252: Chapter 20: In the Mirror of Deep Love (1) 252: Chapter 20: In the Mirror of Deep Love (1) ·From the Qiluo app notification·
(*´∀`)ノ Bringing you the reality of Zero Island today.
Koalas, kangaroos, and platypuses on Zero Island are known as the “Three Auspicious Beasts,” popular local animals among the general populace.
·
”Hehehehe!” The giant dragon worshipper laughed wickedly at the table.
“Too hasty…
No more chances for re-rolling, no more!”
He quickly wrote several possibilities on a white paper, making choices with dice.
“All trains heading north from Purple Island this afternoon will be delayed midway.” He threw the dice again.
“The scent on you has attracted the scrutiny of the Wandering Gods, and you will be haunted by evil spirits in the next city.” Once more!
“One of the Shiyus that attacked the shrine this morning shall et you by coincidence.”
After making three decisions in a row, the giant dragon worshipper tucked the dice away.
“The next throw will have to wait until after the event…
Oh, oh, but Lord Huojin God!” His face grotesquely twisted, “Those who dared to assault the shrine, those reverent blasphers, those godless madn!
Shouldn’t I roll the dice for them?!”
”No need for that.
Everything depends on you…” He cald down again.
“Wait for the outco of this incident.”
·
When those cursed make a move, the affected whirlpools respond.
It could be a flash of genius from soone involved, a random aberration in the environnt, or possibly awakening a non-human being hidden in secrecy…
At that mont, a life muddled in confusion awoke.
Like most of its kind, it was unaware of its origins, nor did it know what it desired.
It lanted, was annoyed, wanted to be freed, yet was powerless.
“Ah!
You are, how could this be!”
A voice was heard.
It was a man’s voice.
This ti it approached quickly.
The man’s eyes were full of surprise and disbelief.
It smiled at the man, standing face to face with him.
“Gods…” The man also smiled back delightedly.
It liked the man’s smile.
Smile more, smile for it.
Let the smiles bring joy and satisfaction; it only took a short mont of panic.
The deal was sealed.
It slowly moved closer to the man, almost able to touch his cheek…
It suddenly stopped.
A premonition arose, making it sense the connection between the whirlpools and the grey.
Sothing was about to co, to this small town.
It was sothing that could fulfill its wish, surely sothing that could satisfy it, let it be free.
It left there silently, without a trace.
“Where did you go?”
In an instant, the beauty the man had just seen disappeared like an illusion.
In the mirror, only a disoriented middle-aged man remained, his face a mix of joy and loss, resembling a Noh mask from a festival.
·
Yuli Town is a small town in the southern part of Purple Island.
It has a railway heading to the urban areas of Purple Island and a tramline going up to the Huangquan Shrine on the mountain, serving as a vital transit point for local residents.
Today, before dawn, a gang of bikers roared through the center of the town, startling the simple townsfolk significantly.
A few hours later, the bikers returned to the town, but different people dismounted from the motorcycles.
Gongsun Ce pulled out a pocket watch, checking the ti.
“It’s 10:50 AM now.
The train to Ridong City departs at two in the afternoon; we can rest in town for a bit.”
Linai spoke, troubled.
“You aren’t even planning to disguise yourself.”
”What use is there in disguising ourselves now?
From the mont he smashed Shiyu Lingba’s head into the ground, our whereabouts were completely exposed.”
The blue-haired woman opened a bottle of water and gulped it down, sighing comfortably after rehydrating.
“Huh~~!
Besides, now that you are with us, we don’t have much to worry about on Purple Island.”
It seems like the Priestesses were truly angered by Shiyu’s rampage, sending Linai to follow is as clear a statent from the Seven Luminaries Divine Sect as any: if they dare to send the Ninja Army again, they’re ready for an all-out war.
Gongsun turned and asked, “Miss Linai, any restaurant recomndations?
Since I am abroad, I would like to try so local dishes.” The blue-haired Hunter perked up, “Please suggest so restaurants with good value for money!”
”Are you still worrying about the cost of als now?!” “Shut up big sister, after paying my rent I don’t have much left!”
Chuyun Linai patted her face, deciding to shift her thought process from “secret urgent mission” to “food, drink, fun, and tourism.” Forget it!
Only an idiot would fuss over minor details while hanging out with these two completely relaxed individuals!
“I recomnd the pork chop rice and beef bowl at the next street.”
“Oh!” “Let’s go, let’s go~”
The three of them looked like tourists from out of town, completely unaware of any impending doom.
·
The rice bowl restaurant was very large.
At the entrance, a blackboard written on with chalk displayed the daily specials, the most enticing of which was the parent-child rice bowl (chicken and egg rice) set al that ca with a free platypus doll.
