The short man with the handlebar mustache rubbed his dry fingers, gave a smirk, and said:
–If you truly are the Cargo Crew chief of the Ju Yin ChaseFutown stationed here, then I can invite you to become one of our premium members.–
–You have a membership system too?–
–Of course. Any rare intelligence—whether it’s a newly emerged off-frequency screen scene, a monster that’s crawled out, the Peng Zone on the Shibin Wastes, or the latest moves of the powerhouses—will be provided to members at a discount.–
He chuckled twice, craning his neck and lowering his voice:
–Likewise, Mr. Jiazi Term, as a premium member, you’ll be responsible for maintaining our inn’s business. After all, being a premium member is basically being a shareholder.–
Yang Zicang felt his mental fortitude was already formidable, but encountering such a stroke of luck, the kind usually reserved for stories, for the first time inevitably stirred a surge of emotions—so this is the treatment of a master? Indeed, a capable person is welcomed wherever they go.
As Boss Zhuang was speaking, a small orb of light appeared beside Yang Zicang’s shoulder, and Boss Zhuang immediately clamped his mouth shut.
Yang Zicang turned his head and said:
–It’s a new week already. I’m no celebrity, so why are you here?–
Lili Ya waved its little hand, crossed its arms, and said:
{It’s fun here. Can’t I just pass through?}
–Scram, scram. We’re discussing business, don’t come meddling now.–
Yang Zicang learned through the Ju Yin Chase that in Hubville, someone could see the perspectives journalists captured when recording celebrities, so he immediately drove it away.
After flying a short distance, the orb of light swiveled its head and stuck its tongue out at Yang Zicang.
{Big bad guy is just putting on a show.}
Once the reporter vanished, Boss Zhuang smoothed his beard with his thumb.
–I almost forgot—you used to be a celebrity yourself.–
Boss Zhuang turned to look at Robin Lo, who was staring at him wide-eyed.
–Ah, as for your question, well, I lost a bet. If I don’t fulfill what she set for me, she’ll know. Simple as that.–
–An automatic deduction of Chronos?–
–Of course not—I just pay up and accept defeat.–
Wondering whether the other party was just that formidable, or if this man simply refused to break his word, a single bet was enough to make this intelligence station boss willingly comply.
Yang Zicang stood up with the booklet in hand and said:
–I see. looks like Boss Zhuang is a man who values trust like gold. I’ll give this mission a try. But do you want me to bring the missing person’s corpse here?–
–Whatever, just as long as you can retrieve it. If you bring it back, I’ll use it to stoke the boiler.–
–How many days has it been? Forget it—no matter how many days they’ve been missing, I think you should prepare me a set of waterproof gear and a coffin. Otherwise, I’ll have to cremate the body right where I find it.–
–He’s lucky to have encountered you within three days. At this temperature out in the wild, it shouldn’t cause you too much trouble. Never mind, I’ll have someone prepare a big wine barrel for you right now.–
Yang Zicang and Robin Lo carried a massive beer barrel that towered over them out the door, and the few people guarding outside immediately stepped in to help with great courtesy.
–When are we heading out?– Robin Lo asked, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
The last place the missing guy went was that A-level Crosspace where he fell into this spot. Mayor Futown had hinted that a psychic-type ability might be obtained there—how could I miss this chance?
Just look at this kid beside me—after getting a psychic-type ability in the complete Yore-Realm, he now struts around like he owns the place. If I could get one too, I’d soar to the skies for sure.
Yang Zicang, holding the barrel with one hand, said, –I’ll go alone, just me.–
–Don’t say that, bro, I can help out. If I happen to get a psychic-type ability, won’t I become an even stronger right-hand man for you?– Robin Lo lowered his posture completely.
–I want to save it for Xiaoyu.–
–Ah, why do you keep thinking about that girl? Do you really think you two are a good match?–
Yang Zicang turned his head and stared silently at Robin Lo.
–She’s worried that I might die, willing to take a risk and come out to invest her lifespan in me. For someone like that, how could I not leave her some good things? After all, I will leave sooner or later.–
–You… sigh, I’m not planning to leave just yet. How about this: give me this opportunity, and for the next six months, I’ll scour the entire Shibin Wastes to find a new ability for her? What do you say?–
–That’s a deal.–
……
Taking advantage of the pre-dawn darkness, the two boarded the train and arrived at the location marked on the manual: two hundred and eighty kilometers southwest of the inn as the origin point.
Without a telekinetic platform, this journey took almost the entire night.
In the distance, mountains rose in clusters, some peaks piercing the clouds—clearly perilous terrain.
–An A-rank area is truly vast. Stabilizing an A-rank area within half a month is something only the strongest teams can accomplish,– Robin Lo remarked with a sigh.
At the end of each month, all the Intersecting Landscapes that had been entered by people but not yet successfully stabilized would converge here entirely.
Yang Zicang nodded: –Stay cautious. The creatures in Scarlet Moon-rank Intersection Grounds are exceptionally powerful. Starting from B-rank, Intersection Grounds that have been stabilized will continue to spawn monsters. According to Ju Yin Chase, there’s no shortage of them in there.–
–For my part, I think it would be great if we could haul back a chunk of land, hahaha.–
If they came across an ordinary Dis-freq Scene, shoveling off a patch of ground to bring back wasn’t entirely impossible, either.
But as for carrying these mountains back, Yang Zicang was confident that no one here could accomplish it—such feats could only be achieved by figures in myths and legends.
