Forge a path to success

Ji Qiufeng raised his fan, indicating that he should remain calm: "Hengkong, I appreciate your kindness, but you don't need to teach me this swordsmanship."

Chu Hengkong raised an eyebrow: "You don't even approve of Chongming's moves?"

"It would be a lie to say I'm not tempted by the master's extraordinary skills." Ji Qiufeng tapped his head with his fan. "But I am much older than you and have passed the age of learning from others. I need to refine and preserve my 'self'. The master's path is profound and extensive, but it is not my path in the end. In the long run, it will only be harmful to me. I really cannot learn it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Hengkong's heart stirred. In his recent grand adventure, he had already encountered several of the world's top experts. Whether it was Chongming, Vansalal, or Olek, their skills and abilities all possessed extremely strong personal characteristics. Seeing their skills was like seeing the person themselves, with few instances of mixed learning. This perfectly corroborated Ji Qiufeng's theory of self.

On the contrary, he himself possessed a plethora of miscellaneous skills, many of which were unorthodox. Before leaving the city, he could shamelessly claim to be a martial arts practitioner from Dragon Township, but now he couldn't even articulate it clearly...

He had reservations, so he simply asked directly, "Mr. Ji, have I learned too much?"

Ji Qiufeng had an expression that suggested he had expected this.

"Let me correct two misconceptions of yours. First, self-cultivation can only begin at point 4—what people often call the middle point—and is not something you need to consider right now."

Secondly, the knowledge and skills of the great figures you've met are likely tens of millions of times greater than the limits of our imagination. It's like composing poetry; you need to read the timeless verses of the ancients to write your own.

"I'm never afraid of you learning too much, but I'm afraid you'll get lost in it and not find your direction. Fortunately, you've cultivated the Ancient Heart Remnant Technique, and your Heart Remnant Soul Reversal Secret Method integrates most of the heretical powers, which is an excellent approach," Ji Qiufeng advised. "I think Hengkong, in your future cultivation, you might as well put more effort into this aspect. If you can refine all kinds of supernatural powers into one method, and control them at will, you will naturally have no worries. At that time, you will have one less major obstacle to advancing to the fourth mutation point, and the probability will be even higher."

"Mr. Ji, you make it sound like it's very difficult for me to advance to the fourth grade."

Ji Qiufeng smiled enigmatically: "What do you think?"

Chu Hengkong moved his shoulder blades, and the Death Wings immediately materialized, lifting him off the ground.

His expression was strange: "I think this thing... should be stronger than most Skywings..."

“We can be even bolder, stronger than 100% of the Sky-Bearing Wing.” Ji Qiufeng waved his fan. “Unfortunately, transformation is not a matter of fists. Low-mass points can meet the requirements by suppressing external organs, but medium-mass points do not have such a path. We say that transforming from 3 to 4 is crossing the first abyss because if you want to transform to 4, you must cross the gravity of the Cradle of Oblivion.”

Chu Hengkong stomped his foot, habitually stubbornly replying, "Overcoming gravity isn't difficult."

"You mentioned gravity, which is a good analogy!" Ji Qiufeng said with a smile. "There's a saying that one shouldn't travel far while one's parents are alive. Suppose someone has elderly parents and children at home, and the whole family depends on this pillar of support. Even if this person has wings to fly, making it easy for them to soar into the sky, wouldn't it be difficult for them to travel far from home?"

"Difficult," Chu Hengkong nodded.

"There is another person born with superhuman strength, capable of flying, yet he is lost and without purpose. Moreover, he is powerful and influential on his own Dust Island, living a comfortable and fulfilling life. Would it be difficult for this person to give up his current happiness and leave his homeland?"

“...Difficult,” Chu Hengkong said.

"There is another person, with a resolute mind, exceptional talent, a keen sense of right and wrong, and ambitions to achieve great things. However, he has a past filled with regrets, and his personality is deeply sentimental. Although he has settled his grudges and left his hometown, his attachments remain in his heart. When he closes his eyes, everywhere he sees familiar places; when he looks back, he sees old friends." Ji Qiufeng said leisurely, "Is it difficult to help this person bid farewell to the past, let go of his obsessions, and fly towards the future?"

Chu Hengkong remained silent for a long time before sighing, "It's as difficult as ascending to heaven."

“This is gravity, true gravity.” Ji Qiufeng patted his shoulder. “Having dealt with so many Fallen Ones, you should understand the nature of the Black Moon. They are attachment, kinship, the past, and the ‘emotions’ that all living beings can never let go of. It’s nothing to have the will but not the strength; it’s having the strength but not the will that makes it hard to leave, that’s the first abyss that is hard to cross.”

"To tell you the truth, I'm not worried about anyone else's promotion. Even if Jie An has the patience to work hard, getting promoted to the fourth level won't be a problem. It's just that you, Heng Kong, are still obsessed and your mind is hard to overcome."

