Why?

"Because—" Zhao Tiezhu glanced at his phone, "the sixth day's mission will be released at midnight."

"You need to get some rest before that."

10:00 AM.

Su Mingyue came to see me.

"There's something I want to tell you," she said in a low voice as she stood in the hallway.

"What is it?"

"Let's talk privately." She looked around. "Come with me."

I followed her to her office.

The office was small, with only a table, a chair, and a computer.

"Sit down." Su Mingyue pointed to the stool next to her.

I sat down.

"What is it?"

"Regarding the Book of Return to the Void," Su Mingyue said, "I made a decision last night."

"What decision?"

"I'll show you a preview."

I was stunned.

"Didn't you say... the timing wasn't right?"

"The timing is wrong," Su Mingyue said, "but I think you have the right to know certain things."

"What's wrong?"

"Regarding the true cause of your parents' deaths."

My heart started racing.

"You know that?"

"I know part of it," Su Mingyue said. "The Book of Return to the Ruins records—"

"Your father was killed by the Third Dharma King of Guixu."

"The Third Dharma King?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "There are seven Dharma Kings in Guixu. The first Dharma King is the sect leader, and the second to seventh Dharma Kings are his disciples."

"The Third Dharma King was the most cruel of them."

"Why...why did he kill my father?"

"Because your father discovered the secret of Guixu," Su Mingyue said. "He wants to stop Guiyi."

"So the Third Dharma King killed him."

"And what about your mother?"

"Your mother was a defector from Guixu," Su Mingyue said. "She was one of the disciples of the Third Dharma King."

"But during a mission, she discovered the true purpose of the Ruins—to exterminate all of humanity."

"She didn't want to get involved, so she ran away."

"Then I met your father."

They fell in love and then had you.

"But Guixu did not let them go."

"The Third Dharma King tracked down your mother's whereabouts, and then—"

"Kill them both."

I was silent.

The Third Dharma King...

"Where is that Third Dharma King now?" I asked.

"I don't know." Su Mingyue shook her head. "It's said he hasn't appeared for many years."

Some say he's dead, others say he's been sealed away.

"But nobody knows the truth."

"And what about the seventh apostle?" I asked. "What is his relationship with the third Dharma King?"

"The Seventh Apostle is a descendant of the Third Dharma King," Su Mingyue said, "but not his biological son."

"It was 'created' by the Third Dharma King using fragments of rules."

"Manufacturing?"

"Yes." Su Mingyue nodded. "The high-level members of Guixu are all created using fragments of rules."

"They have no parents, no past, only a mission."

"That's why it's so terrifying."

I was silent.

Guixu...Seventh Apostle...Third Dharma King...

These names are like a giant net, trapping me firmly.

"Su Mingyue," I suddenly said.

"Um?"

"My father...did he hate Guixu?"

Su Mingyue was stunned for a moment.

"Hate?" She thought for a moment. "I don't know."

"But I know one thing."

"What?"

"He left a message," Su Mingyue said, "for your future self."

"What did you say?"

Su Mingyue took a USB flash drive out of her pocket.

"This is what he left behind," she said, "but I suggest you don't listen to it now."

Why?

"Because in that passage... there was a request."

"What request?"

"He said—" Su Mingyue looked at me, "'If one day you encounter the Third Dharma King... please kill him for me.'"

Kill him for me...

"My father... wants me to kill the Third Dharma King?"

"Yes." Su Mingyue nodded. "That was his last wish."

"But I advise you... not to try it lightly."

Why?

"Because the Third Dharma King is too strong," Su Mingyue said. "He is the strongest of the Seven Dharma Kings of Guixu."

"If he were still alive... you're no match for him right now."

"What should I do then?"

"Become stronger," Su Mingyue said. "Train, learn, and use the scales."

"Wait until you're strong enough before you think about revenge."

"Before that, survive."

Survive...

"I understand." I nodded.

"There's one more thing," Su Mingyue said.

"What is it?"

"From now on, we'll work together privately," Su Mingyue said.

"A private collaboration?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "I will tell you some of the things Chen Xuan knows."