He suddenly wondered if, in that old, forgotten otherworld, there might exist individuals capable of moving mountains and filling seas.
–I’ll go in and take a look around. You stay right here and don’t move.–
–Alright, I won’t follow. Can’t put all your eggs in one basket.–
The train dissolved into wind as it surged toward the distant mountains.
Robin Lo let out a long sigh and sat down on the ground. The silhouettes of these mountains reminded him of Guilin on Earth, and a nostalgic warmth filled his eyes.
–A lonely stranger in a foreign land, I miss my family all the more on festive days. If my memory serves me right, in a few months it will mark the 130th anniversary of Kong Yiji’s unpaid debt.–
His gaze swept across the somber earth.
–But times aren’t so bad—many fellow brothers and sisters are here too.–
With that, Robin Lo rose to his feet, dusted off the dirt on his pants, and walked toward what looked like a mountain forest ravaged by a giant beast. At its outer edge lay a corpse.
The train’s speed was swift relative to the expanse of the mountains; in just over ten minutes, it had cut across the entire region.
Suddenly, the Nightmare Train halted before a single mountain peak.
Yang Zicang grabbed hold of the open door, gazing into the sky. A translucent man’s silhouette stood midair, staring down at him.
–You’re tougher than the humans before you. Finally, someone worth looking at shows up.–
–Humans? You’re not a human, then?–
–Hmph.–
The man, seemingly formed of psychokinetic energy, calmly watched Yang Zicang, then raised his head to peer into the distance.
–More humans are coming. This place does attract you, doesn’t it? Pity no one can ever take the rewards they hope for from here.–
Yang Zicang couldn’t make sense of this being. According to Robin Lo, if you come across a humanoid creature in the –Surplus World,– it signals extreme danger.
–Leave at once. I’ll pretend you were never here this time.–
In the dim light, the silhouette of the psychokinetic man turned in the sky and vanished into the shadows of the mountains. Yang Zicang’s gaze settled on the tallest peak nearby.
A peak like that—in the Psychic World, he would’ve climbed it in just over twenty minutes. In his current state, relying purely on physical strength, it wouldn’t take more than half an hour.
He vaguely sensed that this mountain carried something different from the others—an impression gained from practicing Chime Night, a natural communion with the surrounding environment.
[Chime Night.]
A surge of energy radiated from the young man, and the environment within a radius of six to seven hundred meters naturally unfolded. Countless whispers arose, as if the trees, soil, flowers, grass, and moisture were communicating with him.
｛Save me…｝
｛Save us…｝
Innumerable fearful voices echoed within his mind.
Yang Zicang abruptly lifted his head, and phantasmal images flooded toward him like a deluge—twisted bodies, contorted faces etched in pain and horror, drifting as ethereal apparitions.
Behind them, a figure like a god or demon sat atop a black rock throne on the mountain peak.
He opened his eyes, and within them, a pentagram slowly rotated, sweeping toward Yang Zicang.
A pressure like a heavy curtain enshrouded the void, as if to encompass everything.
–Pentagram?!–
The train roared as it charged toward the edge of this mountainous forest.
Yang Zicang felt as though he had been pulled into a deity’s cosmic sleeve; the heaven and earth within his spiritual realm twisted and churned as if rolled up.
[Trajectory Dispatch!]
The train howled, contorting into a gale, and burst out in a curved arc from the ever-stretching mountain ranges.
The moment he left that region, Yang Zicang felt as if he had burst out of a bubble of water. Turning back to gaze, that world showed no sign of abnormality—the previous experience felt ony like a dream.
Little Matt Chao said with slight surprise:
{_-It’s an Illusionary Field. Lyu Bu has experienced a similar Crosspace.–_}
Hearing the train’s words, Yang Zicang, now slightly calmer, asked:
{_-How did Lyu Bu handle it? And what would have happened if we hadn’t left just now?–_}
{_-Which of your two questions do you want me to answer first?–_}
{_-The second one.–_}
{_-I don’t know.–_}
「……」
Yang Zicang, standing at the train door, was speechless for a moment, then paused and said:
{_-Then tell me what an Illusionary Field is all about.–_}
{_-Based on the data they’ve collected, some Illusionary Fields are just meant to scare you; others can make people lost or mistake companions for enemies; some Illusionary Fields can actually assimilate mental frequencies, making someone truly believe they’re hurt, causing them to lose their lives. This type is also called a Psychic Field. Little White Shadow is the third kind.–_}
In fact, you could be considered one too…
{_-Little White Shadow?-** Yang Zicang said casually. –What exactly have you two been chatting about in the spiritual world?–_**}
{_-We talk about everything, from No. 23 Xiangyun Road to Xicao Park—he’s talked about those the most. Communication happens on a spiritual level.–_}
Yang Zicang had only asked casually, but then his expression turned a bit grim.
Wasn’t that the route I used to take to my grandmother’s house when I was a kid?
Shaking his head, he looked toward the mountain behind him. At this moment, it didn’t appear particularly tall, no different from its surroundings—except that the strangeness he had sensed earlier could only be felt as a presence when up close.
–A five-pointed star, a pentagon? Is this real or fake?–
{If it’s real, the kaleidoscope you broke can ward off psychic attacks. Get out now. My window to deviate tonight is almost up.}
Yang Zicang was well aware that the kaleidoscope was an incredibly precious treasure. Unfortunately, after inquiring everywhere—from Headquarters to Hubville—no one could repair such a completely damaged simulator.
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