Chu Heng scratched his head and said helplessly, "That's just how I am... just like how you, Mr. Ji, can't let go of Huilong City. Once you truly let go of some things, there's nothing left in your life."

“Severing ties and cutting off all feelings is a heretical approach. I’m telling you to let go, not to throw it away,” Ji Qiufeng laughed. “I knew that Shakes was resurrected from your hometown, so I knew your future plans. Don’t have any worries, just do it. Once you find a result, your obsession will naturally disappear.”

Thank you for your guidance.

"When you have time, you might as well chat with everyone about your hometown," Ji Qiufeng said. "Only by putting your mind at ease can you resolve any issues."

Chu Hengkong thanked him and left the building. The weather in Huilong City was perfect today, and he stretched in the sunshine.

Five days had passed since he returned to Huilong City, and this was his first action. It wasn't for cultivation, but to assist Ji Qiufeng in checking for any remaining hidden dangers. The first few who had finished their checkups had already gone off to have fun. He took out his communication crystal, saw Ji Huaisu's message, and headed towards the bustling commercial district.

The casino, once occupied by the club, had long since been burned to the ground, and the old coffin building next door had also disappeared. During the reconstruction of the city after the war, the old buildings in the central courtyard were uniformly renovated, and most citizens moved into spacious and bright new homes, except for a few holdouts who loved the environment and refused to relocate.

Most of these citizens possessed professional skills that enhanced their nightlife, and they returned to their old trades in the commercial district, opening restaurants and bars. The "Red Beard Bar," famous for its seafood dishes, had already opened at four in the afternoon. When Chu Hengkong pushed open the door, several familiar-looking guys were chatting and joking around while eating fried squid tentacles.

"...What do you mean my record is slightly inferior? You can't just lie through your teeth!" Vande brandished his claws. "I fought alongside Chu Hengkong against Vansalar, and in the final battle, I was undoubtedly the main force!"

Ji Huaisu propped his chin on his hand and said lazily, "Let's stick to the facts. Everyone participated in the final battle. It can't be said that only you and A-Kong share the credit..."

“Besides participating in the final battle, we each beheaded an envoy,” Qingxia continued. “So it’s perfectly reasonable that our battle merits are higher than yours.”

Vande slammed his fist on the table: "No, I told you this algorithm is wrong! Battle merits aren't just about this... this number of kills on paper, okay! Shouldn't battle merits be about what each person did? I destroyed the Kingdom of Despair, I created such a great opportunity, so that's my battle merit. Without this opportunity, everyone would be finished, so of course I'd be the one with the most merit!"

Qingye's expression was subtle: "That being said, it's a bit strange that someone who didn't kill a single person got first place..."

“Xiao Ye, your line of thinking is flawed. I already told you we can’t just look at kills.” Vande took a big gulp of beer. “According to your calculation, non-combatants are at a disadvantage. Look at Jie An, he’s been making medicine all day, and Gu Libo is been growing vegetables. They didn’t kill any enemies, but without medicine and vegetables, we were all out of commission. That’s a unique achievement. Now, tell me, after the Despair Wilderness battle, Jie An and Gu Libo’s kill count is… 0! Jie An and Gu Libo won by doing nothing! Can you say that?!”

Jie An nodded vigorously and said solemnly, "Yes, I'm the one who wins by lying down!"

Guli Bo was so busy eating squid that he didn't hear anything clearly. He looked up and echoed, "Yes, yes, Bo!"

A burst of cheerful laughter erupted in the bar, while Van Der yelled in exasperation, "This is impossible to talk about! Who the hell brought this up?!"

"You," everyone pointed at it, "you were the one who did the most work after you drank five cups and started striving for the Desperate Wilderness."

"Oh dear, it's the alcohol that's to blame," Van der said sheepishly. "Besides, he wasn't trying to claim the credit. The credit isn't... here, it's right here! Hey, don't steal my wine!"

Chu Hengkong pulled the glass from its tentacle, downed the dark blue cocktail, and smacked his lips: "The alcohol content is alright, isn't it? Five glasses and I'm out?"

"We Eye Demons are small compared to you, no, we can't compare!" Vande said confidently. "Come on, tell me, who is the second-ranked one?"

"Well, so the trial is being held here?" Chu Hengkong chuckled upon hearing this. "Who did their best, who committed the crime, whose tactics weren't team-oriented, and who was the most heartless?"

"Detective Chu's logic is very clear," Jie An exclaimed. "It just sounds a bit like a competition."

“I’ve seen it all before. Every time there’s a fight, this topic comes up. I always say that the boss is only thinking about the post-match analysis. What’s there to discuss when you’re fighting?” Chu Hengkong poured himself a full glass of wine. “If we win, it’s everyone’s credit. No one fights or grabs credit; everyone gets the credit.”