“One pork chop rice set al, one beef bowl set al, one parent-child rice set al, and all drinks iced barley tea.
Got it!
Please wait a mont!” The waiter, full of energy, called out and then dashed away from the table.
It was just past eleven o’clock, and there weren’t many custors in the restaurant.
Gongsun Ce carefully surveyed the surroundings but didn’t spot anyone who looked like a ninja or anyone from Shiyu’s family.
He listened carefully to the conversations of the patrons—girls dressed as students were discussing costics; an elderly man was chatting on the phone with a child; two burly n with turbans seed to be sharing ghost stories.
“They say I really saw it this morning, right in the mirror…” “Alcohol can be scarier than ghost stories.” “I wasn’t drunk, who drinks in the morning?” “You should go to the mountain shrine and pray for Lord Yidou Nengmai’s blessing.” The burly man chuckled, ribbing his superstitious coworker.
The superpower user was cautious and asked, “Miss Linai, I’ve read so supernatural tales about Zero Island online—are those true at all?”
Linai waved her hand and laughed.
“Of course not!
If the Gods could be seen that easily, they wouldn’t be called Hidden Gods.”
Linai went on to explain that Hidden Gods generally appeared in sparsely populated areas.
In the mountains, forests, caves, and similar places, there often were Hidden Gods akin to ‘local deities,’ like the Wandering God that Gongsun Ce had encountered before.
These woodland spirits usually did no harm and were mostly involved in playing pranks.
The Seven Luminaries Divine Sect regularly made offerings and held ceremonies for these Gods.
So of the Hidden Gods that were willing to accept the offerings and offer help, or those who showed goodwill towards humans on their own, were known as Direct Gods today.
And many Hidden Gods didn’t want any interaction with humans, even if the Priestesses visited, they wouldn’t show themselves, so they weren’t harmful.
Gongsun Ce still brooded over the online supernatural stories: “What if there really are Hidden Gods that harbor malice towards humans?
How should they be dealt with?”
Before Linai could answer, Shiyu Ling replied, “They’d just kill them themselves, what’s there even to ask?”
“Why do you have such a strong prejudice?” Linai frowned.
“If there really are malicious spirits making trouble, we’d handle them with specific thods.”
“I think the practices of your Seven Luminaries Shrine are quite hypocritical.
Those that are useful to you, controllable, or too powerful to overco, you venerate as Lord Gods, but those that are useless to you are killed in the na of elimination.
What kind of Gods are these?
With your faith that bullies the weak but fears the strong, it’s better to call them demons.”
The hooded witch looked at her scoffing teammate and suddenly asked, “Big sister, do you think eradicating evil spirits is wrong?”
“I…” This sharp question hit Shiyu Ling’s logical sore spot, rendering the blue-haired woman montarily speechless.
Seeing the situation going south, Gongsun Ce tried to clear the air: “Sorry, I need to use the restroom.
Could you move aside, Miss Alice?”
Before she could respond, the superpower user had already gotten up, with Shiyu Ling following irritably.
The little witch, resembling a middle-aged painter, held her chin and muttered to herself.
Was it the Divine Dao she disliked…
or the righteous people?
·
“Get it done quickly!”
Your tone sounds just like an irritable parent.
It’s really troubleso going out with this woman.
Shiyu Ling stood against the wall outside, the gray-haired young man took off his glasses, turned on the faucet, and splashed his face with cold water.
Linai said that typically Hidden Gods wouldn’t appear, but he had encountered two as soon as he arrived at Zero Island.
Would the hidden Gods reveal goodwill because he was a superpower user?
It would be nice if that was true.
Unfortunately, his experience told him that, outside of the city of the heavens, no other place in the world accommodated superpower users.
“It’s always being a stranger in a foreign land.”
Gongsun Ce wiped his face.
With his glasses off, his vision was so blurry he couldn’t even see himself in the mirror, just a faint image of black hair and white clothes.
“…”
He was certain his hair was gray.
Gongsun Ce bowed his head, patted his face, put on his glasses, and looked up again.
This ti, he could see clearly.
There was no sight of himself in the mirror, but a woman with black hair and white clothes standing before him!
The superpower user watched wordlessly as the shadowy figure in the mirror moved closer.
The woman in the mirror gathered her hair to reveal her true face, without eyes, without a nose, her fair skin flat like a leather mask without any features.
The woman seed to be smiling, parting her bloodless lips to reveal pitch-black teeth as dark as graphite.
Her voice seed to co from the depths of deep waters, carrying a profound echo.
“You…”
Gongsun Ce, without another word, pointed to his own face and pre-emptively spoke before the ghostly figure could open its mouth.
He earnestly asked, “Miss, do you find beautiful?”
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