"But there are some things... I can't let him know."

Why?

"Because..." Su Mingyue hesitated for a moment, "I don't completely trust him."

"You don't trust Director Chen?"

"It's not that I don't trust him at all," Su Mingyue said, "but he also has his own secrets."

"What secret?"

"He is also a 'target' of Guixu," Su Mingyue said, "but not as an enemy."

"What is that for?"

"As a potential collaborator."

"A collaborator?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "Chen Xuan...had contact with Guixu before."

"What?!"

"It's not what you think," Su Mingyue quickly explained. "He wasn't bribed by Guixu."

"However... he studied the theory of the Void when he was young."

"Research?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said. "Chen Xuan was a scholar in his youth. He became interested in Guixu's 'perfect world' theory."

"But later, he discovered the true purpose of Guixu, so he left."

"Left?"

"Yes." Su Mingyue nodded, "But Guixu hasn't let him go. They've been trying to 'persuade' him."

"So I suspect... he might still be under the surveillance of Guixu."

"I need to be careful."

I was stunned.

Chen Xuan... actually had contact with Guixu?

How do you know all this?

"My family records," Su Mingyue said. "We've studied the Ruins of Return for generations, and we know their history very well."

"We also have records of Chen Xuan's life when he was young."

"Then why didn't you tell Chen Xuan?"

"Because..." Su Mingyue sighed, "I don't want to embarrass him."

"He has been gone from Guixu for many years. Now he is our ally."

"If I reveal his past... it will affect the team's trust."

So you choose to remain silent?

"Yes." Su Mingyue nodded, "but I will observe him secretly."

"If he shows any unusual behavior, I will let you know immediately."

I was silent.

I cannot fully agree with Su Mingyue's actions.

But I also understand her concerns.

In this world, no one can be completely trusted.

Even your closest loved ones may have secrets.

"Okay," I said, "I promise you."

"Thank you." Su Mingyue smiled.

"So our 'private collaboration'... is that settled?"

"It's settled." I nodded.

3 PM.

Training continues.

But this time, it wasn't Zhao Tiezhu who accompanied me during training.

It was Su Mingyue.

"You know martial arts?" I was a little surprised.

"Of course," Su Mingyue said. "It's an essential skill for the descendants of the Balancers."

"How's your fighting skill?"

"Not as good as Zhao Tiezhu," Su Mingyue said, "but he's fine for dealing with ordinary people."

"Then wouldn't I be even less likely to beat you?"

"Not necessarily," Su Mingyue said. "You have a scale."

"The power of a scale is not meant to be used for 'fighting'."

"What is it used for?"

"For 'borrowing'."

"borrow?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "the essence of the scales is 'transaction'."

"You pay a price for power."

"This power is not simply 'force,' but...possibility."

"possibility?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "You can 'borrow' anything you want using the scales."

"Strength, speed, intelligence, and even...luck."

"As long as you're willing to pay the price."

"Can I borrow the power to defeat the Third Dharma King?" I asked.

Su Mingyue remained silent for a while.

"Yes," she said, "but at a price...you can't afford it."

"What price?"

"Your entire life."

"All of life?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "The Third Dharma King is the strongest among the Seven Dharma Kings of Guixu. The price required to defeat him is equivalent to several decades of your lifespan."

"And now all you have left is..."

"What's left?"

"Calculate it yourself," Su Mingyue said. "Your lock code is 677. Completing the task will consume some of it. But even if you use it all... you still won't have enough."

I was stunned.

In other words...

If I directly challenge the Third Dharma King, will I die?

"Then what should we do?" I asked.

"Become stronger," Su Mingyue said, "Evolve the scales."

"evolution?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "the efficiency of the scales isn't fixed. It increases as you grow."

"Your conversion rate is currently around 30%."

"Once you become a mature balancer, conversion efficiency can be increased to 70%, 80%, or even 90%."

"At that time, you will be able to gain greater power at a lower cost."

How can I improve efficiency?

"Use the balance scale," Su Mingyue said. "Every time we use it, it's a 'break-in' process."

"The more time you work together, the higher your efficiency will be."