"Great!" "Cheers! Cheers!" "Detective Chu is so generous!"

Everyone clinked glasses with smiles, and Ji Huaisu winked at Fan De: "Now you know why you can't be the leader."

"We were all just drunk and talking nonsense, I didn't mean to be a jerk," Vande said nonchalantly. "Then why aren't you guys reviewing what happened when you were drunk?"

"Usually it's just listening to people brag," Chu Hengkong said. "After being in the underworld for a while, you'll always have some topics to talk about..."

“For example, a killer used a ballpoint pen to kill seventeen people,” Shakes said. “I’ve heard this story in the Vatican, and it left a deep impression on me.”

He was the only one in the bar drinking iced milk (Guli Bo had papaya milk today), and while everyone else was chatting about their battle exploits, Shax was rapidly disassembling his pistol. Chu Hengkong, upon hearing this, sighed, "I've said this a million times back on Earth, it's a misunderstanding..."

"Actually, there aren't that many?" Qingxia asked.

"The ballpoint pen broke when I killed the seventh one, and I killed the remaining ten with my bare hands."

"So that's where the misunderstanding came from, huh!"

“What I’m curious about is why a pen is used,” Shakes said.

“It was a ‘mission’ back then,” Chu Hengkong shrugged. “A small fishing village, you know that.”

"Oh, no wonder."

Shakes continued fiddling with the gun, while the others listened, completely bewildered. Jie An looked around and asked, "So, what happened to the little fishing village?"

“The ‘mission’ in the fishing village means a lot of cultists,” Shakes said wearily. “They always have sticky bodily fluids, a foul smell, and seaweed-like hair… so they’d rather use a pencil than touch it with their hands.”

“Sometimes there are also hard scales,” Chu Hengkong added, “making it feel like fighting a rotten salted fish.”

"Oh, so you're a demon possessed? You should have said so earlier," Ji Huaisu said.

"How could that be? They're just ordinary cult members." Chu Hengkong chuckled. "There are no demons in our area."

"Ah, ah." Ji Huaisu nodded. "...Ah?"

To maintain reader engagement, updates will be released discreetly.

Why are updates resuming next week? I haven't even finished a single game! Where did all my time go? Help!

Chapter 256 Earth Trivia Popular Science

Ji Huaisu tapped his head, trying hard to recall the scene of his first meeting with someone.

“I said, A-Kong,” Ji Huaisu thought, finding it increasingly strange, “I remember when you first came to Huilong City you knew absolutely nothing about demons and possessed beings… right?”

"correct."

"And now you're saying you fought against those slimy cult members back in your hometown?"

Chu Hengkong looked completely bewildered: "What's the problem with this?"

For a moment, Ji Huaisu truly doubted her own comprehension ability, and after seeing the looks in other people's eyes, she was certain that she wasn't the only one who couldn't keep up with the train of thought.

Jie An's lips twitched: "Logically speaking, you should be quite familiar with things like demon possessors, so why did you pretend like that when you first arrived?"

Chu Hengkong stared at them blankly for a few seconds, then understood and waved with a smile.

“I didn’t explain clearly. The cultists in my hometown are not the same as those in the Submerged Realm. They don’t have supernatural powers,” Chu Hengkong explained. “Their bodies don’t turn into tentacles, and they don’t grow eyes. They just occasionally have scales, smell bad, and look more like fish. It’s a kind of… evolution to adapt to the environment.”

"Mr. Chu, you said 'evolution'! You just said it wasn't supernatural, but the second half of your sentence clearly said the word 'evolution'!" Qingye complained fiercely.

“Evolution is one of the most common phenomena in nature,” Shaks said without looking up. “Have you ever hunted a wild boar?”

"I've only ever eaten it."

“There’s a segment of the American population who enjoy hunting wild boar. They like to stand at a distance, shoot it with a shotgun, and then get closer to take pictures and show off their huge carcass,” Shakes said. “This sport became popular in the 19th century, but it has gradually become less interesting in the 21st century because wild boars have changed. Now they are often active at night to avoid hunters, and they have grown extremely thick bony plates to protect their hearts, so common shotguns and deer bullets cannot even penetrate their bones.”

Three hundred years ago, wild boars would probably have exclaimed "monster!" upon seeing their modern-day counterparts, but to humans, they are still the same species. This is the evolution happening in the modern era.

Vande used a few slices of ham to make a pig's head: "So the cultists in your hometown are also a kind of 'wild boar'?"

“They always live in dilapidated fishing villages and desolate ports, never leaving their hometown for generations, and mostly making a living by fishing. This monotonous life that has lasted for hundreds of years and the marine environment will naturally change people. Their scales, mucus and long hair all help with the catch, which has been proven by scientific research.” Chu Hengkong placed a salted fish next to the piglet. “But the closed environment and special customs can also alienate people’s spirit, just like Bize back then.”