"But the price is... your deeper personality will become increasingly powerful."

"Deep Personality Traits..."

"Yes." Su Mingyue looked at me. "A projection of your father's consciousness."

He will grow as you grow.

"Until one day... you will become one."

"To become one?"

"Yes," Su Mingyue said, "or... one side devours the other."

"Who devours whom?"

"It depends on your 'willpower,'" Su Mingyue said. "Whoever is stronger will take the lead."

"If his will were stronger..."

"Then you will become your father's 'continuation,'" Su Mingyue said. "You will possess his memories, his personality, and even his goals."

"But are you still you?"

This question has made me think deeply.

If one day, I am no longer "me"...

What is the meaning of my life?

"Don't overthink it," Su Mingyue's voice interrupted my thoughts. "That's for later."

"For now, focus on the training at hand."

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "How do we practice?"

"It's simple." Su Mingyue assumed a fighting stance. "Hit me."

"What?"

"Use all the skills you've learned," Su Mingyue said. "Conceal your breath, use the balance scales, hand-to-hand combat... use them all."

"Try to touch me once within two minutes."

"If you've done that, today's training is over."

"If you can't do that..."

"What if I can't do it?"

"If you can't do it, then keep hitting," Su Mingyue smiled, "until you run into me."

"...Isn't this corporal punishment?"

"This isn't corporal punishment," Su Mingyue said. "This is training."

"Hurry up," she urged, "time waits for no one."

I gritted my teeth and rushed forward.

An hour later.

I lay on the ground, my whole body aching.

"That's right." Su Mingyue stood beside her. "You've run into me three times."

"Three times..." I gasped for breath, "Is that enough?"

"Barely passing," Su Mingyue said, "but you still have many problems."

"What's the problem?"

"You rely too much on power," Su Mingyue said. "Every time you're about to touch me, you activate the scales."

"This will make you overly reliant on the scales, instead of fighting with your brain."

"What should I do then?"

"Learn to 'hide'," Su Mingyue said. "Treat the scales as a trump card, not a regular weapon."

"Strike a fatal blow when your opponent is most relaxed."

"This is how the Balancer fights."

I nodded and kept those words in mind.

"Alright." Su Mingyue held out her hand. "Get up."

"Take a break and prepare for tonight's mission."

"The mission for day six?" I asked. "What will it be?"

"I don't know," Su Mingyue shook her head, "but whatever it is, we must give it our all."

"Two more days," she said, looking at me. "Just two more days to survive."

"Then......"

"Then we'll fight against the Ruins together."

"Together?"

"Yes." Su Mingyue nodded, "Squad 777."

"This is not a battle you fight alone."

"It was a battle between the three of us."

Looking at her, a warm feeling welled up inside me.

"Okay." I reached out and shook her hand. "Together."

It's 11 p.m.

Zhao Tiezhu and I sat in the bread truck, waiting for the mission to be announced.

Su Mingyue did not come.

She said she had other things to take care of.

"Where did she go?" I asked.

"I don't know," Zhao Tiezhu shook his head. "She said she would support us online."

"All right."

I glanced at my phone.

One hour left.

The task for the sixth day...

What could it be?

"Don't be nervous," Zhao Tiezhu said. "No matter what the mission is, I'm here."

"Yes." I nodded.

Then, I closed my eyes.

The breathing method of the Breath-Concealing Technique—four, seven, eight...

breathe......

No matter what happens next...

I must live on.

For myself.

For my parents.

For Squad 777.

In order to... defeat Guixu.

The phone screen lit up.

[The Taboo of Number 7 - Day Six Task]

[Task objective: Between 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM, find a "rule fragment" and bring it back to the starting point.]

[Task Reward: Completing this task costs 7 CP. Failure to complete the task will deduct 70 CP.]

[Warning: The "Rule Fragment" for this mission has been marked by Night Raven. Night Raven members may appear to stop you.]

Rule fragments...

The Night Raven will make its move...

"Looks like tonight won't be peaceful." Zhao Tiezhu grinned as he looked at the screen.

"Are you ready?" he asked me.

I took a deep breath.

"Ready."