“It’s just that kind of evil god worship stuff, I’ll kill it…” Ji Huaisu cleared his throat, “I’ve seen this many times.”

“Cults on Earth are the same. They always have strange beliefs, claiming that God comes from the sea, draws summoning circles with blood and filth, and goes out to kidnap people as human sacrifices.” Chu Hengkong shrugged. “Ordinary police have a hard time dealing with them. Cleaning up this special group often requires hiring assassins.”

Qingxia took out a small notebook and began to write carefully. She had bought a notebook specifically after arriving in Huilong City to record her lack of general knowledge.

"Assassins are... a profession that purges cultists..."

“The very first sentence written in the notebook is wrong,” Gulibo said.

“In general, when we talk about assassins, we're referring to a much more heinous profession, whose main business is killing people with machetes.” Van der's eyes were subtle. “I always thought you used to be like that… especially since you were involved in organized crime…”

Chu Heng ate the ham and adopted a professional demeanor: "It seems that you all lack understanding of my profession."

Ji Huaisu turned her head and whispered to Qingye, "The underworld master is about to start again."

Qingye listened with great interest: "It's rare for him to talk so much."

"He can talk endlessly when it comes to his professional field."

"—I'll take this opportunity to tell you about Earth's killers," Chu Hengkong said cheerfully.

·

On Earth, assassination is an ancient profession. Their past exploits are recorded in history books, and they also lurk silently in the shadows of modern skyscrapers.

The assassins known to the world are warriors who assassinate kings and nobles, secretive mountain elders in the desert, ninjas active in the Warring States period, and cowboys who explore the western wilderness; in the shadows unknown to the world, they are hunters who hunt down foreign tribes, soldiers who exterminate evil spirits, and warriors who slay demons.

Hidden forces have forged an ancient alliance, a pact known as the "Blood Alliance" that binds numerous assassins together. Their targets can switch between their front and back identities at any time, all determined by the mission they receive.

If the family issues a task, then one must fight against others.

If the Blood Alliance issues an order, then hunt down the alien species.

·

“…Basically, missions involving infighting and killing are all about everyone fighting for their own boss, which is a kind of internal strife. But missions issued by the Blood Alliance often involve targets like cultists, and these missions have the highest priority. Even if everyone has grudges against each other, they will choose to cooperate when they receive a mission from the Blood Alliance,” Chu Hengkong said. “It’s a kind of righteousness.”

Qingxia nodded repeatedly, noting, "Behind every assassin is an ancient organization... Every assassin is an agent of that organization..."

"No, no, no." Gulibo covered her face.

"This is too strange! Why would gangsters have such an alliance with each other?! Even if dealing with outcasts is done by assassins, shouldn't it be under the unified jurisdiction of the rulers? What are the rulers doing?!" Ji Huaisu launched a fierce three-part attack.

“Just because it’s the underworld now doesn’t mean it was before,” Chu Hengkong said. “The original blood alliance was indeed a secret covenant between rulers, but regimes change. Over two thousand years, countless generations of rulers have come and gone, and the forces that carry on the covenant naturally change with the times.”

My boss's family, whose lineage traces back to a Roman emperor, was forced to shift its focus to arms and real estate in the 21st century.

"Your former employer is an arms dealer?" Jie An exclaimed in surprise. "No ill intent, but it doesn't sound like a good thing."

"We mainly develop weapons for alien species, not for conventional warfare. It's like eliminating a scourge for the people," Chu Hengkong said. "If you want to find a decent, upright assassin, look at Shax. He was the church's ace back in the day, running around the forests of Europe every day to do good for God."

Shakes, who was drinking milk, coughed violently. Qingxia exclaimed in surprise, "I never imagined you were God's agent, Shakes! You must be one of the crusaders who fought under King Arthur!"

Shakes really choked. He leaned on the table, panting for a while, and said in a gloomy and indignant tone, "First of all, forget about King Arthur. There is no King Arthur in reality."

"Oh well."

“Secondly, I am a mercenary. I used to work for the church only because I owed the Pope a favor,” Shakes emphasized. “It has nothing to do with faith or justice.”

“I understand, my friend, we all understand,” Jie An comforted her. “So you’ve also fought cultists for eight hundred rounds while carrying a sniper rifle.”

“He kills more werewolves,” Chu Hengkong said casually.

"Excuse me, what?" Ji Huaisu's eyes widened. "What?"

“Werewolves are a folk superstition,” Shakes sighed. “They are actually a kind of savage who grow long hair after living alone in the mountains and forests for too long. They like to sneak into villages at night and steal newborn children to adopt. They will actively attack civilians when it is foggy, and they are very dangerous, so they must be eliminated.”